War Poets - Searching For The American Dream

War Poets – Searching for the American Dream
2015, War Poets

Minnesota rockers War Poets have been busy in the last year.  Their most recent release, Searching for the American Dream, is the third in a cycle of three EPs the band has released in the past nine months.  The cycle is a series of rock and roll meditations on issues faced in modern American, as seen through the politically jaded eyes of the Occupy movement.  Searching for the American Dream is the cycle’s culmination, referencing issues of incarceration; income inequality; respect for prostitutes; and revolution.

The EP opens with “Day Dream”, a compact little rocker with smooth edges.  The song is mildly catchy and will appeal to fans of classic rock.  The lyrical content is awkward but consistent with issues addressed in the television show American Crime.  “Shadows” is a clumsy humanistic take on redemption.  It’s a great listen musically, but the disconnect between sound and lyric may be tough to take.  “On My Own” is a classic rock biograph of a homeless man who experienced child abuse; ran away and grew up on his own.  The song is well written, and the sound references Pink Floyd or perhaps post-DeYoung Styx.

“Sarah” is a song of affection for a prostitute that looks to remove the stigma of the world’s oldest profession.  It also works as an atypical love song if you’re not listening to the words too closely.  “Pay The Piper” is all about income inequality and revolution.  This is perhaps the standout track on the EP; featuring a tremendously catchy arrangement.  Searching for the American Dream winds down with “Hey There”, a middling rocker about the pursuit of happiness and love.

War Poets are musically competent on Searching for the American Dream.  The band is musically in sync and wears their progressive social management views on their collective sleeve.  The message, whatever you might think of it, is ineptly delivered more often than not.  This is a mixed bag that will have some regional appeal but just doesn’t have enough universal appeal to break big.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.warpoets.net.  Purchase Searching for the American Dream from Amazon or iTunes.

Aaron Comess - Blues For Use

2014, Innsbruck Records

The Band
Aaron Comess came to fame playing drums for the Spin Doctors.  While that wild ride continues, Comess has also made a name for himself from his solo work, which blends rock, pop, jazz and world sounds into his own distinctive sound.  Comess’ most recent work is in collaboration with Teddy Kumpel and Richard Hammond.

The Album
Aaron Comess released his third solo album in May, entitled Blues For Use, consisting of 12 instrumental tracks.

The Buzz
Comess, Kumpel and Hammond are consummate professionals, and the music on Blues For Use is demonstrative of that fact.  The album waxes and wanes from aggressive to pensive.  Comess’ talents as a composer are often overlooked, but he drives the creative process here. 

Spotlights
“Hard Ball” focuses on the rhythm section in a percussive arrangement that sounds like an early outtake from Rush crossed with Pink Floyd.  “Guilty Until Proven Innocent” works a long, slow build into a plaintive yet ear-pleasing chorus.  The tight instrumental interplay is key here, with a subtle guitar lead that fluctuates in intensity.  Comess and company engage in a brilliant piece of non-visual art in “Sunrise”.  It’s a lazy, rolling number; the melody is a dog lying in the summer sun, occasionally rolling over to scratch its back in the dirt.  “Bajelirious” plays like an alternate James Bond theme.  The band is at their best here, with all cylinders pumping. 

Footlights
There’s little negative to say about the album.  There are slower moments, but they are part of the ebb and flow of the album.  There is definite inspiration here, but it is sometimes of the quieter, pensive kind.  Subtlety abounds.

The Rating:  4 Stars (Out of 5)

The Songs
Surprise, Pt. 1

Hard Ball

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Sunrise

Gorilla

Bajelirious

Clear

Casa Colonial

Blues For Use

Moonrise

Finally
Surprise, Pt. 2

Where to Go
www.aaroncomess.com

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Abbie Barrett & The Last Date - The Triples: Volume 1

Abbie Barrett & The Last Date - The Triples: Volume 1
2011, Beige Bomber Records

Abbie Barrett grew up in New York City attending private schools. A professional career and upward mobility were the clear goal. Even through college, Barrett was on target. But once free from formal education, Barrett jumped around from town to town anything but. Eventually landing in Somerville, Massachusetts, she first picked up a guitar and began writing down the songs that kept running through her head. This was a watershed moment, both a continuation of her rebellion against the expectations she was raised with, and an embrace of the person she would become. Drawing on influences as disparate as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Neil Young and Aimee Mann, Barrett continues to write songs about underdogs, unsung heroes and rebels. Along with her band, The Last Date, Barrett recently released the first in a series of EPs called The Triples.

The Triples, Volume 1 opens with "Here To Stay", a low-key, but high energy rock n roll fight song that's part Chrissie Hynde and part Sara Bareilles. Featuring a memorable chorus, the song shows off Barrett's distinct voice, which is distinctly beautiful but contains a formidable toughness that's not to be ignored. "On The Range" is a drearily ethereal spaghetti western in song. Barrett's voice and the vocal harmonies of her band help to create a distinctive sound that is both uplifting and haunting. The EP closes with "Draw Me In", an elongated and smooth ballad that sounds like Hope Sandoval singing along to Pink Floyd. The ultimately sad feel of the song holds its own unique beauty, and avoids the neuroses that pervade "sad pop" music.

Abbie Barrett is a distinctive voice in Indie Pop music. Together with The Last Date, Barrett has created three memorable and likeable songs that run the gamut stylistically. The Triples: Volume 1 is a wonderful introduction to an artist who shows a lot of promise. This EP will ensure that careful listeners are likely to be waiting for the release of the other two volumes in the series.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Abbie Barrett & The Last Date at www.abbiebarrett.com or www.myspace.com/abbiebarrett.  The Triples, Volume 1 was scheduled for a November 8, 2011, but as of this review does not appear to have made it to market yet.  Keep checking Barrett's website for release details.

Brian Eno and the words of Rick Holland - Drums Between The Bells

Brian Eno and the words of Rick Holland - Drums Between The Bells

2011, Warped Records

Brian Eno has long been acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of ambient music.  His roots lie in the glam rock era, starting with the band Roxy Music.  As a soloist, his progressive tendencies grew from art rock to the early experimental days of Electronica.  Along the way Eno collaborated with such icons as Robert Fripp and Genesis, creating a body of work that is impressive in both its scope and quality.  As a producer, Eno has worked with acts such as U2, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Paul Simon, Slowdive and Grace Jones.  Eno first discovered Rick Holland during a collaborative effort of the Royal College, the Guildhall School of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the National Youth Orchestra (UK) and the English National Ballet entitled the Map-Making Project.  Eno first collaborated with Holland in 2003, and the two have worked together on and off since that time.  In 2011, Eno made the jump to Warped Records with the release of Small Craft on a Milk Sea.  Drums Between The Bells, featuring the words of Rick Holland, follows quickly on its heels, dropping on July 5, 2011.

Drums Between The Bells is an aural treat, with Eno drawing stylistically from his vast body of work to create musical backdrops that are esoteric in beauty and vital in their energy.  The album ranges from dance-oriented Electronica to avant garde, with stops at seemingly pastoral, cinematic and meditative musical spaces along the way.  "Glitch", the lead single, is a modernist obsession that will play well as a low-key club number, full of recursive synth and percussion and the robotized spoken word craft of Grazyna Goworek.  "Pour It Out" is a thing of pure beauty, from the Eno's seamless composition to the smooth soliloquy of Laura Spagnuolo.  "Fierce Aisles Of Light" features Rick Holland himself in his sole appearance on the album, offering his poetry in unaffected voice alongside Nick Robertson and Anastasia Afonina, to the ebb and flow of gentle industrial sounds.  There is a hopeless feel of automation here that is perhaps as much of a statement as the words themselves.

"A Title" has a space-age, cinematic feel to it that wraps around the listener like a shawl on a chilly night.  The school-marm voice of Caroline Wildi (we love the name) is both soothing and stern.  Eno gets percussive on the stimulating "Sounds Alien", a lesson in the power of rhythm in music.  Eno uses his own voice to create a sort of digital-age Gregorian Chant to the power of money and stock markets on "Dow".  "Cloud 4" sounds like the music of a child's demented wind-up toy, an answer, perhaps, to Pink Floyd's "Goodbye Blue Skies".  Drums Between The Bells settles in the shades of night with "Breath Of Crows", a musical landscape in oils, that mimics lonely madness on the edge of the periphery of darkness.  Holland's words reveal an utter loneliness bordering on insanity, delivered against a wonderfully bleak backdrop of sound that includes the machination of wind chimes and the ghosts of voices that only arrive to waking souls in the deepest hours of darkness.

There really is no tying Brian Eno down.  There is no one genre or style that you can attribute to the man, although much of modern Electronic music owes a debt of gratitude to his creativity and progressive musical nature.   The music on Drums Between The Bells vacillates between artful and creative to downright masterpieces of sound and vision.  Eno wraps up Rick Holland's poetic muse in clothing so well-fit it becomes impossible to separate the two.  Holland's work itself tends toward the pessimistic and bleak as often as not, and may be a tough read, but his words come to life across the soundscapes that Eno has created.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Brian Eno at www.brian-eno.net or www.warp.net/brian-eno.  Drums Between The Bells drops on July 5, 2011.  The album is available from Amazon.com as a CD, a Limited Edition CD, on Vinyl and as a Download.  

Kingfin - Get Involved [EP]

Kingfin - Get Involved [EP]
2010, Kingfin

UK rockers Kingfin draw their influences from bands such as The Clash, Nirvana and The Ramones, but with healthy doses of Radiohead and Pink Floyd thrown in as well. The band, who take their name from a bad guy in the game Super Mario Galaxy is starting to garner global attention, with radio placements in Canada, the US and back at home based on their debut EP, Get Involved.

Get Involved opens with "Hollywould Smile", a diatribe against television shopping and the ease at which such TV networks talk people out of their money. There's a modicum of anger here and the arrangement is suggestive of punk origins but more refined. "Dirty Little Secret" takes to task someone for their role in infidelity as the third wheel. It's a wakeup call delivered over a simple arrangement heavy on drums and bass with guitar providing angry accents. "Living Hell" is a slinky, blues-influenced rocker that's a lot of fun to listen to. This song probably works best on stage, but it will get your toes tapping no matter the setting. Get Involved closes with "Sweet Sixteen", an angry monologue about a teen girl with an over-sized sense of entitlement.

Kingfin seems to have some of the punk anger but little of the lash. The four songs offered on Get Involved are enjoyable on their face, but the aural treat becomes plain with repeated exposure. Some of this is certainly presentation, and it seems likely that these songs would fare better on stage with the flow of live energy than in the studio. Get Involved is enough to get you in the door as a listener. What Kingfin does next will tell whether listeners stick around.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Kingfin at www.myspace.com/kingfin01.  Get Involved is available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

White Noise Sound - White Noise Sound

White Noise Sound - White Noise Sound
2010, Alive Records

Welsh rockers White Noise Sound launch their wall of sound at an unsuspecting world with their self-titled debut album on September 21, 2010. With the help of Pete Kember (Spacemen 3, Spectrum, E.A.R.) and Cian Ciaran (Super Furry Animals), White Noise Sound have realized a sound that calls on their forebears, acts such as Brian Eno, The Velvet Underground and even Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. Awash with synthesized sounds and feedback, White Noise Sound turn their name into fashion, fashion into art, and occasionally even cull something like a melody out of their sonic playground.

White Noise Sound is a droning electronic fair crossed with occasional doses of rock guitar. "Sunset" opens, the most commercial and intermingled track on the album. Unfortunately the marriage of sounds comes across as bland rather than intriguing. "It Is There For You" is more ambience than song with a spoken word vocal and minimalist arrangement. "There Is No Tomorrow" shows a bit more depth; layering electronic sounds with horns. It is the most extensive attempt at arrangement offered up by White Noise Sound and the highlight of the album. Unfortunately White Noise Sound seems to slowly fade away thereafter, as if the one attempt at real integration in the songwriting process sapped the creative flow from the band.

White Noise Sound is more performance art than songwriting, mixing and matching sounds in a primarily electro environment while trying to appeal to a wider demographic. This approach appears to have been backfired, as White Noise Sound fails to really generate much business with their self-titled debut.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about White Noise Sound at http://www.whitenoisesound.net/ or www.myspace.com/whitenoisesound.  White Noise Sound can be purchased on CD from Amazon.com.  You can also purchase it directly from the band at their website.

Miniature Tigers - Fortress

Miniature Tigers - Fortress
2010 Modern Art Records/ILG

Band note: If you're staying in a house in the middle of the Adirondacks that could double as a horror movie set, watching The Shining may not be the best choice. Then again, listening to the dark anxiety and energy that runs through Miniature Tiger's sophomore album, Fortress, perhaps it was the perfect choice. Inspired by the abject terror and angst of that experience, the Brooklyn-based Miniature Tigers cut an album full of reckless energy and adrenaline that compensates for any deficits you might identify with pure energy and the sense of bravado that covers fear.

Miniature Tigers start strong on Fortress, opening with the melodic 1960's pop style of "Mansion Of Misery" and speckling it with vast tracts of psychedelic sound. The melody is pleasant enough at first but becomes highly repetitive as Miniature Tigers chose to express AB composition by differentiating with changes between pure pop sound to psychedelic fugue. "Rock N Roll Mountain Troll" describes someone most people have known at one point in their life. That guy who went to school or work and then spent the rest of his time in his room getting h and playing guitar or drums or some other instrument. The song is incredibly catchy and fun to listen to, with a catchy melody the Beatles would have been proud of.

"Dark Tower" finds Miniature Tigers in the backwaters of human thought where philosophy and a profound sense of epistemological melancholy meet. It's a song about trying to find yourself while navigating the waters of human interaction and relationships, filled with all of the angst and fear that such confrontations inspire. Things get a bit slow in the middle of "Fortress", but pick up again for the near-novelty tune "Japanese Woman Living In My Closet". While Miniature Tigers might appear to have driven right off the deep end here, the infectious pop melody is nothing to sneeze at. Much the same can be said of "Tropical Birds". Miniature Tigers float their way past the last bastions of sensibility into a land where Syd Barrett cavorts with pop princesses and writes million-sellers. As odd as the song may be, there's an essential draw to it that will have you hitting replay nearly in spite of yourself.

Miniature Tigers walk their own musical path on Fortress, engaging in a delirious mix of 1960's rock and pop with easy listening tendrils gracing the edges of their sound. The retro movement has finally brought back psychedelic folk-rock, and Miniature Tigers play it like they invented the sound.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Miniature Tigers at http://www.miniaturetigers.com/ or www.myspace.com/miniaturetigers.  Fortress is available from Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.  Fortress is also available from iTunes. 

Will Knox - The Matador & The Acrobat

Will Knox - The Matador & The Acrobat
2009, Will Knox

Born in Hammersmith, England, Will Knox moved to Boston at the young age of 18 and has now moved on to New York City. The influences of both his home and his travels weigh heavily on Knox' latest album, The Matador & The Acrobat. Writing about the darker places of the human heart, Knox wraps up human imperfection in delicious little alt-folk tunes; always with an eye toward hope. His is not a world in decline, but a world grown beyond the understanding of hearts and minds that have never been fully prepared for the sophistication the modern age calls for. The Matador & The Acrobat represents the classic struggle between humanity's expansionist tendencies and our inherent insecurities.

Knox opens with "The Matador And The Acrobat I", a 36-second intro that introduces the narrator as an acrobat, bending himself to expectations and avoiding trouble, while inside resides a voice who is a fighter. "Buckled Knees" represents the emptiness of sacrificing yourself for stardom; when you achieve what you want there's nothing of you left to enjoy it. Knox uses Los Angeles as the Mecca for this emptiness, and the character in the song realizes this emptiness after he's already been broken by the machine. "A Painted Smile" is a song about losing your bearings, a like outcome from "Buckled Knees". Imagine The Beautiful South writing in the vein of The Wall-era Pink Floyd and you'll have a pretty good idea of the sound.

"Three Blind Mice" represented what goes on behind the mask of "A Painted Smile", describing the demons that unhinge the mind. The subtle disturbed arrangement is a great contrast to the lyrical content. "Belly Of The Beast" takes on the New York City Subway and the dark side of the bright city above. It's a wonderfully apt allegory for the sights and sounds beneath the city. Knox expresses existential angst in "Footprints On The Moon", noting the human capacity for destructive behavior and expressing the hope that we are not know one day simply by the artifacts we leave behind. "The Matador And The Acrobat II" is a transition, struggling between the comfort of the known and the agony of prospective change.

"Heart Strings" is the soliloquy of a recently disabused heart, looking back on all the manipulations he was caught up in. It's a powerful tune for the sense of helplessness that gives way to purpose. "Cog In The Machine" continues the theme, recognizing one's role in the greater machinations in life and making the choice to simply step out of the machine. Knox pays tribute to the roots of New York City, noting both the immigrant labor that raised the city and the way in which the island was acquired. "Never Letting Go" is a song about getting stuck in an emotional cycle; going around and around in circles but never breaking free. "The Circus Absurd" highlights again the sense of being a part of something greater, and the idea that this greater has something horribly wrong with it. Closing with "The Matador And The Acrobat III", Knox appears ready to step outside of the script and make his own path.

The Matador And The Acrobat mixes strong songwriting with Knox's quirky voice and distinctive delivery. Will Knox is a songwriter with a talent for getting inside the moment, and taking you with him. The Matador And The Acrobat is well worth spending some time on.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Will Knox at http://www.willknox.com/ and www.myspace.com/willknoxmusic. The Matador & The Acrobat is available in multiple formats from Amazon and iTunes.

Nomad Planets - You're Never Lost Until You Panic

Nomad Planets - You're Never Lost Until You Panic
2010, The Fairbanks Label

Chicago rock/folk/Americana quartet recently released their third album, You’re Never Lost Until You Panic, continuing the development of a sound that the band began searching for in 1999, but was really born in 2001. At the time Nomad Planets were working on their second album, Edge Of Time, when half of their recorded output was lost in a computer mishap. In spite of this loss, Nomad Planets rebounded and re-recorded the album, finding new life and vitality in the process. Even though it’s been five years since the release of Edge Of Time, it’s apparent that Nomad Planets still have that drive on You’re Never Lost Until You Panic.

You're Never Lost Until You Panic dawns with "Here You Are", a decent Americana-pop tune with a sing-along chorus and a rock-a-bye feel. It's a great opener that puts the listener immediately at ease. "Happiness", surprisingly, comes across a gritty, angry piece. Listeners will form their own opinions, but the juxtaposition of title and feel is surprising. "So Far So Good" represents the pick-up not so much as an art of a means to find someone as needy as you are; it's a great story song in a decent Americana arrangement. "Centerpiece" continues this emotional exploration with jealousy, examining the effects it can have on your mind. This mournful tune is written from the perspective of loss both imagined and real, the former causing the latter rather than preventing it.

"The Flood Song" recalls a great flood on 1962 (Delaware, Ohio, Germany?) and its aftermath from the perspective of someone who lost everything in the deluge. A man looks back on the home he lost and his great love in disbelief ("When the water took my wife it caressed her then consumed her / I Still don't know why it spared the likes of me."), displaying a deft ability capture moments in stark and moving language. "Wherever The Wind Blows" addresses the human tendency to react in herd-like fashion in the political process rather than investing thought in their decision making. It's an indictment of modern society and those who lean to the political right. "Wherever The Wind Blows" is incisive and accurate as far as it goes, but would have more punch if the approach were ecumenical.

Nomad Planets offers up a decent country-flavored cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" in the vein of Luther Wright & The Wrongs. Reverent and subdued, it's a solid listen but lacks the impassioned helplessness of the original and the campy smirk of Wright's stellar cover. "Walking In Quicksand" is a musical parallel for struggling to get ahead while falling further behind. It’s an apt parable for a debt-obsessed culture that mortgages tomorrow for today and ends up owning neither. Nomad Planets takes next to "The Liberty Trail", a song about recovery; breaking free from the chains that hold us down. It's a solid and motivational tune delivered in plaintive tones that's enjoyable and uplifting in humble fashion. Nomad Planets close with "The Modern Ones", a song about the breaking down of traditional boundaries delivered in dark mercurial tones that suggest the sort of uproar such things always raise in cultures from the talking heads to small town cognoscenti.

You're Never Lost Until You Panic is a dark collection about depths and turns in the human condition that might not make the evening news but don't necessarily comply with the expectations of a society with puritan roots. There's a solid political undercurrent to the album that jumps out once in a while but mostly hides deep within songs that almost despondently suggest it's okay to be who you are. This dichotomy plays like a mixed message that's more likely to confuse than empower decisions. It's as if Nomad Planets pursue both advocacy and plausible deniability on You're Never Lost Until You Panic. It's an interesting mix, but likely has a limited demographic of listeners waiting for it.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Nomad Planets at http://www.nomadplanets.com/ or www.myspace.com/nomadplanets. You're Never Lost Until You Panic is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com. Downloads are also available via iTunes.

Sokoband - Sokoband (featuring Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds, LeRoi Moore and Steve Kimock)

Sokoband - Sokoband
2010, Breezeway Records

Sokoband (formerly Soko) is a Charlottesville, Virginia based Jazz duo that formed in 1990. Comprised of Michael Sokolowski (piano) and Houston Ross (bass), Sokoband has worked with a number of top name performers over the years. In 1996, Sokoband released their debut album, In November Sunlight. The album featured guest appearances from Dave Matthews, LeRoi Moore and Tim Reynolds, and sold very well for an instrumental jazz album because of their presence. Sokoband wasn't happy with the album as presented however, and undertook remaking it over the past two years. The result is Sokoband, which includes all eight tracks from In November Sunlight as well as two new tunes. Matthews, Reynolds and Moore came back for this new project. Additional guests include Steve Kimock (guitar), Mike Colley (guitar), David Cast (sax), John Zias (guitar) and David Darling (cello).

Opening with the frenetic synth of "Coast To Coast", Sokoband creates a danceable pop offering steeped in Herbie Hancock style jazz/pop. It's an enjoyable tune that allows the musicians to explore their own riffs and inspirations while sticking closely to the main theme. "Jiriki" has a Latin jazz feel, with acoustic and electric guitars trading riffs in against the tasteful waterfall backdrop created by the piano and percussion. "In November Sunlight" sounds like film score music, with Sokolowski developing a pervasive and memorable theme on piano. As other instruments come in they somewhat obscure the theme, but it resurfaces from time to time out of the depths to remind us all that it’s there.

Sokoband launches into a ten-minute plus progressive jazz/rock Odyssey in the form of "Energy Changed", playing with dark subtexts and distortion around a guitar-led theme that's as unsettled as it is iconic. It's not Pink Floyd, but could have spun from a Gilmour-inspired haze. "And Yet Your Smile", one of the new tracks this time around, plays like a 1970's easy listening jazz tune, with saxophone out front. While it's a decent listen, it is driven by a very different writing style than the older material. Where the older songs have a fresh edgy feel a decade and a half after they were written, "And Yet Your Smile" sounds tired. "Half Sleep" is a repetitive expedition, holding space for the closing number, "Nightfall". "Nightfall" is the other new track on Sokoband; a moody variegated composition that dwells in ambience while it slowly progresses through an almost free-form melody.

Jazz fusion fans will love Sokoband. Hard-core Dave Matthews Band fans will snap it up (especially if they don't have 1996's In November Sunlight), but this is hardly a mainstream album. Sokoband is inventive and original at times, formulaic and derivative at others. The newer material, while relevant, just doesn't fit well with the original 8 songs. The original material gets new life here, mostly successfully. Sokoband is complex and highly musical when on their game.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sokoband at http://www.sokoband.com/ or www.myspace.com/sokoband. Sokoband is available as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Absinthe Junk - Living Ghosts

Absinthe Junk - Living Ghosts
2010, Severe Records

Nashville singer/songwriter/guitarist Blair Bretreiter Smart (who works mononymously as simply "Blair") gets compared to singers such as Amy Lee or Shirley Manson on a regular basis, but the profundity and progressive nature of her songwriting separates her from the pack. Together with Patrick Himes (guitar/keys/backing vox) and Matt Clarke (bass), Blair formed Absinthe Junk in mid-2009. Absinthe Junk also appears as Pink Floyd tribute band Eclipse, playing over 50 dates on the East Coast and Midwest in 2009. On Absinthe Junk's debut album, Living Ghosts, you'll hear flashes of the dreamy Psychedelia of Pink Floyd, as well as the smash and grab progressive and alt metal that serves as the other horizon of the band's range. All of this will be delivered with instrumentation and construction that's anything but typical in rock n roll. Absinthe Junk leaves all options on the table.

Absinthe Junk hits the heavy funk hard on “Commercialized Waste” in a wide-open arrangement that show’s off lead vocalist Blair’s dynamic voice. The song is highly enjoyable and a bit out of the box, with a tremendous amount of energy and complexity in the instrumentation underneath. “Road To Damnation” makes great use of Blair’s violin in a hard rock instrumental that will leave you shaking your head. “Dragonflies In Hurricanes” has one of the nicer melody lines on the album, and the vocals are solid, but there’s a distracted, disconnected feel to the song. “Sweet Vaccine” is a big, mid-tempo rocker. The energy level here is flat, and the spark is missing that existed in songs such as “Commercialized Waste” and “Road To Dementia”, proving that volume alone can’t represent emotion. “Assassin” features Blair in her best voice. While the arrangement is interesting, and Blair’s voice is a great listen, the bigger than life presentation that she’s capable of (and the song calls for) isn’t here. Blair belts, but the theatricality gets left at the door.

Absinthe Junk is a big band with a big sound that’s a bit off the beaten path. When on their game, Absinthe Junk is capable of some pretty impressive things. Living Ghosts finds Absinthe Junk traversing the highs and lows. The moments when Living Ghosts misses the bar are when Absinthe Junk fails to match the requisite passion and theatrics to the individual songs. Living Ghosts is a solid start.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Absinthe Junk at http://www.mypieceofjunk.com/ or www.myspace.com/absinthejunk. Living Ghosts is available as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com. Digital copies are also available via iTunes.

Review: The Gravel Project - More Ways Than One

The Gravel Project - More Ways Than One
2010, The Gravel Project / ASCAP

Boston's The Gravel Project is the brainchild of first-call guitarist Andrew Gravel. A Boston native, Gravel previously lived for three years in Australia and then London, where he played with some of the brightest stars on the London Blues scene. Back in the US, Gravel was the guitarist of Entrain before forming The Gravel Project. With their distinctive mix of rock, funk and blues, The Gravel Project have become favorites in Boston, regularly playing to packed houses in venues such as The Middle East, Church and Tommy Doyles. The Gravel Project's debut album, More Ways Than One seeks to capture the live energy of the band in the studio.

More Ways Than One opens with a Muscle Shoals-influenced blue rock paean to the Great Recession and the greed that ignited it in "Dollar Bill". The Gravel Project show themselves to be the total package right out of the gate. Gravel is top notch on vocals and guitar, and the Hammond makes a serious first impression. "Too Many Drivers" is a tongue-in-cheek discussion of who's in charge, sprinkled with innuendo and gentle misdirection that's as entertaining as the great blues/rock arrangement. The Gravel Project finds a bit of magic on "Arugula Politics" with a funky, sassy horn/guitar combo. The song is highly danceable, but The Gravel Project sticks with the theme a bit too long.

"I'll Cry Instead" is an absolutely brilliant Beatles cover done in pure funk. The Gravel Project do the near-impossible with the Beatles classic; they make it their own without compromising the essential character or feel of the original. From The Beatles to Pink Floyd, a David Gilmour ambience is the focal point of "Mindstream", with ambient, dreamy guitar playing the foil to a shifting bed of sound. "My Baby" is a classic-sounding blues love song; it's definite mix-tape material. Gravel nails the vocal line, and the song is eminently listenable even if it does cross the cliché line pretty seriously. More Ways Than One closes with "Blues For L.A.", juxtaposing a lyric vocal line with a gritty blues rock tune.

More Ways Than One turns out to be a highly enjoyable listening experience with a few kinks and wrinkles. The Gravel Project plays tight, blues-influenced rock n roll that explodes with energy. Andrew Gravel is a highly capable front man, driving the band forward with a reclusive yet energetic style that's not to be missed on CD, but is probably best served on stage. Perhaps what is most impressive is that Gravel and his cohorts treat the blending of Blues, Funk and Rock as reverently as if it were its own distinct art form. More Ways Than One is the first stop on a long journey for The Gravel Project. It’s perhaps not an album you will listen to all the time, but it is one you’ll keep coming back to again and again.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Gravel Project at http://www.thegravelproject.com/ or www.myspace.com/thegravelproject. More Ways Than One is available from CDBaby.com as either a CD or Download.

Review: Morre - Out There

Morre - Out There
2010, Morre

Toronto rock quartet Morre bring back the glam of the 1970’s and 1980’s in a stripped down and compact sound that’s perfect for today. The band has garnered significant attention in the Metro Toronto scene since their inception in 2008, earning comparisons to such wide-ranging bands as Gogol Bordello and Pink Floyd. What’s very clear from the opening notes of Morre’s debut album, Out There, is that the band knows how to perform, and is so confident in their ability to do so that they don’t need to hide behind distortion or effects. While musically superior, Morre does lapse into lyrical obsequies often throughout Out There, making their intent difficult to follow at times.

Out There opens with “The Moment”, a radio-friendly melodic hard-rock tune with wonderfully dark vocal harmonies. This song will get a lot of attention from radio on its uniqueness of sound alone. “Brand New Tide” is a mostly-acoustic rocker with a vibrant sound and distinctive harmonies. It’s a song of questing for what the world has to offer full of the vigor and bright-eyed hope of youth. Morre offers up some tremendously danceable rock ‘n roll on “Playing With Fire”. The lyrics are a bit awkward but the song more than makes up for any such considerations. “In My Vein” is sonically interesting but highly obtuse on the lyrics side, while “Under The Lights” plays like a self-serving pity-party over the trials involved in a life of playing music and being on stage. “Under The Lights” is sonically strong with real progressive rock tendencies in the instrumentation that make it a fun listen. On “Time Is Slipping Away”, Morre shows what can happen to a great chorus when there isn’t anything strong to marry it to. The chorus offers promise, but is repeated excessively and there’s little else here seriously worth investing in. Morre closes out with Times Are Changing, a high energy concept that never fully realizes itself, but the arrangement is exquisite.

Out There offers an interesting snapshot of Morre, a hold-over from the days when rock n roll was full of glam and irresponsible behavior. Morre has stripped their sound down a bit from bands like Guns N Roses, Poison or Ratt, and has incorporated some of the quirky party energy of Kim Mitchell’s mid-solo career work. There are a couple of blips on Out There, and the lyrical content doesn’t always measure up the quality of the music, but on balance, Out There is a solid introduction to a band with a bright future.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Morre at www.myspace.com/morremusic. Out There can be purchased as either a CD Or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Guitardogs - Dog Years

Guitardogs - Dog Years
2007, House Sound Records

Kintnersville, Pennsylvania’s Guitardogs hit the road in 2007 with one of the most exciting guitar-based classic rock albums of that year, Dog Years. Whether it's Blues, Rock, Country of even 1970's psychedelia, Guitardogs laid it all on the line. The guitar work is definitely the thing here. Songwriting otherwise is fair to average, and the vocals are sufficient throughout. Whether prosecuting Billy Gibbons style Texas Blues/Rock riffs (Long Goodbyes, All She Wrote, One Of Those Days, Paradise); Classic and Prog Rock (Anthem, Red Beans And Rice), lyric ballads (Foolish Pride, You Should Know By Now) or Floydian musical subversion (Suicide on 611), Guitardogs will have all the axe men and ladies out there reaching for their instrument and trying to catch on. The technical aspects of the album are brilliant, and Dog Years harkens back to a time when Rock N Roll was still King, and the guitar was his majesty's mighty scepter.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Guitardogs at http://www.theguitardogs.com/ or www.myspace.com/guitardogs. You can download Dog Years from either Amazon.com or iTunes. Hard copies may still be available directly from the band.

Review: MV & EE - Barn Nova

MV & EE - Barn Nova
2009, Ecstatic Peace!

MV & EE is the sort of musical pairing that happens in particularly lucid dreams; the sort that might only occur in the "real world" in green Mountains of Vermont. Following not so much in the footsteps of but the spiritual imprints of bands such as The Grateful Dead, Sun Ra or even Phish, MV & EE hold forth with The Golden Road (Doc Dunn, Mike Smith, J. Mascis and Jeremy Earl) at their sides on the stunning Barn Nova. Barn Nova is the fourth major release from MV & EE after years of guerilla releases on small labels.

Barn Nova opens with Feelin’ Fire, a disconnected and poorly recorded/produced track where the pieces fit together in jarring fashion. The mix is all wrong here, and there’s a feeling like the various instruments are only playing together out of sheer luck or happenstance. Of course, this also appears to be by design, so some will find it artistically satisfying while others will find it a mess. Get Right Church is a Blues-based bit of psychedelia. While precision is once again not the focus of the tune, the sound is interesting. Snapperhead is disjointed and disconnected, using harmony and dissonance as random counterpoints to project the woeful incantation of a lost soul. Summer Magic sounds like Pink Floyd playing slightly out of tune; a melancholy soundscape full of depression and disaffection, much in contrast to its title. Wandering Nomad is intriguing; there's a really decent melody and song structure here with vague Americana leanings, but the production is so warped it's barely recognizable. MV & EE close out with Bedroom Eyes, Fully Tanked and You Feel, following much the same path; a capricious slide through genre boundaries, production values and temporal songwriting as if these distinctions were mere imaginings.

MV & EE actively defy categorization on Barn Nova. Some might call them avant-garde, but the purpose on Barn Nova doesn't seem to be a random collection of noise. MV & EE are much more calculating subversive throughout Barn Nova, taking everything you know or believe about Rock music and turning your perceptions distinctly on their ear. At the end of the day you may not like Barn Nova, but you're likely to feel at least a kernel of respect for the pure audacity of MV & EE.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about MV & EE at www.myspace.com/mveebummerroad or www.ecstaticpeace.com/mvee. You can purchase Barn Nova as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Fictionist - Lasting Echo

Fictionist - Lasting Echo
2010, Fictionist

Utah post-genre rockers Fictionist deliver more than mere reflection on Lasting Echo, their second-full length album recently released independently. Featuring the cultured baritone of Stuart Maxfield as well as his Wilco-esque guitar work, Lasting Echo is the sort of album that legitimizes a small market band's reputation and helps them gain regional and perhaps even national stature. Fictionist dwells in a delicious mix of vibrant creation and introspection where melody is king.

Lasting Echo opens with always, a dark and eerie Prog Rocker resplendent in synth and guitar-driven light. The emphasis here isn't sound and fury so much as it is nuance and change. Human Wings is reminiscent of some of the softer fare from 1970's Canadian rockers Max Webster; a mellow rock ballad with ample guitar fills. The sound is a bit closer to Pink Floyd on Sunshine Of A Shell; layered guitars balance off the tension of the vocal line in smooth peaks and troughs of sound that begins and ends in the ebb and flow of a church organ. Maxfield's voice is the perfect complement to the instrumental sounds created on Lasting Echo, often aiming for a plain, easy singing style but occasionally breaking out to punctuate a moment or emotion.

Strangers In The Dark is one of those songs that seem to take on its own distinct vibrancy; as if the song were playing Fictionist rather than the other way around. Structural, key and rhythm changes drive this musical conversation between a narrator and Fate; both aware and wary of the other. As always, Fate wins out by inertia, but the narrator still holds on to the hope that a "spark" could change it all. Time To Time digs into the emotions surrounding a relationship that's ended but which one of the parties can't quite let go of. The arrangement is full of delicious tension and more than a few fun lyrical turns "It's been awhile since I've had your mascara on my sleeve.") The guitar work here is exquisite; you could hear Time To Time playing on big AOR stations alongside 1970's stalwarts like Frampton, ELO, Zeppelin and BTO and Fictionist would sound like they were never elsewhere.

Fictionist brings in a distracted, mellow Jazz vibe on Deeper And Deeper, one of the more intriguing compositions on Lasting Echo. Rhythmic variations in the percussion drive against the plaintive wall instrumentation to create interesting moments of tension against unusual vocal harmonies and lead into a distinctive organ solo that ranks among the best instrumental turns on the album. Lasting Echo closes with Have Mercy, a plaintive plea built into a lovely, stripped down arrangement that lulls you out of the album and back into the real world.

Fictionist delivers a highly nuanced and compelling listening experience on Lasting Echo, delivering on the title with an album that will speak to you well after the disc stops spinning. Gentle rock with Progressive tendencies and patient, deliberate songwriting is sure to please listeners across several genres, and should ensure that Fictionist does the album thing at least one more time. Lasting Echo is a tremendous start.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Fictionist at http://www.fictionist.com/ or www.myspace.com/fictionistband.
You can purchase Lasting Echo on CD from CDBaby.com. Downloads are available via iTunes.

Review: Marbin - Marbin

Marbin - Marbin
2009, Marbin

Chicago-based experimental jazz duo Marbin create out-of-the-box compositions using traditional forms and sounds that are anything bit. Closer to Pink Floyd than John Coltrane, Dani Rabin (guitar) and Danny Markovich (saxophone) defy branding with songs that range across genres. Forming in Israel, the duo was active there in parts of 2007 and 2008, before relocating. Since coming to Chicago, Marbin have worked with multiple Grammy winner Paul Wertico and appear on his album Impressions Of A City. Marbin released their self-titled debut EP in 2009.

Marbin opens with Abadaba, a mystic nouveau jazz offering big on ambience. Abadaba sounds more like a pensive rumination than an attempt at structured thought, evoking images of a gritty landscape and a sense of fractured peace underlying it all. Markovich takes the lead here in a style reminiscent of some of Sting's early forays into Jazz. Voice and guitar lead the way through Yodo, a lovely sidebar on the way to Mei. Mei is steeped in a dark beauty that conceals an uneasy edge just below the surface. The saxophone has a field day on Mei, driving through runs that would exasperate Miles Davis against the same sort of post-apocalyptic urban musical landscape.

Rabin takes center stage on Miyazaka, a brief but aesthetically pleasing composition that lilts its way into the more somber Crystal Bells. Crystal Bells plays out like a slow-growing, five-minute crescendo full of ambient synth, clockwork guitar and percussion and a melody that meanders pointedly above it all. Cuba finds Marbin blending Latin Jazz with a post-Modern pop sensibility, weaving adeptly amidst the surreal nature of the union. Darker contemplation returns on Rust, with distorted guitar playing out Jazz/Rock riffs over a straight Rock beat. The guitar work treads on some of the same territorial grounds as Eric Johnson here, but with a bit more chutzpah. Marbin closes with the bereft lullaby, Sleep Now, which carries an almost morose sense of peace.

Marbin is a challenging listen and a challenge to review. Marbin paints in musical oils, capturing the dark and half-light moments in music that is both thought provoking and uplifting at times. The instrumental work on Marbin is exquisite, and while the tone of Marbin isn't one to inspire huge Pop success, it's hard to imagine anyone not finding at least something to like here. That being said, Marbin is not the most accessible recording. Jazz and instrumental fans will stick around long enough to get into the good stuff, but pure pop fans with digital attention spans may not connect with Marbin.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Marbin at http://www.marbinmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/marbinmusic.

Review: Dios - We Are Dios

Dios - We Are Dios
2010, Dios

Joel Morales (Guitar/voice); John Paul Caballero (bass); Edwin Kampwirth (keys, percussion) and Patrick Vasquez (Drums) are the four pillars of Los Angeles musical madness mavens Dios. Combining the musical sensibilities of Brian Wilson at his most psychedelic with the Pop Culture Post-Modern Suburban American Junk Culture of 21st Century Hawthorne, California (home of the Beach Boys), Dios present their third album, We Are Dios, rife with psychedelic intent, stylistic inconsistencies and occasionally harmonies that will make Beach Boys fans think they've died and gone to Heaven. Where the Beach Boys sang about the simple pleasure of Southern California in the 1960's before descending into madness (Smile), Dios were raised in madness and try to make sense of it in the ten songs on We Are Dios, wrestling with illicit substances, personal demons and the idiocy of modern life.

We Are Dios opens with the stunning vocal harmonies and bare instrumentation of Epileptic Tunnel Visions. The harmonies here would make Brian Wilson proud, but Dios is dark and moody where The Beach Boys were bright and effusive. Ojay will sneak up on listeners, combing Progressive and Glam elements with modern Pop/Rock feel. The song seems like it's out of phase at times, but works. Toss My Cookies relies on atypical song construction and a sort of late Beatles/Pink Floyd musical psychosis. Dios strips down for Star At The Wheel, going with a Lo-Fi Garage sound wrapped around a big guitar riff. Tel Mi Theen finds Morales in his best voice in a smooth and well-tempered song that sounds hauntingly familiar.

Dios goes wonderfully psychedelic on Ay Don Wanu Meri Yu, shifting tempos, keys, signatures and even compositional focus at seemingly random intervals while blending quirky Pop, Prog and Glam. Don Be Efrey Du Die is strong reminiscent of Detroit rockers Talley Hall, wallowing in psychedelic slow-core Pop dressed in darkly beautiful minor keys. O Don Fil Baad drips with either irony or satire; a condescending and melancholy song wet with a mellow-yet-peppy arrangement. Dios closes with Et Weel Fil Gud, a bit of minimalist psychedelia that's a gentle goodbye that's both self-contradictory and disturbing.

Dios draws our attention back to Hawthorne, California five decades on, in a different world. The beach has gone corporate and the neighborhoods have changed, but Dios manages to pay homage to history while floating into the twenty-first century. We Are Dios establishes Dios as a force in psychedelic rock. In the 1950's Rock N Roll was fueled by a young generation whose parents and grandparents came across the pond. In 2010 the sounds may just as easily be fueled by a young generation whose grandparents came across the Rio Grande, the Gulf Of Mexico, etc., but the sound that emerges is as uniquely American as it was in the days of the Beach Boys, even if the sounds and the times have changed.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dios at http://www.wearedios.com/ or www.myspace.com/diosmalos. We Are Dios is tentatively scheduled for release sometime in early 2010. Keep checking Dios’ website for further information.

Review: Louder Than Love - Dark Days

Louder Than Love - Dark Days
2009, Louder Than Love

No matter how far you travel or how much you learn, sometimes you have to go home to start over. Paul Lambert left Vancouver, British Columbia for Montreal to study music, and then continued on to New York City where he played with several bands. A visit from a childhood friend got him to thinking about playing with friends from back home, and Lambert began to write new material with those friends in mind. Returning home, Lambert (lead vox/lead guitar); Ras Contractor (guitar/vox); Dan Okano (keys/vox); Tyler Thompson (drums) and Tony Lambert (bass) began jamming together and coalescing into the group that would be known as Louder Than Love. When Louder Than Love finally got together and began to play the material Paul Lambert had been writing they knew they were on to something. The culmination of this long road home is Dark Days, Louder Than Love's debut album. Trolling the dark waters between Progressive Rock, Modern Rock and Metal, Louder Than Love play such a vibrant and intriguing mix of styles you might just keep Dark Days on continuous repeat.

Dark Days opens with the title track, a wonderfully melancholy tune built around a classical sounding piano lick done in variations. It's a song about loneliness in a difficult world and features a distinctive Prog Rock influence. Just Like You is a moderately aggressive hard rocker about dark secrets and the costs they extol. Bringing You In digs into a myth that originated with the ancient Greeks and been perpetuated by every seafaring culture since. The call of the Siren is explored here in musical prose set in a Baroque Metal setting. The odd dichotomy of urgent need and aesthetic beauty makes Bringing You In highly unusual, and the Pink Floyd influence really isn't a surprise in that context. Louder Than Love takes a whimsical turn on That Ghost, a cute and quirky song about a pretend ghost friend. Anyone who ever had an imaginary friend as a child will identify with this song on one level or another.

Louder Than Love works in the seemingly pre-requisite anti-war song with Never Going Back, looking at war from the perspective of a veteran who’s already been there. The song is decent but a little on the predictable side. The vocoder portion of the vocal line is more of a distraction than a strength. Chemical Love sounds like the cynical radio song of the album. By design or otherwise this is probably the most commercial marketable track to Modern Rock radio. Not surprisingly it’s perhaps the weakest track on the album. Louder Than Love goes for a retro sound with Jazz influence and an improvised feel on Searchlight Soul. The chorus here is brilliant.

On Bad Apple, Louder Than Love describe someone we all know, a friend who seems destined to self-destruct. The theme is a bit over-simplified in clear Pop terms, but the song might have a real chance at Commercial Radio. Flood Gates is something of a change of pace, and the accompaniment in the first verse sounds suspiciously like a minor-key Goodbye Stranger (Supertramp). The chorus is one of the strongest on the album, driven by guitar and bass with a strong vocal harmony bridge over the top. Michelle is an upbeat song about letting the decline and fall of a relationship roll off your back. It's a great tune, full of a big, layered guitar sound and strong vocals. Louder Than Love closes out with Rain, a tense yet melodically meandering ballad that seemed more like an afterthought than a cohesive part of the album.

Dark Days has its issues, as does any album, but there's a startling sense of originality that runs throughout the album. Louder Than Love is distinctive, creating music that seems likely to be lasting and significant. Paul Lambert is a consummate front man, offering compelling songwriting, searing guitar work and vocals that stand up to some of the best in the Hard/Progressive Rock genres. The rest of Louder Than Love more than effectively fill in the gaps and create a dynamic sound that is sure to garner significant attention. Dark Days is a late-comer, but deserves real consideration for end-of-year lists.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Louder Than Love at http://www.louderthanlovemusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/louderthanlovemusic. Dark Days is a digital-only album available through Amazon.com or iTunes.

Review: Louder Than Love - Dark Days

Louder Than Love - Dark Days
2009, Louder Than Love

No matter how far you travel or how much you learn, sometimes you have to go home to start over. Paul Lambert left Vancouver, British Columbia for Montreal to study music, and then continued on to New York City where he played with several bands. A visit from a childhood friend got him to thinking about playing with friends from back home, and Lambert began to write new material with those friends in mind. Returning home, Lambert (lead vox/lead guitar); Ras Contractor (guitar/vox); Dan Okano (keys/vox); Tyler Thompson (drums) and Tony Lambert (bass) began jamming together and coalescing into the group that would be known as Louder Than Love. When Louder Than Love finally got together and began to play the material Paul Lambert had been writing they knew they were on to something. The culmination of this long road home is Dark Days, Louder Than Love's debut album. Trolling the dark waters between Progressive Rock, Modern Rock and Metal, Louder Than Love play such a vibrant and intriguing mix of styles you might just keep Dark Days on continuous repeat.

Dark Days opens with the title track, a wonderfully melancholy tune built around a classical sounding piano lick done in variations. It's a song about loneliness in a difficult world and features a distinctive Prog Rock influence. Just Like You is a moderately aggressive hard rocker about dark secrets and the costs they extol. Bringing You In digs into a myth that originated with the ancient Greeks and been perpetuated by every seafaring culture since. The call of the Siren is explored here in musical prose set in a Baroque Metal setting. The odd dichotomy of urgent need and aesthetic beauty makes Bringing You In highly unusual, and the Pink Floyd influence really isn't a surprise in that context. Louder Than Love takes a whimsical turn on That Ghost, a cute and quirky song about a pretend ghost friend. Anyone who ever had an imaginary friend as a child will identify with this song on one level or another.

Louder Than Love works in the seemingly pre-requisite anti-war song with Never Going Back, looking at war from the perspective of a veteran who’s already been there. The song is decent but a little on the predictable side. The vocoder portion of the vocal line is more of a distraction than a strength. Chemical Love sounds like the cynical radio song of the album. By design or otherwise this is probably the most commercial marketable track to Modern Rock radio. Not surprisingly it’s perhaps the weakest track on the album. Louder Than Love goes for a retro sound with Jazz influence and an improvised feel on Searchlight Soul. The chorus here is brilliant.

On Bad Apple, Louder Than Love describe someone we all know, a friend who seems destined to self-destruct. The theme is a bit over-simplified in clear Pop terms, but the song might have a real chance at Commercial Radio. Flood Gates is something of a change of pace, and the accompaniment in the first verse sounds suspiciously like a minor-key Goodbye Stranger (Supertramp). The chorus is one of the strongest on the album, driven by guitar and bass with a strong vocal harmony bridge over the top. Michelle is an upbeat song about letting the decline and fall of a relationship roll off your back. It's a great tune, full of a big, layered guitar sound and strong vocals. Louder Than Love closes out with Rain, a tense yet melodically meandering ballad that seemed more like an afterthought than a cohesive part of the album.

Dark Days has its issues, as does any album, but there's a startling sense of originality that runs throughout the album. Louder Than Love is distinctive, creating music that seems likely to be lasting and significant. Paul Lambert is a consummate front man, offering compelling songwriting, searing guitar work and vocals that stand up to some of the best in the Hard/Progressive Rock genres. The rest of Louder Than Love more than effectively fill in the gaps and create a dynamic sound that is sure to garner significant attention. Dark Days is a late-comer, but deserves real consideration for end-of-year lists.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Louder Than Love at http://www.louderthanlovemusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/louderthanlovemusic. Dark Days is a digital-only album available through Amazon.com or iTunes.