Marc Cohn and the Evils of Streaming

I am something of a dinosaur.  Let’s get that out front.  I refuse to pay for digital file licenses for music.  My CD collection is north of, well, it’s a lot.  I’ve even spurned releases from some of my favorite artists because they didn’t release hard copies (here’s looking at you, Ron Hawkins and Barenaked Ladies.)  I also have an aversion to vinyl, but that’s for another day.  Suffice it to say that from the standpoint of sound quality, ownership and longevity, nothing beats the CD for this music fan.

Of course, I do have teenagers, so things like Amazon Music and Spotify have made it into our way of life.  I don’t generally mess with either, although I will admit to spicing up my morning routine of feeding animals and checking glucose levels with a shuffle of songs from Amazon for whatever artist occurs to me that morning.  It’s often a frustrating experience, but easier than asking for a specific artist.  “Amazon, play music by Antje Duvekot.” “I wasn’t able to find songs by that artist, but here are songs by Two Cats.”

On this morning’s menu, besides a conglomeration of kibble (what the hell is kibble?) for the dogs and a split can of Friskies for the felines was Marc Cohn.  The first I heard of Marc Cohn was a quote from Billy Joel way back in 1991, where Billy prognosticated that Marc Cohn was next great American songwriter.  “Walking In Memphis” was just catching on at radio and you could hear the song six times an hour if you were switching radio stations.  He is an artist that has stayed with me through the years in spite of changes in musical taste because his songs have substance.

He popped into my head this morning and so I asked Amazon to play songs by Marc Cohn.  Seven songs in, and I had heard “True Companion”, “Strangers in a Car” and “Walking in Memphis.”  Wait, that’s only three songs, but “Walking in Memphis” had played four times.  FOUR!  Now I love “Walking in Memphis.”  It’s a brilliant piece of songwriting that captures a moment like an Ansel Adams photograph turned into song; and I don’t even mind listening to it four times in half an hour, but this is really a disservice to Marc Cohn, in a way.

If I were a new fan who stumbled across one of Cohn’s songs by accident and then looked to take a deeper dive on Amazon music, I would presume that he was a one-shot wonder (although “True Companion” is a pretty compelling piece of songwriting in its own right.)  Attention spans are short these days, and a potential fan probably moves on to something else (and even an established fan probably moves on somewhat quickly because of the repeats.)  The Algorithm, part computer programming and part Payola, defeats artists at almost every turn.  This is just another example.  The repeats of “Walking in Memphis” probably put another ha-penny in Cohn’s next residual check, but at the cost of the opportunity to expose people to a deeper catalog that is rich in well-crafted songs (His recent turn with the Blind Boys of Alabama, Work to Do, is utterly brilliant, and totally absent here.)

This is but one of the facets of the larger problem with streaming.  Great artists (like Cohn and Duvekot) get lost in the shuffle.  Compelling voices with something to say are not heard unless you know what to ask for (and if Alexa has cleaned her ears recently.)

Meanwhile, CDs and (for those who like media that deteriorates every time you play it) LPs are plentiful in the marketplace, from the grossly overpriced records at standard retail joints to thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets.  If you truly want to support an artist, go to their website, listen to song samples there that you enjoy, and if you like it, by an album/cd/download from them directly.  It puts more $ in their pockets and ensures that they have the resources to continue doing what you love them to do.

Fear, Comfort and Dirty Smile(s)

It’s a scary world; A world full of people who are willing to castigate you for what you believe, or worse.  It doesn’t really matter what side of the political, religious or philosophical spectrum you’re on.  We in the United States live in a country started on the basis of freedom.  Puritans left Holland/England seeking freedom to believe in and worship God in the fashion they wished rather than in the manner prescribed by King James.  The founders of the United States wrote the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and the U.S. Bill of Rights to specifically codify U.S. objections to rule by kings, tyrants and despots. 

Now we live in a nation where our leaders act counter to the interests of the people.  Special interests and corporations write our laws.  If you speak out against the way things are; against the government, you need to be concerned about who will start going through your email.  If you have religious beliefs, you need to be concerned about who might want to kill you.  It’s a scary world.

So reminiscence and memory become an escape, and music is one of the keenest reminders.  It’s one of the reasons that cover bands are so popular on Friday and Saturday nights.  It’s the comfort of music you know from a band that delivers it in relatively faithful versions.  The next step beyond that is a band that writes original music that is wholly from another era.  That brings us today’s band, Dirty Smile. 

Dirty Smile is a Buffalo, NY band comprised of Megan Brown, Erik Eimiller, Jesse Raderman, Mike Suda and Gus Walters.  The band is as tight as a wire and plays a delicious blend of pop, rock and soul.  Elements of Fleetwood Mac and the early, Led Zeppelin-like sound of Rush abound on the band’s debut EP, Love Songs for the Damned: Volume I.  Megan Brown is an absolute revelation on the mic, belting out vocals reminiscent of Grace Slick and occasionally even Geddy Lee.  Her voice is beautiful and electric with a rough edge and smooth side: the complete package.  The rest of the band matches her step for step with a dynamic sound with deep 1970s and 1980s roots. 

“Don’t Lie To Me” is the lead track, and could fit in on the regular play list of any AOR station in the country.  The song also has a freshness that makes it ear candy for today, and it wouldn’t be surprising to hear this on pop radio or on a movie soundtrack somewhere.  The other big standout track here is “Mona Lisa”, which is really performed in two parts.  The backside of “The Vow” is an acapella take by Brown on the Nat King Cole classic, and becomes a transition into Dirty Smile’s original song of the same name.  Brown shines on both, showing a supple, classic vocal style on the former, while diving into a soulful pop/rock sound on the latter.  Other songs of note include “Siren” and “Insanely Ever After”.

Love Songs for the Damned: Volume I was mixed and mastered by Canadian Indie legend Ron Hawkins (Lowest of the Low, Do Good Assassins), and the finished product is edgy, but ultimately as smooth as a baby’s bottom.  It’s a terrific introduction for a rust belt band with dreams and aspirations, as well as a sound that should carry them far beyond their great lakes home.

Learn more at www.dirtysmileband.com.  

Check out the official video for the band's song "Siren" below!

Transitions, New Places and Garden Songs

Hello!

I haven’t seen you around here in a while.  In truth, there hasn’t been much going on of late.  Have a seat.  The table’s a bit dusty, but we’re cleaning up.

I started this blog seven years ago almost on a lark.  I was deeply involved in music from a young age, as a singer and performer; and as a fan.  This blog at first was a means to expand my exposure to music while giving back to the musicians who made it.  It became something of a mission and a joy; and then a burden.  At one time I was publishing up to three reviews in a day, and spending literally all of my free time doing so.  I built Wildy’s World up to the point where 500 visitors were passing through each day.  I was proud of that, but there was a price.  After a while it became something I had to do rather than something I wanted to do.  Then it became something I resented but still loved to do.

The culmination of all of this came in the last year.  In October I lost my mom after a brief illness.  It was a difficult process that involved making the sort of decisions that no one ever wants to have to make.  It threw me for a loop, and the desire to write about, or even listen to new music, came to a shattering halt.  That wasn’t the only effect, of course, but it’s the one that’s most relevant to this space.

So for a time, music became a burden.  I continued to communicate with musicians and accept submissions, all with the best of intentions.  But when it came time to write, I just couldn’t do it.  It wasn’t fun; the words just wouldn’t come.

Today I turn the page, and as I do the view changes.  I will continue to write my thoughts about music, but the formulaic reviews are mostly a thing of the past.  This space will truly be Wildy’s World from now.  In it I will talk about the world; whatever’s on my mind, really.  That will include music, including great new music from Indie artists.  I will continue to take submissions and spread the word about things that interest me.  I don’t promise to be here every single day, but if you’re interested, this is a place you can come regularly and find something new. 

Today is the first day of my 45^th year.  I suspect it will be an adventure.  Please feel free to join me.

In celebrating transition and change, I’d like to tell you a bit about Ron Hawkins.  As regular readers here will know I think Hawkins is the proverbial bee’s knees.  He’s somewhere between the Canadian version of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits.  His lyrical talent is prodigiously sublime; sometimes deep and occasionally profane but always entertaining.  Hawkins began his career as the co-lead of rockers Lowest of the Low.  It was a good start, as the band was inducted into the Canadian Indie Rock hall of fame.  The band has broken up or gone on hiatus several times, and Hawkins has always managed to remake himself, whether as a solo artist or with bands such as The Leisure Demons and The Rusty Nails, Hawkins has left an indelible mark on the Canadian Indie Music scene.

The most recent iteration of Hawkins’ muse comes in the form of The Do Good Assassins, a quintet consisting of Hawkins (vocals/guitar); Jesse Capon (drums); Alex McMaster (cello/keys/trumpet); Derrick Brady (bass); and Steve Singh (guitar).  Their latest effort is entitled Garden Songs, a collection of ten of Hawkins more thoughtful songs written over the years.  The album was recorded over the course of one week, and highlights Hawkins’ brilliance as a songwriter and lyricist.  It also shows off The Do Good Assassins’ ability to bring those songs to life.  Longtime fans of Hawkins will be familiar with tracks such as “Peace And Quiet”, “Small Victories”, “D.F.W.” , “Propellers” and “Rome”.  There are also some hidden gems here.  “Kingdom Of The Sun” is memorable, and “Saskia Begins”, an ode to a newborn child, is among Hawkins’ best songwriting. The recasting of “D.F.W.” and “Small Victories” particular stand out here, and listeners newly introduced to Hawkins will be stunned by what they hear.  Garden Songs is a must have album.  I’ll give it 5 stars, without reservation.

Learn more about Ron Hawkins at www.ronhawkins.com.  You can pick up the album from Ron’s online store at www.victimlesscapitalism.com.  Please be patient, because the initial demand for the album caused the first run to sell out.  They’ll have more soon! To hold you over, and pique your interest, check out this live performance of "Peace and Quiet", the lead single from Garden Songs.

Our discussion of The Do Good Assassins fit in with the reintroduction of the blog today. They also kick off a week (or so) of discussion of bands related to my adopted hometown of Buffalo, NY.  While The Do Good Assassins call Toronto home, the band (as well Hawkins over the years) have spent a lot of time haunting the clubs and stages of Buffalo over the years.  As a result they get honorary status.  In the coming days we'll also be talking about Buffalo native Jeneen Terrana, and current Buffalo bands Dirty Smile, Grace Stumberg and Bryan Johnson And Family.  After that we'll move on to new or recent releases by Rachael Sage, Seth Glier, Laura Joy and others.

Until next time.

Jamie Block - Whitecaps On The Hudson

Jamie Block – Whitecaps On The Hudson
2013, Jamie Block

Music is as real as the wind, and as ineffable as time.  Why one person can sit at a piano on their first try and pick out a tune, while others spend their lives looking at one as a foreign object is unknown.  But it is clear that some people just have a natural talent for making music.  What’s more, those individuals can’t escape the gravity of their own talents.  Like moths to a flame they return again and again.  Yes, we’re speaking allegorically of Jamie Block.  Block, who was an Indie darling gone major label during the 1990’s who opened for the likes of The Brian Setzer Orchestra, They Might Be Giants and Bob Mould.  His debut album Lead Me Not Into Penn Station garnered critical praise from Alternative Press, and let to his signing with Glenn Ballard’s then nascent Java Records.  Block eventually traded the musical life for a pinstripe suit and a seat at the Wall Street table, but came back by demand of DJ Claudia Marshall.  Cut to 2013, and Block offers up his most personal and enigmatic work to date, Whitecaps On The Hudson.

There is much to be said for Block’s songwriting.  It’s witty, clever and insightful.  There is a sort of maniacal aesthetic to Block’s songwriting, as if he were the real life incarnation of Prak, a character from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers series who must tell the whole Truth in its absolute form.  Block’s songs read in much the same way, he is giving insight into a life (perhaps his own) that runs much deeper than the usual confessional songwriter gig.  He warms up slowly with “Black Eyed Susan”, but by the time Block engages “Henry” he is in full story-teller mode.  The subtle guitar, including some stunning slide work, frames this perfectly.  “Kate” has an interestingly detached air to it, as if the narrator is trying hard not to care about the subject of the song.  The presentation works as authentic, but no one will believe the air is true.

“B.A. Man” has an elemental blues/folk feel.  Sparse and on edge, the arrangement is the perfect balance to Block’s more whimsical lyrics.  “Somebody Beat The Wiz” is an odd, eclectic story about desolation and growing past one’s prime.  It’s intriguing and brings about a strong songwriting comparison to Randy Newman.  Like Newman, Block seems to spend much of his time writing in character.  Also like Newman, Block does it very well.  They have similar approaches, allowing the quirks of the song’s character to shape the song.  “Can’t Sleep” represents what Paul Simon might sound like if he were clinically depressed.  The stumbling arrangement here is intriguing; with a compelling melody and song structure despite it’s slightly disorganized feel.

“Whitecaps On The Hudson” is an internal monologue that is difficult to follow.  Reflection, escapism and luck all come into play here in the thoughts of a social hermetic nomad who touches lives as he needs to but never stays.  Block memorializes ill-fated dare devil Sam Patch in a song of the same name.  The quasi-spoken word verses and sparse rock sound is reminiscent of 1990’s indie rockers The Men.  It’s an entertaining listen.  Block seems to get a bit more serious on “I’ll Keep It With Mine”, which is very well written with a memorable melody.  Block keeps this aesthetic with “Show You Mind”, a solid love song, of sorts that carries some of the neurotic tendencies of a Randy Newman or Lyle Lovett tune.

“1993” is a mid-life crisis song, pure and simple.  The spoken word joint reflects on a sense of being stuck while everyone around you moves on.  Block handles this in entertaining fashion, stating that, “I’ll stumble through the Middle Passage” before launching into a musical bridge.  The self-deprecating humor here gives light to a dark time, and it’s probably one of Block’s finest pieces of self-satire.  Block works his way through “My Head”, and then heads out the door with the sweet, rolling country ballad “Far Away”.  Led by a forlorn guitar, Block tries to make sense out emotions he seems to understand on an elemental level but perhaps never fully grasps.  It’s an entirely human and wonderfully artistic moment.

Jamie Block continues to be one of the best under-the-radar singer/songwriters working today, akin to folks such as Rob Morsberger and Ron Hawkins, but also sharing characteristics with Lovett and Newman.  It’s hard to imagine Block staying under the radar, but his kind have always had a talent for carving out their niche just out of sight, where their songs can be heard by all who want to listen.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.jamieblock.com.

 

Getting reacquainted with a great album

Every once in a while its good reacquaint yourself with a great album you haven't listened to in a while. Life gets busy and musical mores move on, but great music has staying power.

Today's selection is Shakespeare My Butt by Lowest Of The Low. These Canadian Music Hall Of Famers are consistently remembered on best album of all time lists for this indie gem from the early 1990's.

Led by the duo of Ron Hawkins and Stephen Stanley, Lowest Of The Low had one of the most turbulent and successful careers of any early 90's Toronto Indie Rock scenester not named Barenaked Ladies.

I am working off my phone due to laptop failure and don't seem to be able to embed a video with this meager blogger app, but here is a link to the video for "Eternal Fatalist", one of my enduring favorites from the album. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/AMbHh1TJjH0

The Do Good Assassins - Rome

The Do Good Assassins – Rome
2012, The Do Good Assassins

Even in the early days of his career, Ron Hawkins was lauded as one of the finest lyricists Canada had to offer.  His penchant for super-imposing darkness and light in his songs won him a generation of fans, a place in the Canadian Independent Music Awards Hall of Fame (as a member of Lowest of the Low) and a hard core group of fiercely loyal fans.  After flying mostly solo for a number of years, Hawkins felt the call to work collaboratively again on new material.  Thus was born The Do Good Assasins.  With the help of Derrick Brady (Hawksley Workman, Dodge Fiasco, Stifler’s Mom); Jesse Capon (Katey Morley, Big Rude Jake, Emily Weedon); Alex McMaster (Rob Szabo, Lily Frost, A Northern Chorus) and Steve Singh (Ron Sexsmith, Feist, Kiki Dee), Hawkins found a new vehicle and outlet for his iconic songwriting.  The Do Good Assassins’ debut album, Rome, drops on November 1, 2012 and is a two-disc affair.  The first disc is a collection of ten rock and roll tunes that trade darkness and light.  Set two is a countrified collection that mixes and matches emotions and musical hues with some pretty amazing results.

The Do Good Assassins get rolling with “Sadder Days”, sounding like a snap pre-punk outfit from the early 1970’s.  Rock and rhythm and blues drive the band along here in an incredibly catchy and radio-ready opener.  Ron Hawkins and Steve Singh trade vocal lines on “Fire Alarm”, a catchy mid-tempo number that’s reminiscent of Hawkins’ Rusty Nails days.  Ron Hawkins has long been one of the finest lyricists Canada has produced, and that fact is reaffirmed on “Public Transit”.  Opening with the line “Well it’s not so lonely to be all alone in a city of kisses and tells”, Hawkins explores the dichotomy of loneliness and closeness in a city where people are never far away but no one is truly close.  It’s an amazing piece of songwriting for anyone who has ever lived in a large city.

“Propellers” is a list song that explores the push/pull of love through widely ranging and sometimes diffuse analogies.  Hawkins’ voice brings a timely sense of melancholy to the proceedings in what ultimately ends up being a song of aching need.  This is a moment both tragic and beautiful; plaintive in presentation but with tremendous emotional depths.  “N.Y.C. vs. Jeffrey Brown” is a Steve Singh tune that’s amazingly catchy tune with distinctively 1970’s accents.  Singh takes the mic this time out and rocks out with undertones of funk and soul.  Don’t expect to sit still through this tune; I don’t think it’s possible.  The musical tour continues on “The Last Casanova In Town”, which has a decidedly retro feel and a catchy melody that you simply can’t get out of your head.  Once again, don’t expect to sit still.

Classic Ron Hawkins songwriting is on display in “A Spy In The 9 To 5”, a song about those artistic souls who masquerade their way through the days so they can live in the night.  Urgent, good time rock and roll takes over for “Wrap You Up (And Take You Home)”.  You’ll dance your ass off in this song of dance floor-born obsession, helped along by the guitar and horn-driven arrangement.  The energy stays high for  “Home Sweet Home”, a high strung rhythm and blues driven rocker about friends who have fallen by life’s wayside; lonely souls who met early ends.  Hawkins wraps this up with a classic couplet: “It takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to bury it alive.”  The rock portion of Rome closes out with a life reflection for someone born in the era of JFK.  “Bobby Was The D.A.” continues the trend of incredibly catchy rock and roll with a retro feel, while exploring the insecurities of the Baby Boom generation.

Disc two of Rome, the County Disc, finds Hawkins expanding on the country sound he has been developing over his past two albums. “Capistrano” is a beautiful song of free spirited love and exploration. It’s a sweet and upbeat love song, more the surprising for Hawkins’ frequent brushes with darkness and loss over the years in his songwriting. Alex McMaster gets a brief vocal cameo here and shows off a surprisingly rich and adept country voice. “Too Far” bears the instrumental marks of a country tune, but is more of a down-tempo pop/rock number. It’s well written, but the country connection is tenuous at best, with the guitar work sounding more like something you’d find on a Lowest of the Low album.

"Swing Low" is a ballad full if melancholy reflections. The Do Good Assassins find the beauty in a series of small personal tragedies, divining it in an incredibly nuanced arrangement around Ron Hawkins' affecting vocal line. Steve Singh once again takes the mic for "In The Chest Of The Land", a pragmatic and complex folk number that reflects optimism and hope.  "Spotlight" is an expression of frustration that one conception of the good life is not as brilliant as it might seem. The abject melancholy here is powerful, and Hawkins nails the moment with a stellar performance. "Rusty Chain" is a driven little country rocker about live gone sour, revenge and penance. This is classic stuff, replete with hooks and a lyrical flow that pulls you along. You won't be able to get this one out if your head.

The Do Good Assassins slow things down for the lonely beauty of "A Little Rain", while exploring the sometimes inevitable curves life throws our way. Mournful pedal steel serves as a co-vocal for Hawkins' rough hewn lead. "Us Eat Them" is a vibrant ad viral rocker dressed in country clothes that will get your feet moving. "Little Volcano" is a love song wrought from the darkness of personal reflection. Hawkins finds beauty in the mundane details here, creating the sort of poetry for which he has become renowned; even the minimalist arrangement ads to the milieu. The album winds down with the lonely strains of "Rome", detailing the tendency of life and love to decay. Hawkins once again finds beauty in heartache, scratching out one of the finest prices of songwriting he has done.

Wow.

In this highly digital age it is often the case that the concept of an album as a body of work is irrelevant.  The Do Good Assassins apparently have not forgotten what it’s like to live with a song cycle from end to end.  The fact that Rome essentially encompasses two complete, distinct and incredibly well done song cycles is mind-blowing.  Ron Hawkins’ songwriting is as stark and beautiful as ever it was.  Steve Singh brings a brighter songwriting dynamic that serves as a very capable, if occasional balance.  The overall musicianship here is thrilling to a music fan.  Nothing is overdone; nothing left unsaid.  Rome has an organic and complete feel that is so often lacking in music today.  This is a must have for any music fan, and a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.  This Do Good Assassins will hook you on the first pass and continue to grow on you.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

The Do Good Assassins will be performing a series of album release shows for album during the month of November throughout Ontario and here in Buffalo, NY. 

11/01/12 - The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
11/02/12 - Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
11/03/12 - Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
11/09/12 - The Grad Club, Kingston, ON
11/10/12 - The Elmdale House Tavern, Ottawa, ON
11/16/12 - Murphy's Pub - Oshawa, ON
11/17/12 - The Merchant Ale House - St. Catherines, ON

Learn more:
www.ronhawkins.com
www.stevesingh.ca

Ron Hawkins - Straightjacket Love

Ron Hawkins - Straightjacket Love
2011, Ron Hawkins

There is a point in time and space where music, art and life intersect in mysterious ways.  It is a place where truths are lost and found; a place where magic happens.  All great songwriters strive for this marriage of time, place and muse, and even the greatest miss it more often than not.  Ron Hawkins has been dancing about the edges of this vortex for the past two decades, quietly carving out a niche as one of the finest songwriters of his generation.  First as a member of legendary Canadian rockers Lowest of the Low, and later in various solo incarnations, Ron Hawkins has built an impressive catalog of songs built on raw honesty and a master craftsman's ear for words and melody.  Hawkins recently released his 8th solo album, Straightjacket Love, drawing from country, rock and blues styles to create one of his most dynamic and satisfying works to date.

Straightjacket Love opens with "One Hundred Five", a comfortable country/folk/rock number that wastes no time showing off Hawkins' talent at turning a phrase: "And we tug our time like ragged sleeves / and our days we wear 'em thin / we scatter them like pumpkin seeds / oh breath into the wind."  It's a song of love built from long survival together and filled with an acceptance of profundity and imperfection side by side, illuminate by the light of life's limitations.  With a simple arrangement and amazing depth, Hawkins outlines what will become an album born of love songs, but rooted in the real world understanding of someone who has seen the trenches and knows that every moment is a real gift.  "Corner Room" explores distances that can never be overcome, even from one room away.  References to history are both personal and musical, and Hawkins creates a moment of angst in music that's so real it's painful.  The song is a gorgeous testament to the emotional baggage that we all carry when something good falls apart.

"The Sickness (That's What They Call Love)" is a wonderful little alt-country celebration of love.  Catchy and sweet without ever stepping into cliché, the song features a swaying chorus you can't help but sing along to.  "Hong Kong Station" is a love song written far from home on a long train ride, where contemplation turns to truth.  This one feels like it could have been a Lowest of the Low number, but is gussied up here with an Americana sound.  Hawkins has always had a talent for romanticizing the desolate moments in song, and repeats the feat with "Waitin' On Something That's Already Here".  It's a gentle calling out of someone afraid to commit that's well-written and performed with a bare honesty that's heartbreaking. 

Hawkins returns to the blues-influenced folk/rock of his early solo career (Secrets Of My Excess) with "Black".  It's a bit of musical self-flagellation decorated with remorse and hope for forgiveness, and surrounded by wonderful instrumental cameos that create a distinctive impression.  This song will get stuck in your head and stay there, and it wouldn't be at all surprising to find this song licensed for a movie somewhere down the line.  "Kill The Lights" seems to vacillate grandly between trying to get better and giving up the fight, in a life where demons both inborn and acquired bear down on the narrator's soul.  The quietly edgy guitar work serves as a counter to the almost dirge-like incantation to hold off the night, and Hawkins delivers chants the chorus with an urgency that's chilling.

Hawkins changes pace with "Company Ink", a story-song where a chance meeting and time create the circumstances for a deep fall full of competing uncertainties and profound truths.  The song explores the dichotomy of love, of being lost and found all at once.  Hawkins wraps it all up in a cute, 1970's singer/songwriter pastiche, and delivers some wonderfully subtle lyrics in the process: "I met you in July as they showed you around the floor / I filed your name away but it rattled in my drawer."  The song is a true wow moment on an album full of them.

"Straightjacket Love" heads for the honky-tonk in a catchy country/rock exploration of love, freedom and attachment.  Don't bother trying to sit still, and forget getting this number out of your head for some time to come.  "Lucky Street Lazarus" is a kiss-off song to a prior romantic offender trying to waltz back into his life.  This is pure Ron Hawkins in a bouncy, rock arrangement that would be at home in either a solo or Lowest of the Low set.  Once again, try to get this song out of your head; it's next to impossible.   

Hawkins saves his most powerful works for last.  "Diamonds In The Water" finds the narrator coming to terms with a rough history while making amends and dealing with the mental and emotional detritus of a hard life.  Here we see a man exploring his current frame of reference while making sense of the past; afraid of losing both in a wash of tides he has little or no control over.  This is songwriting at its most powerful and raw, even when steeped in imagery and ideas open to wide swings interpretation.  The image of the title, the letting go of valuable thoughts by someone for whom memory is a valuable commodity is gut-wrenching and brilliant.  Hawkins wraps things up with a silly little love song, in his own fashion, with "Prairie Girl".  It's a charmingly catchy little number that grabs you by the lapel and pulls you along; knowing no matter how dark the past may have been, right now the sun is shining bright.  And that's enough.

Ron Hawkins continues to dig closer and closer to his own personal truths on Straightjacket Love, striving like a miner to find what's real in the structure of song.  On what is perhaps his most personal and compelling work to date, Hawkins delivers an entertaining blend of celebration, rumination and remorse from the building blocks of country, rock, folk and blues.  Magic both lyrical and melodic abounds on Straightjacket Love, an album that captures you like a great book and is over before you realize a moment's passed.  You'll find yourself returning again and again, looking for the subtle, ineffable gems Hawkins uncovers in his continued search for understanding.  Straightjacket Love is mesmerizing, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and an album you simply cannot afford to miss.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ron Hawkins at www.ronhawkins.com.  Straightjacket Love drops May 31, 2011, but you can order it now in both CD and instant download versions from VictimlessCapitalism.com.  Be sure to poke around VictimlessCapitalism.com while you’re there – it’s a great site for artists to sell their music while keeping most of the proceeds.

The Problems - Powder Blue Bone

The Problems - Powder Blue Bone
2010, The Problems

New York City's The Problems have done a lot of work below the radar since their critically acclaimed self-titled debut in 2001. While accolades piled up, The Problems moved into scoring films and writing for other artists. In 2007 the band decided to pursue the writing and release of a rock record, but it wasn't meant to be. The effort wasn't in vain, however. After meeting Eddy Goldberg (banjo, harmonica, keys, accordion, vox) and Kate Kilbane (bass), founding members Frank Caiafa and Barbara Corless reworked the album and re-imagined their sound. The resulting album, Powder Blue Bone, sets fans expectations on their ears, and is bound to raise the expectations bar the next time around.

Powder Blue Bone opens with "June", a stripped-down singer/songwriter tune with elements of blues and roots guitar work in the seams. It's a nice, low-key arrangement that adds in some interesting synth work to flesh out the sound. "Roses" is catchy and smarmy without trying to be, like Ron Hawkins jamming with Moxy Fruvous in a song about falling love with someone who appreciates the simple things. It's the first of several love songs on Powder Blue Bone, which turns out to be the antithesis of a breakup album. "Last Dance Mine" is a simple request made without inhibition or fear, out of hope and little else. "The Other One" is a love song written from the third party trying to cut in. It's upbeat and charmingly well-written, like the modern version of an old MGM-movie love song of similar ilk.

"Together" finds the narrator viewing a relationship with the future in mind. This upbeat and happy tune isn't quite a marriage proposal in song, but hints at all a proposal might bring. "When We Met" looks back on the roots of love in a sweet duet that's laid back and very much at peace. "Ran" starts out with Mark Knopfler-style guitar work and songwriting but fades a bit into a solid country/rock/roots arrangement. The approach again is low-key, and it works well with this song. The Problems stay on the same trajectory throughout the final four songs, a slow fade that seems them slowly decline into a bland landscape but never entirely losing the rootsy energy that drives Powder Blue Bone.

The Problems trip themselves up a few times on Powder Blue Bone but never lose balance. The songwriting is generally quite solid, although it's clear that the band's energy level fluctuates a bit throughout the album. Powder Blue Bone is a solid entry that tells you enough about the band to make you interested in what they'll do next.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Problems at http://www.theproblems.com/ or www.myspace.com/theproblemsny.  Powder Blue Bone is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Review: Cosmo Jarvis - HumAsYouHitch/SonOfAB!tch

Cosmo Jarvis - HumAsYouHitch/SonOfAB!tch
2009, Cosmo Jarvis

19 year old Briton Cosmo Jarvis is an unusual talent, accomplishing more in the music business than many years his senior. Last year we reviewed a sampler sent to us from his double album HumAsYouHitch/SonOfAB!tch. We must have said something nice, as recently the whole album showed up in our mailbox. The writing on HumAsYouHitch/SonOfAB!tch is young but written from the perspective of an old soul, displaying both the artful storytelling of a veteran singer/songwriter and the biting cynicism that is the hallmark of youth.

HumAsYouHitch is an album of discovery, written about the time in Jarvis' life when he was discovering girls and his place in the world. It opens with You Got Your Head, a song about how easy it is to get your priorities misaligned during this time of life. The chorus is incredibly infectious, as you'll find when trying to expunge it from your mind once the album is done playing. Mel's Song is a clumsily inappropriate teenage love song that may be closer to the truth for a fifteen year old boy than anyone wants to admit. She's Got You admonishes a friend for disappearing into a new relationship. The song is part jealousy and part friendly warning to a comrade blinded by love or lust. Jarvis unloads another highly catchy chorus on listeners in a delirious aural assault you'll want to be a part of.

Wild Humans talks about how society works to normalize all of us into expected roles and ways of being, and the negative effect this can have for those who don't fit in (represented as a tongue-in-cheek reference to cannibalism). The song is highly entertaining, sonically enmeshing and very original in presentation. Jarvis explores his own teenage covergirl fantasies in Jessica Alba's Number, counting out the celebrities with whom he'd love to spend some time. Things turn a bit more serious on Get Happy, a musical examination on the stressors that haunt adolescent life right into adulthood. The Caribbean-style chorus may offer a second intention to the lyrics therein, but even without such subtleties the song is a great listen. HumAsYouHitch bows with Crazy Screwed Up Lady, a high-speed, high-energy ode to someone who's just a little bit lost.

SonOfAB!tch is a bit more pensive, showing a slightly older perspective that's more focused on understanding than discovery. Jarvis opens with Clean My Room, a song about recognizing the difference between a relationship that is beneficial and one that is simply comfortable. Clean My Room is a wonderful metaphor that takes a disastrous (or at least highly illegal) turn part way through. Either way, its brilliant songwriting and highly entertaining. Mummy's Been Drinking is a call out to a mom who's absolving her own parental responsibilities in a bottle. It's not even so much an indictment as it as a call for the mother in question to get her stuff together and start living her life. The guitar work here is impressive as well.

Sunshine And Dandelions covers some of the darker aspects of human relations; the seeds of murderous intent sown among non-committal smiles. Luckily most such seeds never are nurtured to fruition, but the fact that the human mind considers such things even for a fraction of a second is telling of how fragile the barriers of civility can be. Problems Of Our Own takes divorce and the angst it infuses into parents relationships with their children and lays out a study in song. Jarvis chooses this moment to pull out another wonderful sing-along chorus; he seems to save the best hooks for the darkest songs. This song is, in part, autobiographical, which may help listeners understand a bit more about where Jarvis is coming from.

Sort Yourself Out is about the displacement that most feel as some point growing up when your perspective leaps ahead but your life stays the same. There's an inevitability to the human condition that's implied here, and a need for each of us to come to our own terms with our unwilling participation in humanity/society. The songwriting is wonderfully insightful and catchy. He Only Goes Out On Tuesdays is a nearly-seven minute long macabre spoken word tale set to music about a child enslaved by his father for less than parental acts. The incredibly dark story is told in pulp-fiction style spoken word streams and underlines the powerlessness of young victims of physical abuse in stark terms. The song is unsettling and provocative; successful as both social message and art. Lonely Stroll is presented live-in-studio, most likely done in one take and gives the listener an idea of what you might hear on stage. If this is it, people should be beating down the doors to get into Jarvis' shows, as he has this compelling charisma that will make you want to sit and listen as long he keeps singing. Jarvis closes out the album with about a minute of harmonic vocalizing that Brian Wilson would enjoy.

Cosmo Jarvis is going to be around for a long, long time. His talent as a songwriter and performer is nearly singular. I can't think of anyone in the popular arena quite like him, although if pressed I might say he's something of a guitar-playing Ben Folds. Jarvis' ability to craft stories and narratives in songs is extremely advanced for the tender age of nineteen, and over time he may find himself mentioned in the same circles as Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, Ron Hawkins, Bruce Springsteen and others. For now, he's an incredibly dynamic performer with an unusually broad coalition of youth and wisdom on his side. HumAsYouHitch/SonOfAB!tch is brilliant, a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cosmo Jarvis at www.myspace.com/cosmojarvis or http://www.cosmojarvis.com/. HumAsYouHitch/SonOfAB!tch is a UK only release at present. In North America, the cheapest outlet I found was CDUniverse.com.

Review: Ron Hawkins – Live At The Allendale Theater; Buffalo, NY - November 14, 2009

Ron Hawkins – Live At The Allendale Theater
Buffalo, NY - November 14, 2009

The first time I saw Ron Hawkins perform was in 1993, heading up his band Lowest Of The Low. Hawkins was engaging and full of youthful (and at times chemically enhanced) vigor back in the day. He had a compelling voice, an adept hand at crafting lyrics and an honest approach to songwriting that rivaled folks like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and poet Charles Bukowski. Flash forward to 2009, and a solo show from Hawkins at Buffalo’s Allendale Theatre, the home of Buffalo’s Theater Of Youth. The stage was sparse, with both bat wings curtained, the stage dressed in black, a few speakers, two microphones and a chair for cellist Alex McMaster.

Ron Hawkins strode to the mic and tore into the first song, Born To It in a kinetic opening that foretold how the night would go: a long, slow burn bursting with energy and panache. The crowd of about 250 folks, ranging from twenty-somethings to AARP members, was very responsive; going willingly with Hawkins to each new musical tale. Don’t Be Long was a particularly powerful and intense performance, with Hawkins ringing every bit of angst out of the moment that was possible. He then turned around and absolutely ripped the roof off on Bite Down Hard. (Waitin’ On) My New Heart got quite a reaction from at least one patron, a fact that amused the crowd and Hawkins himself.

To list highlights from the show would nearly run afoul of the atmosphere Hawkins created on stage Saturday night. The show was one long, subtle crescendo with small peaks as crept to an intense musical boil. Out Of The Black was particularly enjoyable, and The Prodigal Sun carried the weight of autobiography. Hawkins also set up songs wonderfully, tearing through Lowest Of The Low's The Last Recidivist before settling into the moving DFW. For emotional weight, this felt like the centerpiece of the night, and closed out the main set. Neither the crowd nor Hawkins had had enough, however. Hawkins returned in grand style, with a blistering acoustic rendition of For The Hand of Magdalena from Lowest Of The Low's first album, Shakespeare, My Butt. Cellist McMaster rejoined Hawkins for the final two songs, Telltale Heart and a stunning cover of Ryan Adams' My Sweet Carolina.

This was one of those rare shows where you're on the edge of your seat the entire night. Hawkins had the whole crowd in the palm of his hand. What impressed me most about the show was Hawkins himself, who was extremely human on stage. I don't mean the fake sort of "I'm one of you" vibe you get from aging rock stars, but an authenticity that can't be manufactured. Hawkins was engaged and confident in "the moment" of performing, but was humble and occasionally even seemed taken aback by the positive reaction he received from the crowd. Hawkins still sings songs that touch on the injustices and pitfalls of being human in a world where humanity is undervalued, but does so as a man who is finally, perhaps, happy with himself and what he's been able to do. That inner grace makes his stories of grit and grandeur all the more powerful.

Hawkins is a rock star in his own right, with one Hall Of Fame induction under his belt for his time with Lowest Of The Low. The young man I saw 16 years ago was too distracted to appreciate moments like this show; but the Ron Hawkins I saw on stage Saturday night was taking it all in and giving it back to the crowd. They loved him for it; and for he first time he might have believed it.

While Hawkins was the reason all were there, Alex McMaster added both her cello skills and vocals to the performance (as well as one of the meanest Rock grimaces I've seen in a while). Whether filling in the sound, providing harmony or counter-melodies or occasionally stretching the sound in ways hard to imagine from just one instrument, McMaster was an integral part of the evening without ever stealing the spotlight.

Ron Hawkins will be touring Canada with Billy Bragg throughout the month of November, 2009. You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/. You can purchase CDs and/or downloads from http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/. Hawkins was previously Wildy's World Artists Of The Month for August, 2009. Check out our interview with Ron Hawkins, as well as reviews of 10 Kinds Of Lonely and Chemical Sounds.

Set List

1. Born To It (Chemical Sounds)
2. Genevieve (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
3. Don’t Be Long (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
4. Bite Down Hard (Crackstatic)
5. From The Alta Loma Hotel (Chemical Sounds)
6. Lulu (The Secret Of My Excess)
7. (Waitin’On) My New Heart (Greasing The Star Machine)
8. The Devil Went Down (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
9. Dead Man (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
10. Everywhere And Nowhere (Sordid Fiction – LOTL)
11. Sofa Star (Chemical Sounds)
12. Turned Around (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
13. Out Of The Black (Chemical Sounds)
14. Giulietta The Just (Sordid Fiction – LOTL)
15. The Prodigal Sun (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
16. Peace And Quiet (Chemical Sounds)
17. The Last Recidivist (Sordid Fiction)
18. DFW (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
19. For The Hand Of Magdalena (Shakespeare, My Butt)
20. Telltale Heart (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
21. My Sweet Carolina (Ryan Adams cover)

Note: The photo above was not from the Allendale show but is from Hawkins' website. If anyone has photos from the actual show and would like attribution we'd be happy to post them.

Review: Morphine - At Your Service

Morphine - At Your Service
2009, Rhino Records

Morphine blazed a trail of critical success from their founding in 1989 to the untimely death of lead singer Mark Sandman (Treat Her Right) onstage in 1999. Blues, Jazz and Rock all blended in a rough and ready musical patois at the hands of Morphine, formed by Sandman and Dana Colley in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While Morphine ended up on major labels Rykodisc and DreamWorks, they never lost the INDIE spirit they were born of, and fans to this day still speak in reverential tones of shows they attended in the band's heyday. 2009 sees the release of At Your Service, a double disc collection of live and unreleased tracks.

Morphine is at their best when the Blues elements come out in their music. Songs like Bye Bye Johnny and Lunch In Hell shine. You'll also here elements of Middle Eastern music, Rhythm N Blues and just about anything else you can imagine. Come Over is a delicious acoustic Blues/Rock tune that opens the album and sets the tone. It's Not Like That Anymore shows longing for times gone past and then goes on to point out why the old times weren't as good as we remember. Patience is a personal favorite, reminiscent of Canadian band 54-40, with the same plain-spoken sensibility. Imaginary Song and Only One sound like they may have been distinct influences on one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Ron Hawkins. Check out his work with the Rusty Nails and there are definite Morphine influences at work.

The best songwriting on the disc is the subtle yet powerful Empty Box; the meanings running much deeper than the words that are sung. Other highlights include Free Love, Scratch, I'd Catch You, The Night and Take Me With You.

At Your Service will be a boon for established fans of Morphine. Some of the recordings are stronger than others, and the folks who put this together may have reached a bit to fill out two CDs, but in general the collection is a strong one. If you've always wondered what Morphine was all about, this is a great introduction.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Morphine at www.myspace.com/morphinetrio. You can purchase At Your Service as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Smaller But More Important: A Wildy's World Interview with Ron Hawkins

Ron Hawkins was one of the driving forces behind Lowest Of The Low, one of the most influential bands in Canadian Rock in the 1990's. While Lowest Of The Low has been on-again, off-again in recent years, Hawkins has continued to create amazing songs as a solo performer (both on his own and with Ron Hawkins & The Rusty Nails). Ron Hawkins is Wildy's World's Artist Of The Month for August, 2009. The following interview was conducted via e-mail and is perhaps one of the more revealing ones he's given in a long time.

What inspired you to write a country album?

I heard a simple story based on hearsay.

I mentioned to someone that my family has a cottage outside a small picturesque town in Ontario and that we go in during the day to get videos, groceries and booze - that it looks quaint and nostalgic. She happened to grow up in that same town and referred to it as a shit-hole and claimed that after dark it was a hellscape of crystal-meth addicted teenagers. A friend from another small town said, “Oh yeah, that’s my town too.” So the idea sat with me - that small towns were the devil’s workshop. Bored kids, dead ends… Then I started writing The Devil Went Down – a song about a small town that sort of falls into chaos and darkness almost by accident. I also used the perspective of someone in the town to try to make the whole thing connect, to almost anthropomorphize (if that’s a verb) the town. I adopted a Steve Earle voice and I liked the fact that the title sounded like the Charley Daniels Band tune. So at first it was almost a satire of a country song, but the more I sang it, the more at home I felt and eventually I just couldn’t send up the genre with a straight face. Then every new idea I got was tinged with a country feel and the whole thing came washing over me in about 5 weeks of writing.

I've been following your career for some time now, and there's always been a world-weary sense at the heart of your music, but 10 Kinds Of Lonely almost seems to suggest a coming to terms. Put together with the country style on most of the songs, does this reflect an artist turning the page or is just another step down the road as an artist (expound if you care to).

I’m sure it’s a combination of having been a musician for almost 25 years and the fact that I’m co-raising a three and a half year old girl. There’s actually a similar lesson to be learned. You start out in the music business trying to write great songs because you want to conquer this beast. You want to be greater than the Clash, the Beatles, The Velvet Underground… well, at least I did. I think I have a perspective problem. But anyhow the more you write, and the more you record and tour, the more you realize that the true reward is that you get to make this your life. Don’t get me wrong, most days it’s easy to say “F#CK THIS!” and throw your guitar down the stairs, but when it all gels you realize that the process is the actual goal and that when you look back you have this legacy, this catalogue of songs that helped you work yourself out as a person, that hopefully meant something to someone else and that are a testament that you were here.

Raising a little girl is terrifying and challenging and rewarding in ways that are impossible to express. No abstractions or poetics can come near it. It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever do, and it’s the greatest thing I’ll ever do. And it’s profoundly humbling, because it’s not loud. It’s small and quiet. My job isn’t to get her into UTS with flash cards and mnemonics or to be super-dad in some abstract way. My job is to be HER dad in the best way I can. That means taking things slowly and being present and hopefully making her happy an hour at a time. So, basically I guess everything in my life has gotten smaller… but much more important.

Your songs over the years have reflected people living difficult lives or in difficult situations. How much of your writing is auto-biographical and how much is pure creation?

Nothing is really purely autobiographical because people who write autobiographies like to make themselves look good in the end, so there is usually a lot of creative recollection going on. At the same time there is no purely fictional writing either. If you’re writing anything that seems even half way persuasive it’s usually informed by your own life or at least stories you’ve heard in close enough proximity to lend them some veracity. As for me, I used to think I wrote journalistically about my life (Shakespeare My Butt days). Which is to say I pissed a lot of people off by using their proper names and talking about experiences that were often very sensitive. But it made for some good songs and lent them an easy feel of intimacy that I think struck a chord with a lot of people.

Later on I adopted more characters and fictional situations but I feel the scenarios and the stories are still based in my life, or things that are very close to my experience. I horrified an interviewer at the C.B.C. who had hoped the song 1994 wasn’t autobiographical and when I told him it was and it wasn’t, there was an audible sigh and I could almost hear his shoulders dropping and the sadness come over him. I think he wanted to feed me soup.

Do you have any influences from the country music world?

My influences usually come from all over and they cross-pollinate. I get lyric ideas from paintings and I get painting ideas from film and architecture and conversations. Usually there’s no clear through line between inspiration and finished product.

In general, what music is moving you these days?

I come back to some of the same stuff that was moving me ten years ago. I’m so focused on lyrics when I write that when I finally get to listen to music I tend to listen to a lot of stuff that’s ambient and cinematic and doesn’t have a lot of lyrics. Do Make Say Think and Sigur Ros and people like that who make challenging sounds and music that I can digest somewhere lower than my head.


Describe, if you would, the creative process for Ron Hawkins (music, but also painting, sculpture, etc.)

It’s similar in different media. I guess I’d say it’s a flash of an idea, that is always brilliant of course (until I start executing it); Then a long grappling period where I rough something in and carve away at it. And usually when it’s good it winds up miles away from what I started with and intended but involves some things I discovered, or that surprised me, along the way. The excitement of that mystery is what keeps people doing it I think. And what makes up for a lot of bullshit and self doubt you have to wade through.

What's harder for you? Writing music or writing lyrics?

Writing music comes from a more mysterious place for me. I’m not trained AT ALL so it’s really about playing and just finding sounds I think are cool or pleasing. The music side of it really does surprise me when it all starts to come together. On the lyrical end I feel like I have more of a grasp of my process. I tend to babble gibberish while I’m making up chord parts, but somehow sub-consciously things come out that sometimes wind up anchoring the song. Once that happens you have a sort of theme or a conceit to work with, and often times the song starts telling you what it’s becoming.

For instance with the song 10 Kinds of Lonely – the minute I stumbled onto the “1 kinda man when I started, with 2 kinds of problems in my life…” I had a template and then the work just became about how to get to ten in a half-ways graceful manner. Also, with Don’t Be Long – I liked playing with the Don’t be long / You don’t belong juxtaposition and it helped me organize the way the verses went. Once I had that, I had something to anchor the rest of the song and something to return to. Basically once you stumble on what that thing in the song will be that leads it, it becomes a search for ways to restate it.

I've commented previously on Wildy's World about your talents as a lyricist. Do lyrics come easy to you?

I don’t really know, because I feel I have a knack for them, but it still always seems to be a struggle. But perhaps other people struggle more than I do, I don’t know. That said, this disc is full of songs that were written in literally twenty minutes or a half hour. I’d always heard of these “gift” songs but had never experienced it much. I usually agonized over a lot of what I wrote. This of course ran up against my Protestant work-ethic, which assured me that if they were written in twenty minutes they couldn’t be any good… no struggle. This is apparently not true, as I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback on the lyrics on this one. As much as I ever have.

Several years ago you started a website called Victimless Capitalism (www.victimlesscapitalism.com). Care to tell our readers about it?

It was started as an e-commerce site that would have very little if no commission against the artist’s profit. We just wanted it to keeping running and be a showcase for artists and a conduit to sell their works to an audience with no middle man. Mike G at Teg media (who also does the Ron Hawkins site) was instrumental in building it and maintaining it. He’s been awesome. Our initial intent was that Victimless Capitalism would be massively interdisciplinary with visual artists, writers, musicians etc. Whatever needed a showcase.

To date we do have music and some visual artists but the publishing industry has been very reluctant and I think quite myopic about the power of a multimedia, community based e-commerce site. The people who buy my records and Fembots records and Weakerthans records are all people who are likely to read quite a bit and probably buy more books then the average person so to me it’s a no brainer that selling your books on a site like this would encourage more sales. Successful book sales figures are much lower than what’s consider successful in the music biz so I naturally assumed bringing a novel to a wider audience of music fan/readers was a good thing.

You have a pretty rabid community of fans on your web page. Any of your fans over the years go completely overboard?

I have to say that no one on the current site has ever stepped over the line. It’s a very supportive and interactive community on the RH site. Of course in the day I’ve been proposed to, given death threats, had “three-way” propositions, been black-balled, blackmailed and blacklisted but that kinda comes with the territory.

If you could spend one day with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Well, I don’t much subscribe to the deceased dinner party thing but I would love to have had a chin-wag with Joe Strummer, David Foster Wallace, Leon Trotsky… you know, the usual.

What would you ask them?

Strummer – why did you fire Jones?!
Foster Wallace – why didn’t you ask for a hug?!!!
Trotsky – why did the revolution take hold in an agrarian based economy with no significantly developed proletariat, and with Lenin’s clear approval and tacit support why was it so easy for a small time bureaucrat to rest control of the Third International from you and rise to power as Joseph Stalin???!!!!!

You’ve been in the public eye now for a number of years. What is one thing that your fans don't know about you?

I’m a terrible water-skier and I can’t roll my rrrrr-s

What’s your favorite song that you’ve written?

DFW is one of my current favourites – it seemed effortless and feels honest and when I found that David Foster Wallace reference (writer of Infinite Jest who took his own life in Sept. ’08) to finish the song off I almost couldn’t sing it without choking up. I also love 1994, Alta Loma Hotel, Peace and Quiet, Rumours and Whispers, Small Victories… apparently I’m my biggest fan.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever written?

There are some lyrics in the song Pistol that I’m less than proud of.
In my defense I was on A LOT of medication.

You had a pretty successful run with The Lowest Of The Low over the years, with several breaks and reunions along the way. Any plans to revisit that path in the future?

Well, there are no plans as of writing this but what I’ve learned about The Lowest of the Low is that the minute I say we’re never doing that again someone inducts us into the Hall of Fame or gives us an award and then it’d be rude not to play a show or two to say thanks, right?

What do you see for yourself long term?

Since we’ve ruled out professional water-skiing or cameo roles with intense rrrr rolling Scottish accents, I think it’s pretty much to take the art thing to it’s logical conclusion.
By that I mean a rich life of self-exploration and at least moderate economic success and not to die penniless and syphilitic in a garret apartment.

Okay, last chance. The last question is whatever you want to say to the world, to your fans, to a public figure, anything. Tabula Rasa and all that.

Good night… and good luck.

*****

Make sure to check out our reviews of 10 Kinds Of Lonely and Chemical Sounds, both of which are Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Discs. You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/; The Lowest Of The Low at http://www.thelowestofthelow.com/. Please be sure to check out Victimless Capitalism, whether you're looking for recordings from Ron Hawkins, The Lowest Of The Low, Too Many Sisters, Alun Piggins or any one of a number of great Indie Artists. It might even be a great place to sell your music if you're an Indie artist.

Ron Hawkins: Wildy's World Artist Of The Month - August 2009

There are artists who are musicians and musicians who are artists. Actors, dancers, singers, sculptors, painters… they all reflect the world around them as they struggle through art to come to terms with their own personal demons. The good ones create something that evokes emotion in others. The great ones motivate others toward better lives. Occasionally one comes along that transcends these considerations, often times in spite of him- or her-self. Ron Hawkins is one such artist, and we are honored to feature him as Wildy’s World’s Artist of the Month for August of 2009.

Ron Hawkins has been a part of the Toronto music scene for the better part of two decades, first with Popular Front, which became Canadian icons Lowest Of The Low, and then in various solo projects. Along the way he has left a body of work that is highly poetic and articulate and often quite dark. Writing in both biographical and allegorical terms, Hawkins creates poetry that’s on a par with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Charles Bukowski. His worldview is often cynical and ironic, spoken in an intellectual proletarian voice and occasionally with a smart-ass grin, but Hawkins has an ability to make people, places and events come alive like no one else in popular music.

Hawkins is a member of the Independent Music Awards’ Indies Hall Of Fame as a member of Lowest Of The Low. The recognition of Hawkins’ solo material is more sporadic as he tends to write, record and perform in a voice that’s not ripe for popular radio. Nevertheless, album after album of high quality material has been his forte, and his live shows are things of legend. Add all to all of this his artwork in physical media (painting and sculpture), and a growing appreciation for what he has and Hawkins has begun to transcend expression for true creation.

Ron Hawkins releases his newest album, 10 Kinds Of Lonely, on August 6, 2009. Check out our review by clicking the link. (Also make sure to check out our review of his previous album, Chemical Sounds.) In about a week we’ll be publishing a rather personal and introspective interview with Ron Hawkins. For now, check out the reviews, and take a gander at http://www.ronhawkins.com/ and http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/.

Review: Ron Hawkins - 10 Kinds Of Lonely

Ron Hawkins - 10 Kinds Of Lonely
2009, Ron Hawkins

Ron Hawkins has been a part of the Toronto music scene for nearly eighteen years now, both with The Lowest Of The Low and as a solo artist. The Lowest Of The Low remains one of the most influential Canadian bands of the 1990's, with their debut album Shakespeare, My Butt named as one of the ten greatest Canadian albums of all time. As a solo artist, Hawkins has maintained a somewhat lower profile, with a small but highly devoted following primarily in Southern Ontario and Western New York. This is surprising as Hawkins may just be one of the finest lyricists of his generation, drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and poet Charles Bukowski. After many years performing his alt-Rock compositions, Hawkins decided it was time to take his brand of world-weary and intelligent song-writing and dress it up in a Country/Americana shell. The result is 10 Kinds Of Lonely, due for release in August of 2009.

10 Kinds Of Lonely opens with The Devil Went Down, a tales of post-modern decay told in a minimalist Americana arrangement. Hawkins alternates the decay of a small town with the ebbing fortunes of one of its residents as they dance down parallel spiral staircases. Deadman finds Hawkins canting about unrequited love. His Blues-inspired musical spirit drives the song. The song features the sort of lyrical magic that is Hawkins' signature: "A dead man talkin' about love is like a soldier talkin' about peace / You keep talkin' about love but that name ain't familiar to me). Sticking with the general theme, Don't Be Long is a musical ultimatum that lacks the courage of its convictions; a snapshot of a dysfunctional relationship where love overpowers common sense on conditional terms.

Ron Hawkins has always had an ability to paint people in his songs in ways that seem more alive than any photograph might. Genevieve is one such song; once again playing on the theme of unrequited love, Hawkins speaks with respect to someone who might not ever love herself enough to be loved. Hawkins dwells in the underside of human emotion but always with a deft touch ("All those neighborhood boys just wanna get in your corduroys / Can't blame 'em but they miss the point with a girl like you"). Telltale Heart is a real treat, with Hawkins reaching for a bit of the High Lonesome sound of Bill Monroe. The song never quite becomes a bluegrass tune, but you can hear the theoretical arrangement practically coalesce around a song that actualizes as a maudlin waltz. The vocal harmonies provide sonic layers to an otherwise sparse arrangement. Lyrically Telltale Heart is one of the more purely poetic songs on the disc and is a personal favorite. The Prodigal Sun plays on the biblical concept but also suggests a feeling of turning a page on the past, as if the young man has sowed his oats and is finally coming home to take up the mantle of his life.

D.F.W. finds Ron Hawkins in classic troubadour form. Here he paints a picture of a relationship and a person that breathes before your ears as it falls apart in cinematic scope. The arrangement is reserved and quiet; nearly reverent. The song also features one Hawkins' finest lyrical turns yet: "Woke Up Sunday Morning with a freight train on my chest / evangelically alone; just me and that old infinite jest / Words can feel like stones, words can be a noose / God speed, D.F.W.”. The song is a heartbreaking thing of beauty; a masterpiece, and may perhaps be his finest composition overall. The Rain's The Thing features a melancholy spirit mixed with hope and a dash of wisdom in a moment that is typically Ron Hawkins even in a vaguely Country setting. 10 Kinds Of Lonely closes out the set; something of a children's counting book set to music with a more mature theme. The song seems to confirm the sense that 10 Kinds Of Lonely is something of a musical/personal corner for Hawkins.

Ron Hawkins is a rare talent who is under-appreciated in his own time and place. The fact that he never really caught on in the US is a shame, because there is a distinct hunger for his brand of honesty (musical and literal). I will make the proper disclaimer and tell you I am personally a fan of his (have been since about 1993 or so), but I was blown away by 10 Kinds Of Lonely. His last couple of projects (solo and with The Lowest Of The Low) have been outstanding but not necessarily a big stretch. 10 Kinds Of Lonely is a stretch; a risky one and Hawkins nailed it. 10 Kinds Of Lonely can be nothing short of a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc; it's a treasure.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/. 10 Kinds Of Lonely will be officially released on or about August 6, 2009. You’ll be able to pick up a copy at http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/.

Review: Alan Semerdjian - The Big Beauty

Alan Semerdjian - The Big Beauty
2009, Alan Arts Music

Alan Semerdjian has created a circle with his music where life feeds art and art feeds life. As the front man for New York City band Surreal for most of the 1990’s, Semerdjian toured the East Coast of the United State many times over, sharing the stage with a who’s who of bands and artists and writing music that still gets used periodically for television and movies. These days, Semerdjian is on his own, playing a quirky brand of Alt-Pop mixed with Americana. And I wouldn’t say he’s entirely on his own, as Semerdjian collaborates with an impressive list of friends (including Jen Chapin, Daniel Carter, Nick Gianni and Chris Barron (Spin Doctors)). Semerdjian’s latest release, The Big Beauty, encompasses all of the melodic and lyric charms fans have become accustomed to in a slightly more refined package. The Big Beauty is produced by Rilo Kiley's Michael Bloom, and features Franz Nicholay (Hold Steady), Chris Kuffner (Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor), Dave Diamond (Zen Trickers) and Philip A. Jimenez (Wheatus) among others.

The Big Beauty opens with Your Love, a distinctive melody wrapped in gorgeous harmonies and an Americana-Pop arrangement you won't be able to get out of your brain. This leads into I Can't Tell You How; strong active Americana-Rock that reminds me of what you might hear if Ron Hawkins were ever to jam with the likes of Blue Rodeo. Semerdjian has a couple of WOW moments on The Big Beauty, and the first one arrives three songs in. Bad Dreams is an amazing take on loving someone who is perhaps not emotionally stable. Lyrically, musically and vocally this song is flawless. You Can Run finds Semerdjian taking a Chris Isaak turn with a beautiful yet melancholy tale.

Hole In Your Home is highly textured in arrangement and equally emotive. The two distinctly percussive natures (one literal, the other emotional) come together to create a powerful moment in song. The sometimes shadowing and sometimes juxtaposed natures of these two rhythms seem to echo relationships as the members fall in and out of sync repeatedly over time. Semerdjian rips off the roof on Everything (She's Still The Best). Fans of early Skydiggers/Cash Brothers will listen to this with distinct joy. Semerdjian dishes out a bit of sleight of hand here, opening with a prologue that speaks to his Armenian heritage before slowly transitioning into a driving folk/country arrangement that won't allow you to sit still. Stephanie is a love song that takes a disastrous turn. Keep your game face on, as the lyrics will get a smile out of your before they're done.

Melody combines elements of Jazz, Funk and Blues in a tune that is alternately pensive and busy (perhaps at times too much so). This is a great listen, but does border on becoming too muddy at moments. When There Was Something Wrong With You is the other real WOW moment on The Big Beauty. Semerdjian has crafted an arrangement you won't want to end. This is true ear candy. AM Radio changes pace with a full, multi-layered sound wrapped around an unforgettable melody that's very much down tempo.

Alan Semerdjian has one of those voices you could listen to all day. Take care you don't get so into his voice that you miss on out on the wonderful musicianship, distinctive lyrical style and songwriting that comprise The Big Beauty. Alan Semerdjian has been a critical favorite for a long time, and carries a lot of respect from fellow musicians, but its baffling how he hasn't broken through into the social conscience of a music scene crying for talent like this. The Big Beauty is required listening from an essentially talent. Make sure you spend some time with Alan Semerdjian soon.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alan Semerdjian at http://www.alanarts.com/, http://www.alansemerdjian.com/ or www.myspace.com/semerdjian. The Big Beauty hits the street on September 1, 2009. You can purchase a copy of The Big Beauty at www.cdbaby.com/cd/semerdjian2, or you can download the album from iTunes.