Lucy Wainwright-Roche - There's A Last Time For Everything

Lucy Wainwright-Roche - There's A Last Time For Everything
2013, 1-2-3-4-Go!

 

Lucy Wainwright-Roche’s family line shouldn’t be strange to anyone.  The daughter of Loudon Wainwright III and Suzzy Roche (The Roches), Lucy’s family also includes aunts Maggie and Terre Roche, Sloan Wainwright, and half-siblings Rufus and Martha Wainwright.  Although Lucy started late in the family business of music (she was originally a school teacher in New York City); she is quickly establishing herself as one of the most talented songwriters of the clan. Her 2011 album Lucy showed an artist capable of taking everyday moments and emotions and turning them into works of utter beauty.  On her recently released follow-up album, There’s A Last Time For Everything, Wainwright-Roche picks up right where she left off.

 

Wainwright-Roche opens with "This Year Will End Again", placing things like success and failure in the light of the cycle of the year. This philosophical exposition is laid bare on the stones of an utterly beautiful, string-laden arrangement.  The listener is caught up in the slow and inexorable build of beauty and meaning. "Seek & Hide" is an exploration of expectations versus reality in light of falling in love. Wainwright-Roche looks at her life through the eyes of an academic philosopher, generating questions more than answers. "Last Time" seeks to mark out the space between never was and always will be when it comes to relationships. It's hard not be blown away by the subtle yet powerful imagery Wainwright-Roche conjures here. The deep arrangements and her singular, lovely voice are additional layers that please the ear, but the songwriting is the thing that drives this experience. 

 

"Monte Rosa Range" reflects on a non-distinct memory that seems more a pastiche of time than a singular moment. Consider this a still life with moving parts, and consider Lucy Wainwright-Roche a master painter. "Look Busy" is a musical monologue of a friend consoling another in the face of loss. There is a sense of mixed emotions here where friendship and love may intermix, but our protagonist is keeping a careful distance for now. "Canterbury Song" has a quiet energy that is impossible to ignore. There is a love song in here somewhere, but it is buried in a momentary reflection on the past, stories and sparks. All the while, Wainwright-Roche paints with instruments, words and voice a gorgeous tableau. 

 

"Call Your Girlfriend" is a plaintive suggestion to end a love triangle by one of the points of that triangle. There's a plain spoken honesty here that's compelling, whatever your thoughts on the subject. Wainwright-Roche turns an awkward transition into a moving monologue that could be the centerpiece of an off-Broadway musical. "A Quiet Line" has one of the most unutterably beautiful choruses you'll ever hear, and tracks the history and questions of love in a gentle but vibrant waltz. "The Same" mulls cycles once again, and inability to change amidst the changes that occur around us.  "Take What You're Given" is another monologue that contrasts childhood reflections, complicated thoughts and a quiet hope for redemption. Wainwright-Roche creates gorgeous images with her words; compelling images that haunt your thoughts long after the music has fallen away. There's A Last Time For Everything closes with "Under The Gun", a relationship post mortem built on half truths and misunderstandings. Wainwright-Roche plucks beauty out if heartache like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, and sings it in tones of nascent confidence. 

 

Lucy Wainwright-Roche offers up a magical listening experience on There’s A Last Time For Everything.  Spinning musical webs around highly personal tales of love, loss and the inevitability of change, Wainwright-Roche bares her soul and psyche in subtly unrelenting fashion.  The power of her songwriting comes from simple truths buried in the lines, and the power of the music comes from the little touches; rhythms, counter-rhythms, sounds that seem extraneous but aren’t… the attention to detail on this album is mind-boggling, and every sound, note and rhythm is perfectly placed.  But what’s more, Lucy Wainwright-Roche sells each story without drama and without cliché; she simply tells it like it is in wonderfully poetic and flowing muse.  There’s A Last Time For Everything is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, but even that might not tell you how good it is.  This is one of those rare heirloom albums that you will carry with you for a lifetime.

 

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

 

Learn more at www.lucywainwrightroche.com. 

 

Sloan Wainwright - Upside Down & Under My Heart

Sloan Wainwright - Upside Down & Under My Heart
2011, Derby Disc

In the beginning, God created Loudon Wainwright, III, and it was good. Later came Rufus and Martha, and then Lucy Wainwright-Roche, and all was well for a new generation. Yet quietly, in the midst of all this musical creation, another Wainwright voice emerged. Forged of earth and sky, the deep contralto of Sloan Wainwright arose from the earth. Many stopped and stared in surprise at this unknown commodity, hewn more from the classical bedrock of folk music than any of her extended family. Now, six albums and many accolades on, Sloan Wainwright continues as the quiet musical bedrock that serves as the contrast for a wildly talented and creative family. 2011 saw the release of Sloan Wainwright's sixth album, Upside Down & Under My Heart, chronicles the aftermath of the death of her husband George, and noble effort of a human heart to overcome, heal and begin anew.

Presence is a gift in an artist. It cannot be learned or taught, but the natural talent can be developed in one so endowed. Sloan Wainwright's presence on Upside Down & Under My Heart is preternatural, carrying a sense of spirit and truth that is compelling. Without artifice or affectation, Wainwright bears her heart in ten original songs that cut to the meat of human suffering, healing and survival. "Live Out The Best Of Your Life" is a mantra, of sorts, a challenge to wake up each day, put your feet on the floor and go on. Simple in sentiment and deep in meaning, it's the perfect opener, delivered in Wainwright's clear, natural voice. "Upside Down & Under My Heart" is a sweet country ballad written from an expectant mother to her unborn child. The almost melancholy arrangement is in counterpoint to the peaceful, loving words that pass from one to the other, in a moment of beauty so simple it shines. "Here I Am" plays like a song of becoming; of growing up, or of emerging from darkness into a new sense of self. Once again, Wainwright eschews fancy dress for simple truth, allowing the emerging beauty of the human heart striving to be itself shine through.

"I Can See Now" is a simple declaration; a matter of fact, beautiful poetic statement of account of one, again, emerging from darkness. Similarly, "My Song" is about establishing yourself once again. In the context of the album, it can be seen as re-claiming the sense of self that was shared for so long and then torn asunder. In this moment, Wainwright finds healing, even as the pain of loss continues to abate but slowly. "I Wear The Ring" plays in many layers, sounding at first like an expectant bride, but perhaps a node to the past rather than the future. The allegory of the road will not be lost on those who make their living from music, although here the road is more mystical than real. "Holland" represents a sense of moving on, finding the power to begin again amidst new scenery. The story is told alongside a stunning melody, simple in its beauty yet weighty in its power. "Little Bit Right" explores the struggle to feel okay about feeling okay, and Wainwright concludes with "I Am Free", a gone-but-not-forgotten anthem that declares health and happiness in the gift of the time left.

In many ways, Sloan Wainwright comes full circle on Upside Down & Under My Heart. What doesn't change throughout the album is the simple power of lyrics, and the utter beauty of the melodies she pares them with. Wainwright builds simple parts into sublime creations while exploring the depths of human pain and recovery without malice or spite; a refreshing approach on modern music, popular or otherwise. Upside Down & Under My Heart is too mature to be truly popular, unfortunately, but it is a wondrous work that deserves to remembered and recognized when the year-end lists come around.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sloan Wainwright at www.sloanwainwright.com.

             CD                   Download                    iTunes


Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

Emmanuella Grace - London Stories

Emmanuella Grace - London Stories
2011, Emmanuella Grace

Emmanuella Grace is an Australian-born, London-based singer/songwriter who has performed all over Europe and Australia.  Classically trained, Grace studied musical theater and jazz at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane.  With appearances at Sydney Opera House, The Barbican and Royal Albert Hall, Emmanuella Grace is a seasoned performer.  Emmanuella Grace recently released her debut album, London Stories.  Produced by Snowy Raphael, London Stories will open your eyes to a brilliant young story-teller and songwriter.

London Stories opens with "Butterfly", a picture-perfect introduction in solid pop dressing.  The title is pure allegory for Grace's voice, which grows from a solid, pretty alto into a fluttery upper range.  The tune is catchy, and the piano/synth-driven pop arrangement makes for a great start.  "Kentish Town Laundry" is an intriguing look at life and decay, following the lives of those in a small suburban Laundromat.  Grace uses distinctive imagery to detail the melancholy and grace of people just trying to get by.  It's a gorgeous piece of songwriting that is both poetically and sonically pleasing.  On "Words Aren't Enough", an abusive ex is put in his place, with the narrator standing for herself and taking control.  This will be a song of significance for anyone who has ever been there.  Well written, the song is full of an honest power, carried by a melody that grabs you.

"Share The Covers" is a reconciliation waltz.  Emmanuella Grace gives her best vocal performance of the album while using strings to fill out the arrangement.  Emotive and real, there's a distinctly theatrical feel here.  It wouldn't be surprising to find "Share The Covers" licensed out to a television show or movie in the near future.  "Here Today" is a solid album track, but does get a bit too repetitive at the end.  "Upside Of Anger" is a re-evaluation done in ballad form.  Grace builds tension throughout the song, taking off into a breathy soprano range that surprises.  "Soho" is brilliant.  Grace captures the manic air of London's famed neighborhood in a song of theatrical style and temperament.  Hints of Julie McKee and Nellie McKay are evident here, and it’s abundantly clear that Grace had a lot of fun on this recording.  London Stories closes with "Cocaine", an intriguing musical monologue that seems to be written from both inside and outside the clutches of its subject.  It's an intriguing closer, from the manic implications to the flat line portrayal played out in synth tones.

Emmanuella Grace is striking both in appearance and sound, building deep impressions in listeners even through recorded media.  At the same time, there is a sense of distance, as if Grace is holding something back at times.  She sheds that air on the last two tracks, but there is the risk that Emmanuelle Grace is at times more connected to her stories than to the listeners.  This isn't detrimental, as Grace is an absolutely spell-binding story-teller.  And the personal connection thing may well be there live, but it doesn't quite translate on CD.  If Emmanuella Grace ever puts the three together, she's going to rock the world, figuratively speaking.  For now, London Stories is a very impressive debut.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Emmanuella Grace at http://www.emmanuellagrace.com/ or www.myspace.com/emmanuellagrace.  London Stories is available on CD from Emmanuella Grace’s webstore.  Digital versions of the album are available from both Amazon.com and iTunes.

Lucy Wainwright-Roche - Lucy

Lucy Wainwright-Roche - Lucy

2010, Lucy Wainwright-Roche

Lucy Wainwright-Roche comes with quite a pedigree.  Her father, Loudon Wainwright III is something of a legend, and her mother Suzzy Roche was one-third of the sisters folk group The Roches.  Lucy is half-sister to Rufus and Martha Wainwright, each accomplished singer/songwriters, and Sloan Wainwright and David Roche all have their own branches on the family tree.  Perhaps the most surprising thing about Lucy Wainwright-Roche is the fact that she didn't plan on a career in music.  Wainwright-Roche got her Master's Degree in education in 2006 and spent some time teaching elementary school in New York City.  By 2007 the family vocation was exerting too insistent a pull, and Wainwright-Roche decided to pursue music full time.  Three independent EPs later, Wainwright-Roche has won the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival's Emerging Artist Competition (2008), the Grassy Hill Kerrville Folk Festival's "New Folk Singer/Songwriter Competition", and a 2008 Independent Music Award for Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter Song ("Snare Drum").  On October 26, 2010, Lucy Wainwright-Roche releases her first full-length album, Lucy.

Lucy opens with "Once In", a metronomic and stilted series of recollections that have an almost stream of consciousness feel to them.  You might have a hard time following her train of thought here, but Wainwright-Roche's voice makes everything alright; a sweet soprano that soars in airy undertones and lights perfectly on each note and word.  "Open Season" explores loss through memories of what has been and speculation of what might be.  It doesn't take long to realize that what you're hearing is far above and beyond the call of your typical folk singer/songwriter.  Wainwright-Roche isn't a strict storyteller, no.  She's more of a musical impressionist, mixing emotions, moments, people and events into a musical milieu where shading, texture and sound tell the story, while Wainwright-Roche's thoughts and apt attention to detail move the story along. 

"Early Train" explores the opposing dreams that sometimes tear a relationship apart or keep it happening from all.  The melody Wainwright-Roche has constructed is masterful, and her lyric touch is subtle and refined but misses no minute detail of the moment she's describing.  "The Worst Part" is a heart-to-heart monologue written to someone who's broken her heart.  Wainwright-Roche delivers an honest diagnosis of the relationship that's not so much about blame as it is facts, and then admits that the love has never gone.  There's a vulnerability and honesty here that's palpable, and it's nearly impossible not to empathize and like the singer/songwriter in this moment.  "October" celebrates a moment on the relationship timeline, the zenith of the relationship "we're happy as we're ever going to be".  It's a light and breezy moment brushed with the intangible knowing of reminiscence and features special guests the Indigo Girls.

"I-35" is a musical oil painting where Wainwright-Roche's impressionist tendencies come to full fruition.  The song is presented as more of an open-ended question than a story, but the spaces in between are filled with pure beauty in the arrangement and Wainwright-Roche's nearly carefree vocal wanderings.  "Accident & Emergency" is a straight-forward reflection of one incident involving a loved one.  It's here that you'll see the pure magic in Wainwright-Roche's songwriting.  "Accident & Emergency" takes a banal moment; one that would not ordinarily memorialized in song, and turns it into a beautiful and moving experience.  If Wainwright-Roche has achieved one pure moment as an artist, it's here, where she serves as a perfect mirror for the world around her while painting it in an affectionate pastiche.

All of that being said, "Mercury News" is the best pure songwriting on Lucy, with Wainwright-Roche showing a delicious pop sensibility in a song about a secret relationship "meet me by the water / someone's wife and someone's daughter / none of these will be my name today").  Everything works on this song, from the pop hook, the country-tinged arrangement or the picture-perfect lyrics.  On "Starting Square" Wainwright-Roche turns impressionistic again in a relationship song that explores the angst of second meetings.  This sets the listener up for Wainwright-Roche's vocal knockout, a lyric cover of Paul Simon's "America".  It's here that listeners are treated to the sweet, soaring soprano voice of Lucy Wainwright-Roche in its airy, flowing beauty.  Simon fans will love what she does with the song, which is reverent to the original but shines with Wainwright-Roche's personality.  Lucy closes with Elliot Smith’s "Say Yes", a duet with ­­­­Ira Glass that is well done but seems very out of character with the rest of the album.  "Say Yes" is a post-break-up song that sounds like it may have been cut live-in-studio with little in the way of touch-ups.  As such it proves Wainwright's voice to be as beautiful and sweet as it sounds on the rest of the album, while Glass essentially serves as a vocal foil.

The prodigal child often seems like the most welcome.  Lucy Wainwright-Roche's divergence from the family path was brief, luckily for us.  Wainwright-Roche's subtlety and panache are matched by her ability to craft impressionist scenes made from musical notes and words.  On Lucy, Wainwright-Roche takes everyday moments and emotions and turns them into works of utter beauty.  Lucy may seem somewhat mundane on first listen, but the album grows about you and sucks you in.  Lucy Wainwright-Roche has created a quiet masterpiece.  Lucy is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.  Don’t miss it.

 Lucy drops on October 26, 2010.  You can pre-order downloads from Amazon.com.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Lucy Wainwright-Roche at http://www.lucywainwrightroche.com/,  www.myspace.com/lwrlwr or lucywr.blogspot.com. 

Kim Taylor - Little Miracle

Kim Taylor - Little Miracle
2010, Kim Taylor

Cincinnati-based singer/songwriter Kim Taylor returned recently with her fourth album, Little Miracle. A stark, stripped down set of folk rock songs, Little Miracle represents Taylor’s most powerful songwriting to date. The album was written and recorded in The Maid’s Room in New York City (a favorite place of Rufus Wainwright) over several days, and has the urgent emotional feel that only that sort of milieu can bring.

Taylor opens with the title track; "Little Miracle" is repetitive and catchy, about as bubblegum as Taylor will allow herself to get. The song has mild commercial appeal but isn't groundbreaking. "Lost And Found" sticks with the repetitive style but does so in a pretty melody and shows off Taylor's unusual voice. "American Child" is intriguing, exploring the dreams of parents affected by war and difficult times. The song might also be interpreted through the eyes of an immigrant family, a theme that's not lost on Taylor later in the album. Taylor delves into the depths of loss and grief on "Anchor Down", casting herself into a sea of emotion for a stark and moving vignette.

"Do You Ever Feel Lonely" intertwines a catchy melody and arrangement with a melancholy mood; an interesting juxtaposition that sounds like something that might come out of a jam session between Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt. Fatalism rules the day in "If I Am Wrong"; where effort is ultimate object but the outcome doesn't seem to matter. Taylor's shining moment comes on "Fruit Of My Labor", a brilliant look at life and dreams through the eyes of a migrant worker. Taylor shows distinct depth as a songwriter here; bring the subject alive in the vibrant color of her words and her presence as a performer. Little Miracle closes with a low key but powerful love song in "Sharp Cutting Wings (Song To A Poet)", showing off more of the impressive songwriting depth that Taylor kept somehow muted through much of the album.

Little Miracle leaves the impression of an artist who is getting better as she continues to write. Taylor starts out on solid footing, but the final two tracks on Little Miracle are the sort of songs songwriters aspire to a handful of times in their careers, much less consecutively on one album. You won't be likely to leave Little Miracle behind anytime soon, but when you do it will be in open anticipation of whatever Taylor graces us with next.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Kim Taylor at http://www.kim-taylor.net/ or on Facebook.  Little Miracle is available on CD from Amazon.com.  Digitial copies are available from iTunes.

Review: Rosanne Cash - The List

Rosanne Cash - The List
2009, EMI/Manhattan Records

The List is something of a legend. When it became clear Rosanne Cash wanted to follow in her father's footsteps as a performer, Johnny Cash gave her a list of 100 songs to learn as her musical education. The list contained some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century from across all genres (Country, Jazz Blues, Folk, Bluegrass and even Pop). Rosanne Cash has considered doing a covers album for a few years now, and ultimately decided to go back to her musical roots as laid out by her Dad. The List, coming October 6, 2009, contains twelve songs from that venerable document, and is one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2009.

Cash opens with Bill Halley's Miss The Mississippi And You done in a luscious jazz arrangement. Cash shows elements of her Dad in her voice amid some subtle and thrilling guitar work. Motherless Children (Gary Davis) gets a Country/Blues treatment that's extremely well done. Cash is in her best and most affecting voice here. Bruce Springsteen makes a cameo on Don Gibson's Sea Of Heartbreak; a classic song of loneliness. Springsteen is the biggest surprise here, offering up an unusually reserved vocal performance that is a brilliant counterpoint to Cash's voice.

You know that no such List would forget Hank Williams. His Take These Chains From My Heart gets covered here in magical fashion. Rosanne Cash is on her game; and Ol Hank and Johnny would both be very proud of this rendition. Cash plays I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow) as a wonderfully slinky blues tune that is absolutely addicting. I remember hearing the refrain of this song repeatedly as a child on television commercials for Time-Life collections back when they were only available on LP. The song is an enduring one, and Cash keeps the spirit of the original firmly alive while giving it new life. Heartaches By The Number (Ray Price) features Elvis Costello on backing vocals in a tried-and-true rendition that stays very close to the original.

Perhaps the highlight of the disc is Long Black Veil. Mistaken identity, murder and an illicit love affair don't add up quite the way you'd expect in this classic tune that offers observations from beyond the veil. Cash is reverential in her reader of the Danny Dill/Marijohn Wilkin classic made famous by Lefty Frizzell. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy sits in. Up next is a Hank Cochran tune made famous by Patsy Cline; She's Got You has been covered by some many people over the years that the names blend into relative anonymity. Cash brings a fresh sense to this classic in a lush, weaving arrangement you won't soon forget. Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country is up next in an arrangement that isn't too far removed from the one used by Dylan and dad Johnny back in 1969. If you're not familiar with this tune, you'll note some of the similarities between this song and Simon & Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair. Dylan borrowed a line from Scarborough Fair after learning a lot of British Folk music while staying in London. Cash covers Merle Haggard with the help of Rufus Wainwright on Silver Wings. It's a mellow pop/country arrangement; not my favorite version of the song but not bad. Cash says goodnight with Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow as if she were born to sing the Carter Family classic. It's a brilliant way to close out the disc.

The List is bound to be a popular release this year, and helps explain a lot about Rosanne Cash's musical choices over the years. With eighty-eight more songs that were passed down from father to daughter, don't be entirely surprised if a volume II follows down the road. For now, The List is an estimable collection of classic songs that should be a balm for the soul of fans of classic country music.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rosanne Cash at http://www.rosannecash.com/. The List drops on October 6, 2009. You can pre-order your copy through Amazon.com. Expect wide availability both on the net and at bricks and mortar, as well as via download. Cash will debut the material from The List on WNYC's Soundcheck on September 23, 2009 at 2:00 PM EDT. You can watch the live webcast here.

Artist Of The Month: Jenn Grant (September, 2009)

Too see and hear Jenn Grant these days, you’d never guess she gave up performing as a teenage due to horrible stage fright. The Prince Edward Island native and Halifax, Nova Scotia resident has carved out a niche for herself as one of the most intimate modern Folk/Rock artists in Canada. With an entrancing voice that can run from lyric to edgy in the same breath, Grant can hold a crowd spellbound as she bares her soul in song. These qualities have earned her rave reviews across her native Canada for both 2007’s Orchestra For The Moon and her latest album, Echoes. After hearing Echoes, there was no doubt who would be Wildy’s World’s Artist Of The Month for September, 2009.

Grant’s talents have earned her touring/opening slots with The Rheostatics’ Martini Tielli, The Weakerthans, Great Lakes Swimmers, Hawksley Workman and Hayden, among others. Her songs are full of melancholy emotion and honest words, as stark as a diary entry and twice as honest. Grant’s music is performance and catharsis all woven into one. Over the course of the month we’ll try to give you the opportunity to get to know a bit more about Jenn Grant. Take the time; there’s really no one else like her in popular music.

You can learn more about Jenn Grant at http://www.jenngrant.com/ or www.myspace.com/jenngrant1. And don't forget to check out our review of Echoes, one of the most intriguing releases of 2009 to date!

Review: Mark Northfield - Ascendant

Mark Northfield - Ascendant
2007, Substantive Recordings

Mark Northfield is a London based composer who writes alternative classical or Chamber Rock songs (as you prefer) with other vocalists in mind. Northfield had the revelation a few years back that he loved performing but perhaps didn’t have the front line voice required, and so resolved to write and record his songs with other vocalists out front. His most recent offering, Ascendant, takes full advantage of the vocal talents of no less than 9 vocalists (including himself) and one vocal ensemble.

Northfield takes art-pop Chamber music to a new level. Opening with Waiting For Green, Northfield paints a bleak and beautiful landscape in orchestration to counter an almost droningly depressed vocal line. This sounds like an off-off-Broadway piece. Resistance is another highly dramatic, melancholic piece that turns hopeful and back throughout. Highly melodic in dark and minor tones, the orchestration colors the vocal line. Northfield next offers an inspired Chamber Choral piece called The Calm, featuring Bryony Lang an The Pearsall Consort. It's a neo-classical exploration of melancholy bursting into expressions of beauty and stillness with an Anglican Church choir bent. This is the highlight of the CD and one of the most hauntingly beautiful choral pieces I've heard in some time.

Weight sounds like it could have been an alternate song or outtake from the Off-Broadway production The Last Five Years. You can almost hear shades of Sherrie Renee Scott in vocalist Bryony Laing (also featured on The Calm) who gives a gorgeous vocal performance. Zero lost me a bit lyrically but offers perhaps the most intricate and delicate arrangement on the disc. You'll also want to check out the faux-peppiness of Decidedly Dumb and the melancholy waltz, Luco.

Ascendant is a prickly CD. It's not easy to get to know; not an easy listen. You have to work for this one and that will turn a lot of the more casual listeners off. The effort becomes its own reward, however, as Mark Northfield has offered up several moment-stopping compositions mixed in on Ascendant. There are a couple of pieces here that get mired down in themselves, but on the whole Ascendant is a very strong listening experience. This one's for fans of Chamber music, The Cure, The Smiths and any other melancholic pop band of the last twenty years.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Mark Northfield at http://www.marknorthfield.com/ or www.myspace.com/marknorthfieldmusic. You can purchase a copy of Ascendant at www.cdbaby.com/cd/marknorthfield.

Review: Randy Stern - Give

Randy Stern - Give
2009, Heyday Records

Randy Stern’s resume is full of Indie Cred and even some big names. As the former singer/songwriter/guitarist of Brooklyn’s The Nerve, Stern gained significant respect and admiration in the New York City scene. He ultimately was invited to play in Bumblefoot’s (Guns N Roses) touring band for a 2005 jaunt through Europe. In 2006, The Nerve disbanded, and Stern began to pursue solo writing and performance. Putting aside the punk sound, Stern has striven for a more mature, subtle songwriting style. With the help of producer Hugh Pool (Patty Smith, Rufus Wainwright, Hubert Sumlin, The National), Stern has firmly established himself as a competent solo artist with his debut album, Give.

Give opens with Deeper And Deeper, a pop-oriented Americana tune with real potential. Better Days is a solid, Southern Rock tune that's steeped in the blues and Rock N Roll. Stern has a very pleasant sounding voice that works very well with the blend of Rock, Americana & Pop he purveys. The Night is a highly catchy and commercial sounding track that could garner some attention on the radio. My favorite track on the album is the R&B/early Rock gem The Only Woman; complete with walking bass line. Into Your Heart is the pre-requisite mix-tape offering, although this isn't your typical love ballad. Stern gets highly personal here, eschewing cliche in favor of honest emotion. The song is very touching and might even make a good wedding song for the right couple. Other highlights include Home, In The Midnight and Ain't Dead Yet.

Stern has a home grown style to his playing and singing that is refreshing. You'll hear shades of Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan and even Ryan Adams running through his song, but in the end Randy Stern isn't really like any of them. His is an original voice in a crowded field. Give isn't flashy, there are no big lights or whistles here, just good, honest music. Make sure you check out Randy Stern.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Randy Stern at http://www.randystern.info/ or www.myspace.com/randystern. You can purchase a copy of Give at www.cdbaby.com/randystern.

Review: Gregory Douglass - Battler

Gregory Douglass – Battler
2009, Emote Records

Look up Indie Musician in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of Gregory Douglass. Douglass has released seven albums on his own imprint, Emote Records, touring all over the US and winning accolades at almost every turn along the way. Compared favorably with artists such as Tori Amos, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley and Fiona Apple, Douglass has a unique sound and vocal style that you’ll be able to identify immediately once you’ve heard it. His latest CD, Battler, was inspired by serious soul searching and a Vermont winter shuttered in watching HBO’s Six Feet Under.

Douglass writes gloriously melodic and dark story-songs that give categorization a wide birth. Opening with Broken Through, Douglass builds on a minor-key piano riff into a dynamic and shadowy story. Day Of The Battler bring uniquely stilted rhythms into the mix, like something Kurt Weill might have written if he grew up in today’s musical environment. No Apology strips nearly all of the instrumentation away in a haunting vocal harmony peace you need to hear. Madeline is a lush harmonic rock song that sounds like it could have been co-written by Tori Amos and Lou Gramm. This Is My Life might be a signature song for Douglass as it perfectly captures the dark undercarriage that seems to be his unique musical cornerstone. Other highlights include Sadly (with Anais Mitchell), Ordinary Man (with the talented Grace Potter) and Harlequin.

Gregory Douglass walks, marches and sings to his own drummer. Listening to him sing and play is like hearing one half of his communication with another world. The results are dark, exciting and lovely, even when you know there’s a whole other part of the conversation you can’t hear. Douglass is a unique talent, and the music glimpses he’s offered to us here could be considered gifts. Battler is not a recording to pass up.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gregory Douglass at www.myspace.com/gregorydouglass or http://www.gregorydouglass.com/. You can purchase a copy of Battler at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gdouglass9.

Review: True Nature - Feels Like Centuries

True Nature – Feels Like Centuries
2009, True Nature

True Nature is the latest musical project from New York City's own Lou Barlow. Barlow is also a prior recipient of New York University’s Composer Of The Year Award, and a bright and rising star in the Indie Rock movemnt. In April of 2009, True Nature will release their second EP, Feels Like Centuries into a market starving for something new. Barlow delivers with help from the likes of Tony Levin (John Lennon, Peter Gabriel); Aaron Comess (The Spin Doctors) and Gerry Leonard (David Bowie, Rufus Wainwright).

The five-track EP opens with Truth I Have To Steel (Simple Heart) a moderately upbeat song by someone who sees Alice’s Looking Glass for what it really is; a soul frustrated by the blindness of those around them. It also draws on the classical ideal as simplicity as a means of understanding. Barlow is succinct and artful in delivering a declaration of intent to protect the world from itself. Up next is The Color Of Daylight, a joyous, angst-filled romp about coming to terms with oneself. My Freedom Lies Beyond The Sun is a brooding, angry song about having your blinders stripped away and seeing the world as it is: a dangerous place. Barlow finds freedom in something he can’t see, whether you want to call this spirituality or faith, and in what, is left up the listener to decide. This is an incredibly powerful song.

Woman is an artful and poetic take on the concept that “behind every good man is a good woman”. The title is adapted from the John Lennon classic and recognizes the balance and strength that feminine influence can bring to the male mind. Beyond the subject matter, Barlow has created a lush and deeply organic musical composition that breathes with its own vigor and vitality. Feels Like Centuries closes with Too Close To See Who We Are, a sociological treatise on our narcissistic and short-sighted culture that sounds like a paean to love lost. Again, Barlow paints in broad, lush musical strokes a sonic picture that is lovely and distinct.

Lou Barlow has talent for writing songs that could fit easily into popular styles but with an edge that sets them apart. The songs presented on Feels Like Centuries are gorgeous constructions against which Barlow’s set his esoteric and thoughtful lyrics. In other words, he’s outdone himself here. True Nature has a hit on its hands. This one’s a no-brainer; don’t miss it!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about True Nature at http://www.truenatureband.com/. You can purchase a copy of Feels Like Centuries at www.cdbaby.com/cd/truenature2.

Review: Phil Putnam - Casualties

Phil Putnam - Casualties
2008, Box Of Wood Music

Say what you want about Phil Putnam, the man is all about perseverance. Born into a non-musical family, Putnam didn't even learn to play piano until he was in college (he taught himself). Diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome at the age of nine, Putnam wasn't exactly the poster child for a career in music, but he never gave up. In this case desire and perseverance combined with talent to create a pretty special package. Putnam's 6th album, Casualties, represents a plateau of personal and musical growth that bleeds through every word and every note. This is Putnam at his best (so far).

Phil Putnam is very much his own man as a performer, but you will find moments where he reminds you of artists such as Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, David Gray and even Billy Joel. Casualties opens with More Than This, inhabited by the spirit of Joel's piano playing. Putnam is a comfortable story-teller behind the mic, his easy sounding voice the perfect instrument to deliver his smart, heartfelt lyrics. More Than This sounds like it could just as easily be country as rock. Don't be surprised if you hear other folks covering this song down the road. Severity is reminiscent of Ben Folds at his most neurotic with a nervous piano progression underlying the song. Paris is a lovely side trip with haunting violin trio playing alter ego to the vocalist.

Putnam offers up a touching performance on Let It Go, complete with a beautiful vocal harmony that balances sorrow with hope. I'm No Prize is the sort of big piano rock tune that Putnam seems to have the most fun with. He does the ballads well, but these vaguely bombastic tunes full of self-deprecating wit are where Putnam shines. This is perhaps not the most moving song on the album, but it may be the best selection here. Slip Away is a big change of gears, lamenting a relationship that has fallen apart in starkly beautiful terms. Slip Away is a matter of fact recognition of how things are, whereas Ache is full of sorrow and loss, punctuated by strings and the plaintive piano Putnam provides as support.

Casualties is one of those albums that starts off perhaps just a bit weak but keeps getting better and better as it goes. Sacrifice is brutally honest and poignant and sounds like a musical soliloquy from a play. Other highlights include Goodnight, My Devil; The Ben Folds styled Here To Stay; Variations and One Little Step.

In listening to Casualties, your first impression might be that Putnam delights in, or is at least very talented at relaying human sorrow in song. This isn't exactly true. Putnam has a talent for illuminating the sad beauty and conviction that underlies human sorrow. He doesn't have the true bombast of a Ben Folds or Billy Joel, but when it comes to emotional honesty in songwriting he is in the same class. The musical arrangements here are generally first class. A couple of weak moments early on in Casualties are more than balanced by album that gets better and better as each song passes. Casualties is highly recommended.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Phil Putnam at http://www.philputnam.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Casualties. Putnam also has links on his site to iTunes if you want to purchase Casualties as a download.