Aurical - Something To Say

Aurical - Something To Say
2011, Gallant Music

Aurical is a folk/pop duo born of two coasts.  Singer/songwriter/producer Rachel Rossos has spent time in both New York City and San Francisco, working with musicians such as Edgar Meyer, William Bolcolm and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.  Michael Gallant is the senior editor of Keyboard Magazine, and serves as singer/songwriter/pianist and co-vocalist for Aurical.  Together, the two have crafted a vibrant and original sound, on full display on Aurical’s debut album, Something To Say.

Something To Say opens with the title track, an edgy, piano-driven rocker.  Vocalist Michael Gallant sounds a bit like James Young of Styx, delivering a high-octane performance that's a smash as an opener.  "Brahms Of Philosophy" has a bit of a Ben Folds feel, and Rachel Rosses does a nice job with the vocal line.  The song is catchy although perhaps a bit rushed at times; ultimately very entertaining.  "Mom's Favorite" is a bit reserved and straightforward in style.  "Julianna" is wonderfully dark, with distinctive harmonies that grab you.  It's a solid piece of songwriting that's worth revisiting. 

"Leave It All behind" is lyrically awkward at times, but impresses on the musical side.  Jethro Tull, Genesis and Supertramp stirred up in a room together might have created something that sounded like this.  The bass steals the show with a funk-driven style of play that enlivens the song with an ambitious progressive rock sensibility.  "Work Song" is a slow and meandering number that works on the music side but again shows a lyrical clumsiness that stands out.  Things get really interesting on "Redhead Girl", with a piano style that sounds like a cross between Ben Folds and Tori Amos.  The most original and intriguing work on the album, "Redhead Girl" shows Aurical's ability to push the envelope and do it well.  "I've Never Known" is the best overall contribution on the album.  Rachel Rossos is fantastic here, crafting an early female-vocal group sound.  Things get a bit more mundane as Something To Say rumbles to a close with three solid if unremarkable tracks.

Aurical dances between magic and the mundane throughout Something To Say, creating moments that build anticipation in the listener, but often falling back before finding that perfect musical strike.  There's some very good stylistic songwriting on the album, but the lyrical composition of the album has its awkward moments.  Something To Say has enough to offer to make it worth spending some time with, but there are some definite kinks and wrinkles in the band's creative process to be smoothed out next time around.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Aurical at www.auricalmusic.com or on Facebook.  Something To Say is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

The Heavy Pets - The Heavy Pets

The Heavy Pets - The Heavy Pets
2010, 102 Degrees Productions

Fort Lauderdale, Florida's The Heavy Pets are stylistic chameleons, blending sounds and styles seemingly without thought. The band seems to have an innate melodic sensibility that allows almost anything to work for them, a characteristic abundantly display on The Heavy Pets, the band's self-titled third album. Sounding like something a jam session between Supertramp, Train and John Mayer, "Drenched" kicks off the album in fine style with a funky feel and soulful vocals. The song is catchy and laid back all at once; a monologue from a man trapped in sadness but seeing the light in a particular lady. It's a great opening track and likely single. "Girl You Make Me Stupid" features a rapid-fire vocal/lyrical style and is highly danceable with a hip-hop feel. It's a look at the inept feeling of being a fool in love and explores how it carries over once the relationship has passed away.

For those familiar with Canadian rockers Max Webster, you'll swear "How Would I" has to be a cover of some undisclosed tune. We assure it's an original, but the guitar work sounds a lot like Kim Mitchell riffing on a theme. It's another highly catchy tune and the vocal harmonies here are outstanding. From here the 1970's take over for "Grace Blix" and "Jackie Bones"; the former an off-beat ballad and the later a guitar oriented classic rock tune that makes for a solid album track. "Lazy Anna" gets stuck in its own monotony, playing like a rap tune with rhythmic and a-melodic vocals on the verses. Things even out for the rest of the album somewhere at the midline. Over the final six songs The Heavy Pets move through solid classic-rock oriented musical blends that are enjoyable listens but don't have the vitality of the first three tracks. "No More Time" stands out here for its pleasant reggae/rock/Americana blend, and "Ichabod Train" makes a nice closer with its folky feel.

The Heavy Pets put in a solid effort on their self-titled album. The only problem is more one of perception. The Heavy Pets starts out so strongly that the rest of the album is something of a letdown by comparison. To be fair, much of this album will likely play better live than in the studio, and perhaps some of the letdown referenced above should be laid at the foot of the production board. It's clear that The Heavy Pets have a knack for writing dynamic and listenable rock music; this is a band to keep your eyes on.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Heavy Pets at http://www.theheavypets.com/ or www.myspace.com/theheavypets.  The Heavy Pets is available in multiple formats from the band's webstore.  Downloads are available from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Review: Louder Than Love - Dark Days

Louder Than Love - Dark Days
2009, Louder Than Love

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

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

Review: Louder Than Love - Dark Days

Louder Than Love - Dark Days
2009, Louder Than Love

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

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

Review: Robert Joseph Manning, Jr. - Catnip Dynamite

Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – Catnip Dynamite
2009, Oglio Records

Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. has quite the Rock N Roll resume: Keyboard player for Beatnik Beatch, Jellyfish and Imperial Drag, and highly involved in The Moog Cookbook. Manning has also done session/tour work with Beck and French group Air. These days Manning does session work and composes soundtrack (Sophia Coppola’s Lost In Translation) as well as writing commercials for VH1, Comedy Central and the like. Somewhere in there he also found time to write and record a new solo album entitled Catnip Dynamite. True to its title, the album is intoxicatingly good.

Catnip Dynamite is retro-rock with a modern edge. The harmonies here evoke thoughts of The Beach Boys, Queen and Styx. Manning is a highly accomplished songwriter, presenting intricate and interesting song construction, lyrical content and melodic flow throughout the album. The other interesting facet of the album is the recurrence of philosophical/religious imagery and themes throughout the album. I don’t get the feel that this is a religious album, but some of these deeper concepts certainly appear to be weighing on Manning at this point in his life; at times in serious terms and perhaps at times with ironic intent. The album opens with The Quickening, where Manning sounds more than a little bit like Prince vocally. The harmonies transform from a Brian Wilson-era Beach Boys sound to Freddie Mercury led Queen. This is a great pop rock song that would fly on commercial radio in almost any era. Down In Front is a retro-mod rock tune similar to bands such as Woodward or Tally Hall. My Girl has a strong bubblegum pop feel without being frivolous.

One of my personal favorites here is Imaginary Friend. The song is an amusing listen but the sound is like what you might get if The Doors sat down and jammed with They Might Be Giants. Perhaps the piece-de-resistance here is Haunted Henry, an amazing tale of a veteran ravaged by the ghosts of his experiences. This is an extremely melodic piece with Brian Wilson harmonies that doesn’t come across as overtly anti-war but certainly makes strong points about the cost of war for those who come back home. Haunted Henry is sonically gorgeous. Tinsel Town is a fun song that berates celebrity culture and our fascination with it. You should also be certain to check out The Turnstile At Heaven’s Gate. Reflecting on the concept of reincarnation and the judgments of an afterlife, Manning has crafted a melodic/harmonic mix that sounds like The Beatles meets Queen.

Survival Machine opens with faux harpsichord in a piece vaguely reminiscent of Suite Madame Blue, but that’s just a warm up for Living In The End Times; possibly the greatest apocalypse song ever written. Here Manning mixes tremendous harmonies with a tongue-in-cheek glam rock swagger. The album closes out with four live tracks. Drive Thru Girl is a campy ode complete with kazoo orchestra that you just have to hear. You Were Right sounds like something that might have come out of a Supertramp session, and Manning’s live take on Elton John’s Love Lies Bleeding sounds a bit like Billy Joel covering Elton John.

Catnip Dynamite is so good it’s exhausting. You can listen to this album casually but you won’t get everything out of it that you might. Manning has always had a taste for classic rock and interesting compositions, but Catnip Dynamite represents a plateau in his career. Having been familiar with much of his work prior to this, I think it is safe to say that Catnip Dynamite may be the best he’s written/recorded to date. Don’t miss Catnip Dynamite, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. at http://www.rogerjosephmanningjr.com/ or www.myspace.com/rogerjosephmanningjrmusic. You can purchase a copy of Catnip Dynamite on Amazon.com, or you download the album through iTunes.