Spark & Echo - Inheritance

Spark & Echo – Inheritance
2012, Spark & Echo

Spark & Echo is perhaps one of the most perfectly named acts I’ve ever come across.  The duo comprised of husband and wife team Jonathon Roberts and Emily Clare Zempel has a back story that’s as interesting as their music.  Born in Middle America, each began their love of music at an early age.  The two met at an audition for jazz choir in college and eventually began to date.  Graduate school came for Emily, while Jonathon headed out for the road.  The inevitable breakup came; but years later they were reunited in New York City through church.  The echoes of the past wore at them, but it took time.  They eventually reconvened their relationship, and combined musical direction, as Spark & Echo.  The duo has a passion for telling some of the more bombastic stories from the Bible in song, and this passion is unmistakable on the duo’s sophomore album, Inheritance.

Spark & Echo’s unique musical perspective is very evident throughout Inheritance.  Most intriguing are the album’s imperfections.  Roberts’ voice is pleasant to listen to, and he shows off a rather impressive falsetto range at times during the album, but his pitch and tone can suffer at inopportune times.  Zempel’s voice is similarly untrained, although there is an edge to her sound that is appealing.  The compositions are generally well crafted, but the marriage of music to lyric is sometimes forced.  In spite of this, Inheritance works on several levels.

To begin with, for whatever weaknesses you might perceive in Roberts and Zempel, the blend of their voices is perfect.  Their two voices sound like they were made to fit together.  The energy on the album is unflagging, even on the slower songs.  Spark & Echo creates out of a love for making great music, and also for their subject matter.  This goes a long way.  Finally, there is a musical wanderlust that wends its way through Inheritance, with Spark & Echo willing to follow wherever the song leads.  Whether its They Might Be Giants influenced alt-pop (“Buy Me A Hat”, “What A Day”); jazz/soul (“Inheritance”); Latin Pop (“Yo Sé”); or even French Chanson (“Battles”); Spark & Echo finds a way to entertain and inform.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.sparkandechoband.com. 

The White Ravens - Saddle Up The Whales

The White Ravens – Saddle Up The Whales
2012, The White Ravens

Brother and sister songwriting team Will and Amy Bennett began their band, The White Ravens, on Christmas Day, 2004.  Now 19 and 20, respectively, The Bennetts are carving out an interesting niche in the Indie rock scene in Michigan.  Terming their sound “indie pop geek cabaret rock”, The White Ravens are influenced by a cacophony of sounds from the worlds of rock, classical, Broadway, folk and modern Indie rock.  Will Bennett (keys, guitar) is the composer, and Amy Bennett (vocals, bass) is the lyricist.  It’s a dynamic combination that is responsible for a wonderful tuneful, effervescent pop/rock sound.  On their third album, Saddle Up The Whales, The White Ravens seem to have finally come into their own.

The opening track, “Saddle Up The Whales” is vibrant; joyous; a little bit messy and a whole lot of fun.  Rather than the cynicism so common in modern popular music, The White Ravens glory in a sort of youthful glee.  The result is a sound that is complex, but driven by a singular pop sensibility that gets under your skin and makes you want to get up and dance. “Rube Goldberg Machine” features the same sort of simple joy, wrapped up in an incredibly complex and varying arrangement.  Will Bennett shows his compositional skills run somewhere between those of the Beatles and Ben Folds, blending rock, pop and classical components into an amazingly cogent bit of writing.  Amy Bennett backs it all up with lyrics that are wonderfully twisted and full of the simply joy of making music.

“Informational Video” takes a disco beat and turns it into a complex, layered pop song.  You’ll want to dance and sing along.  “Conspiracy” is a paranoia-filled nightmare for the relationship-phobic in the crowd.  There is a distinct cabaret-pop feel to this tune, and Amy Bennett perfectly balances an edge of sultry songstress with quirk and humor.  The White Ravens offer up a change of pace with “Rain Song”.  Sounding at first like a ballad, “Rain Song” is quirky and pensive, but carries a melody that is beautiful and sweet.  Amy Bennett handles this juxtaposition with a surprising grace.  “Spaaace” is a catchy piano-driven rocker full of classical themes and a fearful penchant for space travel.  The song is infectiously off-kilter; the sort you return to again and again. 

“Mechanical Whales” starts out with a dark cloud hanging over it, brought on by the delicious minor key piano opening.  This turns into an art-rock extravaganza that is more about sound and structure than anything else.  The result is stark and full of a surprisingly twisted beauty.  “World’s Smallest Piece Of Pasta” has more of a chic-dance rock aesthetic.  The quirk factor here is quite high, and the song is an entertaining if surreal listen.  “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” commemorates the world’s eighth continent, a large collection of garbage afloat in the Pacific Ocean.  This tune has great comedic potential, but The White Ravens find a gentler path through the song.  “Arlene’s Grocery” is full of wonderfully zany lyrics.  The arrangement matches the feel but is complex and well-developed.  “We’re Glad You’re Here” is a Beatles-esque musical exploration full of layered sounds ala Phil Specter.  It’s a nice sonic segue way into the closing track, a boogie-woogie take on “Bye Bye Blackbird”.  Will Bennett gets to show off his piano prowess here in unvarnished terms, and Amy Bennett shows depth and grace in her handling of the vocal line. 

The White Ravens keep you on your toes and ultimately charm your socks off on Saddle Up The Whales.  The musical depth and breadth of what they are doing here before legal drinking age speaks to a pair of distinctive musical talents, and a special chemistry that simply doesn’t come along every day.  Saddle Up The Whales has a kitschy feel at times, but it’s all in good fun; a fun so infectious you can’t help but join in.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thewhiteravens.com. 

Serapicos - Serapicos Is A Town

Serapicos – Serapicos Is A Town
2012, Gabriel Serapicos

San Paolo, Brazil native Gabriel Serapicos claims Portuguese as his native language, but chooses to sing in English to feel more connected to the spirits of rock and roll.  This connection is at times raw and comically out of synch at times on his debut album, Serapicos Is A Town, but they playful heart of the album is ultimately its redeeming factor.

Serapicos gets things rolling with the message, incessant garage rock of “There Is No Satisfaction”.  This retro-post-modern answer to the Rolling Stones is built more from a bemused observationalism than any real sense of angst or disappointment.  You can almost picture the knowing smirk Serapicos is hiding as he sings.  “Blow Me” features the same sort of self-satisfied frat boy smugness and fails to be allegorical in any way.  It’s an entertaining look into the barely post-adolescent male mind with quasi 1970’s Lloyd-Webber flair.  The band comes back to Earth with fairly mundane numbers such as “Artists Are Crazy” and the shambling “Pee Pee Jazz”. 

With “Lucky Numbers”, Serapicos descend into a troubled They Might Be Giants parallel universe where bright airy melodies and whimsical story songs have been replaced by dark, minor key explorations and Smith’s inspired tales of woe.  Jumping into a sound once used by Jan and Dean, Serapicos get completed retro on “Inspire Me”. This fun rocker will get your feet moving, and the messy garage style of play creates a fun environment.  Things roll back downhill for “The Sexiest Girl In The World”.  This amounts to a teen boy drooling over a girl in song without any sense of art or tact.  That being said, there is an elemental cuteness to the song.  “Balloon” finds Serapicos practicing a bit more tact in their wooing techniques, but not much.  The vocal is enough to sink this one, as Serapicos has only a passing relationship with the key.

“The Egg Song” is a catchy little piece of post-pop fluff that one presumes is ironic.  The song is very entertaining, with a frenetic energy that’s impossible to ignore.  This is one tune where it’s best not to think too much about what you’re listening to.  “When Your Husband’s Away” is banal and droning; a difficult listen at best.  "I Just Want To Be Your Friend" has a Doors style groove, but fails on pedantic and repetitive lyrics. "Love Pills" and "Russian Roulettes and Persian Carpets" are equally mundane, although the latter captures a bit of that They Might Be Giants air found earlier on the album. "Sexy Julia" is an unsubtle yet entertaining ode to an object of affection/desire. There is an abstract musicality encompassed in the catchy rock arrangement, and the song is danceable in spite of its slightly messy presentation. Serapicos says goodnight with the title track, a stumbling and inexplicably sad number that is messily thrown together and performed without conviction.

Going it alone on a first recording can be wonderfully freeing as an artist.  It also leaves those who create exposed by the weakness of their own worse natures.  There is a clear influence of 1960’s rock and roll on Serapicos Is A Town, and the utter joy that emanates from music of that era is evident.  Serapicos even manages to create some of the same manic glee, both lyrically and musically, that drove the best of They Might Be Giants’ work.  At the same time, Serapicos struggles against his own sense of cuteness, crossing over at times into wildly banal or even downright unlistenable moments.  There is a lot of good to be mined from Serapicos Is A Town.  A first class producer could reign in Serapicos’ more self-immolating songwriting tendencies and help him find the pure pop gems he seeks here.

Rating:           3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.serapicosisatown.com. 

Kate Miller-Heidke - Liberty Bell

Kate Miller-Heidke - Liberty Bell
2011, Sony Music

Australian singer/songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke is an enigma. Classically trained, Miller-Heidke can sing folk ballads, electric dance tracks or classic opera arias with equal grace. Her rise to world-wide eminence was fueled by a viral video on YouTube for the song "Are You F###ing Kidding Me", but Miller-Heidke is a talented songwriter who doesn't let humor get in the way of great songwriting (and vice versa). Her quirky approach has been lauded around the world, and caught the ear of Ben Folds, whom Miller-Heidke spent a large portion of 2010 opening for. Miller-Heidke recently returned with Liberty Bell, the follow-up to Curiouser.

Liberty Bell kicks off with "Are You Ready", an infectious little tune that gets stuck in your noggin and bounces around for hours. It's a date night song that's sweet and quirky at the same time, and has been picked up for a NYS Lot commercial. Don't let that impugn the song however; this is a legitimate pop hit - light, fluffy and a lot of fun. "The Devil's In The Details" is a distinct change of pace; a lyrically minimalist dance track that's novel ear candy. Miller Heidke's songwriting partner and husband Keir Nuttall rips it up here with some intriguing guitar riffs and an energetic dance track that might just spawn its own dance. The pair keeps it simple on "Liberty Bell", an infectiously catchy and fun track that's danceable but retains enough organic pop sound to make it a potential pop hit. The brief chorus is reminiscent of They Might Be Giants in sound, right down to the angular guitar work and simple lyrical scheme.

"The Tiger Inside Will Eat The Child" is surprisingly bland dance-oriented pop, not the sort of material you'd expect from Miller-Heidke based on her previous releases. "Holloway Park" is cut from similar cloth, but Miller-Heidke recovers nicely with "Let Me Fade". While not her most engaging pure vocal performance, "Let Me Fade" is heartbreaking and powerful. The song is an apology and goodbye from a parent who loved imperfectly and rests at death's doorstep. The simple, piano-based arrangement enhances the power of the song. "You Got The World" is a catchy pop/rock number set to an incessant dance beat; a solid album track that might fit well on a movie soundtrack.

"Better In Spain" is a gentle rumination on a slower pace of life. The vocal harmonies on the chorus will catch your ear first, but this quietly well-written tune is more likely to grow on you over time than grab your attention the first time through. "Fatty Gets A Stylist" is an infectious novelty dance track that is likely to well in the clubs and would fare well in a Farrelly Brothers movie. The song is entertaining, and the vocal harmonies are stark and appealing, but fans of Miller-Heidke may feel as if this tune is below the level of her musical talent. "The Flasher" under-uses Miller-Heidke's impressive voice in another dance track sourced on loops and riffs. The arrangement is catchy, and is likely to do well in the club set, but is bit inane aside from the dance beat. Liberty Bell closes with "The Plane Went Down", a somewhat obtuse and dramatic narrative on a plane crash in the first person. Miller-Heidke is impressive on vocals, and the arrangement is well constructed, but the tune itself is likely to leave listeners scratching their heads.

Kate Miller-Heidke is a singular talent, as is her partner in crime Keir Nuttal. However it's not clear what the musical motivation is on Liberty Bell. Miller-Heidke's is a rare gem in the world of pop music, and her quirky sense of humor and personality allows Miller-Heidke to tackle traditional subjects in a non-traditional fashion. Her previous album, Curiouser, was full of heart, wit and several instances of pure pop magic. Those elements aren't exactly missing on Liberty Bell, but their clarity has been muddled by the striving for chart success. Liberty Bell is a solid effort that leans a bit too heavily on sound and effect and not enough on the natural musical talents of Miller-Heidke. This could have been so much more.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Kate Miller-Heidke at www.katemillerheidke.com or www.myspace.com/katemillerheidke.  Liberty Bell is released under Kate Miller-Heidke's name in the US. In Australia, the album is considered a side project for both Miller-Heidke and Nuttall, and is released under the band name Fatty Gets A Stylist.

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Forrest Day - Forrest Day

Forrest Day - Forrest Day
2011, Ninth Street Opus

Tragedy and comedy are the two extremes borne of the chaos of life. Tragedy is often accompanied by mirth, and comedy often hides sadness at its core. The juxtaposition of these two extremes offers insight into the madness that roils all of us, and the beginning of understanding. If one were to write an academic paper on Forrest Day, this might be the opening paragraph, for Day seems to understand the interoperability of tragedy, comedy and chaos better than most. His debut album, with his like-named five piece band, is a treatise on the hardships and hard-won victories of life, seen through the wisdom of knowing sadness and humor, and wrapped in an innovative blend of hip-hop, rock, jazz and electronic musical sounds.

Day writes, raps and sings without filters, discussing his own struggles with mental illness and coping with day-to-day life in song. The best of his material sounds like an ingenious blend of Was (Not Was), Beck, They Might Be Giants and Fatboy Slim, alternating between talk-sing and full-singing styles in a voice that's pleasantly imperfect. Day exposes the humor in awkward moments, like on the opening track "Sleepwalk". This catchy, talk/sing number is born of rhythmic madness and a varied arrangement with a Middle Eastern flavor. It's very rare to find anything in pop music that even approaches unique, yet Forrest Day just might have a claim here. "Hyperactive" is catchy and incessant, with a stream-of-conscious lyrical makeup that keeps pounding away at your brain with ideas. The allegory of both message and sound intrigues. "River Rat" is incredibly infectious. If there's a bonafide pop and dance hit on the album, this is it. Day turns wryly observational on "Baby Shoe", before launching into the declarative anthem "Everybody’s F###ing With My Mind". This high energy romp simply adds to the fire, and is itself another potential hit.

Day turns more mellow as the album progresses, capturing a distinctive groove with "Without A Trace" that's part mystery show theme song and part Spanish Jazz/Hip-Hop hybrid. Perhaps not as vibrant or mind-bending as some of his other material, Day manages to such in listeners here with a quietly compelling number that slowly and stealthily grabs more and more of your attention. "The Grease" sounds like The B-52's playing a James Bond theme with a rap/spoken-word vocal based in madness. The disjointed and disturbed lyrics are compelling, beckoning you on if simply to see where Day will end up. "A$$holes" has a reggae flavor and an entertaining take on unemployment. Day goes all-vocal on "Headfirst", a self-dissection on motivation and creation. The mellow vibe here offsets a nervous energy that runs through the arrangement, creating an interesting bit of cognitive conflict in the process. Forrest Day concludes with "It's Just Me", sounding like a hybrid of classic 1950's pop and hip-hop, dressed up with mariachi horns. The laid back vibe here is appealing, and the lyrical resolution of the tragic comedy is perfectly crafted.

Forrest Day is a revelatory introduction to both the man and the band. The intellect, energy, inspiration and pure musical genius of the album is hard to define, and impossible to ignore. Forrest Day is one of the most innovative albums to be released thus far in 2011, a year to be remembered as the the one in which the pop music world finally saw the Forrest for the trees.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Forrest Day at www.forrestday.com or www.myspace.com/forrestday.  Forrest Day drops on October 11, 2011. 

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CAKE - Showroom Of Compassion

CAKE – Showroom Of Compassion
2011, Upbeat Records

CAKE has always marched to the beat of their own drummer (both figuratively and literally).  Formed in 1991 in a sort of musical counter-revolution to the grunge movement, CAKE’s distinctive sound garnered them significant radio airplay during the 1990’s, and a loyal following that continues to this day.  On the cusp of their 20^th anniversary as a band, CAKE returns today with their sixth album, Showroom Of Compassion. 

CAKE kicks things off with a political edge on “Federal Funding”, decrying a culture where the politically connected take care of their own with wasteful spending.  “Long Time” is a relationship dissection that looks back on the decline of emotional contact with an almost academic air.  “Got To Move” and “What’s Now Is Now” both feel a bit bland, but Cake recovers nicely with the catchy, alt-pop feel of “Mustache Man (Wasted)”.  “Teenage Pregnancy” opens with a Beethoven-esque piano intro before morphing into a dark and conflicted slow rocker that’s highly intriguing.  “Sick Of You” has all the pizzazz and pop of CAKE’s early work.  “Easy To Crash” finds CAKE getting stuck in a bit of a rut, but “Bound Away” is a solid album track, and “The Winter” is among the band’s most subtle works to date.  “The Winter” is all about taking the next step after heartbreak; a ballad for moving on.  “Italian Guy” sounds a bit like something They Might Be Giants might come out with, and the opening lines of the melody sound a bit like a coffee commercial. 

CAKE continues to turn expectations upside down with Showroom Of Compassion.  The high energy of their early works has given way to a slightly more measured approach to songwriting, but the acerbic wit and musical elements that made CAKE alt-rock radio staples in the mid-1990’s are still there.  Overall, Showroom Of Compassion won’t be remembered as their most exciting work, but CAKE delivers a sort of quiet, consistent brand of alt-pop that should appeal to long-time fans and not too few new ones.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about CAKE at http://www.cakemusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/cake.  Showroom Of Compassion is available from Amazon.com as a CD, 180 Gram Red Vinyl LP or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Jed Davis - The Cutting Room Floor

Jed Davis - The Cutting Room Floor
2010, Eschatone Records

Longtime New York City singer/songwriter Jed Davis fled to Albany to write and record his most recent album, The Cutting Room Floor, which will finally see the light of day on September 21, 2010. Begun back in the dark days of 1999, The Cutting Room Floor was completed in 2006. Davis claims the album was doomed from the beginning, but some big names got involved and helped make it happen. T. Erdelyi (Tommy of the Ramones) helped produce some tracks, Brian Dewan (They Might Be Giants) pitched in for instrumental support and Tony Doogan (Belle And Sebastian) mixed all under the guiding hand of executive producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips/MGMT).

Jed Davis shows the anger and vitality of Ben Folds on The Cutting Room Floor, but comes from a darker place. Where early Folds displayed the anger of the oppressed suburbanite, Davis borders on the sort of disaffected sociopathy of suburbia that is the sociological progeny of cynicism. The Cutting Room Floor opens with the title track, sounding like the opening number to an off-off-Broadway production about the angst and loneliness of living in the modern age. Disaffection and separation from those around you are the driving forces here, where hermitage is the ultimate end of interconnectedness. "Before I Was Born" starts out with the opening of Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" played on an out-of-tune piano before opening into a vibrant garage rock tune that bemoans genetic pre-destination. It's a great tune with real punker energy in the chorus and is incredibly catchy. "Enough" is a catchy reminiscence of youth centered on the eye opening experiences that peers provide, much to the chagrin of parents. If Davis finds a way to make a song any catchier the CDC would have to get involved.

"Let Go" is the anthem of the eternal skeptic. It's an interesting tune, but would have been better off if Davis has omitted the distortion effect in the vocal line. "Denny's 3 A.M." is nominally a celebration of Denny's status as an all-night hangout, but is really a celebration of the idle time of youth and the magic that can happen while the rest of the world sleeps. Energetic and eclectic, the song sounds like something that might happen at an after-hours jam session involving Weezer and They Might Be Giants. "Interesting Times" is an angry diatribe about suburban life and the transition from youth to adulthood. Hope is lost here, but the music is great. On "Native Son", Davis sticks his thumb in the eye of every hometown acquaintance who failed to notice him during high school but now acts like his best friend when he returns home. The appeal of this tune is universal, and the angry tone that Davis strikes is both convincing and amusing. Davis winds down with "Queens Is Where You Go When You're Dead", a well-written pop/rock tune that's not likely going to a big hit in Flushing. Davis gets in his last licks with an untitled track that features some 3:00 AM conversation and a version of "Denny's 3 A.M." with a host of guest vocalists.

Jed Davis might not be for everyone, but it'd be hard to not find something to like on The Cutting Room Floor. The reference to things that have been left behind may be appropriate considering the time it's taken this album to come to light. But Davis proves that just because something is initially rejected or put away doesn't mean it has no value. One could argue that The Cutting Room Floor will become known as Davis' best and most vibrant work to date.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jed Davis at http://www.jeddavis.com/ or www.myspace.com/jeddavis.  The Cutting Room Floor is available from Amazon.com as a CD, LP (Vinyl) or Download.  The Cutting Room Floor is also available from iTunes.

Elastic No-No Band - Fustercluck!!!

Elastic No-No Band - Fustercluck!!!
2010, Weemayk Music

Elastic No-No Band is the musical alter-ego of filmmaker Justin Remer. Coming of age as part of the low-fi, anti-folk music scene in New York City, Elastic No-No Band is an experience. Humor abounds, but what drives Elastic No-No Band is a love of making music. The results aren’t always as important as the process. All of these qualities are apparent on Elastic No-No Band’s new double album Fustercluck!!!

Fustercluck!!! isn't so much an album as a happening. Recorded live in-studio with little thought for sonic aesthetics, Fustercluck!!! will entertain you, shock and surprise you, infuriate you and generally get your panties in a twist. Imagine the demented approach to children's songs practiced by They Might Be Giants, the even more demented song stylings of Corky & The Juice Pigs and the low-fi, low-stress approach to songwriting practice by most adolescent songwriters and you'll have an idea where Elastic No-No Band is coming from. Built in and around the shell of an old exercise video, Fustercluck!!! sifts through humor and observation to get to a post-Americana sound that works well when the band plays together. They don't always, of course. It's difficult to point to specific tracks here, as the entire album is one long stream of social conscience that blends old and new ideas nearly seamlessly. Highlights include "Imaginary Girlfriend", where said girlfriend's improprieties are explored in detail, "Poor Jenny" and (Re-) Run DMC.

Elastic No-No Band isn't exactly a novelty act, but they can't quite escape the galaxy of that perception either. Fustercluck!!! is in turns entertaining and maddening, dodging between coherent songs and seemingly mindless or esoteric diversions. It's an entertaining hour and a half of dementia that makes up in adolescent chutzpah what it may occasionally lack in musicality or coherence.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Elastic No-No Band at http://www.elasticnonoband.com/ or www.myspace.com/elasticnonoband.  Fustercluck!!! is available from Amazon.com as a 2-CD Set.  The albums are broken down into separate downloads, Fustercluck!!! - Part 1 and Fustercluck!!! - Part 2.

The White Ravens - Gargoyles And Weather Vanes

The White Ravens - Gargoyles And Weather Vanes
2010, White Raven Music

Amy and Will Bennett have an interesting chemistry; as The White Ravens the sonic love children of They Might Be Giants and Gwen Stefani craft incredibly catchy and quirky tunes that add a new pastiche to geek rock. Add in the stabilizing influence of Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto and you have a sound that is downright virulent. The band's bio is full of snarky humor, but don't mistakes The White Ravens for a novelty act. Will Bennett plays keyboards with a tenacity that Ben Folds would be proud of and Amy Bennett (who sounds a lot like Monica Attell) attacks each vocal line like she means business. The White Ravens will release their sophomore album, Gargoyles And Weather Vanes on July 6, 2010.

Just using piano, bass and drums, The White Ravens fill up more sonic space than most bands would dream of, showing the same sort of not-quite-reckless abandon we heard from Ben Folds in his early days. There's more pop sensibility here, and Amy Bennett's voice is tuneful with an acerbic edge that will hold your attention, but it’s the instrumental interplay that makes Gargoyles And Weather Vanes such a trip. There are definite stylistic nods to groups such as Billy Joel and Ben Folds as well as acts such as Belly and The Breeders, but the mix here is so distinctive and fresh you'll forget that rock n roll is supposed to be dead.

Opening with "Sparks", The White Ravens create a dense musical tapestry. Amy Bennett's sassy vocals light up the album and Folds fans will recognize the piano style Will Bennett affects here. Meaning may prove elusive at times on the album, but when listening to songs such as "Tick Tock" you simply won't care. If all rock records sounded this good no one would buy anything else. "Rubber Band" is so cliché it's ironic; a quirky, angular tune about resilience that is simply irresistible. The White Ravens throw a pleasant curve ball on "Atomic Panda", going for an electro-rock sound that is highly catchy and has an edge that could slice timber. Its pure 1990's alternative here, but the Bennetts make it all their own.

"Broken Halves" is about the realization that things aren't as good as they seem in a relationship. There are a series of musical resets here that seem to parallel the sort of two steps-forward, one-step back process that such relationship realizations come by. It's a solid tune, a bit more reserved than some of the other material here, and shows a slightly softer side to Amy Bennett as a vocalist. The White Ravens get a bit too comfortable past the mid-point of Gargoyles And Weather Vanes, but pick things back up by the time they reach "Rainstorm", the peppy rock n roll story of a huckster exploiting the lost and lonely. The arrangement here could have come out of a 1970's Billy Joel recording session with the distinctive mix of piano, sax and percussion sounding more than a bit familiar. "Draco" opens like a Ben Folds tune, but quickly turns into a strong mid-tempo pop tune. The White Ravens will continually surprise you with tempo breaks and changes throughout the album, taking the musical wherever they want even if it flies in the face of convention. Gargoyles And Weather Vanes closes with "Eulogy", a dark, minor-key composition that pays tribute to cities hit by urban decay while posing the inevitability of change. It's an apropos closing for a band that seems to rebuilding rock n roll on the ashes and memories of those who came before.

The White Ravens will confound and astound you. It's been awhile since rock n roll sounded this fresh or this good. Amy Bennett eschews the snarl of past female rockers and instead hits you with a lopsided smirk you might find familiar if you're a fan of Tina Fey. Will Bennett plays piano like nobody's business, and as the primary songwriter shows a distinct amount of promise. Liberty DeVitto is... Liberty DeVitto. Gargoyles And Weather Vanes reflects both the best and darkest intents of humanity as seen from above, and as a title it is a near-perfect reflection of The White Ravens. You won't be able to get The White Ravens out of your head.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The White Ravens at http://www.whiteravenmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/whiteravensmusic. Gargoyles And Weather Vanes drops on July 6, 2010, but you can purchase the album now directly from The White Ravens. Expect availability through Amazon, iTunes and other national outlets.

Review: Patrick & Eugene – Altogether Now: Birds Bees Flowers Trees

Patrick & Eugene – Altogether Now: Birds Bees Flowers Trees
2010, Tummy Touch Records

Patrick Dawes (Groove Armada, Richie Havens) & Eugene Bezodis (near-tragic magic) are a British phenomenon that has danced along the periphery of American pop-cultural conscience for a few years now. Perhaps best known for the song “The Birds & The Bees”, which accompanied a well-known Volkswagen commercial a couple of years back, Patrick & Eugene have repeatedly found their music used in commercials and even in television shows (Weeds, Grey’s Anatomy). Patrick & Eugene owe nods to bands such as They Might Be Giants, The Beautiful South and Squirrel Nut Zippers, but also have comedic routes that stretch from Monty Python to Derek & Clive. Altogether Now: Birds Bees Flowers Trees is Patrick & Eugene’s US debut. It is a compilation of the best material from Patrick & Eugene’s two British albums, Postcard From Summerisle and Everything And Everyone. Some might quickly categorize Patrick & Eugene as a novelty act because of the oft comedic wit and atypical instrumentation/sounds, but the musicianship here is too good for Patrick & Eugene ever to be considered merely a novelty act.

Altogether Now opens with Patrick & Eugene’s best known song, “The Birds And The Bees”. The song has an old-timey feel with a modern array of electronic accoutrements. The sound is eccentric and eclectic, and melody is so catchy you’ll be knocking your head against the wall trying to make it come out weeks later. “Nevertheless” is a fun sway-inducing tune. The song will make you yearn for simpler times, relying on a spacious arrangement to give it an open, easy feel. “Circus Train” is a sound collage, creating train and animal sounds from percussion, found and synthesized sounds, instruments and creatively applied vocalizations. The song is highly rhythmic and fun, and displays keenly Patrick & Eugene’s talent for constructing a coherent song out of almost anything.

“Altogether Now” is a happy, highly positive tune. You’ll want to be up and dancing around to this highly active musical missive; it feels sort of like a children’s song for adults. Patrick & Eugene wend their way through the eccentricities of songs such as “Llama”, “Old Times” and “Don’t Stop” before settling on “The Leprechaun”, an eclectic and mildly catchy tune that listeners will find highly appealing. “A Dog’s Tale is likely to be a fan favorite, but the album’s theme song should be “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”. That’s what you’ll be thinking about Patrick & Eugene in the days and weeks after your first listen to Altogether Now. Patrick & Eugene might have saved their best work for the last two tracks on the album, however. “Saturday Night” is a wonderful reflection on days gone by with a riotous twist; you’ll dance until your laughter prevents it. Patrick & Eugene take one more shot to show off their instrumental chops on “Peony”, an intriguing little number that’s a great calling card for the duo.

Altogether Now: Birds Bees Flowers And Trees might be one of the best original offerings of the year thus far. The music will be both new and familiar to American audiences, and with the right continued exposure should mean significant success for Patrick & Eugene. It’s unusual to find an act that can make you laugh and want to dance all while providing high-quality songwriting and musicianship. Patrick & Eugene harkens back to the days of Vaudeville, while maintaining seriously modern elements to the music they create. Spend some time getting to know Patrick & Eugene. You’ll be happy you did.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Patrick & Eugene at http://www.patrickandeugene.net/ or www.myspace.com/patrickandeugene. Altogether Now: Birds Bees Flowers Trees is available from Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.

Review: The Greening - The Last Tibetan Midnight

The Greening - The Last Tibetan Midnight
2010, Zai Records

San Francisco rock trio The Greening dropped their debut album, After Shoal Parlor in 2003, creating quite a buzz in California over time with a mix of oddly-placed shows and a sound based in the beauty and violence of creation. The band constructed their own studio and set to writing and recording new material in 2009, culminating in the release of last year's (She's So) Electric EP. All told, The Greening wrote and recorded twenty songs, ten of which see the light of day on their most recent album, The Last Tibetan Midnight. (The other ten will be released in 2011, but will get proper airings during live shows between now and then). On The Last Tibetan Midnight, The Greening creates art devoid of cookie-cutter musical imprints.

The Last Tibetan Midnight opens with "Black Lotus", a chaotic number that seems to slip in and out of reality. Shifts in style, meter and sound are as random in occurrence as they are seismically varied, with a sonic nod to The Doors. "Belong Me" carries over from the (She's So) Electric EP as a welcome resolution to the chaos of "Black Lotus"; a poppy love song reminiscent of the middle ground between Ben Folds and The Beatles. If the sing-along nature of the chorus doesn't grab you, the instrumentation and vocal harmonies will. The Greening is struck by lyrical elephantiasis on "The Tangerine Floating In Ink", where the verses last too long and don't flow well, but the chorus is strong, the harmonies are true and the instrumental breakdown is worth sitting through the verses for.

The Greening plays with multi-part song construction (ala The Beatles) on "Sleeping Grandpa Tacoma" while incorporating that would bring happy tears to the eyes of Brian Wilson. Not content with all this useless beauty, The Greening upend the serene nature of the song with chaotic percussion underneath, suggesting a worldly duality-cum-chaos that lies beneath the placid surface. "Better Days" and "Winter Sunshine" are both solid, although both are prone to a less cohesive style of play than the rest of the album. The Greening sound a bit like vintage They Might Be Giants at the opening of "Don't Have The Time", but the arrangement becomes more open and fluid as a lyric ballad before opening the throttles as a quasi-big rock song. It's a decent tune, but the fluidity and grace of the dance through different styles is intriguing.

While often eschewing the pure form in light of more challenging variations, The Greening does pure pop quite well. "Sunday Afternoon" dances with the aesthetic without giving up the vaguely psychedelic approach that runs through the heart of The Las Tibetan Midnight. "Sunday Afternoon" is the tune most likely to end up on repeat. "(She's So) Electric" is a barn burner with real pop finesse built around a classic lick. Moody Blues fans will find a lot to like in this tune that nods to the old without losing a sense of the new. The Last Tibetan Midnight closes with the Floydian psychedelia of "Thought I Told You". The song is not a classic closer, but works well in contrast to the rest of The Last Tibetan Midnight. While seeming initially out of context, the more you listen to The Last Tibetan Midnight the more you realize that this is where The Greening was leading you all along.

The Greening are going to inspire a lot of mixed reactions with The Last Tibetan Midnight. It's not a cuddly album; not an album you treat as an old friend. Think of The Greening's latest more as a long-known and respected adversary. The Last Tibetan Midnight is a challenge to listeners to step up to the plate and take what they want; no quarter is asked and none is given. This is art, like it or not. But whether or not you like The Last Tibetan Midnight, it will inspire respect. This is a meaty album that will outlast many of its contemporaries.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Greening at http://www.thegreening.com/ or www.myspace.com/thegreening. You can purchase The Last Tibetan Midnight as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: The Corner Laughers - Ultraviolet Garden

The Corner Laughers - Ultraviolet Garden
2009, Popover Corps

San Francisco's The Corner Laughers could be called the unintended complication of a Catholic School education. They also happen to be Wildy's World's Artist Of The Month for March, 2010. Karla Kane (singer/ukulele) and Angela Stilletto (guitar) met as kindred spirit while still in Catholic prep school, joking that they would start a band called The Corner Laughers in spite of neither playing an instrument. Born more of social cohesion than anything else, the duo developed into something more over time, blending a unique and eclectic pop sensibility with intelligent, offbeat lyrics and a wicked sense of humor. The Corner Laughers released Ultraviolet Garden in the Fall of 2009 on John Wesley Harding's Popover Corps, and have received a wealth of critical acclaim as well as being included on several year-end "best of" lists. If the Bangles co-mingled with The Cure and then went out for Drinks with They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies, the resulting band would sound a lot like The Corner Laughers.

Ultraviolet Garden opens with "Shrine Of The Martyred Saint", the story of someone pining his life away rather than living what's left of his life. This sad story is delivered in a compact and peppy Pop/Rock arrangement that will have you tapping your toes and looking for a dance floor. "For The Sake Of My Cat" has a 1960's girl group sound updated for the 21st century. R&B underpinnings and great vocal harmonies help the song soar in a tale about a relationship that lingers over two people's favorite feline. The delicious pop confections continue on "The Commonest Manifesto"; The Corner Laughers explore the aftermath of a relationship and the emotional barriers it creates.

"Inner Archaeologist" is brilliant; a song questioning the intentions of a suitor out of the composer's own insecurity. The arrangement is a brilliant mix of vaudevillian camp and Folkgrass. You'll chuckle at the juxtaposition of meaning and tone, but the song is amazingly human in its insecurities and self-protection. On "Half A Mile", The Corner Laughers explore the ups and downs of a long distance relationship in ambivalent terms (I guess I'll make it through). There's a distinct sense here that even though her heart is in it, she's tiring of the waiting and traveling for stolen moments. "Silver Medal" returns to the upbeat, New Wave style that The Corner Laughers opened with in an incessantly enjoyable tune.

"Dark Horse" takes on a failing relationship in the same peppy style that seems to serve The Corner Laughers so well; there being something thoroughly infectious about their sound. Contagion continues on "Thunderbird", perhaps the best pure Pop/Rock song on the album. You won't be able to help yourself from dancing. "Yellow Jacket" takes that urgent energy and folds into a slightly more pointed song about making things happen. This song ends in a happy honeymoon tinctured in a sugary sweet chorus with whistles, and is another amazing bit of songwriting. "A Country Song" deftly explores the twists and turns that might bring two people together or in this case keep them apart. The Corner Laughers are at their most brilliant here, offering crisp acoustic Pop with a country flavor and Punk energy in a song that deserves to be trumpeted from rooftops. The Corner Laughers close with "Space Echo", getting right to the destruction of the Earth in the opening lines of the song. It's a bizarre song with the baroque Pop feel of a lighter Tori Amos tune and an absurdist bent ala a love story cooked up by a partnership between Syfy and Lifetime Movie Network.

The Corner Laughers write brilliant Pop songs delivered primarily on acoustic instruments on Ultraviolet Garden. This sort of sense for melody and arrangement tends to result in long career arcs that wind up with on-going shows in places like Las Vegas. The Corner Laughers have enough Pop sensibility to stay on the Pop culture radar, but walk off the beaten path enough to garner counter-culture support as well. In short, The Corner Laughers succeed so well by being adamantly themselves. The music is irresistible; the lyrics intelligent and sometimes funny. Vocalist Karla Kane has the sort of voice that speaks of a late-blooming flower, sultry and sensual but hidden behind a shy intellect that's as prone to misdirection and humor as it is to blunt observation. The vocal harmonies are to die for; and the album, Ultraviolet Garden, is the sort of debut that a band could spend the rest of their career trying to match (much less top).

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Corner Laughers at http://www.cornerlaughers.com/ or www.myspace.com/cornerlaughers. Ultraviolet Garden can be purchased directly from the band on CD. Downloads are available through Amazon.com .

Review: Evangenitals - Evangenitals [EP]

Evangenitals – Evangenitals EP
2009, Evangenitals

Los Angeles musical gypsies the Evangenitals are either a deliriously obtuse experiment in musical realism, the outgrowth of serious medicative therapy or the benign side effects from a misspent youth. I am voting for all-of-the-above. Playwright/singer/songwriter Juli Crockett and Opera/Jazz singer Lisa Dee are the core around which Evangenitals coalesced in a decrepit bowling alley in Highland Park, California. The rest, as they say, is history. In 2009, Evangenitals released their third album, an eponymous EP that mixes Jazz, Folk, Americana, Country, Rock and anything else Crockett and the band could scrounge up on the way to rehearsal.

Evangenitals opens with Hello, a tuneful, melancholy bit of Lo-Fi Americana. It's a pleasing opener, and singer/songwriter Juli Crockett is impressive. Crockett is off the beaten track with an earthy vocal style and a charming, enigmatic alto. Hard Luck follows, a dandy bit of songwriting with exquisite instrumental work. Work Song is a dirge-like paean to a life that never changes. Drudgery is offset by a sort of congenial comfort. Imagine They Might Be Giants on downers. So Sweet features a strong melody and a nicely interwoven arrangement, creating a sweet sound that will make you want to hit replay each time the song ends. On Bad Town, Evangenitals offers a humorous send-up of small town life doled out with dark irony in a tight Americana arrangement. Evangenitals close with I'm Sad, returning to the overtly melancholy Country style where they started. The musicality here is wonderful even if the approach is a bit more Lo-Fi than you might initially expect, and Crockett captivates with a Lo-Fi approach ala Margo Timmins.

Evangenitals might slide off your radar at first blush if you're not careful. What sounds pleasant and innocuous on first listen blooms into complex subtleties and undertones as you listen more and more. This is a band you have to work a little to get, but the effort is well rewarded. Evangenitals is surprisingly accomplished, and I won't be a bit surprised if the band just keeps getting better.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Evangenitals at www.evangenitals.com or www.myspace.com/evangenitals. You can purchase the Evangenitals EP as either a CD or demonically priced Download via CDBaby.com.

Review: Cracked Latin - The World Is Cracked Latin

Cracked Latin - The World Is Cracked Latin
2009, Transparency

Tito Puente meets Syd Barrett. They Might Be Giants meets Os Mutantes. These are the sort of comparisons mentioned when discussing Cracked Latin, the duo consisting of Lane Steinberg (The Wind, Noel Coward's Ghost, Wall Of Orchids, Mustafio) and Luis Accorsi (Jainz Kapella, Man's Laughter). Steinberg and Accorsi took the inspiration of Johnny Pacheco's Fania All-Stars and channeled it through Rock and Pop influences to create a hybrid sound that dances from Salsa to Latin Rock and back. Cracked Latin's debut album, The World Is Cracked Latin, is sung in both English and Spanish, and is highly accessible.

Cracked Latin sets out with Your Miami, an instrumentally smooth and vocally messy experience that's hard to rectify. This is a great song to dance to, but not necessarily a great listen. My Hallucination is aurally twisted and out of perspective, giving a musical parallel to the subject of the song. The arrangement is quite well done, but always on the edge. It's not a comfortable listen, but an interesting one. The Caracas Shakedown recalls an experience Accorsi had in his native Venezuela in the days of youthful indiscretion. It's a highly danceable tale of adventure and danger. Cracked Latin hits a Cuban vibe on The Expatriate before getting lost in a psychedelic Salsa/Rock mess on En Estos Tiempos.

Things pick up a bit on Xulfa, perhaps the most wonderfully bizarre song on the album. Accordion mixes with Latin style in a primarily rock arrangement that will have your head spinning and your feet tapping. We Are Cracked Latin! wades headlong into musical waves of madness in a kinetic arrangement that will leave you figuring out to Slam Dance the Merengue, even adopting some of fugue style of later Beatles recordings in the process. The Lord Jim wants to sound like a tune you might hear in a Western film dealing with Mexico and the Southwest US, but has a very dark tone and urgent feel that becomes psychedelic than anything else.

In Memory Of A Departed Therapist is a mess, pure and simple. I realize this is probably more artistic than accidental, based on the subject matter of the song, but it's a difficult listen. Much the same can be said of International Accident, although at least the carnage is at a slower speed and therefore easier to follow. Things don't really improve a great deal over the last two songs. Diggin' Bonez features a solid dance beat but fails to break out of the psychedelic doldrums Cracked Latin has fallen into, and Wicked (She's Wicked) surrenders entirely to the darker side of Cracked Latin's madness.

There are some very positive things going on with Cracked Latin. We Are Cracked Latin! has some great moments, but the band gets too mired in attempts to sound psychedelic and forgets how good they can be creating music as the album progresses. I expect Cracked Latin will have some success with We Are Cracked Latin!, but the sound is likely to be more of a novelty than a long-lasting relationship with listeners.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cracked Latin at http://www.crackedlatin.com/ or www.myspace.com/crackedlatin. You can purchase a copy of The World Is Cracked Latin! On CD directly from the band, or you can download the album or individual tracks from iTunes.