Review: Sideways Reign - A Stand For All Stages

Sideways Reign - A Stand For All Stages
2008, Sideways Reign

Union, Washington’s Sideways Reign dropped their second album, A Stand For All Stages in 2008. Led by cousins Justin Stang (lead acoustic guitar) and Casey Dehe (vocals and electric guitar/bass), Sideways Reign has a family feel. With roots in both Washington and New York states, Sideways Reign has multi-regional appeal and an electric (so to speak) live sound.

A Stand For All Stages is one of those rare albums that I find to be a pleasant listen but can't really come up with much to say about after the fact. Vocalist Justin Stang is good but doesn't really stand out. The same can be said for the songs themselves. Similar to a film underscore that plays in the background but doesn't really draw attention to itself, Sideways Reign fills in the sonic gaps in the background without ever really stepping forward to claim the spotlight. The album consists of eleven acoustic-electric turns that manage to set you at your listening ease without making a distinct impression or impact. I even had a hard time picking a stand-out song, although Rebels Rise edges up on the basis of a slightly different style, incorporating a slice of reggae into the mix. Settle On mixes a hint of funk in, and Love Song Suicide gets points for sounding more like a pub tune than the lyrics would justify, but in the end Sideways Reign just doesn't manage to stand out.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sideways Reign at http://www.sidewaysreign.com/ or www.myspace.com/sidewaysreign. You can purchase a copy of A Stand For All Stages at www.cdbaby.com/cd/sidewaysreign.

Review: Elton John - The Red Piano

Elton John - The Red Piano
2009, Island/Mercury

You might not have been able to make the trip to Las Vegas to see Elton John's standing show, but no matter. Island/Mercury brings the show home to you on The Red Piano, released on DVD and BlueRay this month. John's Vegas show (also entitled The Red Piano) saw a run of over 200 sold out shows, breaking attendance records on the strip and raising the bar for the next generation of house performers there. It's easy to see why, John has had a long and storied career full of gold and platinum records and continues to outsell acts less than half his age in a dramatically changed music marketplace.

The DVD features fourteen tracks; some of the biggest hits of Elton John's career, including Bennie And The Jets, Daniel, Rocket Man, Candle In The Wind, B!tch Is Back, Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting and Your Song. Sadly, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road isn't included here. For the enhanced experience, pick up the BlueRay version, featuring a 50 minute documentary The Life And Legacy of Elton John, as well as original stage projections created for the show by David LaChappelle. While there are some definite gaps in the material offered in this performance, it is highly representative of Elton John and his status as one of the elder statesmen of Rock N Roll.

Elton John has 1Tony, 1 Oscar, 1 Golden Globe and 5 Grammys to his name. The Red Piano is a testament to the talent and showmanship that got him there. While not as over-the-top on stage as in his 1970's heyday, Elton John still gives a great show. The Red Piano is a must for fans, and a great introduction if you somehow don't know much about the artist. The Red Piano is highly recommended.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Elton John at http://www.eltonjohn.com/. You can purchase The Red Piano at Amazon.com or anywhere DVDs are sold.

Review: Scroll - Poultry

Scroll - Poultry
2008, Elphenty Records

Rocking out in Zagreb, Croatia is a band you’ve probably never heard before, because Scroll is for real. I thought to do a bio of them here, but none of their materials are in English, so I am at a loss. I can tell you that scroll is comprised of Mark Mrakovcic (vox/guitar), Filip Romac (guitar), Leon Culjak (bass) and Tony Mrakovcic (drums). Scroll released their debut album, Poultry, in 2008. You don’t want to miss this one.

Poultry is seasoned with impassioned and urgent emotions, from fear to desire and even love. These core human predicaments are wrapped in musical arrangements that range from folk-punk to Brit-Rock with stops at all point in between. Lead vocalist Mark Mrakovcic puts on a dynamic show ranging from lyric ballads to head-banging, pogo-dancing hardcore screams. The album opens with Bitterone, a lyrically dense folk/punk anthem. Mrakovcic puts in a soaring, over-the-top vocal that verges on a scream at times but never loses touch with the inherent musicality of the song. Scroll pulls out all of the stops on P.Ephenty in an urgent and vibrant rocker. Tales is a lyric, acoustic folk-rocker complete with orchestration. This one is built around a great melody and a simple arrangement that crescendos from a simple rhythmic progression to a nearly oppressive one.

Cou Rouge has a Ballroom Blitz type mania to it. It's irrepressibly catchy, and you'll find yourself hitting replay on it time and time again. Pieces is a great bit of songwriting; a highly personal and heartfelt tune that underscores the wide range of songwriting and performing ability from Scroll. Slow Motion Picture brings back the urgent energy in a cross between Brit Pop and Punk with a high commercial ceiling. Mrakovcic gives his most dynamic vocal performance of the disc here, and its easy to see that he has big-time front man stamped all over him. Poultry closes out with the melancholy diorama Blue Trains, offering a point of view on a moment in time that might otherwise be anonymous. The arrangement is simple and straightforward, and the melody doesn't stand out as remarkable, but there's a touch of poetic magnificence here that leaves an impression after the disc stops spinning.

Scroll is anachronistic and unique in a glutted market of alternative/post-punk rockers. Musically covering everything from Folk-Punk to classic rock & Pop, Scroll is bound to please a lot of people along the way. Poultry is a highly artistic and notable debut album that should lead to big things down the line, and lead vocalist Mrakovcic has all the qualities you want in a front man. Make sure to check out Scroll. At the very least you'll be intrigued to see what they come up with next.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Scroll at http://www.scroll-online.com/ or on Facebook. You can purchase a copy of Poultry at CDFreedom .

Review: Spy The Thinker - Ruby Kill Club

Spy The Thinker - Ruby Kill Club
2009, Spy The Thinker

Jersey boys Spy The Thinker hit hard with their debut album, Ruby Kill Club, independently released in 2009. The hard-rocking trio draws comparisons to early Red Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus. There are no pithy nuances to be found here, just straight ahead alternative rock. Playing out in large local markets such as New York City and Philadelphia, Spy The Thinker has generated a fair amount of excitement for their live shows.

Ruby Kill Club opens with Wake Up, crusty pop/punk at it's finest. This is a highly commercial tune that seems to draw comparisons between fame and addiction, and is insightful and musical in spite of the crunch. Skipping Stones has a sound that reminds me of The Lowest Of The Low. Lead vocalist Matthew has a dynamic voice that's gruff and lyric all at once. After that things slow down a bit, with decent but not overly notable songs. Cloudless Cold is an interesting listen on the first go but doesn't make a lasting impression. Tourist practically dances out of your speakers in a catchy and moderately upbeat arrangement. The album closes with Nobody Buy Me, a lively rock song that hits the energy and interest level of the opening tracks.

Spy The Thinker finds the knack for highly listenable songs a few times on Ruby Kill Club, but also manages to create some pleasant but unremarkable moments here. The more introspective material is fine but just doesn't show the same type of intensity of energy as their better material. If Spy The Thinker could manage to maintain that energy level in the slower more thoughtful songs they'd have a killer album here. The material itself is good, but the presentation is uneven.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spy The Thinker at www.myspace.com/spythethinker. You can purchase a copy of Ruby Kill Club at www.cdbaby.com/cd/spythethinker.

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: Kaisor Sosa - Cop And Blow

Kaisor Sosa - Cop And Blow

2009, Kaisor Sosa

Kaisor Sosa, aka Ryan Glover, is one of the biggest names in underground rap in the Chicago, Illinois market. A previous semi-finalist in both Kanye West’s Chicago Idol contest and Rhymespitters II, Sosa is the only artist to ever reach the semi-finals in both. Sosa’s debut, full-length album, Cop And Blow was unleashed in early 2009.

Cop And Blow opens with two marketing songs, I Got Swag and Young Fresh 2 Def. The first is an introduction to Kaisor Sosa and the second is a "street cred" song. Unfortunately the marketing angle to these songs is so blatant that it draws attention away from any artistry that might be involved. Kaisor Sosa displays real enthusiasm for his music, but that's his prime selling point. From a rhythm perspective the music on Cop And Blow tends toward the more mundane, failing to really stand out in an over-crowded hip-hop field. As a poet/rhymer Kaisor Sosa is decent but not outstanding. The People (featuring Sticman) tries to ply a revolutionary message but comes across as xenophobic even when pointing out real social issues. Intentionally or not, Sosa falls into the clichés of race relations rather than attempting to offer new insight or solutions. You Don't Wanna See Me shows some potential and some thought that rises above marketable ideals, but on the whole Cop And Blow just seemed a little too contrived to hit home.

Kaisor Sosa has potential; his enthusiasm alone will sell some CDs and downloads, but this is a young artist trying on different voices and styles in search of one that seems like his own. Once he finds a voice he's comfortable with we'll start to see what he's really about. Cop And Blow is public viewing of this hip-hop dress-up session. Some things work to a point, but one gets the impression that Sosa is still a little too inured in pop culture images to really see himself. We look forward to seeing and hearing what he tries next, because there's a sense here that once he finds himself musically he'll have a lot to say.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kaisor Sosa at www.myspace.com/kaisorsosa1 or http://www.kaisorsosa.com/. I was unable to find a purchase point for Cop And Blow, but you can email the artist through his website. Don’t use MySpace, as it appears he hasn’t signed in there in a while.

Review: Steve Lieberman - Diaspora; A Folk/Punk History Of The Hebrew Nation

Steve Lieberman - Diaspora: A Folk/Punk History Of The Hebrew Nation
2009, Steve Lieberman

The Gangsta Rabbi is at it again, this time with a musical telling of the travails of Israel and her children on Diaspora: A Folk/Punk History Of The Hebrew Nation. Diaspora is a highly interesting song cycle; based in Lieberman's trademark Garage sound, listeners will be extremely lost without a lyric sheet. Whether it's the vocal mix or issues of diction, I found it next to impossible to decipher the lyrics. Lieberman goes a bit further than just detailing the struggles of Israelites around the world; he assigns blame. Lieberman essentially chalks up all of Israel's struggles to sin; implying that each time Israel is separated from her land it is because her people weren't following God's will. Lieberman incorporates the flute into many of the songs here ala Ian Anderson, as always, and even plays with electronic instrumentation from time to time. Midianites comes across as a bit of cultural trash talk to all the peoples over time who scorned The Hebrew Nation but who found the end of their own cultural lines while Rachel's children continued on. Meri'bah-Kad'Esh caused me to chuckle a bit; it's a song about being freed from Egyptian dominance and sounds something like a polka.

The Fall Of Jerusa'lem introduces electronic instrumentation along with flute in bass in what becomes an interesting if slightly messy sonic stew. 4th Diaspora: The Endtime makes explicit what Lieberman has implied throughout; Israel constantly fights for her own survival because of her own sin, yet remains God's chosen people. The album closes out with For The Children Of The Ga'Za, reaching out to the innocent victims of Israel's on-going struggle with the Palestinians, bemoaning the deaths of innocents on both sides along the way.

Lieberman never fails to be provocative and straight-forward in song. Diaspora is no different. Lieberman tells stories drawn directly from the Torah colored by his own personal insights and beliefs. The result is a historical perspective with minimal political shading that is compelling for its willingness to share the blame. Diaspora is an interesting listen, but it is truly Lo-Fi and may just not fly for some listeners. Nevertheless, Lieberman is always worth a spin.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steve Lieberman at http://www.gangstarabbi.com/ or www.myspace.com/gangstarabbi. You can also read reviews of Lieberman’s previous CDs Overthrow The Government and Psych Ward. You can purchase Diaspora or any of Lieberman’s other 15 albums by emailing him at SteveLieberman@gangstarabbi.com.