The 23 String Band - Catch 23

The 23 String Band - Catch 23
2011, The 23 String Band

Eastern Kentucky is the home base of The 23 String Band, an acoustic quintet consisting of Chris Shouse (guitar, lead vocals); Curtis Wilson (banjo, vocals); David Howard (mandolin, vocals); Scott Moore (fiddle, vocals) and T. Martin Stam (bass, vocals). In spite of their acoustic approach, the band brings electric energy to modern songs with traditional bluegrass stylings. A live set from The 23 String Band could easily follow a traditional bluegrass tune with a Beastie Boys cover; the unpredictable nature of the band has earned them a significant following in a short time. And their "original hillbilly music" has earned them the respect of bluegrass fans both modern and traditional. The band released Catch 23 earlier this year. The only surprise here is that they haven't received wider acclaim.

Catch 23 opens with "Fat Frankie", the frenetic tale of a small time drug dealer. The dark and urgent modern bluegrass arrangement is compelling, and The 23 String Band has created a classic story song. The violin work of Scott Moore is particularly amazing. "Long Hot Summer Days" features solid, deliberate pick work. Shouse gets soulful on the lead vocal, and there's a distinct blues feel blended into the bluegrass arrangement. "Catch 23" is a dynamic instrumental that breaks out into a jazzified breakdown. Once again, fiddler Scott Moore is a standout. The band is forward and fun on "Leave Everything To Me", an amusing little love song with a memorable melody.

"Listen To Her Heart" is a soliloquy sung to a romantic interloper; an attempt to hold on to the one he loves. The arrangement here is pure gold, with tremendous instrumental interplay and absolutely gorgeous vocal harmonies intertwining throughout. The 23 String Band goes old school on "Bees Knees", getting back to deep bluegrass roots so completely you'll think you're in a time warp. "Hey Pretty Mama" is a tongue-in-cheek come-on song that's fun and entertaining. It's followed by the vibrant instrumental clinic of "Deer Tick". It's the barrelhouse for "Raleigh & Spencer", a prohibition era fiddle tune that's relentlessly entertaining. The band gets real props for their original read on "Cripple Creek", in a rendition that's vaguely reminiscent of the Grateful Dead's version, but has a more lyric feel.

The 23 String Band are a marketer's dream. Riding the high energy of youth, this finely tuned musical machine approaches traditional bluegrass with great reverence, but can also kick out the jams and update their sound to the minute. With the rise of Americana music as an over-arching pop form, it's a matter of time before a band from its ranks breaks out into pop-culture stardom. That band could easily be The 23 String Band, and Catch 23 could be just the vehicle to take them there.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The 23 String Band at www.the23stringband.com or www.facebook.com/the23stringband.

Yael Meyer - Everything Will Be Alright

Yael Meyer - Everything Will Be Alright
2011, KLI Records

Santiago de Chile native Yael Meyer was drawn to music at a young age. She began studying at a classical conservatory at the age of 5, and at 18, Meyer set her sights on Boston and the Berklee College of Music. Unlike to many of her contemporaries, Meyer has always seemed to understand that the space between the notes is as important to melody and composition as the notes themselves. Meyer writes songs blending a level of complexity and subtle finesse that’s rare in modern music. Meyer recently released Everything Will Be Alight, a sometimes brilliant collection of brilliantly understated songs.

Everything Will Be Alright is as optimistic as its name. Yael Meyer has a sweet and light quality to her voice that makes it difficult not to play along. Kicking things off with "Fire", Meyer strikes a catchy, simple pop pose. It's a solid start, catchy but subtly so. "Backbone" is a love song sung with the cadence and feel of a lullaby. The all-electronic arrangement casts an ethereal cloud on which Meyer's voice simply floats, the perfect fit for the moment. "Used To Be" is a catchy and upbeat song about change and regret. The tempo and energy suggest bright intentions, but there's a quiet melancholy laced through the song that can catch you by surprise. Meyer keeps the vibe going with the soul-searcher "I Wonder How". Exploring her own inability to give her heart completely, Meyer grabs a particularly vulnerable moment, steeped in gentle neurosis, that's remarkably sweet and real.

"I Wonder How" marks the album's apex. The rest of the way it's slow and steady pop for Meyer. Songs that are pleasing in a background-music fashion but don't really grab your attention. It's as if Meyer wrote two EPs: a 5-song number with some very solid songwriting and endearing performances, and a 6-song albumette with gentle story songs that would probably play better in a house-concert or coffee shop than in the studio.

Yael Meyer spends much of Everything Will Be Alright exploring self-doubt and dysfunction as it pertains to love and relationships. Featuring supple, and occasionally overly-subtle songwriting, Meyer makes a quiet mark on each listener. At her best, Meyer's almost-shy presence is quietly engaging. Other times she fades into the background like an eternal wall-flower. There is power in this approach, but Meyer front-loads the best material on Everything Will Be Alright, giving listeners an all-or-nothing experience rather than the gentle up-and-down that so mirrors life. So if the album misses the mark, it's more a matter of song ordering than of songwriting or performance. Meyer has the fundamentals in place, and seems to know her sound and limitations well. This is a very good effort that's mildly flawed by decision making, but not fatally wounded.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Yael Meyer at www.yaelmeyermusic.com or www.myspace.com/yaelmeyer.

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The Good Intentions - Someone Else's Time

The Good Intentions - Someone Else's Time

2011, Boronda Records

Liverpool trio The Good Intentions are born of the blend of folk, Americana and bluegrass. Husband and wife team R. Peter Davies and Gabrielle Monk are joined by longtime friend Francesco Roskell, blending their instruments and voices with the help of friends from both Nashville and Los Angeles on their latest album, Someone Else's Time.

The album is a solid, lovely listen from start to finish. The interplay of instruments and voices on Someone Else's Time is truly worth tuning in for, yet the album is so subtly crafted and well-blended that those who do not listen carefully will let it pass as pleasant background and nothing more. Opening with melancholy "Gone So Long", The Good Intentions paint subtle pictures with a broad musical brush. This approach continues unabated throughout the album. It's difficult to point out true highlights on the album, as the sound, approach and quality are utterly consistent throughout. The swaying feel of "Everybody Loves A Drinking Man" is notable, but otherwise you need to really dig into the consistently excellent musicianship and gloriously blended voices of The Good Intentions.

Well-written, well-played and sonically appealing, Someone Else's Time actually suffers from its own consistency. This is the perfect example of an album that is excellent in all aspects, but likely to be passed over by most listeners because it is what it is very quietly. If you have the time to spare to repeated careful listens, Someone Else's Time will bear significant rewards. Unfortunately the utter lack of flash, or even the up and down banter of The Good Intentions live performances, likely doom a really fine album to relative anonymity. And that's a shame.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Good Intentions at www.thegoodintentions.co.uk or www.myspace.com/thegoodintentionsmyspace. 

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Laura DiStasi - Laura DiStasi [EP]

Laura DiStasi - Laura DiStasi [EP]
2011, Laura DiStasi

Laura DiStasi is a songwriter of substance; the sort who makes an impression that stays with you long term.  Born of southern New Jersey and now calling New York City home, DiStasi captures the urban landscape in song, both in the hardship of a granite city and the loneliness of the many walls.  Her third EP, Laura DiStasi, digs at the wounds of a life spent living so close to so many and yet so far away, ultimately closing on a moment of beauty within the madness.

DiStasi opens with "Colors And Shapes", an intriguing comparison between anonymity in a large city and in a relationship. It's all about getting lost in something that distracts you from what you want or need to do. DiStasi shows a distinctive lyrical subtlety married to a solid, melancholy pop arrangement. "Humming Along" is a run-on rumination on a relationship in a rut. DiStasi shares this internal dialogue in song, displaying conflicting senses of frustration and desire. The lush, folk/pop setting is the ideal complement. "Go On" is meandering and melancholy, a reproach of a partner who simply won't commit. DiStasi cycles through disenchantment, monotony, realization that things won't change, and ultimately separation. The incessant nature of the song overmatches the message however, as pacing and intentions struggle to match one another. DiStasi closes with "Covered In Snow", a musical water-color exploring the illusion of rebirth at the first snowfall of the year. DiStasi celebrates the sense that things might be better, even while not letting go of the reality of before.

Laura DiStasi proves to be the real deal on her self-titled, debut EP. With a gorgeous, dulcet voice, and a lyrical refinement that's both intelligent and elegant, DiStasi crafts highly personal stories that are colorful and universally accessible. DiStasi does struggle a bit with the pacing on one track, but otherwise delivers consistently well-written songs, and performances full of presence and personality. Get to know Laura DiStasi. You're going to be hearing a lot more from her.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Laura DiStasi at www.lauradistasi.com or www.myspace.com/lauradistasi. 

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Alpine White - The Hale E.P.

Alpine White - The Hale EP

2011, Alpine White

San Francisco rock quartet Alpine White is born of the road. First generation German immigrants Colin (lead vocals, guitar, piano, drums) and Ian Denker (bass, vocals) formed the core of Alpine White, and were joined by friends Ivan Wence (guitar, vocals) and Javier Benavides (drums, percussion) in April, 2011. Songwriter Colin Denker strives to capture feelings in song, nearly eschewing traditional storytelling styles for the colors and nuance of emotion. Alpine White's debut EP, The Hale, is clear evidence of this mission.

Alpine White opens with "When She Gets Home", a nice bit of low-key pop/rock songwriting. Ultimately tuneful and driven with a solid chorus, The Hale EP gets off to a solid start. It does become evident; however, that Alpine White never really came to a solid conclusion to the song. The sudden cut-off chosen hear is jarring and essentially destroys the mood of the song. Alpine White struggles to capture the same energy and panache and the three remaining songs. "The Evidence", "Days And Nights" and "All The Weight" are unfocused musically, and never really establish premise nor presence.

Alpine White has something, although it's hard to define what exactly that is on The Hale EP. Colin Denker's middle-of-the-road pop/rock voice is solid and engaging, but doesn't really stand out in the crowd. Likewise, the musicianship is solid, but never really steps out of the safe zone on the four tracks presented here. There is a charisma that runs through The Hale EP, however, that is hard to ignore. It will keep you engage in spite of a sound that reflects a band that's still trying to figure out who they are. It's much too early to define Alpine White, and honestly, it was probably a bit early for an EP. A little time on the road together to let the dynamic of the full band set in would season the sound and approach. It will be interesting to see what Alpine White puts out next.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Alpine White at www.alpinewhiteband.com or www.myspace.com/alpinewhite.  Alpine White's website indicated The Hale E.P. will be available on November 1, 2011, but the EP appears to not yet have been released.  Keep chcking their website for more information.

Gina Sicilia - Can't Control Myself

Gina Sicilia - Can't Control Myself
2011, Swingnation Records/Vizztone

Philadelphia singer/songwriter Gina Sicilia has been making waves in Blues, R&B, rock and country now for four years.  The 25-year-old has already been nominated for a “Best New Artist Debut” at the Blue Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee.  Sicilia recently released her third album, Can’t Control Myself, showing off her distinctive voice, and a blend of original songs and classic covers.

Sicilia kicks things off with "Addicted", showing off an impressive, deep and smooth alto voice. There's a lot of sound to hang onto here, even if Sicilia sticks to a very compact range. A more soulful sound works its way into "Crazy Bout You Baby", and Sicilia works the song through with good energy. There's something missing here, though. Sicilia sounds great, and no one can say she doesn't put herself into the performance, but for someone whose songs are so steeped in the blues; you never quite get the sense that Sicilia feels that fundamental fatalism that underlies the genre. Much the same impression is won by "Members Only" -- once again Sicilia sounds wonderful, but she doesn't sell the soul of the song the way she might.

"Before The Night Is Through" is a great vehicle for Sicilia's voice, and might just be the best pure vocal performance of the album. "Can't Control Myself" plays in the same territory. Sicilia plays the relentless, heavy cadence of the song well, although this is perhaps a bit overdone in the end. Listeners finally get to hear a different dimension of Gina Sicilia on the closing track, "Once In A While". Sicilia opens up voice, showing off some wonderful timbres in her upper range. The distinctly country feel of the song also is a nice change of pace, and fitting for where Sicilia lives musically. This is the most nuanced performance of the album, and bodes well for the future.

Gina Sicilia impresses on Can't Control Myself. She's got a knockout voice, and a bit more range than you might think after listening to most of the album. Her more blues and soul based performances have an almost academic air at times, seemingly separated from the deep emotions that underwrite the respective genres, but Sicilia wraps her voice around you in waves and suddenly it doesn't seem to matter quite so much. The country turn at the end of the album is a great sidebar, and shows off a slice of Sicilia's voice that might be even more intriguing than the big sound she practices on much of Can't Control Myself. Sicilia has a real future with her voice, and while this is a great start, she might have a bit of soul-searching to do on her sound. She's definitely one to watch.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Gina Sicilia at www.ginasicilia.com or www.myspace.com/ginasicilia. 

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Arty Hill And The Long Gone Daddys - Another Lost Highway

Arty Hill And The Long Gone Daddys - Another Lost Highway
2011, Arty Hill

Arty Hill is well-known in songwriting circles, with songs of his recorded by the likes of Jason & The Scorchers, the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band, Marti Brom and the Sapphires, but Hill is a pure performer as well. Drawing crowds from his home base in Baltimore to Austin, Texas, Hill takes honky-tonk country to a new level. This transcendence is abundantly clear on the latest effort from Arty Hill And The Long Gone Daddys, Another Lost Highway.

Another Lost Highway soars, and the reason becomes apparent in the opening track. Hill explores the pure joy of music in "Roll Me A Song", blending rockabilly, blues and the sort of exuberant pick work usually reserved for bluegrass circles. "Roll Me A Song" isn't just a song, but a mission statement that describes what is to come. "Mae Dawn" is a love song to a call girl, full of the hope and tragedy that seems like it should be cliché but somehow is not. Hill recounts time in detox in "Omaha ICU", wrapping a nifty arrangement around a harsh subject painted in subtle undertones. Hill gets back to a love of music on "King Of That Thing", an ode to a pedal steel man. The six-string guitar work here is so subtle and refined you'd think that Hill was channeling Chet Atkins.

"Another Lost Highway" is a classic-style country trucker's lament. Hill has constructed a wonderful melody here, and a joyously feckless violin dances and fills the counter-melody. Rock and country blend on "Big Drops Of Trouble", featuring, once again, some seriously notable guitar work. Hill puts on something of a clinic here, and the guitar players out there will be dissecting the song for hours. Hill actively works to nullify heartbreak on "12 Pack Morning", in a classic bit of country pique, before moving into "Halfway House". This is a great tune that bears the essence of Johnny Cash. An entertaining number, Hill again reminds listener of how good he is with a six-string in his hand.

"Breaking-Up Party" is a solid bit if blue country with a healthy dose of optimism woven inside.

Infidelity is the subject of "Victoria's Secret Is Safe With Me", a solid story song that's perhaps a bit trite, but nonetheless entertaining. "Blackwater Wildlife" is a danceable honky-tonk party that breaks out into fits of raucous rockabilly. You won't be able to get this one out of your head. Another Lost Highway closes with "The Last Time I'll Ever Go Away", a sad tale about a travelling man who gains the road but loses his family in the process. When push comes to shove, he realizes that what he's losing isn't worth what he's gained, and in an unlikely turn in country music, he gets a second chance. This positive lift at the end is perfect closure for an album that turns expectations on their heads.

Arty Hill And The Long Gone Daddys hit new heights on Another Lost Highway. Rather than an apex, however, the album suggests a band continuing to rise. Hill is a masterful songwriter and storyteller, and he is surrounded by first class musicians. Another Lost Highway was checked along the way by illness, death of a band member and arguments with Hill's former record label, but you'd never know it from the end product. Another Lost Highway is utterly brilliant.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Arty Hill at www.artyhill.com.

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