Review: Son Of The Sun - Before And After [EP]

Son Of The Sun – Before And After [EP]
2009, Son Of The Sun

Son Of The Sun may be the hottest new band in Upstate New York. The Buffalo quintet mixes the ethereal languor of Radiohead with the orchestral complexity of The Moody Blues and the Country/Rock spirit of Blue Rodeo on their EP, Before And After. The EP, a preview of their full length CD The Happy Loss (due Spring, 2009) is revelatory in the depth and breadth of styles and musical choices Son Of The Sun braves. Guitarist/vocalist Zak Ward and multi-instrumentalist Joseph Stocker create a moving target of musical styles across the six songs presented here. Their job is made easier Jeremy Franklin (guitar), Steve Matthews (bass) and Brandon Delmont (drums), who provide an incredibly tight and musical base.

How Can It Be and Big Record Breaker had me thinking of The Moody Blues circa Days Of Future Passed. Singer Ward has a lyric vocal style that first perfectly with these lush, almost ethereal arrangements. Listen Darkly has a straight up Americana feel to it with some Roy Orbison-style guitar embellishments. Spanning Time is something of a sonic watercolor, filling your ears with sounds and rhythms than transcend construction or intent. Son Of The Sun takes a wonderful turn toward the country/rock landscape with punker verve on Stay The Same (my favorite song on the CD). Son Of The Sun winds things down with Tell Me, a sprawling 1950’s style ballad that has a highly memorable melody. My only complaint about the EP at all is that the vocals on the last song were mixed way too low.

Son Of The Sun presents a quandary for classification. It’s not so much that they are all over the map, but that they’ve re-written the map to suit their own musical purposes. Before And After covers everything from symphonic rock to alt-country, even showing some flashes of punk energy on Stay The Same. What do you say about a band that does everything and does it well? Bring on the full length album…

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Son Of The Sun at www.myspace.com/sonofthesunmusic, where you can purchase a copy of Before And After [EP] on either CD or vinyl via PayPal. You can also get it digitally through iTunes.

Review: Dom Deluca - Birds Of Worry

Dom Deluca – Birds Of Worry
2008, Dom Deluca

Dom Deluca is a self-taught guitar player and songwriter from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was inspired by folks like Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Ron Sexsmith. In classic singer/songwriter style, Deluca writes about life, love disappointment and disdain of both self and others. Deluca shows a talent for imaginative and memorable lyrics and melodies that stick around after his songs have ended. Deluca’s debut album, Birds Of Worry, is a dazzling display of song craft and charisma that will keep you glued to your seat.

Deluca opens with It’s A Sad, Sad Day, a wry yet gloomy song featuring subtle pedal steel guitar work and a pleasant melody. Deluca’s voice has an easy feel that makes his songs go down like Jell-O. My Defenses Up is a fun and lively song that will make you want to get up and dance. I’ve Been Fine is a catchy lead in to the introspective trepidation of Birds Of Worry. Deluca slips in Toronto, a love song to his home town; it’s perhaps just south of hokey but charming in its own right. Deluca follows this with I Pray And I Hope, a song that focuses on not losing what’s good. But Deluca saves the best for last. Song To My City is incredibly personal and honest; powerful in its simplicity. This is one of those great story songs that you’ll find yourself pondering from time to time long after the CD has stopped spinning.

Dom Deluca has a penchant for raw and honest story songs that make you think and feel. Birds Of Worry is a great introduction to Deluca. There’s no fireworks here, just good steady entertainment that asks you to actively listen. Deluca follows in the path of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Ron Sexsmith as thinking man’s songwriters. Birds Of Worry is definitely worth making some time for.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dom Deluca at www.myspace.com/domdelucasongs. You can purchase a copy of Birds Of Worry at www.cdbaby.com/cd/domdeluca.

Review: Flint Zeigler - The New Harmony Sessions

Flint Zeigler - The New Harmony Sessions
2008, Flint Zeigler

Tennessee's Flint Zeigler has known musical success before. As a member of Grantham Road he charted on the Roots Music Report (#26 for the 2006 album Parade); receiving significant airplay in markets such as Philadelphia, South Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Alaska and New York City. Grantham Road played with Hootie & The Blowfish, The Badlees and Saving Jane. Zeigler's soulful voice (somewhere between Darius Rocker and either March Cohn or Michael Kroll) and melodic guitar style wrap themselves around and through songs about love, family, spirituality, faith, loss and God. While not overtly Christian music, there is a strong Judeo-Christian ethic at the base of Zeigler's songwriting. Produced by David Foreman (Dwight Yoakam, John Hiatt), The New Harmony Sessions is an uplifting and thoughtful album in the classic singer/songwriter tradition.

I had to check a couple of time when I first put this in to make sure I'd grabbed the right discs. Flint Zeigler sounds so much like Michael Kroll (long one of my favorite Indie artists) that I was certain I'd made a mistake; but no. There are subtle differences if you listen closely, but they could be brothers to judge by their voices. Zeigler brings eleven autobiographical songs on The New Harmony Sessions that are among the most enjoyable I've heard in 2009; Zeigler is a master story-teller in song. The CD opens with Martyrs, a wonderfully soulful song about working your way through personal and marital difficulties in the face of a sometimes cruel world. It's a positive message that is often eschewed for easy answers and the song is, quite frankly, inspiring. Zeigler delivers all of this with a melody hat will stick in your head like superglue and a classy, soulful arrangement.

Gone Away is a song that could go a long, long way for Zeigler. It was written about spending an evening alone with his wife; about wanting to be never separated from the one you love. Expect this to be licensed in the extreme. It's a mix-tape song, a wedding song and a potential part of the soundtrack to millions of everyday lives. This song works because even though it is a highly personal memoir of one evening in Zeigler's life, it's universal. Survive is a contemplative declaration that is very powerful in its quiet determination. In These Days is a song of faith and a lamentation of the general loss thereof in society. Zeigler references Martin Luther, Mother Theresa and John The Baptist, among others, as signs of inspiration of days gone by, and mourns the absence of similar folks in this day and age. Zeigler thinks that either God has stopped speaking to us or we've stopped listening, and this is the heartfelt extension of those ideas into song.

Felt Like Rain is a wonderfully dark folk/rock tune with some amazing guitar work and a plodding, soulful vocal that is extremely memorable. Other highlights include the reserved Sorrow And Gin, Touch And Bloom and Room Of Cards.

Flint Zeigler is a masterful story teller with an ear for melody and a talent for writing striking yet reserved guitar-based arrangements for his songs. The New Harmony Sessions tells true life stories in song. I found myself getting more drawn in with each song. Zeigler will charm you with sometimes dark stories full of light and life; Stories about hard times where faith and hope are the only life raft remaining, and in the end the sunshine always peaks through. This is an amazing album that should march across all sorts of musical barriers. Zeigler is an amazing talent. Check out this disc.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Flint Zeigler at www.myspace.com/flintzeigler or www.myspace.com/granthamroad. You can purchase a copy of The New Harmony Sessions at www.cdbaby.com/cd/flintzeigler.

Review: The Irish Experience - Green Energy

The Irish Experience – Green Energy
2009, The Irish Experience

Seattle’s The Irish Experience releases their sophomore CD, Green Energy, on March 17, 2009. Picking up where they last left off, The Irish Experience brings high energy instrumental Celtic music with a Rock N Roll feel and the occasional Appalachian folk underpinning. Electric violin, guitar, congas, bongos, harmonica, synth and djembe as the weapons of choice here, and you’ll quickly be consumed in the passion and energy The Irish Experience pumps into their music. Even the slower songs have a vibrant life you just won’t be able to ignore.

Green Energy opens with The Wicked Jig, a violin led opus over rhythmic guitar and some of the funkiest bass playing west of Chicago. Try to stand still while this one is playing; you can’t. Brendan McGlinchey’s is a wonderfully dark interpretation you can’t help get a little lost in. Dinny Delaney’s Slide may be the best track here. The violin and bass dance around one another while guitar and percussion steady the floor. John Brown’s Dream brings out a little of the Appalachian feel as The Irish Experience borders on a Celtic Bluegrass sound (banjo would complete the effect). Paddy Fahey’s is more of a rock tune than anything else here with an almost Mike Scott/Waterboys feel to it. Other highlights include Within A Mile Of Dublin, Indian Point, Scatter The Mud and The Fiddler’s Lament.

The Irish Experience delivers irrepressible Green Energy on their CD, but anything you read about them indicates the real thrill is their live shows. Green Energy is an accomplished instrumental disc that’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or anytime you want to get back to your real or adopted Irish roots. This is a great listen.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Irish Experience at www.myspace.com/IrishExperience. You can purchase Green Energy through CDBaby, iTunes or Rhapsody.

Review: Resin - Truth Be Told

Resin – Truth Be Told
2006, Resin

Massachussetts-based Residn are following in the footsteps of Boston icons Aerosmith, Godsmack and Staind. After barnstorming the Northeastern United States for the past couple of years, the band has perfected a sound that ranges from melodic pop/metal to thrash, covering all points in between. Resin’s debut CD, Truth Be Told shows off the charismatic vocal style of Ron Dallaire (sometimes compared to David Lee Roth for flamboyance) and the masterful guitar skills of Pat Pacheco on top of a killer rhythm section (Dave O’Brien – bass; Steve Smith – drums). Resin paces through heavy and light, poignant and prickly in one of the most wide-ranging and deliberate rock albums I’ve heard so far this year.

Truth Be Told opens with Song F, a great driving rock song with big guitar sound. Song F just sets the stage for Not For You. Not For You is a revelatory moment for guitarist Pat Pacheco as he shreds his way through rhythms and sounds that are practically patentable. No offense to Dallaire, but I got so caught up in Pacheco’s guitar on this song that I couldn’t even tell you what the song is about, and I listened to it several times. Resin takes a much more pop/rock turn on songs like Tomorrow, In The End and Done To Me, any of which could have commercial impact, but the gem of the album is Feel. On Feel, Resin achieve the perfect balance of heavy metal sound and hook-heavy pop rock. For A Reason is an interesting change up from Resin, opening as an acoustic piece that allows Dallaire to let the soul loose in his voice. Even once the heavy guitars come in this song retains its gentler qualities. Resin closes out the album in interesting fashion. The second to last song is the heavy-bordering-on-thrash Down The Line, breaking any sense of pop serenity that might have crept into Truth Be Told before launching into the Creed-esque anthem All My Life.

Resin seems equally comfortable with their heavy and melodic sides on Truth Be Told. Even the harder-edge songs on the album have a strong melodic pop sensibility, while even the softest of songs retains an edge. Dallaire isn’t my favorite singer, but he sure can sell a song, and Pacheco is just amazing on guitar. Rhythm sections often get overlooked, but they are the heart and soul of any band, and due of O’Brien and Smith is as good as they come. On the whole, Truth Be Told is a strong debut that should have broad commercial appeal. Resin manages to sound at times a bit like Metallica, Soundgarden or Creed, but in the end seem to have found an interesting and unique band persona that envelopes all of these myriad influences and turns them into something new. The future looks bright for Resin.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Resin at http://www.resinrocks.com/. You can purchase a copy of Truth Be Told at www.cdbaby.com/cd/resinrocks.

Review: Versailles - Broken Dolls

Versailles – Broken Dolls
2008, Evileye Records

Dianna Marie St. Hilaire grew up enduring a cycle of abuse and heartache, taking refuge in music by artists such as Tori Amos and The Cure. Learning piano and guitar and throwing herself into her own music as a therapeutic firewall, Ms. St. Hilaire transformed herself into Versailles, an artist comparable to child of a theoretical union between Jessica Riddle and Robert Smith. Dark, painful songs full of sad beauty are the order of the day on Versailles’ sophomore effort, Broken Dolls. In a side note, Versailles was the city where the end of hostilities was negotiated at the end of World War I. Whether intentional or not, it’s interesting that St. Hilaire would choose a name associated with the coming to terms for the career that sprouted from her process for making sense of her own travails.

Versailles deals in a brand of darkly melodic gothic rock that isn’t entirely classifiable. Her voice is gorgeous, full of a honey/amber timbre in the lower range and a sweet, breathy soprano on top. Her piano playing has a jangly, rhythmic feel to it; almost as if played by a small (but talented) child. And that’s the key, for whatever sophistication or pain comes through in the music; Versailles is an angry, scared little girl trying to make sense of a world that hurts. Taken as individual songs there is a lot to be excited about on Broken Dolls. Mars is the one track where Versailles really sounds like her influence Tori Amos, and this is probably one of the best songs on the disc. Believe is lush and full of a sorrowful sweetness. Broken Dolls is a little flat energy-wise but has gorgeous harmonies and a vibrant piano part that saves the song. Once is a gorgeous vocal performance that certifies how talented Versailles truly is as a performer. Even Wendy’s Razorblades, the sort of song that parent groups build “ban this song” campaigns around is a fun listen; it’s a unique juxtaposition of a Ben Folds style pop gem with lyrics about an impending suicide.

For all of that, the album taken as a whole is incredibly flat. The melody lines are simplistic without a lot of range, coming across with an almost flat affect fitting for the persona of Versailles, but becoming quasi-monotone over the course of the album. For me personally, I loved individual songs, and would enjoy Versailles in small doses, but this music is really written to appeal to teenage lost souls who in my generation gravitated to The Cure and The Smiths. Whether an honest divulgence of pathos or a brilliantly marketed bit of emotional necromancy, Versaille’s Broken Dolls should find solid footing with fans of The Cure, The Smiths or Tori Amos’ darker material. The pop sensibility and child-like sweetness of Versailles keep this stuff from getting too scary, although from a parent’s perspective I wouldn’t want my own kids listening to this. From a musical perspective it’s a great listen in small doses.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Versailles at http://www.versailles.ro/ or www.myspace.com/versailles. You can purchase a copy of Broken Dolls at www.cdbaby.com/cdversailles2.

Review: BR And Timebomb - Fuegissimo

BR And Timebomb - Fuegissimo
2009, BR And Timebomb

BR and Timebomb are a Brooklyn-based rap combo with the lyrical sense and vibrant energy of The Roots or The Black Eyed Peas who happen to make their music the old fashioned way – they play it; on instruments. In what may be one of the most innovative releases of the year, BR And Timebomb released their EP Fuegissimo. Hip-hop may never be the same.

What a wonderfully refreshing sound! BR And Timebomb open with Fuegissimo, a hip-hop dance tune that has entirely organic instrumentation. Violin, trumpet, bass and drums concoct an original yet recognizable hip-hop sound that is unlike anything I’ve heard. The song itself is incredibly catchy; if it doesn’t get your feet moving you’d better have someone check your pulse. It’s On You continues with the original instrumentation, but you’re used enough to it by now to notice something else: BR can rhyme with the best of them. The rhymes are intelligent, poetic and well thought out. The backing vocalist is no slouch either. Tools opens with a plaintive violin solo that turns into Celtic style fiddling after the bass, drums and guitar come in. BR is once again well-spoken in rhyme. The EP closes out with Super BR, a bit of autobiographical trash talk in rhyme that’s entertaining.

It’s amazing what a change in instrumental scheme can do for a genre that borders on overdone and tired at times. While I’ve heard a number of bands/artists go the organic music route with hip-hop, I’ve never heard anyone do it quite like this. BR And Timebomb are new and unique enough to capture attention, and talented enough to hold onto it for the long haul. Don’t be surprised if this is the beginning of a long, slow build for BR And Timebomb that results in a lengthy and steady career.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about BR And Timebomb at http://www.myspace.com.brdaone/. You can purchase a copy of Fuegissimo at www.cdbaby.com/cd/brtimebomb.