Review: Deadwood Revival - Deadwood Revival Sat 730

Deadwood Revival - Deadwood Revival Sat 730
2009, Deadwood Revival

The state of Washington might be the home to the next great Jam Band. The Deadwood Revival brings their brand of "hillbilly jamgrass" wherever they grow across the northwest US, winning new fans at every stop along the way. Inspired by Jerry Garcia, Deadwood Revival hits a musical state that equals or exceeds The Grateful Dead at the height of their musical powers with discreet moments of instrumental genius and vocal harmonies that are heavenly. Vocalist Trenerry, in particular has a distinctive sound that crosses Kitty Wells with Allison Krauss and makes for an extremely pleasurable listen. Deadwood Revivals' newest CD, a live recording called Deadwood Revival Sat 730 captures the spirit and spit of their live shows while showcasing what may be one of the elite bands in the folk/country divide.

Deadwood Revival Sat 730 opens with Ain't The Buyin' Kind, a song about someone who is more into roaming than settling down. The instrumentation and vocal harmonies are dead on in a delicious blend of bluegrass and folk that will get your feet moving. Red Rocking Chair and Sugar Hill are traditional tunes given the DwR touch. Red Rocking Chair is great back porch music, and Sugar Hill is a rambunctious tune featuring the vicious fiddle work of Julie Campbell. Up next is a cover of Johnny Cash's Big River. The crowd gets really into this one, particularly the jam. DwR sounds inspired here.

Glendale Train may be the musical height of the disc, with the musicianship reaching near-perfection and a tremendous mix on the vocal harmonies. Campbell in particular should be memorialized for this performance. Guitar/Banjo player Jason Mogi chips in four original compositions, highlighted by When I'm Gone. This is one of those songs you'll find yourself singing along to the first time you hear it, and Mogi's guitar work will have the guitar players out there trying to figure out the tabs for the rest of the night. Grateful Dead fans will get excited about the Hunter and Garcia song China Cat Sunflower, which is reverent to the original in both form and spirit, but the highlight of the disc is Trenerry's Mattie's Jam/Shake The Barnhouse Down. Get ready for 11 1/2 minutes of musical bliss! Cover My Tracks and Daisy are fun listens, and don't overlook the band's take on Cotton Eyed Joe; one of the best I've heard.

Deadwood Revival is the sort of band that connects with listeners almost instantly (even through recorded media). The musical trip is there for the taking, all you have to do is let go. Deadwood Revival Sat 7:30 is an exquisite recording you'd be happy for on a road trip. Fans of bluegrass, country, folk and 1960's psychedelia will all find something here. Check it out.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Deadwood Revival at http://www.deadwoodrevival.com/. You can purchase Deadwood Revival Sat 730 on CD through www.cdbaby.com/cd/deadwoodrevival3.

Review: Groove Kings - Blood Red

Groove Kings - Blood Red

2009, Visual Music

Montreal Blues duo Groove Kings is back with an exciting album full of Blues, Rock and R&B entitled Blood Red. Songwriter/guitarist/producer Howard Forman came across vocalist Irene Marc a few years back when she asked to sit in at a gig. The rest, as they say, is history. Marc blew away the room with a rendition of Chain Of Fools, and the gig was set. Groove Kings made a name for themselves in their native Canada with several albums, charting singles and even a CTV television special before taking some unstructured time to focus on other things (for Marc is was family, session work and a tour with Cirque Du Soleil's Allegria, while Forman became a top-selling world musician and as nominated for two Genie Awards (Canadian Oscars) for Best Song In a Motion Picture. Now Groove Kings are back, picking up right where they left off with stellar writing, outstanding musicianship, and a voice, in Irene Marc, that will stop people in their tracks.

Blood Red opens with the soulful and sultry titled track. Have an extra set of speaker wires in case Irene Marc melts yours; the vocal is classic and the arrangement fits around her perfectly. Real Love hits more of a 1970's Disco swing, providing a healthy dance beat, smooth harmonies and a horn section that's to die for. Temporary Man is a dark soulful groove with jazz accoutrements and a killer harmony that will haunt you. I actually didn't quite catch on to this song the first listen through, but it's grown on me and become one of my favorite tracks from the CD. Chore is a throwback song in some ways, the protagonist keeps time with a number of gentlemen because she doesn't have the one she wants, but tells the one she'll leave them all behind for him. It's an interesting tune, reminiscent in style and tenor of the great torch songs but updated for today.

I'm The Rain is a kittenish tune in the style of classic jazz vocalists. Marc is devilishly good here, and Forman's guitar work is absolutely exquisite. That Lie finds Groove Kings rocking out with a serious soul vibe in a song that Aretha Franklin would deem worthy. Blood Red takes a turn for Country/Rock on Bury Me. A Rhythm & Blues beat and hints of slide guitar work make this the most exciting song on the disc. It becomes clear that Groove Kings can and will play anything they want, and well. This tune could cross over to country radio with no difficulty whatsoever. So Real To Me sounds like a modern power ballad; the harmony is uplifting and catchy. This is the sort of tune that aging hair bands pull out every couple of albums just to prove they can sell records. Blood Red closes out with What's Real, a slow starter that's a Southern Rock tune with blues and a classic R&B (think Tina Turner, Aretha) chorus.

Blood Red is one of those albums that didn't really hit me full force until the second or third album, but now I don't want to put it down. Irene Marc is a singular talent, as good as almost any similar styled vocalist in music. Forman is the perfect complement, writing and arranging to wrap around her voice in a perfect fit every time out on Blood Red. Groove Kings are a real treat. Don't pass this one by!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Groove Kings at http://www.groovekings.ca/. You can purchase Blood Red as a CD through www.cdbaby.com/cd/groovekings3.

Review: Ashley Pond Band - The Warning

Ashley Pond Band - The Warning
2009, Ashley Pond Band

Malone, New York (pop. 5,793) is a small town in the Adirondack Mountains that's a great destination for hikers, but not necessarily known as a hotbed of musical creation. Enter Ashley Pond, a native of Malone who moved to Albany, NY as a first step in pursuing a career in music. In 2007 she released a solo album entitled Dala, which was declared one of the top 10 Local Albums of the year by Metroland Magazine, whose readers also declared Pond the "Best New Solo Artist" in the 2007 "Best Of" edition. Joined by bassist Sarah Clark and drummer Scott Smith for live shows, the trio quickly grew into The Ashley Pond Band and began working on new material that Pond was constantly producing. The band saved up the money made from gigs to finance their latest album, The Warning, released in June of 2009. With the late addition of guitarist Eric Halder, it's clear that both Ashley Pond and the band are continuing to grow into their musical destinies.

The Warning opens with No More West To Be Won, a sultry blues tune with an understated arrangement. Pond takes full advantage with a voice full nearly to bursting with emotion and texture. Its Norah Jones meets Michelle Malone. Up next is The Warning; Texas Blues ala ZZ Top that's not over the top but full of powerful undercurrents. The sound here is very distinctive, as Pond is a bit atypical in approach both in vocals and on guitar, but the overall effect is quite good early in the disc. Wolf Man is music noir with vaguely twisted sensuality. Readers familiar with Sarah Slean have an idea of what they'll hear here.

As happens with young bands sometimes, The Warning hits a point about four songs in where the really original stuff has been done, and the band settles in to a series of decent but relatively non-descript tunes. Songs like There You Are, Breaking Day, Current Race and Meet Me are good, but just not quite up to the level of the first three. Born On A Full Moon and A Blue House fall into the trap of plodding songs that take too long to get where they're going to maintain listener interest, but each show signs of life in the melody or instrumentation. Ashley Pond Band comes back to life a bit at the end with the gut-wrenching melancholy of The Dirt. It's a bit off the beaten track but a great listen. The Warning closes out with The River; I'll leave it to readers to check out but it may be the best writing on the disc.

Ashley Pond Band gives an uneven but promising performance on The Warning. The high points are noteworthy and ultimately listenable, making the more "average" material seem a bit lackluster by comparison. Pond is a prodigious writer and may be a victim of quality over quantity here; although I suspect that some of these songs might play better live than on CD. In any event, when Ashley Pond Band gets it right you want to be there listening. There's a great deal of potential here.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Ashley Pond Band at www.myspace.com/ashleypond. You can purchase The Warning on CD from www.cdbaby.com/cd/ashleypond.

Review: Katie Garibaldi - Next Ride Out

Katie Garibaldi - Next Ride Out
2009, Living Dream Music

San Francisco's Katie Garibaldi released her sixth album, Next Ride Out, in June of 2009, a stunning feat considering Garibaldi is all of twenty-five years old. Garibaldi is a prodigious songwriter and engaging performer and finds time in-between to run her own record label, Living Dream Music. Produced by Guitar Player Magazine Editor-In-Chief Michael Molenda, and displays Garibaldi's eclectic mix of Rock, Country and Folk that's as Americana as they come, while also showing a more personal and more mature side of Garibaldi than we've seen in the past.

Following in the footsteps of artists like Ani DiFranco, Garibaldi controls all of her material and her own musical destiny. That comfort and self-assuredness comes through on Next Ride Out. Garibaldi opens with Say The Word, a song of love and devotion that's sweet and sultry and innocent all at once. It's major mix-tape material and seems like a perfect candidate for country and pop radio in spite of the girl-next-door aura the song carries. Hey, Hey Darlin' is a fun little country tune about love and the truly important things in a relationship from the perspective of someone who's nearly lost what they had in that department. Garibaldi breaks out the funk on A Love Without Chains, a dark and slinky tune with a seriously soulful vocal line. Without Trying So Hard looks back at a failed relationship that's deeply bittersweet. Garibaldi is at her most vulnerable here as a performer, delivering a musical soliloquy that could have walked right out of musical with deep emotion and a grace that is compelling.

You've Already Got Me gets back to the Americana sound with a sweet song of assurance that just asks for the time to allow emotions and bonds to grow in their own order. It's an incredibly mature and intelligent bit of writing that runs entirely counter to the sort of glitz-and-ditz that passes for love songs on commercial country radio. Nothing Good Lasts digs into a healthy slice of cynicism about a beau in a classic Country/Rock arrangement. This is probably the most "commercial" track on the disc. I Owe You Nothing is a down-tempo country anthem for those whose hearts have been toyed with, featuring strong songwriting and a melody that will sit in the back of your mind and remind you repeatedly that it's there. Next Ride Out closes out with Falling For You, the sort of ballad that Nashville producers drool over. Garibaldi outdoes herself with a performance that should seriously raise her profile in the country music world.

Katie Garibaldi just keeps getting better with time; the girl next door with a magical talent and an affable delivery will turn a lot of heads with Next Ride Out. Her song Falling For You is going to be a serious hit for someone, whether it's Garibaldi or someone else covering it down the road is the only question. Talent like this needs to be heard outside of the Northwest US and Texas. If you're a fan of Country or Americana music, Katie Garibaldi is a must-hear artist.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Katie Garibaldi at http://www.katiegaribaldi.com/ or http://www.livingdreammusic.com/. You can purchase Next Ride Out on CD or as a download at www.cdbaby.com/cd/garibaldi4.

Review: The Awaken Project: Wakeup

The Awaken Project: Wakeup
2009, Ausuree Entertainment Group

The Awaken Project was conceived by Sonya LaChelle as a way to take back Hip-Hop as an art form. Vulgarity, degradation and misogyny would not be allowed, but no subject was out of bounds. The project drew in a broad swath of talent, including artists such as Illgotti, Idiomz Da Prophesayer, ChesZarae and Wally B. Somebody. The result is an album entitled Wakeup, due for release on August 4, 2009.

Wakeup opens with Eternal E on Waking, a spoken word piece over an ambient arrangement that challenges listeners to see the world for what it is an not as the product of popular media constructs. E Z is up next with Street Knowledge, featuring some of the sharpest poetry on the disc: "Most of y'all are countin' sheep, watching MTV and BET when you should be watchin' the BBC / Hip-Hop is not your culture, cause it is dumbed down / Tell the homey pick up a book and put your gun down". The song stresses education as a cure for poverty and violence. Idiomz Da Prophesayer lays it on with Out Of Blame, a song that picks apart society for getting caught up in the blame game rather than trying to solve the social problems that effect real people.

ChesZarae touches on issues of abstinence with Quick Love, while Shofar and (((soundmind))) calls out popular culture in a remix of Hip-Hop Is Not A Culture. The mix here is a bit sonically disturbing, but the near freestyle rhyming is hot, intelligent and particularly meaningful in the present day. Sleepwalking keeps up the sonic dissonance with Illgotti calling out listeners to see the world for what it is and how they can change their circumstances (and the world around them). Nova Supreme outlines the decline of culture and humanity in Lives Are Took in very powerful and non-negotiable terms, speaking with the authority of a street professor. Sonya LaChelle chimes in with an acoustic R&B arrangement on It's Got To Be You!, providing harmonies in particularly that are absolutely divine. Wally B. Somebody provides my favorite moment on the disc with Walk It Out. This half prayer and half monologue is something of a witness for living a good life and staying on the right path. Wally B Somebody has strong religious convictions, but this would be powerful and real with or without the references to God. Aireez Darychuss closes out the set with Poetik Justiss, a catchy Reggae/Hip-Hop mix with real commercial pop.

Wakeup is a powerful collection of songs from dynamic artists who live their convictions in their music. This album may not have possible just a few years ago, but now has real social standing (based on content) and just might have strong commercial viability. Here you have a collection of artists standing up and saying what folks like Bill Cosby have been saying for a long time. Each of us is responsible for our own lives, and it doesn't matter what color your skin is, what your creed or nationality are; we all contribute to the world, and what we put into is what we get out of it. The time has come for the Awaken Project.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Awaken Project at http://www.ausuree-ent.com/ or www.myspace.com/wakeup2009. Wakeup will be available August 4, 2009. Keep checking the MySpace page for the album for availability updates!

Review: Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters - The Spirit Ranch Sessions

Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters - The Spirit Ranch Sessions
2009, Diana DiGiovanni

Toronto's Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters want to take you on a trip. Rock, Blues and Country will be meted out in the appropriate portions as you travel down the dusty trail of Catherine's muse on the band's debut album, The Spirit Ranch Sessions. Musical gypsies; delightful enablers of the terpsichorean muse; whatever you wish to call them, Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters will delight you eleven songs full of toughness, vulnerability and panache.

The Spirit Ranch Sessions were recorded at the aptly named Spirit Ranch in Florida in 2008; produced by Bud Snyder (The Allman Brothers) and Matt Blackie (also the drummer). The album has a little bit of everything. Diana Catherine plays guitar and harmonica in addition to singing duties, and is joined by Kevin Robinson on guitar, Nic DiSanto on bass in addition to Blackie. The Spirit Ranch Sessions opens with Walk; part honky-tonk and Americana and a real pleasure to start things off. The arrangement is reserved enough to allow Catherine room to roam on the vocal line and she makes a great first impression. Sober (Is Too Hard To Stay) will give you an idea of what might happen if Kirsty MacColl ever embraced country music. Travelin' Man is one of those songs that is so familiar the first time you hear it you'll swear it's a cover, but it's not. There are some turns in the chorus that are reminiscent of Neil Young however, but the song is very well written and well performed.

Long Road breaks out some Lynyrd Skynyrd southern rock but sticks to an understated ethic ala Cowboy Junkies. Things slow down a bit on the second half of the disc. Train Song stands out as the beacon of the second half of the disc and is probably the best song on the whole disc. Lucinda was a pleasant listen, but songs like Last Dance, 4 Leaf Clover and Drifting just felt a bit bland after the first half of The Spirit Ranch Sessions.

Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters have embraced a sound that mixes the genteel side of Americana with Southern Rock; when they're on they're really on. The first half of The Spirit Ranch Sessions is very strong, but the disc gets a bit bland as it progresses, leaving a brilliant 5 or 6 song EP stretched out to an above average but slipping at the end full-length LP. Diana Catherine has a unique blend of toughness and vulnerability to her voice that will guarantee listeners and the band is quite good instrumentally, so I suspect this is not the last we'll be hearing from them. Put Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters on your "to-listen" list.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Diana Catherine & The Thrusty Tweeters at www.myspace.com/dianassound or http://www.dianacatherine.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Spirit Ranch Sessions at House Of Bands

Ron Hawkins: Wildy's World Artist Of The Month - August 2009

There are artists who are musicians and musicians who are artists. Actors, dancers, singers, sculptors, painters… they all reflect the world around them as they struggle through art to come to terms with their own personal demons. The good ones create something that evokes emotion in others. The great ones motivate others toward better lives. Occasionally one comes along that transcends these considerations, often times in spite of him- or her-self. Ron Hawkins is one such artist, and we are honored to feature him as Wildy’s World’s Artist of the Month for August of 2009.

Ron Hawkins has been a part of the Toronto music scene for the better part of two decades, first with Popular Front, which became Canadian icons Lowest Of The Low, and then in various solo projects. Along the way he has left a body of work that is highly poetic and articulate and often quite dark. Writing in both biographical and allegorical terms, Hawkins creates poetry that’s on a par with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Charles Bukowski. His worldview is often cynical and ironic, spoken in an intellectual proletarian voice and occasionally with a smart-ass grin, but Hawkins has an ability to make people, places and events come alive like no one else in popular music.

Hawkins is a member of the Independent Music Awards’ Indies Hall Of Fame as a member of Lowest Of The Low. The recognition of Hawkins’ solo material is more sporadic as he tends to write, record and perform in a voice that’s not ripe for popular radio. Nevertheless, album after album of high quality material has been his forte, and his live shows are things of legend. Add all to all of this his artwork in physical media (painting and sculpture), and a growing appreciation for what he has and Hawkins has begun to transcend expression for true creation.

Ron Hawkins releases his newest album, 10 Kinds Of Lonely, on August 6, 2009. Check out our review by clicking the link. (Also make sure to check out our review of his previous album, Chemical Sounds.) In about a week we’ll be publishing a rather personal and introspective interview with Ron Hawkins. For now, check out the reviews, and take a gander at http://www.ronhawkins.com/ and http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/.