Review: Michele Thomas - I'll Take Romance

Michele Thomas - I'll Take Romance
2009, Michele Thomas

Chicago's Michele Thomas is a Jazz vocalist with a sweet voice and a predilection for the Jazz/Funk/Soul sound of the 1970's. Her debut album, I'll Take Romance focuses on standards, but you'll hear that 1970's sound slipping in and out from time to time. Thomas has a sweet voice within her comfort zone, but does struggle at times with pitch and tone when she stretches herself. There's not too much stretching on I'll Take Romance, however.

Thomas opens with the title track, and a velvety-smooth Jazz vocal that has some foibles but stands fairly well on its own. Thomas' band is top-notch, building arrangements around her voice that are pitch perfect. Black Nile brings Thomas into her upper register a bit. Thomas' doesn't have the knockout power of a Billie Holliday and isn't quite comfortable at the lower edge of her range, but in her comfort zone she's a fine vocalist. Thomas shines on Where Were You When I Needed You, a cover of Stevie Wonder's Superwoman (using the subtitle rather than the title). Thomas doesn't try to do too much with Wonder's creation, just lets the song be itself. The result is the best vocal performance on the disc.

Thomas gets to show off her scat skills on Charlie Parker's Marmaduke. Scat is a deceptive art; it sounds easy until you try to do it. The key is let go and let it happen - if you think it over too much it doesn't work. Thomas is brilliant here; mixing her voice with runs and solos on guitar, sax, trumpet and drums. Thomas takes on the Guy Wood/Robert Mellin penned My One And Only Love to great effect. This song perhaps doesn't get the respect it deserves these days, but in its time its been covered by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Doris Day & Andre Previn, John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Sting. Thomas is on the money once again in a reserved performance that's thoroughly in character with the song. Astrud Gilberto's Gentle Rain is up next, and Thomas gives it her all but starts to run up against her own limits on a challenging vocal line. Thomas' sound is still excellent, but this particular tune takes tremendous breath control and Thomas struggles a bit in a couple of the longer, slower passages. Thomas closes out wit Duke Ellington's Come Sunday in a heartfelt but vocally mixed performance. The synth-driven arrangement doesn't really suit the song all that well, and to strip it down this much you really need to be able to take control of the song, which Thomas never really does.

I'll Take Romance is a good start. Michele Thomas can certainly sing; it's her ambition that gets her into trouble. One some of the more challenging tracks on I'll Take Romance Thomas exposes her flaws, but in a day and age full of pitch-correcting software and endless over-dubbing it's refreshing to hear someone willing to stretch themselves and know what you do hear is real. Michele Thomas doesn't have the power to belt out songs, and sticks to surfing the more lyric side of jazz, generally to highly enjoyable effect.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michele Thomas at http://www.michelethomas.net/. You can purchase Messenger as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Michele Thomas - Messenger

Michele Thomas - Messenger
2010, Michele Thomas

Thomas returns with Messenger, her follow-up to last year's I'll Take Romance. Thomas spends six of the eight songs on Messenger exploring the spiritual side of Stevie Wonder's music, adding in two songs Thomas penned with other composers. Messenger was digital released in October 2009 as a digital album and CD.

Thomas opens with Wonder's Have A Talk With God, an outstanding, lushly dressed tune with just a hint of Funk and Jazz in the seams. Thomas has her way with this song, hitting it out of the park. Jesus Children Of America is done more in a Funk/Soul interpretation and was not as enjoyable. Dee Song was a tough listen. Wonder's Higher Ground is a brilliant tune, and Thomas gives it a go. This particular vocal line takes a bit more steel than Thomas has to give, but she makes the most of it in an earnest interpretation that's full of heart, and she really shines in the jazzier passages.

Wonder's They Won't Go When I Go received decent treatment here. The band is in particularly good form here. Thomas struggles a bit with the more challenging phrases of the vocal line, losing control of pitch and breath control in a couple of tight spots. Thomas turns it around on If It's Magic, nailing the song with easy feel. Triple Play finds Michele Thomas struggling to keep up with a song she wrote with Hal Galper. It's primarily an instrumental piece, but the vocal line, where it exists, is complex. Thomas gets it, but the pitch suffers a bit at times. Thomas closes out with Wonder's Big Brother. This is one of Stevie Wonder's best "lesser known" songs and Thomas saves her best performance for last.

Tribute albums are always the hardest sort to judge. Divining whether giving a traditional reading of a song is preferable to making it ones own is highly subjective, and really comes down to whatever works for the individual listener (reviewers included). Some of the material selected for Messenger was perhaps ill-thought, as Thomas just doesn't seem to have the breath control for some of Wonder's more complex vocal lines. But when Michele Thomas is in her comfort zone vocally she can be amazing. The bright spots on Messenger far outweigh any blemishes.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michele Thomas at http://www.michelethomas.net/. You can purchase Messenger in multiple formats from Michele Thomas’ web store.

Review: Mark Adam Miller - Ain't Life Good

Mark Adam Miller - Ain't Life Good
2009, Mark Adam Miller

Mark Adam Miller brings his down-home Louisiana Swamp Rock influence to Nashville Country on his debut album, Ain't Life Good. A highly creative singer/songwriter with personality plus, Miller has the same sort of charisma that made Garth Brooks an international superstar, and writes music that will sit as well with fans of modern country as it will with Country fans of an earlier age.

Ain't Life Good opens with the rocker You Don't Know Jack, a highly radio-friendly tune that borders on Outlaw Country. You Don't Know Jack is very well written, but shines as much from Miller's personality, which takes up residence in the song and resonates. I Like That You Do is a gritty love song with real commercial punch. The chorus is the sort you find yourself humming/singing days after hearing the song. I'd Do It Again heads for the Mix Tape pile; a mature love song for the married couples out there. Miller breaks into sludgy Blues-Rock on Favorite Ex-Wife, a darkly vibrant ode to past loves (or one, at least). There's an element of humor in this song, and the arrangement is contagious.

Ain't Life Good is mildly catchy; the sort of tune that does well on Country Radio without making a huge impression. Miller's personality still shines through the song, but he has pulled back a bit from the first few songs on the album. Karen Bailey and her Dolly Parton vibrato sit in on Fragile, a sensitive ballad about being different. The song itself is decent, and Bailey's voice is eminently listenable, but Miller and Bailey go together like peanut butter and chocolate. He Don't Belong Here is a bit vague, but plays like the heartbreaking story of someone who has lost the life he's known. The protagonist is locked inside himself; seeing his loved ones come and go without understanding what's happened and without being able to respond or interact. It's somewhat unusual fare for any form of popular music, much less country, but the song works in much the same vein as James Taylor's Frozen Man.

Livin' Our Life Away is a bit more straightforward, playing to a bland Pop/Commercial Country sound sure to gain some attention from radio programmers but probably enough to get it widespread airplay. Bring It On Down is very catchy, walking the line between Country and CSNY-style Folk/Rock. Ain't Life Good closes out with an alternative mix of Fragile, this time with Karen Bailey as the sole vocalist.

Mark Adam Miller is the sort of songwriter who will eat well the rest of his life even if he never performs one of his own songs again. The fact that Miller is a strong performer on his own is gravy. Miller's voice isn't the best pure voice in the Country world, but his sound is wonderfully textured, warm and full of life, effectively glossing over any perceived deficits. Ain't Life Good has its rough moments, but on the whole is a strong debut effort from an artist with the world at his feet.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Mark Adam Miller at http://www.markadammiller.net/ or www.myspace.com/markadammusic. You can purchase Ain’t Life Good as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
2009, Rhino Records

In reviewing the 2007 Chipmunk Movie soundtrack, Undeniable, we noted that Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. would be mortified to hear his Chipmunks voiced as they were. That really hasn't changed for The Squeakquel. The voices still sound over-processed, losing all of the low-tech charm of the original Chipmunk recordings. Whether it’s the basic recording technique or the use of software to modify the voices, the sound just doesn't work for anyone familiar with the original. That being said, anyone young enough to have missed the 1980's cartoons will likely be charmed by this soundtrack (and likely the movie), particularly if they liked 2007’s Undeniable. Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel features singing voices of Ross Bagdasarian Jr. (Alvin); Steve Vining (Simon) and Janice Karman (Theodore). Additionally, we are introduced to the Chipettes: Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor (all voiced by Janice Karman).

The Chipmunks open with a cover of The Kink's You Really Got Me, although it's really a cover of the Van Halen version). Its predictable stuff for The Chipmunks; decent but not a standout track. The Chipettes are next with Hot N Cold (Katy Perry). The vocal effects here are even more cloying than on the Chipmunk recordings. Pink's So What works a bit better for the Chipettes, although the vocalizations still sound highly electronic. Dead Or Alive's You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) gets the Chipmunks treatment, keeping the same feel as the original. This actually works as well as anything on the soundtrack and might even chart as is. The Chipettes tackle Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) in perhaps the biggest misstep on the album. Between the vocalization issues (or EFX issues, if you prefer) and a striving for sound over melody, the franchise seriously begins to lose the heart that made it work for all of these years.

The Chipmunks tackle an overly modernized version of Stayin' Alive that relies more on bass than rhythm to drive the track, leading into The Chipettes brightest moment. The Song features Queensberry and is probably the best offering on the disc. The Chipmunk's It's Ok, on the other hand, is nearly impossible to decipher. The speed, effects and lack of any sense of diction on the song make it an aural mess (albeit with a catchy melody). The Chipmunks move into even shakier territory on Peaches & Herb's Shake Your Groove Thing.

The Chipettes pipe in next with Corinne Bailey Rae's Put Your Records On, an ill-advised choice by the music supervisor on the movie. Rae is one of those artists you just don't cover unless you either have a distinctive take on her song or you can really walk the walk. The novelty treatment here just pales in comparison to the original. Perhaps even more amusing is the Chipmunk's take on Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is. The song is redone in full electronic arrangement that's more about beat than melody, which is the essential core strength of the song. The vocal harmony effect here is nice, but is brought down by the electronic buzz in the vocals. Sister Sledge's We Are Family gets updated as an electro-rock hybrid at super-speed. Once again, sound is given importance over such elements as melody, harmony and pacing. The result is a wreck in the happening. The wheels never come off the car because the computer keeps it together, but there's little gratifying in the end result. The Chipettes' No One and The Chipmunks' I Gotta Feeling close out a disappointing set.

The Chipmunks, in essence, have crossed over the line from character to commodity. Cheap/easy computer animation and electronic effects tied to a desire to appeal to the lowest common entertainment denominator have stripped Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.'s creations of their inherent humanity. They are now officially a product rather than their long-standing status as cultural icons. If you're interested in The Chipmunks, I would suggest you take the time to listen to some of the older recordings made by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. There was more craft, humor and humanity in one of those original recordings than you'll find in either movie soundtrack. Good natured humor and an essential love for the characters has been replaced by a cynical, hollow humor driven more about return on investment than a desire to entertain.

Rating: 1 Star (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alvin And The Chipmunks at http://www.chipmunks.com/. You can purchase Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Elliot Deutsch Big Band - Weeknight Music

Elliot Deutsch Big Band - Weeknight Music
2009, Elliot Deutsche

Elliot Deutsch knows the truth, that Jazz was Rock N Roll before Rock was born. The twenty-six year old performer, composer and bandleader has been knocking them for a loop on the Los Angeles Jazz scene since 2007, and released the debut album from the Elliot Deutsch Big Band, Weeknight Music, last year. Hard driving swing is the order of the day, mixed with rambunctious play and musical risk taking that harkens back to a time when Jazz was the high-wire act of American music and here adherents were the stars. Deutsch's background is rock solid, having played with or under the likes of Lalo Schifrin, BB King, Jason Mraz, Kenny Burrell, Les McCann, Hubert Laws, Bobby Rodriquez and Pato Banton.

Weeknight Music opens with a lively take on Cheek To Cheek before barreling into The Jury's Out with gleeful abandon. The spark of mischief that runs through the songs presented on Weeknight Music speaks to how much fun and creative energy went into the project. Beautiful Friendship takes listeners back to an era when big bands ruled the world, throwing in a decent vocal line over a lush orchestral jazz score. Aside from top-of-the-line musicianship, Deutsch takes risks in the writing/arranging of songs that are far beyond that most staid jazz musicians would ever dare. Even when these risks don't quite pay off the experience is still very worthwhile for the listener. Rhythm Challenge finds Deutsch having a race with himself; speeding things up right to the edge of losing control. A little of that control actually slips away on Space Cowboys, which plays a bit like Duke Ellington on speed.

Deutsch goes to the other extreme on Coffee Time, a pensive, halting tune that's more about setting the stage with atmosphere. The song is a nice change of pace, but is a bit listless at times. Yeah, We're Sleeping Together features some of the best solo work on the album, as Elliot Deutsche mixes brash confidence with musical subtlety beyond his twenty-six years that speak volumes into every note and every phrase. The finest work on the album, however, is the ensemble work on Nearness Of You, with subtly charged phrasing and a master's touch. Right behind it (figuratively and literally) is Nearness Of You. The same sort of energy is at play here, although perhaps to a slightly lesser extent. Weeknight Music closes out with the sprightly Stroll At The Beach, exuding the same playful energy that has made much of the album live and breathe.

Take a look around the Jazz world in twenty years and it won't be a big surprise to see each of the 17 members of Elliot Deutsch Jazz Band active in one project or another. I wouldn't go quite so far as to say Deutsch is the future of Jazz, but he brings the same sort of fresh perspective and exuberance that Harry Connick Jr. displays in the late 1980's. Weeknight Music is brilliant, balancing a healthy look forward with clear reminiscence on wear Jazz came from; all from a young man who sports what may be one of the brightest young talents in Jazz.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Elliot Deutsch Big Band at http://www.edbigband.com/ or www.myspace.com/edbigband. You can purchase Weeknight Music as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Dick Wagner - Full Meltdown

Dick Wagner - Full Meltdown
2009, Desert Dreams Records

Dick Wagner is a quiet legend. You've heard him play guitar many times, and you've heard many of his songs over the years even if you have no idea who he is. Wagner was Alice Cooper's musical director and guitarist in Cooper's heyday, co-writing some of Cooper's biggest hits. He's played lead guitar on or written songs for folks such as Aerosmith, KISS, Peter Gabriel, Ringo Starr, Lou Reed, Meat Loaf, Hall & Oates, Tina Turner, Etta James, Air Supply and Burton Cummings; appearing on 150 albums (14 platinum, 16 gold, 5 silver). Wagner is also the recipient of several BMI songwriting awards over the years. Wagner writes for himself on his latest album, Full Meltdown, showing a much softer touch than you might have expected.

Full Meltdown opens with Still Hungry, a surprisingly reserved opener considering the subject matter of the song. The title suggests a drive that just isn't represented in the easy-listening rock arrangement. The song is decent enough, just something of a dichotomy. Blue Collar Babies is a youthful fantasy about fast cars, parties and all that comes with being wild and young. It's a tuneful song, catchy in demure fashion, but has a bit of midlife crisis feel to it. Insatiable Girl feels more like classic Rock N Roll, like something you might hear on AOR radio. Wagner captures a sweet sound on Another Twist Of The Knife, hitting stride like a 1980's glam rock act. You could almost picture Whitesnake or someone of similar ilk ripping into this tune. Wagner breaks into a cover of Stagger Lee, a classic rock take that's most similar to Lloyd Price's 1959 rendition. Wagner's guitar work here is particularly sharp, and the rendition in general sounds a bit like Elton John.

Wagner gets back to that Elton feel on These Days, a piano and voice ballad that carries the prettiest melody on the album. Wagner digresses into dreamy, melancholy rock on I Might As Well Be On Mars before revving things up a little for Steal The Thunder. The energy here is still a bit low-key but works in the guitar-revved sound. The dreamy sound returns for Darkest Hour before getting shoved gently aside by Motor City Showdown and its Elton John style theme. Wagner closes out with the dark ballad Feel It All Over, taking it up to mid-tempo in the chorus and dropping in some great guitar filler along the way.

Full Meltdown is a pleasant listen but never reaches critical mass. Dick Wagner is very capable with a guitar in his hands, and possesses a voice that deserves to be heard, but Full Meltdown feels like a project that was never fully committed to. The intensity in the vocal line often doesn't match the lyrics or the musical drive of a given tune. This is late-stage Boomer rock; keen enough on the tricks of the trade to sound relevant, but once you get beneath the surface the water isn't terribly deep. A pleasant musical snack, but not enough for a meal.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dick Wagner at http://www.wagnermusic.com/ or http://www.desertdreamsllc.com/. You can purchase Full Meltdown as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Stuart McNair - Climbing A Mountain

Stuart McNair - Climbing A Mountain
2009, Stuart McNair

Stuart McNair returns with his latest creation, Climbing A Mountain. The gentle Country/Rock provocateur charms with 14 songs full of Country, Bluegrass, Zydeco, Rock and a bit of North Carolina picking. It's the follow-up to McNair's 2008 debut, Growing A Garden, and is guaranteed to get your feet moving, get you thinking and even make you laugh a little.

Climbing A Mountain opens with the upbeat Country/Pop of Ways Of Nature, an imagining of what the world looked like without the influence of mankind stamped all over it. It's a catchy melody wrapped around a bit of populist/Green poetry that is likely to have a lot of appeal. Somewhere In The Middle is a classic "opposites attract" song played in a classic-style Country arrangement. The song is fresh enough to maybe get some play from commercial Country radio, but would definitely play well to folks who still remember what Country music was all about before it became a sub-genre of Pop music. McNair pulls out a party song in Out Of Your Mind, perfect for the Honky-Tonk or concert. Out Of Your Mind is the sort of song that crowds will sing along with, likely yelling joyously along to the chorus.

Sleeping Dog goes the Punk/Country route with a message about ending war. It's a catchy, upbeat tune with attitude that's a great listen although it doesn't really say anything we haven't all heard before. Love And Affection tackles the human need for more than just a place to sleep or someone to sleep next to; it's a positive message in song but a bit repetitive at the end. Don't Drop The Bomb might be anti-war or just anti-nuclear war, but is a fair re-capitulation of the sort of sentiments common in the 1980's. The song straddles the line between Country and Roots Rock and is very catchy but also bears on the repetitive side. McNair takes us into the path of a tempest on Season Of The Hurricane, and then shows us the aftermath, New Orleans style, on Make Levees, Not War. Both songs are strong entries, but McNair breaks into full Zydeco mode for the latter; a highly entertaining song that tries to make the most out of the least. On Freedom, McNair sings a song with patriotic themes that questions just who's in charge and what are they doing? It's an apropos political message in a catchy musical arrangement. McNair closes with Walking With Jesus, a mild, gospel-flavored tune that's enjoyable but doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the album stylistically.

Stuart McNair steps forward with a strong effort on Climbing A Mountain. While perhaps not as much of a standout as last year's Growing A Garden, Climbing A Mountain will go over well with existing fans. McNair's voice is pleasant and true as always, and his songwriting is generally quite strong. Climbing A Mountain does gentrify a bit as the album progresses but is still a strong representation of the sort of music McNair is full off. Climbing A Mountain is a solid effort worth spending some time on.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Stuart McNair at www.myspace.com/stuartmcnair. You can purchase Climbing A Mountain as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.