Review: Vinca Minor - Isolation

Vinca Minor - Isolation
2010, Second Shimmy

Matt Menovcik puts uses perspective in music like a painter on canvas, drawing out themes around a musical focal point that either calls or pushes the action of his ethereal film-score style compositions. Under the pseudonym Vinca Minor, Menovcik creates the same sort of dense environment as the band's namesake, Periwinkle. On February 10, 2010, Vinca Minor will release Isolation, a collection of compositions that speaks to a primal place that lies below intellect but apart from pure emotion.

Menovcik sings at times, but the words are irrelevant where they can even be deciphered. From Here, Eternity, the opening track, sounds like the opening score element of an epic film, although at sixteen minutes too long it does overstay its welcome. The theme here is nearly anti-thematic, relying on a two-chord piano progression that serves for as a heartbeat rhythm that supports the seemingly random progression of two-bar synth chords. Ignition is a plodding, gargantuan opus featuring an almost clumsy one-finger melody line on piano. At eleven-plus minutes, this track simply goes nowhere quickly, inspiring listeners to reach for the skip forward button. Waves opens promisingly with a plaintive acoustic guitar but collapses under its own lack of structure or direction. Holding Pattern is aptly named; sticking with the established trend of musical naval gazing that pervades Isolation (as well as isolation).

Vinca Minor takes something of a turn on Raindrop, with a composition that seems to want direction, melody and resolution, but Menovcik buries it under vocal effects and a maudlin approach that saps the song of any real life. Descent is misnamed, rising to some of the best composition on the album, albeit in minimalist terms. There is actual movement in this song that draws the listener along in tentative steps. Vinca Minor closes out with Your Arms; what should be a hopeful song is bathed in emotional destitution and plodding gravity.

Vinca Minor wallows in its own self-serving sorrow and pain, taking ethereal musings and turning them into dirge-like statements. Isolation is perhaps aptly named more for what it creates than what it represents. This is a difficult album to like; showing little in the way of inspired creativity or energy.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Vinca Minor at http://www.vincaminormusic.com/. Isolation drops on February 10, 2009; keep checking Vinca Minor's website for availability.

Review: Jazz Punks - Jazz Punks

Jazz Punks - Jazz Punks
2009, Jazz Punks

Los Angeles-based neo-Jazz outfit Jazz Punks sound a bit like a super group. Drummer Hugh Elliott has played such luminaries as Angela Bofill, Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington, Joan Osborne, Robert Lamm and Laura Branigan. Guitarist Sal Polcino is an alumnus of Tower Of Power Rhythm Section. Bass man Mike Polcino is a longtime symphony and jazz musician who has toured with members of Fishbone and also serves as a director on Fox' The Simpsons. Pianist Danny Kastner is an award-winning composer who owns his own media company and had the pleasure of being fired by Donald Trump on The Apprentice. Saxaphone player Robby Elfman is a session player in LA when not composing music for television and film. Together, this talented bunch travels and play under the name Jazz Punks, and have released a self-titled EP.

Jazz Punks opens with Led Gillespie, an occasionally muddy but generally workable mash up of Dizzy Gillespie and Led Zeppelin. The marriage is a rocky one but entertaining. Another Hue is highly inventive and melodic jazz, featuring some sweet guitar work from Sal Polcino. Polcino carries over his sweet sound into Heavy Footprints, with some wild piano work from Danny Kastner, but it’s the rhythm section that makes this one tick. Hugh Elliott (drums) is a rock, and Mike Polcino's plaintive, nearly haunting bass line is the soul of the song. The combination of The Beatles and Miles Davis is quite unique and works very well. Four finds Jazz Punks in full swing on the sort of classic fare that's filled supper clubs for generations. Jazz Punks close with I Can See Miles, a hybrid of Miles Davis and The Who that's intriguing. Running out over eight-and-a-half minutes, Jazz Punks dissect and bisect Davis and The Who in ways both coldly logical and serene.

Jazz Punks take listener expectations and turn them on their collective ears. Not out to kowtow to tradition, but rather intent on marrying sometimes disparate arts and artists, Jazz Punks take risks on a big scale. When they don't work out it's almost expected; when they do the songs seems like brilliant surprises. The creation here isn't so much about making something new, but helping you hear songs you might already know intimately in new and exciting ways. This is one mark of a seasoned musician/entertainer. Jazz Punks come highly recommended, particularly if you can see them live on stage. The Jazz Punks EP is a great introduction!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jazz Punks at http://www.jazzpunks.com/. You can purchase Jazz Punks on CD from Amazon.com, or as a download through iTunes or Rhapsody.com.

Review: Electric Sorcery - Electric Sorcery II

Electric Sorcery - Electric Sorcery II
2009, Lyndonunderground

Vermont’s Electric Sorcery return with their second full-length album of 2009; Electric Sorcery II picks up where the band left off on Electric Sorcery.

Electric Sorcery II opens with Three Eyes, a guitar-driven classic rocker with a Reggae undertow. The guitar work is impressive although I am sure some might argue it’s overdone. The existing vocal lines are understated and work hard to balance energy and quietude. Horpus Richter gives it all over for five-plus minutes of instrumental bliss driven by a sound vaguely reminiscent of early Rush. Electric Sorcery winds up the trip-index on Deeper, mixing in elements of Jazz & Soul to a mellow-pop/Dance arrangement. The Urge goes extended jam before turning into a funky, Red Hot Chili Peppers style tune. It's an entertaining listen, although borders on formulaic for the genre. The Urge gets tedious however, again featuring extensive guitar soloing in its eight-and-a-half minutes. Electric Sorcery takes a turn for 1970's AM rock on Little Warrior. The song borders on charming, but the vocal line contains significant pitch issues that detract from the song. Electric Sorcery traipses through Year Of The Eel and Apparition before closing out with Inkriminated, failing to break new ground along the way.

Electric Sorcery II is a mix of extensive noodling with a bit of musical construction and form thrown in almost as an afterthought. Electric Sorcery is collectively a talented bunch of musicians, but there's no driving or cohesive force present on Electric Sorcery II. Electric Sorcery has their moments on Electric Sorcery II, but it's not quite as there as on last year's debut.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Electric Sorcery at www.myspace.com/electricsorcery. Electric Sorcery II will be released on January 9, 2010. Keep checking the band's MySpace page for availability.

Review: Kris Heaton Blues Band - R-Me Strong

Kris Heaton Blues Band - R-Me Strong
2009, Kris Heaton Blues Band

Connecticut's Kris Heaton has been in and out of the music scene for a number of years, taking a break to raise his family but coming home to the stage in 2002. Since then he's been a wild ride in Southern New England, playing to packed houses and opening for acts such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Greg Allman, Huey Lewis and the News and Leon Russell. Heaton recently released his third album with the Kris Heaton Blue Band, R-Me Strong. Full of aggressive play, humor and pointed commentary, R-Me Strong is a fun listen full of Rock N Roll attitude.

R-Me Strong opens with Sugar, a testosterone-laden ode to a woman set to a Rhythm-n-Blues arrangement that is guaranteed to get your feet moving. Heaton has a voice that's perfect for the style of Blues/Rock he purveys, and the guitar work is hot. I'm Your Man is entertaining and fairly typical of the genre (the verses sound nearly identical to George Thorogood's Bad To The Bone). R-Me Strong is a tribute to all of those who serve in the US Armed Forces. R-Me Strong uses the call-and-response cadence common in old Blues tunes and military outfits in an arrangement that smacks of AC/DC. Shut Up is the most humorous song on the album, taking off after gossips with brutal alacrity.

And She Said is a joyous bit of innuendo where the guitar and harmonica get most of the good parts and generally rip up the dance floor. This tune is highly catchy; full of innuendo and intention. On Weatherman, Heaton takes on that guy who's so full of his ability to attract women he begins to think of himself as god-like. Heaton cuts him down to size to guitar work vaguely reminiscent of ZZ Top. Kris Heaton Blues Band almost seems to get a bit complacent thereafter, as the energy level generally falls for a while. Loser tries to recover the ship with a high energy level tightly twined into a mellow, melancholy performance. Heaton treats listeners to a wonderful live version of Long Time Ago. The sound quality of the recording itself is fine, although the song isn't mastered at anywhere near the same level as the rest of the album. Heaton closes out with When Men Cry, a song that underscores what's in your heart over what you do, what you make, etc. It's a pleasant ballad; a definite change of pace for Heaton.

R-Me Strong is a great way to get to know the Kris Heaton Blues Band if you don't know them already. Not every song works as well as the rest, but Heaton has high expectation and his band delivers. R-Me Strong deserves some attention.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Kris Heaton Blues Band at http://www.krisheatonbluesband.com/ or www.myspace.com/krisheatonbluesband. You can purchase R-Me Strong as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Teak – Teak 0801

Teak – Teak 0801
2008, Teak

Melbourne, Australia's Teak is a veteran 4-piece rock outfit with a penchant for well-honed, pleasant sounding music that carries a fair amount of emotional weight and turmoil beneath the surface. With comparisons ranging from Something For Kate and Hunters & Collectors to Powderfinger and The Church, Teak has a low-key approach with the potential for mass appeal. After listening to their debut EP, Teak 0801, I'd place them somewhere between R.E.M. and Dire Straits stylistically.

Teak 0801 opens with Where Have You Been?, confronting a wayward lover in no uncertain terms. The sparse arrangement reflects the raw emotional state that underlies the song; while the vocal line perhaps doesn't reflect the intensity one might expect in such a song, the dark nature of the song carries a lot of weight, like someone trying hard not to explode. Looking For You is a reserved, up-tempo song that will definitely catch hold of you as a listener. Think the Gin Blossoms but a little darker. Can't Understand revels a while longer in deep-seated emotional turmoil wrapped up in a catchy, dark rocker that's very catchy. Teak closes with Loaded, a mildly catchy, mildly bland rocker that's a pleasant listen but perhaps not quite to the level of the other three songs presented here.

Teak sounds like a career bar band with serious aspirations. The smooth sound of a group that's played together for a while is there, but there's also a creative spark in the band that makes them more than just a Saturday Night cover band. Teak has real potential to catch on with fans of Americana and Classic Rock. While Teak has great energy inside the songs presented on their Teak 0801 EP, some modulation on the surface would keep things more lively and drawn in more listeners. Barring that, they're still a very good listen.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Teak at www.myspace.com/teakmusic. You can download Teak 0801 from Amazon.com.

Review: Jason Boesel - Hustler's Son

Jason Boesel - Hustler's Son
2010, Team Love Records

Jason Boesel is best known as a drummer who's worked with Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, The Elect and Conor Oberst, but he comes out from behind the kit for Hustler's Son, his solo debut. Out January 12, 2010 on Team Love Records, Hustler's Son explores Boesel's Americana leanings in ten original songs and one high-energy jam.

Hustler's Son opens with the dark musical matter of Black Waves before transitioning into the straight-forwardly charming Hand Of God. Boesel mines California Country, AM Rock and Americana for a refreshingly uncomplicated sound. that is sonically appealing. Burned Out And Busted has an easy feel that fits the whole California Country/Rock vibe. New World Mama manages to effectively combine a low-key delivery with vibrant energy. Boesel's voice isn't perfect, but he transcends himself on this tune. Hustler's Son is the first song Boesel wrote, and it's a gem. Boesel writes seemingly from the heart here, turning a gentle bit Country-Swing into a testimonial you'll have on repeat. Getting Healthy (Good Luck) sets a nearly disinterested vocal delivery against an energetic and rhythmic arrangement. The contrast between the two drives the song and makes for intriguing listening. I Got The Reason #1 is a jam Boesel plays with Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band on tour. He documents the song here in low-key tones. Boesel closes out with Winking Eyes, a song that celebrates the passing of time in memorable moments. The delivery is once again low-key, perhaps a bit too much, but it's a sweet song that tries to soar a bit in the chorus.

Jason Boesel gives an intriguing effort on Hustler's Son. It's not the sort of album you listen to incessantly for weeks after buying it. Rather, it's one of those discs you'll appreciate again and again over time. Boesel is a solid songwriter and a decent vocalist, and his backing band includes folks who've played with Tom Petty, Gillian Welch, Old Crow Medicine Show and fellow members of Rilo Kiley and Mystic Valley Band. Hustler's Son is worth spending some time on.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jason Boesel at www.myspace.com/jasonboesel or http://www.team-love.com/. You can purchase Hustler’s Son as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

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Review: The Fools - Lost And Found

The Fools - Lost And Found
2009, The Fools

The Fools began their life together as soccer teammates at Rutgers University. Cleveland, Ohio's Jen Tobin (vox/guitar) and Tacoma, Washington's Uchenna Bright (bass) have a unique sound in the neighborhood of Tracy Chapman singing lead with Mazzy Star; mellow dramatics set to gentle acoustic/folk arrangements fill your ears with comforting sounds on The Fools' debut album, Lost And Found, release in June of 2009.

Lost And Found opens with Lullaby, beginning in the mellow tones of Mazzy Star or The Cowboy Junkies, but quickly adding an urgency that belies the gentle nature suggest by the song title. The Great Whale and Cosmic Love both falter under a lethargic feel. A Good Day finds The Fools raising the ante a bit with an upbeat hand-clapper you'll get into. For My Mother is a deeply introspective and warm tune that suffers from the extreme low-end approach to Lost And Found, but till somehow works in its own right. Part of the charm of The Fools is their low-key delivery, but it also becomes something of a curse. Between the melancholy performance style and the low-energy interpretations, The Fools run the risk of boring some listeners. Songs such as Even Fools Know, Folly and Lonely Days are more than just words and notes thrown together, but the homogeneous nature of the songs on Lost And Found will ultimately lead many listeners to give up on The Fools before they get through the whole album. If you check out The Well or The Song We Sang, consecutive tracks on the album, you may be hard pressed as first listen to tell them apart.

The Fools simply play it too safe to succeed on Lost And Found. Fair poetry is blended with strong musicianship and a pseudo-depressive affect to fuel The Fools' sound on Lost And Found. There is some good stuff here, but you might have to dig through the chaff to get there.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Fools at www.myspace.com/thefools_lostandfound, where you can purchase a copy of Lost And Found.