Mark Erelli - Little Vigils

Mark Erelli - Little Vigils
2011, Hillbilly Pilgrim Records

Mark Erelli is a songwriter's songwriter.  His attention to detail and song structure is as complete and thorough as is his lyrical construction.  The singer/songwriter impressed critics across the country, including those of us here at WW, with his 2008 album "Delivered".  Erelli has continued to grow as a songwriter since then, and has become more conscious of the world around him and the small details that make up each event and moment.  His musical growth and growing understanding of the world catalyze on his latest effort, Little Vigils.  Erelli once again enlisted the services of producer Zach Hickman, but otherwise let go of the fine control he has practiced over his recordings in the past.  Erelli built the song structures, and then brought in great musicians with whom he had chemistry and let the songs take life as they would.

Little Vigils opens with "August", a low-key Americana number about finding one of life's perfect moments, and not messing it up by wishing for more.  This momentary respite in song represents gorgeous songwriting, and is transformational for Erelli as an artist, who seems to have found the next rung on his own musical Jacob's Ladder.  "Everything In Ruin" is written from the depths of despair, but is full of hope for renewal.  The catchy arrangement is a dead giveaway, and the chorus will stick with you for days.  "Kingdom Come" is a well-constructed humanist anthem that takes a classicist perspective on questions of truth with regard to religion.  Even if you don't buy Erelli's Darwinian perspective, the song is well-written and has a smooth flow that belies its intellectualism. 

"Columbus Ohio" is an intriguing song about a man leaving home because there's nothing left there to sustain him.  Erelli captures a painful truth of life in the American rust belt and beyond, where the dreams of generations of families are left behind because the jobs that long sustained them have disappeared.  "Basement Days" is an Americana 'glory days' tune, exploring memories of teenage rock bands and a desire to go back to simpler times.  Erelli fills the song with 60's and 70s song references, including such greats as the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix.  Erelli takes listeners on a sudden left turn with the darkly beautiful "Hemlock Grove", an aurally sweet musical experience you'll be glad to make the acquaintance of.

Erelli gets back to questions of faith on "Mother Of Mysteries", exploring humanities need for a belief in the "hereafter".  Erelli writes well here, presenting the questions that have incited epistemological and cosmological arguments for centuries in straight-forward, accessible form.  "I Took The Moon For A Walk" is a wonderful little flight of fancy with the soul of blues lying deep within its heart.  Erelli is a master story-teller here, and constructs an absolutely beautiful arrangement around his words.  "Same For Someone" relays the advice of a father to a small child against a gentle Americana arrangement that's part lullaby and part secular hymn.  The love that flows quietly from this song is palpable.  "Coming Home" is gentle and sweet, an acknowledgment that no matter how far you travel, you really can go home again.  Little Vigils fades to black with live, solo acoustic "Pauline", a gently cascading ballad about the geography of the human heart.  Erelli touches on truths both subtle and sublime in a plaintive singer/songwriter style that is refreshing and pure.

Mark Erelli writes plays and sings with utter conviction throughout Little Vigils, pouring every ounce of himself into his songs.  The result is stunning; a significant step forward for a guy who seemed to already have it all together the last time we heard from him.  Little Vigils deserves consideration for yearend lists, even if the currently fractious music market rarely allows artists to receive sufficient exposure to actually get what they deserve.  If you're looking for a singer/songwriter who can blow you away with his power, yet summon the subtlety to rock you to sleep when called for, the Mark Erelli is an artist you need to get to know.  Little Vigils represents significant growth for Erelli as an artist, and it can be nothing less than a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Mark Erelli at www.markerelli.com or www.myspace.com/markerelli.  Little Vigils is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available on iTunes.

Ariel Abshire - Still So New

Ariel Abshire - Still So New
2011, Darla Records

We don't all hear the same things in music.  It's the reason three people can listen to a song and walk away with three very different interpretations; or why a voice will greatly appeal to one and set the nerves of another on end.  Chalk up my reaction to Ariel Abshire's Still So New to the vague differences in musical taste that dot the individuality and imperfection of human perception.  The 19-year old Austin singer/songwriter has been singing in Texas honky-tonks and dance halls since the age of eleven, with mentors ranging from Alvin Crow to Pinetop Perkins, Clifford Antone and Dale Watson, among others.  Abshire branched out into alternative and pop while still in her mid-teens, and her debut album, Exclamation Love, received significant critical praise.  Abshire has gone on to record with Matt Pond PA (Spring Fools EP), and perform with the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Kellie Pickler, Holly Golightly and Robert Earl Keen.  There's no doubt she's doing something right.  Yet her sophomore album due August 16, 2011, Still So New, just doesn't live up to expectations based on Abshire's pedigree.

Still So New is full of well-written but ultimately uninspiring songs all penned by Abshire, ranging from light pop to light country, all sung in a throaty, nasal voice that's challenging to the ears.  Within that sound is a clear clean voice that is capable of being more, but between the "swallowed voice" effect and Abshire's occasional tendency to slip on pitch from time to time, the net effect of the performance is underwhelming.  The up side is that Abshire's songwriting might conservatively be called competent.  While the songs presented on "Still So New" fail to soar, it's not due to the song craft involved.  Abshire displays an ability to craft semi-conversational stories with real poetic flow; pairing these with pretty melodies that flow like water.  Even if Abshire doesn't ultimately have a career as a big-time performer, she's quite capable of writing hits for those who do.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ariel Abshire at www.arielabshire.com or www.myspace.com/arielabshireforreal.  Still So New drops on August 16, 2011.  Still So New is available for digital pre-order through Amazon.com.

Perry Desmond-Davies - Sweet Ride

Perry Desmond-Davies - Sweet Ride

2009, Perry Desmond-Davies

The songwriting of Perry Desmond-Davies never stands on ceremony.  The Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter writes from the heart and mind, songs about the ups and downs of everyday life that carry the weight of honest experience.  Desmond-Davies has been a coffeehouse and café staple through New England since her debut back in 1998, and has appeared on New England Cable News and Wake Up And Smell The Poetry on Hopkington's HCAM-TV.  Her most recent effort, Sweet Ride, features 14 musical soliloquies on the joys and pains of day-to-day life.

Sweet Ride opens with the title track, blending country, folk and blues in a song about enjoying life in its simplicity and being grateful for what we have.  Desmond-Davies' voiced is unadulterated and pure, cut from the same working class cloth as artists such as Pete Seeger, Tom Waits and even a bit of early Janis Joplin.  "Nobody Cares" is a beautiful and touching document of the fight against a debilitating disease (such as cancer), and of finding a place that feels like home when it is most needed.  Desmond-Davies' melody is gorgeous.  Anyone who has walked a similar path will feel an instant kinship with Desmond-Davies upon hearing this tune.

"Irresponsible" is all about letting go and getting lost in the moment, even if just for one moment.  This is pure folk singer/songwriter material, featuring a memorable melody and a plus vocal performance from Desmond-Davies.  "Longer Than You Know" is an apologist tune for falling out of love with someone who keeps hanging on.  There's no indication of a change to come, but the regret expressed here is palpable and real.  Desmond-Davies gets her blues shoes on with the entertaining "One Way Out", before transitioning into the Vaudevillian folk of "The Happy Song".  The level of witty sarcasm here is surprising and enjoyable, and Desmond-Davies marries her rant to a wonderful melody and arrangement that soften the acerbic blows.  This song is likely to be a show-stopper.

Desmond-Davies transitions away from death and relationship dysfunction with "New Beginnings", a peaceful song of starting over.  The tune may seem a bit bland upon first listen, but spin it again, and the sense of peace and having survived the turmoil that precedes it comes to the fore the more you listen.  "Nobody Cares" gets reprised as a meditative and thankful live recording.  Desmond-Davies strains a bit at some of the higher notes, but this actual enhances the sense of urgency necessitating the circle of protection at the center of the song.  Sweet Ride closes with two additional live recordings.  "Song For Tom" is entirely forgettable as an addition here, although it likely seemed important in the moment it was recorded.  "One Hot Mama" is a perfect close, however, with Desmond-Davies vamping it up ala Mama Morton.

Perry Desmond-Davies plays working class hero on Sweet Ride, sticking to the basics of everyday life and the human condition; drawing the joy and pain of small victories and subtle defeats out into the open in song.  Desmond-Davies is a story-teller who writes songs, or a songwriter who tells-stories.  It's hard to say which comes first, as the two talents blend thoroughly throughout Sweet Ride.  Even on the songs where Desmond-Davies might not connect with a listener, she's still very much in the moment, finding the truth behind each note and word.  A Sweet Ride it is.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Perry Desmond-Davies at www.perrydesmond-davies.com or www.myspace.com/perrydesmonddavies.  Sweet Ride is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Sly Stone - I'm Back! Family & Friends

Sly Stone - I'm Back! Family & Friends

2011, Cleopatra Records

August 16, 2011 is the day that Sly Stone makes his grand return.  I'm Back! Family & Friends is Stone's first new album since 1982, and finds him collaborating with the likes of Ray Manzarek (The Doors); Ann Wilson (Heart), Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck and Bootsy Collins. 

With little new to offer, I'm Back! Family & Friends relies on some of Stone's most cherished songs.  "Dance To The Music" gets updated with the subtle help of Ray Manzarek, capturing the catchy, danceable magic of Stone's heyday.  "Everyday People" is solid.  Ann Wilson's guest vocal is solid, but the part she takes up is fairly mundane.  "Family Affair" gets a solid update, while Carmine Appice & Ernie Watts lend their instrumental expertise to the inspired but messy "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."  Jeff Beck sits in on "(I Want To Take You) Higher", providing some flashy fretwork in the process.  Bootsy Collins adds some style to "Hot Fun In The Summertime" without greatly changing the flavor of the original.

The rest of the collection features mixes of "Dance To The Music" (2), "Family Affair" and "Thank You", as well as one-offs "Plain Jane", "Get Away" and "His Eye Is On The Sparrow", making the collection seem as it is, a retread of past hits updated for today.

I'm Back! Family & Friends is likely to appeal to long time Sly Stone fans, but other than the names of those sitting in with Stone and some new dance mixes, has little to offer to anyone who already has the original recordings.  Sly Stone's voice certainly isn't what it once was, and I'm Back! Family & Friends plays like a cynical effort by Cleopatra records to extract cash by repackaging old songs in new clothes.  The songs are familiar and loved by many, but available too many other places to plunk your money down for this collection.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sly Stone at www.slystonemusic.com or www.slystone.com.  I'm Back! Family & Friends drops on August 16, 2011.  You can pre-order the album through Amazon.com on CD, Vinyl, or as a Download.

The Dunn Boys - Volume 1

The Dunn Boys - Volume 1
2011, The Dunn Boys

The Dunn Boys are a family band from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.  Started by Paul Dunn and his sons Jason, Josiah and Jacob, rumor has it the Dunn Boys started a hockey team and a band broke out in the confusion.  Blending Celtic, folk, rock and punk with spiritual themes, The Dunn Boys seem to be on to a winning combination of style and sound.  Their debut EP, Volume 1, sets the stage for bigger things to come. 

The Dunn Boys represent the East Coast of Canada well on their debut album, Volume 1.  Kicking off with the snippet "Mullac Abu", The Dunn Boys move quickly into the raucous party song "Nova Scotia".  "Brian Moore" is an energetic tribute; a toasting song that is entertaining and fun.  "Ballad Of Danny Fitzgerald" has a fairy tale feel, an old school love song where things work out well in the end.  "St. Jerome" is an urgent and energetic prayer for survival at sea with a vaguely haunting quality.  "Norland" finds The Dunn Boys employing some of Celtic-punk oomph of Captain Tractor, while cannibalizing the melody of "It's A Long Way To Tipperary" for the chorus.  Lead singer Jason Dunn shines here for both vocal acumen and attitude.    "Rosaline" is the second highlight of the album, a heartfelt and sincere love song with a melody you won't be able to shake.  "Black Velvet Band" is the story of how a woman and drink lead to Van Diemen's Land.  It's the sort of shanty sung to both make the work pass and remind young sailors to not get too tied down on shore leave.  Volume 1 closes with the gorgeous and lilting "Lullaby", the brightest moment on the album and an indication that within the heart of these warrior poets beats the heart of true songwriters.

The Dunn Boys impress on Volume 1, although it may take a few listens to really get the vibe.  These guys slowly grow on you; their music opening to you on successive listens like a flower slowly unwrapping in the sun.  Volume 1 should be the first of many, as The Dunn Boys find their balance between raucous fun and outstanding songwriting.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Dunn Boys on MySpace and Facebook.  Volume 1 is available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Toad The Wet Sprocket - All You Want

Toad The Wet Sprocket - All You Want
2011, Abe’s Records

Grunge was the buzz word of the 1990's, but great pop/rock music didn't disappear entirely from the airwaves.  Toad The Wet Sprocket was one of those bands keeping great songwriting alive while the rest of the country wore their angst on their collective sleeves.  With hits such as "Walk On The Ocean", "Fall Down", "Something's Always Wrong" and "Good Intentions", Toad The Wet Sprocket managed to quietly carve out a place for themselves on college and commercial airwaves throughout the US.  The band broke up in 1998, but performed together occasionally over the years.  In 2009, Toad The Wet Sprocket became an active project once again.  Unfortunately all of their song rights were recorded by the evil empire, also known as "The Labels".  The solution?  All You Want, a collection of updated recordings eleven of Toad The Wet Sprocket's finest songs.

Such recordings are often met with skepticism by fans, but offer some real opportunities for the artists to, A.) gain control of recordings of some of their songs, and,  2.) update familiar songs with their current vision for each.  All You Want accomplishes both objectives quiet well.  Toad The Wet Sprocket in 2011 has a more organic sound than you'll find on their classic albums Duclinea, Pale and Fear.  The songs haven't changed significant, but the pure pop sheen of the 1990's has been stripped away, leaving their wonderfully well-written songs with more of a live-band feel.  Glen Phillips' voice is as easy-going and as pleasant to listen to as always.  The bands' hits are as solid as ever, with the Americana-rock arrangement of "Brother" standing out in addition to the closer "I Will Not Take These Things For Granted".

All You Want allows Toad The Wet Sprocket (named from the Monty Python "Rock Notes" sketch) to make a living off their own material in licensing deals, but also shows a band working at or near the same level of artistry and finesse as they displayed during their mid-1990's heyday.  A new album of original material is in the works as well, but for now, All You Want is more than enough to keep long time fans happy, while appealing to a new generation of fans.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Toad The Wet Sprocket at http://www.toadthewetsprocket.com/ or www.myspace.com/toadthewetsprocket.  For the time being, All You Want is only available from www.toadthewetsprocket.com or at their live shows as a CD or Download.  A formal release to retail will occur in the Spring of 2012.

Lori Lieberman - Bend Like Steel

Lori Lieberman - Bend Like Steel
2011, Drive On Records

Lori Lieberman has been killing them softly with songs full of poise and grace since her debut album with Capitol Records in 1972.  Her poem “Killing Me Softly (With His Song)”, written after seeing a performance by Don McLean, was developed into a song by composers Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel.  The song was a moderate hit for Lieberman, but went on to become the signature song of Roberta Flack.  Lieberman went on to provide music for Schoolhouse Rock in the late ‘70’s and early 80’s.  Taking off the rest of the latter decade to have a family, Lieberman returned in the mid-90’s, recording a series of albums with Indie labels.  Lieberman’s latest, Bend Like Steel, shows the sort of subtle story-telling and gentle song craft that has made Lieberman highly respected by fans and peers alike.

Bend Like Steel opens with the pensive soliloquy of "If Not Now", a song about taking action to shape your own future.  It's a stark opening that grows into a lovely missive that is both lonely and full of hope.  "Mr. And Mrs. Make Believe" explores the tragedy of a couple who are trapped in the inertia of a relationship that doesn't exist anymore but neither has the will to talk away from.  Lieberman's melody is a thing of pure beauty, and Monty Byrom (Big House) sits in ably on the duet.  "Cup Of Girl" is an intriguing number that describes personal growth in distinctive imagery that mixes allegory and fact.  Lieberman transcends the moment and the story here, creating an aura of magic as she unrolls a tale of mistreatment, survival and the blooming of an accomplished confident woman from the same little girl.

"Bend Like Steel" plays like a meditation on "Cup Of Girl", exploring the qualities needed to be the confident women born of her past experiences.  The stripped down, minimalist arrangement is the perfect complement to a song of strength and conviction.  Lieberman's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia" is contemplative and full of sadness, beautiful in interpretation and in sharp contrast to the incredulous feel of the original.  "For More" is a sweet, mid-tempo love song, a slight change of pace that will sit well with listeners serious and casual.

"My Sister's Boyfriend" is a highly personal ode to a young man who lost his life in Vietnam.  The song reflects on memories of childhood, and the impact of war even while living in a place known for peace (Switzerland).  The song is beautiful, and will hit home for anyone who has lost a love one at war.  "Steady Heart" and "These Things" are solid album tracks, steeped in Lieberman's fine story-telling and melodies.  "Netherlands" is a love song, born of deep memories stirred up by a visit to a place that will always feel like home.  Lieberman's conviction here is true, pouring from every word and note like a spring.  Bend Like Steel closes with "There's A Harbor" is a dreamy and pensive closer, looking forward to a time when the travels can stop and the singer can be at peace.  The spiritual element of the song is deep-seated and subtle, but very much there.

Lori Lieberman delivers on her reputation as a story-teller on Bend Like Steel, charting the waters of human emotion in her songs.  Lieberman's approach is generally very low key, choosing to allow the power of her lyrics and the simple beauty of her melodies speak clearly.  Bend Like Steel won't blow you away.  Rather, it wraps its arms around you, whispering all will be well even as it delves into love lost, death and the struggle to grow and live.  Bend Like Steel is among Lori Lieberman's best work to date.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Lori Lieberman at www.lorilieberman.com or www.myspace.com/lorilieberman.  Bend Like Steel is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.  If it's a CD you're after, you can score one directly from Lori Lieberman's web store.