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USE THIS BLOG TO POST: Music Reviews |
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ARTIST: Lisa McCormick SONG/ALBUM: Right Now GENRE: Pop RATING: 7
For Lisa McCormick, many years of hard work paid off out of the blue when ‘70s folk-rock legend Jonathan Edwards stepped into a tiny club where she was playing and happened to catch her show. Two weeks later, he called to offer her a contract with his label, Rising Records. And McCormick’s sometimes rocky path to success suddenly got a bit smoother. With Right Now, this New England-based singer/songwriter drew rave reviews. Produced by Edwards, Right Now gets much of its smooth, polished sound from a top-notch cast of back-up players, including guitarist Duke Levine from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s band. Edwards also pitches in on lead guitar, percussion, harmonica, mandolin and backing vocals. But overall, it’s McCormick’s powerful voice and disarmingly honest lyrics that command the listener's attention.
By her song titles alone -- "Sex and Consequences," "Gotta Go," "Bored," "Cars, Cars, Cars, Relationships" -- it’s clear McCormick is adept at tackling both the big issues and minor set-backs of everyday life with equal doses of humor and grace. Says the artist: “Honesty, inquisitiveness and a sense of humor are primary tools in my work as a performer.” McCormick proves that successfully on this impressive collection. Posted November 9, 2006 2:41 PM | | |
ARTIST: Johnny Mathis SONG/ALBUM: Merry Christmas GENRE: Pop RATING: 8
Posed in front of a painted winter backdrop and decked out like a skier, Johnny Mathis looked like a fresh-faced kid when his first holiday album cover was photographed. In fact, Mathis was only 23-years-old when he recorded Merry Christmas with the Percy Faith Orchestra in 1958, one year after he'd become the biggest selling pop vocalist in the U.S. Listening to this record, it's easy to understand his phenomenal success. His trademark sound -- soaring range, amazing breath control, a violin-like tone, and clipped, perfect enunciation -- makes his voice the ideal instrument for these holiday standards. And his choice of material is impeccable. "The Christmas Song" may be most closely identified with Nat King Cole, but Mathis' version could hardly be more lovely. When his breathy, hushed vocals glide up and down the melody without a hint of effort, the effect is soothing and sublime. On "I'll Be Home For Christmas," his voice floats over a gauzy string section and imparts a dreamy sense of longing to the lyrics. And on "O Holy Night," as the music builds into a glorious crescendo, Mathis delivers the concluding lines with as much power, control and passion as opera's greatest tenors. Posted November 9, 2006 2:32 PM | | |
ARTIST: David Massengill SONG/ALBUM: The Return GENRE: Folk RATING: 7
For David Massengill, songwriting is an "exercise in wishful thinking, and a way to find meaning and steadfastness in the midst of uncertainty. A lot of my songs are about the way I want the world to be, and that’s very satisfying thing," says the soft-spoken Tennessee native whose tunes have been performed by such artists as Joan Baez, The Roches and Nanci Griffith. On his second album, The Return, this unassuming veteran of the '70s New York folk scene steps up to the microphone and demonstrates why his insightful story songs have won him such a loyal cult following.
The follow up to his 1992 debut, Comin' Up for Air, this album features Massengill singing and playing his trademark dulcimer on 12 tracks, with guest vocals supplied by The Roches, Jane Siberry, Howard Jones and Suzanne Vega. The tunes range from "Rider On An Orphan Train," which details a young boy’s separation from his brother, to the title track, an updated retelling of the story of Noah’s ark. Throughout, Massengill uses a warm, low key style to deliver songs that blend simple craftsmanship with larger philosophical meanings. "I've found over the years that you have to have personal satisfaction with what you're doing, because careers go up and down and some years are better than others," he muses. After honing his skills for nearly three decades, this singer/songwriter brings a newcomer's innocence and fresh perspective to his underrated music.
Posted November 9, 2006 2:28 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Shelby Lynne SONG/ALBUM: I Am Shelby Lynne GENRE: Country RATING: 8
When Entertainment Weekly announced its Best Albums of 2000, here’s what it said about Shelby Lynne: "Ten songs that transform shattered relationships and substance abuse into sweet, redemptive soul; production values so subtle that three-chord tunes morph into lush symphonies of sound; and an angelic voice with enough sex and bluesy grit to charm the devil are what make this album the runaway choice for No. 1.” And the top honor was richly deserved.
This Alabama native has distilled her life's tragedies and triumphs into a gutsy, gorgeous work of art. When she was a teenager, Lynne watched as her father shot her mother and then turned the gun on himself, leaving her in charge of her younger sister. With half her heart filled with a passion for music and the other half riding an adrenaline rush of rebellion, Shelby Lynne hit Nashville as an already divorced 19-year-old -- untamed and unwilling to follow country music’s rigid rules. She recorded a hit duet with George Jones and made five albums that sold poorly before deciding to pack it up and head home to Alabama again. Woodshedding with producer Bill Bottrell, she vowed make the album she’d wanted to make her whole life. Part classic country, part Dusty Springfield, part Aretha Franklin, This Is Shelby Lynne is as near perfect a record as you're likely to hear -- a throwback of sorts for older listeners, yet a blast of fresh air for younger ones. The opening strains of the first track, "Your Lies," come crashing through the speakers with a flood of swirling strings, as symphonic and dramatic as some of Phil Spector’s best work. From then on, each song mines a different emotion and style -- from the hushed resignation of "Leavin" to the bluesy midnight musings of "Black Light Blue." This album earned Lynne a Grammy for Best New Artist, an irony that wasn’t lost on the performer.
Posted November 9, 2006 2:22 PM | | |
ARTIST: Guy Lombardo SONG/ALBUM: Enjoy Yourself: The Hits of Guy Lombardo GENRE: Pop RATING: 7
Where will you be this New Year's Eve -- out battling the millennium throngs, or at home, safely barricaded behind closed doors? Should you choose the latter, why not spend time with Mr. New Year's Eve himself, Guy Lombardo, whose performances of "Auld Lange Syne" were themselves a classic tradition for more than half a century? On Enjoy Yourself: The Hits Of Guy Lombardo, the band leader and His Royal Canadians play their signature song with all the panache you'd expect them to have after fifty years of practice. But one tune alone isn't enough to justify an entire album.
While, the other 15 songs may not be as well known to today's listeners, they were some of the most popular recordings of their time. "Red Sails In The Sunset," "Seems Like Old Times," "Harbor Lights" and other tracks evoke a much more innocent age, when couples took to the dance floor without hint of the turmoil that lay ahead. Sure, this album sounds dated. Sometimes, though, that's comforting. Guy Lombardo's style is nothing like the pop music of today. It's quaint, it's hopelessly square, and it's totally devoid of trendiness. But that's what makes it so special. This record sounds as if it's being played on an old Victrola in your grandparents' living room. Posted November 9, 2006 2:12 PM | | |
ARTIST: The Kinks SONG/ALBUM: To The Bone GENRE: Rock RATING: 7
Every self-respecting student of rock-and-roll already acknowledges the achievement of The Kinks, who first blazed their way into America’s consciousness during the ‘60s British Invasion. But unlike some of their contemporaries who passed quickly into obscurity, The Kinks have remained a vital and active force, producing three decades of highly intelligent pop masterpieces. From the beginning, their early tunes -- "Tired of Waiting," "All Day And All of the Night," "You Really Got Me," were elevated to instant classic status by songwriter Ray Davies’ irresistible melodies, and brother Dave’s insistent guitar riffs. Ray’s acerbic, witty lyrics continued to bolster the band’s reputation with songs such as "Lola," "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" and "Sunny Afternoon." It’s a body of work that’s already earned them an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and credit for having influenced some of today’s most successful bands.
Their place in rock history secure, they released To The Bone, a double album with 29 tracks that serves as a case study in music-making excellence. “This record came about almost by accident,” said Davies, recalling how the project casually took shape. Many of its tracks were recorded during the band’s critically acclaimed 1993-94 concert tour, which showed them still at their peak as performers. “I’ve got a few of my favorite Kinks songs on this record,” Davies admits. “And they are not necessarily the ones people might expect.” To The Bone is essential listening, a primer for anyone interested in getting to know rock’s rich history.
Posted November 9, 2006 2:04 PM | | |
ARTIST: Nanci Griffith SONG/ALBUM: Blue Roses From The Moons GENRE: Folk RATING: 6
Rolling Stone once crowned her "the Queen of Folkabilly." Her five Grammy nominations also bear witness to her music's unaffected beauty and simple charms. With more than a dozen outstanding albums behind her, country-folk songwriter Nanci Griffith celebrated life on the road with Blue Roses From The Moons, a sparkling collection of 14 tunes that pay tribute to her folk and rock-and-roll beginnings. "I wanted to do an album that would really capture the sound of the Blue Moon Orchestra and would mark the years we've been together as a band," says Griffith, whose highly literate lyrics and disarming vocals have won her legions of followers. "I'd also been hearing from our fans that they'd love to have another live album, which we hadn't done since 1988, so this covers all that," she adds. "We recorded live in the studio with almost no overdubs, and a lot of these songs are first takes."
A Texas-born troubadour, Griffith was able to capture an off-the-cuff immediacy by recording with current and former members of her touring band, then adding Buddy Holly's legendary back-up band, The Crickets, to the mix. As Griffith trades vocals with Sonny Curtis on his rollicking '60s classic, "I Fought The Law," the fun of those studio sessions is unmistakable. "Other than the theme from the Mary Tyler Moore Show, that's Sonny's best known song," she says, "and we just had to do it with The Crickets." In contrast, her duet with Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie & The Blowfish, brings a new level of intensity to the haunting "Gulf Coast Highway," a ballad that's long been a highlight of her live shows. The album also debuts nine Griffith originals and, in keeping with her finely-tuned instincts for great songwriting, includes distinctive cover versions of Nick Lowe and Guy Clark songs. Blue Roses For The Moons marks a milestone of sorts for Griffith and her band mates and, in the end, serves as a souvenir of their still-growing musical collaboration.
Posted November 9, 2006 1:57 PM | | |
ARTIST: Valerie Ghent SONG/ALBUM: Unstoppable GENRE: Pop RATING: 5
As soon as you hear her music, you'll know Valerie Ghent is a product of her environment. Born and raised in Greenwich Village, Ghent's thoroughly downtown sensibility colors every track of Unstoppable, the debut release from this keyboard virtuoso and studio wizard who's worked with some of the biggest names in the business, from R&B legends Ashford & Simpson, to avant-garde composer Laurie Anderson. For her first solo project, Ghent decided to take complete control of the reins, founding her own record label and assembling much of the album in her home studio. She also wrote, arranged, performed and recorded these 11 songs with longtime friend, Jimmy Biondolillo, co-producing. "We didn't really have the finances to record basic tracks in a 'real' studio," she says. "So Jimmy pushed me to record as much as possible right here, where there was no pressure. Later on, I traded many hours of engineering time to gain access to outside studios, where I could record my vocals and add the guitar, bass and drum overdubs."
Those touches, plus the evocative accompaniment of a Russian accordionist on one track, are proof that Ghent has learned an important musical truism: that technology is most effective when it's paired with skilled performers and genuine human emotion. "Jimmy encouraged me to do much of this album myself and, most importantly, to have fun doing it," she says. And that's what ultimately comes through -- a spirit of self-reliance and exuberant creative freedom. After years as a sought-after behind-the-scenes player, Ghent finally stepped forward here to showcase her own considereable talent as a solo artist.
Posted November 9, 2006 1:51 PM | | |
ARTIST: The Egg SONG/ALBUM: Albumen GENRE: Electronic RATING: 5
A mesmerizing blend of irresistible rhythms -- that's what The Egg has created on Albumen, its major label debut release. Formed in 1994 from the ashes of various Oxford-based dance bands, this British quartet consists of Dave Gaydon on bass, Mark Revell on guitar, and twin brothers Maff Scott on drums and Ned Scott on keyboards –- four innovative musicians who merge their love of '70s and '80s art-rock with the cutting-edge electronics of the '90s. That creative combination results in swirling techno/dance music that imposes touches of ambient house music and psychedelics over insistent hip-hop beats and fluid trance grooves. It's a sound that also serves as an interactive backdrop for their multi-media live shows, where The Egg projects slide and film images (shot by the band members) onto themselves and their audience.
Dressed in Devo-like white jumpsuits -- with their goofy sense of humor fully at play -– the musicians act as human video screens for the ever-changing visual images. "Our music started out as long jam sessions, really," says Mark. "It was very unstructured at first. We started playing together and later began incorporating films. It's kind of like a story, where you watch the films and listen to the music and it takes you somewhere," he adds. "We want the music to take you on a journey." And that's exactly what these 11 tracks will do. Flowing effortlessly from one tune to the next, Albumen transports the listener into a trippy world of pulsating, hypnotic instrumental music. But the group also draws on its admiration of jazz, improvisational music, and other genres. "Everything you listen to becomes an influence. Classical to funk, techno to house, these are our influences." Technology may be The Egg's key musical tool. But these musicians also make sure that the human touch that can only come from live instruments remains firmly at the core of their sound. "The future of music combines technology and good writing," says Mark, "and matches them together equally." Posted November 9, 2006 1:45 PM | | |
ARTIST: Julian Dawson SONG/ALBUM: Move Over Darling GENRE: Rock RATING: 5
British songwriter Julian Dawson is hardly a newcomer to the music scene. But on Move Over Darling, he steps off the charted path and explores a different musical arena, one that gives him a chance to combine his solid musical grounding with a healthy dose of spontaneity and risk-taking. It's that mix of ingredients that lends a bracing vitality to this release. "This was my first 'acoustic' album after a decade of band line-ups," said Dawson, who has toured extensively throughout the U.K., Europe and the States as a founding member of Plainsong, which he formed with fellow Brit Iain Matthews. For Move Over Darling, he enlisted Stewart Smith, a multi-instrumentalist best known for his inventive guitar work with Shawn Colvin. Together, the musicians constitute a two-man band, building an appealing folk-rock foundation from their combined efforts on guitars, harmonicas, banjo, keyboards, percussion and bass.
In addition to performing a fresh batch of his own tunes, Dawson obviously revels in the opportunity to cover a few personal favorites, including Aretha Franklin's "All The King's Men," and the title track, a Doris Day classic. "It's the most relaxed I've ever been in a studio, and the most fun I've ever had recording," said Dawson about this release. To make sure the album captured the natural chemistry that was present in the studio, Dawson instructed the engineer to keep the tape rolling while the musicians sat down and played together as if it were just another laid-back jam session. Next, The Roches added their ethereal sisterly harmonies to the title track, Dan Penn (author of the classic "Do Right Woman") stopped by and sang on a few tunes, and British guitar virtuoso Richard Thompson displayed his amazing instrumental prowess on several songs. "We put down all the tracks live, and kept about seven or eight first takes," Dawson says. "The additional overdubs and guest appearances were cherries on the cake. I'm lucky to have such friends." Indeed.
Posted November 9, 2006 1:31 PM | | |
ARTIST: Natalie Cole SONG/ALBUM: Stardust GENRE: Pop RATING: 8
Sure, there are great songs being written today. But when composers like Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and Hoagy Carmichael were at their peak, the music they created seemed spun from an ethereal gauze -- a luminous combination of elegant lyrics and unforgettable melodies that held fast against trends and time. Natalie Cole knows the appeal of those classic songs firsthand. The daughter of jazz great Nat King Cole, she grew up in a household filled with music, where legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Harry Belafonte were frequent guests. Cole pays tribute here to that golden age of songwriting on Stardust, a 19-song collection of impeccable standards. It’s a chance she’s long savored, and an opportunity to wrap her voice around some of the best songs ever written. “All of these songs have a wonderful ambiance to them,” she says. “They kind of give you that warm feeling of someone putting their arms around you.”
In 1991, her critically acclaimed tribute to her father, Unforgettable, With Love, easily topped all of her previous successes. Her gorgeous time-travel duet with her father on the title track propelled the album’s sales over the 9 million mark and netted seven Grammy awards. Here, she’s recreated that stunning cross-generational effect with a second father-daughter collaboration on the lovely ballad, "When I Fall In Love." Whether crooning a half forgotten gem that she’s rescued from near-obscurity ("Where I Go Without You"), or bringing new life to a familiar chestnut ("Let’s Face The Music And Dance"), Cole is never overshadowed by the innate beauty of these tunes. Posted November 9, 2006 1:22 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: W.C. Clark SONG/ALBUM: Texas Soul GENRE: R&B RATING: 7
If anyone was destined to play the blues, it’s W.C. Clark. As a boy growing up in Austin, TX, Wesley Curly Clark used to sit on a church pew for hours on end and soak up every note of music he could. “There were guitar players who played the blues and sang the gospel all the time,” he recalls. “I just loved the music, loved the sound. All I had to do, really, was get me an instrument and start practicing. I had most of that stuff embedded in my head and soul anyway.” After teaching himself to play the guitar as a teenager, Clark served a lengthy stint as lead guitarist for ‘60s soul legend Joe Tex. Later, he found himself in the enviable position of being begged by Stevie Ray Vaughn to come join his band. He not only co-wrote Vaughn’s hit song, "Cold Shot," but shared the stage with B.B. King, James Brown, Bobby “Blue” Bland and Albert King. Every bit of that experience shines through on Texas Soul, perhaps the most accomplished release by this veteran guitarist and singer who’s been called “the godfather of Austin blues.”
Irresistible soul music, smooth R&B classics, swinging 12-bar shuffles -- Clark makes it clear that a lifetime of musical knowledge is right there at his fingertips. From the down-and-out "Why Do These Things Happen To Me?" to a finger-snapping version of Sam Cook’s "That’s Where It’s At," every track on this CD reveals a bone-deep understanding of Texas blues, Memphis soul and gospel-inflected rhythms. “This recording highlights my guitar work and vocals,” Clark says. “We were shooting to showcase my singing more, but with the rich guitar tones here, I feel we got both.” With its swaggering horns, funk-rooted bass lines and snappy drums, Texas Soul is an album overflowing with no-nonsense attitude. W.C. Clark may be a master of the blues, but it’s his positive energy that wins out here. Posted November 9, 2006 12:47 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Ella Fitzgerald SONG/ALBUM: A Swinging Christmas GENRE: Pop RATING: 8
Maybe you've never pondered which holiday records you'd want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island. But if pressed to respond to such a far-fetched assignment, Ella Fitzgerald Wishes You A Swinging Christmas would have to be high on your list. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Fitzgerald -- arguably the greatest female jazz vocalist ever -- would have recorded what many consider to be the greatest Christmas album ever. But it's still a complete delight to hear her sailing through this well-rounded collection of seasonal classics. Recorded in a three-day span with backup by the Frank DeVol Orchestra, this 1960 performance captures the singer in her prime. On "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," she's loose and limber, with impeccable timing that's right on the mark. On "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," she sounds coy and innocent, and yet brings a grown-up subtext to the lyrics. And on "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," her virtuosity is flat-out amazing. Near the end of the tune, with the band cranking at full force, she unleashes an octave-leaping bluesy vocal riff that could knock Santa Claus right out of his sleigh.
Posted November 8, 2006 4:15 PM | | |
ARTIST: Jason Falkner SONG/ALBUM: Author Unknown GENRE: Rock RATING: 6
Jason Falkner doesn't hear a simple song inside his head. Instead, his musical conscience swirls with vivid, technicolor dreams in an imaginary landscape brimming with lush arrangements and soaring harmonies. Bright splashes of guitar, buoyant drumming, an evocative wash of keyboards -- Falkner does it all on this sparkling debut. It's a good trick, considering how he juggles those complex tasks and still comes up with such a deceptively innocent sound. On Jason Falkner Presents Author Unknown, this engaging songwriter and one-man band merges his singular vision with an affinity for upbeat British pop and a knack for wry, catchy lyrics. Hardly a musical newcomer, Falkner started pounding on a kid-size drum kit as a precocious six-year-old, then spent his teenage years immersed in rather passionate study of piano and guitar. The L.A. native's resume includes a stint in the Queen-inspired rock band Jellyfish, and later in the short-lived but equally acclaimed Grays. Here, with no boundaries beyond those of his own imagination, Falkner directed his artistic freedom towards the richest creative expression of his career.
Posted November 8, 2006 4:11 PM | | |
USER: jules USER TYPE: Reviewer ARTIST: Driving Blind SONG/ALBUM: Driving Blind GENRE: R&B RATING: 6
Long winter nights can challenge even the most inventive minds to stay entertained. And in Montreal, where the winters are nine months long, it takes that much more effort to keep oneself amused through the endless hours of darkness and cold. But since one of its members happens to co-own a recording studio, a natural outlet was ready and waiting for this creative outpouring from Driving Blind -- a band whose songs display a relaxed soulfulness and deep-rooted regard for pop music. Glance at the cover photo, though, and your first reaction might be, “Where’s the rest of the band?” It’s not a mistake. Driving Blind consists of vocalist/keyboard player Bil Ringgenberg and bass player/guitarist Andrew Frank -- two clever musicians who are capable of creating entire soundscapes from their fertile imaginations. Equally surprising is this record’s sunny, laid-back feel, derived from Ringgenberg’s smoky vocals and the song’s funk-based grooves. “This record is an expansion of what we had experimented with on some of the tracks from our last record,” says Ringgenberg. You’ll hear what he means on their jazzed-up version of Fleetwood Mac’s "Hypnotized," where the track’s cool ambiance is enhanced by a muted trumpet, and on "Contradictions," where Frank’s steady bass provides a melodic anchor to a slinky violin solo. Driving Blind may hint at the sense of the intuitive that ultimately shapes their music. But these guys definitely know where they’re going. Posted November 8, 2006 4:03 PM | | |
ARTIST: Ulli SONG/ALBUM: Ageless Guitar Solos GENRE: Folk RATING: 6
Ulli plays classical guitar, but he's no purist. On Ageless Guitar Solos, he's combined his own compositions with finger-picking standards of the last thirty years by Alex de Grassi, Leo Kottke, and Davy Graham. Although Ulli has the mastery to play Bach and Scarlatti, the album's "classical'' selection is Mason Williams's 1968 hit, "Classical Gas." Ulli eliminates the orchestral part of the original version, though. With guitar playing this lucid, no symphonic embroidery is necessary. "There were only two ways to hear good guitar music produced between 10 and 25 years ago,'' Ulli explains. "You could either resort to listening to your scratchy old records or buy an expensive enhanced-sound, re-issued CD. With this in mind, there was nothing better to do for a guitarist than to go into a studio and digitally record these pieces anew.'' The German guitar prodigy (whose full name is Ulli Bogershausen) has been playing onstage since he was 11, and has experience performing both with rock bands and as a solo artist in the Berlin folk-music scene.
Although Ageless Guitar Solos was his American debut, he had previously released eight albums in Europe. That wealth of experience and breadth of taste is evident on Ageless Guitar Solos, whose selections range from folk-influenced to jazzy. Ulli's style is confident and crystalline, whether he's playing material rooted in American folk (Leo Kottke's "The Fisherman"), new age (Alex De Grassi's "Children's Dance"), British folk (Davy Graham's "Angie") or Brazilian jazz (Werner Lammerhirt's "Samba on a Quiet Sunday"). Although Ulli can give folk material an appropriate twang, the guitarist’s tone is most notable for its luminous clarity. His playing evokes sunlight playing on water or refracted through gems. Rendered with the precision of a diamond cutter, his intricate guitar work shimmers and glows. Ulli's dedication to preserve his favorite solo guitar work didn't prevent him from including five of his own pieces on the album, and it's good that it didn't. From the jazzy "(I Don't Know) What Is Happening" to the neo-baroque "Certainly Maybe," these selections demonstrate that Ulli's own compositions are as elegant as his playing. Posted November 8, 2006 3:55 PM | | |
ARTIST: The Nerk Twins SONG/ALBUM: Either Way GENRE: Alternative RATING: 5
It was John Lennon and Paul McCartney who first used the name, playing as a duo in 1960. The new Nerk Twins are Jeff Murphy, long a member of the Chicago pop-rock cult band Shoes, and musician Herb Eimerman. Both play guitars and many other instruments, including piano, violin, and clarinet. In fact, they sing or play virtually everything on this album except for drums and a few harmonies provided by Murphy's fellow Shoes, John Murphy and Gary Klebe. Most of the Murphy and Eimerman originals on Either Way evoke the sound of 1964-66, when bands like the Beatles and the Byrds combined rock-and-roll drive, Motown melodicism, and folk harmonies into an invigorating whole. Since the Nerk Twins were born in 1966, Eimerman explains, this style is their birthright. "We were conceived from the pop music of the British invasion, breast-fed on psychedelia, and weaned on power pop'' he says. The pseudonymous Twins' official history, which claims that "they spent years busking on the streets,'' is fiction (as is their image, which has never included a photograph of the band). But the appeal of their music is real. "Stay Away" recalls the youthful ebullience of the Hollies, "Dream for Love" evokes the aching, country-tinged melancholy of the Byrds, and "On & On & On" recaptures the hillbilly ethereality of the Everly Brothers. Either Way also features a few welcome changes of pace: "I'm Broke" growls rhythm and blues, "2 Women" and "Ugly" have an old-fashioned Appalachian twang, and "I Love Jamaica" combines doo-wop vocals with Caribbean syncopation in a way that suggests Paul Simon's The Rhythm of the Saints.
Most of these songs, however, jangle their way into a ecstatic tradition that includes not only the Beatles and their contemporaries but also the Raspberries, Big Star, Tom Petty, and the Travelin’ Wilburys. While their roots and influences may not be cutting-edge, the music offered up on Either Way provides an excellent reminder of the musical vitality of an earlier era.
Posted November 8, 2006 3:47 PM | | |
ARTIST: Scott Sympathy SONG/ALBUM: Unfinished Sympathy GENRE: Folk RATING: 6
Scott Bradshaw knows that the music of his band/alter ego, Scott B. Sympathy, is not for everyone. After all, he named one of his albums Neil Yonge Street, a joke that's likely to produce a chuckle only in his hometown of Toronto, where the main drag is Yonge (pronounced “Young”) Street. “We don't play the type of music that can be hyped, or that the industry can build a buzz on to get the kids out,” the singer/songwriter declares. Instead, Bradshaw plays the type of music that grows and lasts. The songs on Unfinished Sympathy are the sort that could have been written any time since the folk boom began 40 years ago, and can be played as long as listeners appreciate catchy melodies, insightful lyrics and a distinctive sensibility. Some of these songs would probably find a good home in Nashville, an affinity that's underlined by twangy banjo and weeping slide guitar. Bradshaw's version of Gary White's "Long Long Time," which audaciously mixes a beatbox shuffle, jazz bass and a string section, practically orders a beer for you to cry in. You might be tempted to light up a cigarette too, until the singer starts to contemplate life "Beyond The Nicotine."
Singing about life as much as unhealthy substances, he admits “maybe I've had enough.” Despite titles like "Downhearted" and "What Went Wrong," however, Unfinished Sympathy is not all minor-key regrets. A tune like "Unbroken," with its gutbucket bass, reverb-heavy guitar and banging piano, is grown-up rock 'n' roll, with mature vision but exuberant energy. Bradshaw's style may not make sense to fans of the latest electronic or industrial sounds, but it should connect to those who prefer music that shows a trace of humanity. In fact, when such listeners hear first-rate songs like "Light Expose" and "Save Me Too," Unfinished Sympathy just might be the kind of album that generates a buzz. Also recommend: Gillian Welch, Hell Among the Yearlings; Blue Rodeo Casino; Neil Young, Old Ways.
Posted November 8, 2006 3:42 PM | | |
ARTIST: Prairie Oyster SONG/ALBUM: Blue Plate Special GENRE: Country RATING: 5
There are lots of ways to reinvent country music, but one of the most effective is simply not to change its classic sound at all. That's what Prairie Oyster does on Blue Plate Special, an album of twelve songs that would sound just right on the jukebox in any roadside diner. This Canadian sextet first got together more than thirty years ago, and didn't release its first album until 1986. Although little known in the United States, the group won six consecutive “Band of the Year” honors at Canada's Big Country Awards. Most members of Prairie Oyster hail from the Toronto area, but their music has the lonesome, melancholy sound associated with the wide open spaces of Texas, or maybe Alberta. On songs like, "If My Broken Heart Would Ever Mend," Dennis Delorme's pedal steel guitar whistles like the wind across tall grass. Blue Plate Special includes a country-swing version of Roger Miller's "In the Summertime (You Don't Want My Love)," a song that's been in the band's repertoire almost since the beginning.
The album's other songs, however, sound like country standards -- they're actually Prairie Oyster originals, but manage to recapture, rather than merely mimic, the true spirit and style of classic country music. With three principal songwriters in the group, Prairie Oyster had an unusual depth and diversity in its material. "Unbelievable Love" evokes the good-natured drive of '50s rhythm ‘n’ blues, while "One Way Truck" has the chugging rhythm of early Johnny Cash, and "There She Goes" is as plaintive as vintage Roy Orbison. Despite its many echoes of old-time country, Blue Plate Special is not a museum piece. In such songs as "Long Gone Daddy," inspired by today's growing ranks of single mothers, the band's style is entirely up-to-date. As Prairie Oyster plays it, traditional country has never sounded more timely.
Posted November 8, 2006 3:34 PM | | |
ARTIST: Katell Keineg SONG/ALBUM: Jet GENRE: World RATING: 6
Katell Keineg is a one-woman tour of the Celtic world: She was born in Brittany, raised in Wales, and lived in Dublin. But her music reaches even further than that. On Jet, the singer-songwriter’s second album, Keineg incorporates the occasional Latin and Spanish phrase, and mixes traditional Greek and Indian instruments like the lyre, bouzouki, and tanbur with modern drum programming. No part of the world or its music are off the map of her explorations. Keineg’s choice of collaborators demonstrates her eclecticism: Jet was produced by the singer with Eric Drew Feldman, whose credits include Pere Ubu, PJ Harvey, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, and John Holbrook, who’s worked with Natalie Merchant. “I like music that spans as wide a space as possible,” she explains, “Genres are never set up by musicians.’’
Keineg’s music does indeed span wide spaces, sometimes in a single song. The seven-minute "Mother’s Map," for example, builds from a simple synth-drum beat to a sweeping arrangement, as strings swell in an attempt to follow the upward spiral of the singer’s powerful voice. Many of the album’s songs are in this folk-based yet nearly operatic style, but the singer is equally adept in other modes. "Leonor," an obituary for a Jazz Age luminary, is almost conversational, while "One Hell Of A Life" features a bluesy swagger, and "Veni Vidi Vici (I Came, I Saw, I Conquered)" has a sauntering, ‘60s Europop sound. The world’s beats are vital to Keineg’s style. Jet features a wide array of acoustic and synthetic percussion. The music’s essence, however, is vocal. Like Jane Siberry, Keineg sometimes builds epic arrangements, but never overwhelms the fundamental emphasis on the human voice. Even at their most epic, her songs retain their intimacy. Indeed, one of the album’s most powerful tracks is the simple "Hoping And Praying, which the singer recorded at home alone (but with multiple overdubs that transform her voice into a chorus). “I want to hang on to the joy of being an amateur,” Keineg says of such experiments. None who listens through Jet, however, will mistake her for one.
Posted November 8, 2006 3:26 PM | | |
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