Wildy's World

Review: Vanja James - Music

2009-12-04T05:41:00.002-05:00

Vanja James - Music
2009, Vanja James

San Diego's Vanja James was a child prodigy, graduating from high school at the age of 15 and college at 19. Consequently her musical exposure was a bit different than most of the folks she grew up with. In her adult life, James continues to blaze her own trail, doing all of her PR and booking on her own in addition to making music that has earned her the reputation as one of the gems of San Diego's Indie music scene. James has a voice that's bigger than life, and a personality to match. Her debut album, Music, finds James creating music that runs across genre boundaries with distinctive instrumentation and an eye for detail that's rare in popular music.

James opens with the vibrant acoustic rocker On Your Own, belting her way through a quintessential rock song with an anthemic chorus. James' voice is truly a treat, warm and lush but able to turn on the power at a moment's notice. Beautiful Mess is one of the more interesting love songs I've heard this year (or any year); an honest invitation from one imperfect person to another. I can imagine this tune ending up in a film or TV soundtrack without any difficulty at all. Craptastic is an amusing song about finding the good in even the worst of days. It's a great Country/Rock arrangement that's highly entertaining and even danceable. James displays a sort of hard-edged grace here that's very appealing in a performer while making you feel like she could be singing about your experiences as easily as her own. Deal With The Devil finds James on a jazzy turn that's surprisingly powerful. This might be her best vocal performance on the album.

James turns highly personal on Won't Let Me Love You, one of the most emotionally moving songs on the album. The simple, compact arrangement of Won't Let Me Love You houses a melody with a simple, elegant beauty that stands out. James calls on listeners to get out of the doldrums on the bright, airy Sunshine. This is another track that seems destined for the licensing world; don't be surprised if you start hearing covers of this song down the line. The Bayou is an escapist fantasy in song that alternates between the peaceful moments of a getaway with the exciting pace of city life. I didn't necessarily like The Bayou the first time I heard it, but its one of those songs that grows on you with successive listens.

Sandman is intriguing; a song that wants to have a distinct Latin flavor but doesn't quite get there. Nevertheless it is an amazing song, driven by the diva-esque vocal performance of James herself. Vocals aside, it's the best pure songwriting on the album, but James approaches the vocal veracity of Grace Slick without hesitation. On War Song, James makes some very astute and intelligent criticism of war without falling into anti-war hyperbole. It turns out to be a powerful song and the vocal line is killer. James closes out with Avalanche, a big-time rocker where she proceeds to rip off the roof with the help of Clyde Bromarepps of Laserwolf & Thunderbolt on vocals.

Vanja James is a distinctive talent with a voice many performers would commit anti-social acts to have. As a songwriter she has some amazing moments but also a few that are more mundane. Her debut album, Music, is a great introduction to James as an artist. There are four or five songs here with serious commercial punch, whether for Radio or the licensing world. I expect big things of James in the future. San Diego's hidden gem can't stay hidden for long.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Vanja James at http://www.vanjajames.com/ or www.myspace.com/vanjajames. You can download Music directly from Vanja James’ website or from Amazon.com.

Review: NGQIBS - Let Me Be: Recharged

2009-12-04T05:28:00.002-05:00

NGQIBS - Let Me Be: Recharged
2009, VooDoo Disc International

NGQIBS found his musical calling in his early teens. The Xhosa, South Africa native received his first honors for singing at the age of 13. Residing now in New Jersey, NGQIBS has recorded and released his first album, entitled Let Me Be: Recharged. Let Me Be: Recharged shows a strong connection with both Pop and House styles.

Let Me Be: Recharged opens with Free Me (Let Me Be), an upbeat Pop number with a solid dance beat a catchy-if-slightly-corny chorus. It's the sort of song that inspires a love/hate relationship; getting stuck in your noggin to maddening effect and quickly becoming as annoying as it is secretly enjoyable. Confusion is a down-tempo number with a similar endearing quality, featuring a chorus-in-the-round that's musical crack. The verse is a bit awkward in its simple setting, but brave in its simple honesty. Whether you dig the verse or not, the chorus will grab you. Broken features a somewhat heavier beat but falls prey to the same youthful awkwardness that shows up on Confusion. Ditto Who I Am, where NGQIBS comes across as a nervous teenager, complete with shaky vocals.

This sort of awkward presentation with shaky vocals continues throughout much of the album. My Goodbye and Soul/Sole Calling both hit it to varying dance beats. NGQIBS tries to put some polish on his sound with a heartfelt ballad in No Regrets and succeeds to some degree. At his best, NGQIBS has a great Pop sensibility and a distinguishable bare honesty that works for him. The difficulty is that the second he tries to do anything else you start to notice all of these other little things that detract from what he's trying to do. NGQIBS finds the perfect mix however on Never Give Up (Alright), a song capable doing Pop chart gymnastics with the right break. On the other end of the spectrum is Ethereal (Enchanting), which is monotonous in both sound and construction and awkward lyrically. Tribute To Mama is sweet but has a juvenile sound that would work well for a children's album but not necessarily for a Pop album. NGQIBS closes out with a "radio version" of Free Me.

Let Me Be: Recharged is a confounding Pop experience, with songs you could picture ascending the charts alongside songs you might hear from an awkward pre-teen. Raw, undirected talent is the buzz word around NGQIBS. If harnessed and focused, NGQIBS' talent might become a formidable Pop force. As it is, NGQIBS is an uneven performer with some great musical nuggets worth digging for. Let Me Be: Recharged may be one of those albums that attracts more single downloads than album purchases due mainly to the uneven presentation, but NGQIBS is definitely worth taking some time to be aware of.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about NGQIBS at http://www.ncqibs.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/ncqibs. You can purchase Let Me Be: Recharged as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com; you can also download the album from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Review: Aja Alycean - Smack Dab

2009-12-03T05:18:00.002-05:00

Aja Alycean - Smack Dab
2008, Smack Dab

San Diego's Aja Alycean has already hit more milestones in her musical career than many performers twice her age. The fourteen year old Alycean has already sung the National Anthem at a San Diego Padres game, opened for David Archuleta, sung with Billy Ray Cyrus and appeared (briefly) in a Lifetime Network movie. Alycean has a voice that is still developing and yet is already radio quality with a polished country sound. Her band is top notch, and her songwriting is advanced beyond her years. All of this is self-evident on Alycean's debut EP, Smack Dab.

Alycean leads off with the title track, a Country/Blues/Rock hybrid that deserves wide exposure. Alycean captures a near-perfect Pop/Country moment in Smack Dab with a highly memorable hook and an arrangement that is bound to inspire dancing. Is Your Big Brother Home? is a cute Pop/Country tune that is perfect for the Radio Disney set; a crush song that's very pointed while retaining a sense of innocence that is refreshing. Looks Like My Heart finds Alycean belting out a heartfelt ballad that's young in content but mature in delivery. This is another tune with real commercial potential. Alycean covers the prerequisite country song of heartbreak on What He Said, turning the tables on the two-timing fella who inspired it. Once again, the subject matter is a bit on the young side, but Alycean's delivery is so polished and honest it won't matter. Smack Dab closes with Fly Away, a catchy Pop gem with real commercial potential.

Aja Alycean has a voice and presentation that will take her a long way, but the songwriting on Smack Dab is top quality even if you don't consider her age. How this EP hasn't gotten the attention of some big music executive thus far is beyond me, and yet I am also grateful for that as a fan. Aja Alycean is a rare and precocious talent, and the music she's making is honest and authentic, not pre-packaged schlock like what you hear from most of the major label adolescents who litter up the pop charts. Smack Dab is a refreshing introduction from a young artist who appears to be on a can't miss path. I just hope she keeps her own voice and style and doesn't allow some producer down the road to convince her to be someone she's not. There are a lot of people out there who would respond to real, honest Pop/Country like what Aja Alycean is creating. Check her out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Aja Alycean at http://www.ajaalycean.com/ or www.myspace.com/ajaalycean. You can purchase a copy of Smack Dab as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Sting - If On A Winter's Night...

2009-12-03T05:12:00.005-05:00

Sting - If On A Winter's Night...
2009, Deutsche Grammophon

Sting has always been something of a musical chameleon, from his days fronting 1980’s Punk-gone-Rock heroes The Police through his Jazz, Pop and Electronic phases. Sting has emerged in the 21st century as a classical musician with a predilection towards old English madrigals, church songs and Bard’s tales. For the holiday season Sting holds forth with one of the most unusual and intriguing holiday albums of the year. If On A Winter’s Night... offers up a couple of original tunes, and re-workings of a few songs Sting has done before, but plants itself firmly in the Renaissance and Victorian eras musically.

If On A Winter's Night... opens with Gabriel's Message, a song Sting originally recorded for the A Very Special Christmas series back in the 1990's. This version has something more of a madrigal feel, making use of harmonies in both the vocals and instrumentation to accent the simple arrangement. Soul Cake commemorates the practice of handing out Souls (or Soul Cakes) on All Souls Day to children who would come knocking for them. The belief was that each cake eaten would free a soul from purgatory. Soul Cake makes use of the chorus from Peter, Paul & Mary's A Soalin' as well as the traditional "Christmas Is Coming". Sting's rendition of John Joubert's There Is No Rose Of Such Virtue is consistent with the fuller arrangement for chorus and is an interesting introduction for American audiences to the Anglican choral classic. The rendition offered here is a bit muddied at times in the vocal harmonies but is still quite a pleasant listen.

The Snow It Melts The Soonest is a British Minstrel's tune that dates at least to the early 19th Century. It has an achingly beautiful and sad melody line that Sting brings to life while keeping its antiquarian feel. Christmas At Sea is an original song with the feel of an ancient sea chantey. This tune would not have been entirely out of place on The Soul Cages, although there is definitely more of a classical feel here. Sting's reading of Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming is a moving one. This song became a Christmas staple in the Anglican church but is of German origin. The original writer is unknown, as the song dates to the 16th Century, but has been used by Christian Churches around the world since its first publication in 1599. The Burning Babe, based on a poem by Robert Southwell wants to bridge the gaps between British Madrigal, Jazz and Celtic styles. The song feels like it wants to be so many things and may become a bit muddled in all of the creative energy swirling around it.

Sting retools The Hounds Of Winter (from Mercury Falling) in an acoustic arrangement that wants to be quasi-classical but isn't, quite. It's a compelling arrangement nonetheless, but loses some of the intensity in favor of a more lyric translation that works nearly as well. The chorus still has the same pop and zing and the original, but the first verse feels a little lost at times. Sting digs deep into choral history for Cherry Tree Carol, actually a collection of three separate tunes as collected by Francis James Child. The song dates to the early 15th Century, being rumored to have been sung at The Feast of Corpus Christi. Sting's rendition is very close to the most popular of arrangements, going with the classic sound that will be most familiar to listeners who know the song. Lullaby For An Anxious Child Sting originally recorded for I Shall Be Released. Once again he gives it a semi-classical facelift, actually improving on the originally recording. Sting revives his long-time affection for Kurt Weill with Hurdy Gurdy Man, an original tune that sounds as if it were very inspired by Weill's style. This is the most interesting new tune Sting has written in some time, having a dark, melancholy feel that's inescapable. Sting closes with You Only Cross My Mind In Winter, marrying a J.S. Bach melody to Sting's lyrics for a gorgeous original that isn't entirely in line with the rest of the album but isn't too far separated from it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Sting after Songs From The Labyrinth, but If On A Winter's Night... is a good listen. Sting doesn't have the lower range to hit some of the notes cleanly that he's laid out for himself here, and that can be distracting, but in general it's a strong album. Sting serves no musical master other than his own personal muse, and expectations are useless, but it would be nice to hear him get back to something a bit more in the popular realm. Nevertheless, If On A Winter's Night... is a great eclectic holiday album that beats the slew of cookie cutter Christmas albums that hit the market each Fall/Winter.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn all about Sting at http://www.stingwintersnight.com/. You can purchase a copy of If On A Winter’s Night... in Sting’s web store, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Norah Jones - The Fall

2009-12-02T05:10:00.000-05:00

Norah Jones - The Fall
2009, Blue Note Records

Norah Jones is back with her latest effort, The Fall. The album has been hailed as a departure for Jones from her usual smooth sound, but they may be more sound and fury than reality. The Fall does find Jones with a bit more edge to her than in the past, but it's not so much a departure as a progression in sound. The smooth feel and gorgeous melodies that have always driven Jones' music are still there, but there's a more worldly sense about the artist that comes through.

The Fall opens with Chasing Pirates, a mildly funky tune Pop tune that announces a new, more complex sound from the mistress of smooth Jazz/Pop. Jones delivers this sound with the same cool, sultry voice she introduced the world to on Come Away With Me, but with a bit more texture and outward energy than in the past. Light As A Feather has a slightly edgy sound hidden beneath the surface, but plays as a potential single. It's one of the more intriguing songs on the album, playing in a slightly darker light than we've come to expect from Jones. Young Blood is a catchy-yet-mellow tune that will make you think a bit. Jones is charming in her sense of urgency here, mining a different set of emotions than in the past.

I Wouldn't Need You is an in-your-face love song; a Mix-Tape tune that leaves little to imagination. It offers enough of what we might consider classic Norah Jones to appeal to long-time fans but enough of the new spunk to widen her face base prodigiously. Jones stays with her mellow appeal on Waiting, a stark and beautiful melody built on the classic image of the one who keeps the lights lit for the one out there on the road. Jones goes for broke on It's Gonna Be, the edgiest rocker on the album. We're still talking a fairly mellow sound, but the energy and urgency in It's Gonna Be are unprecedented on a Jones album. This is a potential chart hit, although it's more likely to show up in a soundtrack somewhere due to the putrid state of Pop radio.

Jones goes a bit off the beaten track to create one of the best love songs of the year in You've Ruined Me. The message sounds a bit negative on first brush, but the more you listen you realize that this state of ruination is all about the sort of love that leaves us powerless. The melody is gorgeous and the arrangement in general is unforgettable. December finds Jones at her most basic place as a singer/songwriter, reminding us that despite the branching out of sound she can still draw us in the a near-lullaby wrapped around a simple, gorgeous melody with her dulcet voice. Tell Yer Mama brings in a hint of country flavor on perhaps her best vocal performance on the album. Tell Yer Mama certainly carries a bit of attitude with it, almost a sort of grit, if you can imagine it. Jones closes out with Man Of The Hour, a love song written to a (Wo-)Man's best friend. It's a comical turn but sung with such commitment you might be fooled at first.

And of course, if you're lucky enough to score The Deluxe Edition from Target, you get a bonus disc called Live At The Bottom Line, a 6-song EP that's very much worth forking over the extra $3. Jones opens the set with It's Gonna Be, a delicious tune full of more than a little attitude that shows off her piano playing, her voice, and Jones' crack band. The live version certainly illuminates the song in a way that the album version does not. The same can be said for Waiting, which has a much more raw, needful feel than the studio cut. You've Ruined Me likewise comes alive on stage, although the gap between here and the studio isn't nearly as wide. Jones' cover of Wilco's Jesus Etc. is definitely worth hearing, as is her cover of The Kinks' Strangers, but it's the cover of Johnny Cash's Cry, Cry, Cry that will have you trying to track this edition down. Jones wades in like she was born to sing country music, bringing a soulful element to the song that The Man In Black himself would have appreciated.

Norah Jones has a stack of Grammy Awards, Gold and Platinum Record Awards and millions in both album and ticket sales, but she may have offered up her finest work to date on The Fall. The sound isn't such a big jump from where Jones started, reflecting more of a development of sound as an artist than a departure. The songwriting is subtle, occasionally lush and always en Pointe. Jones herself has an easy style that will surprise you, and as the bonus EP shows she's a killer on stage. Make sure you check out The Fall, even if you're not a huge fan of her past work. And try to track down the Deluxe Edition if you can; this is one of those times when that bonus disc is essential.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Norah Jones at http://www.norahjones.com/ or www.myspace.com/norahjones. You can purchase The Fall from Amazon.com as either a CD or Download. If you want the Deluxe edition with the Live At The Living Room CD, you can order it here.

Review: Skii Harvey - Foolish Girl

2009-12-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Skii Harvey - Foolish Girl
2008, Skii Harvey

Australian singer/songwriter Skii Harvey is going to knock your socks off. The lifelong singer/songwriter with the platinum looks like she could be a Mrs. Robinson type, but when she opens her mouth it's not the silky sounds of suburbia that emerge but the gritty soul of Tina Turner. Harvey's sophomore album, Foolish Girl is steeped in Soul, Rhythm & Blues and top-notch musicianship.

Foolish Girl opens with the title track, heralded by horns and backup singers emulating a scaled down gospel choir. Harvey sounds a lot like Tina Turner here, from tone to rasp to phrasing. Foolish Girl is a legitimate Pop/R&B song, capable of making a run at Adult Pop charts on this side of the Pacific. Love Remembers has a Motown meets Chicago (the band) feel. Harvey uses her dynamic voice to light up the moment for one of the best songs on the disc. On One Cross, Harvey digs into a meaty ballad about regrets. It's a decent song, but Harvey's voice is just a little too heavy this time around, wearing on the melody and the listener.

Matador takes on a slinky Latin feel with Harvey's worldly voice taking control from the opening line. It's a very catchy arrangement that is sure to get you moving. Harvey's turn at a jazz standard-style tune goes a little awry on Wounded Knee. Loosely using the title from the Dee Brown novel without any real connection to the story. It's a slightly befuddling choice that only seems to get more surreal as it goes on. Harvey's vocal line is decent, but the tune is something of a metaphysical mess that sounds decent musically but falls apart married to the lyrics. Harvey recovers nicely on Cold Wind, a soul/gospel/jazz hybrid that's a pleasing listen and allows Harvey to be at her best vocally. The Way It Was sounds like an R&B ballad you might have heard on the radio in the 1980's from someone like Philip Bailey. It's a lush arrangement with vocal harmonies and horns and turns out to be quite a strong track. Harvey closes out with How Long? (New version), a plodding song that might have been something of an afterthought.

Skii Harvey has a tremendous voice, although there are some things she sounds better on than others. In her lower register and at soft volumes, Harvey's voice is just too heavy to enjoy at times, but her overall sound is undeniable. Foolish Girl is a decent effort; it has its high points and low points but on balance is a highly listenable and enjoyable album. Take some time to check out Skii Harvey

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Skii Harvey at http://www.skiiharvey.com/. You can download Foolish Girl from Amazon.com, or you can purchase physical copies directly from the band on their website.

Review: Chip Taylor - Yonkers, NY

2009-12-01T05:10:00.001-05:00

Chip Taylor - Yonkers, NY
2009, Train Wreck Records

Chip Taylor is the legendary songwriter responsible for such hits as Wild Thing (The Troggs), Angel Of The Morning (Juice Newton), Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) (Janis Joplin) and I Can't Let Go (The Hollies). His songs have been recorded by the likes of Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra and Jimi Hendrix. The younger brother of vulcanologist Barry Voight and actor John Voight, Taylor has a wealth of childhood stories to tell. He's saved the best of them for his latest album, Yonkers, NY. Yonkers, NY is released as a two-disc set. The first disc is done "Worlds + Music" style, with spoken words stories injected between (and sometimes in the middle of) songs. The second disc is edited to supply just the songs.

Taylor grew up in Yonkers, and tells about his formative years as Jamie (his nickname as a child). The arrangements are lush Americana, and Taylor takes us back in time when trains, horses, girls and family were the most important things in the world. Yonkers, NY opens with Barry Go On (Put Yourself On The Mountain), a missive on being told to become what you want to be as a child. It's a wonderful tune full of both the excitement and angst of being a young child in a big world. Charcoal Sky recounts learning all about trains from his father and a friend who was a conductor on the Hudson River line. Taylor reminisces about laying nickels on the train tracks to get train-pressed souvenirs with his brothers in a sweet and loving tribute to times gone by. Hey Jonny (Did You Feel That Movie) has a shuffling rockabilly feel that is guaranteed to get your feet moving and incorporates Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock. Without Horses is a love song, of sorts, written perhaps from Taylor's father's perspective, about one man's love for betting on the ponies. Written in a gentle waltz, Without Horses has a real melancholy feel.

Taylor gets a gentle mix of R&B and Honky-Tonk on No Dice, an entertaining vamp that allows his band to show off their chops between verses. On Bastard Brothers, Taylor tells about his brothers complaints leading to Taylor's violin turning into a Ukulele one Christmas morning. The story that goes with it is funny and touching, and the song turns into a sort of back-handed thank you. Piece Of The Sky is a song about finding your dreams, whatever they might be. Here it's a win at the race track, but the universal nature of the song is appealing. Saw Mill River Road is about the local Country Music bar of Taylor's younger days. You can hear the Johnny Cash influence in this one, particularly in the "flashback" portion of the song. Yonkers Girls is a reminiscence of about the wiles and ways of the women of Taylor's youth grouped by their hometowns. Taylor closes out with Yonkers, NY, a musical portrait of his hometown that's both highly descriptive and deeply personal. Taylor describes a working class town with trials and tribulations like most similar sized towns in the US in the 1960's.

Chip Taylor has an easy, likable style as both a songwriter and story-teller. His voice isn't what you'd call pretty, but it's full of character, life and experience and is a very enjoyable voice to listen to. Yonkers, NY works so well because Taylor lived each song and each moment. Part confessional and part musical novella, Yonkers, NY uses intelligence, remembrance and humor to bring the people and places of his childhood alive. This might just be Taylor's masterpiece. Yonkers, NY is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chip Taylor at www.trainwreckrecords.com/chip.html or www.myspace.com/chiptaylorsolo. You can order a copy of Yonkers, NY from Trainwreck Records on either CD or LP, or you can download the album from Amazon.com.

Review: Stig Denson - Songs In The Key Of Stig

2009-12-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Stig Denson - Songs In The Key Of Stig
2009, Stig Denson

Stig Denson is an East Anglian Folk singer/songwriter who is something of a kept secret. He gigs regularly in Eastern England and has been a regular presence on the Folk charts at EZFolk.com, but isn’t widely known outside of England. Denson mixes traditional Folk tunes with pop covers and his own original material. Denson’s album, Songs In The Key Of Stig features 16 original compositions that run the gamut from mundane to amazing.

Songs In The Key Of Stig is remarkably consistent in sound, tempo and energy throughout. While this is commendable it nearly becomes a fault, as there is little variation to keep listeners engaged. Denson has a pleasant voice that fails to stand out, and the instrumentation used is simple and pleasant yet not compelling. Denson opens with arguably the best tune on the album, Wild Track. It's a celebration of nature and getting back to where we started with a decent melody. I Do Want You has mild mix-tape potential, but falls prey to cliché both lyrically and stylistically. Nothing Is Forgotten steps up considerably, with poignant lyrics and an antiquarian Celtic arrangement. Denson pays tribute to his homeland with Heaven Is A Place In Northport, which sounds like a Mix Tape song on first listen.

Graceful Black sounds like a wonderful song, although I found myself not enjoying Denson's read on it. Denson just doesn't wear this one particularly well. He hits the right notes on Woman So Fine, a love song that sounds like soundtrack material. Maybe (In A Little While) uses the "love is like tending a garden metaphor" for the umpteen millionth time since popular songwriting was invented. In spite of the well-trod path, it's a sweet song, although Denson is a bit awkward lyrically here. I Wish You Well comes at the end of a relationship, where the protagonist carries no resentment or malice. Cliché is the word for I Wish You Well. Denson closes out with Gentle Man (Song For Dave), a memoriam that sounds like it may have been recorded/mastered at a different time than the rest of the album. As memoriam go it's a pleasant song that's apparently full of real affection, but its probably a proprietary song to those who knew the subject.

Songs In The Key Of Stig had some good moments, but on the whole it passed me by without making a strong impression. Denson has a pleasant enough voice and comes across as genuine, but there is no edge to the songs presented on Songs In The Key Of Stig; nothing to reach out and grab the listener and pull them along.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Stig Denson at his website, where you can order a CD copy of Songs In The Key Of Stig.

Review: Carrie Rowan - Almost Home

2009-11-30T05:10:00.000-05:00

Carrie Rowan - Almost Home
2008, Carrie Rowan/Daybreak

Carrie Rowan is a musical late bloomer who turned to the path of singer/songwriter after a decade in the corporate world. Like many musicians, the Massachusetts-based Rowan seeks to make sense of the world with her instruments of choice: piano and a Martin guitar. Her debut album, Almost Home, is an exploration of emotions, memories and events that Rowan has experience on the path of her life. It is an honest and open album, as straight forward as a collection of journal entries yet with a flair for the poetic muse.

Almost Home opens with Just The Thought, a song of love, devotion and insecurity with a wonderfully memorable chorus. Rowan has a voice that's quite lovely; she doesn't blow you away with volume, but her voice settles in next to you like a comfortable friend. Free Me is a gorgeous tune about wanting to overcome the fear of trusting another; there's an almost desperate quality to the song that comes through in Rowan's voice, and its one of the most moving moments on the album. Souls Will Fly is a song about loving someone who can't love you back completely. Rowan deeps striving deeper and deeper for something her counterpart might not be able to give back, and she's on the edge of walking away, but maybe keeps bringing her back. It's a lovely tune full of heart and a bit of anguish.

On She's Getting There, Rowan tells the story of someone working their way through the recovery from love lost. The repetitive nature of the chorus is likely intended to mimic the baby-steps people take when getting over grief of any kind, but goes on perhaps a bit too long. The vocal harmonies here are absolutely stunning however. Rowan breaks out a snifter of Blues/Folk on Solitude, adding a bit more flavor to the goings on. It's a great tune with a lot of positive energy and allows Rowan to show off some of the timbre in her voice. No Words is definite Mix Tape material; about the magic that happens between two people in love when words are superfluous and only moments matter. Rowan has a gift for catching these moments in such sweet, honest words that she dances right around cliché without ever giving it a second glance.

Frozen In Time is a gorgeous musical moment, a piece of quiet contemplation focused once again on love lost. Rowan saves her most poetic work for this song, married to a plodding yet hopeful arrangement filled with vocal harmonies that grow out of the song like flowers in the middle of a field that's coming to life after a long winter. Anyway is an exploration of best intentions and where they sometimes get us. This one features Rowan and piano and sounds like it could be a transitional piece from a Broadway show, full of the heartfelt and fragile emotion that makes for great theater. Why Don't You is an age old question about why the look of love sometimes cools with time. Rowan and her guitar make a powerful statement while looking to rekindle the energy of youth. Rowan closes out with Your Hands, a memoriam in song for a love who was taken suddenly. It's a gorgeous song full of real emotion. Aside from the emotional gravitas, Your Hands sounds like the sort of theme song you could build a movie around it. Don't be surprised if someone does.

Carrie Rowan writes honest songs, delivered with candor and a sweet touch. She is a breath of fresh air in a marketplace over-crowded with folks looking for just the right sound at the expense of songwriting. Almost Home will run a little slow for some, but it's like listening to a good friend pour her heart out in music. By the end you're invested in her stories and you just want her to keep going. Carrie Rowan may not be flashy, but Almost Home is like comfort food for the musical soul. You'll keep coming back.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Carrie Rowan at http://www.carrierowan.net/ or www.myspace.com/carriesongs. You can purchase Almost Home at CDBaby.com, or you can download tracks on Rowan’s website. Carrie Rowan donates a portion of the proceeds from each CD sold to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Review: Levit/Susilo - Asmarandana

2009-11-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

Levit/Susilo - Asmarandana
2007, Symbol System 0701

Emiko Saraswait Susilo and Rob Levit created an entrancing album in 2007, entitled Asmarandana. Asmarandana is a form of Javanese Macapat (poetry) that is sung. The form uses lines of multiple lengths in a prescribed pattern and generally tends to be love songs. Levit and Susilo met through UCLA's Center For Intercultural Performance's APPEX program. Levit is known of his Rob Levit Trio, well known in Jazz circles in California, and Susilo is a founding member of Balis Cudamani, which has toured Indonesia, Greece, the US and Canada.

Susilo has one of those voices where you wish she'd just sing all day, and Levit has a supple hand on the guitar, crafting simple-yet-perfect arrangements that touch on Pop, Lounge and Jazz styles. Asmarandana opens with Ati Bolong, a gorgeous and seemingly tragic tune (my Javanese vocabulary rests squarely at zero words). Susilo is enthralling here. Rep Sidhem dances out of Susilo's mouth at times, carrying its weight with grace. Susilo explores her upper register to good effect, with a strong clear soprano voice that floats over the song. Asmarandana is a slow, contemplative song with an almost ethereal feel. The guitar work here is exquisitely subtle, filling around Susilo's voice like a second skin. Suwe Ora Jamu plays like a Easy Listening/Jazz tune. Levit is at his best here, and Susilo's vocal line is sweet and searching.

Galang Bulan is stark and gorgeously played, steeped in vocal harmonies and sparse guitar accompaniment; providing perhaps the most poignant and memorable moments on the album. Demonya Tukang Bonang is compelling, with a highly rhythmic guitar part that sounds like something Ani DiFranco might have written. The song has an urgent, vibrant feel that takes the listener by the band and leads you along. Levit and Susilo hit a Latin Jazz sound on Welha, with Levit getting to show off some serious licks on guitar. Asmarandana closes with the seven-minute-plus Improvisation, a highly rhythmic and variable piece of musical performance art that will sit better with some listeners than others. Susilo lets herself go completely, sounding the best she has on the album, while Levit extracts every possible sound imaginable from his guitar (along with a few that weren't).

Rob Levit and Emiko Saraswait Susilo have created a compelling sound and style on Asmarandana. The blending of musical styles creates a listening experience whose sum is greater than the talents of the two primary performers. Susilo has a beautiful voice that is better heard than described. It's not perfect in tone by western standards, but there is an authenticity in both sound and style that eludes many performers. Levit is, quite simply, a world class guitarist, so marked both what he does with the guitar as what he does not. Levit/Susilo is likely to be around for a good long time. Make sure you take a few minutes and check out their fine album, Asmarandana.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Levit/Susilo at http://www.amarandana.net/. You can purchase a copy of Asmarandana on either CD or as a Download through CDBaby.com.

Review: HB3 - HB3 Plays The Piccolo Bass

2009-11-29T05:10:00.000-05:00

HB3 - HB3 Plays The Piccolo Bass
2009, Zegnotropic Records

HB3 is back. It wasn't all that long ago that we reviewed The Veldt, his fine collection of songs based loosely on the Ray Bradbury story. After such an ambitious project, HB3 wanted to create something that was simply beautiful. HB3 has played The Piccolo Bass on his last two albums and decided it was time the instrument came to the fore. The Piccolo Bass is an octave above a regular bass and an octave below standard guitar tuning. The instrument was developed by Stanley Clarke and is an amazing supple and expressive instrument in the right hands. If nothing else, HB3 Plays The Piccolo Bass proves that HB3's hands are the right ones.

HB3 opens with The Umbrellas, quickly introducing influences such as The Beatles and William Ackerman. There is a pensive feel to the song that periodically boils over into intense movement before quickly subsiding. The production serves to create an atmosphere of a room with wonderful acoustics. HB3 mimics mandolin and even lute on The Kermess, a song with roots in the Breughel painting of a medieval peasant dance. The song is a slow-build energy-wise, rising from a timid start to a sense of whirling timelessness. Haunted Houses is reinterpretation of a song from The Veldt that actually plays better here than in the original form. Stripping Haunted Houses down to its most basic form brings out the simple, subtle beauty of the melody.

Darjeeling Express is a near-eleven minute musical meditation that blends the rhythm of the rails with Indian tonal structures in surprising and pleasing ways. The sense of motion is palpable, as the impending sense of arrival each time the song slows. The key here, as it was on The Veldt, is HB3's phrasing. Regardless of what instrument he wields, HB3 seems to have innate sense for how things fit together, making even the most surprising musical turns seems as natural as breathing. Slap opens as a free-form improvisational peace that quickly degenerates into some of the most delicious slap bass work this side of Bakithi Kumalo (Paul Simon). Ariel is a meditation on female beauty, built in slowly undulating lines like the curves of a body. This is a gentle listen that's good for relaxation. HB3 closes out with Positive Venus, a conglomeration of two other tracks. HB3 took Positive Violence from his album Luminosity and married it to Venus, a previously unreleased track. The result sounds the rough cut of a movie score element. There's a real sense of life to this tune that is compelling, with an incessant rhythm underlying the plodding steps of melody.

As with The Veldt, HB3 manages the expected in unexpected ways. His phrasing through HB3 Plays The Piccolo Bass is flawless. Each song has its own life and energy, cavorting more like children than songs. In the middle is HB3 with his easy smile and cool demeanor, scoring the world around us like he knows all the answers. HB3 Plays The Piccolo Bass is probably a niche album, but it’s a splendid offering that should not be overlooked.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about HB3 at http://www.hb3.com/. You can purchase a copy of HB3 Plays The Piccolo Bass on CD from Amazon.com.

Review: Dan King - Western Color

2009-11-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

Dan King - Western Color
2009, Dan King

Western Color opens with Rest Stop, a mellow bit of Americana with a pleasant feel. King has one of those voices that make you think he's lived the road life for a while; gruff but pleasant. When It Comes Down To Love is a plodding tune that has some nice instrumentation but lacks energy, particularly in the vocal line. The Enemy has similar issues. King has an enigmatic sound and the instrumentation is great, but the vocal line ends up sounding like its on automatic. I'll Move On The Same is a definite step in the right direction, sounding a bit like Mark Knopfler in a pleasant Americana-flavored tune. No Crying is a great tune, turning up The Blues in a tasty twist that overcomes the once-again low-key vocal from King.

Greenlight Day gives Western Color an upbeat moment, although the lyrics are a bit on the campy side. The Ruins takes a much more poignant tone in a story song about the passing of time and generations. The song is well written and full of heart and sits comfortably with King's easy delivery. King closes out with three live tunes, an alternate take and a demo. The live performances trade trait for trait with the originals. The instrumental work (particularly on guitar) is better on the live recordings, but King's vocals don't fare as well in the live setting.

Western Color is pleasant; it's comfortable like an old pair of shoes, but it doesn't really leave a strong impression. King's voice is initially affable but the lack of dynamics or real energy detracts from the overall atmosphere of the album. King's band is first class however, and the disc ends up as one of those projects with several nice qualities that just fail to enthrall.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dan King at www.myspace.com/lightcity. You can purchase download a copy of Western Color from CDBaby.com or Amazon.com.

Review: Junkyard Empire - Rebellion Politik

2009-11-28T05:10:00.001-05:00

Junkyard Empire - Rebellion Politik
2009, Media Roots Music

There is a land where Rock, Jazz and Hip-Hop meet over smart and passionate lyrics. It is a land filled with a vision of a better life, a better future, a better now. That land is the domain of Junkyard Empire, the Minnesota quintet that had their national coming out party on the last day of the 2008 Republican National Convention. Junkyard Empire leaves nothing unsaid; no political stone unturned, and spares no undeserving party from their social critique. This is the secret to Junkyard Empire’s second album, Rebellion Politik, a sometimes brutally honest musical roller coaster ride you won’t soon forget.

Junkyard Empire opens with Original Assumption, featuring Desdamona. The song deals with the seeds of urban decay as well as the seeds of recovering from the same. The song mixes elements of Hip-Hop, Rap and Jazz in an acoustic arrangement that is thoroughly enjoyable not only in spite of but for its apparent contradictions. Freedom is the concept explored; using some very apt social commentary to make serious points about what Freedom is and is not. Rebellion Politik is a call for Social Revolution based on Socialist Democratic principles and features some incredibly rapid fire rapping along with some highly enjoyable jazz improv on piano. Manifest is an exploration of how the powerful twist media, religion and anything else they can use to change the minds of people for their own betterment. The song hits on some of the big concepts and marketing pushes in American history and focuses on many of the things we do every day that have consequences far beyond what we can see.

RDM & Mr. Nox sit in on The Basics, a song that pays tribute to the history of Hip-Hop and calls on practitioners to remember where they came from musically. Conflict Part I (The History) looks at how the Israeli/Palestinian conflict came to be and where it is today. Junkyard Empire makes the point that Zionism began as a means to survival for Jews but has become a point of arrogance, implying that the movement has become hypocritical in light of its original purpose. To be fair, Junkyard Empire has a distinct opinion of who's right and who's wrong in the conflict, but the logical point of the song is probably worth some discussion in less polarized circles. Junkyard Empire closes with Alternate Energy Remixed, an entertaining party song that's highly danceable. It's a great light leave in the wake of some of the heavy subject matter that came before.

Junkyard Empire is the real deal. The rhymes on Rebellion Politik display a distinct lyrical talent steeped in intelligence and a strong sense of social responsibility. The acoustic arrangements are also a real treat, particularly when Junkyard Empire brings in elements of Jazz. Rebellion Politik is one of the top Hip-Hop/Rap albums I've heard in 2009.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Junkyard Empire at www.myspace.com/junkyardempire. You can download Rebellion Politik from Amazon.com, or you can purchase the CD directly from the band on their MySpace page.

Review: Flowers For Lily - A Name Will Come

2009-11-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

Flowers For Lily - A Name Will Come
2008, Flowers For Lily

Queensland, Australia’s Flowers For Lily is making a name for themselves down under with their original blend of Rock, Metal and Punk. 2009 has seen Flowers For Lily tapped for a spot on Big Day Out, as well as receiving an Independent Music Award nomination. 2010 will see Flowers For Lily continue to grow their fan base through live shows and word of mouth. In 2008, Flowers For Lily released their debut album, A Name Will Come.

A Name Will Come opens with Cemetery Forest, a powerfully driven song with a chorus that tries valiantly to soar. Lead vocalist Jimmy Sky pushes the edges here with a big hard rock vocalist sound. The sound is held back just a little bit but the Flowers For Lily show they know how to rock right out of the gate. Sky goes to full falsetto for Brand New Blinded before dropping down in the run-up to the glacial chorus. Cupid is lyrically awkward at best with a chorus of "Shooting children in the heart is not a game". The song is essentially filler, and not terribly good filler at that. Flowers For Lily come back well with Hill Of Skulls, a Blues-hued heavy rocker with a real Pop feel. This is the catchiest song on the disc and the one most likely to have you hitting the repeat button over and over. Breaking Bread goes for more a wall of sound feel on the opening before settling into an understated chorus. The chorus is mildly catchy but not enough overcome a pleasant but not imposing song. Flowers For Lily close out with Prelude, a mournful song of parting that does relatively well until the whispering starts. Sky doesn't have the voice to handle a slower song like this and his breath control falls apart on the softer phrasing required here, but the song has potential.

Flowers Of Lily have the feel of gold ore; there's value inside of that stone but you never know when it will rear its head. A Name Will Come displays both the talents and weaknesses of the band. Vocalist Sky is good when belting at the upper part of his range, but has a tough time maintaining a melody line when the vocal style becomes more lyric. From a songwriting perspective, the music is decent, while the lyrics bow to simplicity and get repetitive when all else fails. Give Flowers Of Lily some stream time before deciding where you want to buy the EP or just a track or two.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Flowers For Lily at www.myspace.com/flowersforlily. You can purchase a Download of A Name Will Come from iTunes.

Review: Adam Ilami - All The Things You Want

2009-11-27T05:10:00.000-05:00

Adam Ilami - All The Things You Want
2007, Texas is Bestas Music

Adam Ilami was always a wunderkind, teaching himself to play guitar, drums and piano by the time he was fourteen years old. The Arlington, Texas born-and-raised singer/songwriter made his way to Nashville, where he found his footing and his calling in self-made Rock N Roll. Ilami writes catchy, hook-laden Pop Rock with cajones a personal touch. His debut album, All The Things You Want, was released in 2007 to a sold out crowd at The End in Nashville, Tennessee. The songs therein will make you dance, sing along and remember what Rock N Roll has always been about.

Ilami opens with Independent Nation, driven by a funk-filled bass line and guitar work that's reminiscent of Lenny Kravitz before blowing out into an energetic radio-friendly rock tune. Ilami has an affable voice, and the pacing of the song makes for memorable listening. It's one of those tunes that if you just heard it on the radio you'd call the station to find out who it was. On The Inside tackles the growing pains that go with growing up and moving out into an uncertain world. Ilami is encouraging those listen to blaze trails rather than live in fear. This is done to a funk-filled arrangement that's absolute ear candy. All The Things You Want opens with a big guitar presence before dropping into a sparse chorus that highlights a pleasant and mildly memorable vocal line. The song deals with watching someone you know blossom while knowing they are untouchable. The concept here is universal as most everyone has had this experience with one of their friends in high school, college or elsewhere.

Hangman is a romantic ballad of hopeless/hopeful variety. The sentiment is sweet, and it's the sort of song that is likely to end up on a lot of mix tapes. The arrangement isn't atypical of the ballad genre, but it's a nice entry. Ilami finds his edge on My Bittersweet Poison, rocking out about a love that's no good for him but inescapable. The guitar work here is particularly intriguing, as Ilami creates a high-energy arrangement around a dark and needful yet catchy melody line. Ilami closes out with raucous rocker The Night The Two Of Us Died, featuring a straight up chorus that explodes into a crunchy chorus that gets stuck in your noggin. It's hard to pick one highlight from the album, but if pushed, I'd say The Night The Two Of Us Died is it.

Adam Ilami has an ear for big hooks and memorable melodies and a feel for Rock N Roll. All The Things You Want is the sort of debut that should make Ilami a household name. Perhaps now that he's in L.A. he'll get the attention he deserves from the Rock Establishment. The last time I heard a rocker come along with this splendid mix of brawny rock attitude, heart and pop sensibility he did quite well for himself. His name was Billy Squier.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Adam Ilami at http://www.adamilami.com/ or www.myspace.com/adamilami. You can purchase a copy of All The Things You Want as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: The Blue Seeds - The Blue Seeds

2009-11-27T05:00:00.003-05:00

The Blue Seeds - The Blue Seeds
2008, L-Abe

Montreal’s The Blue Seeds are led by the eclectic and mystifying voice of Amelie Laflamme who brings to life the songs of songwriter Francois Dufault. The ensemble has a highly unique and catchy sound that can be found on their debut album, The Blue Seeds. Originally released in 2008 in Canada, The Blue Seeds saw an October, 2009 release in the U.S.

The Blue Seeds open with the slinky Barcelona, a song full of longing and desire. Vocalist Amelie Laflamme has an eclectic sound that's something of a cross between Norah Jones and Hope Sandoval, and Dufault's guitar work helps to create a desperate, lost feeling that fuels the song. Outside The Rain Falls has an almost Country feel to it, played in dark minor keys. Laflamme is entrancing, filling out the sound with a voice that wiggles its way inside your brain and sets up camp for a long stay. The dark Country/Americana feel sticks around for Lost Highway, another dark and vaguely disturbing musical landscape fueled by repressed surf guitar. A Killing In Art sounds like a Mazzy Star outtake, both instrumentally and vocally.

On Lost And Delirious, Laflamme gives up her best vocal performance on the album. The song is languorous and is stretched a bit thin here but is otherwise very well done. My Fair Weather Friend takes on a gentle Blues/Rock feel, blended with the nearly ambient vocals The Blue Seeds seem comfortable with. It's a pleasant listen but doesn't really stand out. The same can be said for Black Birds, a song filled with mournful country guitar accents that get a little bogged down in its own pacing. The Blue Seeds say goodnight with the distant and disaffected I Dreamed A Little Dream, a song of emotional division and separation disguised as a hopeful tune.

The Blue Seeds have a distinctive sound that's somewhere between Mazzy Star and The Cowboy Junkies. When everything clicks The Blue Seeds sound glorious in their melancholy, but the energy level flattens out at times and the pacing of the album will lose some listeners. Laflamme has a distinctive voice that is instantly recognizable once you've heard it, and the musicianship is decidedly above average. Take The Blue Seeds for a spin and see how they fit you.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Blue Seeds at http://www.theblueseeds.com/ or www.myspace.com/theblueseeds. You can purchase a copy of The Blue Seeds as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T06:58:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is a day to stop, look around you and be thankful for all you have. In difficult times I have a loving wife, 2 wonderful children, a roof over my head, a decent job and healthy prospects for the future, all of which I am thankful for. For fun, I also have Wildy's World. For whatever work I put into it, it's really about you, the readers, and the artists brave enough to submit their recordings for consideration. I am thankful for both the readers who find this blog worth their time, and the artists who give of themselves to make music.

Musicians and songwriters strive to give of themselves to the world. Even something we don't like is likely an honest expression of self, put out there in the naked world to be loved and accepted or cast aside. There's more bravery in that act than most of us undertake on any given day in our lives. Be well, today and always, friends. If you're celebrating Thanksgiving, eat well, and remember those who can't today (and do something about it if you can).

Wildy

Review: The Erin Hobson Compact - Talk Radio

2009-11-26T05:10:00.000-05:00

The Erin Hobson Compact - Talk Radio
2009, Choking Chicken Records

Erin Hobson has been bubbling under on the Indie Scene for a number of years. Critics love her, but widespread notoriety has yet to follow for the Rhinebeck, NY singer/songwriter. I suspect that’s all about to change with Talk Radio, Hobson’s latest project with her band, The Erin Hobson Compact. Top-rate musicianship, strong songwriting and a voice that’s unforgettable make this album a winner all around.

Hobson opens with the title track, displaying a clear, sweet voice and a gentle Pop-Americana style. Talk Radio hints at the tendency of people to differentiate themselves even when they aren't, whether through white lies, games or simple errors of omission. It's a strong tune; well and intelligently written with a great melody. Brick Wall is a fairly deep examination of the cooling of emotion over time in a relationship, with the object being both a buttress and a symbol of the loss. It's another great melody and another intelligently written tune that speaks on several levels to both the loving and lovelorn. Too Late is the story of someone fighting against their own human nature and their own base moments. It's a moderately upbeat tune with distinct sense of melancholy and a melody that melts into your ears.

Crash maintains the melancholic sensibility that pervades Talk Radio; taking on those moments when the world falls in around us. Hobson's voice is beautiful in anticipation of tragedy, and once again the melody is divine. Hobson kicks things up a notch with the honky-tonk Divide. Hobson is affable and sweet in a tune that decries ambivalence, but the real stars of this tune are her band, who inject a whole new level of life and energy into the song with some really hot instrumental work. Far From Home is a song of emotional survival sung in dulcet tones; it's introspective and self-possessed and thoroughly intriguing.

Passing Through is a plaintive tune full of self-doubt and misdirection. There's a sense that the narrator doesn't quite know where she's going but wants to get there as soon as she can, and an internal tension at this crux. It's a gorgeous melody and a fairly simple arrangement that's almost elegant in its plain state. Holding On is a musical realization, diary-style that the relationship she's in isn't what she might have hoped. The song expresses fear and excitement of a new road as well as the coming of tears at the loss. What starts out as a song of melancholy turns into one of joy. Hobson closes out with Leave The Light On, which might serve as a sort of epilogue to Holding On. It's a hedge that perhaps the newfound sense of freedom is a false one. Hobson harmonizes here, creating an enthralling sound against the backdrop her band creates.

The Erin Hobson Compact is a small town band with a sound that's anything but. Ensconced in melancholy, Americana and gentle Pop, it's as if Natalie Merchant, Lisa Loeb and Margo Timmins sat down and tried to create together. Hobson's band is first class, and her voice is a thing of beauty to behold. Talk Radio is brilliantly polished and ultimately listenable. Don't be surprised if Hobson's is a name you're very familiar with a few years from now. Get on the train now while there are still seats.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Erin Hobson Compact at http://www.erinhobsoncompact.com/ or www.myspace.com/erinhobson. You can purchase Talk Radio as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Steve Lieberman - DiKtatoR 17

2009-11-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Steve Lieberman - DiKtatoR 17
2009, Steve Lieberman

The Gangsta Rabbi is at it again, releasing his 17th CD in the last 7 years. DiKtatoR 17 is vintage Lieberman with a twist, offering up 22 tracks of Psychedelic Punk focusing on social injustice, Judaism, living with Bipolar disorder and showing a remarkably light sense of self-deprecation. Lieberman's style of bass-driven punk accented with Jethro Tull-style flute playing has won him fans and admirers throughout the New York City Indie music scene, and The Gangsta Rabbi doesn't disappoint on DiKtator 17. The same righteous indignation at the unfairness of the world is here, but behind it all, you'd almost think Lieberman has reached a point in his life where he's happy.

DiKtatoR 17 opens with Obama-Rama Yeah, a joyous celebration of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. Lieberman is notoriously hard to understand at times, a fact that he lampoons later on in Novelty Hit. Novelty Hit is one of three songs in which Lieberman takes gentle swipes at himself, something that hasn't been readily apparent in previous efforts. On Pay To Play Lieberman sings "If I didn't pay to play I wouldn't play anywhere at all". Lieberman also takes a playful swipe at himself in I Should Have Been A Musician. The DiKtator is an interesting track, sounding something like The Ramones playing with Wesley Willis.

Lieberman throws in a couple of unusual covers on the album as well. Waler'Ah (Happy Wanderer) is a unique take on Friedrich-Wilhelm Moller's tune that might just live in infamy. The song, originally titled The Happy Wanderer was an international phenomenon in the early 1950's, and a major Pop hit for the Obernkirchen Children's Choir. I don't know if Moller would ever have conceived of the Punk arrangement Lieberman sets it in, but I almost tend to think he wouldn't be displeased either. Lieberman also mines the Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick penned Fiddler On The Roof for Sunrise, Sunset in a highly entertaining turn. I Wish That I Was Hot is another surprise, an enticingly Pop/Punk missive that sounds like it could be soundtrack material for a teen comedy like American Pie. Lieberman hasn't lost his touch on social justice issues (We Have No Rights!, Terrorist, The Labourer), and displays a wicked sense of humor at times (Poopin' At Work). He even touches on his illness, singing the praises of Alprazalam and crediting it for who he is today. Perhaps the most telling moment on the album, however, is G-D Loves Me Tho' I'm Crazy. Once you get to the bottom of Lieberman's story you find a man who perhaps is finally at peace with himself; at least in that moment.

Steve Lieberman, AKA The Gangsta Rabbi is about as eclectic as they come. While he could be dismissed as a novelty, the fact of the matter is that Lieberman is a genuine street poet; speaking the vernacular of a ghetto that exists in all major cities but perhaps isn't recognized because society has colorized our views of what a ghetto is and is not. DiKtatoR 17 might be Lieberman's best work yet, if only because the humanity in his music is becoming more and more human with time.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steve Lieberman at www.myspace.com/gangstarabbi or http://www.gangstarabbi.com/, where you can purchase a copy of DiKtatoR 17 or any of Lieberman's other recordings.

Review: Karen And Amy Jones - Daphne In Winter

2009-11-25T05:10:00.000-05:00

Karen And Amy Jones - Daphne In Winter
2009, Karen And Amy Jones

Sisters Karen And Amy Jones sound like a cross between Anne And Nancy Wilson of Heart and The Indigo Girls. Eschewing traditional folk music, the Philadelphia sisters create highly artistic acoustic Rock music that note only appeals musically but also makes listeners think. Playing together since 2006, Karen And Amy Jones have already been featured on four national compilations, and have received airplay on stations such as Delaware's WSTW and Philadelphia's WXPN. The duo released their debut album, Daphne In Winter in July of 2009 and are planning an East Coast US tour in support.

Daphne In Winter opens with Right Turn, perhaps one of the most stylistic and refined kiss off Pop/Rock songs of 2009. Right Turn focuses on a woman finding herself in the midst of the life she'd fallen into. It's a song of empowerment and is rendered eloquently beautiful by the mesmerizing voices of Karen and Amy Jones. Strange Lullaby is incredibly lush, sounding like something that might come out of a Sarah McLachlan session. The vocal harmonies are angelic. The Jones' get a bit more attitude on Ride, exploring the excitement of a relationship with a "bad boy". The funky arrangement is a great listen, and the vocal harmonies are, as always, exquisite. Brittle Creatures introduces a much darker tone in a bleak but compelling musical arrangement where the vocal line is almost in conflict with its surroundings. This is perhaps meant to be symbolic and borders on disturbing but is highly compelling.

The Years find Karen And Amy Jones moving more firmly into the Rock realm with a gentle tune that shows off their voices but seems a bit flat energy-wise. They recover nicely on The Things That He Breaks, an emotionally charged and powerful musical stand that's going to strike chords with anyone who's ever been a victim of domestic violence or abuse (physically or otherwise). The melody here is highly memorable, particularly in the chorus, and the harmonies as good as they've been throughout the album. The Jones' close out with Winter Boy, a mellow Folk-Rocker worth sticking around for. The focus here is the intertwining of the sisters' voices, creating an ethereal and temperate vocal tableau.

Karen And Amy Jones obviously have a bond that most artists never achieve, and they use it in full measure on Daphne In Winter. Not everything works here, but the harmonies are consistently far beyond the norm. The songwriting in general is quite strong, although there is a bit of a fall-off on the second half of the CD. Even the less exceptional material sounds brilliant when both sisters are singing. If Karen And Amy Jones come to a town near you, make sure to check out the show. In the meantime, put Daphne In Winter on your list of CDs to check out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Karen And Amy Jones at http://www.karenandamyrock.com/ or www.myspace.com/karenandamyrock. You can purchase Daphne In Winter directly from the band on CD. Downloads are available through most major download sites, including Amazon.com and iTunes.

Review: The Leaky Diamond - Five Bedroom Demonstrations

2009-11-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Leaky Diamond - Five Bedroom Demonstrations
2009, The Leaky Diamond

Casey Grimes lives the DIY ethic, with each CD he produces being entirely handmade. Recording and performing as The Leaky Diamond, Grimes uses inexpensive equipment in his home to record his songs, producing CD copies on his computer with handmade artwork. For instruments, Grimes uses his guitar, a "cheap synth", scissors, cars keys, an exercise ball and whatever he finds of sonic value. The Leaky Diamond's latest project, Five Bedroom Demonstrations has the perquisite Lo-Fi feel but is more polished than you might expect.

Five Bedroom Demonstrations opens with Maka, an impassioned tune with a strong vocal line that is nonetheless nearly indecipherable lyrically. Whether it’s the microphone used, the reverb or Grimes' enunciation, the words blend together so as to lose their distinct meaning. The vocal harmonies are strong; the song sounds decent enough, but little ends up being communicated. Believe has similar issues, and the energy level here is very flat. The Leaky Diamond picks up the pace somewhat for Winterseen. The sound here is a bit rougher, however, and seems to lose focus at times. Your Mythology has some real potential, but as with much of the rest of the material here Grimes really needs a collaborator of some sort. The extra tension of another creative hand may serve to bring out the best in The Leaky Diamond. The closing cut is Time Is Freed, an experimental track with electronic elements that seems more focused on sounds than anything else. The vocal line here is decent for sound but lifeless in energy. Even when the pace of the song picks up the energy just never fully comes to the fore.

The Leaky Diamond is interesting in theory and approach, but the end result is just a bit too rough around the edges of mass consumption. Grimes has an adequate voice but the instrumental composition of his songs is not what you'd expect of a professional recording irrespective of the sound/recording approach. Working with at least one collaborator would work to firm up the sound and focus the songwriting.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Leaky Diamond at www.myspace.com/theleakydiamond, where you can stream Five Bedroom Demonstrations. If you're looking to acquire a physical copy, contact The Leaky Diamond through his MySpace page.

Review: Tonight We Ride - Of The West

2009-11-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight We Ride - Of The West
2009, Tonight We Ride

Small markets sometimes hold big surprises, musically. So it is with Helena, Montana and Tonight We Ride. Originally a collaboration of Dustin "Dub" Campbell (guitars, vox) and Greg Vivrette (bass, backing vox), the duo became a post-Punk power trio with the addition of drummer Adam McDonald after gigging for a while and realizing they needed a solid core to keep their sound developing. Tonight We Ride write about three subjects: Friends, drinking and the prophesied the end of the world in 2012. These are the building blocks of Tonight We Ride's debut album, Of The West.

Of The West opens with Cain Station, an energetic number about friendships and personal connections. It's a strong opener with a distinct Lo-Fi feel that works for Tonight We Ride. Duke Of New York A#1 was inspired by the Isaac Hayes character from Escape From New York but parodies the life and times of Amy Winehouse. It's a mid-tempo song with a dark feel; humorous yet respectful at the same time. Drink Myself Into Oblivion is just what it sounds like; a fun drinking song that pulls absolutely no punches. The language is a bit gratuitous (as it is throughout much of the album), but the effect is entertaining. Prelude To Hell On Earth takes on the upcoming annihilation of existence in 2012 in a funky instrumental that's among the finest playing on Of The West. Vivrette makes his bass get up and walk around the room while Campbell riffs off of the magic he creates.

The Other Side Of The Wall marks a real change of pace for Tonight We Ride, with an all-acoustic number that sounds more singer-songwriter than Post-Punk acoustica. The edges are rough, but the core is excellent. Heaven Can Wait finds Tonight We Ride taking listeners on a honky-tonk romp in a ferociously brief bit of fun. For Richie Rowe opens with a guitar progression that sounds like it wants to turn into Queen's Crazy Little Thing Called Love before Vivrette's walking bass line carries the band off on a highly energetic Acoustic Punk romp. It's a song about living in the moment, sucking the marrow out of life and all that. Parker's Got A Brand New Bag keeps the energy high with a more Pop oriented yet Lo-Fi gem, leading into the closer, Cash Money. Cash Money is a decent tune, but seems a bit out of place on Of The West, particularly so as a closing tune.

Tonight We Ride manages to bring a live feel to Of The West; I can only imagine how much a live show with these guys would be. Some will chafe at the gratuitous language, but one gets the sense this isn't so much pose as prose. In spite of the rough edges, there's real pop sensibility running through the veins of Tonight We Ridge. The songs on Of The West (most of them) could be played as Pop tunes (although part of what makes them work is the "in your face" approach of the band. Make sure you get to know Tonight We Ride. They're better than I expected.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tonight We Ride at http://www.tonightweride.net/ or www.myspace.com/twrmt. You can purchase Of The West on CD from CDBaby.com, or as a Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Kill Paradise - The Second Effect

2009-11-24T04:55:00.001-05:00

Kill Paradise - The Second Effect
2009, BreakSilence Records

Denver, Colorado's Kill Paradise has generated pretty significant buzz online, with over nine million plays on MySpace alone. The Electropop duo features Nick Cocozzella and Bryce Hoops, and a sound that got them signed to BreakSilence Records (and may have had a hand in getting Breathe Carolina signed to Rise Records as well). Kill Paradise's debut album, The Second Effect was released exclusively through Hot Topic stores in November of 2009. The songs have been or will be featured in MTV series' "True Life: I'm Coming Home From Iraq" and Paris Hilton's My New BFF.

The Second Effect is good as long as you know what you're getting yourself into. Sugary dance pop with catchy hooks, overproduced and electronically sanitized vocals and a young, simplistic writing style are the order of the day. Cocozzella and Hoops may well have great voices, but there's no way to know as both are so altered it's hard to know what's live and what's vocoder. The opening track, Oh Lexi, is a catchy number with a solid dance beat that won't crowd the National Poetry Award field with lines like "Oh Lexi, you're just so sexy won't you take me away / Oh baby, oh Lexi, you're just the way I wanted you". It's not substantive or even necessarily particularly good, but it's just the sort of ear candy that dances its way to the top of the pop charts. Fall From A Star is built around an interesting keyboard riff that mutates from key to key and runs through much of the song. It's pure Dance/Pop that makes you want to move.

Just Friends? sounds like a junior high lunchroom discussion set to music, complete with cheesy Casio-style synth work and a slick dance beat. The vocals haven't improved thus far, still buried in sickly sweet electronic effects that render the original voices practically unrecognizable. Punch! and Miracle follow a similar catchy-yet-mundane path before Breathe Carolina sits in on All For You. This tune has a bit more oomph to it than anything that's come before, although that may just be an accident of the Rock beat laid down by the programmer. The first real musical sidebar of the album is Katie & I. The style hasn't changed much, but the electronics have mostly gone away. Acoustic piano is the base instrument, and the vocals sound relatively untouched. The voices are decent enough, although the vocal effects seem to creep back in as the song progresses. Radio Arcade finds Kill Paradise returning to their electronic forte, ripping off a mid-tempo ballad over a lively dance beat. The duo closes out with Candyland Wedding, set to a Hip-Hop beat and a sparse electronic arrangement.

Kill Paradise is a band for fans of Boy Band Bubblegum Pop. The Second Effect is fairly representative of the genre, not offering much that's original or intriguing in the mix. In all likelihood, the combination of exposure, placement and the catchy nature of the tunes will yield a lot of commercial success for The Second Effect, but this is the sort of music that once it disappears from the radio it also tends to disappear from consciousness. The lyrics are less than impressive and the music is simplistic, but Kill Paradise captures the sound du jour perfectly.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kill Paradise at www.myspace.com/killparadise. You can order a copy of The Second Effect directly from BreakSilence Records or by stopping by any Hot Topic store. The album is also available as a download through iTunes.

Review: The Henhouse Prowlers - A Dark Rumor

2009-11-23T05:10:00.000-05:00

The Henhouse Prowlers - A Dark Rumor
2009, Prowlers Music

Chicago's The Henhouse Prowlers mix traditional Bluegrass with subtle modern touches and Rock N Roll energy, bringing a new vitality to a highly traditional and occasionally stodgy art form. Traditional Bluegrass fans tend toward the ultra-conservative, but this is one Newgrass band with the chops and understanding of where their music came from to be able to draw the traditionalists toward their campfire. The Henhouse Prowlers have played with everyone from Cornmeal to Bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs. Along the way, they've been featured on PBS' The Ride Of Our Lives, and have a tendency to make new fans every time they step on stage or pick up their instruments. The Henhouse Prowlers recently released their sophomore CD, A Dark Rumor; It's a good one.

A Dark Rumor opens with a Stonemans cover; Turn Me Loose. It's a vibrant tune with a classic feel and sound but just a hint of modern styling. The entire group is in wonderful voice, and the musicianship is stunning. Uncle Bubba is a dark take of racism and murder from the civil rights era. The arrangement is strong and the songwriting compelling, but the story is a bit disturbing. The Henhouse Prowlers hit on a classic sound with gorgeous vocal harmonies on Simplify; a song about getting back to your roots. Trouble is the Blues, Bluegrass style. It's a tremendous tune that's offered here as a waltz and applies Chaos Theory to everyday life.

The Ballad Of Davey Robinson is an epic story song full of murder and intrigue. This highly entertaining original tune might be destined for a lot of songbooks. It will appear to traditional Folk and Bluegrass fans as well as anyone who wants to be truly entertained by a musical performer. The foolish nature of lovers is explored with great results on 10 Miles More. The high energy and charm of the song speak directly to how much fun The Henhouse Prowlers must have had recording this song. Shadow Of A Man explores heartbreak from inside the bubble, touching on how quickly happiness can turn. The theme continues on Silver Lining, where the narrator is wallowing in his own heartache, almost to the point of madness. Walkin' Around In The Snow touches on familiar territory for Bluegrass and Country music at one time. It's what you might call a hobo song; a tune about having nowhere to go and nothing to do. There's a distinct melancholy that fights with the sense of freedom and wins. The Henhouse Prowlers close out with a gentle instrumental called Haley's Lament. It's a pleasant enough tune, but somewhat anti-climactic in light of all that came before it.

Bluegrass music is in very good hands with bands such as The Henhouse Prowlers at the fore. The picking and singing here are world class, and A Dark Rumor is highly enjoyable. This is one of those albums that makes you want to run out and find what else The Henhouse Prowlers have done, and when the next new album might be expected. Check out The Henhouse Prowlers, a must-hear band.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Henhouse Prowlers at http://www.henhouseprowlers.com/ or www.myspace.com/thehenhouseprowlers. You can purchase a copy of A Dark Rumor as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Behind The Sun - Behind The Sun

2009-11-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

Behind The Sun - Behind The Sun
2009, Behind The Sun

Straight Out of the Israeli badlands come Behind The Sun, a quartet with influences ranging from Progressive Rock to Metal to Grunge. Born on the edges of the Negev Desert, Behind The Sun bring the arid beauty and complexity of their homeland to their collective sound. Behind The Sun, the band's full-length debut, finds Behind The Sun stepping up to the next level trying to craft an international presence for themselves. The album itself is a mixed effort with mostly positive results.

Behind The Sun opens with Second December, a six minute epic mixing Prog, Classic and Lyric Rock styles. Significant variation in keys, meters and polyrhythmic drumming make this an interesting listen. Wishful Thinking is built around a great progression and melody line. There's significant life and movement beneath the surface, with Dan Levy nearly stealing the show at times on bass. Front man Gad Erez churns out a lot of repressed anger with his voice, and the guitar work is exquisite. Still is a big, rambling Prog tune that sounds like Live meets King Crimson. Running Water hits the flood line with a galloping Prog tune featuring some pretty severe guitar work. The motion and sound here are phenomenal.

Behind The Sun goes for a Music Noir feel on The Professionals; a bit dark and disturbing but interesting and very well written. October '77 runs a close 2nd for best song on the disc. This highly textured yet smooth instrumental features guitar work reminiscent of Pat Metheny. Behind The Sun closes out with Strong Wind, vacillating between dreamy, lazy sounds and an active, complex musical experience. It's an apt closer, but perhaps a bit overdone at eight-and-a-half minutes.

Behind The Sun goes Metro Retro on their self-titled debut, blending Classic and Progressive Styles with techniques and sounds drawn from today's Modern Rock. Behind The Sun is an album that flirts with greatness at times but never fully gets over the wall. In the end we are left with a very, very, very good album that portends great things for the future. There's more than enough here for Behind The Sun to step confidently onto the international stage.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Behind The Sun at www.myspace.com/behindthesunmusic. You can purchase Behind The Sun as a download from AmieStreet.com.