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THE QUIET CORNER, by Robert Barry Francos

THE QUIET CORNER, by Robert Barry Francos


One of the things I like about the German blues label SPV (www.spv.de) is that they don’t discriminate between the color line, but is strictly based on talent. Case in point is “Snakes & Ladders” is the first live album by PAUL LAMB AND THE KING SNAKES in nearly half a decade, bringing back vocalist Chad Strentz to front the fold. And in only the way a British white conglom can seem to master, they find the groove early on and go beyond the fandom and go into the meat of the matter, making it their own. They change rhythms and patter, taking the wail and will, and just, well, WAIL. Sometimes the harmonica gets a short shrift, but Lamb takes it to a HNL: A Hole ‘Nother Level. Without compromise, they seize the traditional, such as on covers of Ma Rainy/Leadbelly’s “Easy Rider”, Preston Foster’s “I Got My Mojo Workin’”, and Ray Charles’s rave-up “I Got a Woman”, and bring a large number of Lamb originals, including a ditty about ex-UK PM Tony Blair in “Money World”. The sound is crisp and clear for a live recording, but never compromises the banter and the intra-band whoops. Right from its extremely sharp start with the original “Crazy for Me” the CD stays the blues cruise right to the end of its 55 minute length.

“Lightening” (spv.de) is by BLEU JACKSON, who has been playing electric blues since the ‘60s, and has participated in many bands though the south, such as the Starfires, the Mojo Men, the Night Sweats, and has worked in the studio with some of the best. His style is somewhere along the lines of Johnny Winters, George Thorogood, and the Georgia Satellites. While his guitar work and songwriting (he wrote or co-wrote most of the songs here) are strong (“I Don’t Know” seems to be based on the opening riff of “Smoke On The Water”, which was most likely based on an earlier blues progression), I think this may actually be one of the blander vocals of the SPV group I received; most likely it’s more present live, but he certainly is solid in the guitar. Most of this was recorded, I believe, in the late ‘80s, and shopped it around unsuccessfully (says the booklet), which leads me to believe that perhaps these were demos.

Drummer Sam Lay is the real deal, having played with the likes of Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Commander Cody, and even backed Dylan during the infamous ’65 Newport Folk Festival. THE SAM LAY BLUES BAND has Sam drumming and vocalizing on “Feelin’ Good” (spv.de). His version is Chicago style, with some strong Memphis I-IV-V progressions as the driver. This live CD was recorded shortly before his untimely death somewhat over a year ago. While plumbing a King Bee’s worth of material, he nicely slides through a medley or early rockers in with “Roll Over Beethoven”, “Hound Dog” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’”. With a well-played band, Sam takes the listener though his aches about love and loss, mojos, and a “Short Haired Woman”. A fun hour-long listen.

White Britain has a long history of a devotion to the Blues, be it Eric Clapton, Eric Burdon, or just about anyone who’s been in the Yardbirds. PAUL JONES & DAVE KELLY keep the pace going with their release, “Live at the Ram Jam Club” (spv.de), recorded in Surry. With Delta-style guitar and harp, they play their way through tunes by the likes of Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Memphis Minnie. There are also a few by Jones himself, including a touching tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson. Speaking of which, Jones plays a mean guitar and has a good blues vox (and handles most of the task). Kelly has more of a less “traditional” vocal sound (read Caucasian), but he does make up for it with his blasting harmonica. But as Kelly rightfully posits in the lush booklet, “It’s not about playing it exactly the same way as Robert Johnson did.”

HOMESICK JAMES presents an interesting mix of styles on “Shake Your Money Maker” (spv.de). James is obviously a follower of Sonny Boy Williams (he covers a number of his songs here), whose style is delved deeply in the twangy Delta-style, often associated to Sun House. However, James, unlike Williamson, used a more Chicago-style electric guitar (think B.B. King or Bo Diddley). Now, the rivalry may not be as bloody as the East/West rap wars, but it’s rare to see the overlap, much as Dylan going electric in Newport. Recorded live, James has a slurry speaking style of the south that makes it hard to make out what he’s saying at times, but the songs hold up. There’s a strong cover of “That’s Alright Mama”, which is much more loyal to the original Crudup version than to Presley’s adapted rave-up. He also does fine with said Williamson covers like “Gotta Move”, the dark humor of “Set a Date”, and “Homesick Boogie.” James also showcases some of his own material, like “The Sky is Crying” and the strong title cut.

The title of the COMMANDER CODY AND HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN double-CD release is self-explanatory: “Live From Armadillo World Headquarters 973 and The Capitol Theatre 975” (spv.de). I’ve always appreciated CC&HLPA, for playing the line between country, country rock, rock, and rockabilly. On the other hand, I had found them kind of whitebread to be playing stuff like “Milk Cow Blues”, “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, “Good Rockin’ Tonight”, and even “Blue Swede Shoes”. Their competency is high, and the quality of the sound from these two tapes (the second, at the Capitol, is from Port Chester, NY). Their first disk is more covers, and the more countrified and generally better second laden in a stranger mix of originals and covers. If you like CC etc., there’s two hours to revel in. Me, I found them kind of bland back then, and also now, listening to them in retrospect. They’re just one of those groups (too many members to be a band) whose appeal escapes me.

I found this compilation from The CHAMPION RECORDS STORY VOLUME 2: ROCKIN’ R&B (spv.de) often amusing. Twelve artists over 2 cuts, cover this early R&B label from the ‘50s. Lots of horns and jangly piano permeate as a steady feature. The first instrumental cuts on it, by Jimmy Beck and His Orchestra, sounds like the background music in early Russ Meyer films while strippers gyrate. The tone strongly picks up with Little Ike’s “She Can Rock”, which could have been a Little Richard cut. From this point, the style dips into late ‘50s cheese, with some bizarre notes, like Cliff Butler’s “Rent’s Too High” ($3/wk, BTW), Joyce Paul’s “Goofin’ Off” (her other recording here, “Tell Me the Truth,” is much better), and Chuck Harrod & The Anteaters’ “They Wanna Fight” and their Teen Idols style “Sandy”. There are some really good early examples of R&B as well, such as the doo-woppy “Oh My Love” by Al “Murfreesboro” Garner, and the boogie “Hallelujah” and “Jump Jump Hi Ho” by Don Q’s Band with Clemest Gant. Sandra Meade does an interesting cover of the classic “Fever”. Last cut is the silly Baker Knight raver “Bring My Cadillac Back”. This collection represents an important aspect of R&B on the brink of R’n’R. Most collections seem to emphasize white artists of the period (think Sun), but this documents the lesser known music of the roadhouses that dotted the working class and rural areas of our musical hotbed country, and was the actual foundation.

With the release “Die Happy” (jpblues.com), vocalist and guitarist John Pagano leads the trio, JP BLUES BAND On the CD cover, he looks like he stepped out of a Gotti’s Kids after-school special, but truth of the matter is he leads one of Long Island’s top blues groups. Not the old Blind Lemon Jello deep southern fried type, but the big sounding northern electric blues, like Clapton or Stevie Ray. To show the balls these guys have, the first cut of this very worthwhile release is a cover of Jethro Tull’s “Long Day Yesterday”. Through a series of mostly covers, JP slings the blues guitar like a seasoned pro, ably backed by John Young on bass and Pat Adkins on drums. If they keep going like this, it’s odds on favorites they’ll end up at the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. Photo by RBF

ALL SO is French singer Sophie Villamayor’ jazz combo (www.allso.info). Her self-titled CD release is full of standard jazz choices (such as “Mack the Knife” and “Sophisticated Lady”), and some interesting choices (“Sunny”, “Can’t Buy Me Love” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish”). Sophie’s voice is smooth and fits in with the combo quite smoothly. I would have liked to have heard her a bit higher in the mix, as she can get lost, but even when that happens, she more becomes and equal part of the mix of the whole than just a front-person. Perhaps that is what they were going for, and if so, it works. Sophie’s voice is sort of like raindrops that bounce on the leaves of the notes, cascading down the side of the song, playful and meandering. It’s sweet, and the combo keeps up the mood.

Wow, looks can be deceiving. When you meet PHIL MINISSALE, he is a nice, sweet lookin’ kid, but don’t be fooled because he is also a very talented folk blues guitarist and vocalist. It’s a well-known local secret that Huntington, Long Island is a hotbed for this sound (including the likes of Michael Soloway). On his self titled EP , Phil does four tunes, which shows not only an incredibly strong flash guitarwork, but he has a gravel voice that is mature beyond his years. His songs range from a dark humorous look at his life and how he imagines it is going (“Blues Boy”) to an appropriately named instrumental “Marsh Creek Tickle”. Though only 4 minutes, this is worth seeking out if you’re looking for someone of this style. This guy has mucho potential. (myspace.com/philminisallemusic) Photo by RBF

J-WALKERS is a side-group project led by the New Mastersounds’ Joe Tatton and the Capri’s Benson Walker, and they have released another CD, “All We Can Do” (glp.caprimusic.co.uk). Their style, as is typical of this Leeds-based label, is a hot R&B funky sound with a bit of rock thrown into the mix. While this is a fun release, that I highly recommend, I must admit I like the material led by Walker a tad more. It definitely has an earthy sound, and Walker’s growl is just what this style needed to feed it. They start of very strong with “When I Got You In My Life”, a tune that could have easily come out of the Stax catalog (oh, wait; they’re British, so “catalogue”). Also strong is “You Don’t Know Me.” More of the songs are by Tatton, who has a very sweet voice that is more Motown, and he brings a softer side to the music. I’m in more of a gritty mood these days, I think. That being said, one of the strongest songs here is the finale, “There’s a Place,” which is, of course, one of Tatton’s. Go figure.

THE JOLLY ROGUES of Boston return with a new collection of olde ditties, “ 4 Miles to Boston” (www.jollyrogues.com). As with their last release, this is a mixture of British and New England music from the Revolutionary War period, and before. Again, this quintet is more a bunch of friends sitting around the living room singing the kind of music they enjoy, more than a slick, packaged group (e.g., Renaissance), which gives it a more personable feel, and in the long run is more accurate than filtered through a multi-million dollar studio. There is a lot of interesting music sounds, like “Revolutionary Tea”, “The Road to Boston”, “Martin Said to His Man”, and “Rakes of Mallow”. There are some classics here, too, like “Bonnie Charlie” and “The Fox”. An interesting listen and a bit of a music history lesson mixed in.


I know THE CLASSIC CRIME “Acoustic EP: Seattle Sessions” (Tooth & Nail, 3522 W Government Way, Seattle, WA 98 99) was produced in their home town of Seattle by Matt Bayles (Peal Jam, etc.), but I have to say…man, I did not like this. Comes across to me as a bunch of pretension and posturing: belief that acoustic = raw emotion, check; screaming the choruses to prove said emotion, check; cracking of voice to show how deep the emotion is meant to be, check. This is 30 minutes that comes across as whining with singer-songwriting pretensions that tries to slam the listener over the head with preciousness, but it doesn’t, it just feels, well, icky. And the worst part is that this sounds like 50 billion other bands. Could be Matt MacDonald leading the Classic Crime, or it could be singer from Column A with band from Column B. As for the who-cares lyrics, well, the CD starts off with “My life is dull / And dried up like the sound a voice makes when the heart grows cold” (from “Seattle”). It ends 7 cuts later with “These pages will burn and I’ll pass away / Yesterday’s gone and I just can’t shake / The fact that I’m lost / I’m so lost” (from “Far From Home”). Who are you trying to impress, high school girls who dress in black, read sad poetry and wallow in thoughts of suicide to prove how “different” they are, like everyone else who feels the same identical way? Puh-leeze, Kevin Devine could run rings around anything here while in a coma.

MIRAH AND SPECTRATONE INTERNATIONAL has done something I have never heard before, which is cool. On “Share This Place: Stories & Observations” (krecs.com) they take a musical look at the lives of insects. But I get ahead of myself. Sweet-sounding vocalist Mirah is joined by Linda Goldstein (cello), Jane Hall (percussion), Kyle Hanson (accordion), and Kane Mathis (oud, which is a predecessor of the lute). Each cut takes a look at life from the perspective of a minute creature, including “Love Song of the Fly”, “Gestation of the Sacred Beetle”, “Emergence of the Primary Larva,” “Luminescence” (fireflies), and “Community” (ants). Stylistically, this alt pop flitters around genres like a bee, if you’ll pardon the allusion. This collection is very sweet, with Mirah’s sweet voice over the off-beat use of classical instruments. This can be a nice listen for a sunny afternoon.

After listening to “My Piano” (darrellelondon.com), I want to offer Toronto-based DARRELLE LONDON a big hug. This is such a personal document that is so basic, so simple, that it just fills the room. Darrelle and, well, her piano, sings about seeking companionship in her instrument (sort of an “At Seventeen” vibe that is more touching than depressing), post-relationship personal growth, and of a plaintive love. Darrelle’s voice is so comfortable, so waif-like (without sounding weak), and so personable, that she comes across as accessible and touching. All six cuts are recommended.

Yo, youse ever hear-a HER & KINGS COUNTY? Yeah, these guys are from New York, a center of alt country (especially Hank’s Saloon, in Brooklyn), though trying to pin down a descriptive phrase is unlikely. “City Country” (herandkingscounty.com) definitely has some country, but it’s not country. These songs have some strong rock phrasing, but they aren’t rock. They have a lot of fuck you punk attitude, but they are not punk. There is an element of pop (in a good way), but they can hardly be called pop. But somewhere between all of that is where they sleep, “ 5 feet from the highway / a million miles from Nashville”, as they state on their opening cut, “My Backyard”. And that distance from Tennessee is just as esthetic as in driving time. A perfect example of this mix is the title cut. Vocalist Monique Staffile looks like she stepped out of a “Catholic High School Girls in Trouble” video with her high hair and leather jacket, and a powerful voice that could be at home in just about any music style. Lyrically, they slide around styles as much as the music. One minute you’d expect a dog-truck-hoedown, and the next Monique screams out in a finger-poking way, “I ain’t your fuckin’ daughter!” As the front person Monique is going to gain the most attention, but please note that this is one talented band from end to end. There is some extremely cool stuff, with lots of fave cuts here, like the aforementioned “My Backyard,“ “Troubles”, “You Will Lay”, and just continue on through the last cut, “Roll Back Down.” I’m looking forward to hearing their next release, “ 609”.

REW* was one of the core founders of the Girls Rock Girls Rule tour, and I had the opportunity to meet her at a College Radio conference in her home burg of New York. That led to this opportunity to review her solo project (she’s also in the group RewBee), “that*S*rite” (luvrew.com). Backed by musicians like Television’s Billy Ficca, Rew* has a sound that’s slightly off-kilter in an endearing way. This would have fit in the pre-Brit punk heady days of CBGB’s, before much of the scene became more stratified. The songs here are pop rock with punk attitude, and are extremely earnest in a mostly stripped down sound. There’s nothing really complex, cryptic or opaque, and all is laid bare: it’s usually either “Something Rite” or simply “U Annoy Me”. Yet it does get mixed up sometimes, like on “U Suck”, the centerpiece of this release, in which Rew* states, “U suck / When can we fuck / again?” Rew*’s vocals are “unconventional” which brings what’s she’s saying right to your psyche because it makes it all that more accessible. Photo by RBF

It’s not often you get to see an African-American woman front a full-on metal band, but not only does MilitiA do that, she rocks the joint. SWEAR ON YOUR LIFE has released a 5-song EP, “Burn My Crosses” (swearonyourlife.com), which keeps the heavy in the metal. Crushing guitar (Marc Reischer), a bass (Ed Strohsahl) that rocks steady, a pounding drum (Chip Thomas), and MilitiA on a loud, yet somehow unconventional sounding vox, which enhances the experience. Her voice is clear throated rather than growling, which is a nice touch. And having met her, she definitely adds a lot in personality as the front of this band. From what I was told, they have since added an additional guitar, so look forward to that much more of a full sound. From the title cut through “Vengeance is Mine” and “Hate Out Loud”, this is – if you’ll pardon the cliché – a full-throttle engine revving on high octane, going 100 down a narrow road. Photo by RBF

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