THE WORLD ACCORDING TO WAWRZYNIAK
Reviews by Joe Wawrzyniak
 THE
REDEMPTION CENTER – Land of Plenty (www.TheRedemptionCenter.com)
Delivering twelve tracks worth of deeply harmonic and engaging
music that ably blends elements of twangy country, rootsy
folk, and rousing rock into one hell of a rich, tasty, and
arresting sonic stew, this album certainly hits the stirring
and melodic spot somethin’ sweet. The nasal and reedy,
yet pleasant and affecting vocals convey emotion with exquisite
clarity and galvanizing vitality. The arrangements keep things
tuneful and hoppin’ throughout. The smart and thoughtful
songwriting likewise impresses with its strong sense of economy
and refreshing dearth of sappy sentiment. Best of all, there’s
a real sweet warmth and glowing humanity that rings through
loud and clear in every last radiant note. A lovely and touching
slice of pure heartfelt Americana.
ECHO ORBITER – Euphonic Montage (www.echoorbiter.com)
There are oddball albums and then there are really oddball
albums. This beautifully bent, batty, and berserk baby falls
into the latter category. This sure ain’t your run-of-the-mill
strange; instead it’s alarmingly weird in the most fresh,
creative, and surprising way imaginable: Inside-out wonky
beats and singular stop-go tempos bump along at a stubbornly
gradual rate while a wonderfully wacky array of bizarre and
distorted electronic sounds bounce and pounce around to a
tripped-out psychedelic groove that’s both arresting
and eccentric in equal measure. Moreover, the songwriting
is every bit as offbeat and inspired as the freaky arrangements,
as such gloriously demented ditties as “This Worm in
Rigor Mortis,” “Renegade Path of Electrons,”
and “Bleeding Edge of the Paper Cut” irrefutably
confirm. Those with zero tolerance for the determinedly quirky
and unusual shouldn’t even bother with this delightfully
daft doozy while anyone with a taste for terminally nutty
and out of the ordinary experimental loopiness will find plenty
of choice kookiness to relish here.
 JOHN
FOTI – Everybody’s Coming to Town (www.johnfoti.com)
There’s something to be said for the simple approach
to music. Why bother with all this needless slicked-up polish
and flashy razzle-dazzle fireworks when a more basic, dynamic,
and straightforward folk-pop style hits the stirring spot
with always lively, engaging, and often exciting results.
Of course, it certainly helps that singer/songwriter John
Foti has a pleasant voice and a hearty way of belting out
a number, plus knows how to write one hell of a sharp, catchy,
and charming tune. The snappy and tuneful arrangements, vividly
filled out with such instruments as piano, trombone, banjo,
alto sax, and bass clarinet, deliver a steady succession of
jumpin’ beats and speedy tempos. Favorite song: the
wonderfully sweet’n’sprightly “Quarter to
One.” An absolute delight.
JED DAVIS – The Cutting Room Floor (www.jeddavis.com)
Specializing in offbeat and amusing confessional songs with
a strong sense of melancholy and a fierce sense of wickedly
black humor, this eagerly anticipated album – Davis’
first solo project in over ten years – is an absolute
wonky marvel to hear. Jed’s deliciously deadpan and
sardonic wit is well matched by his cheerful and lively singing,
occasionally startling outbursts of burning rage and fury
(“Native Son” in particular is one spectacularly
bitter roar of savage rancor), and firm grasp of bouncy and
energetic melodies. The songs run the gamut from bubbly and
playful to more biting and ferociously rocking. The intricate
and harmonic arrangements are simply stupendous: Several tunes
start out deceptively slow and laid-back before picking up
extra barnstorming steam and building to wildly crashin’
and thrashin’ crescendos. Awesome stuff.
 NORFOLK
& WESTERN – Dinero Severo (www.norfolkandwestern.org)
Offering up eleven tracks worth of neatly varied and melodic
music that includes widely diverse elements of everything
from forlorn high lonesome country to straight-up rousing
rock, this album makes for an often unpredictable and hence
very exciting listening experience . The vocals are fresh
and perky, the lyrics sweet and thoughtful, the arrangements
clean, spare, and eclectic (gotta dig the gently tinkling
piano that’s frequently offset by a fiercely rippin’
gritty guitar), and the melodies catchy and tuneful throughout.
Some of the songs are low-key and meditative, others are a
lot more punchy and rock harder, all are quite nice to hear.
A really cool and enjoyable album.
DIVE INDEX – The Surface We Divide (www.dive-index.com)
Effortlessly combining smooth mellow vocals, repetitive, yet
hypnotic and syncopated beats, and tight’n’tuneful
electronic arrangements into a funky, laid-back, and wholly
entrancing synthesis, this album makes for a very pleasant
and soothing listening experience. Thelanguid rhythms and
equally languorous tempos are admittedly pretty slow and spacey,
but nonetheless possess a certain oddly mesmerizing sonic
pull that gently asserts itself and leaves a strong buzzing
lasting impact. The way the songs carefully build to serenely
swirling and surging crescendos is something sweet, with an
eclectic array of instruments that include live drums, acoustic
and electric guitars, synths, and even cellos producing a
wondrous variety of soft, melodic, and often surprising sounds.
A lovely album.
 THE
CHAPIN SISTERS – Two (www.thechapinsisters.com)
Boasting exquisitely lovely, delicate, and achingly tender
voices of breathtaking crystalline purity, the Brooklyn-born
sister duo of Lily and Abigail Chapin is truly something to
hear. Better still, these two pretty ladies are also quite
capable songwriters with a sturdy knack for hauntingly fragile
melodies and smart and reflective lyrics. The arrangements
are suitably spare and subdued, with a welcome emphasis put
on the Chapin sisters’ sweet and seductive vocal harmonizing.
The softly lulling tempos and laid-back trudging beats keep
the divinely dulcet, fresh, and warm rootsy folk-pop music
supremely soothing and relaxed from start to finish. An absolute
delight.
JANET LABELLE – Moon Songs (www.janetlabellemusic.com)
Singer/songwriter Janet LaBelle delivers five supremely nice,
captivating, and harmonic songs on this tasty little EP CD.
“The Moon is Ours” starts things on a pleasantly
upbeat and melodic note, the smoothly rocking “Not Tonight”
bumps along to a perfectly catchy and bouncy country-tinged
shuffle, and the beautifully meditative “What the World
Looked Like” hits the gently lulling and moving spot.
LaBelle’s sweet voice and sharp and thoughtful songwriting
make for a strong and impressive double whammy. The tuneful
and neatly eclectic arrangements skillfully run the gamut
from lively pop rockers to more low-key and reflective ballads.
A fine and affecting gem.
 I’M
IN YOU (www.iminyou.com)
Bursting forth from your speakers with a certain savagely
aggressive and in-your-face sensibility and equally abrasive,
yet still melodic and hypnotic sound, this album sure makes
its bone-rattling presence felt right from the first dynamic
track “Heart Exploder.” The arrangements spit
out a furious array of gritty guitars, ferocious steamrolling
drums, churning basslines, and blurting horns that rarely
let up for a minute. The angry lyrics and fierce shouted vocals
add further nasty punch to the already raw and hard-hitting
music. Better still, a few of the latter songs downplay the
caterwauling racket in favor of a more subdued and gently
dulcet approach to banging out a tune. One hell of a fine
and impressive album.
AGENT RIBBONS – Chateau Crone (www.myspace.com/agentribbons)
This all-female rock trio stake out their own funky, harmonic,
and gloriously stripped-down minimalistic sonic territory
with this splendidly singular album. Sounding like some deliciously
unholy cross between a swaggering high lonesome country band,
your basic scrappy bunch of sneering punkettes, and an avant-garde
experimental outfit who were kicked out of college for being
way too hip and clever for their own good, coming on somethin’
fierce with a winning blend of ballsy attitude and strong
ringing melodies, blessed with lovely soaring voices and adept
musicianship, these ladies flat-out rock in a wonderfully
quirky, inventive, and original way. A marvelously offbeat
delight.
 FLOATING
OPERA – Pony Up a Go-Go (www.floatingopera.com)
Deftly mixing sharp, smart lyrics with extremely catchy, bouncy,
and radiant melodies, this nifty and creative pop-rock group
deliver a positively delightful and invigorating blast of
sheer sparkling pop-rock bliss. The exuberant vocals project
an utterly captivating upbeat charm while the arrangements
boast a wondrous wealth of buzzing guitar riffs, hypnotic
basslines, exquisite swirling strings, and sturdy charging
drums. Moreover, there’s a finely affecting sense of
sadness and despair bubbling just underneath the service of
all the cheerful music. A terrific album.
ALGERNON – Ghost Surveillance (www.algernonmusic.com)
Right from the start you know you’re in for something
sweet: the guitars swirl and whirl around while the drums
lay down a killer driving beat and the basslines chugs away
with equally remorseless forward-ho precision. What makes
this instrumental music so tasty, catchy, and utterly arresting
is the way it skillfully blends elements of hard-charging
rock and cool melodic jazz into an extremely complex, tuneful,
and overall hypnotic synthesis. The members of this Chicago-based
group are complete consummate professionals who never play
a single wrong or off note; the virtuosity at work here would
be downright intimidating if it wasn’t done in such
an exquisitely smooth and natural manner. Best of all, this
album doesn’t easily fit into one simple single category
or follow a familiar established formula: Sometimes it rocks,
other times it’s more mellow, it even gets pretty wonky
and spaced-out at times. A total treat.
 GRASS
WIDOW – Past Time (Kill Rock Stars)
It’s always a treat to hear an offbeat and inventive
experimental punk album done by a group of ladies showing
us guys they can do just as well as men, if not better. The
gals who make up this group eschew formula pop-rock conventions
in favor of an admirably quirky and fearless “screw
it, do it” avant-garde approach. Sure, we get the expected
hoppin’ drums, buzzing basslines, and clanging guitars
(think 60’s reverb-blastin’ surf-rock shot through
with a scrappy and spiky punky sensibility and you’ve
got the sound and attitude nailed), but there’s a raw
energy and fierce urgency to the music that’s anything
but standard and run-of-the-mill. Moreover, these women all
have nice voices and don’t overdo the feminist politics.
Instead they focus primarily on crafting music that’s
haunting and melodic in equal measure. In addition, the subject
matter tends to be pretty dark and personal, but it’s
done in a straightforward way that makes it affecting and
accessible. A fine and praiseworthy album.
 THE
RUSSIANS – Crashing the Party (www.therussianembassy.com)
Spearheaded by singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Scott
Janovitz, with no less than fifteen other musicians playing
various instruments with praiseworthy flair and skill, this
album delivers ten tracks worth of pure sparkling pop-rock
bliss. Boasting smooth and dreamy vocals, bouncy and catchy
melodies, loads of tasty hooks (gotta love those buzzing guitar
riffs, chugging basslines, and steady forward-ho charging
drums), snappy tempos, and big rolling beats, the songs contained
herein are so incredibly breezy, energetic, and exciting that
one can’t resist the urge to bop one’s head to
and fro or possibly even get up and dance all over the room
while smiling a huge cheery grin from ear to ear. Sprinkle
in some sweet horns, add a dash of infectiously upbeat vibes,
and top it all off with some sharp and smart songwriting.
Mix together and you’ve got yourself a total treat.
DAX RIGGS – Say Goodnight to the World (www.myspace.com/daxriggs)
This lowdown gritty bluesy rock album goes heavy on the sweetly
burnin’ funk and deftly mines a fine line in soul-baring
angst. Dax Riggs’ pleasant and commanding expressive
vocals and sharp songwriting make for a potent double whammy.
The head, evocative, and occasionally quite lively and stirring
arrangements are neatly filled out with fluid guitars, hypnotic
basslines, and sturdy drums that craft a gorgeously rich,
melodic, and captivating sound that bubbles over with a spot-on
mix of soothing soul and otherworldly harmony. Some of the
songs rock out like nobody’s barnstorming business (“Gravedirt
on My Blue Suede Shoes” and “Let Me Be Your Cigarette”
in particular really do the rousing trick), others are more
laid-back and moody (the beautifully brooding cover of “Heartbreak
Hotel” positively drips with melancholy atmosphere),
all are uniformly excellent. One hell of a worthwhile and
impressive album.
 Black
Sabbath: The Secret Musical History of Black-Jewish Relations
(www.idelsohnsociety.com/blacksabbath)
This truly remarkable compilation delivers fifteen songs by
various notable African-American artists doing uniquely black
versions of traditional Jewish numbers recorded in the 30’s
up until the 60’s. Opening with Billie Holiday’s
beautifully bluesy rendition of “My Yiddishe Momme,”
further highlighted by excellent tunes by Cab Calloway (doing
a great hepcat take on “Utt Da Zay”), Alberta
Hunter (an exquisitely graceful and moody interpretation of
“Ich Hob Dich Tzufil Lieba”), Eartha Kitt (hitting
it out of the ballpark with a spirited cover of “Shalem”),
Marlena Shaw (pouring on the sweetly burning funk with “Where
Can I Go?”), Jimmy Scott (a marvelously mellow version
of “Exodus”), Aretha Franklin (almost stealing
the whole show with a simply spectacular swingin’ rendition
of “Swanee”), Lena Horne (in top-rate form belting
out “Now!” with characteristic fiery passion),
Nina Simone (tearin’ it up with a jaunty cover of “Eretz
Zavat Chalaw”), and the Temptations (gettin’ all
soulful with the incredible “Fiddler on the Roof Medley”),
and concluding with a sublime interpretation of “Kol
Nidre” by Johnny Mathis, this album offers proof positive
that music is a powerful force that can effectively bridge
and transcend all racial, cultural, and religious differences
and bring everyone together. Amazing stuff.
 BLACK
WATER RISING (www.blackwaterrising.com)
Roaring forth from the speakers with a splendidly savage and
snarly blend of boiling fury and fiercely in-your-face swaggering
aggression, this totally kick-ass hard-rock album shakes,
rattles, and rolls up a volcanic storm that’s guaranteed
to reverberate in your skull for weeks on end. The raw-throated
vocals shout and sneer with gloriously ferocious abandon.
The beefy tough-diggin’ guitars rip and shred everything
in their path, the drums lay down plenty of brutal pile-driving
beats , and the seething basslines supply lots of gritty undertow.
Best of all, the words are every bit as tough and hard-hitting
as the music, with the marvelously defiant “No Halos”
rating as the definite stand-out track. A supremely awesome
blast of pure rock’n’roll venom.
 FUN
MACHINE – Beef Oven (www.myspace.com.funmachine)
Okay, when one thinks of classical music composers and tripped-out
experimental rock music, the name Ludwig Van Beethoven doesn’t
immediately spring to mind. But that’s exactly what
we get here: Five classic Beethoven compositions that include
the “5th” (gloriously spacey), “Ode to George”
(beyond astonishing), and “Moonlight” (insanely
groovy behop jazz style, baby!) are all brilliantly reinterpreted
as wonderfully wiggy, wonky, and flat-out weird electronic
numbers that are both audacious and exhilarating in equal
measure. Classical music purists will probably find this honey
to be utterly appalling (which of course is one of the reasons
why it’s so freakin’ great!) while lovers of offbeat
and unusual avant-garde aural oddness should lap this one
up like so much fine spilled wine.
 JOEY
MALTESE – Night of the Muse (www.joeymaltese.com)
Offering up 17 tracks worth of dense and sprawling, yet tasty,
involving, and often melodic rock, New York City-based singer/songwriter
Joey Maltese totally hits it out of the ballpark with this
extremely dynamic and ambitious album. Maltese’s rather
raspy, but lively vocals and sharp, thoughtful, and intelligent
songwriting make for a formidable double act. Amazingly, Maltese
also plays quite well all the instruments on this album which
range from neatly riffin’n’wailin’ guitars
to finely percolating basslines to all kinds of nifty and
energetic percussion. The songs alternate between straight-up
rousing rockers (the supremely hard-charging “Ain’t
Gonna Be Easy,” the funky-bumpin’ “Glass
Wall”) and more low-key and thoughtful numbers (the
beautifully gentle and lulling “Fly Away Ravin,”
the gorgeous piano-driven ballad “Mind Love”).
A marvelously eclectic and impressive winner.
 FALLING
STILL – May All Magic Guide and Change You (fallingstill.com)
Fuck yeah, man! Coming on like galvanizing gangbusters with
the rousing opening number “Birth,” this album
totally hits the bull’s eye with its spot-on exciting
serving of extremely fluid, hypnotic, and dynamic straight-up
rock’n’roll. The passionate vocals project emotion
with tremendous energy and conviction. The busy and aggressive
arrangements keep things hoppin’ throughout, with relentless
steamroller drums, fiercely cutting guitars, and churning
basslines laying down a steady succession of speedy tempos
and huge pounding beats that bulldoze over everything in their
ferocious sonic path. This is the kind of mean and ballsy
no-nonsense rock music that kicks plenty of ass and doesn’t
bother taking any names. In other words, it’s the absolute
motherfuckin’ shit, baby!
 WELCOME
TO ASHLEY – Beyond the Pale (www.myspace.com/welcometoashley)
Boasting bouncy hooks, lively and tuneful arrangements, and
bright, catchy, and captivating melodies, this power-pop quartet
produce an engagingly breezy and uplifting little beaut with
their full-length album debut. The hearty full-throated vocals
soar over a snappy sonic blanket of buzzing guitars, chugging
basslines, and sturdy drums that keep the brisk tempos and
steady beats bobbing along at a smoothly undulating rhythmic
flow. Best of all, there’s an infectiously constant
and positive energy crackling throughout that’s impossible
to either resist or dislike. A very nice and enjoyable album.
 BREATHING
BLUE (www.myspace.com/breathingblue)
Delivering six extremely crunchy’n’punchy tracks
worth straight-up catchy and energetic rock, this New Jersey
band certainly hits it right out of the ballpark with a winning
surplus of ceaseless vitality and infectiously wide-eyed go-for-it
passion. The lively vocals yelp over a furiously kickin’
array of poppin’ guitar riffs, constant steamrolling
drums, and smooth rolling basslines. The peppy tempos and
jumpin’ beats keep things hoppin’ from start to
finish. A immensely enjoyable blast of sheer rock’n’roll
joy.
 CECILIA
CELESTE - October Leaves (www.myspace.com/ceceliaceleste)
Delivering five songs worth of fiercely buzzing and lively
rock, this short’n’snappy EP CD hits the stirring
spot somethin’ sweet. The full-throated vocals howl
over a roaring sonic onslaught of roaring guitars, seething
basslines, and savagely pounding drums. The opening song “So
Much” totally shreds, “365 Days” goes the
more mellow and melodic route with pleasantly soothing results,
and the neatly bumpin’ “October Leaves”
concludes everything on a get-down funky groovin’ note.
A cool little CD.
CAREFUL – Oh, Light (www.carefulmusic.com)
A beautifully complex, hypnotic and harmonic jewel of exquisitely
lush and arresting experimental pop loveliness, this simply
divine album delivers a delicate blend of achingly fragile
melody and sweetly affecting thoughtfulness that’s truly
something special. Eric Lindley’s gently whispery vocals
and smartly reflective songwriting make for a formidable double
act. Moreover, the eclectic, tuneful, and often surprising
arrangements ensure that the music remains rich, intricate,
and always compelling throughout. A commendably different
and creative album.
 NEW
HEATHENS – Hello Disaster (www.newheathens.com)
Bursting forth right out of the gate with a furiously snappy
and aggressive forward-ho dynamism with the rousing “Crybaby,”
this get-down lively and exciting country-flavored rock’nroll
group serves up a tasty and tuneful helping of no-bullshit
straight-up rock. The passionate twangy vocals yell and holler
over a fierce sonic onslaught of crunchy ringing guitars,
churning basslines, and ferociously relentless steaming drums.
The rapid-fire speedy tempos and chunky driving beats rarely
let up for a minute. Bonus kudos are also in order for the
sharp and spot-on smart songwriting. Favorite song: The superbly
biting and powerful “Thankless War.” An excellent
and hugely enjoyable winner.
 ESQUELA
– The Owl Has Landed (www.esquelatheband.com)
Offering up ten tracks worth of supremely groovy and soul
rootsy rock’n’roll done with a certain appealing
no-frills immediacy and a winning dearth of high-falutin’
pretense, this album goes down nice and easy. Lead singer
Rebecca’s splendidly hoarse and gritty, yet reassuring
and captivating voice belts out the smart and thoughtful
lyrics with extremely warm and comforting aplomb. The gradual
tempos and syncopated beats chug along at a pleasingly relaxed
shuffling rhythm. Kudos are also in order for the sweetly
harmonic arrangements. Best of all, there’s even an
amusingly sweet and folksy low-key humor evident throughout.
A total treat.
 THE
TRUE JACQUELINE – Nice Bird (www.greenlightgopublicity.com)
Oh, yeah baby! Bring it on! You ever listen to an album that’s
so delightfully bouncy, upbeat, and flat-out insanely appealing
fun that it just makes you wanna say all sorts of wacky nice
stuff. Well, man, this is exactly that kinda album. Y’know,
sweet, lively, and positive, but never too cloying or cutesy,
done with a winning blend of wide-eyed go-for-it energy and
enthusiasm, sung with disarming spunkiness, and played with
an equally engaging sense of smooth musicianship (gotta love
those crunchy guitar riffs and neatly poppin’ basslines!),
this darling is an absolute joy to hear from sparkling start
to fabulous finish. So load it up, play it loud, and hit that
repeat button, ‘cause this is the sort of hugely pleasurable
album that warrants and deserves multiple listenings.
 THE
RESERVES – Life (www.thereservesmusic.com)
Bounding forth from the sonic horizons with a winning surplus
of beautifully pure harmony and equally crystalline vitality,
the Reserves hit it out of the ballpark with their spot-on
sophomore album. The vocals are smooth and captivating, the
songwriting sharp and thoughtful, the arrangements graceful
and tuneful, while the snappy tempos and persistent beats
rarely let up for a minute. Better still, there’s a
refreshing and downright infectious upbeat sensibility at
work throughout that’s an absolute delight to hear.
A terrifically enjoyable and uplifting album.
THE DEVYL NELLYS – Airport (www.myspace.com/thedevylnellys)
Flowing as pure, even, and soothing as a clear mountain stream,
this lovely five song EP CD makes for extremely pleasant and
relaxing listening. Nelly Levon’s warm and sultry voice
and sharp and thoughtful songwriting rate highly as a very
strong and impressive double act. The tuneful arrangements
likewise hit the gently harmonic spot, with carefully strummed
guitars, calmly chugging basslines, and subdued, yet steady
drums artfully creating a fresh, appealing, and inviting sound
that’s a total joy to hear. A fine little item.
 STEPHANIE
FINCH AND THE COMPANY MEN - Cry Tomorrow (Belle Sound)
Offering up ten tracks worth of smooth and soulful straight-up
rock, this album immediately wins the listener over with its
immensely arresting sonic buzz, glorious abundance of pure
class, and extremely cool retro 60’s style pop-rock
music sensibility. Stephanie Finch’s sweetly seductive
voice casts quite a strong and sexy spell; her heavenly soprano
projects a certain relaxed elegance that’s both alluring
and entrancing in equal measure. The arrangements are likewise
marvelously harmonic and dynamic, with persistent drums, snappy
guitar riffs, and neatly percolating basslines keeping the
sturdy beats and lively tempos bubbling along throughout.
An absolute delight.
 MY
PET DRAGON – Lover in Hiding (www.mypetdragon.net)
Offering up six tracks worth of supremely wonky, yet still
melodic and hypnotic moody space music, this EP CD hits a
pleasantly mellow’n’meditative vibe right from
the start and expertly milks it for all it’s worth.
The vocals are nice, vibrant, and soulful, the arrangements
harmonic and arresting, the songwriting thoughtful and intelligent.
The perky tempos and steady beats bop along at a perfectly
constant, but relaxed rate. Best of all, the whole thing radiates
a nifty reflective tone that’s both soothing and captivating
in equal measure. A cool and satisfying little winner.
 MAKARA’S
PEN (Projekt Records)
Boasting a winning surplus of ethereal vocals, lush arrangements,
and thoughtful lyrics, the eleven extremely moody, yet melodic
songs on this indie pop-rock shoegazer album make a potent
and lasting impression. Emma Willis’ exceptionally lovely,
fragile, and captivating voice and smart and reflective songwriting
make for a formidable double act. No foolin’ about the
arrangements as well: the chugging basslines, dazzling swirl
of whirling guitars, and neatly layered charging drums ensure
that the finely honed music is buffed and shined to a razor-sharp
glowing polish from start to finish. Luckily, there’s
plenty of heartfelt emotion and rip-snorting vitality to further
enhance all the admittedly praiseworthy slickness, thus giving
the listener the best of both worlds. An excellent album.
 FRAMING
HANLEY – A Promise To Burn (myspace.com/framinghanley)
This sophomore by this bang-up Nashville, Tennessee alternative
rock band comes on like two-fished gangbusters rigt from the
fiercely hard-charging opening song “The Promise.”
Passionate soaring vocals vault straight to the heavens and
beyond while the churning basslines, hard-as-marble pumpin’
drums, and deep-diggin’ guitar riffs lay down a scorching
hot array of kickin’ tempos and constant hammering beats.
Moreover, the smart and thoughtful songwriting deftly mines
a fine and affecting line in admirable maturity and reflectivity.
Better still, there’s a real sensitivity and humanity
to be relished amid all the exciting racket. A totally awesome
album.
 HALSTED
– Life Underwater (www.halstedmusic.com)
Recorded by singer/songwriter Ryan Auffenberg during an especially
rough period in his life, this album not surprisingly has
a real strong sense of resolute purpose and driven urgency
to it that adds substantially to its considerable dramatic
impact. Despite the grim origins of the music contained herein,
a firm and unshakable feeling of hope and optimism pervades
throughout. Auffenberg’s raspy, yet lively vocals belt
out the upbeat lyrics with winning gusto and passion. Moreover,
the tuneful and energetic arrangements are likewise most appealing,
with ringing guitars, smooth basslines, and sturdy drums delivering
a steady succession of chugging tempos and constant steamrolling
beats. Fortunately, said happy vibes never become too corny
or cloying. A lovely and positively life-affirming jewel.
 LIKE
TRAINS & TAXIS - Tales from a Revolving Door (www.liketrainsandtaxis.com)
Smooth and laid-back, with a pleasingly relaxed and soothing
vibe pervading throughout, this jazzy pop album eleven tracks
worth of supremely mellow and engaging sonic hipness. The
vocals are pleasant and appealing, the arrangements crisp,
tuneful, and neatly percolating throughout, the tempos steady,
but unhurried, the beats sturdy, yet low-key, and the rhythm
flows along at a nicely gradual chugging clip. For the most
part things remain pretty calm and easygoing, although we
do get the occasional more thrilling and lively number such
as the jaunty “Separate Lives.” Kudos are also
in order for the concise and intelligent songwriting. A really
cool and enjoyable album.
 ITALIAN
JAPANESE – The Lush, Romantic Weirdness (www.italianjapanese.com)
Los Angeles alt-rock trio really hit it out of the ballpark
with their extremely fresh, energetic, and exciting debut
album. The robust vocals possess a winning surplus of passion
and emotion. No foolin’ about the remarkably catchy,
kickin’, and melodic arrangements: Cool boppin’
drum beats and ceaselessly flowing basslines lay down a firm
rhythmic foundation while the guitars ring and rip with tremendously
stirring aplomb. But musical proficiency alone isn’t
what makes this album such a spot-on little pip; it’s
the praiseworthy maturity and intelligence of the sharp and
thoughtful songwriting that clinches this honey’s sterling
status as one hell of a fine album (“Le Pony”
in particular is a very potent and poignant song about a woman
suffering from a severe addiction to painkillers). Highly
recommended.
 B.D.
GUTTFRIED – The Warden’s Picnic (www.bdgottfried.com)
Coming on all big, bold, and swaggering right from the first
rousing song, this album hits hard and fast with a certain
rip-snorting forward-ho confidence and momentum that’s
truly something to hear. B.D. Guttfried’s strong and
robust voice roars over a furiously dynamic sonic onslaught
of fiercely diggin’ guitars, churning basslines, and
relentless piledriving drums. The kickin’ tempos and
barnstorming beats keep things lively and exciting throughout.
Better still, there’s a real passion and intelligence
to the songwriting which further enhances the overall superior
quality of the exceptionally melodic and thrilling music.
A first-rate pip.
 SIMON
SPIRE – All or Nothing (www.simonspire.com)
This album gets off to a delightfully bouncy’n’breezy
start with the exuberant “Inside Out.” Simon Spire’s
sweet, boyish vocals project an infectious blend of joy and
vitality. Spire’s thoughtful songwriting does the trick
with admirable economy and a refreshing dearth of cutesy sentiment.
The lively and catchy arrangements likewise hit the spot,
with ringing guitars, sturdy drums, and chugging basslines
keep things smooth, dynamic, and engaging throughout. Moreover,
there’s an endearingly bubbly and upbeat quality evident
throughout that ‘s impossible to either resist or dislike.
A nice little album.
SIMON SPIRE – Softly Softly Catchee Monkey (www.simonspire.com)
Simon Spire continues his winning streak with this lovely
little three song EP CD. Once again the gorgeous purity of
Spire’s charming vocals and the reflective quality of
his articulate songwriting make for a pleasing combo. Of course,
the gently tuneful arrangements are real easy and soothing
on the ears as well. Like his album, this is a very nice item
which makes for pleasant listening.
 ERYN
SHEWELL – 4th & Broadway (www.ErynShewell.com)
Blessed with a remarkably sultry, lovely, and captivating
voice that soars straight to the heavens with breathtaking
grace and agility, Eryn Shewell impresses the listener on
the strength of her supremely sexy and enrapturing pipes alone.
Fortunately, Eryn’s admittedly glorious voice ain’t
the whole show: The songwriting is mature, thoughtful, and
intelligent, the arrangements tight and tuneful, the playing
crisp and proficient, while the sturdy beats and steady tempos
maintain a smooth and evenly flowing rhythmic momentum throughout.
Better yet, the music itself is nicely varied, always melodic,
and often stirring: “Already Wrote the Song” adds
a touch of grit and funk, “Satellite” deftly works
a deep diggin’ groove with right-on bumpin’ results,
“Work So Hard” takes the slow and soothing approach
with beautifully serene results, and the loose’n’woolly
“Whiskey Devil” concludes everything on a properly
rousing and spirited note. A superbly elegant and enormously
enjoyable album.
 MONTAGNA
AND THE MOUTH TO MOUTH – L’avenir (www.onceagreatsurgeon.org)
Delivering fourteen tracks worth of perfectly brooding and
harmonic pop-rock, this album makes for an interesting listening
experience. The vocals are strong and captivating while the
arrangements are tight, melodic, and atmospheric. The ringing
guitars, smooth basslines, and persistent drums keep the snappy
tempos and constant beats surging along at a satisfyingly
steady rate. Better yet, the songwriting is both smart and
reflective. The songs alternate between slow and moody and
more lively and exciting. A nicely varied and impressive album.
RADIO BARONS – Case of the Crazies (www.theradiobarons.com)
This fiercely boppin’ EP CD spits up and snarls out
three pulverizing tracks worth of perfectly crunchy’n’punchy
no-bullshit rock’n’roll. This baby hits all the
essential gnarly bases somethin’ sweet: snotty vocals
howling over a seething sonic onslaught of rippin’ guitars,
diggin’ basslines , and hard-poundin’ jackhammer
drums. The tempos barrel along at a constant rapid-fire clip
while the beats are every bit as big and bouncy as they ought
to be. What’s not to love?
 FRED
GILLEN JR. – Match Against a New Moon (www.fredgillenjr.com)
Done with tremendously moving thoughtfulness and sensitivity,
this warm and affecting album offers a surprising amount of
hope amid the usual array of regret and despair. Fred Gillen
Jr.’s calm, reassuring voice and smart, insightful songwriting
make for a highly potent double whammy. Better yet, the melodies
are gentle and soothing, with softly strummed guitars, subdued
drums, and some tasty harmonica keeping things perfectly tuneful
throughout. But what really gives this album an extra substantial
lift is the fragile, yet durable humanity which shines through
the whole thing like a ray of sunshine poking through the
clouds on an otherwise gray and rainy day. A lovely and inspirational
album.
 MASON
REED – You Can’t Come Back from Heaven (www.masonreedmusic.com)
Offering up five tracks worth of gloriously smoky and vivid
country-rock, singer/songwriter Mason Reed really impresses
with this perfectly twangy and harmonic EP CD. Reed’s
endearingly hoarse croak of a voice, terrifically folksy feel
for offbeat side-of-the-road Americana, wonderfully quirky
songwriting, and razor-sharp sense of wry humor are all uniformly
excellent and delightful. Moreover, the tuneful arrangements
make for very sweet listening, with jaunty guitars, steady
drums, and such additional instruments as a banjo and mandolin
keeping things pleasant and engaging throughout. A total treat.
 THE
ATLANTIC MANOR – The World Beneath This World is Beginning
(www.theatlanticmanor.com)
Brace yourself for some heavy-duty gloom and despair, because
the always morose, yet still potent and captivating Do-It-Yourself
indie music auteur R. Sell is at it again. Everything that
makes this guy’s music so singularly moody, compelling,
and, most of all, extremely poignant is present and accounted
for. Dour mumbled vocals? Check. Spare, but eloquent songwriting?
Ditto. Slow trudging tempos and equally gradual unhurried
beats. Yep, they’re both here as well. Tight’n’tuneful
arrangements that are cut right to the bone and eschew needless
flashy show-off pyrotechnics in favor of a more admirably
restrained and understated approach? Oh boy, do we ever get
this stuff done with astounding skill and remorseless precision.
The songs alternate between short and to the point and remarkably
drawn-out sonic excursions that buzz and hover in the air
like some kind of beautifully ominous aural storm cloud. There’s
something very haunting about R. Sell’s patented sadness,
a certain profoundly moving sense of fragile humanity and
basic vulnerability, that makes his dark and depressing albums
powerful experiences to listen to. If we lived in a more fair
world, R. Sell would be a household name with multiple awards
and plaudits to his credit. Alas, we don’t. But fortunately
R. Sell still plugs away and keeps on doing his distinctly
sorrowful thing with impressive grace and persistence.
 STATUS
GREEN – Cheap Sunglasses (www.myspace.com/statusgreen)
Delivering thirteen tracks worth of extremely groovy and exciting
straight-up with no bullshit rock’n’roll, this
album hits the pleasingly lively and stirring sonic spot somethin’
sweet. The vocals are clear and peppy, the arrangements tuneful
and dynamic, the melodies are delightfully bubbly’n’catchy,
the tempos speed along at a nice snappy clip, and the beats
are every bit as big and bouncy as they ought to be. This
Ashbury Park, New Jersey group specializes in rock music that
gets right down to kickin’ brass tacks with a refreshing
and admirable lack of fuss and pretense. The net result of
this direct and uncomplicated approach is a terrific simplicity
of style that offers proof positive that you don’t need
a lot of flashy razzle dazzle when it comes to producing some
damn fine and rousing music. A total treat.
 REBECCA
TURNER – Slowpokes (www.rebeccaturner.net)
Delicately blending elements of folk, pop, rock, and country,
singer/songwriter Rebecca Turner’s second album possesses
an achingly pure and fragile melodicism that’s as warmly
affecting as it is utterly appealing. Better still, Turner’s
lovely and twangy angelic voice radiates a marvelously sweet
quality that’s impossible to either dislike or resist.
Moreover, Turner has a fine knack for crafting lyrics that
are sharp and thoughtful, but never degenerate into goopy
sentimental corn. A very nice little jewel.
THEIR PLANES WILL BLOCK OUT THE SUN – White Dancer
(www.myspace.com/theirplanes)
Delivering eight sizzling tracks that deftly blend elements
of groovy jazz and galvanizing rock into a very punchy and
exciting synthesis, this album certain hits the stirring spot
somethin’ sweet. The ringing guitars, sturdy drums,
and percolating basslines keep the snappy tempos and constant
beats rousing and dynamic throughout. The smooth vocals are
likewise quite pleasant and captivating. A really solid and
satisfying album.
 PAPER
THE OPERATOR – Goodbye God (www.papertheoperator.com)
Carefully mining a finely affecting and harmonic line in lo-fi
sparseness, this beautifully subtle and understated album
manages in its own deceptively quiet way to be quite powerful
and resonant. Jon Sebastian’s softly urgent voice projects
emotion in an admirably laconic manner that keeps both cloying
sentiment and crude histrionics at bay throughout. The songs
nicely alternate between fairly energetic rockers and more
subdued and contemplative numbers. The gradual tempos and
relaxed, yet steady tempos keep the music chugging along at
a soothing slow rate. A very worthy and moving album.
SMOKE FAIRIES – Ghosts (www.smokefairies.com)
Boasting a wealth of eerie, yet ethereal melodies, captivating
whispery vocals, and exquisitely delicate, but tuneful and
haunting arrangements, this album immediately impresses the
listener with its achingly fragile mix of frail harmony and
spot-on musicianship. The slow tempos and subdued beats creep
up on you like a sexy’n’sinister black cat; they’re
peculiarly arresting in their striking languidness. Dripping
with moody atmosphere from every last supremely spooky note,
this deliciously dark and brooding item totally hits the beautifully
chilling spot.
 DAVID
EASTON BAND - Long Road Home (www.davideaston.com)
Laying down the sweet’n’soulful heavenly funk
with supreme ease and skill (the incredibly hip’n’happening
opening track is even named “Funky Snoopy”!),
this album hits a strong and invigorating bouncy and bumpin’
groove that rarely let’s up for a minute. The diggin’
basslines, zoned-to-the-rippin’-bone keyboards, sturdy
drums, and smooth riffin’ guitars keep things lively
and thrilling throughout. David Easton’s pleasant, comforting
voice and smart songwriting make for a potent and impressive
double whammy. A smack dead on the money terrific album.
 BENJY
DAVIS PROJECT – Lost Souls Like Us (www.benjydavisproject.com)
Effortlessly projecting a certain sweet and folksy downhome
Southern charm, this perfectly laid-back and melodic country-rock
album really hits the pleasant and soothing spot. Benjy Davis’
warm and raspy tenor immediately puts the listener at ease.
Ditto the smooth slide guitar work and relaxed, yet steady
shuffling rhythms. Better still, there’s a very nice
and positive thoughtful quality and refreshing sense of genuine
maturity evident throughout. The songs alternate between low-key
and reflective and more lively all-out rockers. Favorite tune:
the extremely jaunty and witty “Bite My Tongue.”
An excellent and immensely enjoyable album.
 LUDLOW
LIONS – No Stories (www.ludlowlionstheband.com)
Hey you! Yeah, you pal. Wanna hear something that’s
crunchy’n’punchy, yet still graceful and melodic?
Of course you do. But that ain’t the half of it, buddy.
How ‘bout those sweet soaring vocals that fly straight
to the heavens and back with breathtaking agility. Then
there’s those equally divine backing harmonies. Gotta
dig the sharp and spot-on reflective songwriting, too. No
foolin’ about the tight and tuneful arrangements as
well. What’s not to like? So give this album a whirl
or two on your CD player as soon as you can.
 ANNA
COOGAN – The Nocturnal Among Us (www.myspace.com/annacoogan)
Armed with an extremely sweet, dulcet, and soothing voice,
singer/songwriter Anna Coogan immediately wins the listener
over with her supremely lovely and arresting pipes alone.
Soaring over the high notes with breathtaking skill and agility,
hitting a lower register with equal grace and smoothness,
this gal’s voice is truly something to hear. Moreover,
Coogan is also one hell of a smart and thoughtful songwriter
with a strong knack for eloquent lyrics and simple, yet harmonic
melodies. Best of all, this remarkably moving and intelligent
country-folk album that addresses relevant issues about adulthood
in a mature and direct way without ever becoming too sappy
or cloying about it. A lovely and touching little jewel.
 TYPHOON
– Hunger & Thirst (www.myspace.com/wearetyphoon)
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, this multiple membered group
fronted by talented singer/guitarist Kyle Morton make an impressive
debut with this nifty and melodic eleven song album. Morton’s
delicate, yet sturdy and passionate vocals and clear, smart,
thoughtful songwriting rate as a potent double whammy. Moreover,
the rich, complex, and tuneful arrangements really hit the
harmonic spot, with swirling strings, steady basslines, ringing
guitars, and firm drums blending together to create a lovely
and moody sound that’s lulling and sonorous in comparable
measure. Best of all, a substantial array of seventeen musicians
altogether contributed to this album in one way or another,
thus giving this baby the sense of a heavy and meaningful
communal project that everyone involved with gave their everything
to. Favorite song: the incredibly intricate and atmospheric
seven-plus minute mini-epic “Belly of the Cavern.”
A very fine album.
 No
One Knows About Persian Cats - Soundtrack (Milan Records)
This soundtrack for an indie film about the daily struggle
of musicians in the strife-ridden country of Iran offers fifteen
uniformly excellent tracks from an eclectic array of artists
who risk getting arrested and being put in jail for producing
their music. Not surprisingly, there’s a real urgency
and intensity to these songs which gives them a significant
amount of weight and substance. The delectably diverse assortment
of musical styles range from groovy retro 60’s garage
rock (“Human Jungle” by Take It Easy Hospital)
to mellow bossa nova lounge (Rana Fahran’s supremely
soothing “Mas-e Esgh (Drunk With Love)”) to funky
rap (“Ekhtelfa” by Hichkas) to raw and raucous
punk (the fabulously thrashy “New Century” by
the Yellow Dogs) to furiously burning straight-up rock (the
awesomely ferocious “Dreaming” by Darkoob). Although
I couldn’t understand a word of any of the songs sung
in Farsi, I nonetheless could still readily comprehend the
passion and emotion that’s powerfully conveyed in the
music. This first-rate compilation offers proof positive that
music is indeed a universal language that crosses all cultural,
religious, and political boundaries. Amazing stuff.
A WEATHER – Everyday Balloons (www.team-love.com)
Representing pop-rock music at its most soothing and delicately
harmonic, this album goes down nice and easy thanks to its
warm and gentle sound. The pleasant whispery vocals hit the
sweetly engaging spot. Ditto the spare, yet striking guitar
work, smart and simple songwriting, softly persistent drums,
and pretty melodies all make this album a very touching and
comforting listening experience. Moreover, there’s a
frail and heartfelt sensitivity evident throughout that’s
both affecting and endearing in equal measure. A lovely little
low-key jewel.
 SHRUBS
– Forgotten How to Fall (myspace.com/shrubs)
Representing pop-rock at its most infectiously bubbly, catchy,
and upbeat, this album makes a sweet and strong impression
just like a bright sparkling beam of sunshine piercing through
some storm clouds in an otherwise gloomy sky. Better still,
the band’s basic sound has this very groovy and engaging
retro 60’s buzzing garage rockish quality to it, with
snappy riffin’ guitars, neatly chugging basslines, and
sturdy drums supplying a steady succession of snappy tempos
and hoppin’ beats. The lively vocals, simple and straightforward
lyrics, and refreshing dearth of needless artsy-fartsy pretense
are all up to speed as well. An excellent album, produced
by Glenn Mercer of The Feelies.
 JAVELIN
– No Mas (www.luakabop.com)
For those looking for an insanely eclectic album that encapsulates
everything from lowdown funky-bumpin’ R&B to breezy
pop to groovy disco to wonky instrumentals, then this baby
is just the supremely eccentric and unconventional item for
you. The wildly creative duo of Tom Van Buskirk and George
Langford eschew some standard tried’n’true proven
generic formula approach to music in favor of a more remarkably
bold, imaginative, and unpredictable “screw it, do it”
attitude that results in a deliriously diverse array of songs
that are often surprising and always enjoyable. Whether it’s
the spacey electronic funk of “Oh! Centra” (dig
those crazy Chipmunks-style falsetto vocals!) or the coolly
syncopated shuffle of “Off My Mind,” this album
never ceases to deliver one delightfully quirky and catchy
track after another. A total treat.
 JEN
OLIVE – Warm Robot (myspace.com/jenolivemusic)
Sweet-voiced singer/songwriter Jen Olive makes a strong and
impressive debut with this extremely harmonic and absorbing
12 song album. Getting off to a pleasant start with “Boulevard,”
hitting a nifty zenith with the neatly syncopated “Set
It On Fire,” working an insanely catchy shuffling groove
for all it’s worth with “Querquehouse” (gotta
love that simply divine soaring chorus, too!), and going for
the shimmering sonic gold with the supremely soothing “All
My Heads Meet,” Olive’s artful blend of clever
and thoughtful lyrics and rich, complex, and always tuneful
melodies are a total treat to hear throughout. Favorite song:
“Franscrams,” a truly stunning and beautiful number
with a terrific and haunting chanted chorus. The oddball arrangements
mix bouncy acoustic guitar riffs with all kinds of wonderfully
wonky forms of offbeat percussion with often surprising and
frequently delightful results. A real winner.
 SIRS
– The Black Friday Sessions (www.musicbysirs.com)
Dynamic and unpretentious, with a winning surplus of smart
lyrics, catchy’n’bouncy melodies, crisp playing,
and plenty of good ol’ fashioned go-for-it gusto and
energy, this album really hits the satisfying sonic spot.
The vocals are smooth and vibrant, the songwriting concise
and intelligent, the arrangements snappy, varied, and consistently
tuneful throughout. The songs neatly alternate between straight-up
rousing rockers and more low-key and reflective numbers. Best
tune: the funky-groovin’ “Grocery Store.”
A very enjoyable album.
 EARL
GREYHOUND – Suspicious Package (www.earlgreyhound.com)
Big and bold, with an amazingly rich, complex, and full-bore
blazing sound that comes on like ferocious gangbusters right
from the get-go, this marvelously beefy and aggressive slab
of swaggering, yet melodic rock soars straight to the heavens
with a tremendous go-for-broke berserko verve that’s
truly something to behold. The fiercely cutting guitars, churning
basslines, and relentless steamrolling drums lay down a positively
incendiary plenitude of savage pounding beats and unceasing
snappy tempos that rarely let up for a minute. Moreover, the
passionate raw-throated vocals shout and holler up a wonderfully
raggedy-ass storm. Better still, amid all the joyful noise
there’s loads of bang-up musicianship (these cats can
really play!) and a strong grasp of tuneful music that’s
as impressive as it is expansive and ambitious. A seriously
awesome album.
THE BURNING HOTELS – Novels (myspace.com/theburninghotels.com)
Coming through loud and clear with a pleasing sonic package
of bright, peppy vocals, dynamic arrangements, clean, tight,
and tuneful arrangements, and smart and thoughtful songwriting,
this album hits the spot in a nicely spirited and straightforward
manner. The snappy tempos and constant beats keep the music
flowing along at a properly steady clip. Moreover, the ringing
guitars, chugging basslines, and sturdy drums blend together
to create a smooth arresting, and often excitingly kickin’
sound. It’s this latter welcome and engaging element
of youthful get up and go vitality which in turn makes this
baby such an enjoyable listen. A fun album.
 THE
FLETCHERS – Lights Out Loud (www.thefletchersmusic.com)
After a hard day’s work, nothing picks my spirits up
better than listening to an album of straight-up catchy’n’crunchy
no-nonsense rock’n’roll that gets right down to
business and delivers the kickin’ goods with a winning
blend of skill and energy. Well, this album certainly fits
that particular bill somethin’ sweet: We’ve got
clear and robust vocals, snappy and melodic arrangements,
ringing guitars, persistent forward-ho drums, and concise
songwriting that gets to the point without wasting a word.
The songs alternate between full-bore rockers and more low-key
and reflective numbers, but are always captivating and enjoyable.
What’s not to like?
 APRIL
SMITH AND THE GREAT PICTURE SHOW – Songs for a Sinking
Ship (www.aprilsmithmusic.com)
A delightfully sprightly burst of incredibly bouncy and catchy
retro pop exuberance, this album quickly endears itself to
the listener with its irresistibly sharp and energetic wealth
of tunefully dynamic melodies, lively vocals, witty lyrics,
and sheer sonic giddiness. April Smith’s big, hearty,
and gloriously full-throated wail of a sweet voice and marvelously
sassy personality make for a potent double whammy. The music
for the most part harkens back to rousing old swing numbers
that one would probably hear in a rowdy juke joint or smoky
cabaret back in the 30’s or 40’s, but the brash’n’brassy
sensibility is totally modern and wickedly acid in equal measure.
An absolute treat.
NYMPHOMATICS – The Treatment (www.myspace.com/nymphomaticsmusic)
This short’n’snappy four song EP CD gets right
down to thrilling brass tacks and delivers a pleasingly pumpin’
serving of straight-up unpretentious rock’n’roll.
The robust vocals, kickin’ guitars, sturdy drums, and
concise songwriting all hit the right-on tunefully ringing
spot. A neat and enjoyable little item.
 STANDARD
FARE – The Noyelle Beat (www.myspace.com/standardfare)
The name of this group is totally misleading. This Sheffield,
England power-pop trio are actually quite damn good, with
bouncy melodies, lively and hoppin’ tuneful arrangements
(gotta love those snappy-riffin’ guitars and constantly
hammering drum beats), perky guy-gal vocals, sharp songwriting,
and an infectiously bubbly, upbeat, and dynamic sensibility
making this baby a total effervescent joy to hear. The pervasive
happy sunshiney vibes manage to be genuinely sweet and charming
with ever becoming too sticky-cute cloying or excessive. A
delightfully bright and energetic blast of pure sparkling
and uplifting sonic bliss.
POST HARBOR – They Can’t Hurt You If You
Don’t Believe in Them (www.postharbormusic.com)
Moody and melodious, with a strong sense of intricate and
involving harmony, exceptionally rich, complex, and often
surprising full-bore orchestral arrangements, and passionate
vocals, this album makes a lasting and immediate impression
that’s mighty tough to shake. The thick and brooding
atmosphere of despair and melancholy (the weeping strings
are simply gorgeous) further enhances the overall sterling
quality. Kudos are also in order for the smart and thoughtful
songwriting. A hugely satisfying and impressive artistic achievement.
 FYFE
DANGERFIELD – Fly Yellow Moon (www.fyfedangerfield.com)
Getting off to a funky-bumping start with the neatly syncopated
“When You Walk in the Room,” this breezy and tuneful
pop-rock album hits a pleasing chugging groove early on and
rides it for all its worth throughout the subsequent nine
tracks. Fyfe Dangerfield’s smooth and lively vocals
go down nice and easy. His sharp songwriting and firm grasp
of catchy melodies likewise hit the sonorous spot. The relaxed
tempos and subdued, yet steady beats make listening to this
album a very pleasant and soothing experience. A lovely little
item.
 THEE
SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA - Kollaps Tradixionales
(www.tra-la-laband.com)
Moody and melodic, with an exquisitely rich, brooding,
and full-bore orchestral sound (the weeping strings in particular
are simply divine!), anguished vocals, and a potent sense
of brooding melancholy atmosphere, this album certainly
makes a strong and lasting impression. The arrangements
are incredibly complex, absorbing, and ambitious, with burning
guitars and firm-as-granite drums offset by cutting and
frantically swirling violins. The songs shift from slow
to fast to slow again with surprising agility while the
lyrics express a wealth of angst, pain, and regret with
a slight tinge of hope with bracing clarity and intelligence.
An extraordinary album.
STATIC OF THE GODS –Knowledge Machine (www.staticofthegods.com)
Right from the sweetly hypnotic opening song “Rest
Your Head,” this supremely tuneful and captivating
electro-pop album casts a soothing and enchanting spell.
The vocals are mellow and pleasant while the melodic arrangements
keep the steady tempos and constant beats smoothly rolling
along at an alternately gradual or snappy rate with often
absorbing and occasionally quite exciting results. Moreover,
the songwriting is mature, reflective, and intelligent.
Favorite track; the remarkably moving and touching “Mean
Streak.” A lovely little jewel.
 OLD
GROWTH – Under the Sun (www.myspace.com/ oldgrowthmusicpdx)
The only thing better than a furiously burnin’ and
hard-diggin’ blast of gloriously gritty punk is a
explosion of pure punky noise that’s further spiced
up with a handy helping of down-home shitkickin’ Southern-fried
hillbilly blues music. Yep, that’s exactly what we
get here – and man does it rock out with a fiercely
intense and aggressive go-for-it thrilling vengeance. Everything
that makes punk great is present and accounted for: Passionate
full-throated vocals, huge shredding guitars riffs, equally
chunky steamrolling drum beats, churning basslines, and
an admirable dearth of pretense. What’s not to like?
 DIOS
– We Are Dios (Buddyhead Records)
This album offers up ten tracks worth of supremely spacey,
yet serene and comforting sonic experimental pop-rock breeziness
that bubbles along in a pleasingly relaxed and unhurried
manner. The vocals are exceptionally graceful and arresting
while the arrangements are extremely quirky, melodic, and
surprising with wonky keyboards, subdued, yet steady drums,
and flaky-riffin’ guitars creating a sound that’s
both offbeat and harmonic in equal measure. Those with a
taste for something creative, different, and boldly outside
the mainstream should totally dig the considerable avant-garde
trippiness of this highly original and unconventional one-of-a-kind
aural oddity.
 P
J BOND – You Didn’t Know I Was Alphabetical
(www.myspace.com/pjbondmusic)
Neatly mining a fine and flavorsome line in gently melodic
and comforting folksy country pop, this album makes for
an extremely pleasant listen. P J Bond’s warm and
relaxed vocals cast a sweetly soothing spell while his songwriting
is sharp, witty, occasionally profane, and always spot-on.
The tuneful arrangements are likewise up to par, with plenty
of catchy acoustic guitar riffs keeping things bouncy and
harmonic throughout. Most powerful song: the harrowing “Skin
and Bones,” which is about the grueling ordeal of
watching a loved one waste away because of drug addiction.
A very nice and satisfying album.
 RAINBOW
FRESH – Dark Sun (www.myspace.com/rainbowfresh)
Kicking out the coolly rocking jams with a steady succession
of nicely diggin’ guitar riffs, chugging basslines,
and sturdy, yet subdued drums, this album hits the divinely
tuneful spot something sweet. The vocals are smooth and
engaging, the arrangements bouncy, catchy, and harmonic,
the songwriting smart and thoughtful, and an overall air
of winningly upbeat groovy vibes pervades throughout like
the always welcome presence of a much-beloved longtime funky
friend. A total treat.
 RESEARCH
TURTLES (www.researchturtles.com)
Getting off to a rousing start with the punchy and infectious
“Let’s Get Carried Away,” this album hits
the ground running and rolls along at a snappy clip with a
steady succession of lively, stirring, and delightfully upbeat
songs. The hearty vocals project a certain winningly breezy’n’easy
charm. The arrangements are tight, dynamic, and exciting,
with the beefy, snappy guitars, smooth, swaggering basslines,
and sturdy jackhammer drums delivering a pleasing plenitude
of speedy tempos and bouncy beats that rarely let up for a
minute. Better still, the prevalent attitude manages to be
often sunny and cheerful without ever becoming too cloying
or corny. An excellent and impressive album.
 ANEURYSM
JUNE - Strawberries on the Asphalt (www.aneurysmjune.com)
Delivering six songs forth of pleasantly mellow and melodic
pop-rock music, this nice little EP CD goes down smooth and
easy. The vocals are sturdy and passionate, the songwriting
smart and reflective, the arrangements tight, punchy and harmonic.
The beats bop along with considerable panache and the tempos
move at a satisfying snappy clip. Better still, the gritty
riffin’ guitars and kickin’ drums hit the rockin’
spot. Plus you gotta give extra points to a band who do one
song in exquisitely fluent Spanish (the rousing “Ashtray
Lips”). Best tune: the supremely moody and haunting
“Ghost Horses.” A real bang-up outing.
 CHRISTY
& EMILY - Superstition (www.christyandemily.com)
Emily Manzo and Christy Edwards are a highly creative and
distinctive duo whose music defies easy categorization. They’ve
been called “psychedelic folk,” which doesn’t
even come close to catching the gloriously eclectic array
of musical styles featured on this exquisitely rich, dense,
and varied album. We’ve got everything from pop to rock
to classical music, all mixed together in an achingly careful
blend that’s as surprising as it is melodic. Christy
and Emily’s vocals are gorgeously serene and angelic,
their songwriting sharp and thoughtful, their grasp of harmony
exceptionally keen and assured, the arrangements supremely
taut and dulcet. The tempos flow along at a hypnotically slow
clip while the beats are subdued, yet steady throughout. Best
of all, there’s a wonderfully quirky experimental sensibility
at work throughout. A lovely and glowing little gem.
 THE
SWIMMERS - People Are Soft (www.theswimmers.com)
You all know the drill by now. Friday night. Lousiest night
of the week at my crappy job. Worse yet, I’m writing
this particular review at the height of the hellishly stressful
Christmas season. So, I come home from work all tired and
cranky, but decide anyway to listen to this album and review
it just to take the edge off. I’m so glad I did this.
Right from the hypnotic funky buzz of the opening song “Shelter,”
this nifty pop-rock album immediately put me at ease. There’s
plenty of pleasingly fizzy electronic melodicism to chill
to here: The warm and comforting vocals, the tight and tuneful
arrangements, the upbeat and thoughtful lyrics, the neatly
bumpin’ tempos, and the coolly kickin’ beats are
a total joy to hear. Favorite song: the delightfully bouncy
and catchy “Give Me the Sun.” A very enjoyable
item.
 WILL
STRATTON - No Wonder (www.myspace.com/willstratton)
Right from the first delicately lovely note, the listener
immediately knows that this sophomore album from gifted singer/songwriter
Will Stratton is going to be something special. Blessed with
a soft and soothing, yet arresting voice and a firm sense
of refreshingly bright and thoughtful songwriting, Stratton
projects a depth, intelligence, and maturity that seems much
richer and longer than his shockingly young age of twenty-two
(!) would suggest. Moreover, the melodies are very pretty
and pleasant, with the gradual tempos and subdued beats keeping
things pleasingly low-key and relaxed throughout. Some of
the songs rock a bit harder than others, but overall things
are quite serene and reflective. An exquisitely moving and
gentle little jewel.
THE VILLAINS (www.thevillainsband.com)
Delivering eight tracks worth of supremely catchy, tuneful,
and delightful country pop-rock winners, this Atlanta, Georgia
group keep things constantly fun and frothy on their hugely
enjoyable and impressive debut album. Eschewing pretense and
needless flashy razzle-dazzle in favor of a more straightforward
approach, these guys maintain a simple and uncluttered style
that still manages a few finely affecting moments of thoughtful
reflectivity amid all the bouncy good-hearted merriment. Moreover,
the vocals are clear and strong, the playing smooth and proficient,
the songwriting smart and concise, and the arrangements tight
and harmonic. A neat little album.
 NOUVELLE
VAGUE - 3 (www.myspace.com/nouvellevague)
Delivering 13 tracks worth of divinely harmonic and positively
intoxicating heady French pop-rock, this group blends tasty
elements of country, bluegrass, jazz, bossa nova, and even
60's pop into an insanely rich, dense, and eclectic mix that’s
as inventive as it is enticing. The breathy female vocals
exude a sweet bubbly charm while the arrangements are remarkably
lively and tuneful throughout. Better still, this album is
entirely made up of inspired and innovative covers of such
songs as “Road to Nowhere” by Talking Heads, Soft
Cell’s “Say Hello Wave Goodbye,” “So
Lonely” by the Police, “Our Lips Our Sealed”
by the Go-Gos, and even “God Save the Queen” by
the Sex Pistols (!) Without a doubt one of the most singular
and imaginative cover albums ever recorded, it’s absolutely
essential listening for anyone with a taste for something
unique and out of the ordinary.
 CAPGUN
COUP - Maudlin (Team Love)
This album gets off to a rip-roaring start with the punchy
“Computer Screens and TVs.” The raw’n’raucous
caterwauling continues with thirteen more tracks that combine
snotty snarling vocals, biting lyrics, gritty diggin’
guitars, seething basslines, and fiercely pounding drums
into a mighty ragged, yet dynamic and exciting lowdown dirty
noise that’s an absolute blast to hear. Sure, this
definitely ain’t the most pretty and melodic music
ever recorded, but in its own basic stripped-down nothing
fancy way it certainly hits the satisfyingly scrappy spot
just the same.
NATHAN XANDER - The Fear (www.myspace.com/nathanxander)
Simple and homespun, with a gentle sense of folksy melody
and an endearingly earnest and honest sensibility, this album
has a certain sweetly delicate charm to it that’s both
refreshing and engaging in equal measure. This is the type
of timeless and eminently tuneful music that sounds like it
could have been recorded thirty-odd years ago, but was indeed
recorded recently, yet commendably doesn’t adhere to
any hip trends of the moment. Nathan Xander’s hoarsely
affecting tenor and keen grasp of poetically terse songwriting
make for a potent double whammy. The bulk of the songs feature
gradual tempos and subdued beats that for the most part keep
things chugging along at a pleasingly relaxed, but steady
clip. An excellent and impressive album.
THE BLACK 100s - Out With The Stars (www.theblack100s.com)
Offering up ten songs worth of spare, yet tuneful and compelling
lowdown gritty blues, this album has a certain raw immediacy
to it that in its own sweetly simple and straightforward way
proves to be quite powerful. Armed with an acoustic guitar,
a thin and nasal, but still up to speed voice, and a spot-on
less-is-more approach to banging out a tune, singer/songwriter
Thomas Handschiegel cuts right to the point in a pleasingly
terse and unpretentious manner. The songs are pretty forlorn
and poignant, with no needless flashy stuff to get in the
way of the eloquently laconic lyrics and Handschiegel’s
wonderfully world-weary battered voice. A marvelously low-key
and unadorned little treat.
 LISSIE
- Why You Runnin’ (www.fatpossum.com)
This lovely EP CD offers five songs that are so full of warmth,
passion, and harmony that the listener can’t help but
be moved to tears while hearing it. Lissie Maurus’ sassy
and spirited voice has a twangy spitfire vigor to it that’s
downright endearing in its fierce spunkiness. “Little
Lovin’” starts things out on a rousing note, “Wedding
Bells” and “Oh Mississippi” mine a finely
affecting line in melancholy country, and the achingly poignant
“Here Before” ends everything in a satisfyingly
soulful way. A beautifully sweet, touching, and delicately
tuneful gem.
FREE ENERGY - Stuck On Nothing (Astralwerk/DFA)
Bursting out of the speakers with a fresh and engaging blast
of joyful robust vocals, crunchy’n’punchy arrangements,
and an infectiously upbeat sensibility, this album immediately
wins the listener over with its irresistibly bubbly and bouncy
boundless vitality alone. The unbridled exuberance of such
songs as the stirring title track, the rousing “Bang
Pop,” and the jaunty “Psychic Lightning”
are a true treat to hear. The catchy and dynamic melodies,
marvelously happy singing, and crisp and lively playing keep
things hoppin’ and exciting throughout. It’s always
a pleasure to hear an album done by a talented group of musicians
with a pure incendiary love and wholehearted go-for-it passion
for straight-up good-time rock’n’roll music. Free
Energy most certainly fits that particular bill to the complete
bitchin’ nines – and that’s precisely why
their debut album rates highly as an absolute delight from
start to finish.
PRESTON GREY - First and Vine (www.myspace.com/prestongreymusic)
Delivering 14 tracks worth of perfectly bouncy and harmonic
indie rock sweetness, this snappy album keeps things bubbly
and upbeat throughout. The vocals are pleasant and soothing,
the arrangements tight and melodic, the playing crisp and
proficient, and the songwriting smart, concise, and thoughtful.
The songs alternate between low-key and reflective to more
lively and rousing while always remaining tuneful and compelling.
A nice album.
+
HOLLANDS - Mother (www.hollands.com)
Offering up six songs worth of extremely moody and introspective
pop-rock, this EP CD makes for a compelling listen. The vocals
are strong and affecting, the arrangements tight and tuneful,
the songwriting sharp and thoughtful, the tempos chug along
at a slow, yet steady rate, and the beats are subdued, but
constant throughout. The songs neatly alternate between low-key
and contemplative to more intense and hard-rocking. A nifty
little item.
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