Jersey Beat Music Fanzine
 


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.

 

 

 


JerseyBeat.com is an independently published music fanzine covering punk, alternative, ska, techno and garage music, focusing on New Jersey and the Tri-State area. For the past 25 years, the Jersey Beat music fanzine has been the authority on the latest upcoming bands and a resource for all those interested in rock and roll.


 
 
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