Monthly Archives: October 2017

Album Review: Morosity – Low Tide

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Morosity

photo by Andrew Vickers; photo courtesy of Morosity

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Morosity: Low Tide

Morosity is a multi-faceted rock quintet from Minneapolis, Minnesota that began as an acoustic duo in 2001.  Childhood friends Jesse Albrecht (vocals/guitars) and Dave Rowan (guitars) adopted influences like Tool, Alice in Chains, Days of the New and Opeth into their sound. Feeling the need to expand their approach they gradually added Sean Bachinski (bass), Jason Wolfe (violin, guitar and mandolin), and Nick Johnson (drums). Their debut album release was Misanthrope in 2011. The follow up, Low Tide is their current focus.

Morosity - Low Tide

album artwork by Heather Albrecht; image courtesy of Morosity

The album Low Tide begins with a track called “Mind Over Matter.” It’s heavy on the drums and rhythmic vibe, conjuring up a world beat meets Gothic feel. The mood is dark, with unison-like vocals and a nice string accompaniment. “The Answer” continues a late ‘90s drop tuned tonality that is derivative of that time period, yet not clichéd.

“Ouroboros” is a piece that is very dense with the full depth and breadth of the band’s instrumentation. Wolfe’s violin and mandolin figure prominently, and it sounds like drummer Johnson adds some East Indian tabla-like elements to the fray, as well. A Distinct Middle Eastern essence on top makes for an interesting and exotic work.

Dave Rowan and Jason Wolfe

photo by Andrew Vickers; photo courtesy of Morosity

“Moon” follows and is a bit more straightforward as an acoustic kind of Alice in Chains inspired track. Albrecht and Rowan’s blend of guitars dovetail very natural and in sync.

“Smoke & Mirrors” has a laid back Soundgarden or Pink Floyd feel to it. Perhaps a lot of that can be attributed to the slide and ambient guitars a la Kim Thayil or David Gilmour.

The ominously titled “Death Grip” comes off as a kind of folk song, with haunting vocals and whistling from Albrecht. There is kind of an odd juxtaposition here of the light chordal backing and surreal delivery.

Jesse Albrecht

photo by Andrew Vickers; photo courtesy of Morosity

“Limbo” continues in an eerie sort of vein. There is an almost chamber choir matched with a stark and understated mandolin accompaniment. Wolfe’s light strings add a semi-classical effect.

The title track “Low Tide” is kind of bittersweet in approach and execution. The minor mode and pairing of acoustic guitar and violin almost suggests Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind” to a certain extent. The somewhat melancholy mood and dramatic character in Albrecht’s voice seem to evolve and build toward the coda.

Jesse Albrecht

photo courtesy of Morosity

“Adrift” appropriately concludes the album with the soft and tranquil sounds of ocean waves. Albrecht’s austere vocals paired with a dark and dream-like soundscape provide a short and sweet finale.

Morosity certainly draws from its musical peers and heroes such as Alice in Chains and Days of the New, but is so much more than that. Their use of world beat, psychedelia and traditional instruments liberally tap into Americana, progressive rock, and, on occasion, even blues. They are an interesting act with a somewhat familiar sound that is adventurous and diverse.

Morosity

artwork by Heather Albrecht; image courtesy of Morosity

Looking Ahead

The “calendar” page on Morosity’s website is currently blank, as is their Facebook “events” tab, but those are the places to look to see when and where they’ll be performing live.

Live Review: Corey McLane at Hudson House Restaurant

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Corey McLane

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Corey McLane

Hudson House Restaurant, Hudson, MA

October 27, 2017

One of the cool things about hearing a talented hard rock singer like Corey McLane doing an acoustic cover night is that you get to hear songs from a variety of musical styles delivered by a power voice. Corey is the lead singer of Exhale – I would suggest checking out some of his band’s music here on their bandcamp page – and you can hear the vocal power in the songs he performs, even when the songs themselves don’t feature it.

Corey McLane

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Hudson House is a cool place to catch music, too. It has a kind of neighborhood bar feel on the bar side (with a nice restaurant on the restaurant side of the house). On this particular night, a lot of folks turned out specifically to see Corey, so it was fun crowd. I like to grab something off the menu to combine live music with a late dinner when I come here, and after a big lunch yesterday, I found something delicious (the kielbasa) from the appetizer menu to try.

I had about an hour and a half block of time available last night, and that carried me through more than 20 songs from Corey, plus a few at the end on which Nikki McLane joined him. There were only a couple songs on Corey’s set list I couldn’t identify, so I know it was either entirely or virtually entirely a set of covers. And, though I hadn’t heard him sing live before, his vocals were as crisp and powerful as I had expected from listening to his band’s recordings, with even the mellowest of covers being drenched in his identifiable, grungy-metal tone, sporting something akin to gravel in his voice, but it really comes across more as a warble or a wobble, though those aren’t exactly right either. The key point, though, is that this dude has a powerful, crisp, identifiable voice, and that’s what you’re looking for in a voice that can fill an arena or develop a large, loyal following.

Corey McLane

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Corey opened the evening with “Ain’t No Sunshine,” then followed it with a heavy, brooding number (one of the two for which I didn’t catch the title), doing a song-to-song contrast thing he seems to like to do.

There were plenty of instances in which Corey’s take on various hits was interesting and entertaining. His performance of Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train,” for example, got the grizzle in the vocal but with kind of an ominous echo overlay. He nailed the howls on “The Joker.” And his performance of The Flys’ “Got You (Where I Want You)” was delivered with an almost Southern hard rock wail while being driven by a sound much bigger than he should have been able to get from an acoustic guitar.

It was fun to hear Corey deliver a song like Marcy Playground’s “Sex and Candy” that’s right in his wheelhouse and then, a couple songs later, to follow it with an on-point performance of Pure Prairie League’s “Amie.” He also back-to-backed a very properly brooding rendition of Bush’s “Glycerine” with Third Eye Blind’s energetic “Semi-Charmed Life,” a song whose opening chords elicit a smile that seems so amusingly out of place coming moments after the closing chords of “Glycerine.”

Corey McLane

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Other standouts during the set included Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason,” Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive,” and The Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes.” But I actually stopped taking notes after song number 22, Corey’s spot-on version of 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up.” He sounded shudderingly too close to exactly like 4NBs’ Linda Perry, including nailing all the quirky stuff.

Shortly thereafter, Corey was joined by Nikki, and the two performed a few songs before my exit, notably OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars.” Actually, most notably another tune, but I didn’t jot down its title, so we’ll stick with saying “Counting Stars” was the most notable,

In any case, it was a heck of a fun evening of music delivered by an exceptionally talented vocalist. I’d suggest getting out to give him a listen if he’s doing the solo thing at a bar near you; a pure, top-shelf, big stage-caliber voice doing a variety of your favorite tunes. And, of course, if you’re into the heavier stuff, give his band Exhale a listen.

Looking Ahead

You can follow Corey’s solo acoustic performances via the “Events” tab of his Facebook page. And you can follow his band’s Exhale gig schedule via the “Shows” page of their website or on the band’s Facebook “Events” page. In fact, you can catch Exhale tonight at Carlo Rose in Pelham, NH or next Saturday, November 4th, at a Toys for Tots benefit show at Sammy’s Patio in Revere, MA. And I see more gigs in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island before year-end, so check out the band’s calendar (as well as Corey’s solo show list) and catch some loud rock & roll (or a bunch of well-known covers performed by a dude with a powerful rock ‘n roll voice).

Live Review: Brian Charette and Jordan Young at Kerrytown Concert House

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Brian Charette

photo by Anna Yatskevich; photo courtesy of Brian Charette

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Brian Charette and Jordan Young

Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor, MI

October 23, 2017

Brian Charette is an internationally renowned jazz organist/pianist/multi-keyboardist who has been a creative force on the music scene for over 20 years. He has played with many luminaries from all walks of the music world. Jazz legends Houston Person and Lou Donaldson, pop icons Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, and Cyndi Lauper, and the Allman Brothers’ drummer Jaimoe have all employed Charette’s services at one time or another.

Brian Charette

photo by Simon Yu; photo courtesy of Brian Charette

On this particular night in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the keyboardist was joined by frequent contributor and right-hand man Jordan Young on drums and vocoder. The intimate and acoustically perfect theater was host to a musical journey that included an intoxicating mix of straight ahead bebop, acoustic piano musings, and “circuit bent” electronica. The term “circuit bent” refers to the manipulation of certain electronic gadgets (i.e. effects pedals and patch boards) that have been manually altered to “misfire” or change their natural pattern of sequence or flow. The result, in conjunction with keyboard-triggered samples, makes for a sensory roller coaster ride with few boundaries.

The majority of the music played during the concert was drawn from one of Charette’s newest recordings entitled Kürrent. While there were visually only two people on stage, the wealth of sounds that emanated from them both was quite amazing. They began with a tune called “Doll Fin” that firmly established their working relationship and affinity from the start. Via a modular SK1 Hammond keyboard, Charette initiated the tune, with a pulsating left hand bass and assured comping. A convergence of synthesizer swells from his Korg unit along with assorted odds and ends soon conjured up a cacophony of otherworldy sounds. The slithery groove was further cemented by Young’s nimble drumming that consistently pushed and played off the beat. With the array of keyboard whimsy and circuit bending in full display, Young added to the mix by playing “real time” samples on the vocoder as well as speaking into the device creating “Daffy Duck”-like sounds. Yes, I repeat, “Daffy Duck” sounds which were oddly appropriate and cool!

Brian Charette

photo by Melanie Scholtz; photo courtesy of Brian Charette

That was followed by a piece that was slightly more mainstream called “Time Changes.” It was kind of a straight-ahead Jimmy Smith style blowing tune in which the inventive duo swung like crazy. Charette tastefully integrated flourishes of color on synthesizer to add accents and atmosphere to things. “Mano Y Mano” was the line repeated in robotic fashion by Young through the vocoder. This set the pace for a tune that was part experimental and part acid jazz freak out. Quick and taut bebop framed lines comprised the main body of the melody and were another strong vehicle for the duo’s improvisations.

Charette shared with the audience the fact that the follow up composition, “Standing Still,” was one of the very first tunes he had written. It was a very lilting and upbeat piece, with a light swing. That soon gave way to throbbing and pulsating loops that reverberated in the background as Charette stepped over behind the beautiful house piano to the side of the stage. He played some great Chick Corea/Herbie Hancock-like accompaniment before returning to the Hammond to resolve in a samba and swinging coda.

Another highlight of the night was a tune dedicated to quirky NYC scat singer Shooby Taylor called “Shooby’s Riff.” Charette playfully triggered samples of Shooby’s voice amid a killer bass line and Young’s consistent rhythms. They included another dedication to composer/instrumentalist Tadd Dameron by playing an acoustic piano and drums duet called “Tadd’s Delight.” It was a swinging and really sweet piece, with a hint of ragtime and some wonderful brush work by Young. They concluded the evening with another cut off the Kürrent album called “Conquistador.” It basically put an indelible stamp on their ambitious, nearly 90-minute set, with an array of shifting tempos and time signatures, staccato melodic lines and smooth transitions in mood and sonic textures.

Brian Charette

photo by Simon Yu; photo courtesy of Brian Charette

Brian Charette and Jordan Young are exemplary artists who are doing something very significant and interesting, with their dedication to upholding the jazz tradition while simultaneously fusing a myriad of seemingly disparate elements within that context. This is the future of jazz and improvisational music.

Looking Ahead

Brian’s tour continues, so check the itinerary page of his website to see if he has any upcoming live dates near you. Tonight, Friday, October 27th, he’s at the Blue Note Bistro in Miamisburg, OH; tomorrow, Saturday, October 28th, he’ll be at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati, OH; and Sunday, October 29th, he’ll be at The Greenwich, also in Cincinnati. Beyond that, Brian will be in New York, NY on November 6th and in Miami, FL on November 7th, 8th, and 9th. He has additional November dates in Beacon, NY; Rochester, NY; Methuen, MA; New York City; and Nyack, NY; with shows in South Africa, Europe, and the U.S. West Coast also on the calendar. Again, be sure to check his website to see if he’ll be in your neighborhood.

Album Review: Sam Sherwin – Iodine Cocktails

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Sam Sherwin

photo by Vincent Mineo; photo courtesy of Media Stew Public Relations

Album Review of Sam Sherwin: Iodine Cocktails

Straightforward rock ‘n roll from New Jersey. With roots in the ’70s and ’80s, Sam Sherwin‘s Iodine Cocktails is a bit of a rock ‘n roll, um, cocktail.

Sam Sherwin - Iodine Cocktails

image courtesy of Media Stew Public Relations

Sam Sherwin’s Iodine Cocktails showcases musical styles that recall rock ‘n rollers as disparate as Randy Newman and Bruce Springsteen.

Sam kicks things off with the cheerful, Randy Newman-esque “Anymore.” Picture a sunny day, two or three female backup singers adding emphasis, and a smile on everyone’s face, and you’ve captured the essence of this number. Moderately energetic with a laid-back, catchy, recurring guitar hook, “Anymore” has all the attention-grabbing elements perfect for an opening track, and it’s likely to become and remain a favorite.

Sam Sherwin

photo by Geoff Lee; photo courtesy of Media Stew Public Relations

But even within the sunny opening number, there’s a hint of regular-guy New Jersey in the song, and that’s a thread that’s found elsewhere in Iodine Cocktails, too. Notably on the mellow, slightly melancholy, harmonica and guitar-filled, most Jersey-esque rocker on the album, “Automatic Day.”

Sam Sherwin

photo by Dwyt Dayan; photo courtesy of Media Stew Public Relations

More prominent throughout the album, though, are the female backing vocals that add a fullness to the music. On “Without You,” for example, they’re paired with keyboards and well-placed organ for emphasis. Sam’s voice on “Without You” is smooth, melancholy, and gritty wherever the song calls for it, showing a range of vocal versatility within a five-minute song capsule.

“Well OK” features a John Mellencamp or Bruce Hornsby-ish tempo and well-suited harmonica intro, though Sam’s vocals have perhaps a smidgen more of a knowing sneer than you’d expect form Mellencamp, with maybe a hint of Springsteen’s grit. You’ll find the rich female backing vocals again on “And a Whole Lot More,” this time with more of the uptempo laid-backness of songs like “Well OK.”

Sam Sherwin

photo by Dwyt Dayan; photo courtesy of Media Stew Public Relations

That’s not to say that there isn’t the occasional outlier – the fun “At the Old Canal” is a bit of a barn-raising-ready, slow-tempo, almost-twangy Americana number. But even this has a bit of Sam’s rock ‘n roll show band flair to it, more of a fun, quirky number than a shift in his base style.

And, going the other way on the rock ‘n roll spectrum, “Lick Your Lips” starts with a George Thorogood-esque gritty intro before moving to a more energetic, accessible, gritty blues rock style for the rest of the song. Still rock ‘n roll. And, if you noticed, still “gritty.” A little of that is Sam’s vocals, but more, I think, is the recurring, wailing, blues-rock guitar hook.

Indeed, Sam Sherwin touches upon a variety of classic, mid-tempo, radio-friendly rock ‘n roll styles, infusing his music with elements reminiscent of a broad cross-section of top artists from that mainstream rock ‘n roll genre. A bulk of the songs, including those I failed to mention, fall within this range, providing a varied yet cohesive 10-song collection that’s a solid addition to any mainstream, multi-decade rock ‘n roll collection.

Album Review: Richard X. Heyman – Incognito

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Album Review of Richard X. Heyman: Incognito

I’ve crossed paths with Richard X. Heyman a lot through the years. At least, I’ve crossed paths with his name. But I’m not sure I’ve ever reviewed one of his albums before. It’s greatly overdue. I think I may have ended up on his mailing list right around the time the ramping up of my real-life and career-job obligations caused me to stop publishing Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter, so I’ve been following his career but haven’t had an opportunity to write about him for nearly a decade and a half.

Of course, even at the time, I was a bit late on-board, as Richard was already a household name in music circles. From his gig with The Doughboys to his solo career, which began in the late ’80s, Heyman is much revered in the industry. And it’s no wonder. Incognito is a diverse, engaging, catchy album. Songwriting is at the basis of the songs’ charms, with influences ranging from ’50s to ’80s (and beyond). These are timeless pop songs. At times, the delivery is a little ’70s folk-pop-rock in nature, sometimes there’s a hint of a punk influence, at times I hear Beatles (or Monkees) song influences. Incognito begins as an engaging album but slowly grows into a long-time favorite. I’m pretty sure this one’s going to have staying power, that I’ll still enjoy listening to it a couple decades down the road.

Richard X. Heyman - Incognito

image courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf Media

The album opens with perhaps the catchiest song of them all, the title track “Incognito.” Or maybe it just seems to be the catchiest because it’s the first song I hear each time through. But it’s memorable. This is a slightly psychedelic, mid-tempo ’60s-style rock number with an insistent edge to Richard’s vocals. And yet it’s combined with a bit of an ’80s new wave melodic undercurrent. Not straight-up ’80s music, but rather an ’80s song paying homage to the late ’60s, a catchy rock ‘n roller with its own hybrid sound. It’s a great way to begin the disc, an instant foreshadow that you’ve begun a song collection that’ll be well worth your attention.

“A Fool’s Errand” follows with a more Beatles-esque ’60s vibe. Then “Chalk It Up” amps up the energy and volume, with a raucous, rockabilly-ish recurring guitar hook adding a little jangle to an otherwise straight-ahead, pre-George Thorogood-type fast-tempo rock ‘n roll ramblin’ song.

Another personal favorite, “And Then,” follows. It’s sort of a summer-of-love-era mainstream rocker. In other words, there’s a rockin’ folk edge to Richard’s vocals and to the instrumentation of the melody itself, with well-placed harmonies adding richness to this pop-rock number.

“Gleam” is an energetic number for which there’s an accompanying YouTube video. It’s an emotional travelogue, a heartfelt, road-music-styled love song, the road-music energy helped along by some well-placed finger-picking, with the rock ‘n roll edge driven home by some multi-instrumental enthusiastic chorus-crashing.

Richard X. Heyman

photo courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf media

That’s followed by one of the catchiest, poppiest songs on a disc full of catchy pop-rock songs: “So What” is a well-crafted, songwriter-evoked musical smile. “In Our Best Interest” then brings the mood down a bit with a more heartfelt introspective musical and lyrical design, sung with a more gravelly delivery than found elsewhere in this collection.

“Her Garden Path” has a psychedelic ’60s guitar rock vibe. “Lift” carries that mood on, but with more of a grand presentation; in fact, it would probably fit nicely on one of Asia’s hit albums in the ’80s.

Dialing up yet another influence, “Miss Shenandoah Martin” is almost full-on folk, particularly in the opening before adding a bit more tempo. This is the most Americana song on Incognito; it would be the most pop-rock song on a true Americana disc. Again with the many influences; this album showcases a broad variety, suggesting that Richard X. Heyman is a connoisseur of good music, regardless of genre, that his songwriting and performance goal is the pursuit of a good song, while his identifiable voice and delivery serve to provide a cohesive, identifiable sound across an album’s collection of songs. Next up, “All You Can Do,” serves up another dose of folk influence, with organ providing an engaging, original edge.

Then the disc shifts again, to perhaps its highest-energy number, a fun Motown-meets-’50s-flavored rock ‘n roller called “Terry Two Timer.”

“These Troubled Times” circles back to a melancholy, introspective storytelling delivery, almost like you’d expect from someone like Bruce Springsteen.

Disc-ender “Everybody Get Wise” opens with a Talking Heads-ish jangle before bringing in some Motown-inspired harmonies, settling into a bit of enjoyable musical tension between the two songs, delivering an enjoyable, satisfying end to Incognito.

I have some favorites on the disc – “Incognito,” “And Then,” and “So What,” probably the pop-hittiest songs of the batch – but enjoy the variety of influences and deliveries throughout the disc. It’s a great beginning-to-end listen, a journey narrated by one of our time’s most versatile independent singer-songwriter storytellers.

Live Review: Bob Malone at Barn #81

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Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Bob Malone

Barn #81, Hopkinton, MA

October 14, 2017

Bob Malone is one of the great rockin’ blues keyboardists of our time. Period. Berklee-trained, Bob has chiseled and honed his style among some of the best local musicians in Los Angeles, his performance skills polished over years in the studio and on the road. Since 2011 Bob’s “day job,” in fact, has been as John Fogerty’s keyboardist. And, of course, he has released some stellar blues recordings, performing his own stuff between his Fogerty gigs. On Saturday night, in this intimate “house concert” performance space in an outer suburb of Boston, Bob treated an appreciative audience to his skills.

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

And he was supported by a great band – Jeff St. Pierre on bass, Chris Leadbetter on guitar, and his old college buddy Philip Antoniades on drums. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I love catching Bob Malone with a full band, so this was perfect.

Of course, those of you who have been reading the Blog from the beginning have seen my reviews of Bob Malone. Twice, to be exact. Both times within the first three months of launch. I reviewed Bob’s October 2015 concert at the 100 Club in London as part of my “Five Nights in London” series. And I reviewed Bob’s most recent album, Mojo Deluxe, in January 2016. So you know I’d be shocked – shocked! – if Bob didn’t deliver a world-class performance. Spoiler alert: He rocked the room!

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Bob kicked the evening off with a bang. A rollicking, rousing, energy-filled rendition of “Certain Distance.” He then followed it with one of my favorite instrumental numbers, “Chinese Algebra.” And a room-rocking performance of “I’m Not Fine,” always a song worth shouting along with at the top of your lungs. These are all songs from his most recent release, Mojo Deluxe.

“Up on Cripple Creek,” a tempo-changing energetic number from Ain’t What You Know, followed before Bob really brought the room down with a mellow, contemplative favorite from Mojo Deluxe, an insightful consideration of middle aged-ness, “Can’t Get There From Here.”

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Bob reached back two decades to his 1996 The Darkest Part of the Night album for “I Know He’s Your Husband,” one of Bob’s songs on which his vocals sound the most Randy Newman-esque. Next up, “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time,” portrayed a room-electrifying energy and wow, I do love that guitar line. The intensity remained, as “Rage & Cigarettes” came next.

What followed was a really cool rendition of Tom Petty’s “Southern Accents.” In the lead-in to this homage to Petty, Bob asked “someone” to please tape this performance because, after many not-quite-right attempts, he thought he finally had it down. Indeed, he did.

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

While most of the evening’s songs were from Bob’s newest album, he again reached back to 2009’s Ain’t What You Know for the exceptionally emotionally powerful “No One Can Hurt You” (…like me). Then back to a newer track, “Toxic Love,” which simply roars, and the energetic “I Wasn’t Looking For the Blues.”

Next up Bob dipped into his Born Too Late album for “Home to Me.” Light, melancholy; cool, almost jazzy. Very cool selection to showcase yet another side of Bob Malone. Bob picked things up again with chunky, “Walk This Way”-style Steven Tyler-inspire, fast-paced vocals on the next song (whose title I can’t read in my notes).

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The final two songs of Bob’s set were from Ain’t What You Know. First up was the title track, which turned into a serious jam, and was followed by a rowdy rendition of “Stay With Me” that transformed the end of Bob’s set into a disco ball-spinning dance party (of which there is some photographic proof a couple pictures down).

Bob’s encore was the sentimental “Paris,” a slow, swaying, arena-filling ballad that’s a signature Bob Malone song, a sentimental, emotional, scene-painting, perfect selection to end the evening for an enthusiastic room full of his fans.

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

I love gigs like this. If you keep your eyes open, there are chances to catch some of the most talented musicians in the world in intimate settings full of friends and neighbors, and they’re truly special evenings. I’m glad to have finally made it to my first Barn #81 gig, too – I had heard about the shows in this cool setting. And I knew Bob had played here before, but until Saturday night I didn’t realize the concert series was run by one of his old college buddies from Berklee. But hey, a friendly atmosphere with a talented band featuring one of the premiere blues musicians in the world, and it ended almost as a dance party? What a Saturday night!

Bob Malone at Barn #81

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Looking Ahead

The “tour dates” page of Bob’s website lists several shows around the U.S. over the rest of 2017 and into 2018, with solo gigs in Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania in the coming months, and performances as John Fogerty’s keyboardist in Oklahoma and Texas, plus a 10-day stretch of John Fogerty gigs in January in Las Vegas. Be sure to check Bob’s website for details and for additional performances as they’re added.

Barn #81 is a great venue, a relaxed atmosphere full of friends. I don’t see any future events listed on the Barn #81 Facebook events page, but I do see Jennifer Tefft will be there on Saturday, November 11th. I almost hesitate to mention it, though, because I still haven’t figured out if I’ll be able to get there that night, and I’d hate to see the show sell out before I get my tickets.

Live Review: Fondatsiata and Shturcite at The Regent Theatre

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Fondatsiata at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Fondatsiata (The Foundation)

with Shturcite (The Crickets)

The Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA

October 13, 2017

Last night’s concert at The Regent Theatre in Arlington, promoted locally by Face Bulgaria and the Bulgarian American Cultural Center Madara, was a big-time rock ‘n roll event for the Boston area Bulgarian community. Bulgarian supergroup Fondatsiata (The Foundation) performed along with special guests Valdi Totev and Georgi Markov from Shturcite (The Crickets), a legendary Bulgarian rock group formed in 1967 and popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, sometimes referred to as Bulgaria’s Beatles.

Fondatsiata at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

With spelling assistance from the Facebook event post, Fondatsiata is comprised of Kiril Marichkov (also from Shturcite), Ivan Lechev (from FCB), Donny Vekilov (from Donny and Momchil), Slavcho Nikolov (from B.T.R.), and Venko Poromanski (from “TE”).

I, of course, don’t know any of the songs, so I’ll be brief – no song titles or song-by-song rundown of the evening – but I’ll share plenty of photos instead. The crowd in attendance, however, knew most of the songs.

Fondatsiata at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Fondatsiata opened the evening with several songs, showing the skills one might expect from a “supergroup.” Slavcho Nikolov unleashed some serious guitar wizardry; Venko Poromanski displayed top-notch drumming that included an engaging solo; Ivan Lechev rocked the axe but brought something especially dazzling to the mix when he switched to electric violin; Donny Vekilov brought energy and an impressive voice to the bunch; and bandleader/bassist Kiril Marichkov has clearly discovered the fountain of youth.

Fondatsiata at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Valdi Totev joined the band for a few songs, and then he was joined by Georgi Markov for Shturcite’s portion of the performance. For those of us unfamiliar with the band, Shturcite’s last line-up change occurred in 1976 (thank you, Wikipedia), when Valdi joined the group, and the line-up remained unchanged until guitarist Petsi Gyuzelev’s passing in 2013. Ivan and Slavcho remained onstage to join Shturcite during their segment of the show.

Shturcite at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Indeed, as much as the crowd loved the Fondatsiata performance, thinks kicked up a notch when Shturcite took the stage to perform several old favorites. Boston’s Bulgarian community was standing, singing, and dancing in the aisles, even more than during the first portion of Fondatsiata’s performance.

Shturcite at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

When Venko and Donny returned, the party atmosphere continued at a fever pitch, as Fondatsiata played several more songs.

Shturcite at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Then came time for the encore. Three encores, to be exact. Before an appreciate crowd, the seven musicians of Fondatsiata and Shturcite regaled their fans with more favorite songs, and a two-plus hour concert experience came to a close.

Fondatsiata at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Indeed, it would have helped if I had known even a couple of the songs so I could sing along. And, unlike new English-language performers, I wasn’t able to learn the songs partway through. But it was a pleasure to be there for such a high-energy performance. And even without the enthusiastic audience all around me, I’d’ve enjoyed the exceptional musicianship on display. I mean, I did enjoy it. Obviously.

Fondatsiata at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Stylistically, the music was classic rock, largely rooted in ’60s, ’70s and ’80s rock styles (though more ’60s and ’70s), with hints of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Doors in places, and even an occasional nod to progressive rock, generally packaged in a middle-of-the-rock ‘n roll-road, mainstream style that could be played across a variety of pop and rock radio stations and easily reaches a broad demographic. Not unlike the Beatles and the Stones in that respect. This music plays directly to my personal musical tastes; indeed, if only I could understand enough to sing along, I’d probably have a few of the songs still stuck in my head today.

Fondatsiata and Shturcite at The Regent Theatre

photo by Geoff Wilbur

As I’ve said before, when a famous performer from any country is performing – as I experienced at Belgian star Milow’s show in New York last fall and during performances by Bulgarian stars here in the Boston area (like Theodosii Spassov or Vasko Krupkata) – it’s always worth seeing one of the best musicians from anywhere perform, even when you don’t know the songs. And, of course, if you’re a Bulgarian in America, you’ll be scanning the other five tour dates on the schedule below to see if you can make it to see Fondatsiata and Shturcite during their U.S. concerts this weekend or next…

Looking Ahead

Yes, the two-weekend U.S. tour continues, per the band’s website, tonight (October 14th) at the Botev Academy near Washington, DC and tomorrow, October 15th, at the Copernicus Center in Chicago. On Friday, October 20th, The Foundation will be at Coco Cabana outside Atlanta; on Saturday, October 21st in Tampa; and on Sunday, October 22nd at Stache Drinking Den and Coffee Bar in Fort Lauderdale. Be sure to check the website or Facebook page for additional details.

 

EP Review: Cain Rising – Rear View Mirror

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Cain Rising

photo courtesy of Cain Rising

by James Morris, Contributing Blogger

EP Review of Cain Rising: Rear View Mirror

Following on from their critically acclaimed self-titled debut album Cain Rising, the band have been back in the studio to record new songs for release on this 5-track EP Rear View Mirror, out today, October 10th, 2017. All the songs have been released as singles over the past few months providing exciting glimpses, one song at a time, of what the band have been working on.

Where the debut album displayed the breadth of their influences, from East Coast rock to raw folk, the five tracks on Rear View Mirror show a band whose confidence is growing and who are not afraid to let their music grow with it.

Cain Rising - Rear View Mirror EP cover

image courtesy of Cain Rising

Since we last heard from Cain Rising, there have been some personnel changes. The core of Jo Parry, Jez Parry and Jimmy Price remains. Incoming guitarist Ian Hopper is edgy and creative; Matt Crawford on Hammond and piano gives the band a touch of soul; and Mick Ivory’s drumming is its beating heart.

The title track of the EP, “Rear View Mirror,” is an effortlessly catchy, hit the road, summer song that drives along from the opening chords to the mariachi outro. This is the first time the band have experimented with a brass section courtesy of Rebecca Gibson Swift and Pablo Mendelssohn.

“Glasgow City Spires” has the band rocking out behind lyrics reflecting the alienation that can hit you when returning to your home city after many years. It’s a feel good bouncy tune, with swirling organ, warm snappy guitars and a driving chorus.

“Soldier” takes the tempo back a touch with a real retro feel. A touch of Andy Fairweather-Low, a touch of The Hollies and an evocative Gretsch guitar solo.

Cain Rising

photo courtesy of Cain Rising

“Walk My Way” is a swinging rock tune. Once again adorned with horns plus a call and answer bridge in a Billy Joel “Innocent Man” style, which gives it all a foot tapping, bopping and breezy sway.

Finally the mood is taken down with “Social Man,” a tense, raw, stripped-back piano song. It’s good to be shown that the band have a versatility and confidence beyond the airy summer rock, and this track provides a perfect natural conclusion to the EP.

As well as the music, I should also mention that the drawing behind the cover art for the EP and singles is by Julian O’Dell. Julian’s artwork has long been a favourite of the band’s and has created a unique style for this release. His work can be found on his website www.artattackoncancer.org. All proceeds from his sales go to the Action Against Cancer charity.

Cain Rising

photo courtesy of Cain Rising

My previous reviews of the first two singles from this EP (here and here) have extolled the virtues of this band. Now at last you can get the full EP. With these 5 tracks you get a satisfying, hit the freeway, window down, summer blast. Get up close and personal with a pair of headphones, though, and you’ll find an equally enjoyable and rewarding listen thanks to the great production – credit for which goes to Jamie Masters, who seems to be able to get right inside the band’s sound and bring out the very best of the songs.

Great tunes, great songwriting, great production, great band. If you like Springsteen, Dylan, Tom Petty, Beatles, et al, you should really listen to Cain Rising’s new EP and then go get the album for good measure. Here is a band influenced by the greats and who then turn their own creativity into new wonderful music for now and for the future.

Follow the band on Facebook or Twitter @CainRising or visit their website at www.cainrising.rocks.

Album Review: The Stacking Stones Band – The Stacking Stones Band

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The Stacking Stones Band

photo by Caitlin Cunningham Photography; photo courtesy of The Stacking Stones Band

The Backstory

After checking out The Stacking Stones Band’s music online a while back and identifying them as an outfit I wanted to see live, I caught (and reviewed) them at Arlington Porchfest this spring. It was during the run-up to that gig I discovered they were working on this album, and I’ve been looking forward to reviewing it ever since.

Album Review of The Stacking Stones Band: The Stacking Stones Band

Mid-tempo, smooth, easy-to-listen-to classic bluesy rock. The Stacking Stones Band is so deceptively precise it makes the music sound as if it almost comes too easy; the band’s music is instantly comfortably familiar. Whether background music during dinner, road-trip or commuting car music, or in a concert setting receiving full attention, this band’s music and performance style are the sort that can easily integrate into listeners’ lives. The seven songs on The Stacking Stones Band’s eponymous album are straightforward, original and exceptionally well-performed. The band does nothing earth-shattering, but they do it well. The Stacking Stones Band is a tight outfit performing well-constructed, straight-ahead bluesy rock.

The Stacking Stones Band album cover

image courtesy of The Stacking Stones Band

“Can’t Shake the Feeling” kicks the record off with a familiar rock ‘n roll rhythm, slowly building, adding crisp vocals first, then the rest of the band jangles its way into the party.

“Roses” was the first track to stand out to me from this collection. The verses flow along comfortably, so when the band features slightly greater energy in the chorus, a neat little guitar line, and slightly soaring vocals, though they’re still pretty relaxed, they stand out as a catchy hook. Add in some comfortable horn-work, and it’s a song you’ll remember.

“So Familiar” follows with a seventies soft rock almost Eagles-ish guitar line, a lying-back-in-a-hammock, peaceful, easy (see what I did there?) tempo, topped by a smoothly bluesy vocal, augmented by an ever-so-relaxed, perfectly-paced sax bridge. If this song doesn’t bring your blood pressure down while putting a smile on your face, nothing will.

“Lightning Rod” introduces some edgy funky blues to the mix.

The Stacking Stones Band

photo by Caitlin Cunningham Photography (www.caitlincunningham.com); photo courtesy of The Stacking Stones Band

It’s followed by what has become my favorite song on the disc, “Waste My Time.” A classic, low-fi blues-rock guitar line pulls the listener in as the song builds. ’60s rock-flavored, almost-psychedelic bridges and chorus offset the cheerfully energetic, guitar-powered verses. It’s a cheerful slow-build that eventually pays off in a late-song guitar solo before settling down just a bit. In all, it’s a fun journey driven by that hooky, crunchy guitar line.

“Las Cruces” carries a similar guitar signature, but it proceeds at a much more mellow pace. The song and its more specifically bluesy guitar riffs, matched well to slightly rougher vocals, give the impression of an open road in mirage-creating heat, wide-open like the picture on the album cover, though with some heat-driven blurriness.

The disc ends with another of my personal favorites, “You and Me.” This track brings the album to an end with a light, energetic cheerfulness. Jangly guitars, vocals with a hint of blues, and playful musical transitions that are somewhat Southern rock in nature. This is the one you’ll find yourself singing along with, rocking coolly, head bobbing with your shades on, to “you and me on the run.”

Looking Ahead

The Stacking Stones Band will be performing at Sally O’Brien’s in Somerville, MA on Saturday night, October 14th. Keep an eye on the “Upcoming Shows” tab of the band’s website and the band’s Facebook page for future live performance information.

EP Review: Company One – Dissonance

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Company One

photo by Sascha Deng; photo courtesy of Company One

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

EP Review of Company One: Dissonance (Five By Two Records)

Company One are a Boston area trio comprised of Marcello Costa on lead vocals and bass, Eoghan McCarthy on guitar and Steven Richardson on drums. Dissonance is their latest EP release and is a gripping and dynamic cross-section of heavy progressive and ambient styles. This talented young group draws from the well of classic artists like Pink Floyd and The Who coupled with more contemporary counterparts like The Mars Volta, Caspian and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Company One - Dissonance

image courtesy of Company One

Perhaps the initial factor that grabs the listener right away is the emotional range and depth of vocalist Costa. He seems to be a shape shifter in the way he is able to manipulate his voice. He can go from a low whisper to a caterwauling scream in an instant and remains fluid throughout. Guitarist McCarthy and drummer Richardson follow suit and provide a tapestry of sound that varies in an ebb and flow formation.

“Lay Me Down” kicks off this four-song release that follows the band’s previous album, In the Womb. The track begins with an ambient wash of sound; almost cello-like in a wavy ethereal pattern. That soon gives way to ultra heavy guitars and gut-wrenching vocals. There is a somewhat gothic/doom quality that is pervasive when things get amped up. But this track remains inventive and doesn’t slip into the typical clichés of said genres.

Company One

photo by Sascha Deng; photo courtesy of Company One

“One Hundred Years or Less” is similar to the previous track in that it is a slow burner that morphs into a dynamic and eruptive “B” section. The structure is somewhat minimalistic, with shifting tempos and time signatures. Everything kind of hangs on a droning tonal center for a time and then explodes. Once the mood and concept of the piece are established McCarthy steps out, with a striking guitar break.

“Look at the Boy” features odd arpeggios that frame a strange and cryptic vocal. The music shifts from darkness to light and seems to swing in ¾ time over a layered multi-dimensional platform.

Company One

photo by Sascha Deng; photo courtesy of Company One

Clocking in at a little over 12 minutes, the opus simply entitled “Drain” concludes the EP. The track sounds like something out of a dream where sonic images float and mesh into each other. The low end really hits you in the chest and the overlapping of harmonies and erroneous audio seems otherworldly.

Company One is a progressive band that successfully bridges the gap between experimental and adhering to somewhat traditional and relatable song structures. Their music also lends itself to film and TV soundtracks, with lush production and vivid imagination.

Company One

photo by Sascha Deng; photo courtesy of Company One

Looking Ahead

Company One has some live gigs booked in the coming weeks. You can catch them at the Bungalow Bar & Grill in Manchester, NH on Saturday, October 14th; at UnchARTed in Lowell, MA on Friday, November 3rd; at Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery in Cambridge, MA on Friday, November 17th; and at the Raven in Worcester, MA on Sunday, November 19th. Check the band’s website for more information about those performances and for additional shows as they’re added.