Author Archives: Geoff Wilbur

Single Review: Overhaul – “Happy Little Rocker”

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photo courtesy of Overhaul

Single Review of Overhaul: “Happy Little Rocker” (The Label Group)

Overhaul is a Scottish rock band comprised of Andy Gallagher (guitar/vocals), Kenny Johnson (bass/vocals) and John Malone (drums/backup vocals). On the single “Happy Little Rocker,” Overhaul is joined by guitarist Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum, Golden Smog, The Scarlet Goodbye).  Prior Overhaul releases have also included some impressive guest appearances, so this is a band that enjoys working with other top musicians. “Happy Little Rocker” was cowritten by Gallagher and Trace Foster (Close Enemies).

image courtesy of Overhaul

Overhaul touts its rock, alt-rock, and grunge influences. “Happy Little Rocker” leans toward to rockin’ end of alt-rock. From the start, it reminds me of a song I might hear from briefly-existing Boston alt-rock supergroup Desk, whose 2016 album All-American Awesome I reviewed here at the blog. There’s plenty of the sort of crunchy, talent-displaying guitarwork that would make mainstream rock fans salivate, but the song also sports a slightly off-balance tempo and a jangly, distorted alt-rock-styled guitar sound. Lead vocals are tuneful but edgy, while rock-styled, rough-but-in-tune harmonies add depth and substance to the song’s audio palate. An echoey, distorted intro to the track’s more traditional late-song guitar solo also appeals to both alt-rock and mainstream guitar rock audiences. In the end, “Happy Little Rocker” is a catchy, memorable rock ‘n roll song that’s likely to appeal to at least two distinct subgenres of rock fandom, so if you like your guitar rock either crisp or distorted – or a little of both – give “Happy Little Rocker” a listen. There’s a good chance you’ll add it to your personal playlist like I have.

Coming Soon

Overhaul plans to release its next single, “Spanish Lilt,” on June 27th, according to this Facebook post. Keep an eye out for it! Or, easier yet, presave save it at the music service of your choice.

Single Reviews: Ghosts of Sunset – “Hide Her Heart,” “She’s Been Comin’ Around,” and “Fade”

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photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Reviews of Ghosts of Sunset: “Hide Her Heart,” “She’s Been Coming Around,” and “Fade” (Golden Robot Records)

Ghosts of Sunset, the duo of singer-songwriter John Merchant (from Dutch Henry) and multi-instrumentalist Todd Long (former drummer of The Verve Pipe), are back. A couple years ago, I reviewed the band’s album No Saints in the City. And, while I didn’t review the band’s 2023 album Breathe, I did mention it in the No Saints in the City review. So I suppose they’re not “back,” since they’ve never actually been gone, especially since the first single I’m reviewing, “Hide Her Heart,” was released a year ago, and “She’s Been Coming Around” and “Fade” are both spring 2025 releases. But it is accurate to say that Ghosts of Sunset are back in the Blog.

image courtesy of BJF Media

The band retains its signature sound, a tunefulness that contrasts with the songs’ rough, grainy-feeling production style. In all, it has an ’80s Sunset Strip flavor, when and where rock was raw yet tuneful.

“Hide Her Heart” starts energetically with a steady rhythm and mood-lifting chord progressions slightly contradicting the sad story in the lyrics. A playful guitar part adds to the song’s fun, energetic mood with a tempo that should lead to massive amounts of airplay on a melodic hard rock station.

image courtesy of BJF Media

“She’s Been Comin’ Around” is equally tuneful – it is, after all, a Ghosts of Sunset song – but its music creates a tension early in the song that’s in line with the lyrics but contrasts with some of the pleasant “ah-ahhh” background vocals. The rhythm of the chorus is pure rock ‘n roll songwriting, as if a ’50 rock song had been amped-up with heavy guitar and dropped into an ’80s-’90s guitar rock song. Kind of like Huey Lewis meets The Romantics but with harder rock guitarwork.

image courtesy of BJF Media

“Fade,” the band’s newest single, begins with a riff that sounds a little Bon Jovi-ish at first, though it fades into Merchant’s rough-edged vocals, which border on melancholy throughout the first verse then burst forth with resurgent guitarwork to launch into a chorus that’ll get stuck in your mind after a few listens. The entire song carries a tone befitting the thoughts contained in its chorus’ key line, “I’d rather disappear than to watch you fade.” So, not a feel-good song; rather, one listeners can relate to on a human level, as most of us can recall an experience to which this thought is applicable. In this case, though, perhaps the tunefulness of this song can help turn such memories into reminiscences.

Taken together, Ghosts of Sunset’s three post-Breathe singles all showcase the band’s song-driven rock style, covering a fair bit of real estate in the raw melodic guitar rock neighborhood. It’s always a pleasure to hear a new GoS song; if you’ve not heard of the band before, be sure to check them out. And if you’re already a Ghosts of Sunset fan, be sure you haven’t missed any of these three singles.

EP Review: Huddy – Love Bites

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photo by Ben Prince; photo courtesy of The Orchard

EP Review: Huddy – Love Bites

As I was digging through some of the music I was sent last year during my 9-month hiatus from writing, I uncovered a few gems. Huddy‘s EP Love Bites was one of them. It’s 4 songs of guitar-based power pop, radio-friendly and a little rockin’. Catchy, with crunchy hooks and full of attitude. So upon giving this EP a quick listen, I added it to my review queue, undeterred by the fact that this record dropped a full year ago. This is an EP you need to know about, regardless of your usual favorite genre, especially if you have any mainstream-leaning tendencies.

image courtesy of The Orchard

As I prepped for this review, I dug into the background of Huddy (Chase Hudson) and discovered the dude’s already a pretty big deal. Yeah, the songs from this EP didn’t chart – they definitely should have! – but he already has quite a resumé. Before I get to the music, I’ll rattle off some accolades: 2021 iHeart Radio Music Awards nominee in the Social Star category, listed in Billboard‘s 21 under 21 list in 2021, one of Forbes‘ 30 under 30 in 2022. I don’t usually mention social media numbers, but Huddy has 30.4 million TikTok followers. He costarred with Sydney Sweeney in Downfalls High in 2021. And he was in the cast of Netflix’s Hype House in 2022. I know I usually get straight to the music in my reviews, but this is an impressive background, and I’ve gotta say, based on the songs on this EP, Huddy has the singing chops to back up the hype.

The first song on this EP, “Mugshot,” is an energetic, build-to-power pop rock song with a monster hook. There’s a cool little raw vocal effect during the lead-in to the chorus you might note. Moreso, though, there’s a fast-beat rhythm through the verses that carry the song forward much like some ’90s pop-punk faves might have, but “Mugshot” has some crunchier guitar licks. As for rockers young and remember-when-you-were-young, you’ll relate to the girls-like-the-bad-boy opening line of the chorus, “She’s in love with the boy in the mugshot.” Oh, and if you tend to listen for axework in your favorite tunes, don’t sleep on the brief, wailing solo about two-thirds of the way through.

photo by Phil Chester & Sara Byrne; photo courtesy of The Orchard

“Worst Way” leans more into the power-pop subgenre of rock ‘n roll, leaning more into its drumbeat and rhythm with a more pop-rock vocal delivery, not significantly unlike some of the more rockin’ Jonas Brothers songs (which, to be fair, is a lot more of their songs than rock ‘n roll purists may want to admit – personally, I love me some good pop-rock). I know the opening reminds me of another hit song (who else hears it? which chart-topper is that?) before it drops into the rhythm. Huddy’s vocals lead the listener on a slightly hypnotic journey in the verses leading up to the chorus, which absolutely pops. The song uses a slight near-pause, with most of the instrumentation briefly dropping out, heading in and out of the chorus in a very effective attention grab and re-grab. This might be the most likely to grab the attention of the pop radio audience, though this whole EP is radio-friendly, so not by much.

In fact, if I’m wrong about that, it’ll probably be because the next song, “Love Bites,” has a bigger, more in-your-face pop rhythm, and Huddy’s voice is smoothly dreamier in the verses but more aggressive in the “l-l-love bites” chorus. It’s the sort of song you’d be jumping around to on a party dance floor. Or around your living room floor, if it’s a house party. Regardless, the song gives off serious dance club vibes, replete with a few NSFW lyrics, though it’s the sort of club song you’d also blast from your stereo.

photo by Phil Chester & Sara Byrne; photo courtesy of The Orchard

The fourth song, “21,” returns to a full-on rock vibe, with distorted alt-rock guitar kicking things off. The chorus sports a crisper, clearer sound, though with still a lot of a wall-of-sound backdrop. As the song opens up when the chorus kicks in, a crisp rock drumbeat takes over from the distorted axework to drive the song’s enthusiastic, almost anthemic tempo. The song’s creative breakdown about two-thirds of the way through helps break things up – a brief, thumping, danceclub breakout that seems to try to make the song feel like a party, and quite successfully, actually – before the song power-pop-rocks its way to its close.

Though just four tracks, Huddy’s Love Bites EP provides a power pop-rock persona and shows a bit of the singer’s musical versatility. That’s important if an artist wants longevity, since it shows his talent isn’t wedded to a specific “sound.” It’s an exceptional collection, especially as an initial introduction to Huddy.

With apologies to the talented Mr. Hudson for being a little late to the party, I’m sure this music will be new to a lot of my regular readers who may not pursue the latest “hot” acts but are into good, old-school rock ‘n roll, including when it’s bright, shiny, and filled with pop-ready hooks like the songs on Love Bites. Give Huddy a listen. This is a talented artist you really need to hear.

More Recently

Huddy played Lollapalooza in 2024, and in this Instagram post commemorating his performance, he plugged an upcoming album in 2025. I hope that’s coming because, after hearing this EP, I can’t wait for a full album of new tunes from this guy!

Musically, since Love Bites, Huddy has released a pair of additional singles, “Addicted to You” and “Cyanide.”

You can catch Huddy on the road this summer as part of the Summer School Tour with Charlotte Sands, Taylor Acorn, Rain City Drive, Arrows in Action, If Not For Me, and Beauty School Dropout.

Single Reviews: Erik Harstad Band – “She’s My Baby” and “Dark Season Moods”

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photo by Lina Winge; photo courtesy of Erik Harstad Band

Single Reviews of Erik Harstad Band: “She’s My Baby” and “Dark Season Moods”

Top Norwegian bluesman Erik Harstad has, with his band, recently released a pair of singles, “She’s My Baby” and “Dark Season Moods.” In the Erik Harstad Band, guitarist Harstad is joined by Rune Endal (bass), Anders Lillebo (Hammond organ, piano and harmonica), and Vetle Larsen (drums).

cover photo by Lina Winge; image courtesy of Erik Harstad Band

The first single, “She’s My Baby,” starts off cool and smooth with light instrumentation behind the vocals. Two verses concluding with the primary lyric, “She’s my baby; that’s the way it is,” cycle through before slightly more substantial instrumentation begins to filter in. First, though, let’s talk about that lyric. Once you get to know the song’s cadence and rhythm, it’s one you’ll want to sing along with. In any case, about a third of the way through the song, there’s a solo where the guitar chatters, talks, and wails a little before it’s joined by the organ in a little back and forth dance, providing a nice musical transition to the next verse. The rest of the way, the pace remains modest, but the instruments join the vocals in creating a moving groove that, accompanied by vocals that gain a hint more edge as the song goes on, carries this track to its satisfying conclusion.

cover photo by Lina Winge; image courtesy of Erik Harstad Band

“Dark Season Moods” starts out completely differently, with sadness, kicking off with 30+ seconds of guitar that paints a picture of soft, easy blues on a rainy day. The music on this song is so powerful, rising and falling, swaying with sad emotion and melancholy, with the baton being passed back and forth between the guitar and the organ taking the lead, that it’s hard to focus on the lyrics, though they move in unison with the instrumentation. “Dark Season Moods” is an ideal song to spin for wallowing in sorrow or even just a good soundtrack to accompany a day of ennui.

Stylistically, the Erik Harstad Band’s sound seems well-suited to either an intimate bar setting or that of a bigger music theater stage. Certainly, the caliber of musicians would support shows suitable for either of those venue types. But if you can’t get out to a performance, be sure to check out these singles. Personally, I tend to favor the more energetic number “She’s My Baby,” but if I wanted to sit by the window and feel sad on a rainy day, I can’t imagine a better soundtrack than “Dark Season Moods.”

Single Review: Special Consensus – “Been All Around This World”

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courtesy of Compass Records

Single Review of Special Consensus: “Been All Around This World” feat. Josh Williams, Robbie Fulks, Ashby Frank (Compass Records)

Special Consensus, winners of multiple IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards, showcase a wide variety of picking styles, tempos, and vocal deliveries on the engaging “Been All Around This World,” a song that moves along so quickly it hardly feels as if it’s lasted more than 3 1/2 minutes, though looking back, the band covered so much ground you wonder in retrospect how they fit everything in.

photo courtesy of Compass Records

Current members Greg Blake (guitar, vocals), Brian McCarty (mandolin, vocals), Dan Eubanks (bass, vocals) and Greg Cahill (banjo) are joined on this single by Special Consensus alumni Robbie Fulks, Josh Williams, and Ashby Frank.

“Been All Around This World” starts with a 20-second picking intro before the first lyric. After the first verse, the individual vocals become a harmony, leading to an extended musical solo.

The next verses begin with a key change, a different vocalist, and slightly leveled-up energy, though follow the same pattern of solo vocal first, then harmony, then extended musical solo.

Done yet? Nope. Special Consensus follows the same song structure pattern a third time.

Not a fourth time, though, as the guys alter the pattern a bit to transition to a soft closing.

So, what have we learned from this? Well, when you have seven talented musicians involved, you’re going to get variety. And Special Consensus knows how to keep the energy flowing and make old patterns seem new. It results in a fun song in “Been All Around This World,” and it suggests an outfit that knows how to keep a live performance… well, lively.

From the look of the “Tour” page of the band’s website, if you’re in the United States, they’ll be performing near you at some point this year, perhaps multiple times. Check the band’s website for details.

Single Review: Dan Berggren – “The Good Fight”

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photo by Erica Miller; photo courtesy of Dan Berggren

Single Review of Dan Berggren: “The Good Fight”

I wandered down a musical rabbit-hole a few weeks ago, and I stumbled upon this cool recent (March) release from Dan Berggren, “The Good Fight.” Berggren has been writing, performing, and recording music for decades and has a great deal of music available online at his website, via Bandcamp, via Soundcloud, and elsewhere. I’m completely unfamiliar with the rest of his catalog, but there’s an impressive collection to explore whenever I’m so inspired in the future.

image courtesy of Dan Berggren

This song, “The Good Fight,” benefits from Berggren’s light picking style a warmth that’s almost certainly as due attention to detail when recording as it is to his also-quite-rich vocals. Since only Dan is listed in the credits, I presume he’s harmonizing with himself in a few well-placed spots thanks to the magic of a recording studio. In other words, the song is enhanced by Berggren’s arrangement and recording choices.

The delivery style is that of a folk storyteller, beginning with “There’s a family down the street, trying to get back on their feet…” Berggren weaves tales of neighbors in need of help in a style that’s meant to urge listeners to “fight the good fight” and help their neighbors. It’s a song about being civic-minded, though the next verse, beginning “Our library in town looks like it my be closing down. Who will fight the good fight? ‘Cause a handful of folks act like freedom is a joke…” hints at an awareness and position regarding current politics. But the song is primarily just a song about civic responsibility and neighborliness. The song concludes, “If not me, if not you, then who? It takes me and every one of you.” It’s not as if we all haven’t heard “fight the good fight” a million times.

We all know what it means, but this song is a helpful reminder… with examples. Oh, and, of course, a pleasant listen from a talented artist. It’s very well-performed. Berggren has a terrific voice for this style of folk music. He spent decades as an audio and radio professor at SUNY Fredonia, so the exceptional quality of his recordings is no accident. And songs like “The Good Fight” are exactly what the world needs right now. Sometimes, exactly what I need to hear, which is why I’m so glad I stumbled upon it and wanted to share it with you via this review.

Live Review: Debo Ray at Sanctuary

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photo by Geoff Wilbur

Debo Ray

Sanctuary (Barside), Maynard, MA

June 13, 2025

As I’ve mentioned before, so many early evening shows at Sanctuary’s bar feature the Boston area’s best musicians, many of whom you rarely see this far out in the suburbs, offering a cool chance to see the top talent of the region without having to travel into the big city. Singer Debo Ray was joined by Scott Tarulli on guitar on this particular evening at Sanctuary.

Debo Ray’s vocal talents cover a broad range, from soft and smooth to powerful, with the ability to adeptly handle the soaring notes and the nearly-spoken ones, working the full gamut of emotions into her performance. Debo included a varied mix of originals and covers into the evening’s performance. As is usually the case, the originals were very well-suited to Debo’s skills, while the covers she selected for the evening were equally good at showing off the range of her vocal talent.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

One of the other standout features of Debo Ray’s performance during the evening was her between-songs banter – a skill that doesn’t come easily, if at all, to a lot of top musicians of her caliber. She had great stories to tell and connected very well with the crowd, something particularly important in an intimate setting like the small bar at Sanctuary. The banter added to the appreciation of the songs and left the audience feeling as if they were getting to know Debo a bit over the course of the evening. Not only does this make an evening’s performance enjoyable, but it’s a great way to get fans coming back again and again.

Early in the first set, the audience was treated to the grooving, soulful original “Time With You.” Debo followed it up with her rendition of Corinna Bailey Rae’s “Closer,” a very heartfelt performance with just the lightest instrumentation helping keep the focus on her powerful vocals.

Next up were a pair of originals. The first, “Tell Me What You Want,” delivered a variation of tempos and rhythm, showcasing a fair bit of Debo Ray’s vocal range, from soaring to nearly spoken. The next, “Filly,” serves up funky rhythm with vocal power at times, nuance at others. By design, there’s not a lot of soft subtlety on this song, but Debo’s vocal power remains strong even when nuanced.

Sanctuary; photo by Geoff Wilbur

A pair of covers followed. Debo Ray delivered a very soulful rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” serving up vocals with range, power, and personality. That was followed by a cool cover of Emily King’s “Distance,” which featured lots of vocal runs – something heard not just here but frequently elsewhere in other songs, as well, the sort of thing that plays exceptionally well for a skilled vocalist in a live performance.

Debo closed the set with an original and another cover. On the original, “Now You’re Here,” the opening vocals hit oh, so sweet! It’s a smooth, swaying song, with a lyrical rhythm in the verses that’s next-level, particularly the way she delivers it. Next up was a rendition of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” that Debo kinda absolutely nailed.

The second song of set number two returned to Roberta Flack, this time with “Fell Like Makin’ Love,” in which Debo worked a bunch of vocal gymnastics.

It was followed by an original, “Gaslight,” that is next-level when performed live. There was something almost theatrical in Debo Ray’s delivery, so intense and pretty raw.

She followed that with a couple of covers. First, to cleanse the palate with smoothness following the raw emotion of “Gaslight,” Debo served up Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” proving she’s fully able to deliver the vocal richness necessary to sing an Alicia Keys number. Then she dealt the fun, with a warm, rich, full-vocalled, emotionally-voiced performance of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.”

photo by Geoff Wilbur

With the show nearing a close, original “Take That” was next. It’s a really powerful, self-empowered proclamation-driven song, very much a song for people psyching themselves up to take control of their lives. Just wow, the emotional strength in the vocals of this powerful ballad!

Next up, Debo turned to Aretha. Specifically, Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman,” an to be honest, I had considered making an Aretha comparison earlier, but, well, after I heard Debo’s strong performance of this song, if I had any doubts before (which I didn’t), she erased them by proving she has a voice capable of being mentioned favorably in the same sentence with Aretha.

Debo closed the night with another original, “Cope.” Penned during pandemic, it’s a thoughtful, jazzy number.

And that brought to an end yet another Sanctuary bar show, as the venue continues to bring Boston’s top talent out to Maynard, close enough that I can easily get in to hear them perform… and to let you know that you shouldn’t miss them.

Looking Ahead

I know that, among those of you in the Boston area who read this blog, many of you are much closer to the city than I am. Well, good news for you. According to the “shows” page on Debo Ray’s website, she has a bunch of shows coming up. From now through the end of the year, in addition to several Boston shows, she’ll be in Medford, Malden, Somerville, and North Andover. And there’s a February 28, 2026 concert booked for the big stage at Sanctuary in Maynard. Debo Ray’s vocal talent with a full band? It’s a double-bill with The ABeez. If your schedule permits, that’ll be a must-see event for those of us in the outer burbs… or for folks travelling out from the city. So many good restaurants in Maynard to make an evening of it. Just sayin’.

Album Review: Dekel – Starlings

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image courtesy of Dog Ranch Music PR

Album Review of Dekel: Starlings

Israeli singer-songwriter Dekel has delivered, in Starlings, an album with catchy, pop-accessible singer-songwriter fare with rich musical backdrops, with a lot of the flowing sounds often – though not always – owing their flowing nature to string arrangements and, it seems, accordion. Stylistically, it might remind you of Tori Amos with more folk leanings. Dekel’s press materials’ “for fans of” suggestions also mention Beirut, Joni Mitchell, Regina Spektor, and Keren Ann, and as much as I prefer to come up with my own comparisons, that’s a much better triangulation than I was ending up with on my own. I will add that, vocally, Dekel’s singing reminds me, in places, of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s on her Familia album, which I reviewed several years ago. Specifically, the shape and roundness of some of the vocals, particularly on certain vowels.

Dekel’s music is catchy and fun to listen to, but as I don’t typically dig deeply into the indie folk-pop genre. Even moreso, the unique sounds on this record, which – and thankfully I have press material to lean on here – include “an abundance of Eastern European sounds with Jewish Ashkenazi melodies” mixes in with the pop-folk and layered production I’m more familiar with. What really stands out about this album for me are how catchy the songs are – as in, crossover to popular music fans kinda catchy. Starlings is, at its core, a song-driven pop music album whose rich sound is unique because of the musical palate in which Dekel works.

photo by Shahar Hilla; photo courtesy of Dog Ranch Music PR

The opening song “Starlings” starts things off cheerily, with Dekel’s vocal cadence adding a quirkiness that gains your attention atop a rich music bed. “Season to Season” is similar but with a different tempo and strumming pattern, plus some uneasiness guided both by the music and an edgy tone in Dekel’s vocals, though toward the end the mood lightens as if the new “season” includes rebirth.

Next up, “Black Cat” is one of my favorites on this record. It’s light with a playful tempo and accordion-playing that bring to mind gypsy music, at least based on the old black and white movies that serve as my entire understanding of what gypsy music sounds like. But yeah, it’s playful and fun.

The playfulness continues on the next song, “So Much Logic,” a song you’ll find yourself swaying to pretty quickly. It’s such a fun song that I constantly have the urge to sing along with the chorus, though I can’t keep from getting tonguetied on the lyrics: “So much logic has left me, no answer. I said, so much logic has left me, no answer. So I walk in the fields. Dip me in the sea. Burn in the sun.”

Dekel continues with “The Frog Prince,” a mostly-soaring song (with some cool, brief instrumental mood changes placed as necessary to drive the song and its story forward) that verbally and musically creates brilliant imagery, centering around idea that “every prince I kiss turns [turned] into a frog.”

“Sing With Me Sisters” is musically playful and vocally soulful with dramatic strings entering abruptly each time the chorus begins, providing lively, deep support until the next verse.

“I Know I Will” has a kind of frantic feeling, especially following a smooth song like “Sing With Me Sisters.” “I Know I Will” has a nervous energy about it. The thought  central to the song’s tension is “I know I will ’cause I finally understand who I am.” The anxiousness isn’t fear; rather, it’s an uneasy but confident rebirth. Oh, and there’s some cool fiddlework to close the song that those of us with mainstream musical experiences will most easily be able to compare with the violin playing in Fiddler on the Roof. I’m sure I’m using a horrifyingly simplistic comparison, but that’s what I have. “Meet Me Halfway” follows, also with an uneasy tempo but with a pleasant overall tone. And man, I wish I had some album credits for this to figure out precisely which instrument is playfully meandering through the arrangement, but it is very cool.

“My Song” is a very personal song for Dekel. The opening accordion sounds like music you might expect from the opening scene-setting scenes of a sixties movie, maybe starting Audrey Hepburn, set in southern Europe. Somewhere with cobblestone streets and hills. Probably Italy, right? Maybe Monaco. Possibly Greece. Somewhere along the Mediterranean coast, that’s for sure. Given Dekel’s background, I know I’m several countries away from the actual instrumental influences, but you know, that’s where the movies the music brings to mind would have been set. The theme of this inward-facing song for Dekel is the lyric “It’s not enough. It’s not enough. But my strong is all I had to keep me strong.” It is, indeed, her song.

Finally, the record closes with “Borrowed From the Soul,” is a jazzy, soulful, slightly folky pop song straight out of the ’60s or ’70s, in more stylish circles, something you might hear in the soundtrack of a James Bond movie or any movie scene where people are gathered at a party, not dancing but standing around holding martinis. I included the adjective “folky” because there’s a hint of a Judy Collins or Joni Mitchell vibe in there, too, especially in the verses, but the chorus is echoingly sophisticated, stylish, and cool.

I didn’t know quite what to expect from this album when I first listened to it, as indie world folk music isn’t anywhere near an area of strength for me. But even if I had known what to expect, this wouldn’t have been it. Sure, there a variety of influences that’ll be unfamiliar to American pop music ears. (I’m raising my hand here.) But the songs are personal and on universal topics, delivered with a very pop sensibility, regardless of the regional or historical origins of some of the instrumentation and melodies. Several of the songs on this record are simply pop songs with a potential for mainstream appeal. My recommendation is to give this album a listen and choose a few favorite songs, then work out from there. The favorite songs will be easy to find.

EP Review: Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners – Before the Fall

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photo by Monica Sager; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners: Before the Fall

If Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners were a movie, their program guide listing would be: “Really good, powerful, jangly Americana with accordion.” That’s it. Heck, that’s my review. Not enough? Yeah, you’re probably right. This is a terrific EP, so if you’re willing to stick with me and not check out the music until after you’ve read a few more paragraphs, I’ll keep going.

OK, maybe just click through and start playing “White Russian,” then come back and read while you listen. Who am I kidding? You can’t pay attention to anything else while you’re listening to “White Russian”! The EP-opening track is a raucous, accordion-fueled, rhythmic audio circus that’ll have you singing “la da da da da white Russian!” by the end of the first time you hear the phrase. It’s infectious. It took me several days to realize there was more than one song on this EP because I just kept replaying “White Russian.” It’s a fun, exhausting, energetic romp.

image courtesy of Knyvet

It’s followed by “Quarter-Life Crisis,” which I’d love to tell you about, but I don’t have any adjectives left. Actually, I do, mostly because this song requires an entirely different set of descriptors than its predecessor. It’s slower Americana. Mostly. It’s an introspective number, as you’d probably guess a song called “Quarter-Life Crisis” might be. The song sways gently for the most part early on, but the vocals reach a pain-releasing wail in sections of the chorus, and then the song builds in power and noise-level as it progresses. This is what Americana music would sound like if it came out of ’90s Athens, Georgia. But without the twang, of course, ’cause Kier & company are Yankees. Probably Red Sox, actually, since they’re New Englanders, but in Athens, we’d all be carpetbaggers.

“When the Money’s All Gone” has an almost Gypsy-esque accordion part (even more Gypsy-esque than accordion music ordinarily is), and it shares some good folky advice, with the chorus delivering these wise words: “You say that you love me, I tell you you’re wrong. I’ll know that you love me when money is all gone.” This track has a bit of an Irish drinking song feel, particularly as it begins to drift more into singalong territory with words that are easy to remember after several drinks – “la da da da da da” – and seems to carry an undercurrent of the idea that things are not going to end well, but hey, let’s all keep drinking and singing.

image courtesy of Knyvet

“Train’s Off the Rails,” next, starts slow and picks up speed. Like a runaway train, you might say. The kind of sidewinding, janky rhythms and carnival barker-ish vocal delivery recall a couple of my favorite Los Goutos songs. As you get past the midpoint, the vocals and accordion seem to compete to see which can pick up the tempo the fastest, but it’s really the guitar solo that ups the ante because nothing’s as fast as a shredding guitar part. Oh, the vocals return and try, but just as things are about to spiral off the rails – to extend the train metaphor – the brakeman apparently steps in, and you can hear the song and the vocals crawl before stopping.

“Hurting or Helping” is another raucous, fast-tempoed Americana number that looks internally, thinking about the relative merits of pursuing money versus more selfless or creative endeavors. However, relatively early on, the lyrics say, “so I asked my dear ol’ pal, ChatGPT, to finish writing this here verse of the song for me.” That gave me an idea, so I asked ChatGPT to “Write a 50-word review of the Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners’ song ‘Hurting or Helping,'” and it came up a not-so-accurate description that you wouldn’t realize was inaccurate unless you actually listened to the song. It also used a helluva lot more than 50 words. And it threw in a couple em-dashes without a space before or after, so I guess what I’d heard about the em-dashes is true. Personally, I tend to use a lot of en-dashes, and I like to place spaces before and after them, so I guess that’s two data points that suggest I am not a robot, just in case you were wondering, something that might be up for debate if you’ve ever seen me try to select all the squares with streetlights in them. As for “Hurting or Helping,” it’s a fun, bar-rattling number not extremely unlike “Train’s Off the Rails” but not nearly as out-0f-control-seeming.

“Dark Eyes” is a lively, guitar-pickin’-driven number the likes of which you might expect the Three Amigos to dance to while the bad guys are shooting at their feet. And that accordion kind of oompas like it’s working a polka, particularly mid-song. Sometimes, also, it sounds a little like a sped-up version of that song from Dr. Zhivago; you know, in a really cool way.

After listening to this six-song EP… well, first after the almost-frantic tempos of some of the songs, you’ll want to thank the band for stopping after six songs so you can catch your breath. Then you’ll probably start from song one again. And you’ll look to see when you can catch a live show because if it’s anything like this EP, it’ll blow the doors off. The band plays all over New England. Just look for the venues that have lost their doors, and you’ll know Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners are there. Either that, or check the “calendar” page on the band’s website. Of interest to readers in Belgium and the Netherlands – and I’ve reviewed Belgian and Dutch blues artists already this year, so hopefully you’re still reading the blog – 2024 New England Music Awards Americana Act of the Year Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners will be touring your fair countries from July 3rd to July 13th, so check out their concert calendar to see when they’ll be near you, and have a rollicking time!

Album Review: Shannon Curtis – 80s Kids

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photo by Nancy Schoeggl; photo courtesy of Saint Cloud Records

Album Review of Shannon Curtis: 80s Kids

I first encountered Shannon Curtis‘ music more than a decade ago. I have on my computer a 2014 Sampler EP, which I assume I received when I signed up for her mailing list way back then. A song from that sampler, “Paris Can’t Have You,” remains one of my favorites, a song you’ll see pop up on my “#PhoneOnShuffle playlist” from time to time on X or Threads. Of course, the sampler was dated 2014; the song itself was the title track of Shannon’s 2008 EP. So this was one of the artists I had started listening to in the run-up to returning to music journalism by launching this blog in 2015, specifically to share all of the great artists I had started listening to in the preceding couple of years. Well, it has taken some time, but I’m finally letting you know what kind of cool music you’re missing out on if you haven’t yet discovered Shannon Curtis.

Another thing about Shannon is that she puts together massive house concert tours. So did I get out and cover one of her house concerts? No. Did I get out to catch an 80s Kids tour concert in a non-house venue? No. Did I review any of her original albums, EPs, or singles? No, I’m reviewing an album of covers. Mostly, it’s just because this is her current album, and I was paying enough attention to get ahold of it and review it. However, this is also a very special album. Ten of the 1980s hits – songs we all know if we grew up in the ’80s – meticulously recreated by someone who clearly loves these songs and that decade as much as we do – or, and I love this turn-of-phrase – carefully recomposed by “synthpop spouses Shannon Curtis and Jamie Hill.” “Synthpop spouses”? Is it just me, or is that clever af? Yeah, that’s a phrase used in the liner notes at the 80s Kids Bandcamp page. Regardless, the biggest difference between these versions and the originals is simply that it’s clearly Shannon Curtis’ voice. And the vocals are so good because she’s singing in an octave appropriate to her voice (and/or she selected songs with that in mind). Also, the synth-driven performances are missing any small guitar parts. But the attention to musical detail means you wouldn’t even notice most of the differences unless you were playing the originals side-by-side. And the pacing, the vocal intonations and phrasing… they’re impeccable.

Shannon kicks off 80s Kids with “Wouldn’t It Be Good,” the Nik Kershaw classic. Shannon dispenses with the song’s extended intro – DJs would’ve been talking over that anyway back in the day; she starts right about where I remember the music kicking in anyway. For this song, I actually watched the original on YouTube, and if anything, Shannon’s version sounds more like the way I remember the song in the first place, so that’s an obvious win.

Next up are detailed covers of The Cars’ “Drive” and A-ha’s “Take On Me” – because “Take On Me” is an absolute necessity for an ’80s synthpop cover album, and Shannon and Jamie do a fantastic job with it! Also, I’m sure she sings some of the lyrics more clearly than the Norwegian A-ha; it’s fun to realize “oh, that’s what that lyric was!”

If there’s one thing about the ’80s, it’s that we all had a lot of crossover music knowledge thanks to both top 40 radio and MTV. For example, that’s why an old rocker like me knows so much pop, R&B, country, and other genres’ music from that time period. So it’s not surprising to find a rock singer’s song on this disc, especially since even rock singers like Don Henley deployed synth sounds in the ’80s. Yes, Don Henley’s synth-heavy dance-rock number “The Boys of Summer” is the first of two rockers’ tunes on this disc. Eagles fans should skip the next sentence. I think I might like this version as much as the original.

After a really cool version of Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls” with meticulous attention to musical detail, Alphaville’s “Forever Young” is the next song to get the Shannon Curtis treatment, the song with the lyric “are you gonna drop the bomb or not?” Looking at the album cover, it looks like it may have been dropped on Vegas. Which 80s Kids version is most likely to replace the original on my ’80s playlist? Probably this one, in part because Shannon vocals are simply more powerful in the booming late-song build-up than the original’s.

I didn’t realize Erasure’s “A Little Respect” came so late in the ’80s. In retrospect, it does have a richer synth sound than some of the earlier ’80s songs in that genre. Anyway, it’s here in all its bouncy danceableness.

Song number eight, next, is the most rockin’est song in the collection, as Shannon tackles Bruce Springsteen. Probably his most danceclub-ready song, “Dancing in the Dark.” The song that brought us Courteney Cox, who we ’80s kids reconnected with in our young adulthood in the ’90s when she became one of our F•R•I•E•N•D•S. As far as the song goes, Shannon’s voice isn’t as gruff as the Boss’s, but she does a helluva job carrying the song’s energy.

Next up, she forges through “A Question of Lust,” the emotionally powerful Depeche Mode song that’s the one song on here I think only heard years later. It’s a killer, heavy, strong song, but hey, it never charted here in the States. Then, finally, Shannon leaves us with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s “If You Leave.” Or OMD, for those of us who knew we weren’t supposed to spell it “maneuvers” but didn’t know what the extra vowels were or where they went. It’s still one of the words I have trouble spelling in British English. The song, however, was ubiquitous in the ’80s, full of synth and sax. Because is it really the ’80s without a saxophone in a dance song? Anyway, Shannon and Jamie layer on the musical layers, closing 80s Kids in all of the 1980s plush musical fullness.

The question you’re asking yourself now is whether or not you need a cover album of ’80s hits. You may not need an album of them, but this album of them is something special. I know some of this is the ’80s nostalgia talking, but not all of it is.

Oh, and while you’re on Shannon’s Bandcamp page, check out some of her originals, too. After all, that’s why I signed up for her e-mail list in the first place! I already told you my favorite of Shannon’s originals, so I’d suggest you start there, but absolutely explore more!

Geeky footnote: Shannon Curtis is on Mastodon. She’s the first musician I’ve spotted on there, thanks to noticing the link on her Bandcamp page. (If you’re looking for me, my Mastodon link is https://techhub.social/@geoffwilbur, but I rarely post. If you follow me over there, you can be my – checks notes – 7th follower!)