Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review: Nathaniel Land – My Destination’s You

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Nathaniel Land

photo courtesy of Serge Media Group

by James Morris, Contributing Blogger

EP Review of Nathaniel Land: My Destination’s You

Nathaniel Land is a New York City singer and songwriter whose roots stem from a musical family – he’s a relative of Robert Hunter of Grateful Dead lore. His press info says that after years as a performing and studio guitarist, Nathaniel developed his songwriting craft under the tutelage of Nashville legend Hugh Prestwood at the New School. He says that he writes and arranges vibrant material in the mold of Max Kearney, Ryan Adams and David Gray.

“I am so excited to release My Destination’s You”, states Land. “The material represents a huge step forward for me on many levels.”

I am sure that every artist strives for progression from album to album. No one wants to get stuck in a groove, and yet it is important to keep the themes and styles familiar to your fans. I would say that this is achieved on this new release, which has extended on the earlier, vaguely R.E.M.-esque sounding album Make This World Our Own into this much more Americana experience. My Destination’s You is rather like Michael Stipe goes country.

Nathaniel Land - My Destination's You

image courtesy of Serge Media Group

The progression from the previous album brings us closer to something more reminiscent of an imagined 21st century James Taylor or Cat Stevens with a grounded Americana country vibe. Nathaniel has a rich, pleasant timbre to his voice, and the record is well-recorded with wholesome production, crisp acoustic guitar, and clean simple construction with just the right decisions being made about the instrumentation. This has been achieved with the studio talents of Chris Cubeta, who produced the album at Studio G, Williamsburg, New York City and Alex De Turk, who mastered it at Strange Weather Studios. All the songs on the album have been written by Nathaniel, and as he says, “The songs reflect my sincere desire to touch and inspire, to help people reflect on their own lives, and to open new possibilities of love and fulfillment.”

Opening track “Emily” quickly makes this desire a reality. There is a longing tone of a traveler’s remorse that colours the song with an identifiable resonance. On a personal level, I think that it can be an exposing method of songwriting. When you write, you can choose to hide behind the imagery you create or you can be intensely honest about your feelings. This is a revealing and open approach to writing and works well here set to a relaxed and syncopated acoustic groove.

“California Blue” is another travelling road trip of a song. Descriptive and easygoing with a rewarding sense of build, enhanced by its sprinkled subtle guitar parts. I can’t imagine anyone who likes this genre of music would not enjoy this; it does everything you would want it to.

Nathaniel Land

photo courtesy of Serge Media Group

There is a similar feeling of musical satisfaction on the next track, “Take Your Chances.” Once again, the swing of the track is perfectly achieved to draw you in, and the melodic acoustic approach combined with the universal message of taking your chances while you can is an appealing one.

I should say that, as the next track “Lonely Life” began, it struck me that, as well as the quality of the songs and production, I was also enjoying the sequencing of the track listing. One song effortlessly moved to the next and took you on the journey no doubt intended by the creators. “Lonely Life” is more uptempo and maybe the most contemporary country pop sound so far on the album. Like a soft Nickelback, and I could see it being the most radio friendly.

“Liar” is the penultimate song on this 6-track EP/album. This was the least penetrable one for me. It’s not that I didn’t like it, just that maybe I needed more listens of it to grow on me. There was a very ’80s sequencer synth part that made me slightly question if it fit with all the other songs as comfortably as maybe hoped. Verdict’s out, but I think in time I will like it, just not so much as the rest.

The release ends with the title track “My Destination’s You,” which rounds off everything very nicely and fulfills Nathaniel’s original desires to speak of love and possibilities in a sincere and inspiring way.

This release does indeed deliver Nathaniel to his hoped-for destination. There are a lot of people trying to make music in this genre, and so it takes something special to stand apart. I think Nathaniel has that, and so it’s not hard for me to encourage you, if you like good quality acoustic-based Americana pop, to go and buy his new record.

Land is currently planning a fundraising event in NYC (February 15th at Rockwood Music Hall) to benefit the Amani Children’s Home. When Land visited the Amani Children’s Home during his travels to Kilimanjaro, he became so inspired by the home he felt it necessary to provide visibility for this organisation through his music. Like his last album release, he has dedicated My Destination’s You to the Children of Amani, and all proceeds from music sales will be donated to the Amani Children’s Home in Karanga, Tanzania.

Album Review: Love Love – Love Love

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Love Love

photo courtesy of Love Love

Album Review of Love Love: Love Love

Music journalists love when bands self-title their first albums, mostly because we like to use the word “eponymous.” But I’ll resist because there’s so much more to write about Love Love than its album title choice. Hip, hillbilly-in-a-coalmine Americana. But with a dark side. And a tendency to wail in such a way that you’re both energized and haunted at the same time. And a proclivity toward throwing in some psychedelic, mellow guitar rock just when you think you have the band’s style figured out.

But let’s start with the dark side. This Boston band sure does. I had never even heard of murderpedia until I found myself singing along to this oh-so-catchy, truly demented opening number, “Murderpedia.” Indeed, it sounds as if Chris Toppin and Jefferson Davis Riordan, who, along with bass player Darren Ray, form the core of Love Love, sought out some of the more gruesome entries and wove them into a song. I guarantee you’ll sing along to this catchy, guitar hook-driven knee-slapper… and that you’ll be simultaneously amused and horrified at yourself for doing so. (To be honest, you’ll mostly be singing along with “devil back to hell”; not so horrifying.) Yes, this song is on my phone playlist.

My other favorite Love Love song on this disc is a gravelly-vocalled, psychedelic Americana-folk anthem of unique pride, “I Like You Weird.” This could be a major hit, a movie theme song, the band’s entrée to pop music consciousness. At a minimum, it’s going to be one of your favorite songs on Love Love’s eponymous debut album. (OK, it turns out I couldn’t resist.)

Elsewhere on the album, which totals 14 songs, you’ll have your own favorites, but there are a few I’m particularly drawn to. “Hey Fella”, for example, is a slow-paced, engaging, heavy roots rock behemoth. And “Big Backyard Moon” is a harmonizing, guitar picking, energetic, hillbilly-esque ditty.

“Bailing” extends the Opry-like flavor all the way to Hee Haw territory; lyrically modern with a hint of rock guitar where you’d perhaps expect banjo on a truly old-school country song, but it frequently sports a classic country harmony. Structurally, if you appreciate a well-crafted song, this is a work of art. And it’s followed by singer-songwriter-esque melodic alt-rock “Maryland,” just to keep listeners on their toes.

“Wide Open Skies” is a medium-tempo, ’60s/’70s-flavored travelling song that just screams “Roll the windows down!” to which you will certainly reply, if you live here in New England, “No, not in the winter,” but you’ll still want to.

In the end, Love Love is a style of roots rock/Americana all its own. A pure old sound with a new bent and a propensity to throw in styles you didn’t expect, sometimes in large quantities so they take over a particular song, while always maintaining an underlying Love Love sound. A perfect example comes late in the album. “Love Myself” is one of those “do I have the turntable on the right speed?” mellow, psychedelic tunes that feels as if you’re drifting through the clouds in a black lit room full of lava lamps. It’s followed by “Lost Battle,” a fun, pickin’-and-grinnin’ knee-slapper. And the album ends to the tune of a capella, creaky hillbilly harmony on “Bright Morning Stars.”

Love Love is a unique entity. Boston-based, bizarre Americana.

Album Review: Mary Fahl – Love & Gravity

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Mary Fahl

photo by Lisa Hancock; photo courtesy of MelFarina Media

Mary Fahl – Love & Gravity

Album Review of Mary Fahl: Love & Gravity

Mary Fahl‘s powerful, emotional voice stands out, powering this disc that’s probably best categorized as folk, but there’s a power that suggests a concert hall might more nearly contain Mary’s voice than a coffeeshop. It’s as if her voice is echoing through a lush, green, hilly region of the Irish countryside, an image I’ve selected because there’s a bit of almost-operatic Irish folk sound powering Mary’s often-booming yet sensitive vocals. As a result, Love & Gravity occasionally courts the intersection between folk and classical; that’s interesting because I was previously scarcely aware there was such an intersection.

Mary Fahl - Love and Gravity

image courtesy of MelFarina Media

Love & Gravity, a 2014 release, is Mary’s fourth studio album since 2001. She also recorded two albums as a member of chamber pop group October Project in the 1990s.

The album opens with “Exiles (The Wolves of Midwinter),” its haunting power and orchestration providing a striking introduction to Love & Gravity. It’s followed immediately by soaring, echoing “How Much Love,” currently my personal favorite in the collection.

Perhaps the immediately easiest-to-absorb track on the disc is Mary’s exceptionally soaring, emotionally rising and falling cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” though that’s partially due to its instant familiarity. But also partially due to Mary’s exceptional arrangement and delivery, since this song, as performed, is clearly a Mary Fahl song, performed in her own style. Though I’ve heard this song covered a number of times, this is far and away my favorite version ever. You can hear the vocal power soar… and drop. Boom. Wow!

Mary Fahl

photo by Lisa Hancock; photo courtesy of MelFarina Media

“Gravity (Move Mountains, Turn Rivers Around)” is one of those folky songs of power and understanding, a song that takes a thoughtful journey through its own lyrics. And, of course, because of Mary’s amazing voice, the song soars, booms, and roars, quietly and with lush orchestration.

The most ethereal track on the disc is probably “Siren,” a soft, gentle, otherworldly number. Another quickly enjoyable track because of the familiarity with those referenced in the song, is the emphatically, powerfully romantic “Like Johnny Loved June.” (That’d be Johnny Cash and June Carter, of course.)

Mary lends that Irish folky, soaring power to “Dawning of the Day,” her tribute to the 9/11 rescue workers, before closing the disc with an almost lullaby of a tune, though clearly embellished with the vocal power and emotion of a Mary Fahl song, “Meant to Be.”

I know it was released a couple years ago, and so I’m a bit late to the party, but it should be clear I have a particular soft spot for amazing vocalists, and in that respect, Mary Fahl’s Love & Gravity is a gem that seems to capture the spirit and quality of her vocal prowess.

Mary Fahl

photo by Lisa Hancock; photo courtesy of MelFarina Media

Looking Ahead

Mary has several dates already booked for 2017, beginning with Saturday, January 21st in Auburn, NY; Saturday, February 11th in Beacon, NY; and Saturday, February 18th in New Hartford, CT. To find out more information about these dates and see future bookings, currently including scheduled shows from Maine to Georgia to Texas, see the tour dates page of Mary’s website. There’s a May 20th date at Club Passim in Boston; I’ll have that one circled, watching my calendar as it takes shape this spring, hoping my schedule will allow me to get to it.

Album Review: Dallas Cosmas – The Memory Keys

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Dallas Cosmas - The Memory Keys

image courtesy of Dallas Cosmas

Album Review of Dallas Cosmas: The Memory Keys

Dallas Cosmas‘ goal seems to be to push the envelope of progressive alt-rock music. His style is somewhat plodding and gloomy, enhanced by frequent musical dissonance. I’m never entirely sure if I like Dallas’ vocals; he seems to miss a lot of notes. Typically I’m not sure if he’s a little flat intentionally or not, and even if it is on purpose, I’m not sure what I think of it. But I’m also aware that the honest, raw emotional connection of a singer-songwriter, even one whose voice perhaps wouldn’t win any singing competitions, appeals to a large segment of the listening audience, especially so to those who enjoy Dallas’ mood-driven, progressive alt-rock style. And, indeed, after a couple dozen listens to The Memory Keys, there are several songs I can’t imagine would work nearly as well with more polished vox. Indeed, I do really like some of these songs. So if this is a genre you enjoy — or if you’re willing to give some solid, well-crafted, ambitious music enough listens for its quirks to grow on you — give The Memory Keys a shot. This is an interesting release from an artistic, talented musician, an album that’s tremendously well-produced and well worth the effort to get familiar with.

Prototype Musique engineering team

Dallas Cosmas with Martin Pullan, Wayne Rintoul, and Simon Segal; photo courtesy of Dallas Cosmas

Dallas wrote and produced the disc and delivered the vocals, keyboards, bass, and guitar on The Memory Keys. As always, Dallas worked with a talented team. He was joined by Paul Richards on the drums, with Wally Rankin (guitars, backing vocals), Wayne Rintoul (soundscapes, backing vocals), Brother To The Birds (rhyhtms, guitars, loops, backing vocals), Matthew Shadwick (guitar, slide), Evan Englezos (keys), and Simon Segal (keys, treatments) joining him. The disc was directed by Simon Segal, engineered by Wayne Rintoul, and mastered by Martin Pullan for Edensound.

Getting back to the music, though, The Memory Keys takes influences ranging from ’60s Beatles-style pop-rock to ’80s New Wave to ’70s Bowie progressive pop-rock and blends them into an identity all its own. Right off, there’s a late-’60s pop-rock vibe to the album-opener “45 Revolutions” that sets the stage for this record. The following song, “The Midnight Road,” then swings the album in a more progressive pop direction, lyrically imaginative with an electronic flavor to its bass and guitar hooks. I appreciate that there’s a music video for this number on YouTube, as it’s a great introduction to Dallas’ music, as good a litmus test as I can imagine for whether you’re likely to enjoy the rest of the disc… though perhaps not, as it’s not even among my personal favorites.

Dallas Cosmas

photo courtesy of Dallas Cosmas

The plaintive “Bang Bang (The Chorus)” serves up a real sense of anguish, actually reminding me in that sense a bit of an album I reviewed earlier this year, Night Worker from “Les Paul’s” (The Paul’s). Both albums leave the listener intrigued but uneasy as they navigate relatively uncharted progressive waters.

Interestingly, my favorite tracks land near the end of The Memory Keys‘ seemingly purposefully ebbing and flowing musical journey, but there are some cuts in the middle that are worth taking note of, including the haunting “A Part of Me,” the reverb-laden, ’70s-era, experimentally off-balance “Why Don’t You,” and the softly almost-melodic, tensely uncomfortable, emotionally bare “It’s Over Me.”

But, again, it is in the final third that you’ll find my personal favorites.

First is the alt-rock, soundtrack-ready “Meet You Once Again.” I’m picturing it playing in the background during one of those heartbroken montages… or perhaps even during a reuniting sequence at a dingy bar somewhere… or in a cafe while it’s raining outside, especially if there’s an uneasiness that it might not end well.

The strings and the ’60s pop-rock nature of its songwriting, along with a certain warm tone in Dallas’ vocals make “The Promise” an easy track to enjoy, like the alt-rock doppleganger of Billy Joel sings the Beatles in a funhouse.

The uneasiness doesn’t go away on “Green Girl,” a slow-tempoed, flower-childy number whose psychedelic nature comes through via distorted guitar and a tempo that always seems as if it’s going to fall a fraction of a count off but never does.

And then “Good Goodbye” closes the collection with another soundtrack-flavored number, this one a mid-tempo bit that seems as if it might play as the movie’s action fades into the credits.

I enjoy being tuned into the work Dallas and his cohorts at Prototype Musique produce. Such depth of musical background and willingness to experiment produce interesting sounds and albums conceived as a combination of art, expression, and music. I look hearing to seeing what this talented Australian ensemble produces next, both Dallas’ future solo work and the other projects on which he and his team are involved. So far, The Memory Keys stands among my favorites from Prototype.

Looking Back

For those who missed it, Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog contributor Joe Szilvagyi reviewed Dallas Cosmas’ previous album, Farewell From the Lighthouse, back in June.

Album Review: The Dayz – EP2

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The Dayz

photo courtesy of The Dayz

The Dayz – EP2

The Backstory

I’ve been listening to this EP on and off for a couple months now, since long before I reviewed the band’s November 12th set at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. I’ve also known The Dayz’ frontman Dax Callner for a number of years from a previous band of his, as I noted at the beginning of the live review last month. I had heard some of the songs from The Dayz’ previous EP back before I launched the Blog, so I was especially looking forward to hearing the new stuff now that I again have an outlet for my reviews.

EP Review of The Dayz: EP2

The Dayz - EP2

image courtesy of The Dayz

The Dayz are a broad-based modern rock band with progressive pop-rock sensibilities. David Bowie’s take on modern rock with a jazz-rock horn section… or some combination or subset thereof.

The collection kicks off with hooky sax leading into insistent vocals on “This Planet,” with the music climaxing and popping with energy. It’s an ear-catching, attention-grabbing introduction. I’d say it’s one of the strongest songs on the EP, but I can’t find a weak one to make that a meaningful comparison. That’s the thing about The Dayz; they simultaneously feel like a comfortable old favorite and like no band you’ve ever heard before. The more I listen to these songs, the more impressed I am with this band. But I disgress…

The Dayz

photo courtesy of The Dayz

“Apology Song” follows, and you can practically hear the pain in Dax’s vocals, with old standard-esque keys, horn, and drums knowing just where to add emphasis. And I’m a sucker for a great sax solo.

“Ascension” (featuring Jo Hamilton) is a bit of a soaring, mid-tempo, mainstream progressive rock number that leans a bit on the sax to provide an interesting edge to an uplifting song.

It’s followed by “Leonela,” a keyboard-driven number with such a sense of self that you’ll have to re-listen a few times just to make sure it really is an instrumental. At least, if you’re like me and usually hang on the lyrics, you will. It’s a song with a deep, smooth, hip soul; vocals would only detract from its emotion.

And the collection closes with “The Fourth Estate,” a bona fide progressive hipster pop-rock hit if I’ve ever heard one. Live, I wasn’t surprised to see the crowd moved to dance to this number because it’s hard enough to stay in your seat for the recorded song. The hoarse, emphatic vocals combine with a party-sized wall of sound and adept drum, key, and guitarwork… and, of course, a signature sax line past the song’s midpoint just in case the hooks aplenty weren’t already enough. Take a listen; you’ll remember it days later.

The Dayz

photo courtesy of The Dayz

To be fair, a blended mix of sounds like this can take some time to really soak in. The opening and closing tracks are catchy monsters that will bring you back for more while the subtler aspects sink in to give you a full appreciation of the music produced by this ensemble. It’s a fun disc, and it’s hip and sophisticated enough that, if you’ve got headphones on, you’ll feel a little cooler than everyone around you when you listen to it.

Looking Ahead

The Dayz currently have upcoming gigs scheduled January 3rd, 8 pm at Bitter End; January 13th, 7 pm at Drom; and March 9th, 8 pm at Bowery Electric. You can find information about these shows (and others as there are added) by checking The Dayz’ Facebook events page.

Album Review: Lew Jetton – Christmas Past

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Album Review of Lew Jetton: Christmas Past

I just downloaded this Christmas album a few weeks ago, and I’m enjoying the heck out of it.  Christmas and the blues go well together, though all-too-often blues artists will try to over-blues a holiday record. Lew Jetton resists that urge on Christmas Past, getting the bluesy energy-to-Christmas spirit ratio just right on this six-song release.

Lew Jetton - Christmas Past

image courtesy of Lew Jetton

Lew kicks things off with a rousing, energetic rendition of “Winter Wonderland.” It’s a great song to rock to, with growling guitars and emphatic piano punctuating this disc-opener. It’s joined by three other Christmas standards, a Chuck Berry-era-esque “Run Run Rudolph,” a version of “White Christmas” performed in a peppy crooning style, and an Elvis-worthy, smooth, soft-rockin’-bluesy, kinda cheerful-sounding “Blue Christmas” (because everyone knows a bluesman loves a blue Christmas).

Mixed in among the standards are a couple Lew Jetton originals that fit the record like a glove. The title track, for example, delivers emotion in the form of a country blues-style reminiscence, with Lew’s hoarse vocals keeping things smooth and a bit sad. As much as I like Lew’s take on the cover tunes, I think “Christmas Past” may be my favorite track on this disc.

The other original, “Christmas With My Baby,” is rather the polar opposite; it’s a cheerful, energetic blues-rockin’ number, carrying along much of the energy of its lead-in, “Run Run Rudolph,” by somewhat emulating its early blues-rock guitar sound.

I enjoy Christmas music only in moderation, so I don’t add to my collection often, but this EP, with its energy, precision, and variety, has earned its spot on my holiday playlist. And it earned a rare Christmas album review.

Looking Ahead

I first ran across Lew’s music when I reviewed his album Rain earlier this year. And he’s planning a new non-holiday release for late spring next year which I’m really looking forward to. In the meantime, keep an eye on the “upcoming shows” page of his website to see if he’s playing near you.

 

Album Review: Lauren Lizabeth – To Be Young

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Lauren Lizabeth

photo courtesy of Lauren Lizabeth

Lauren Lizabeth – To Be Young

EP Review of Lauren Lizabeth: To Be Young (Nine North Records)

Lauren Lizabeth

photo courtesy of Lauren Lizabeth

For such a young artist, Lauren Lizabeth has already been turning heads for a while. As far back as 2011, Lauren was nominated by the New England Music Awards for Country Act of the Year. She has some professional stage experience, as well, working with the well-known (well, I’ve known about it for decades), highly-regarded Southern New England Theatre By The Sea while still in high school.

This EP, To Be Young, focuses on Lauren’s emotionally powerful voice; it’s a collection of seven crisply-performed pop and pop-country numbers. Her sharp, clear voice and young-skewing topics, lyrics, and enthusiasm could land her on a Disney TV movie soundtrack; and while her radio genre could easily be pop, some of the tunes herein showcase why she’s finding her early success on country radio with her pop-country stylings.

Lauren Lizabeth

photo courtesy of Lauren Lizabeth

The disc opens with the title track, “To Be Young,” an energetic number on which Lauren’s always-at-eleven vocal enthusiasm is supported by a peppy guitar hook. With its positive energy and youthful appeal, this song could connect with a pretty sizable audience.

It’s followed by “Every Single Night,” whose mid-tempo pop-rock style is supported by a more versatile, emotive vocal and melodic hook and a well-placed guitar run late in the track to help move the song forward. Indeed, this catchy number is one of the two songs from To Be Young that has found a place on my personal smartphone playlist.

There’s something a little special about “Light a Match,” as well, with a very country-esque, brooding bridge showing Lauren’s versatility, tying together this lyrically worthwhile, mid-tempo emotional pop-rocker. It also features a fun country-rock guitar line… because even a strong voice requires well-written songs.

Lauren Lizabeth

photo courtesy of Lauren Lizabeth

“Beginning of the End” is notable as the most ballady song in this collection. Not exactly a ballad, but not far from one, this is another of those tracks that shows a nice mid-range; it’s nice to hear her use more vocal richness at times to offset her powerful high notes.

The last song on the album, “I Hear That,” is perhaps my favorite. It’s a cheerful country-rock ditty that’ll bring a smile to your face. It’s a bit sassy, showcasing perhaps more of Lauren’s personality than any of the others on To Be Young. As with the title track, this song could ring true with a monster breakout audience.

Overall, this is a nicely-constructed selection of catchy songs showcasing a talented vocalist. If pop or pop-country, especially with a bit of young energy, is your cup of tea, check out this disc. Indeed, I have a couple favorites from among this assortment, and I look forward to hearing where Lauren’s musical journey takes her from here.

Album Review: Angie and the Deserters – You

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Angie and the Deserters

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

Angie and the Deserters – You

EP Review of Angie and the Deserters: You

Angie and the Deserters - You

image courtesy of Miles High Productions

Led by the inimitable, engaging voice of Angie Bruyere, Angie and the Deserters have released their second EP this year, You. It’s the follow-up to Blood Like Wine, which I reviewed in September. Angie & the Deserters play a version of Americana that blends country and Western music, adding in a rocking edge from time to time. The Deserters are guitarists Kyle Stevens (Bang Tango) and Danny Hulsizer (Gutter Boy) along with pedal steel player Chris Lawrence. But it’s Angie’s voice that makes this band particularly special. It’s a gravelly type of breathy, and on some of the more rocking songs – notably “Forgetting to Forget” and “17 Days” – she almost seems to be channeling the energy of Chrissie Hynde. Indeed, once you hear the comparison, it’s impossible to unhear.

Angie Bruyere

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

In fact, Angie’s voice sounds a lot like Chrissie Hynde with a hint of E.G. Daily (whose singing voice you may remember from her role as Phoebe’s former singing partner Leslie on Friends… or her turn on The Voice). And it’s that combination, when Angie’s voice occasionally unleashes a sexy, gravelly rock ‘n roll squeal for emphasis, that you’ll remember long after the disc is over.

The two catchiest tracks on this EP are the aforementioned “Forgetting to Forget” and “17 Days.” “Forgetting to Forget,” which builds to power with a soft edge and features emotional rock guitar bridges, is probably my favorite song on here, though “17 Days” is a close second. “17 Days” kicks off a bit more raucously, with insistent drumming, and carries that mid-tempo energy through to the end.

Angie and the Deserters

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

Sandwiched between those numbers is the title track, “You.” It’s an engaging waltz; yes, it’s a pure enough waltz that any fourth grader paying attention in music class would be able to identify it. It swoops and sways, punctuated with marching band-style drum accents and, of course, Angie’s voice rising, falling, providing emotion, and adeptly moving around the melody.

Angie Bruyere

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

That’s not to say the rest of the disc isn’t fine, as well. The strumming and fiddling that open “Stay” set the mood for the EP; combined with a little twang and skillful plucking, it’s likely to be some listeners’ favorite gravelly crooner. Meanwhile, the more ominous “When the Nighttime Comes” and gentler “Goodbyes,” a revamped, more crossover-friendly version of the song that appeared on The Deserters’ West of the Night album, complete the EP, a terrific follow-up to Blood Like Wine.

In the short-term, I absolutely can’t wait for a chance to see Angie and the Deserters live if that opportunity presents itself. Longer-term, I can’t wait to hear what comes next, where these EPs lead Angie and her cohorts on the next step of their musical journey.

Album Review: Jon Mullane – Shine

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Jon Mullane

photo courtesy of ACR Management

Jon Mullane – Shine

Album Review of Jon Mullane: Shine

There’s a total ’80s rock vibe to Jon Mullane‘s Shine. That melodic, tuneful pop-rock that made the careers of singers like Rick Springfield, Starship’s Mickey Thomas, Billy Squier, and others of that era. Jon’s voice is medium-high; the songs are melodic and tuneful, mixing keyboards and guitars; the melodies soar, often almost cheesily. But here’s what’s often forgotten about the best of that genre, the reason it’s timeless. While catchy melodies are a prerequisite, the best vocalists, like Jon, have an emotional edge to their vocals, a connection between singer and song, that cause the tunes to really hit home.

Jon Mullane - Shine

image courtesy of ACR Management

Jon kicks Shine off with the catchy “My New American Girl.” Though I’m hesitant to abuse the Rick Springfield comparison, because Jon’s voice has only a passing resemblance to Rick’s, this song is energetically rather similar to Springfield’s “The American Girl” from his Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet album.

“Shine On Tonight” follows, its very eighties hand-claps punctuating the fun, energetic mid-tempo rocker.

And “Way Up” establishes the hopeful, sedatedly energetic tone of the album – mid-tempo and happy – as its bridges soar and its rock guitar and electronic-edged keyboardwork establish an upbeat energy that well suits Jon’s crisp-with-a-roughness, emotional voice.

Jon Mullane

photo courtesy of ACR Management

Jon has found some recent critical success with another of my favorite songs on Shine. The video for single “Born Beautiful” was honored by the International Music and Entertainment Awards as 2016 Music Video of the Year. The song itself is a heartstring-tugging, emotional mid-tempo number that pops with soaring vocal and musical releases.

“Take Me Away” brings back the hand claps and energetic enthusiasm. Again with the soaring vocals; by now it’s apparent they’re a Jon Mullane staple, a well-honed calling card that distinguish the songs on this album as being uniquely and engagingly his.

Jon Mullane

photo courtesy of ACR Management

Distorted guitar takes center stage on a couple late-album numbers worth mentioning. The energy and enthusiasm of “So Into U” and “Body Rock” are great eighties-flavored rock numbers that keep the energy going… and the body moving (or “rocking”), setting the listener up for the well-placed soft landing.

Indeed, the album closes with a second rendition of the powerful emotional ballad “Any Other Way.” If there’s a song on Shine that’ll make you cry, this is the one… both times. Even if you don’t listen to the lyrics, you’ll feel it from the gravel in Jon’s vocals and the way his voice cracks in the “emotional spots.” Great performance of a heartugger; classic way to end the disc.

Album Review: Jay Taylor – Hold On

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Jay Taylor

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Jay Taylor – Hold On

EP Review of Jay Taylor: Hold On

That voice. There’s something special about Jay Taylor‘s voice. Something completely country about it, too. Not modern country, though. Not necessarily old-school country, either. I’d call it timeless country. He can do the old-school songs, which are clearly close to his heart, and make them seem modern and appealing to audiences across the country sub-genres. Of course, I raved about Jay’s voice when I wrote this live review a couple months ago. And I’m sure I’ll do it again next time I write about him.

The songs on this five-track EP are earworms. Give them a listen and they’ll come back to you at the oddest times. Hold On is a collection of well-written songs delivered by one of the finest country voices you’ll ever hear.

Jay Taylor - Hold OnThis disc kicks off with the song that hooked me when I first heard it months ago, the title track “Hold On.” Right off the bat, the twanging guitar will grab you, and Jay’s earnestly powerful vocal joins right in, evolving “Hold On” into the hookiest, catchiest, most fun songs about drinking moonshine you’ve ever heard.

“How I Wanted To” is a heartfelt love-lost song with a twang and drum roll that would be at home in the 1970s but delivered with just enough modern pop and country edge that it stakes its claim as a contemporary number, even featuring a timeless harmonica bridge.

“The Green Dress Song” is another pure country ditty. I always think of slower tempos when I think of George Strait, but I can absolutely hear George’s rich, emotional country voice – with just enough country twang – in Jay’s vocals on this charming uptempo song with enough slide guitar to sound as if it came straight from the Opry stage.

The “ohs” in “The Light” suggest balladic Elvis, but Jay delivers it with a rich, full vocal that’s entirely his own. This lyrically interesting crooner about a nomadic soul would be as at-home in an arena with an audience full of lighters (or smartphone screens) held aloft as it would be in a 1950s high school gymnasium during a homecoming dance.

The nomadic soul theme continues with “Hello Railroad,” but this one has more of a Johnny Cash flavor to it. To no one’s surprise, of course, Jay’s voice is up to the challenge.

In summary, Hold On is catchy, engaging country music that will stand the test of time performed by a modern country boy with one of the finest, most versatile voices you’ll ever hear.

Looking Ahead

Jay’s a fun, laid-back showman with a great voice, so I’ll certainly get out to see him perform again whenever I can if I see he’s performing in my area. If you’re in Charlotte, NC, you’ll get a chance when he’s at Tin Roof of December 2nd. And on December 3rd, he’ll be at the Tin Roof in Columbia, SC. Jay’s schedule includes several other Tin Roof stops, in Lexington, KY on Friday, December 16th, and in Louisville, KY on Saturday, December 17th and Friday December 30th. Several 2017 shows are on Jay’s calendar, again hitting the Tin Roofs in Charlotte, Columbia, Louisville, and Lexington. Click on the tour page of his website for more details on those shows and to see when he adds additional dates. Until you get a chance to hear him perform live, though, check out the Hold On EP.