Album Review: Anton O’Donnell – Tomber Sur PRW

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photo by Neil McKenzie, Keep it Creative; photo courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

Album Review of Anton O’Donnell: Tomber Sur PRW

Gritty, heartfelt, immersively engaging Americana from Glasgow, Scotland. Anton O’Donnell’s voice has an emotional, cracking edge that’ll recall for you the old west. His music is what you might expect to hear a big, old-fashioned country music dancehall. And his songwriting cuts a broad swath across the portion of Americana that stretches from traditional country to perhaps a slower version of rockabilly. There are additional, apparent influences that help provide varied appeal to the album, with alt-rock and blues influences rearing their heads from time to time, as well. Of those we’re reviewed at the Blog in the past, I’d place Anton on the Americana spectrum somewhere between The Chapin Sisters and Adam Lee, a good fit to perform on the same bill as either or both.

I get so many submissions of good Americana music that it’s rare to hear something that sounds different and new, but Anton’s Tomber Sur PRW is most definitely special. Perhaps it’s because Anton’s voice could fit with gritty rock ‘n roll, as well, sometimes reminiscent of Tom Petty. Combine that mix of influences and uniquely identifiable vocal style with Anton’s clever, articulate, thoughtful songwriting, and the result is a record with potentially broad appeal.

image courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

The album kicks off with one of its most appealing songs, “Kindness.” Anton’s voice conveys a unique tone on the song, with a nasal, cooler-than-you edge that may be the edgy Americana equivalent of Tom Petty’s slower, folkier tracks from his Full Moon Fever record.

“Skulduggery” carries the same cool vibe as its predecessor but has a bit more energy, while the lyrics pull no punches about the song’s very serious topic: “No, you feel no god around here, just the devil in man.” Then “Roots” slows things down again, with a wide-open-spaces, soaring, mildly haunting twang.

“Dreams Fade Under the Weight” has more of a sittin’ ‘n pickin’ singer-songwriter flavor, once again mixing things up, providing another of those twists that makes Tomber Sur PRW so hard to describe, even when painting with a broad stroke. But if you haven’t figured out by now that this album is a unique original, you’ve not been paying attention.

As the album rolls on, the songs continue to be similar but different. “Shine a Light” haunts. “It Never Lasts” has a rock ‘n roll vibe driven by a big ’50s/’60s recurring riff, an alt-rock-ish noisy soundbed, and a country-rock guitar jangle. “Set It On Fire” sports a palpable tension and an echoing openness that are surreally unsettling. “Madman on the Loose” marches along resolutely if a little off-kilter, grabbing the listener’s attention, reminding me quite a bit of the big, straightforwardly twisted sound of Love Love, a band I’ve reviewed here at the blog.

The 9-song album ends with “DJango,” a soft, methodically advancing song that leans heavily into fiddle and pedal steel for its soaring, swaying Americana tempo and texture. And, with a closing fadeout, Tomber Sur PRW lands softly.

The album is a great beginning-to-end listen, while the first two tracks and “It Never Lasts” remain my favorites for one-off listens – they’d be my picks to be released as singles. Anton’s voice is larger than life, very much rock ‘n roll but in a folky, country way. It’s unique and identifiable, as is his style, which permeates every nook and cranny of this album, even with its broad variety of influences. So yeah, it’s a very cool album.

Looking Ahead

You can follow Anton O’Donnell on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with his goings-on, such as these shows today and tomorrow in Glasgow.

Single Review: Speed Limit – “Shine Brighter Than the Sun”

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photo courtesy of NRT-Records

Single Review of Speed Limit: “Shine Brighter Than the Sun” (NRT-Records)

This past fall, Austrian classic heavy metal veterans Speed Limit released the single “Shine Brighter Than the Sun” (with “Destiny’s Calling” as its B side). It was the second single from the band’s June 2023 NRT-Records release Cut a Long Story Short.

Speed Limit – Shine Brighter Than the Sun cover photo

image courtesy of NRT-Records

The current line-up of Speed Limit consists of Chris Pawlak (bass, vocals), Hannes Vordermeyer (drums, lead vocals), Chris Angerer (guitar, vocals), and Joe Eder (guitar, vocals). Pawlak and Angerer have been in the band since its 1986 debut release Prophecy, with Eder also joining the band just a few years into its run. Vordermeyer is a 2107 addition to the Speed Limit line-up.

Single “Shine Brighter Than the Sun” sports heavy, crashing skinswork, serious guitar speed, and edgy-but-tuneful vocals. In true classic metal style, though the beat is pounding and pulsating, there’s a soaring power, and there are moments of guitar shredding that are as likely to be found in progressive rock as in a classic metal song.

photo courtesy of NRT-Records

The single’s B side, “Destiny’s Calling,” features a churning rhythm, a guitar line that’s grindingly steady, a bit of axe virtuosity, and soaring vocals. A fast beat drives the song forward, and prominent heavy metal choir-like backing vocals are featured where appropriate.

Both songs on this two-sided single are fun, energetic listens that would likely be AOR hits during album-oriented heavy-rock’s apex years.

Stylistically, Speed Limit would be an ideal concert pairing with Judas Priest.

photo courtesy of NRT-Records

Looking Ahead

There aren’t a lot of upcoming dates currently listed on Speed Limit’s Bandsintown page. Additionally, the Bandsintown listing appears to populate the “Speed Limit Live” section toward the bottom of the band’s main web page. Both locations list upcoming shows in Graz, Austria on May 3rd and in Salzburg, Austria on October 3rd, 2024. The venues’ websites don’t list those shows, though, so I would suggest checking with the venue box offices to confirm the concert dates and for ticket information.

EP Review: Best Not Broken – If It Feels Right

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Best Not Broken

photo by Jeffrey Pirozzi (Roze Photography); photo courtesy of Best Not Broken

The Backstory Behind This Review

You know, one of the neat things I’ve been doing lately is proactively discovering great local music again. I get so much unsolicited material in my overflowing inbox that it’s easy to fill the blog with amazing music that just shows up in my inbox. And yes, I discover some amazing music that way, but last fall I decided to reach out to several of the bands that blew me away when I was sampling music from the New England Music Awards nominees, and I’m finally reaching those reviews in my queue. I reached out to bands like Eddie Japan, Major Moment, and Best Not Broken, leading to reviews of three of my favorite new albums this past year. It’s not like they’re new bands, either – Eddie Japan and Best Not Broken have been releasing kickass music for a decade. Even so, because of my huge backlog of music awaiting review, I only reached out to a few of the great bands I discovered this fall. My NEMA vote for Best New Band, for example, went to All Sinners, and I haven’t tried to get in touch with them yet. I’ve also started increasingly reaching out to other artists I dig, not just in-region, further lengthening my playlist. So much great music, so little time.

But that’s enough backstory; you’re here to read my Best Not Broken review, so I’ll delay it no longer. Without further ado…

EP Review of Best Not Broken: If It Feels Right

Best Not Broken is a versatile rock band, infusing a fresh enthusiasm into its brand of timeless, pop-friendly rock ‘n roll. The band’s music is varied and fun, keeping things interesting in the mid-range pop-rock lane of the rock ‘n roll highway. If I had to name comparables – or, rather, bands you’ll probably also like, since none really sound completely like Best Not Broken – I’d probably suggest Smash Mouth, Bowling For Soup, Weezer, and the All-American Rejects.

album cover of Best Not Broken's If It Feels Right EP

image courtesy of Best Not Broken

If It Feels Right opens with a sure-fire good-time hit, “I Don’t Belong.” The video certainly is fun! So much so that it earned a “Video of the Year” nomination for the 2023 New England Music Awards. The audio is heavy on the rhythm, tunefulness, and singalongability. My favorite lyric? The much-delayed final word of the phrase “I don’t belong… here.”

The next song, “Human Emotion” just made its radio debut this week, on Tuesday. It’s nearly as catchy as “I Don’t Belong” – an impressive feat! – but it flows through its prominent beats with an almost crooning vibe in its verse’s vocals and cool lyrics like “Can’t stop human emotion. We all got something that’s broken. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re all messed up, and it kind of reminds me of me.” Sense a theme? Playfulness and cheerfulness about not being perfect or, in “I Don’t Belong,” not fitting in. So, yeah, catchy af music and the kind of songs that’ll make you feel good, even when you’re inclined not to.

“That’s the Way She Likes It” is probably the smoothest pop-rock song in this collection, not balladic yet sporting a soft touch. It’s uniquely original, of course, and expresses dysfunctional shyness, but it’s still kind of sweet.

“Lying Awake” starts slow and builds, reaching singalong status with a thumping beat and the rhythmic line “shouldn’t’ve stayed up, shouldn’t’ve stayed up.” Best Not Broken does a good job of keeping the instrument mix simple, but I feel like I’m oversimplifying this song’s appeal. For example, musicians and detail-oriented music fans will appreciate the supporting instrumentation on “Lying Awake,” notably noticing some of the background guitar lines that add variety to the music bed.

Finally, “Low Lights” closes the disc, dare I say, with another hook-filled entry, propelled by a reggae-influenced rock ‘n roll rhythm.

So that’s four hooky songs and another sweetly enjoyable one on a 5-song EP. Leave ’em wanting more, I guess, eh?

Best Not Broken

photo by Jeffrey Pirozzi (Roze Photography); photo courtesy of Best Not Broken

Looking Back

Best Not Broken has been doing this for a while, which is to say they’ve been releasing quality, fun pop-rock songs with a playful edge for a decade now. Some of my favorites among their older songs include “What the Night Has Left” (and not just because of its cool video with Boston residents dancing in the subway), the playful “Brain,” and the energetically hopeful “I Won’t Stop Loving You.” If this is your first exposure to Best Not Broken, be sure to also explore the band’s back catalog.

Looking Ahead

You can keep up Best Not Broken’s live performances on the “Events” tab on its Facebook page or via the band’s Bandsintown listing. Well, in theory, at least. Neither currently lists any upcoming shows, but check back periodically to see new dates as they’re added.

Single Review: Anders Damås – “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn”

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Anders Damås – "Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn"

image courtesy of Anders Damås

Single Review of Anders Damås: “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn”

Anders Damås is a Norwegian bluesman. His most recent single “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn” is very clearly a thumping, steady blues number of the story-song variety, telling the tale of the “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn.” But within the blues genre, “Scarecrow…” lies in an almost experimental subgrouping, structured perhaps more as a jazz number might be. Anders’ vocal are more edgy than blue, slicing insistently through the music bed. And there are long stretches that are just instrumental, including a long blues guitar jam toward the end of the song.

It’s a neat song that will grow on you. It has enough unique and unusual features that you may not be quite sure what to make of it at first, but if you give it a few listens, you’ll discover the plethora of nuances in its instrumentation and delivery that will endear it to you before long. You know I like to suggest unique music that brings new, enjoyable angles to familiar music styles… but only if the music is well-done and interesting, which is true, of course, in this instance.

Anders Damås

photo courtesy of Anders Damås

There’s an EP, Too!

Anders released several singles in the last couple of years. He seems to have bundled them up into a 6-track Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn EP. You can listen to the full EP via Spotify. Or you can purchase the EP and related merchandise at Anders’ website. You can also check out the songs individually via the “Discography” page on Anders’ website.

I’ve described the EP’s title track already, but the other five songs on the EP broaden the listening experience through a wide range of other, complementary musical styles: funky and light (“A Traveller’s Story”), funky and heavier (“D’Guineafowl Gumbo”), heavy and haunting, more theatrically progressive bluesy rock than blues (“Empress of the Blues”), low-fi, grinding blues rock (“Riding with the Devil”), and pure, harmonica-infused blues “Nightlife [Dracula’s Song]”).

Liner Notes

There are some interesting details in the notes on Anders’ “Discography” web page. Of interest to regular GWMB readers, Steinar Karlsen, whose Destination Venus album was reviewed by contributor Eric Harabadian in 2021, plays electric baritone guitar on “D’Guineafowl Gumbo.” Meanwhile, Anders provides all of the instrumentation and vocals on three of the songs on the EP. However, on “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn,” Anders is joined by a full band, with his performance role limited to vocals, drums, and percussion. Interesting details, eh?

Album Review: Houston Bernard – Ditch This Town

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Houston Bernard

photo courtesy of Houston Bernard

Album Review of Houston Bernard: Ditch This Town

Houston Bernard has that radio-friendly country music voice, deep and strong but emotional and textured. If and when he gets widespread exposure he’ll be a star. He certainly has the ability, and he puts in the hard work. Until then, though, there’ll just be a subset of us who will know about and enjoy the music of one of country music’s most talented male vocalists.

Ditch This Town is a solid disc throughout, ranging from uptempo, dancefloor-filling numbers to heartfelt ballads to all of the usual country music tempos in-between. There’s never any doubt that a Houston Bernard album with become a favorite. It’s really just an exercise in finding your favorite songs, playing them endlessly, and mixing in some full-album listens because there are never any weak spots, and sometimes it’s worth riding the song-ordered train Houston has placed on the rails for you.

Houston Bernard – Ditch This Town album cover

image courtesy of Houston Bernard

Houston opens the album with the title track, a hooky, uptempo number about moving on to new adventures and opportunities. “Should I stay here or go?” This whole song ponders that decision, energetically and with a soul-searching bridge and instrumental solo here and there for variety just to keep things interesting. “Ditch This Town” is a radio-ready potential hit, my personal go-to listen in this collection, and a great way to kick off this album of the same name.

“Pretend” is one of those more thumping, rhythmic country numbers where the verses are spoken-sung in a great country music tradition that extends back much longer than I’ve been on this earth. The instrumentation is a little more classic country-styled, too, though there’s a classic rock-inspired guitar run in the middle of the song that somehow fits quite neatly into the song structure.

Houston continues to mix things up – because he and his band aren’t just one-trick ponies. They’re, I guess, multiple-trick ponies? Anyway, “Darkest Water” is an intense, powerful ballad that’s rich enough to fill the hidden crevices of a room. It’s a heavy song of internal struggles (“I’ve been guarded, I’ve been hardened, I’ve been knocked down by the waves…”) and reaching out for help and love (“help me through the darkest water”). Goosebumps. A lump in your throat. The music alone can make it happen, but if you listen to the lyrics, you’ll feel it tenfold.

“Ain’t No Friend” is another excellent number, a more uptempo, rockin’ country number, but its subject matter is old-school country, so if you’re a lyric hound it might not be the spirit-lifting entry it seems. The music sure it energetic, though.

Houston Bernard

photo courtesy of Houston Bernard

Houston is teasing “In My Blood” as his next single/video. It’s written like an autobiography – and I don’t know Houston well enough to know the extent of its real-life basis, but I’m sure that’ll be a question he’ll get frequently in interviews. The song is heartfelt and emotional, a mid-tempo number that slows down and then builds to power (rinse and repeat). I can see why “In My Blood” is a current fan favorite and the next planned video.

“Ain’t Like Me” grabs attention with a strum-and-drum opening before adding strong vocals and guitars. It has that downhome, regular guy feel, telling a tale of finding himself possibly actually in love: “I’m givin’ up, givin’ in, baby I’m down on my knees. That ain’t like me.” It’s a mid-tempo song that’ll brighten the room and maybe evoke a knowing smile or two.

“All We Are Is Memories,” next, is a mid-to-slow tempo reminiscent number, while “Carry That Torch” is a slower-paced song of lifelong, married devotion, with the nifty lyric “I’m going to lay my head down so I can wake up and carry that torch for you.” Also probably the first song I’ve ever heard reference a ball-peen hammer, but maybe I’ve just lived a sheltered life.

photo courtesy of Houston Bernard

“Wild Desire” picks up the energy a little, with a fair bit of twanginess, as is I think a requirement whenever you sing a song that mentions Abilene. The tempo is not super-fast, but “Wild Desire” is absolutely a windows-down, driving-down-the-highway song. Of course, some of that might be the travel-related lyrics.

Houston delivers a tone on “Come Undone” that I only really ever hear in his songs. It’s a Houston Bernard special. It’s semi-uptempo with a thumping rock ‘n roll bass line, a steady beat, and a mix of countrified and rockin’ guitar riffs, both in the typical lead role and dancing occasionally through the background. But it’s more than just that, it’s a tempo through the verses, punching some words and phrases forcefully and others softly, a little variance to the pacing, and an almost subtle touch on the key chorus line. You may have other favorites on this album, but this is the song that’s most singularly representative of a Houston Bernard recording.

Houston brings things to a close by bringing the energy down with emotional ballad “Broken.” It’s an ode to those who’ve had a hard life, those who grew up in difficult circumstances, an understanding of how they’ll never fully escape what happened to them, that it will forever color their lives. A powerful song and an engaging one, a song that’s an enjoyable listen if you don’t pay close attention to the lyrics, a more intense, still beautiful listen if you do.

With each new album, Houston Bernard levels up another notch, seemingly reaching a peak, then exceeding it with future releases. Ditch This Town is a strong record, with music covering a wide range of country song styles, all guided by Houston’s quintessential deep country music voice and charisma.

photo courtesy of Houston Bernard

Looking Back

Of course, we’ve written about Houston Bernard several times at the blog. In addition to reviewing his live sets at the 1st and 2nd Annual Local CountryFests, we reviewed Houston’s “American Dream” single in 2020. Then, in 2021, we reviewed a trio of his singles: “People We Are,” “Small Town Way,” and “Without You Honey.”

Looking Ahead

The “Shows” tab of Houston’s website lists several upcoming shows. In Nashville, Music City fans can catch Houston tomorrow, Wednesday, March 6th via a BusCall Nashville show at Tin Roof. Houston will be back in Massachusetts for a Saturday, March 9th gig at Tempo in Waltham. The website lists additional shows over the next several months in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. Be sure to check his website for additional details and for new shows as they’re added.

Album Review: Firefall – Friends & Family

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photo courtesy of Hello Wendy PR

Album Review of Firefall: Friends & Family (Sunset Blvd. Records)

A classic rock band delivers an album of classic rock covers. Yeah, it’s been done before. But when it’s done well, it can be a fun listening experience. As expected, Firefall delivers first-class renditions of, in this case, thirteen lucky songs.

You’ve certainly heard Firefall hits from the ’70s, songs like “You Are the Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” and “Strange Way.” Founding member Jock Bartley (lead and acoustic guitar, vocals) appeared on all of those hits. In the current Firefall line-up, Bartley is joined by Steven Weinmeister (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Jim Waddell (sax, flute, keyboard), John Bisaha (lead vocals, bass), and Sandy Ficca (drums). Though Bartley is the sole original member in this line-up, all except Ficca have been in the band since the 20th century.

On Friends & Family, Firefall pays homage to several of its favorite ’70s bands by covering some of their hits. (Technically, the Heart song covered was a 1985 hit, but they were also a ’70s band.)

image courtesy of Hello Wendy PR

The thirteen tracks on this disc (and the original band) are: “Long Train Running” (The Doobie Brothers); “Part of the Plan” (Dan Fogelberg), “What About Love” (Heart), “Can’t You See” (Marshall Tucker Band), “In The Heart Of The Night” (Poco), “Angry Eyes” (Loggins and Messina), “Simple Man” (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” (The Byrds), “World Turning” (Fleetwood Mac), “I Got A Line On You” (Spirit), “Chest Fever” (The Band), “Colorado” (The Flying Burrito Brothers), and “Ooh Las Vegas” (Gram Parsons). There aren’t any weak cuts on this disc.

If you’re a fan of the song being covered, unless you’re overly protective of the original, you’ll enjoy the Firefall version. Of course, I have some favorites of my own.

The opening guitar noodling of “Long Train Running” is a great way to start the record. Firefall’s harmonies serving this song well, as do Bisaha’s lead vox, with just enough gravel and power to push the song forward but the ability to deliver a light touch where song requires.

Firefall’s rendition of “What About Love” is very cool, with the flute opening – and the flute’s usage elsewhere in the song – offering a slightly different vibe from Heart’s version. Obviously, the male lead vocal is another difference, though that difference is much less impactful on the song’s overall feel, to be honest, than the flute usage. There’s a more midtempo flavor to the song overall when compared to Heart’s heavier-rocking rendition, and Firefall deploys some bigger harmonies. Upon casual listen, Firefall’s cover doesn’t feel very different, but when you take all the little changes one-by-one… well, that’s the cool thing about a well-done cover.

The bigger, richer, more rockin’ version of “In the Heart of the Night” is another of my favorite updates. The ever-so-slightly grittier lead vocals, fuller sound bed, and more prominent keyboardwork in Firefall’s version are my favorite adjustments.

photo courtesy of Hello Wendy PR

Firefall seems to be having a lot of fun during “Simple Man,” playing it with the fierce energy you’d expect from a live performance of this song, whether by Skynyrd themselves or by any of a zillion other bands covering it.

Finally, I love the way Firefall ends the disc with the raucous, party-atmosphere rockin’ atmosphere of its “Ooh Las Vegas” cover. Leave ’em smiling and wanting more? Firefall certainly does!

Those were my five favorites on the disc. I’m sure your top five would differ. Mostly, though, this album is a neat trip back to the ’70s. On the one hand, a music fan could just make a playlist of the originals. However, covers by a talented band like Firefall can bring new elements and different twists to great songs, and that’s why cover songs – and cover albums – can be so much fun.

Looking Ahead

Firefall has several upcoming dates listed on the “Tour Dates” page of its website. This month, the band is one of the acts performing on the ’70s Rock and Romance Cruise, sailing from Fort Lauderdale on March 15th. Other currently booked dates cover a broad swath of the United States, so check the band’s website to see if and when they’ll be near you.

Album Review: Floor Space – Maybe This Is It

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Floor Space

photo by @redhatjessy; photo courtesy of Big Picture Media

Album Review of Floor Space: Maybe This Is It

Every once in a while, there’s a new punk-influenced record that captures my attention, something with a freshness – a je ne sais quoi – that places it a notch above other good punk-based offerings. Floor Space‘s Maybe This Is It is a pop-sensible, hook-laden disc that does just that. Stylistically, it brings to mind Green Day and Good Charlotte on various songs, with a hint of chartable alt-rock (Jimmy Eat World?) in there, too. Yeah, this album recalls all your ’00s favorites but with a fresh, updated sound. The sound is aggressive and the lyrics are often complaining, but the songs aren’t plaintive; instead, there’s an energetic enthusiasm throughout the disc that’s infectious.

I hear a lot of pop-punk acts (I mean, I used to hear more several years ago, obviously), and it’s rare one piques my interest the way Floor Space does. There’s not a lot of separation among the very good bands in this genre, and when one stands out, it’s sometimes hard to put your finger on exactly why because it’s usually a combination of a lot of little things. Such is the case for me with Floor Space. This band is special, and I’ll do my best to articulate why as I progress song-by-song through Maybe This Is It.

“Spine” opens up a heavy rhythm section, an aggressive but catchy guitar line, clever verses, and the tunefully shouted, repeated phrase “I wish that you had spine!” It’s a good song. Not my favorite on the album, but it’s a great album-opener, letting the listeners know exactly what they’re in for. “Replay Buttons” is a little more of a Good Charlotte-esque sing-songy pop punk, with a groove you’re sure to sway to.

Floor Space – Maybe This Is It

image courtesy of Big Picture Media

The frenetic pace resumes on “Easier,” which sports the memorable lyrics “I don’t like you, but I don’t like me more” and “it’s real life, oh f*ck, it’s real life.” That second one maybe won’t stick with you as long after the song has ended, but you will sing along to it during the song, so, um, maybe don’t listen to this track at work.

Following, I like the stop-and-go guitar hooks in energetic “Ricochet” and the only slightly less frenetic “Smile While It’s Ending,” but the next track that blows me away is “Aren’t You Sick?”

“Aren’t You Sick?” has a slower, more deliberate pace, but the lyrics about being a band trying to get noticed are a great listen: “Aren’t you sick of the same damn routine? This whole machine. The same ten bands that run the scene, and the gatekeepers that don’t like me. Punk rock politics. Killing yourself to get more clicks…” The vocal rhythm is ideally paced and varied. There’s just enough blank space to draw attention. And the song is well designed to climax at the end with one final “aren’t you sick?” and a distorted guitar chord fade-out.

“Dibs” is the first mellow, melancholic song on the record, and it doesn’t appear until song seven out of ten. I suppose this is the song that’d be the big hit in the ’00s, since this is how bands like Simple Plan and New Found Glory scored their biggest crossover/breakthrough hits. What do I like best about “Dibs”? Gotta be the sax. I’m a big believer that there’s not enough saxophone in rock music anymore, so it’s especially cool to hear it on a pop punk album like this where it particularly unexpected.

“This Again” is an energetic, engaging song about getting over someone – rock song-topic gold, in other words. But it’s the following song, “Self-Destruct” that’ll be the next one to really jump off the disc at you. A different vocal cadence and funky rock rhythm will grab your attention, and a late-song, classic rockin’-almost guitar bridge will help hold it to the end.

The album ends with “Glass Dreams,” driven by a steady, prominent bass line, a playful, tuneful guitar line, and the ultimate singalong vocal line “I’m shitty I admit it when I am wrong.” “Glass Dreams” has the sort of rockin’ guitar-driven power you’ll find on pop-punk songs with staying power and crossover appeal.

Beginning to end, Maybe This Is It a great listen. A fun ride. A good album to get energized to when you’re feeling too mellow. A good record to work off some rage to. You know, whatever you need, as long as energetic music will get the job done. My picks for individual listens would be “Easier,” “Aren’t You Sick?,” “Dibs,” “This Again,” and “Glass Dreams.” OK, so that’s half the album, and I almost also added “Self-Destruct.” Like I said, it’s a really good album.

Looking Ahead

It looks like you’ll be able to catch Floor Space live in the Midwest, on tour with Goalkeeper this spring, starting March 28 at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, running through April 6 at Mahall’s Apartment in Lakewood, Ohio. (Hey, when I used to attend Undercurrents Music Conference in the ’90s, the weekend shows were on Detroit Ave. in the blocks around West 117th in Lakewood. That’s a cool little Cleveland suburb. Shoutout to Lakewood!) In-between, the tour hits Minneapolis, Chicago, Tulsa, St. Louis, Nashville, Columbus, OH, and Pontiac, MI. Dates and venues are listed here on this Instagram post. Of course, check with your local venue for tickets and start times.

Single Review: Evick – “To Whom It May Concern”

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image courtesy of Head First Entertainment

Single Review of Evick: “To Whom It May Concern”

Pete Evick was the guitarist for Some Odd Reason, a band that released the album To Whom It May Concern on Sol 3 Records in 1998. Later, as lead singer of Evick, Pete began to reimagine and rerecord some of the material he had written for Some Odd Reason, including, in 2002, “To Whom It May Concern.” A hard drive crash seemingly lost those re-recordings, but 21 years later, the song has been resurrected and released. Pete chose to use the raw, stripped-down vocals from that original recording for this 2023 single release.

“To Whom It May Concern” begins and ends with the phrase “I used to believe in God,” and it chronicles Pete’s struggles with faith, notably though not exclusively during times of war. Pete’s hoarse, gravelly vocals recall singers like Bret Michaels, with “To Whom…” being particularly reminiscent of Poison’s “Something to Believe In.”

Evick’s “To Whom It May Concern” is rawer than the Some Odd Reason original, enhancing the potency of the song’s emotion. The song begins with just vocals and piano from that 2002 demo, with musical support building and becoming more powerful as the song progresses. There’s also a nifty little guitar solo in a late-song bridge that’s worth noticing.

Pete’s role as the Bret Michaels Band’s guitarist is an interesting coincidence – I didn’t realize that connection when I originally compared Pete’s vocals on this song to Bret’s. Still, you can probably guess how you’ll feel about “To Whom It May Concern” based on your answer to the question “Do you like Poison’s ballads, like ‘Something to Believe In’?” If you do, then this song will be right up your alley.

To stay up-to-date on Pete Evick’s latest goings-on, be sure to follow him on Facebook or Instagram. Or you can visit evick.com, where Pete is selling his books, MTV Famous and The Moments That Make Us.

Album Review: Eddie Japan – Pop Fiction

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Eddie Japan

photo by Joshua Pickering; photo courtesy of Eddie Japan

Album Review of Eddie Japan: Pop Fiction

Eddie Japan is one of Boston’s top local rock bands. Stylistically, they’re a big stage-filling, theatrical rock act. At the same time, Eddie Japan is also simply a rock band, a very talented one with its own big style. The best comparison might be to Queen or Meat Loaf but more mid-tempo, closer to the middle than to the hard rock end of the rock spectrum. Eddie Japan is a band with a big personality, one you might dress a little nicer to go see in concert, even if half of the room is still dressed down.

The first five songs are a re-release of the band’s 2019 EP The Amorous Adventures of Edward Japan. But that’s not an EP I had heard before, so the songs are all new to me, and they’re impressive! Those first five songs from Pop Fiction could easily be the soundtrack album from a big Hollywood musical or a cast recording from a Broadway musical. A quirky musical, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or, better yet, Little Shop of Horrors might be a better fit. The rest of the album is stylistically similar, and many of the songs seem thematically related, but they don’t fit quite as neatly and tightly as the first five. It’s just a slight disconnect that doesn’t affect the enjoyment of this beginning-to-end kickass rock album, not even a little, but once I discovered the EP, it made more sense.

So let’s talk about the music. Big songs, a theatrical delivery style for the most part, killer hooks that’ll have you singing the songs for weeks. Pop Fiction is an impressive release. It’s no wonder the band and album received some nominations during the 2023 awards season. At the 2023 New England Music Awards, for example, the band was nominated for Act of the Year. In addition, “Time Machine,” a song Eddie Japan recorded with The Cars’ Greg Hawkes on keyboard, was nominated for Song of the Year and Video of the Year, winning the Video of the Year category with this clever music video. Meanwhile, David Santos received a Vocalist of the Year nomination from the Boston Music Awards.

Eddie Japan is a big, dramatic rock band with an equally big line-up. Or, at least, many – seven! – band members: Eric Brosius (guitars), Emily Drohan (vocals), Chuck Ferreira (drums/percussion), Bart LoPiccolo (guitars) Charles Membrino (bass), Aaron Rosenthal (keyboards), and David Santos (vocals).

Eddie Japan – Pop Fiction

cover design by Todd Alcott; image courtesy of Eddie Japan

Greg Hawkes appears on a pair of the disc’s songs – “I Can’t Wait” and the award-nominated “Time Machine” – and has performed with Eddie Japan on occasion, including for performances of The Cars’ music. You can hear Hawkes’ progressive pop-friendly rock keyboardwork in those songs, but there’s a similar broad-appeal, quirky rock vibe on many of the other tracks, as well. I suppose that’s why the partnership works so well. Could Eddie Japan simply be The Cars but with a more prominent rhythm section and a pair of very different outstandingly talented vocalists? That may be stretching it a little, but they’d certainly have been an ideal pairing at a big arena concert.

The album itself begins with “Edward Descending,” kicking off with a relatively high-tempoed beat. This song leaves a strong first impression and brings to mind a movie musical dance number. Particularly at the end of the song, the vocals bring to mind – for me, at least – one of Meat Loaf’s more theatrical numbers. It’s also the sort of fun, concert-opening song that’ll get a concert hall onto its feet, dancing to the rock music if there’s room to dance. Probably even if there isn’t room.

“Summer Hair,” next, is a smooth, floating, soaring number that starts off innocuous enough but grows on you – as you discover the nuanced arrangement over the course of multiple listens – to become one of your favorites. The singalong lyric here would be: “Take my hand, the summer’s almost gone. I’d rather fall with you than stand on my own.”

It’s followed by an easy quick favorite, “If I Should Fall.” It’s musically and lyrically dynamic with an irresistible rhythm. And what’s creating that rhythmic, bouncy squeak? Is that a keyboard sound? Heck, it almost sounds like the theremin, which I’m only even familiar with because Sheldon had one on The Big Bang Theory. No, not exactly. Regardless, if I wanted to get myself pumped up for a night out or a big event or a competition or even if I was just looking for a song to crank up to fill the dancefloor, this would be my choice. And, let’s say, I wanted to dance around my house, with the shades drawn so none of my friends or neighbors could see me jumping around like a lunatic? Yes, this would be the song. (Not that I’ve ever done that, of course.)

Next, “The Dandy of Suburbia” is a slower-paced number, melancholic, and lyrically clever. Then “Undertow” with its singalong phrase “do you want, do you want, do you want, do you want me now” follows, serving as a solid lead-in to the first post-Amorous EP track, “I Can’t Wait,” with its pulsing rhythm, palpable tension, and periodic musical eruptions, climaxing twice with the lyrics “Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh! I get away!” in the middle of the song, before calming down a bit, but returning again near the end.

Eddie Japan

photo by Jenny Bergman; photo courtesy of Eddie Japan

Next up, “Lost Weekend” is a fun, Eddie Japan-ified mid-tempo rocker, one of my faves on this disc, that’d be one of the more charismatic songs on most rock bands’ albums but is almost tame compared to some of the more theatrical songs in this collection.

“Walk Away” brings a bit more energy and power, though its style is still straightforward rock ‘n roll, with plenty of raucous guitar and drums but also some of those nifty pop-infused quirky keyboard rock sounds you might expect from a Beantown band with a clear Cars connection.

“Time Machine,” which is accompanied by this award-winning video, is a peppy classic pop-rock number. You can hear Greg Hawkes’ contribution here, though the hand-claps and the steady guitar riffs also contribute to the song’s very ’80s pop-rock hit flavor, resulting in another broad-appeal favorite from this album.

Penultimate track “The Pull of the Moon” is slow, airy, and eerily dramatic (also, lyrically dramatic: “I will not dance with your cold lunacy…”), with occasional builds to power, though still just a soft power. Very atmospheric and cool.

“Rented Rooms” concludes the disc with a song that ties things together very… well, as Eddie Japan might say, cinematically. The song has a big sound, a bouncy rhythm, and intriguing lyrics, such as “And now she stands before me as naked as a flower, and I’m searching for my higher self in a room rented by the hour.” Indeed, just like the preceding EP, this song itself is an amorous adventure. And, musically, a fun final song to an album that’s a party-on-a-disc from beginning to end.

Pop Fiction is an engagingly fun listen. It’s well-written, elaborately instrumented, potentially interesting to audiophiles and casual listeners alike. With its crossover appeal, it’s one of those albums that will have an honored place in music collections of fans spanning a broad range of pop and rock subgenres because, while it does have that broad appeal, Pop Fiction is unlikely to be like anything else in your collection. If you’ve not yet heard the album, give it a listen.

Looking Ahead

The “Shows” page on the band’s website lists a Saturday, May 11th gig in Plymouth, MA and a Saturday, September 28th show in Malden, MA. Eddie Japan also performs the music of The Cars with Greg Hawkes. You can find several upcoming dates listed on the “w/ Greg Hawkes” page of the website, with the next show on Friday, May 3rd in Old Saybrook, CT (as confirmed by this Instagram post). Additional dates listed include Friday, June 28th in Sellersville, PA, Saturday, June 29th in Annapolis, MD, Saturday, July 13th in Natick, MA, Saturday, July 20th in Toronto, and a Saturday, August 10th show listed simply as “TBA.” The band also announces upcoming gigs on Facebook and Instagram, so those are alternative sources for show information. These are definitely must-see shows if you’re local to one of those cities or if Eddie Japan adds a gig near you.

Single Review: Voodoo Circle – “Sweet Devotion”

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Voodoo Circle

photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Review of Voodoo Circle: “Sweet Devotion” (AFM Records)

Voodoo Circle is Alex Beyrodt (guitars), David Readman (vocals), Mat Sinner (bass), and Markus Kullman (drums). In December, this rock band marked its 15th anniversary by releasing 15 Years of Voodoo, a “best of” collection that features past favorites plus two brand new tracks. One of two new songs, “Sweet Devotion”, was released as a single a few weeks before the album dropped.

“Sweet Devotion” is a twisting, sidewinder of a rock ‘n roll song, a bit reminiscent in the opening of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” primarily the delivery of the “ee” in “sweet,” though the song overall falls into the soaring, screaming subcategory of classic hard rock, exhibiting much more than just a little Whitesnake vibe throughout, sometimes roaring but at other times slowing down and tunefully soaring.

“Sweet Devotion” is a tightly performed, heavy classic rocker, one you’ll definitely want to experience for yourself. For those who haven’t heard of Voodoo Circle, this song will be a great entry point. And for those who have heard the band’s previous albums, “Sweet Devotion” is likely to become a quick favorite.

Looking Ahead

The “tour” page of the band’s website doesn’t list any upcoming dates. Neither does the band’s Facebook page, though that looks a bit more active, so it might be a better way to follow the band.