Album Review: Gary Lucas & Jann Klose – Stereopticon

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Jann Klose and Gary Lucas

photo by Julia Crowe; photo courtesy of Anne Leighton Media

Gary Lucas & Jann Klose – Stereopticon

The Backstory

The culmination of three years of collaboration between Gary Lucas and Jann Klose, Stereopticon hit the streets on January 8, 2016.

You’ll be forgiven if you’re not as aware of these fine musicians as you wish you were.

Guitarist Lucas is well known for his work with Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley. Throughout his career, though, he has released 25-plus solo albums; Stereopticon was the first of three discs scheduled for early 2016 release. Lucas currently plies his rock guitar hero trade across several active musical products crossing various genres.

Singer-songwriter Klose is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning musician, as well. Recently, he was featured as the singing voice of Tim Buckley in the 2012 film Greetings From Tim Buckley. And his most recent solo album, Mosaic, which I reviewed here a few weeks ago, won three 2014 Independent Music Awards.

Album Review of Gary Lucas & Jann Klose: Stereopticon

Gary Lucas & Jann Klose - Stereopticon

image courtesy of Anne Leighton Media

If you’re a fan of mid-range, strumming guitar pop/rock, you’ve found the gem you’ve been looking for. Acoustic guitar rock with no more than a hint of folk, perhaps only because of the acoustic guitar, which occasionally mellows out the overriding soft-to-medium rock singer-songwriter vibe. I’m familiar with Jann’s work through the years, and he lives and thrives in this sweet spot, adding other influences for spice. Stereopticon delivers on the promise of this musical style, producing several strumming-guitar-rock potential-hits.

The album opens like an old friend, snapping its fingers and sidling in with a warm strum and crystal clear vocals on “Fair Weather.” “Secret Wings” follows, similar in style but with a hint more energy and an engaging, uneasy musical tension in its intro that’s repeated in a couple others spots within the song.

One of the more energetic songs on the disc is “Well of Loneliness,” offsetting some abrupt acoustic guitar riffs with smooth crooning and a sax bridge to create a catchy package.

“Take Your Medicine” follows with a catchy opening guitar riff that flows into a gritty strained vocals, showing again why Gary and Jann are such an exceptional pairing.

A couple songs later, “Jewel Julia” is an engaging, powerful number that feels like perhaps a slightly louder companion to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” employing the same energy arc and emphatic drinking-song style.

Toward the end of the disc is “Mary Magdalene,” a tune that climaxes with some of the roughest energy on the disc. This track has garnered some interest within the music industry; it’s clear why, as it has a unique, striking energy.

In the end, Stereopticon is a collection of catchy soft-to-mid-tempo acoustic guitar rock songs that will be a long-valued member of any rock fan’s album collection, offering a well-constructed progression of music that will spawn a different few favorites for each listener; it’s a disc without weak spots, allowing for a satisfying listen from beginning to end.

What’s Next?

You can find upcoming gigs for Gary Lucas on his website, and for Jann Klose on his. Per their posted concert schedules, during the coming month, Gary has events in Silver Springs, MD on March 5th and in Brooklyn on March 18th. The only gig Jann currently has booked in March is in Vernon, NJ on March 18th.

Album Review: Forever Still – Tied Down

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Forever Still – Tied Down

Forever Still

photo courtesy of Forever Still

The Backstory

I almost included Forever Still as part of the nine-part “Road Back to Music Journalism” series with which I launched this blog. This was the first band I discovered via Twitter. Forever Still followed me in January 2015, so I followed them back. When a band follows me, I usually follow them back, hoping I’ll find time to check out the music during my otherwise-busy schedule. (Occasionally I do find time; more often I don’t.) Forever Still followed up via a direct message with a link to the band’s music. I gave it a listen and was blown away. As I’ve followed the band since then, my appreciation for the band’s immense talent as singers, songwriters, and musicians has grown; with the release of Tied Down, I’m pleased to finally have an opportunity to write about Forever Still.

Danish heavy metal band Forever Still (Maja Shining, Mikkel Haastrup, and Dennis Post) burst upon the scene with its 2013 3-song EP Breaking Free. Tied Down is the band’s first full-length album. The 10 tracks on Tied Down consist of two previously-released 3-song EPs (Scars and Save Me), an additional previously-released song (“Your Light”), and three new tracks. 14 months after Scars dropped, the band’s hard work culminated in the January 15, 2016 release of Tied Down.

Forever Still

photo by Lars Winther Schmidt; photo courtesy of Forever Still

Album Review of Forever Still: Tied Down

Forever Still’s Tied Down is a tuneful full-on metal assault. I can hear the comparison to Evanescence and other progressive gothic metal bands whose loud, aggressive musicianship combines with soaring vocals, but Forever Still has even more heavy metal street cred. For example, Maja’s screams and growls, used sparingly but extremely effectively, confirm her metal pedigree.

The album opens with one of its angriest-sounding songs, “Scars,” featuring pulsing heavy guitar rhythms, dissonance, and metal screams mixed with soaring vocals. The initial trio of songs also includes the catchy, soaring metal number that first captured my attention, “Miss Madness,” a song with obvious cross-genre potential. But sandwiched between them is “Once Upon a Nightmare,” a dark lyrical masterpiece that slowly became a favorite. The music is relentlessly powerful, and the vocals convey a painful story that’s easily understood even before you give the lyrics a good listen – the “whispering worms” line is particularly inspired.

Forever Still - Tied Down

image courtesy of Forever Still

“Awake the Fire” follows “Miss Madness” with a fast, rhythmic, headbanging pace – the first half of Tied Down doesn’t let the listener catch his breath for long. “Breathe In” follows with a similar pace (and some of Maja’s well-placed growls).

“Save Me” is a Forever Still ballad. In other words, it’s a slow, soaring metal number, but the well-crafted lyrics aren’t exactly sweet. Like the band’s faster songs, there’s a blend of strength and pain that resonates as lyrical honesty. And power. “Your Light” is a little more mid-paced but still with the same symphonic power-metal feel.

This brings us to the three songs I hadn’t heard before receiving the full-length album in January. The first of those is “Alone,” stylistically similar to “Save Me” but with a slightly faster tempo and perhaps a bit more defiance. “Break the Glass” and “Tied Down” are good companions to “Alone,” with “Tied Down” perhaps featuring a heavier rhythm and more frequently utilizing stretched-out, soaring vocals.

In all, Tied Down is a heavy rock masterpiece, a truth that won’t surprise Forever Still’s growing legion of fans. With its latest collection of songs, this cadre of Danish headbangers has shown the talent to stand side-by-side with the best metal bands across several sub-genres. If you haven’t already, check out Forever Still’s raw, crisp power. Just wow.

Live Review: Fifth Season Quartet at Social Restaurant and Bar

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Fifth Season Quartet

Social Restaurant and Bar, Newton, MA

February 14, 2016

Fifth Season at Social Restaurant & Bar

photo by Geoff Wilbur

I didn’t take any notes at the club last night; I didn’t even take my camera with me (so all I have is a grainy image from my phone). It was, after all, Valentine’s Day, so I wasn’t out with the intention of writing about the show. But I would like to write a quick review of this terrific evening of music.

The event was a combination Valentine’s Day/Trifon Zarezan celebration hosted by the Bulgarian Center of New England. The jazz for the event was provided courtesy of the Fifth Season Quartet – Elena Koleva (vocals), Plamen Karadonev (piano, accordion), Greg Loughman (bass), and Austin MacMahon (drums).

Though I couldn’t tell you any of the songs performed in the first set, the music was smooth, varied, and engaging, the performance seemingly effortless yet impeccable. I never cease to be impressed with Elena’s vocals, and I also always take notice in appreciation (and perhaps this is just me) when Plamen simultaneously plays the accordion and the keys.

In addition to a couple of young, very special guest performers during each set, the group performed a few jazzed-up pop vocal numbers during the second set. I recognized songs from Billy Joel, Norah Jones. Fifth Season also added some Bulgarian jazz to the mix. In all, an enjoyable evening thanks to an exceptionally talented jazz quartet.

Album Review: Blurred Vision – Organized Insanity

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Blurred Vision – Organized Insanity

Blurred Vision

photo courtesy of Judy Totton Publicity

The Backstory

I first heard Blurred Vision at a London showcase in October, which I wrote about here as part of my “Five Nights in London” series of live reviews. Since then, I’ve been enjoying the band’s CD, Organized Insanity, so much that I feel compelled to write a review of the album, too…

CD Review of Blurred Vision: Organized Insanity

Blurred Vision - Organized Insanity

album cover designed by Hugh Syme; JPG image courtesy of Judy Totton Publicity

Organized Insanity is an album of brand new, shiny, ’70s-and-early-’80s-style classic rock. You’ll most often hear the comparisons to Pink Floyd, and rightfully so. The band first achieved public recognition with its version of a Pink Floyd classic, with Blurred Vision’s variation entitled “Another Brick in the Wall (Hey Ayatollah, Leave Those Kids Alone!).” So the Pink Floyd influence runs deep. But if you listen closely, you hear an entire generation of rock influence in the band’s music to varying degrees. There’s some Electric Light Orchestra, Moody Blues, The Who, a hint of Boston, a little Beatles, perhaps a hint of The Police, and maybe even some Rush in there.

If you’re searching for deep Pink Floyd influence, look no farther than songs number two and four, “Rollin’ On” and “Long May You Run,” which both share a sonic kinship with “Comfortably Numb.”

Blurred Vision's Sepp Osley

photo © Judy Totton; photo courtesy of Judy Totton Publicity

By contrast, the meandering tunefulness of “Dear John” reminded me of a subtly catchy Beatles-esque tune. This was before I realized the “John” in the song was John Lennon. How appropriate.

“All I Wanted” seems to weave elements of ELO and Moody Blues into a straightforward rock tune.

From beginning to end, in fact, the album is a tremendous, brand new, shiny classic rock album. The two songs that stand out to me most, however, bookend the disc.

Album-opener “No More War,” in addition to its stylish, rhythmic opening, employs a particularly attention-grabbing bridge and artful use of Martin Luther King speech clips. In the end, you’ll catch yourself walking down the street later singing to yourself “no more war no more war no-more war no more war no more war…” (Stylistically, this reminds me a bit of Living Colour’s use of quotes from Malcolm X, JFK, and FDR in “Cult of Personality” – not bad company at all.)

Closing track “Organized Insanity,” meanwhile, combines a catchy, laid-back, pleasant chorus with sonically dissonant, Pink Floyd-reminiscent, protest-style verses. The song is well-placed, as fitting way to end the disc.

Blurred Vision

photo by Geoff Wilbur

About the Band

Canadian power trio Blurred Vision features Iranian-born brothers Sepp and Sohl Osley on guitar and bass and Ben Riley on drums. The brothers gained attention with a viral YouTube hit and a video produced by Babak Payami for “Another Brick in the Wall (Hey Ayatollah, Leave Those Kids Alone!).” Later, as a band, Blurred Vision recorded Organized Insanity with producer Terry Brown (who you may know best for his work with Rush, but his discography is a bit of a who’s who of great bands), who introduced the brothers to their drummer in order to fill out the trio.

The band is currently assembling its 2016 tour schedule, with the only date confirmed on the website so far its appearance at the Ramblin’ Man Fair in Kent, UK, on July 23rd. Check the band’s website for updates.

Album Review: Dan Israel – Dan

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Dan Israel – Dan

The Backstory

Dan is Dan Israel‘s 13th album of originals. He has won awards, written and recorded songs, shared the stage with big name acts, and crafted a musical career that has spanned a couple decades. I first connected with Dan when I was publishing Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter in the ’90s/early ’00s. Of course, I took a dozen-year hiatus from writing about music. When I returned, who was one of the first people to reach out to me? Dan Israel, of course, who had taken no such hiatus; he had been continuing to churn out top-shelf new music while I was away.

Album Review of Dan Israel: Dan

Dan Israel - Dan

image courtesy of Dan Israel

My first instinct when describing a folk singer with a raspy voice is to invoke Bob Dylan, though this album leans toward the Americana end of folk, and if I had to offer you a vocal comparison to Dan Israel, I’d say Tom Petty’s raspy voice is actually more apt. And while some tracks lean significantly folk or a bit more Americana, there are also some serious electric rock guitar riffs on Dan. Dan explores several different elements of his musical repertoire, in fact, producing a cohesive disc with enough variety to sustain frequent listens.

Album-opener “Winter is Coming” feeds my initial instinct, though, as Dan’s vocals fall between Dylan and Croce on this particular track. With judicious use of female accompaniment on this track, it provides Dan with an upbeat, toe-tapping start.

“Be With Me” cranks the energy up a notch, with a melody and vocal growl especially reminiscent of Petty. If I had to single out a track with the greatest mainstream hit potential, “Be With Me” would be it.

Another notable track is “Can’t Believe It,” which draws the listener in with light distorted guitar and an initial emphatic “I…” before blending Israel’s vocal style with an almost “Lyin’ Eyes”/Eagles-ish melody. To engaging effect, I might add.

Dan will have you singing “ahh-ahhh” along with “Lonely Too,” a toe-tapper of a mid-tempo crooner that deftly mixes mildly energetic verses and traveling instrumental bridges with that lower-key-but-hooky chorus.

“Try and Let You Know,” meanwhile, provides a melancholy interlude; here Dan’s vocal expressiveness convincingly depicts the pain in the lyrics, as the song plods slowly, though at exactly the ideal pace for the subject matter.

Also, for a nice change of pace, Dan tosses in the occasional rockin’ country guitar lick (and slightly more frequent slide guitar) on mid-paced “Winning at Solitaire,” giving it a soft rockabilly/country dance hall flavor unique among this collection.

If you’re a folk aficionado, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this album. Dan Israel’s an experienced, talented individual with an inspired new release; the man always delivers. And from the energy of his recordings, you get a sense his shows are probably fun events, as well.

Dan’s Upcoming Gigs

Since I suspect Dan’s shows are well worth seeing, let’s take a look at his upcoming calendar. Listed on the “shows” page of Dan’s website, it looks like he has a few gigs already scheduled in the next couple months in and around the Twin Cities: Tonight, Friday, Jan. 22nd at Public Kitchen and Bar in St. Paul, MN; Friday, Jan. 29 at LTD Brewing in Hopkins, MN; a to-be-announced “mystery gig” on Saturday, Feb. 6th; Friday, Feb. 12th at the Tavern Lounge in Northfield, MN; Friday, Feb. 26 at Harriet Brewing in Minneapolis; and Saturday, March 19 at the Chankaska Winery in Kasota, MN. Of course, check his website for times, links, and additional dates.

EP Review: Cali Rodi – Cali Rodi EP

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Cali Rodi – Cali Rodi EP

The Backstory

Cali Rodi grew up in Arizona and performed professionally as early as age 12. She moved to Nashville to study the entertainment industry at Belmont University, and that’s where she’s currently based. I first discovered her music this past spring, and it has been a solid part of my playlist ever since.

EP Review of Cali Rodi: Cali Rodi EP

Cali is a young pop singer with an amazing, powerful voice. Identifiable by her tone and the way her voice has a hint of a break in her voice on certain notes for emphasis, Cali has released a powerful collection of high-energy pop-rock songs. The songs themselves are well-written, with catchy hooks and cohesive song structures that engage the listener; indeed, though the music is rockin’ pop, the songs are penned in the sort of tight, structured style you’d associate with Nashville and ideally suited to Cali’s voice.

blank CD

Songs on the EP that typify Cali’s punchy, energetic, rockin’, pop radio-ready sound include EP-opener “If I Close My Eyes,” which holds the attention with its building, soaring melody, plus the power-pop anthem “Loser Ex-Boyfriend” and “Hitchhiker,” whose unique hook involves and almost-dissonant volume variance.

“Pulse Check” is a bit slower and shows some of Cali’s range – it may just be me, but I think there’s a hint of a rock ‘n roll version of Taylor Swift in her lyrics, song structure, and delivery, too.  “First Kiss Consequence,” meanwhile, slows things down quite a bit more (though it’s still quite an energy-filled ballad), proving Cali can deliver the goods on the softer stuff, as well.

You’ll find no better pop-rock music than the songs found here – catchy and memorable. While “If I Close My Eyes” was my initial favorite, it’s now more often “Hitchhiker” with its unique rhythmic hooks, though some days it’s “Pulse Check.” Give this EP a few listens and you’ll undoubtedly have a favorite or two of your own.

This particular EP was a free download I received when I signed up for Cali’s mailing list via her website; it’s an exceptional introduction to Cali’s talent.

With the right guidance and a bit of luck, Cali has an almost unlimited ceiling on her career. Worst case scenario for us, as listeners, though, is that she’s producing some outstanding songs we all get to enjoy right now.

Also…

Be sure to check out Cali’s new song “Fan Girl.” The new tune shows off the insistent edge to Cali’s vocals, this time in the form of a ballad.

Album Review: Bob Malone – Mojo Deluxe

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Bob Malone – Mojo Deluxe

Bob Malone

photo courtesy of Bob Malone

The Backstory

I’ve known Bob Malone since the late 1990s.  In fact, my interview with Bob landed him on the cover of the May 1998 Industry Edition of Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter. When Bob was preparing to release his latest CD, Mojo Deluxe, in May 2015 while I was still a “civilian” during my decade-plus hiatus from writing, I pre-ordered it. (The album dropped on August 21st.) More recently, I caught Bob’s London gig in October– the first time I’d seen him perform live – as part of my “Five Nights in London” series for Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog.

As for Bob’s backstory, he is classically trained, studied at Berklee, earning a degree in jazz, is based out of Los Angeles, and has crafted a two decade-long solo career, including the release of several critically-acclaimed albums. Since 2011, he has also served as John Fogerty’s keyboard player.

CD Review of Bob Malone: Mojo Deluxe

Bob Malone - Mojo Deluxe

image courtesy of Bob Malone

If you’re looking for rollicking, energetic blues, you’ve come to the right place. But there’s also something unique about Mojo Deluxe, Bob’s first full-length release since Ain’t What You Know about seven years ago. There’s something that suggests this is one of those “must-own” albums. With cross-genre appeal to blues fans, blues-rockers, blues-based hard rockers, and beyond, this disc recalls and expands upon many of Bob’s stylistic variances. Vocally, you may notice a bit of Randy Newman in Bob’s vocals but with a bit more blues growl; to be honest, after years of listening to his music, I can hear the stylistic similarity, but he mostly just sounds like Bob Malone to me. I’m sure a strong comparison is noticeably there, however, as first-time listeners still point it out.

Mojo Deluxe is twelve songs long, featuring a variety of blues styles. You can rock, stomp, and wail at the top of your lungs to album-opening, high-energy, get-on-your-feet, stomp-box blues tune “Certain Distance,” uptempo, soulful “Looking for the Blues,” or mid-tempo, energetic, sassy “Don’t Threaten Me (With a Good Time).”

Bob Malone

photo courtesy of Bob Malone

You’ll catch some more attitude in the lyrical storytelling of songs like “Toxic Love” and “Rage & Cigarettes.” These tracks play louder and faster in the memory than they do on disc, as many great blues songs do — oh, they’re full of energy, but in a nod-your-head, close-your-eyes, fill the room with sound and the sing blues kind of way (not in the loud, scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs, ear-bleeding rock ‘n roll way). Same emotion; different musical style. Hence, the term “rollicking.”

Mojo Deluxe shows off Bob’s softer side, too, most notably on the amazing, incredibly sentimental “Paris.” Many of us who love that city will nod knowingly when we hear these lyrics in particular: “All these crowds make me lonely, all these lovers make me blue/‘Cause Paris is just another city without you.”

“Hard Times” and “Someone Watching Over Me” are catchy, relatively typical, slow-tempoed blues laments that weave interesting stories. Also relatively typically-themed, “Looking For the Blues” (“I wasn’t looking for the blues/but the blues found me”) packs energy in its crescendos, background vocals, soulful horns, and a guitar solo that ties the song together nicely as a bridge. Indeed, “Looking For the Blues” is a fun, full-production number that’d get a crowd to its feet and deserves special mention. Finally, album-closer “Can’t Get There From Here” (which cleverly begins “Once I was beautiful/Now I just look good for my age”) is perhaps a more unique blues lament about looking back (and ahead) at life’s journey.

If you like the blues (or any adjacent style of music) even a little, if you appreciate a clever lyrical turn of a phrase, or if you simply enjoy hearing one of the best musicians at his craft, this disc is mandatory. With all of the great albums Bob Malone has released throughout his career, Mojo Deluxe is quite possibly his best yet.

Bob Malone

photo by Geoff Wilbur

What’s Next?

Bob is playing several Las Vegas dates in John Fogerty’s band in January, then he hits the road solo in February. His website currently lists tour dates in Alpharetta, GA (Feb. 4), Charlotte, NC (Feb. 5), Charleston, WV (Feb. 6), Houston, TX (Feb. 10), La Grange, TX (Feb. 12), and two dates as the opening act in The Woodlands, TX (Feb. 13 & 14, opening for Los Lobos and Gary Puckett, respectively).

Album Review: Roger Silverberg – The Old Dog

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Roger Silverberg

photo courtesy of Roger Silverberg

by Stefanie Seskin, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Roger Silverberg: The Old Dog

As on his prior albums, Silverberg’s never been shy about letting his sixties and seventies sensibilities show, and on The Old Dog, they really shine, thanks to veteran engineer and producer, Philadelphia’s Jim Salamone. Vintage Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, Hammond organs are heard, mainly behind acoustic guitars. If you’re familiar with Daryl Hall & John Oates’s earlier albums and Warren Zevon’s mid-70s work, there’s plenty on The Old Dog to savor, both lyrically and melodically.

Roger Silverberg - The Old Dog

image courtesy of Roger Silverberg

On The Old Dog, Roger Silverberg weaves stories; about childhood memories, desire, courtship, marriage, and aging, with just enough specifics to make his stories relatable. The music itself has a classic feel – Silverberg is well past the point of caring whether his songs are hip enough to be pop hits even as he hopes that some of his music will outlive him – but that doesn’t mean he sounds trapped in the past. This is a very “listener-friendly” album that has an obvious Side 1 and Side 2.

Roger’s Upcoming Gigs

Per Roger’s website, he has a few upcoming shows scheduled: a Jan. 23rd gig, where he’ll be one of 13 artists slated to perform at an acoustic showcase in Ronkonkoma, NY; a Feb. 24th show at Lighthouse Waterfront Cafe in Glen Cove, NY; and his Feb. 25th NYC CD release show at Desmond’s Tavern in New York, NY. For additional details, check out the show listing page on Roger’s website.

About the Writer

Best known for her many years as lead singer/songwriter/flutist for blue number nine, Contributing Blogger Stefanie Seskin currently performs with Bad Ass Beauty. In addition to her music career, Stefanie has spent many years on the business side of the entertainment industry.

Live Review: Everett Pendleton at Chopps

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Everett Pendleton

Chopps American Bar and Grill, Burlington, MA

January 5, 2016

Everett Pendleton

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Backstory

I started writing about music during my first two years in Boston. One of the bands I wrote about back then was a jazzy pop-rock outfit called The Amazing Mudshark, Everett Pendleton’s band.  In fact, you can see me sporting an Amazing Mudshark shirt in this Throwback Thursday tweet from a photo op at the end of an Anthrax press conference back in the early nineties. So I’ve been a fan of Everett’s music for… a few years.

In any case, when I learned Everett was performing an early 6:00 show at Chopps tonight and realized it fit into my schedule, I jumped at the chance to hear him sing.

The Show

Everett Pendleton

photo by Geoff Wilbur

I arrived a couple songs into Everett’s first set and was able to stay for about a set and a half. Everett has a smooth, rich, strong voice that’s well-suited to radio-friendly soft rock, country, and blues. And it’s always worth it to get out and hear this guy sing, even at a venue like this where he mostly performs cover tunes.

When I entered the room, Everett was singing the Eagles’ “Take It Easy.” He followed it with “Driving With the Brakes On,” a Del Amitri soft rock ballad he delivers with what could be interpreted as a hint of country style.

A couple songs later, I was treated to the one original Everett performed while I was there, “The Devil You Know,” a mid-tempo soft rocker with emphatic vocals; a song well-suited to his strengths.

Everett Pendleton

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Throughout the rest of the evening, Everett showed off the breadth of his vocal and stylistic range. Matchbox 20’s “When She Smiles” was one of the more uptempo numbers of the evening, showcasing the richness of his vocals. The variety of the evening, however, ranged from Men At Work’s “Overkill” to Vertical Horizon’s “Everything You Want” to Van Halen’s “Dance to Night Away.” Other notable covers included Tom Petty’s “Free Falling,” Oasis’s “Wonderwall,” Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up,” Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let Her Cry,” and Train’s “Calling All Angels.” And a couple of my favorites were Everett’s delivery of Lowen & Navarro’s “The Spell You’re Under” and energetic strummer Ben Harper’s “Steal My Kisses.”

At least as far as I’ve ever seen, Everett always delivers. In this case, the early gig fit my personal schedule quite well, resulting in a great evening of soft, acoustic rock music, covering songs spanning several decades and multiple genres and sub-genres.

Album Review: Jann Klose – Mosaic

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Jann Klose – Mosaic

The Backstory

I first met Jann Klose at Undercurrents Music Conference in Cleveland in the late ’90s, where I chatted with him briefly and later reviewed a recording that contained selections from his Enough Said release. Not too long thereafter, in 2000, Jann relocated to New York City. We stayed in touch off and on over the years. I followed his career even while I was out of the business, something made easier by the fact that he ended up working with a publicist whose press releases have consistently graced my inbox for the better part of two decades.

As for Jann’s backstory, as you can read elsewhere, he grew up in Kenya, South Africa, Germany and the United States and now lives in New York. More recently, his voice was featured in the 2012 film Greetings From Tim Buckley. The album I’m reviewing, Mosaic, won three 2014 Independent Music Awards.

Album Review of Jann Klose: Mosaic

Jann Klose - Mosaic

image courtesy of Jann Klose

During the last decade and a half, while living in New York, Jann has built a solid music career on the strength of his strong, versatile, identifiable vocals and his insightful, crisp, varied songwriting, joining the ranks of New York’s exceptional pop-rock singer-songwriters. With his album Mosaic, Jann has crafted a varied collection of memorable, radio-friendly songs with cross-genre appeal.

The disc opens with “Make It Better,” an energetic pop-rock song with a catchy hook that – paired with its engaging video and timely message of tolerance, acceptance, and equality – is perfectly in step with the marriage equality movement this past year. It’s followed by “Know What’s Right,” another song imploring action, this one leveraging Jann’s ability to deliver a powerful, insistent vocal with conviction within the confines of a mid-tempo acoustic guitar rocker.

Jann’s voice has a rich texture that helps create emotional ballads, as well, and he employs that extremely effectively on “On and On” and “Still.”

Another ballad, “Long Goodbye,” shows off Jann’s rockin’ guitar chops as it builds in power late in the song; combined with Jann’s wail, there’s a bit of ’70s wall-of-sound flavor during the latter parts to this particular track. You’ll find a similar ’70s guitar rock feel to the more uptempo “Falling Tears,” as well.

Jann shows off a folky side, as well, with catchy country-folk-pop-infused numbers like “Four Leaf Clover” and “Beautiful One.” I want to say “The Kite” also fits this style, though it’s really just more of a catchy song, one that will creep into your mind an unleash itself back into your consciousness when you least expect it.

Jann closes the album by showcasing a clear, almost Gospel-like vocal on his powerful, a capella version of Tim Buckley’s ballad “Song to the Siren.” Just wow. Seriously.

The “Special Edition” of Mosaic contains six additional songs. They’re demo versions of some of the 10 songs on the album (plus the song “Anything”), which tend to be rougher instrumentally, showing off Jann’s vocals. They’re a nice added bonus.

In total, Mosaic showcases a talented singer-songwriter’s skills by weaving many diverse influences into a cohesive, engaging album of hummable, radio-ready pop-rock songs with social, lyrical, and musical depth. As a listener, you’ll have a different favorite song depending on your mood each day, and you’ll catch yourself singing a few as you walk around during your day. This is an exceptional collection of songs and a great performance.

What’s Next?

Jann’s next release is a collaboration with Gary Lucas. Gary Lucas & Jann Klose: Stereopticon is scheduled for a January 8, 2016 release. (Watch for a review of that in the coming weeks.)

Jann will also kick off 2016 on tour. Dates listed on his website include shows in Germany January 2-10 (hitting Hamburg, Barmstedt, Lübeck, Kiel, Osnabrück, and Bielefeld), a January 13 gig at The Bedford in London (a venue I visited during my “Five Nights in London” a few weeks ago), and California gigs at the NAMM show in Anaheim on January 22nd and at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on January 27th. Jann already has several other shows listed as he begins to fill in his 2016 calendar, so be sure to check his website to see if/when he’ll be near you next year.