Tag Archives: Album Review

EP Review: Wilkes – No Filter Part 1

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Jason Wilkes

photo courtesy of Jason Wilkes

EP Review of Wilkes: No Filter Part 1

The first of a series of two EPs Jason Wilkes plans to release under the moniker Wilkes, No Filter Part 1 is a 3-song collection of catchy, hooky, acoustic, singer-songwriter, radio-friendly country-flavored rock songs. Or are they rock-flavored country? Their position on the country-to-rock scale varies a bit by song, though Wilkes’ songs are of crafted songwriter-caliber, so the modern country hits with which they share sonic similarity are definitely not the cookie-cutter ones. There’s a small-town, relatable feel to Wilkes’ music, yet a worldly singer-songwriter vibe to his thoughtful lyrics and intricate melodies, perhaps Middle America’s answer to Gavin DeGraw. Indeed, his delivery reminds me a little of DeGraw (who I consider the quintessential NYC singer-songwriter of his generation, so it’s not a comparison I toss around lightly), though their completed works feel quite different.

Wilkes - No Filter Part 1

cover photo by Tim Harman; image courtesy of Jason Wilkes

Jason Wilkes himself is no music biz neophyte; he’s been around the industry for a while, from since he was a teenager. For twelve years, Jason was a member of High Flight Society, releasing three records on Word Records/Warner Brothers Records and touring the country, toward the end of their run touring as Sam Hunt’s band. Jason also toured for three years as bass player, backing vocalist, and co-lead vocalist of the Christian rock band Disciple.

EP-opener “Let’s Go Back” is my personal favorite. It kicks off with Jason’s rich, textured voice and a hopeful, upbeat tempo. Bridges add warmth to the song, ramping up to the insistent, singalong-worthy choruses. This is a song that paints a rich, reminiscent story-picture with its uplifting tempo and style.

Lyrically, “Not Forever” could theoretically continue the “Let’s Go Back” story, though it’s more clear about the not-so-happy ending. Still, the hopeful, poignant nature of the memories recalled in the song and the uplifting music result in a fun musical romp through somewhat deeper lyrics than found on a typical “romp.” There’s a quick stop-start in the song, in particular, that serves as quite a hook.

Jason Wilkes

photo courtesy of Jason Wilkes

“Grown Up” is No Filter Part 1‘s ballad. Sonically, this is the most traditional-country-styled track among the three, in a sentimental ballad format that sounds quite familiar. The arrangement in “Grown Up” is pretty stripped-down, with Jason’s hoarse delivery doubling-down on the song’s sense of emotional rawness. Of the three, this is perhaps the track to which you feel as deeply as you listen while it’s playing, with a final guitar strum easing you and your emotions down to a soft, pensive landing.

This is an exceptional 3-song collection. When Jason contacted me a few months ago about a review, as soon as I sampled the songs I was quite excited about writing this review and sharing the music with my readers. It has taken longer to get through my review backlog and get to this EP than I had hoped, but I’d suggest you not delay making this part of your collection. Jason has made it available for free download. I’m looking forward to his Part 2 EP. Of course, I’ll review it when it’s available, but now that you know about Wilkes, I doubt you’ll wait for my review to get your own copy.

Album Review: Sheila Landis & Rick Matle – Beautiful Things

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Sheila Landis & Rick Matle

photo courtesy of Sheila Landis & Rick Matle

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Sheila Landis & Rick Matle: Beautiful Things (SheLan Records)

The Detroit-based duo of vocalist Sheila Landis and guitarist Rick Matle are two of the finest purveyors of the improvisational art form. They have decades of performance, individually and collectively, between them. Of all the music-oriented activities they are involved in, the appropriately titled Beautiful Things finds them working in their favorite habitat: playing live for appreciate crowds. All 15 of the selected tracks here were recorded at various venues around the Motor City, including the restaurant Beans and Cornbread, The Jewish Community Center of Metro Detroit, and The Village Theater at Cherry Hill in Canton, Michigan. Several of the tunes on this album were hand-picked favorites of Landis from the Ella Fitzgerald songbook. Essentially, the concept behind this project recalls the classic recordings and arrangements between Fitzgerald and guitarist Joe Pass.

Sheila Landis & Rick Matle - Beautiful Things

image courtesy of Sheila Landis & Rick Matle

They begin this superb collection of primarily traditional American standards, show tunes, and cover songs with “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.” This one really swings out of the chute, with a light and airy feel. Matle’s 7-string guitar allows him to accompany himself on bass lines that parallel the chords and melody. Landis’ elastic vocalizing on top gives this song a very full and multi-dimensional quality.

Louis Jourdan’s “Knock Me a Kiss” follows, with lyrics that playfully laud cake, pie, and sugary confections in the same breath as love. Landis uses her voice in a lot of non-traditional ways on this recording and her “trumpet” solo here is convincingly quite good.

The duo slows things down a tad for Dinah Washington’s “Fine Fat Daddy.” It’s a languid walking blues tune where Landis takes a lot of liberties with her time and phrasing. Matle adds some nice inflections throughout, with some thoughtful delicate playing.

Sheila Landis

photo courtesy of Sheila Landis & Rick Matle

Next in the set is a piece by Antonio Carlos Jobim called “Vivo Sonhando.” This is a breezy and relaxing samba that fully spotlights their collective talents. Landis’ command of vocalese and melody is unique and self-assured while Matle’s subtle use of chord inversions and melodic choices moves this piece like a full band.

As aforementioned, Landis is a big fan of Ella Fitzgerald as evidenced by her uncanny and effervescent style. She pays tribute to her specifically here, with her original composition dedicated to the legendary singer entitled “When in Doubt, Make Coffee.” It’s a clever take off on “I Won’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me” and she sings in an appropriately caffeinated-fueled alliterated style.

Other highlights include another bluesy Landis original called “Taller in the Morning,” Matle’s flamenco vibe on “Besame Mucho,” the classic “Girl from Ipanema” and a stunning and sweet take on “Tenderly.”

Kudos go to Matle for the stellar production on this live recording. The performances are so pristine and delicately rich that you can hear a pin drop. Highly recommended!

Album Review: Trysette – Shadowgirl

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Trysette

photo by Fred Bailey; photo courtesy of Trysette

The Backstory

A while back, I reviewed Trysette’s last CD, Feel So Pretty. This Aussie dynamo’s sweet, high, often breathy vocal style makes her songs quick and easy to identify. Indeed, some combination of vocal and stylistic uniqueness is a key to standing out from the crowd, and Trysette is a standout artist.

Trysette

photo by Robin Craig; photo courtesy of Trysette

While Feel So Pretty was an original composition, Shadowgirl is an album of cover songs. Early in 2016, Trysette created an account on Patreon through which her fans could pledge at least a dollar per song and be rewarded with a new cover-song every month. Patreon is a terrific website through which fans and friends can support their favorite artists in exchange for exclusive works of art – or, at least, access to them before anyone else. In this case, Trysette produced 10 songs during 2016, which her supporters (or “patrons”) received as they were produced. And, at the end of the year, Trysette packaged those songs into the album Shadowgirl.

The album title for Shadowgirl stems from some long-shadow photo fun Trysette had on Facebook, which sparked her friends and fans to follow suit and found a home on this page of Trysette’s website. But that’s enough introduction; let’s move on to the music, shall we?

Album Review of Trysette: Shadowgirl

Trysette - Shadowgirl

image courtesy of Trysette

As I mentioned above, Trysette’s vocals are unique. Her voice is high and sweet and a little raw but with a smooth power. And, stylistically, she mostly utilizes a smoky, breathy delivery.

Oh, am I making it sound like she doesn’t have a powerful voice? Most certainly not the case. And she proves it from the start, with a warm, rich rendition of “Natural Woman.” Yes, the song that no one can resist singing along to. And I’m sure I’m not alone in failing to realize I’m singing until halfway through the chorus… every time. But this is about Trysette, not me. And I certainly don’t find all the intricate textures in the melody that she does. For such a familiar song, this truly is a Trysette original performance. No surprise; her covers quickly sound like they’re her very own songs. And that’s what makes this record full of cover songs a worthwhile addition to your album collection.

Trysette

photo by David Lassen; photo courtesy of Trysette

I’ll run through my personal favorites in the collection, though Trysette does such a fine job with them that each will be someone’s favorite.

“I’d Rather Go Blind” has a jazzy flair, with Trysette’s lyrical wails adding well-placed punctuation. Her exotic enunciation during “Beautiful” adds a personal twist to the number. And she really connects with the lyrics during “Landslide,” with some warm piano sounds supporting Trysette’s heartfelt gravelly crooning.

Cold Chisel cover “Flame Trees”, the way she performs it, has the elusive, light melody I’d expect from a Trysette original. It’s as if sunlight dances through the verses, saving what would otherwise be a melancholy musing. Though not adjacent on the album, the other song that most encompasses this same very Trysette-ish thoughtfully meandering nature is “Fix You.” Indeed, here the vocals plead a bit more forcefully, and the piano-work is more powerful, helping the song build and retreat, ebb and flow. In the end, though, it’s a terrific song, one I think improves upon Coldplay’s original.

Trysette

photo courtesy of Trysette

“I Try” is one of those slow-build soft-pop numbers, where Trysette’s vocal grows larger and more forceful as the song builds to power, supported by some backing vocals, too. “To Find You,” meanwhile, is delivered with stripped-down piano support and sung with an uneven pace in which Trysette moves forward and back around the melody, hoarsely, breathily delivering thoughtful wisdom, sounding very much like one of my favorite Trysette originals, “City Boy.”

To close the album, Trysette does a fine job, naturally, with the requisite December Christmas cover, “Santa Baby,” which is stylistically quite well-suited to her voice.

Trysette

photo courtesy of Trysette

But I’d like to close this review with “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” my absolute favorite in this collection. Trysette’s voice softly struts, while a toe-tapping tempo drives the rhythm. Her version is sonically closer to the “Seeb Remix” of Mike Posner’s tune than the more deliberate original version of the song, but it’s bit slower than the remix and Trysette’s lightly playful vocal is at the steering wheel. She delivers this song in such a way I can’t imagine it being performed by anyone else.

Indeed, the key to creating a good cover album is selecting well-suited songs, and Trysette has done that. The covers that border on great are those that are stylistically adjusted a little to really suit the performer in such a way that the songs no longer feel like covers but, rather, strong originals, and Trysette has some of those in this collection. She’s a classic, original, talented singer (and pianist). I really enjoy Shadowgirl, and I hope it will tide me over until her next release.

Album Review: Amilia K Spicer – Wow and Flutter

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Amilia K Spicer

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

Album Review of Amilia K Spicer: Wow and Flutter

When I hear new music, I generally get a sense very quickly of whether or not the artist is someone I’d like to review. When I first heard Wow and Flutter, I immediately knew Amilia K Spicer was special, that her voice and sound were unique enough and performed professionally enough that I wanted to share them with the Blog‘s readers. But as is often the case with this style of laid-back Americana, it takes a few listens before my favorite songs begin to emerge.

Stylistically, the music is a traditional country-rooted sound with wide-open musical spaces. It’s at the softer edge of the style I used to call California country a couple decades ago but with a Western twist. The laid-back, sometimes melancholy songs are the sort I could picture being sung around a campfire, maybe in the desert, more likely after a day of driving cattle. Amilia’s voice is at times a sultry half-whisper, always smooth, with a broad range when called upon, always more impactful than such a soft, often high voice would seem that it should be. On the countryness scale of the Americana spectrum, I’d consider Amilia’s music to be more Americana than Karen Nash but perhaps a little more country than Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings.

Amilia K Spicer - Wow and Flutter

image courtesy of Miles High Productions

Album-opener “Fill Me Up” draws upon those traditional, old-country roots, with a washboard-like sound, along with bass and violin and an old-school knee-slapping rhythm supporting Amilia’s drawn-out, soft vocals. I almost wouldn’t be surprised if someone in the band was playing a little brown jug. It is the one of Amilia’s songs most obviously driven by the sort of gentle-yet-insistent engine that Bridget Davis is famous for, and it’s a great attention-getting tune to start the disc, offering a bit of variety.

“Harlan” is great selection to follow “Fill Me Up,” as it incorporates some of the same elements while moving the “engine” to a less prominent position, leaning more on Amilia’s unique, sometimes softly wailing style of crooning and her halfway-haunting vocal whispers. In fact, her melodic moans – or, perhaps, tuneful wails – are what you’ll find yourself soon singing along to on “Harlan.” It’s really cool, unlike anything you’re likely to hear often elsewhere, and memorable; this will be one of your favorite songs once you’ve given it enough listens that you’ve started to sing – or moan – along.

Other songs stand out, too. In fact, in their own way, all of the songs do, driven by Amilia’s exceptional attention to detail in her songwriting and in the music’s arrangement. “This Town” is a relatively straightforward slow-to-mid-tempo country music number that shows off Amilia’s range and vocal sensitivity. “Lightning” stands out for its wall-of-sound music bed supporting Amilia’s layered vocals. And on “Windchill” the music and vocals sport a soaring, flowing, Stevie Nicks “Landslide”-ish vibe.

Amilia K Spicer

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

“Shake It Off” is another potential hit, IMHO, with a bit of a Stray Cats-with-a-lava-lamp blend of rhythm and psychedelic-era distorted guitar and electric organ relatively sparsely instrumenting the background. This would be the country/Americana tune you’d be most likely to hear in a blues joint.

Second-to-last on the disc is probably my favorite song, “What I’m Saying.” It has a 1980s Athens college rock undertone below the slow-to-mid-tempo, soft rockin’ Americana flavor featuring a jangly, almost Jimmy Buffett-esque-at-times guitar. Combined, its slightly psychedelic flavor supports Amilia’s soft, almost sultry vocal line. And the song itself builds slowly into a warm, comforting, almost feel-good track.

The album lands softly with an extremely original, suitable ballad. “Shine” may have a very slow pace, but it’s powerful, hopeful, defiant, and I’m sure likely to be a common choice for favorite song on this disc. A strong end to an exceptionally well-written, produced, and performed album from a unique talent.

Americana is a crowded genre, but Amilia K Spicer’s Wow and Flutter stands out from the crowd.

Looking Ahead

Amilia is currently on tour with John Gorka. Per the tour dates page on Amilia’s website, her upcoming dates with John Gorka are: tonight, June 1st at The Bay Theater in Suttons Bay, MI, June 2nd at the Elks Club in Cadillac, MI; June 3rd at Howmet Playhouse in Whitehall, MI; June 4th at Freshwater Art Gallery in Boyne City, MI; June 9th at The Guthrie Center in Great Barrington, MA; and two shows on June 11th at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA. Amilia also has a date listed on July 22nd at the Flint Folk Festival in Flint, MI.

Album Review: Davey O. – A Bright Horizon Line

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Davey O.

photo courtesy of Davey O.

Davey O. – A Bright Horizon Line

The Backstory

I first encountered Davey O. at the Philadelphia Music Conference in the mid/late-1990s. At the time, I was publishing Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter, and he was trying build his music career. He had a demo cassette with a handwritten name and phone number on it. I remember being impressed by the music on it. He remembers that I wrote a positive review, so apparently my memory is right. And all these years later, while I placed my writing career on hiatus for more than a decade, he built his fanbase, released more music, and became one of the more popular, widely-traveled touring musicians the northeastern quarter of the United States.

Album Review of Davey O.: A Bright Horizon Line

Davey O. - A Bright Horizon Line

image courtesy of Davey O.

Davey O. has a style all his own… and, at the same time, not unlike a lot of other top folk artists. Most importantly, his voice is insistent, tuneful, and carries a lot of emotion, exactly what’s necessary to tell a good story. He also approaches his songs vocally from a variety of angles, allowing his album to contain stylistic variance and remain entertaining from beginning to end. Indeed, on at least a third of his songs, there’s a more western style of strumming, earning Davey the occasional sub-classification of Americana, and rightly so. I’d say his more country songs perhaps categorize him alongside Willie Nelson, while his folk songs would place him onstage with anyone from Bob Dylan to Jim Croce, though Davey’s voice is a bit smoother. And while I wouldn’t classify his voice as gravelly, he is capable of accessing a rough edge whenever he ups the emotional ante. In any case, for anyone whose tastes are triangulated by (or even border) that trio of artists, Davey will hit your sweet spot.

Davey O.

photo courtesy of Davey O.

A Bright Horizon Line opens with “The Easy Work,” a powerful, familiar folk strum that combines with his textured vocals, enhanced by the warm sound of a good acoustic guitar, serving as a welcome and representative introduction to the disc.

The album closes with an intriguing folk version of “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” Davey’s one cover song on the disc, with a full, rich sound interacting well with his pleasingly strained, characteristically emotionally connected vocals.

In between, Davey weaves an interesting trail throughout A Bright Horizon Line, playing to his various strengths, relying on the familiar, textured voice and wisely-selected strumming patterns to connect with his listeners. This man is a true professional, an expert at his craft.

Davey O.

photo courtesy of Davey O.

Davey’s insistent, pleading, rough-hewn vocals drive “In Its Own Time” with a memorable edge that has, I’ve noticed, propelled it to some recognition within the folk community. I, meanwhile, favor “Just For Them,” with its more plainspoken, vocally-rawer emotional connection, combined with some nifty guitar-picking, almost like a folk-lullaby with a thoughtful message.

There’s some humor mixed in with life-examining lessons learned during “Making Good Time.” And you can hear a tortured soul in Davey’s voice during the lament-filled “Ok,” which closes with a pleasantly piano-supported guitar fade.

Davey O.

photo courtesy of Davey O.

The deployment of a harmonica on strummer “Coming Home” is a nice touch, as is the country twang supporting “Nothing Could Go Wrong.” In fact, there’s something seventies pop-folk-country in that song’s flavor; I think I hear crossover potential.

One of the more energetic songs on the record, “My Parade” is about the closest thing to a knee-slapper and foot-stomper you’ll find in this collection, with simultaneous picking and strumming guitar lines combining to boost the tempo. That’s followed by Davey’s poetic folk homage to his hometown, “To Buffalo.”

In the end, Davey O.’s voice and guitar show a bit of variety on the album, which is why it’s so easy to listen to in its entirety. It’s also what extends Davey’s appeal beyond just hardcore folkies. Check out A Bright Horizon Line. Regardless of your preferred genre, Davey’s voice will reach your soul, and the lyrics on at least one of his songs is likely to speak to something deep inside you. Now it’s up to you to give this disc a few listens to find that song.

Davey O.

photo courtesy of Davey O.

Looking Ahead

Davey O. tours widely and almost constantly. Centered in Buffalo, NY, his gigs span hundreds of miles in all directions. Look for shows near you on the tour page of his website. Dates are added as he books them, and there are currently some shows listed as far as 8 months out. Between now and the 4th of July, he’ll be in Pittsburgh, PA (June 1st), Zanesville, OH (June 2nd), Thomas, WV (June 3rd and 4th), Hamburg, NY (June 7th), Clarence, NY (June 9th), Williamsville, NY (June 10th), Hamburg, NY again (June 11th), Lockport, NY (June 14th), Hamburg, NY yet again (June 15th), Andover, NH (June 16th), Clinton, CT (June 17th), Orchard Park, NY (June 22nd), Depew, NY (early June 24th), Williamsville, NY again (later June 24th), Raymond, OH (June 30th), and Lakewood, OH (July 1st). Be sure to check Davey’s website to see if he’s playing near you at some time in the next 8 months, and check back regularly as he adds additional dates.

Album Review: “Les Paul’s” (The Paul’s) – A Mile Until Dawn

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"Les Paul's" (The Paul's)

photo courtesy of Paul Robert Thomas

Album Review of “Les Paul’s” (The Paul’s): A Mile Until Dawn

As you may recall from when I reviewed their Night Worker album last summer, “Les Paul’s” (The Paul’s) are Paul Odiase and Paul Robert Thomas. The Pauls. That album, Night Worker, was an overt homage to David Bowie. A Mile Until Dawn is another mid-tempo, seventies rock-influenced disc, with a little broader range of influences. Still, though, my first comparison would be to Bowie, as the disc’s somewhat hauntingly stretched vocal and guitar lines clearly have their roots in that same ’70s prog rock neighborhood.

An inviting guitar intro kicks off the disc, providing the opening riffs to the medium-hard-driving “There’s Nothing New Under the Sun.” With a hooky riff, pop-inspired synth elements, and an engaging tempo, it provides a catchy kickoff of A Mile Until Dawn. The following track, “You Just Kiss and Tell,” continues along a similarly rockin’ pace, adding a little vocal, lyrical, and musical conflict to the mix.

"Les Paul's" (The Paul's) - A Mile Until Dawn

image courtesy of Paul Robert Thomas

Like any artistic envelope-pushing progressive rock disc, though, A Mile Until Dawn isn’t just a straightforward rocker. “A Thousand Eyes” adds an ethereal element with guitars dancing in the distant mist, or so it seems.

“Anna Frank,” meanwhile, takes a more foreboding tone, suited to its subject matter, as “Les Paul’s” (The Paul’s) prove again they’re willing to tackle heavy issues in their musical collections.

Personally, I’m a bit fond of the faster-tempoed numbers on this disc like the two album-openers and “I Knew You Once,” a bit danceable and rather memorable. Also, I’m struck by a couple tracks that show a bit of New Wave influence: “Don’t Kick Me When I’m Down,” which also sports a rather punk attitude, and ’80s synth-y “No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk,” which suggests to me something that might spring from a collaboration between David Bowie and A Flock of Seagulls. Both of these tracks have grown into personal favorites.

The two final songs, “You Screwed Me Up” and “You F-cked Me Up” are two versions of the same repetitive-heavy-beat-driven song, presumably one a more radio-friendly version of the other. This heavy-rhythm-driven, combatively low-to-mid-tempo power rocker pounds along beginning to end, a bit of a progressive jam-rock number that’ll have listeners banging their heads and mock-drumming as the album draws to a close.

As with the previous album of theirs I reviewed, “Les Paul’s” (The Paul’s) have delivered another disc of artistically progressive, classic rock-influenced rock ‘n roll, simultaneously familiar and envelope-pushing.

EP Review: Jimmy Lee Morris – Campervan

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Jimmy Lee Morris

photo courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

EP Review of Jimmy Lee Morris: Campervan (Automix Records)

Jimmy Lee Morris - Campervan

image courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

UK-based singer-songwriter Jimmy Lee Morris is a talented artist with no pretense. He writes songs that define the term “folk.” In other words, they are down to earth, and about people and relationships, with resonant melodies and memorable hooks. This four song EP Campervan is Morris’ latest and follows the 2016 album Wilderness Wood.

Jimmy Lee Morris has been crafting songs since the ‘80s, fronting bands such as Mojo Filter and The Collaborators. He’s worked with Pink Floyd producer Ron Geesin and has toured extensively throughout the UK and Denmark.

Jimmy Lee Morris

photo courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

With this current effort, Morris provides a lean and economical window into his creativity. “Campervan Song” opens the EP in a pleasant and forthright manner. This bears a well-thought-out melody with lyrics that address escape and the open road. It’s all about being self-reliant and throwing caution to the wind. Simply, the song states: “And here’s to the camper that never breaks down, and here’s to the journey it takes us upon, and wave to the others as we go along, it’s just you and me on the road.” And you get this traveling troubadour kind of feel too via Javier Forero’s driving percussion and Clare Lees’ light and billowy flute.

Bethan Lees

Bethan Lees; photo courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

Although Morris wrote all the material here no one could accuse him of being dictatorial or autocratic. Bethan Lees is a young and very special vocal chanteuse, and Morris is more than happy to place her in the spotlight on his beautiful tune “Amor Compartido (A Love We Share).” Bethan has an angelic and lilting soprano that sends this lovely song into stratospheric trajectory. It’s entirely sung in Spanish, and the rhythm section of Morris on acoustic guitar, along with Richard Leney’s lithe bass, Javier Forero’s percolating drums and producer Simon Scardanelli’s tasty lead guitar give this a brilliant salsa feel.

Jimmy Lee Morris

photo courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

“When I’m Gone” is a bluesy-flavored number with a classic Beatles-meets-Jim Croce kind of vibe. It’s a song about love and longing. Anyone that has ever been separated from their significant other or main squeeze for any length of time will certainly appreciate this. Phillipe Guyard chimes in with a wailing sax solo that really kicks.

The final selection in this brief, but fine, collection is another rootsy kind of tune called “Temptation.” As is Morris’ style, he is direct and to the point in the communication department. In this he sings: “I’m holding you, you’re holding me, I’m loving you and you’re loving me. We don’t need no complication, just give in to your temptation, stay with me.” This has a real down home feel courtesy of Morris’ mandolin and Duncan Campbell’s countrified Dobro.

 

Album Review: Hobo Chang – Beast

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Hobo Chang

photo by Tom Eyers; photo courtesy of Hobo Chang

by James Morris, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Hobo Chang: Beast

Hobo Chang - Beast

cover artwork by Paul Rumsey http://www.paulrumsey.co.uk/; image courtesy of Hobo Chang

Hobo Chang are a band from North East Essex in the UK and comprise of Fiona Harmon, Nick Munt, Phil Pain and Andrew Kearton. Together on this album release Beast, they have forged a sound like an illicit affair between ’70s prog rock and its snarling New Wave nemesis. There is a darkness and underground mood to the album. A swampy, lo-fi vibe creating a hypnotic and swirling sonic landscape with a vaguely disturbing mood that matches the album’s artwork of a struggling bull in a straight jacket. Fiona Harmon, the lead singer, has a voice that conjures up an intriguing crossover between Siouxsie Sioux, Dolores O’Riordan, and Cerys Matthews. Generally, the vocals are placed low in the mix and become a layer of texture within the music; an ethereal ambiance, like a sea washing against the shore. The band describe their sound as “a dark psychedelic funky train ride, experimental, apocalyptic and soulful with their roots in blues, jazz, reggae and the good bits of rock.”

Beast is a DIY approach to making albums. Only available as a download album through the band’s Bandcamp page, it is an indicator of the more accessible and modern way for bands to release and promote their music without the restricting, traditional expenses.

Hobo Chang

photo by Stuart Armitage; photo courtesy of Hobo Chang

The album is a dark, enveloping set of 10 songs. Not much light and shade within its tension, but I found it a fascinating listen and enjoyed the compelling journey of discovery. They have been getting many positive endorsements including musical poet John Cooper Clarke who said, “They’re a fantastic band, one of the great unsigned; I love them.”

You can catch the band live in the UK on the 28th May at Cosmic Puffin Festival or on 7th July at the 3 Wise Monkeys in Colchester. (Those are the dates currently listed on the “Gigs” page on Hobo Chang’s website; check back for others as they’re added.)

EP Review: Lillet Blanc – Lillet Blanc

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Lillet Blanc

photo courtesy of Lillet Blanc

The Backstory

I discovered Lillet Blanc’s music while checking club listings (and sampling bands) to decide which live show to catch while in New York a few months ago. My final decision from among those I liked was based on time slot and neighborhood, so I went to a different gig that night. But Lillet Blanc’s EP was a free download, so I grabbed it, gave it some more listens, and decided it needed to be reviewed.

EP Review of Lillet Blanc: Lillet Blanc

Dream pop. Lillet Blanc’s Facebook page says “Lillet Blanc is the dream pop project of Emily Rawlings and Sean Camargo.” It’s jangly pop music with a floating, cloudy, dreamy film serving as a musical fog machine, residing in the same musical zip code as bands like Mazzy Star or Widowspeak but with Lillet Blanc’s offerings trending more out-of-focus and blurry, to the extent it’s possible for a kaleidoscope in or out of focus.

Lillet Blanc EP cover

image courtesy of Lillet Blanc

The first track of this eponymous 3-song EP (and, as I’ve written before, music journalists love reviewing self-titled collections because we get to use the word “eponymous”), “Foul Play” jumps right into the jangle, with the clean but slightly distorted guitar line reminding me a little of some of Amy & the Engine’s music. Even the breathy, kinda-squeaky (but not really), half-whispered vocal hints at a kinship, as if they might well share a stage. But Amy’s music is pure, catchy, mainstream pop-rock, while Lillet Blanc’s brand of pop is a bit much more ambient and “artsy.” Lillet Blanc’s entire style gives “Foul Play” a feeling of introspectiveness stronger than its lyrics warrant. In all, it’s a fun meander – I can’t call it a romp – through a well-performed song in an interesting, too-cool-for-it-all style.

Lillet Blanc

photo courtesy of Lillet Blanc

“Drenched” follows, a bit more atmospheric in nature. Or at least more dominantly atmospheric, much like the ethereal, eponymous 2013 EP of a now-defunct UK band I liked, Trophy Wife. “Drenched” seems to meander a little more drunkenly that the other two songs, its sound and vocal tone ever-so-slightly (though clearly intentionally) off-kilter. It serves as a nice midpoint in the collection.

The disc closes with a movement back toward the awakened side of dream-pop, with a couple catchy, subtle guitar hooks carrying the load during “Now and Yours.” There’s almost a hint of The Police’s early work in rhythms that occasionally bubble to the surface. Of the EP’s three tracks, this might reach most beyond the band’s core audience, serving as a good introduction to attract fans who might not otherwise typically sample their music. It caps off a solid collection of songs, an intriguing introduction to Lillet Blanc. I’ll be curious to see how this group’s sound and songwriting evolve from here.

Looking Ahead

Lillet Blanc will be performing Wednesday, May 24th at The Gateway in Brooklyn. Follow Lillet Blanc’s Facebook page to be alerted to future performances.

 

Album Review: Matt North – Above Ground Fools

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Matt North

photo by Angelina Castillo; photo courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf Media

Album Review of Matt North: Above Ground Fools (Round Badge Records)

Old-school. Or timeless. Probably more of the latter, as Matt North‘s music has a modern alt-rock attitude rooted in folky, songwriting-focused music styles of the past. Above Ground Fools won’t be mistaken for a “new country” album or a “cutting-edge rock” album. Rather, there is simply plenty of catchy, memorable, fun music on this disc that should appeal to anyone who enjoys a good song that’s well-delivered.

Indeed, Matt knows his way around song, drawing in the listener by telling bits of stories, filling them musically with rich, lush sound and, of course, a driving, engaging rhythm – he is a drummer, after all – and topping them off with a rough-edged voice equal parts outlaw country and gritty rock ‘n roll with a quirky streak. On honky-tonk-ish, rollicking “Seventeen Days,” that quirk sounds a bit David Byrne-esque, while it can add earnestness to a swaying, more serious-feeling, introspective, nostalgic crooner like “Cronkite and Cosell.”

Matt North - Above Ground Fools

image courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf Media

But the catchiness – the sense that you, as a listener, have stumbled across something you’re really going to enjoy – starts at the very beginning with the musically unique intro to “A Good Day in Nashville.” The song itself is an up-tempo mover-and-shaker that chronicles the adjusted vision of what passes for ordinary in Nashville. A fun romp, musically and lyrically, from a man who’s familiar with the topic, simply telling it like it is.

Truth be told, I sing along to most of the songs on this album now; there’s nary a weak spot. I howl along to “No Hard Feelings.” I shimmy along with the frenetic energy and clever lyrical rhymes of “Miss Communication.” And I feign a little rock ‘n roll strut as I sign along with the slight staccato and harsh vocal edges in “I Sold It All.” The album is one cohesive country-tinged rock ‘n roll styled canvas but is painted with broad-stroked songwriting variety. That’s how Matt has crafted Above Ground Fools to be an album with staying power.

The record closes with a couple of my favorite tunes, the eminently playful “Badgering the Witness” and the ’90s loud-yet-jangly pop-rock styled “Come Here Go Away.”

After a couple dozen listens to Above Ground Fools, it’s clear Matt North is your surprisingly cool neighbor who’s mostly normal but sports a hidden quirky streak. You’re not quite sure if it’s snark or sarcasm, but you’re pretty sure he’s not serious. You think. And he makes a damn good record.