Tag Archives: Geoff Wilbur

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

Posted on by
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

Posted on by
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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by
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”

Posted on by

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

Posted on by
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”

Posted on by
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.

EP Review: Summerlyn Powers – The Hive

Posted on by
Summerlyn Powers smiles in this promo photo

photo by Mia Cervantes Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

EP Review of Summerlyn Powers: The Hive

Summerlyn Powers has a pure, emotional voice that’s ideally suited to the short collection of mostly folk-leaning storytelling country songs on her new EP The Hive. However, she’s an artist with a much broader musical palate to draw upon, as the variety on this 5-song EP showcases.

Summerlyn Powers – The Hive album cover

image courtesy of Skye Media

Indeed, there’s plenty of variety on this record, including a more traditional country number, some acoustic, folky country numbers, and even a bluesy country rocker. Summerlyn’s bio mentions influences ranging from Southern rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd to ’70s folk singer-songwriters like James Taylor – those influences and more are apparent on The Hive.

Though the entire disc is solid, well-written, and exceptionally performed, my favorites are the first two tracks, “The Hive” and “Always On My Mind.” Then again, I tend to drift toward uptempo numbers, so your preferences may differ.

“The Hive” is a super-catchy, very original, uptempo, traditional country storytelling song. Well, it’s not exactly a story, but whew, it energetically paints a picture. In parts, it recalls something Dolly Patron might have sung. Lyrically, the song directs the listener to a house for music and fun using landmarks like a beehive and a “beware of the bear” sign. But the song is more than just a series of helpful directions for when your map app loses signal; it’s a rollicking good time!

Summerlyn Powers stands on a riverbank in this promo photo

photo by Mia Cervantes Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

The second song, “Always On My Mind” has a late ’60s/early ’70s folky rock flair with a little Beatles-y “Here Comes the Sun” vibe, particularly in the opening. Summerlyn churns through a lot of lyrics, probably moreso than the ’70s folky pop-rock style the song conjures up with lyrics like “babe, you were crazy hard to find, but you were always on my mind.” Well, “crazy hard to find” isn’t a phrase you’d have heard in the ’70s, but I suppose that just makes the song all the more original and intriguing.

“Healing Like I Am” brings the room down musically, with its soft tone and slower tempo, and it covers a topic that could easily also depress the room’s mood. But it doesn’t; it’s a post-breakup song that’s thoughtful and kind. The tune bops along pleasantly, and the sentiment is much warmer than the subject matter would typically indicate, pleasantly discussing the pain, the healing, and the path ahead.

Summerlyn Powers stands in a river or creek in this promo photo

photo by Mia Cervantes Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

“Nana and Papa’s House” is a thoughtful, melancholic number that’s both sad and pleasantly reminiscent about missing one’s late grandparents. It’s lyrically well-crafted and nostalgic, with accompanying sweet, soft music, though it’s not so slow that it doesn’t move. Indeed, there’s a little more tempo than you might expect. It’s a sweet, pleasant song that’s likely to cause a few sniffles and tears in the audience, particularly if sung in an intimate setting. Or, you know, listening to the song on headphones by yourself… I’m not crying, you are!

The five-song collection ends with another change of pace for the diverse Ms. Powers; it’s a bluesy country/Southern rocker! On “Let’s Roll!” Summerlyn deploys a surprisingly gritty edge to her vocals, pulling off just the right delivery for this jammin’, wailin’ tune.

With the variety on this EP, Summerlyn Powers is definitely a young artist to watch, someone whose variety of musical influences will allow her to create interesting music that incorporates elements of a variety of genres. If she continues down her current path, she can build a rich and broad but cohesive musical catalog, appealing to a diverse fan base, perhaps centered within country music but extending well beyond.

 

Summerlyn Powers stands on a riverbank in this promo photo

photo by Mia Cervantes Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

Looking Ahead

The “Tour Dates” page of Summerlyn’s website list shows in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama from this week through April, beginning and ending with Nashville shows on February 29th and April 29th. Check her website for details and circle back to remain aware of additional tour performances as they’re added.

Looking Way, Way Back

Here’s a neat tidbit: Summerlyn’s music career began in 2012 when she was 11 years old and released “Alabama Kinda Girl,” complete with this video, which features an appearance by Pam Tillis.

Single Review: Simon Scardanelli – “Without You – Live in Sanremo”

Posted on by
Simon Scardanelli – "Without You – Live in Sanremo"

image courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

Single Review of Simon Scardanelli: “Without You – Live in Sanremo”

We’ve reviewed Simon Scardanelli‘s music many times here at the Blog; most recently I reviewed his “Fish Out of Water” single in September.

His newest single, “Without You – Live in Sanremo,” has a cool backstory. SanremoSenior is an international competition for “over 34” solo singers and singer-songwriters. Simon entered “Without You” into the 2023 competition. (You can hear a 2018 studio recording of the song here.) His entry was accepted, so he traveled to Sanremo, Italy in October 2023 for the competition. After a semifinal performance, Simon made it through to the “Grand World Final” where his performance earned him third place in the “over 60” singer-songwriter category at SanremoSenior. “Without You – Live in Sanremo” is a recording of his award-winning performance. (You can see a video of the performance here.)

Simon Scardanelli

photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

“Without You” is a song that you can quickly identify as one of Simon’s even if you’ve not heard it before. The live performance is relatively simple, a softly-picked guitar and an emotional voice that sings softly sometimes, cracks with power other times, and quivers just enough to imbue intense feeling into the song at opportune moments. The song has a flowing tempo and an effectively varying vocal pacing that should not be unfamiliar to those who’ve heard a lot of music from his catalog. But even though the music and vocals swoop in an ebb and flow, “Without You” doesn’t contain some of the seemingly ominous overtones that so often accompany the songs Simon delivers in this style – or, at least, those of his songs I associate with this style – resulting in a pleasant listen that’s not simultaneously a little disquieting for a change.

A lot of care was taken to get a studio-quality sound from this festival performance – Simon discusses some of the recording and mixing details on the Bandcamp page for this song. The result is a great song with a bit of live-performance energy, distinguishing it from a studio recording.

Looking Ahead

The “Concerts” page of Simon’s website lists more than a dozen upcoming performances, all in France, beginning with a March 9th performance at Café de La Forge in Guillac and extending through an August 15th gig at Pap ‘Oyo in Plougasnou. You can find additional details at the website; be sure to check back periodically as new shows are added.

And, of course, as Simon never seems to take a break from being creative, he is currently working on a new album.

Album Review: Dokken – Heaven Comes Down

Posted on by
Dokken – Heaven Comes Down

image courtesy of New Ocean Media

Album Review of Dokken: Heaven Comes Down (Silver Lining Music)

Have you been missing your Dokken fix? Heaven Comes Down is the band’s first release in more than a decade and – spoiler alert – it rocks! Musically, the album is akin to Tooth and Nail-era Dokken, a little rawer but just as melodic as the band’s biggest hit-era discs and a frequent fave among old-school Dokken fans. In that respect, Heaven Comes Down serves as a terrific introduction to the band for potentially brand-new fans, if this were to be their first encounter with the band.

The album kicks things off with high-energy rocker “Fugitive.” Guitarist Jon Levin, serving as Dokken’s lead guitarist for the fourth consecutive album dating back to 2004, absolutely shreds, propelling this song a mile a minute with the help of rhythm section Chris McCarvill (bass) and BJ Zamp (drums). Meanwhile, Don delivers an impassioned vocal performance, with the added bit of gravel in his vocals – when compared to early Dokken, at least – providing a little more rock grit on this song, in particular, and a bit of gravitas to the album in general. In the melodic hit era, “Fugitive” would be a certain top-ten hit. It’s my favorite song on the album, though others come close.

“Gypsy,” song two, maintains the energy level and pace of “Fugitive,” delivering a similarly-styled catchy tune. “Is It Me Or Is It You?” adds a sidewinding rhythm to the formula; it’s just as heavy as the first two tracks, but Don’s vocals soar a bit more, and Jon’s solo is a little more finesse-based and less aggressive.

“Just Like a Rose” is just as heavy as the preceding tracks, but the music flows more smoothly, in classic Dokken fashion, and the arrangement features a some open space, just slightly less densely packed with instrumentation.

“I’ll Never Give Up” is the disc’s power ballad. Fiercely emotional melodic hard rock vocals drive the song, and a nifty guitar solo matches the tone, fitting nice into the song as it drives things forward. As much as “Fugitive” would be a top-ten hit in melodic hard rock’s heyday, “I’ll Never Give Up” is the sort of ballad that might have reached number one.

“Saving Grace” is a stereotypically old-school Dokken-styled power rocker, mid-tempo, with the weightiness a result of its heavy rhythm rather than speed.

“Over the Mountain” picks up the tempo a little, but it isn’t as much faster as it seems; mostly it’s the nifty guitar hook in the verses and the crisp skinswork in the chorus that give the song its pace. Buried on the back half of the disc and not particularly ostentatious, “Over the Mountain” is a sneaky-good tune that’ll grow into a favorite.

“I Remember” is one of those slower-paced songs that’s still not a ballad, in part because the chorus picks up a little speed. I mean, yeah, this would be a slow dance song at a rock club, but it’s kinda pushing the limit of what works.

Penultimate track “Lost in You” is a guitar-driven slow-tempo heavy rocker not unlike “Saving Grace.” Yeah, the guitar hook is different, but the two songs always remind me of each other.

And finally, “Santa Fe” closes the disc with a cool, mid-tempo, acoustic guitar-driven western musical flavor. The light music bed highlights Don’s softly emotional, somewhat wistful vocals and lyrics. It’s a twangy song with lyrics about horses and whiskey and heading to Santa Fe. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the disc, a terrific way to end an album.

In the end, this is a classic Dokken-styled record with well-written songs, attention-grabbing axework, an often-soaring hard rock vocal delivery that’s a Don Dokken specialty, an overall heaviness with a variety of tempos that are often actually less fast than they seem, the requisite hit-caliber power ballad, and excellent musicianship throughout.

Looking Ahead

Dokken’s web site lists several tour dates (scroll down a little to see them), including three spring dates currently scheduled: March 1st in St. Charles, IL; March 2nd in Medina, MN; and April 6th at the Ground Zero Music Festival in Bandera, TX. Concert dates are also listed for an August European tour and a couple of September west coast dates (Nevada and California). Be sure to check the website for more details and for additional dates as they’re added.