Tag Archives: Geoff Wilbur

Album Review: Jimmy Lee Morris – Wilderness Wood

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Jimmy Lee Morris

photo courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

Jimmy Lee Morris – Wilderness Wood

Backstory

There’s a little backstory, as this album was produced by Simon Scardanelli, whose music I’ve reviewed as long ago as the mid-1990s and whose latest release I reviewed here.

Jimmy Lee Morris has a significant musical backstory of his own. He started writing and recording in the 1980s. I won’t run through his entire background, but he has done solo work, and bands in his past include A La Tienne, Mojo Filter, and the Collaborators. The album Wilderness Wood was released on April 1st, 2016 on Automix Records and published by Musica Scardanelli.

Album Review of Jimmy Lee Morris: Wilderness Wood

If I had to describe Jimmy Lee Morris’ Wilderness Wood in just a single phrase using way-too-many hyphenated adjectives, I’d describe it as a full-sounding, folk-influenced, singer-songwriter-styled, song-driven recording. But it’s more than that, and you can identify specific other genres influencing some individual tracks on the LP. Beyond folk, you’ll hear some Americana, a hint of blues, and a little jazzy flair.

Jimmy Lee Morris - Wilderness Wood

image courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

Disc-opener “Give Me All Your Love” has a folk base, but the full orchestration is rather soft-poppy, and the guitar picking suggests Americana/Western. I’d call it eclectic, but that might suggest inaccessibility; in the end, it’s a singer/songwriter type of tune that significantly carries the aforementioned influences. And therein lies the difficulty in describing Jimmy Lee Morris’ music – while much of it defies categorization, it always sounds familiar.

Jimmy possesses a high, strong, rich voice. The songs on Wilderness Wood are well-written. And the production and instrumentation is full and lush, except where a light touch called for. But it’s interesting to run through the songs focusing on the edges, where the songs differ from each other rather than how they’re so cohesive and similar, so with that in mind…

Probably the best pure folk song is the traipsing-through-the-woods-ish song about a trip – technically, I suppose it’s a song about a driving trip, with its title a dead giveaway on that point – “Campervan Song.” This one will have you swaying left and right, perhaps flashing a peace sign, and most likely wanting to sing along once you learn enough of the words to make it worthwhile. Meanwhile, the catchiest pop-folk song of the collection may well be “Sunshine,” with its happy whistle and light, enthusiastic tone. It’s a musical tonic for shaking the blues.

Speaking of blues, the award for best blues edge on Wilderness Wood clearly belongs to “On the Outside.” Great bluesy guitar riff. And a classic recurring blues line in”Nice of you to tell me to my face…” Yeah, it’s blues-folk; heckuva job on this mild genre-bender.

Continuing in the genre-combo theme, do you like a dash of polka seasoning in your folk? The next song, “Home From Home,” achieves just such a convergence. Sure, it’s mostly folk, but it’s just another example of how this disc, while maintaining its folk center and featuring Jimmy’s emotive, identifiable vocals, explores additional influences to juice up individual tracks.

The external influences keep coming. Prefer a little jazz with your folk? There are a couple spots you’ll find it in Wilderness Wood, but “Don’t Fear the Night”‘s sax intro isn’t just a tease; yeah, you’ll find jazz in spades throughout. Daddy-o. If there were such a thing as hipster jazz-folk, this would be it.

Also worth mentioning are “Nothing to Fear,” with its ’70s soft rock/lounge flavor (and sleek, cool sax line); lullaby-esque ballad “Sleep in the Morning”; and “It’s You That I Love,” which has a similar lullaby flavor but tends a bit toward a slow dance song, something you might expect at a ’50s high school sock hop.

Jimmy Lee Morris

photo courtesy of Jimmy Lee Morris

Finally, my favorite track (the one you’ll find on my personal smartphone playlist, in fact) is “This is the Life That You Chose,” which sports a twangy, Western folk-Americana feel. And, of course, in my mind at least, its title phrase can be a bit snarky.

Throughout the album, you can tell Jimmy Lee Morris knows his way around a song and is well-skilled with his instrument and his voice. And the album’s lush, full production is rich enough to fill a room. If your musical tastes include folk-Americana music that incorporates other influences, you’re likely to really dig Wilderness Wood. Despite the variety of influences – well, actually, because of them as a 13-song disc of pure folk would get somewhat redundant for anyone but the most hardcore folk aficionado – it’s a cohesive collection that takes its listener on a pleasant journey.

On the Road

Jimmy just kicked off a tour of radio appearances and live gigs. I’ll list them below, but you can also find them on Jimmy’s website.

You can hear Jimmy on the radio May 8th in Seaford on Seahaven FM; May 25th in Uckfield on Uckfield FM Folk Is Not A Rude Word; and May 30th in Brighton on Reverb Radio.

You can see Jimmy perform live on May 26th in Uckfield at Folk & Blues Club Ringles Cross; on May 27th in Hastings at Gecko Bar; on May 31st in Lewes at The Lamb; on June 1st in Lymington at Folk Club the Thomas Tripp; on June 4th in Lingfield at The Star; on June 11th in Mayfield at Rose & Crown; on June 18th in Eastbourne at the Pentacle Drummers Solstice Festival; and on June 19th in Battle at Crowhurst Park.

Be sure to check Jimmy’s website for any additions or updates.

Album Review: Rusty G’s – Low

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Rusty G’s – Low

Rusty G's

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Backstory

I first became aware of Rusty G’s when I saw them perform live in London on Halloween night. They were the opening act for guitar god Bernie Tormé, and the show was the fifth entry in my “Five Nights in London” series of live reviews. I arrived at the concert in time to catch the opening act, which was Rusty G’s, and it turned out to be an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. Raw, raucous, rough and ready. And way too much sound to be coming from a two-piece band! Now, several months later, I have the privilege of reviewing the band’s debut album, Low.

Album Review of Rusty G’s: Low

Rusty G's - Low

image courtesy of Rusty G’s

Doing power trios one better, Rusty G’s is a rare “power duo.” If it were easy, bass players could soon find themselves made redundant, but these guys have achieved a rare feat: They’ve constructed a complete sound as a two-piece. Slated for a May 9th release, Rusty G’s debut full-length album Low confirms the “power duo.” designation. Singer/guitarist James Finch and drummer Dan Lopez deliver a raucous disc of heavy metal that garnishes its lush power rock sound with a stripped-down edge.

Opening track “Oh Yeah” kicks things off in a blaze of guitar before settling into a junkyard dog-esque, bare-bones, raw rock style. On this cut, I’m especially fond of the bluesy guitar riff that wails late in the song as it’s winding down, providing the only hint to the track’s impending conclusion since the drums never let up. The vocals on “Oh Yeah” (and the rest of the disc) are of the old-school, early metal, “sing loudly, as near the edge of the vocalist’s range as possible while still being gravelly but tuneful” variety. Exactly as you’d expect to appropriately accompany the music.

Rusty G's

photo courtesy of Rusty G’s

“Crawl” follows with a killer riff providing a monster hook to the otherwise pulsing, relentlessly plodding steamroller of a rhythm.

A raw guitar hook that embeds itself into my brain for days at a time – not surprisingly, perhaps, punctuating what has become my initial favorite track on the disc – is featured front and center in “I Don’t Want This.” And it’s not just the monster guitar hook; the “ooh, I don’t want this” line is an earworm, too.

One of the more jangly, raucous tracks on Low is “Don’t Belong.” Its melody suggests this may translate exceptionally well to other musical styles; it ain’t necessarily just a metal number. The verses hint at a blues-punk-metal hybrid, while the fog of heaviness in the bridges suggests a rougher-edged version of Metallica-era Metallica.

Rusty G's

photo courtesy of Rusty G’s

Later in the collection, there’s an impressive stop-start rhythm and heavy, metal-bluesy, growling guitar hook in “Waiting” that’s augmented by some nice, true-to-the-song drum runs, sometimes expressive, other times seemingly in anger.

Though not the only place on Low this occurs, “Static” is notable as primarily a drum-driven selection, with the vocals and guitar (aside perhaps from a late solo) playing supporting roles to the drums’ rhythm and short runs. Not a showy song; just real damn solid. And a strong showcase of how a two-piece metal band can be versatile without going mellow.

And if you want an example of prog-influenced heavy rock, you’ll find it at the end of Low. “Losing You” has the fast, slow, experimental, soft-and-heavy elements that could easily be prog-rock influenced. It’s a great way to round out the album, with this six-minute opus extending to the final curtain.

Heavy and cohesive throughout yet with enough variance to stay fresh from song to song, Low makes a good beginning-to-end listen. My personal standout tracks likely differ from yours, but they all maintain a raw power, rhythm, and broad rock appeal that encompass Rusty G’s trademark sound. Yes, power duos are a thing now.

Rusty G's

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Upcoming Gigs

I’ve seen Rusty G’s live, and I can confirm they put on one heck of a show. This is a great live band, so get out to a gig if you can.

According to Rusty G’s website, you can catch the band live at a variety of venues in the coming months: on Friday, May 6th at Craufurd Arms in Milton Keynes; on Wednesday, May 18th at The Dublin Castle in London; on Friday, May 20th at Maida Vale in Sheffield; on Tuesday, May 31st, supporting Cold in Berlin at Gullivers in Manchester; on Wednesday, June 1st, supporting Cold in Berlin at Bannermans in Edinburgh; on Friday, June 10th at the Willow Festival in Northampton; on Saturday, July 2nd at Cranfest in Cranfield; on Friday, August 19th at Tribfest in Yorkshire; on Saturday, August 27th at Bridgnorth Festival; and on Saturday, September 3rd, supporting Eat This at The Castle in Wellingborough. Obviously, check the band’s website for additional bookings, details, and changes.

Album Review: Amy & the Engine – TandeMania

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Amy & the Engine

photo courtesy of Amy & the Engine

Amy & the Engine – TandeMania

The Backstory

I first saw Amy & the Engine late last summer at Worcester’s stART on the Street festival. I only caught parts of two songs, not enough to form an opinion, but the band was handing out copies of its Summer of ’15 Sampler, so I picked one up. Over the following months, it worked its way onto my playlist, and I became increasingly enamored with the band’s radio-ready pop stylings.

EP Review of Amy & the Engine: TandeMania

Amy & the Engine - TandeMania

image courtesy of Amy & the Engine

Pop-rock. Catchy pop-rock. Harmonies, melodies, killer hooks, Amy’s saccharin, precise vocals. And most of all, simply well-written songs. These six tracks will get stuck in your memory quickly and easily, like… um… well, arrows.

First track “Arrows” is full of stops and starts, with vocals and melody flirting with rhythm and even some well-placed distorted guitar. It’s an energetic, pleasant start to a happy EP that reveals a lot more meat on its catchy bones with each listen.

“Love Me” follows with an immediately attention-grabbing rhythm that flows readily into a catchy pop melody augmented by well-placed pauses and tempo shifts.

If I had to select the two biggest potential hits, though all six tracks have the sort of timeless pop music quality that could catch and ride a hit-making wave, I’d place my bets on “Megaphone” and “Baby.”

“Megaphone” has a hint of Motown rhythm (really; listen closely) behind Amy’s soaring vocals – soaring away at the end of each word, at times – with a stop-and-start tempo and interloping guitar line. For a light pop song, “Megaphone” has a lot going on, all carefully interwoven into memorable ear candy.

“Baby,” meanwhile taps into a bit of an old-time “girl group” pop feel with singalong bits, but it’s mixed with a minimalist modern guitar line dancing among a bit of light strumming that camouflages a strict adherence to any musical era. In the end, it’s just yet another catchy, timeless pop song.

And that’s what the band does well. Timeless, catchy pop. When you learn the group formed at Berklee, it begins to explain the songwriting, the musicianship, the production value. Where else could you so readily assemble the talent to successfully form a sugar-sweet pop band whose music is structured and substantial enough it can’t be dismissed? Amy & the Engine possess musical, vocal, and songwriting skills honed by top-shelf training and diligent attention to detail. All they need now is that elusive big break. You and I can count ourselves lucky we have this EP to keep us company while we wait.

Amy & the Engine

photo courtesy of Amy & the Engine

Looking Ahead

Upcoming gigs listed on the band’s website include Wednesday, May 4th in Toronto for 2016 Canadian Music Week; Tuesday, May 31 at Pianos in New York; Saturday, June 11th in Kennebunkport, Maine for the 2016 Kennebunkport Festival: Brews & Tunes; Sunday, June 12th in Portland, Maine for the Old Port Festival; Saturday, June 18th in Quechee, Vermont for the Quechee Balloon Festival; Friday, June 24th in Boston at Lawn on D; Wednesday, July 27th in Boston at the Harvard Longwood Campus; and Saturday, September 17th in Craigville Beach, Mass., with Cody Simpson at the 2016 Yellow Dog Music Festival. Watch the band’s website for additional upcoming dates as they’re announced.

Album Review: Altered Sky – Without Wonderland

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Altered Sky – Without Wonderland

 

Altered Sky

photo courtesy of Reaction Management

The Backstory

As you may or may not know, I’m a sucker for great, hook-laden pop-punk. I’m also rather selective about it. So if you see me cover a fair number of pop-punk bands in this blog, know that for each band that makes the cut for a review, I’ve sifted through oh-so-many not-so-great ones. I have written about one no-longer-performing favorite, Preston (UK)’s Next Stop Atlanta, as part of my “Road Back” series. A few other pop-punk bands I discovered while “on hiatus” from music journalism also broke up before I returned to writing, though there are a couple others I may reach out to in the coming months.

Pertinent to today’s review, I recently stumbled across Glasgow’s Altered Sky purely by accident. Well, not exactly. When the band’s lead singer, Ana Nowosielska, followed me on Twitter, I followed her back, as I always try to do when musicians follow me. Soon thereafter, I found time to check out her band’s music, something I don’t find time to do nearly as often as I’d like when musicians follow me, and I immediately got in touch with Altered Sky to offer to review its album. So I suppose I should get to the review…

Album Review of Altered Sky: Without Wonderland

There are a lot of mediocre pop-punk bands out there. Altered Sky is not one of those. This group is exceptional. Formed in 2010, the quartet of Ana Nowosielska (vocals), Amy Blair (drums and backing vocals), Rich Passe (guitar), and Ross Archibald (bass) delivers hooky, tight, well-structured, engaging songs. And the band’s newest release, Without Wonderland, is an energetic, powerful pop-punk compendium.

Altered Sky

photo courtesy of Reaction Management

Altered Sky roars out of the gate with “This War Is Mine,” delivering the album’s most instantly memorable track at its outset, showcasing the group’s trademark rhythmic tension, powerful yet sensitive and emotive vocals, and buzzy, quick-hitting guitarwork. Oh, and the listener will soon be singing along from “I’ll give you one more chance to run…” all the way through the chorus.

“Stupid in the Dark” is an interesting second song, as it winds tension tighter and tighter with no significant release. Proof that Altered Sky is willing to toy with its listener. Indeed, the releases follow in many of the other tracks, perhaps more enjoyable because of the way this still-quite-catchy song tightens the screw a bit early on.

Currently vying with “This War…” for designation as my favorite track on the album is energetic rocker “Bury It All,” which employs an upbeat, hopeful musical style, builds periodically to musical climax, and features crisp, clean, strong, smooth vocals. Perhaps most on “Bury It All,” though also in other songs, Ana’s vocals hint at a bit of the pop-sassy vocal style sported by young mid-’00s almost-star Skye Sweetnam, a bit of a gold standard even now.

Oddly tuneful mid-tempo rocker “Songbird” is another standout, replete with attention-grabbing stop-starts and a clever blend of edgy and smooth vocals.

Heartfelt, crisp, emotional ballad “Imagine Adventure” shows off the band’s ability to produce a top-shelf, heartfelt, piano-based slow song. A powerful, pleading, sometimes-gymnastical vocal line is the dominant feature of this stripped-down, soaring number.

One of Altered Sky’s singles from this disc is “Waves”, a memorable track due largely to its insistent, pleading, persistent vocals. Not quite as much unresolved tension as with “Stupid in the Dark,” though the releases, again, aren’t complete; yes, though it’s not quite a theme, musical tension-maintenance something Altered Sky does quite well.

Without Wonderland ends with a heavy drum-driven number, “White Witch,” that showcases the edge in Ana’s voice. A powerful, slightly-off-balance, proud entreaty like this track is essential for the band’s genre; well-executed, it’s a great way to close this fine, 10-song collection on a powerful high note.

Looking Ahead

Altered Sky recently concluded a UK tour but will take to the road again this summer. Altered Sky has announced dates for an acoustic tour with Beyond Recall at Pulp stores in the UK. With all shows scheduled for 5:00 pm starts, announced dates are: July 28th in Glasgow, July 29th in Edinburgh, August 1st in Leeds, August 2nd in Bristol, August 3rd in London, and August 4th in Nottingham. Be sure to check the “shows” page of Altered Sky’s website for further information and to discover upcoming live dates whenever they’re announced.

 

Album Review: Fire Tiger – Energy

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Fire Tiger – Energy

Fire Tiger - Energy

image courtesy of Fire Tiger

Album Review of Fire Tiger: Energy

Some of the best albums start with a few catchy songs that reel the listener in. They’re followed by a few cuts that quickly grow in their appeal, and finally there are the remaining tracks whose unique features reveal themselves after repeated listens. Before long, the album is an enjoyable old friend beginning-to-end.

My first exposure to Fire Tiger was through its two most hook-laden songs – the fast-paced, energetic, catchy “Energy” and the slowly-building, soaring mid-tempo rocker “Green Light.” Stylistically, those two tracks recall Mannequin soundtrack-era Starship. In this comparison, Tiffany Alkouri’s vocals split the difference between Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick.

The third quickly memorable tune is a sort of tempo-changing ballad, “He Has Changed.” At its core, it’s a strumming and picking folk song (replete with harmonica) with a memorable hook in the chorus. And it features a great tearjerker of a video you won’t forget once you see it.

Fire Tiger

photo courtesy of Fire Tiger

The rest of Energy showcases the depth and breadth of Tiff Akouri and James Ramsey’s songwriting skills. Spanning the spectrum of pop-rock music while incorporating a broad range of influences and employing a variety of catchy sound devices, this disc is about as varied as you could ask for, all while sounding like a cohesive collection from recognizably the same band.

I think the ’80s comparisons in Fire Tiger reviews are accurate because this is a keyboard-heavy rock band; Fire Tiger conspicuously features a keyboard/synth sound without sacrificing its rock ‘n roller street cred. And that’s very ’80s, the decade of the keytar. That’s the ’80s sound that causes people to reference that decade when describing Fire Tiger. And this band embraces its trademark sound, applying it to a set of original, catchy rock songs.

Within the Fire Tiger sound, Tiff’s vocals are memorable and unique. She has a strong lower register, as in “Looking At Us,” a song that opens with Tiffany clearly channeling Stevie Nicks. She also exudes serious rock attitude with vocal flourishes like the opening “rock grunt” of “Just” and the stylized “oh-oh”s in “Count Dracula.”

Several songs elicit increasing affection over multiple listens. Album-opener “Fancy War Dance,” for example, kicks off the disc with an uncommon, memorable opening – accomplishing one of the primary jobs of a first track, which is to be identifiable. This tune is remarkable for the war chant-inspired supporting vocals you’ll catch yourself singing along with and a subtly catchy guitar hook, while the song itself is driven equally by its guitar line and energetic keyboard work.

Also worth noting is energetic, synth-driven “Wall of Technology,” a catchy tune that even features a snippet of JFK’s moon mission speech while seemingly incongruously driving home a message of the distancing effect of technology relative to human contact.

Throughout Energy‘s ten tracks, Fire Tiger showcases its range, bringing ’80s style to the 2010s, wrapped tightly in well-written, catchy, enduring songs. Because as with all music, no matter how well-performed, it always comes back to the songwriting.

Looking Ahead

Fire Tiger doesn’t currently have any upcoming shows listed on its website, but here’s where you’ll find them when they do.

Album Review: Apocalyptic Lovers – Redemption Volume I

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Apocalyptic Lovers – Redemption Volume I

Apocalyptic Lovers

photo courtesy of Apocalyptic Lovers

The Backstory

Apocalyptic Lovers is the reformation of ’90s Youngstown, Ohio-based Love and War. I first wrote about Love and War in my old music publication after catching the band’s Undercurrents showcase in Cleveland in 1994. Subsequently, I reviewed the band’s Undercurrents ’95 set and its War Rages On album. In its early days, Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter featured a “Best Unsigned Bands” section, and Love and War made the cut to be included.

Love and War disbanded about 20 years ago but reassembled as Apocalyptic Lovers at Mindrocket Studios in August 2015 to record together again. As buzz about the project grew, the band gained the attention of noted producer Michael Wagener (whose discography includes Motley Crue, Dokken, Poison, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Janet Jackson, and many others), with whom the band gathered to mix the album in November.

Since Apocalyptic Lovers reformed and got back in touch with me, I’ve been anxiously awaiting this opportunity to review the new album.

Album Review of Apocalyptic Lovers: Redemption Volume I

Apocalyptic Lovers - Redemption Volume I

image courtesy of Apocalyptic Lovers

Old-school, blistering axework-filled, high and powerful vocals-driven, classic heavy metal. That’s Apocalyptic Lovers. The band’s style places it firmly on the heavier end of melodic metal, with driving drums, heavy, thumping bass lines, thundering, screaming guitar solos well-integrated within the songs, and forceful-without-shouting vocals that can soar as well.  As for the quality of the recordings, I’ve compared the new recordings to 20-year old versions, and the musicianship is even better, as is the recording quality (thanks in part, I’m sure, to Michael Wagener’s expert touch mixing the tracks).

Apocalyptic Lovers is what you’d call an arena rock band. Classic hard rock/metal music you’d expect to hear amid flashing lights at a large-stage concert club.

Though I probably wouldn’t have picked it as the biggest potential hit, heavy, pounding rocker “Killing for a Living” is the song I find most frequently randomly stuck in my head. Its hook isn’t completely obvious, but that makes it nonetheless deadly catchy.

Michael Wagener and Dave Hope

Michael Wagener in the studio with Apocalyptic Lovers’ Dave Hope; photo courtesy of Apocalyptic Lovers

“Change of Frequency” is one of those often (but not always) slow, anthemic heavy rockers. It’s not exactly a ballad, but it’s not a fast song, and its power and strength are built on its mostly-slow pace. It’s a slow-moving heavy metal sledgehammer with drums and axe taking turns doing the dirty work.

The most intriguing song, though, is “The Groove.” It’s a powerful, slow-rocking blues-based heavy rock number. It’s probably my favorite track on the disc, even though it’s not one that pops into my head. But I do love it while I’m listening to it.

The last of the eight tracks on this self-described EP, “Dying Day,” has an aggressive energy that signifies perhaps the angriest-sounding entry of the bunch. Oh, there’s still melody a plenty, and it sports a shredding guitar solo. But an aggressive feeling lurks behind the technical prowess.

From beginning to end, this is one heck of an album, entry one of a long-awaited, unexpected encore that’s really more of a renaissance for this ensemble. Of course, if you want to own this headbanging collection, you’ll have to wait until Saturday to buy it. Apocalyptic Lovers’ Redemption Volume I drops via download, disc, and vinyl on Saturday, April 16th – National Record Store Day.

What’s Next

Per its Facebook “save the date” announcement, Apocalyptic Lovers plans a live showcase/benefit concert on July 23, 2016, somewhere in Ohio, with city and venue to be determined.

The band’s recording plans include several more EPs (if you call 8 songs an EP) containing vintage Love and War material along with a few new songs.

Album Review: Cherry Suede – Between Here and There

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Cherry Suede – Between Here and There

The Backstory

I first ran across Cherry Suede‘s music in late 2013, relatively early in my rediscovery of new music after a decade “on hiatus.” They were by far the best new melodic hard rock act I found during this time period, providing me with a new band to enjoy in the genre that has been my favorite since I was a teenager. In fact, a review of Between Here and There is somewhat difficult to write because I’ve played this album so many times; when I try to think of examples of bands the songs remind me of, the most obvious answer is “Cherry Suede.” But I’ll give it a shot…

Album Review of Cherry Suede: Between Here and There

I’d expect to see Cherry Suede on the road with FireHouse, Bon Jovi, Kix, and other energetic hard rock bands. At the same time, the band’s ballads are soft, powerful, and effective like Journey’s. Like so many hard rock bands of a certain era (actually, most of the rock ‘n roll era), the songs are largely about romance – looking for it, losing it, savoring it, and anguishing about it. But songwriting only matters if a band can back it up with musicianship, and from the vocals to the occasional blistering axework, Cherry Suede has that in spades.

blank CD

This particular album kicks off with an energetic weekend party song with a hint at fun or romance, “Saturday Night.” Oh, sure it starts softly and gently with a piano intro, but over the course of the song the energy builds and teases until it climaxes as a fun romp of guitars, energy, and expressive rock vocals. The energy of this song is eventually similar to Loverboy’s “Workin’ for the Weekend,” though the pace is a little slower and it’s stylistically purely Cherry Suede.

Energetic, cheerful rockers “I’ll Be Waiting” and “Life in a Day” are a couple of my personal favorites. Guitar riffs, well-placed solos, insistent, gruffly enthusiastic vocals. These are songs that would get a crowd up and dancing at an arena concert.

The band slows it down well, too. “Worth the Wait,” for example, hints at a little country twang in its guitar line, supporting an almost-pleading, powerful, explosive vocal track. Classic classic-rock ballad. “After the Rain (10.29.12),” meanwhile, has a bluesy vocal with a psychedelic slow rock sound bed; structurally reminiscent of an Enuff Z’Nuff ballad. And “Never Gonna Let You Go” is an extremely slow ballad with sort of a country-blues pace and style. Stylistically, Cherry Suede’s ballads cover a lot of ground.

Toward the end of the disc, “So Lonely” features ’60s rock harmonies and sports Beatles-ish songwriting. But close your eyes and picture the Partridge Family singing this one; I bet you can. Just something about the vibe.

In the end, Between Here and There is a top-shelf arena rock album. The band focuses on its songwriting and lyrics and possesses the chops to execute. Which brings me back to my Bon Jovi and FireHouse comparison. As with those bands, Cherry Suede is a guitar-based, song-driven rock band with a big enough sound to rock an arena, even on its ballads, with enough vocal and guitar oomph and talent to satisfy hard rockers and melodic light-metal fans but with crooning abilities to attract soft rock fans, too.

On the Road

Cherry Suede is currently on the road in the UK. Per the ticket purchase section of the band’s website, Cherry Suede’s remaining dates on its UK tour are: tonight, Saturday, April 2, at The Hug and Pint in Glasgow; Friday, April 8, at Cellar 35 in Aberdeen, and Friday, April 15, at The Underbelly in London.  After that, the band already has two gigs booked in Canada in the coming months: a Saturday, May 14, gig at La Vitrola in Montreal; and a Saturday, June 25, show at The Central in Toronto.

Album Review: Samantha Preis – Good News

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Samantha Preis

photo courtesy of Samantha Preis

Samantha Preis – Good News

Album Review of Samantha Preis: Good News

Samantha Preis - Good News

image courtesy of Samantha Preis

Stylistically, Samantha Preis is a standard, piano-based jazz vocalist in the vein of Diana Krall or Jennifer (Zuffinetti) Denmark. Her rich, full, crisp, expressive voice is the sort that would sound equally well-placed at a piano bar, at a jazz club, or on a movie soundtrack. Or on the phonograph at night with a drink in hand and the love of your life by your side. Or – and it’s jazzy enough to pull this off – perhaps just your love at the moment. But wherever you hear Samantha’s voice, you know it’s going to be a classy evening.

From the opening notes of “Holiday” to start the album, the softness of Samantha’s delivery is belied by the accompanying crispness and power in her vocals, weaving a captivating journey through the lyrics.

Samantha Preis

photo courtesy of Samantha Preis

Parts of “Aristotle and Wine” remind me of Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” vocals. Mostly just the tempo and delivery of certain segments. The song is just so smooth and sophisticated; it’s my early favorite from this collection.

Another attention-grabber is “Wood For Burning.” I can’t entirely figure out why this song snaps my ear to attention every time, but my primary suspects are its cadence and the sharp rising of the initial vocal lines. Unique to this album, which is so often so terrifically smooth, a variance from that specific style stands out.

Title track “Good News” is perhaps the next greatest showcase of sharpness of tone, though it’s mixed throughout this song, which otherwise rolls and sways perhaps more than most of its album-mates as the vocal line is typically smooth but also exceptionally lyrical.

Throughout Good News, including on standouts like “On Boylston” and “Here We Are,” the vocal precision, warmth of phrasing, and sense of how to move within the melody, as is second nature to a truly outstanding jazz vocalist, signifies that Samantha Preis is something special. I can’t wait to hear what she does next, both within each song and in the context of her career.

Samantha Preis

photo courtesy of Samantha Preis

Samantha’s Upcoming Gigs

Samantha’s upcoming performances are listed here on her website. Currently the only performance listed is an online concert on Wednesday, March 30th (3 pm New York time; 8 pm in London). And if you can’t catch that or want to see her perform live, be sure to check the website for yourself occasionally. Or sign up for her mailing list.

Album Review: Park Sipes – Rise Above

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Park Sipes – Rise Above

 

Park Sipes

photo courtesy of Serge Media Group

Album Review of Park Sipes: Rise Above

Park Sipes has appeared in a variety of recording projects, but Rise Above is his first solo, full-length release. And he has delivered a fun, well-constructed, catchy collection of progressive rock that combines his faith with his musicianship. Park is both a worship leader and a rocker.

Park Sipes - Rise Above

image courtesy of Serge Media Group

Park has had brushes with the big names. He was one of the vocalists on Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s 2015 album. And his Rise Above album features some big names, with Joel Hoekstra (Whitesanke, Night Ranger) serving as lead guitarist on three tracks and Marty Paris (Paris Keeling) on another. Park also co-wrote “Life (Revisited)” with Marty Paris and Kelly Keeling (Baton Rouge, MSG, King Kobra, Paris Keeling), though the rest of the album – and the songwriting is tightly-structured, well-considered, and impressive – is written solely by Sipes.

The album opens with “Anytime, Anyway (Rise Above),” an inspirational, energetic, hope-filled rocker that mixes soaring vocals with forceful and occasionally blistering Joel Hoekstra guitarwork. Compared to much of the somewhat progressive-influenced hard rock on the album, this track is relatively straight-ahead.

“This Love” is a particularly catchy number, as it utilizes Park’s high, powerful vocals across building verses and soaring choruses, with occasional soft stretches that serve to emphatically contrast to the rest of the song’s power.

Park Sipes

photo courtesy of Serge Media Group

You can hear Park’s classic rock tribute band days (with the band Sunset Strip) showing through on heartfelt ballad “Don’t Chase the Night Away,” which sports a serious FireHouse feel. Placed right after the soaring “This Love,” the song ordering is well-considered. Shall I rant about why it’s so much better to listen to a full album in the order it’s intended? I won’t, but this would provide me with a perfect opportunity if I was so inclined.

Instrumental “A New Horizon” holds my attention better than most instrumentals, featuring some scorching Marty Paris axework. It fits well within the disc musically; the continuity on Rise Above is exceptional, with each song varied but belonging to a cohesive family.

Somewhat-rocking slow- and mid-tempo power ballads (or part-ballads) are a strength of Park’s, and he showcases a few more of them on the album in “Midnight Ride,” “Breathe,” “Life (Revisited),” and “Burn Into the Night,” each with its own vocal and tempo change nuances, typically with an encouraging or inspirational message.

Worth noting are the two versions of “Caught in Your Storm.” The first rendition is song number two on the CD, and it is very crisp and clean, but album-ender “Caught in Your Storm (Original Version)” is much grittier. I rarely hear two versions of the same song on an album that feature such different approaches. I’m really glad they were included here; they almost single-handedly show Park’s versatility and range.

A mix of late ’80s-style melodic hard rock and classic progressive rock, Park Sipes’ Rise Above calls upon a variety of hard rock musical influences. The result is a rock album that’s emotional at times, pleasant to listen to throughout.

EP Review: Ilona – Fragile Heart

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Ilona – Fragile Heart

Ilona

photo courtesy of Ilona’s management

The Backstory

Oh, yeah, there’s a backstory here. There are two singers I was singing the praises of on Twitter, on Facebook, in person to anyone who would listen, doing whatever I could to help them gain exposure long before I thought I’d return to music journalism. Ironically, they’re both based in London. And, of course, Ilona is one of those singers. In fact, if you’ve been reading this blog from the very beginning, you’ll have read about her already in the 9th installment of my 9-part “Road Back to Music Journalism” series.

EP Review of Ilona: Fragile Heart

Ilona - Fragile Heart

image courtesy of Ilona’s management

The Fragile Heart EP is a collection of 3 old songs, 2 new songs, and a radio edit of one of the new songs that does a solid job showcasing Ilona’s range and unique talent.

The first song, “I Still Fall For You,” excels because it includes some of Ilona’s trademark quick, controlled vocal wails that punctuate an already-great, sentimental song. The new recording of “I Still Fall For You” is most notably different in its guitarwork, which simultaneously rounds off rough edges while being crisper and meshes well with some of Ilona’s new vocal flourishes; as a result, this re-recorded track feels fresh and new. Longtime fans will appreciate the redux. And if you haven’t heard it at all before, well, this is the perfect introduction to how Ilona can be so unique and original while occupying a well-worn pop/rock highway.

Ilona

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Fragile Heart also includes “Back to You,” a slow-mid-tempo, emotional song that benefits from that hint of gravel in Ilona’s vocals. Radio-ready, pop-rock (and adult alternative), it builds to power periodically. But most importantly, it showcases Ilona’s vocal chops, including perhaps the best song-appropriate mid-song vocal howl this side of Shakira at the 2:30 mark. You can tell when someone in the audience has heard this song before because they prepare as the moment approaches, then close their eyes and enjoy. This song – and moments within this song  – represent something special.

Indeed, it’s a pleasure to have “I Still Fall For You” and “Back to You” included on this EP because they have long been two of my favorite songs from Ilona’s repertoire.

One of the two new songs is “Safety Net.” This, I can safely say, has the potential to be an enormous hit. The hook – and it’s a sneaky one – embedded in my brain and caused me to have this song in my head when I awoke several mornings in a row after just a half-dozen listens – ideal for a potential radio hit. It opens with a driving rhythm and Ilona’s trademark, passionate humm-moans before her first actual vocals. The song then builds and grabs attention with a quick-stop and light bridge before embedding its hooky chorus directly into the unsuspecting listerner’s brain. “Safety Net” is wonderfully catchy and employs all of Ilona’s most captivating vocal elements (lows, highs, screams, even a snippet of breathy sultriness) into a mid-tempo, radio-ready rock song.

Ilona

photo courtesy of Ilona’s management

The other new song, “Best Day of My Life,” is also exceptional; it’s an engaging, emotional ballad that has grown on me more with each listen and now pops into my mind unprovoked almost as often as “Safety Net.” A blend of elements from some of Ilona’s other top ballads, “Best Day…” clearly carries the weight of her emotions. The way she can pour her heart into a vocal, with her voice subtly cracking, covering several notes within a syllable at times, holding firm at others… Ilona can tug at our heartstrings, and this song offers plenty of opportunities.

There are actually two versions of “Best Day…” on this EP. And while there is some exceptionally effective steel guitar on the long version, offering a hint of country, the twang is punched up a little more on the “radio edit,” a shorter version that may play as country in the U.K. and throughout Europe, more likely as a “crossover” tune here in the United States.

This all serves as a great set-up for the remaining track, a twanging country-rock tune entitled “Beautiful Country,” first released last summer, that discusses the differences – and similarities – between life in the U.K. and in country-music America. The pleasant melody leads to a nice payoff in its chorus.

Overall, Fragile Heart is a great introduction to this talented singer and the amazing things she can do with her voice. I tweeted about her extensively before I began writing, and I’ll continue to write about her every chance I get. If Ilona isn’t the real deal, I don’t know talent. And even if I didn’t know talent (which I do), I’d still know Ilona has it.

Ilona

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Looking Ahead

Ilona’s website lists an upcoming live performance on July 10th at the Cornbury Festival in Oxfordshire. On Ilona’s Facebook page, she also mentioned an April 1 date at the Half Moon Putney in London in support of John Illsley. Keep on eye on both of those locations for information on upcoming gigs.