Vanity Plate Volume 2

All other writers retain their own copyright.
Links to articles follow each piece

Here are some recent sightings of your FFanzeen publisher on the Web (marked in bold in the piece). Note that I have not edited the text of the pieces, so all materials are as they were in the originals.

First up is a blog by Walter Ocner, who has been a good friend for decades. A record collector for years, he only just started blogging recently. Hopefully, he’ll continue with some longer (i.e., more than a couple of paragraphs) pieces like this one. Hi, Sandra!

1. Why I Love Records Stores – Rockit Scientist and Rebel Rebel in NYC, by Walter Ocner
I always loved collecting. When I was a kid I really got into coins and used to read magazines about them and tried hard to collect V nickels and Morgan silver dollars. There was a precious metals store a few blocks away I used to go to after school and pick up indian head pennies and whatever else I could afford. I would buy magazines like Coins and Coin Collecting and salivate at the thought of one day owning a $20 gold piece. Unfortunately my meager savings couldn’t keep me in the hobby I was so passionate about and eventually I began to lose interest. You just can’t sustain a hobby on wishing alone.

As i got older, music became my passion. I guess you could say everything else fell by the wayside, like school. This was during the days of vinyl when You could go into any music store and flip through the bins of new and import LP’s. I used to go to a few neighborhood stores in Queens such as Numbers Records or The Record Room. I would pick up singles for 99 cents by The Beatles, Icicle Works, Rod Stewart or The Smiths. They usually came with cool picture sleeves which made you want to take a chance on hearing the music inside.

Manhattan was a goldmine for new and used records. For me, it wasn’t just about enjoying the music but the treasure hunt aspect of collecting. I used to dream of finding rare British pressings of Beatle albums or bootlegs with unreleased material. My collection grew, much to the ire of my parents who proclaimed it a waste of money. Every cent I had went to records. I can’t blame them for being so angry, they were struggling to support a family and here I was, blowing all my cash on vinyl.

I have a huge record collection now. My friend Robert Francos (Editor of FFanzeen) once told me when we were in his room, which looked like a record store, that one day I would have a collection like his. I thought he was nuts and now, I probably have more than he does. I still love the hunt, the search for the elusive gem. Two of my favorite places to shop are in Manhattan, Rockit Scientist Records at 33 St. Marks Place and Rebel Rebel on 319 Bleecker Street. Both John and Dave run amazing shops that are brimming with reasonably priced goodies.

The thing I love about going there is what I don’t get from buying online from Amazon or whatever. That is the personal touch and the sense of discovery. You walk in and something will catch your eye or ear. John at Rockit Scientist and Dave at Rebel will play you things based on your musical taste. They will engage you in discussion and help you discover groups and albums you never would have found on your own. I might find music cheaper online, but I would rather pay a bit more and keep the independent record store alive and give me a place to discover and learn about music. These are the best stores around and cannot be replaced by an impersonal online retailer. You will find things here you will never find at a WalMart, so in essence, you are also keeping independent labels and bands alive and thriving as well.

I urge all of you to visit these guys and the “mom and pop” stores in your neighborhoods. You will make new friends and discover a world of exciting culture that will enrich your life!
http://walterocner.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/why-i-love-records-stores-rockit-scientist-and-rebel-rebel-in-nyc/


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Next is AC/DC Machine, a Swedish metal webzine. The interview was run by Niclas Müller. Here he Q&A’s the publisher of a new book about the band which contains photos I took of AC/DC at CBGBs in 1977.

2. Intervju med Dennis Pernu
Detta är en komplettering till intervjun som Niclas Müller Hansen gjorde med Phil Sutcliffe. Här pratar de om arbetet bakom AC/DC boken, High Voltage Rock'n'Roll: The Ultimate Illustrated History.

Where did you get the idea for this kind of AC/DC book?
We had published Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin (2008) and Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History (2009), both of which were well-received. Ever since, we’ve been constantly casting about for other bands and artists with long, engaging histories and rabid worldwide followings. AC/DC seemed to fit the bill, and so far that hunch has proven correct.

How long did it take to put together?
Just about a year, from the time I asked Phil if he was interested in writing the main narrative to the day we had finished books sitting in our warehouse! Ideally we’d have more time to put books like this together, but because our music publishing program was still relatively young at the time, we were still getting up to speed on getting books into the marketplace.

Did you know of Bill Voccia before this project or any of the other ones involved in the book?
I did not know Bill before beginning this project but was fortunate to find him and have him agree to get involved. You’ll notice a lot of the more interesting items depicted in the book come from his vast collection. A few of the other writers and photographers featured in the book had contributed to previous projects, notably Detroit-based photographer Rob Alford, Garth Cartwright (who penned the piece exploring AC/DC’s brief dalliance with the world of punk rock), Dave Hunter (who wrote the sidebar on Malcolm and Angus’s gear and who also wrote a stellar book for us last year called Star Guitars), Andrew Earles (who contributed to the Zep and Queen books but also wrote a full-length narrative history about Hüsker Dü, which we also published last year). Let’s see . . . Gary Graff has also written pieces for us in the past (he gathered all those great musician quotes on the endpapers), as has Sylvie Simmons. Other than that, I tried to target writers who I felt were considered some of the world’s top scribes in the realms of hard rock, heavy metal, and AC/DC—guys like Ian Christe, Daniel Bukszpan, Martin Popoff, Joe Bonomo, Anthony Bozza—and photographers like Robert Ellis, Philip Morris, and Bob King who had iconic images of the band. Happily, I was able to agree to terms with all of them.

How did you go about picking out the items featured in the book?
Believe it or not, aside from Voccia’s items, the bulk of the memorabilia was the result of 4 or 5 months of scouring eBay on a daily basis.
Tell us about the "spinning Angus cover"!
Whenever we decide to publish a book we have a preliminary meeting to discuss possible cover concepts. I had already seen Rob Alford’s photo of Angus spinning on the stage at the 1979 World Series of Rock and half-jokingly suggested we incorporate an actual spinner to assimilate Angus’s famous stage antics. At the time I got the impression that most of the room thought I was nuts. But the person who managed the book’s design process and the person who arranges for the manufacturing of our books took up the idea and ran with it. When everyone else saw that they were pursuing it and that it was actually possible, it just took on a life of its own. I think it really captures the manic energy of the music in a way a static photo can’t. The spinner is also a bit goofy, just like Angus’s stage performances. “Goofy” in a good way, of course. It’s interesting, my 6-year-old son and I just saw School of Rock and Jack Black’s character shows his students footage of Angus spinning on stage. My son thought it was hilarious. It really speaks to the band that they can appeal to rock fans from ages 6 to 60.

Was there a lot of cool stuff that didn’t end up in the book?
Arnaud Durieux has a mind-bending gigography that I wanted to license for the book, but he respectfully declined, citing his own future book project. Other than that, one of the main problems with assembling these books is that usually a day or two after it goes to press you stumble upon a killer piece of memorabilia or photo that you missed or that wasn’t available when you were gathering materials.

How did you get Phil Sutcliffe involved?
Phil penned the main narrative of our aforementioned Queen book. He was such a pro’s pro on that project, and I was aware of his old Sounds review of a 1976 AC/DC show at the Marquee in London, so I asked him if he wanted to write this one. I think the fact that all these people whom I badly wanted to be involved with the book agreed to it speaks to how much people really love this band.

Tell us about your first AC/DC show? How many times have you seen them live?
Unfortunately, I’ve never seen the band live! The thing I realized about AC/DC while putting this book together is that they were always pigeonholed in the States as a metal band, which of course they’re not . . . they’re just a loud, fast rock ’n’ roll band. But that categorization turned me off when I was younger, even though I’d heard a lot of their stuff. So as someone who came of age listening to bands like the Replacements in the ’80s and then going to tons of club shows in the ’90s (Soul Asylum, Mudhoney, Rev. Horton Heat, Run Westy Run, the Cows, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, the Jayhawks, Wilco, etc.), I was too doctrinaire to go back and explore AC/DC, because, well, the ’80s and even the early ’90s weren’t altogether kind to them and they were considered dinosaurs. I regret not getting to know them earlier. Despite the “indie rock” ethos that I bought into, AC/DC were clearly a band that paid their dues and that even influenced, to varying degrees, the bands I was listening to.

Favorite AC/DC item in the book and why?
That’s a tough one. The spread of silkscreened Black Ice tour posters is cool, but I would have to say that a handful of photos are my favorites, particularly Robert Francos's CBGB photos and Jenny Lens’s Whisky A Go Go shots (check out Jenny’s image showing Angus’s sweat-drenched SG). I mean, who doesn’t wish they saw AC/DC in a small rock club? Also, there are a couple of two-page spreads showing crowds at the Apollo Theater in Glasgow and at Monsters of Rock, which I love. And, the Rob Alford shot on page 88. You always read about the prodigious amounts of snot that would fly from Angus’s nose at shows. Here, you can actually see the boogers in his nose!

Favorite AC/DC record and why?
Ooh, another difficult one! I’d have to say the High Voltage (the Atlantic debut)—the LP that introduced the band to the rest of the world. It’s just tight, blues-based rock full of Bon’s trademark wit. Plus Rolling Stone called it an “all-time low” for hard rock, so the boys had to be doing something right. I wish they’d included their version of “Baby, Please Don’t Go.” Seems just about everyone’s covered the song, but I don’t think anyone’s surpassed AC/DC’s take. Budgie and Lightning Hopkins came close. . .

Any other projects going on?
Speaking of “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” we have a similar treatment of Aerosmith due in September (written by Guitar World executive editor Rich Bienstock), and Iron Maiden coming next spring (by UK-based metal journo Neil Daniels).
www.acdcmachine.com/files/interview_dennispernu.php


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Wow, this was on the Huffington Report Blog page. It also appeared in a number of other sites, a couple of which I’ve listed at the bottom of the article. It, again, pertains to Phil Sutcliffe’s “High Voltage Rock'n'roll”

3. Mike Ragogna HuffPost Reviews ACDC

Email
Written by bestsellerelectronic on Dec-19-10 9:00pm
From: bestsellerelectronic.com
So, you consider you know all things AC/DC? Really. Well, take a hit of the essays, chronological photos, memorabilia, and ubiquitous profusion contained in in between the over 225 pages of High Voltage Stone 'N' Roll: The Ultimate Illustrated History and you'll be intimidated indeed. Stone edition residence Phil Sutcliffe (with a small assistance in sidebar form from folks similar to Robert Ellis, Joe Bonomo, Philip Morris, and a expel of 17 others) reserve the biographical and chronological grit which takes us from Angus & Malcom Young's prophesy by the Brian Johnson and Chris Slade register adjustments and, of course, way beyond. Commentaries and reflections by Jimmy Page, Billy Gibbons, Joe Perry, Steve Vai, Ace Frehley, Meat Loaf, Jack Johnson (yes, Jack Johnson), and Joe Elliott spin out the over-the-top jubilee which is Illustrated History. A small of the early shots of the rope by Philip Morris and Bob King are value the cost of the book alone. But add bar cinema by Jenny Lens and Robert Francos and the behind-the-scenes images contributed by Robert Ellis and Robert Alford, and you have a visible story which is as current as any of the authors' contributions or researchers' timelines and discography. Who knew there was so many to know about this steel antecedent from Australia, one which many dont consider about contributed to the tough stone theatre in the U.S. some-more than many American bands did. Now you know, and the rest, as they say, is Illustrated History.
http://www.zimbio.com/Chip+Taylor/articles/38VMKfSRbA4/Mike+Ragogna+HuffPost+Reviews+ACDC+Jane+Roman
Also appeared on:
legal-sleaze.com
allword-news.co.uk/tag/pete-finney
thoughtandword.com/rss/author/Mike


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Thus Spoke the Spectacle is a multi-media performance focused on the
way mass media is used against it’s audiences, or at the very least, for their own purposes. Much of it is focused on the material of Marshall McLuhan, Neil Postman and Jacques Ellul. I had the pleasure to see it a few times, and took photos that they used on their Website.

4. Thanks to the MEA organizers who invited us to perform, including Sara van den Berg, Paul Soukup, Janet Sternberg, and Lance Strate. Special thanks to Abigail Lambke and Dan Frierdich for securing a great performance space and managing all the tech issues; Robert Francos for his many excellent photographs; and all of our MEA friends and supporters for making this performance of Thus Spoke The Spectacle truly one to remember.
http://www.thespectacle.net/blog/2009/06/

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The Echoes are a fun band whose CDs I had the pleasure to review for my Jersey Beat column, “The Quiet Corner.” The Echoes’ response was nice to read.

5. The Echoes Official Website

The 2007 Release Of "NOW HEAR THIS" Having Stimulated A New Interest In 2005's "LISTEN UP... IT'S THE ECHOES," Famed Music Critic ROBERT BARRY FRANCOS Wrote The Following REVIEW For The Spring 2008 Edition Of JERSEY BEAT:

"Kentucky-bred and New York based, THE ECHOES are a twosome who have released "LISTEN UP... IT'S THE ECHOES," which is available at theechoesofficalwebsite.com. They sing in a folk style reminiscent of Ian & Sylvia, and give us all original tunes written by Mark Alexander, though most of the lead singing is (wisely) handled by Teresa Starr. The songs are full of love and tenderness, with Starr's high voice and Alexander's supporting guitar and voice (he does sing a lead here and there). This is definitely an easy listen on many levels, including a joyful melody line and a to-the-point lyrics structure ("I met you just the other day/You made it in my dreams that night" are the CD's opening lines, from "IF I DO"). This is the folk equivalent of lite jazz, and I don't mean that as an insult; it's a style that is very listener friendly. Like cocoa and a blanket on a chilly evening." -- Robert Barry Francos, JERSEY BEAT, Quiet Corner

THE ECHOES Would Like To Thank ROBERT BARRY FRANCOS & JERSEY BEAT For Their Support !!!
http://theechoesofficialwebsite.com/echonews.html

CD Reviews: Quiet Corner Column, Spring 2010

Text (c) Robert Barry Francos
Images from the Internet

This was originally published in Jersey Beat fanzine at www.jerseybeat.com, for my Quiet Corner column at www.jerseybeat.com/quietcorner.html. New reviews should be up there shortly. If you are interested in my reviewing your release, contact me at rbf55@msn.com and I will give you the address to ship off CD, DVD, etc. - RBF, 2010

I really tried to like ANTENNAS UP’s self-title release (Plastic Artifice c/o antennasupmusic.com), but is was just too borderline to early- and late-‘70s white soul/R&B that relies on a mix of synths and disco, with songs that are just a bit, well, facile. Take 5P4C35H1P (aka SPACESHIP), for example: the beat is thumpa-thumpa-thumpa through sampling and the lyrics are just lame. They accomplish what they set out for, but it’s just not the direction I want my listening attention to be going in. This review should not reflect on their ability, just my opinion of their target. Sorry guys, just not my thing.

BLACK WATER RISING (blackwaterrising.com) is a solid metal unit that comes out of Brooklyn these days. Led by singer and tunesmith Rob Traynor (ex- of Dust to Dust) this foursome has released a self-titled collection. This isn’t hair band with make-up crap, BWR is, in their own words, “no frills riff rock” (or so says their PR). Well, while metal is not necessarily my forte, I know enough to recognize solid workmanship. This type of metal relies on such stalwarts as guitar with a heavy bottom and chants, and this has them both. Traynor’s voice is like a runaway train going wherever the hell it wants. None of this high pitched squealing like other metal outfits, he has a solid voice that can carry the tune, no matter what the decibel he’s blaring. The songs are political, based on issues that are on the news every day, and from what lyrics I can make out, they’re well written. There are a few standouts here, like the opener “The Mirror,” “Black Bleeds Through,” and my fave cut, “No Halos.”

Usually, I find full 74-minute CDs as, well, enough already; retrospective collections, however, are an exception, especially when it’s the quality of work provided by JIM BASNIGHT and his many bands (e.g., The Moberlys, the Rockinhams). He shows on We Rocked and Rolled – The First 25 Years of Jim Basnight: The Moberlys and Beyond (Disclosed, 241 E 14 St, New York, NY 10003) that his quality has been consistent since ’76. Basnight still consistently tours, mostly around his Seattle home base, which keeps his performing at high excellence. This is true power pop rock the way it was meant to be, with flashy guitars, memorable hooklines, and near-Mersey Beat rhythms. I’ve been listening to Basnight all these years, and he has never disappointed. This collection is nicely comprehensive, and his descriptions in the booklet of each song are good self-commentary, explaining to the listener what he was thinking at the time. And thus we are also given a timeline for his gliding through his musical morphings.

While BLUE RACE members are not, well, new to the music scene, they show in their first release, World Is Ready (myspace.com/bluerace) that they are indeed ready to bring out their sound to, er, the world. The music falls somewhere between classic and soft rock (with a bit harder edge on occasion). They also have a nice way with a melody that works with the lyrics to make some catchy phrasing that lingers after the CD is back in its case (such as the title cut, “You are Here,” and “Never Be.” Bassist and songwriter of some of the tunes here, Thom Gencarelli, told me in his humorously self-depreciating way that he is proud of the release, and rightfully so.

Over the past few years, there has been a strong rise in Americana style of performing. I am happy to add ANNIE CRANE to recent releases that have impressed me. On Through the Farmlands & The Cities (anniecranemusic.com), she uses an aerie voice to tell us stories, of an ice storm in her home town of “Seneca Falls” (NY), of “Pennsylvania,” the skyscrapers of “Empire State,” a “Southern Town,” and tales of people like “Our Families,” the complicated relationship of “Martha and Richard,” “A Song for Dolly,” and “Where the Money Is,” for example. These are all originals except the one traditional “Foggy Dew.” Fiddles and banjos weave through these slices of life and memory that feel like they should be coming out of an old cathedral-style tube radio, but with better production values that are simple yet clean. People like Annie, Allison Krauss, and Rachel Harrington are helping to revive a sound that is as “American” as jazz and the blues.

The female-led THE DRY SPELLS take a familiar formula, though underused, and put their strong stamp on it. On their debut release, Too Soon for Flowers (antennafarmrecords.com), they weave a lush and harmonious Americana folk, and imbue it with electric instruments. While one may immediately think of, say, Steeleye Span, they’re softer than that, sort of a cross between the Rankin Family and the Corrs, though less Celtic. You still with me? Even with covers such as “Black is the Color,” the piece becomes almost unrecognizable, but no less enjoyable, than the “standard” versions. A wonderful example of their style is the title track, a luxuriant and vivid song with many musical and melodic eddies that are simply beautiful. Sure the song topics are on the side of loss, desire, and misgivings, but it plays out strikingly.

Cousins Anthony K. and Ricky Wells are sure prolific. Fortunately, they’re also talented. Across many of their groups and collaborations, their sound may be described in general as hard progressive alternative punk. Say what? While their group KUNG FU GRIP has a touring band, here on Two (kungfugriponline.com), their sophomore release, they play everything: Anthony handles vocals, guitars and drums (and songwriting), and Ricky does lead guitars and bass. Those who are familiar with them know how talented Ricky is as a guitarist, and what an amazing Keith Moon-like wild drummer is Anthony. Well, they are BOTH strong songwriters in the post-grunge style, and they deserve whatever kudos they are given. There are 11 songs here, and each one has its own level of power. They are as fun live as they are on this CD, so I recommend both.

If there were any musical justice in this world, TAMARA HEY would be on a tour level with Dar Williams and Patty Larkin. Her last CD, Right This Minute, was one of my favorites of the past couple of years, and now she has released Miserably Happy (miserablyhappy.com). What I like about Tamara is that she has a unique voice, both in her vocal style and writing. Even her love songs have a different twist on them, such as the title track and “Long Dog Day,” but one point of what makes her perspective distinctive is that she looks at some of the raw emotions, both internal and without. On “Round Peg,” she discusses someone (I am assuming her “other” self) who feels comfortable in their own plus size skin without being pulled into the culture of the too thin. She also looks at break-up (“Umbrella”) and the need to love (“Somebody’s Girl”). Tamara is also has a great “eye” for relationships in crisis, such as “David #3” and the brilliant internal opener “You Wear Me Out,” and the external friend in trouble, “Isabelle” (“If you say that he’s the one / Then I’ll have to hold my tongue”). Her vocals are razor sharp without being pitchy, and she has a unique tone that does not sound like everyone else. Tamara makes me want to gush about her talent, and this release is an example why.

Through the gloss and electronica flourishes on Goodnight Human (Chinamountainrecords.com), CARY JUDD is actually a solid singer-songwriter. Perhaps I need to hear him do the man-with-guitar/piano to truly hear what I need (what, did you think these reviews were not totally subjective?). Let me start off by coming to my point: I like this guy and I think he writes killer pop singer-songwriter songs. He has a very pleasant voice and a way with a melody line. His topics are of relationships with women, Jesus, and God (mostly the former, I am happy to say). As a first single, “Huang Shan (The Ah-ha Song)” was picked, but this is the lowest-common-denominator piece here, and though perhaps it has the best shot, it is hardly the best song. “Angel with a Cigarette” or “See Through Rocks,” as with others, are better. I do wish him luck and success, but more, I hope he occasionally sees his way to a striped-down sound.

While steel guitars weave their way through Look Good, Feel Good (myspace.com/benmallott), do not be fooled into thinking that BEN MALLOTT should be put into the country and/or western category. Never mind that he’s based in Austin. If anything, the man is solid Americana, with roots in singer-songwriter, with just the whispery influence of bluegrass and country. The two years of work spent writing and recording this collection is obviously time well spent, as this is as firm as they come. Ben looks at some of the seedier sides of life, but with a touch of humanity, as he tells tales of “Heartbreaks,” “Shotgun Suzy,” “Love is Cold Water,” and the beautiful “Just like Angels.” While those are some of my faves, this really is one good song following another. I just hope we don’t have to wait another two years for his next one.

IAN McLAGAN AND THE BUMP BAND does really well in covering the bases of genres on Never Say Never (manicrecords.net). Ian, who used to be in both the Faces and Small Faces back in England, flows across into singer-songwriter, rock and maintains an influence of his own earlier bands. His rough vocals work superbly in this cross-over dream. Whether it’s a ballad like “Where Angels Hide,” to rockers like “I Will Follow,” Ian’s songs and lyrics show he is a force to acknowledge. Even “Killing Me Love” is a mix of British show tune with a Country flair (this was recorded in Austin), and yet it works. Boogie blues shows up confidently with “I’m Hot, You’re Cool.” Despite – or perhaps because of – the variety of styles, Ian remains consistently top-notch. Yeah, I liked this

Anyone familiar with DAVID MOORE’s previous work with the likes of Split Lip, Chevy Downs, or especially Chamberlain, knows that the man can sing and construct a song. Now on his first solo project, My Lover, My Stranger (doghouserecords.com), he works with producer John David Webster to construct nearly an hour of new material. Webster takes Moore’s work and weighs it down with a wall-of-sound that Moore successfully manages to rise above, but barely. The songs are fine with melodies that are memorably – especially “Breaking You Down” and “When You Fall,” but there is such a burdensome surround sound, “Jericho,” which could actually be a breakthrough, would get lost if not for the level of Moore’s presence, though it seems he has to scream, losing some subtly in the mix. Moore’s talent shines through, but he needs a more gentle hand in support.

VANESSA PETERS AND ICE CREAM ON MONDAY is, in my opinion, what singer-songwriters should attain towards. On her second release, Sweetheart, Keep Your Chin Up (vanessapeters.com), Vanessa’s fine vocals present us songs that are both intelligent and accessible. One of the points of this well-written release is that there are many themes running through it, just take a pick. There’s lots of heartache with an occasional dash of redemption (“Okay From Now On”); there’s a mythical element that’s mostly used to promote what she is saying, rather than what it is about (Odysseus, Penelope, Pegasus, Icarius, St. Anthony, for example); most songs have a theme of water, be it “Drowning in Amsterdam” or “The Grammar of a Sinking Ship”; then there is travel of all sorts, including cars, boats (naturally) and especially planes; then there are the tragedies, with 9/11 mentioned directly or indirectly more than once; but mostly present is dissolving, with well written phrases like, “”But I’m tired of chasing medals / I’ll never run as fast as you backpedal” (“Medals”), or “You came along when my brain was concrete / freshly poured and now I have the imprint / Of every word you said” (“First Lesson”). Through it all, Vanessa presents us with mind pictures to go along with the emotions, and that’s just wonderful. There is not a bad cut here, but along with the others I mentioned, I’d also like to add “Austin, I Made a Mess” to the list of those that I really liked. Last, I want to make sure to complement Vanessa’s partner (guitarist and co-vocalist), Manuelo Schicci, for his subtle and fine support here.

THE KEITH REID PROJECT is a product that’s larger than the sum of its parts, in the form of The Common Thread (Rockville-music.com). Along with producing, Reid wrote all the lyrics here, not surprising since he is known for “Nights in White Satin,” when he was in Procol Harem all those years ago (is there any review that won’t mention that?). This “project” has assembled a group of musicians that take each song as it’s own, so each has a different musician writing and playing the music (though some appear more than once), with Reid being the only thread that run throughout the nearly hour long disk. There is some beautiful music here, in a classic rock mode (and an occasional country influence). Some of the more sparkling aspects include, in no particular order, the Springsteen-esque “Silver Town” (with Steve Booker), the goofy yet poignant “The Only Monkey” (Chaz Jankel), the hauntingly solemn “Potters Field” (Bernie Shanahan), and “Ninety-Nine Degrees in the Shade” (Southside Johnny). Others who help out include Chris Thompson (of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band), John Waite (Bad English and the Babys), and of course, Terry Reid. The only problem I had with this was it’s stuck-in-the-‘80s production of some of the pieces, with the hollow, steady drums and the overuse of echo; “I want mah MTV” days. There is definitely an audience for this sound, as a mix of classic ’60s and ‘80s – er – equals ‘140s!

If I had to chose one word for MARGO REYMUNDO’s voice on My Heart’s Desire (Organica Music Group, 1380 Summitridge Place, Studio Suite, Beverly Hills, CA 90210), it would have to be sensuous. She uses Latin-based rhythms, be it sambas, bossa-novas, or flamenco, for example, as she grooves her vocals through plush beats and instrumentation that infuses a richness that is both smooth and yet Adult Contemporary. What is also pleasant is that she has an intonation that is both hard and soft at the same time, making even the three covers among all the originals in the nearly hour-long release her own. An example would be her rendition of “You Belong to Me,” a song I am not fond of in its original incarnation, but Margo wraps around it and makes it enjoyable. Another is the classic “Ain’t No Sunshine,” a song I adore, which Margo takes and rearranges beautifully without ruining it. Lots of the originals are sparkly and worth a listen, including the title cut, “Between Us” and “I Saw You.”

KatieJane Garside, vocalist for RUBY THROAT, has the kind of style of which I’m kind of partial, as she amply displays on The Ventriloquist (rubythroat.co.uk). It’s sort of a meandering lazy diction, which almost seems to skip over the music, rather than be, say, like Diamanda Galas, who can pinpoint a note at a half-tone (though I like Galas, as well). Supporting her musically in this duo is Chris Wittingham, who plays an moody-but-not-quite-ambient style of synth sounds…at least I think it’s electronica, as his credit just reads “everything else.” Like KJ’s voice, there is not a lot of exactitude here, from the flow of the sounds to the way the CD is packaged, with only some song lyrics, and those that are present are written so small and in script it makes it hard to tell what is what, especially since there is no rhyme or order to them on the sheet. But I digress. Best I can tell, most of the songs have to do with a multitude of matters of the heart, both positive and negative. Some are surprising, like “Happy Now” (“I’ll break your legs if I find out that you are fucking him”), and the suicide of “Naked Ruby” (“He fell onto the knife / Naked Ruby cried / All night”). There is an artiness level that doesn’t come off as artificial as it often does with others, that is refreshing. In the center of it all is a 16 minute piece, “John 3.16,” which I couldn’t begin to tell you what it’s about, but it does display KJ’s multi-octave range well.

PAMELA RUBY RUSSELL has an aerie kind of voice, almost mythical, as she sings from the heart, often of loss on Highway of Dreams… (highwayofdreams@gmail.com), yet also of soaring love. There is a lilting hint of Celtic in there, with the fiddles and other strings, but she also envelops many other styles, including calypso. One of my fave cuts is “Make You Cry,” and another is the title cut closer. Her guitarist, Peter Calo, is someone I also admire for both his solo work and collaborations (including Carly Simon and Mary Gatchell). But again, I digress…

When JON SNODGRASS fronted Armchair Martin, he played hard. For Dry the River, he slowed it down. Now, on his solo release, Visitor’s Band (surburbanhomerecords.com), he slides into an amazing alt-country sound that fits his smoky voice. There is the occasional rave-up, like “Not That Rad,” but most cuts are slice-of-life and of relationships. With guitar-work that matches the voice, 10 incredibly strong cuts start this off without a slacker in the lot. But he’s not done: as an interesting addition, the final cut, named after the CD, is practically the entire she-bang over again in one groove, but this time it is all of the demos with just Jon and his guitar; it also includes a bit of conversation between him and the engineer. A nice touch and the whole collection is highly recommended.

I’ve known RANDY STERN for a long time, having seen him perform both in a group and solo, and I certainly admire his work. Though I have not heard this newest back-up on his first solo release, Give (heyday.com), it is always a pleasure to listen to him sing. Why? Well, first of all, Randy can write the hell out of a song. Whether singer-songwriter, as he is here, or as in his days in a rock-based punkish band, he has a way with both melody and lyric that make his songs instantly memorable without being lyrically or musically redundant. Secondly, Randy has a great voice that sounds like, well, Randy, and not like a pick-one-from-column-A. Though my favorite is just Randy with a guitar and a microphone, he shows some weave with a group to give his positive messages some power, such as “Into Your Heart,” “Life is Good,” “Ain’t Dead Yet,” the country-based “Rita,” and one of my favorites, “Better Days.” If you see Randy on the F train busking from car to car, say hello, because he is one of the more open and friendly musicians I know.

It took me a long time to appreciate full-on gospel, but I had my “ears” opened a while back by Sweet Honey and the Rock. ROSETTA SWAIN has a lush, yet down-to-earth (no pun intended) contralto that makes even a heathen like me smile. Yes, From Me to You (myspace.com/rosettaswain) obviously has lots of Jesus as presented by Pastor “Momma” Swain, including an interesting revamping of Bobby Hebb’s classic, with Jesus taking “Sunny’s” place. One aspect I really like about this collection is the wide range of gospel the Buffalo-based preacher presents, from solo vocals with piano, to sometimes full band, and occasionally she nearly rocks a Philly sound. Her love of Lord is obvious, and it joyously comes through in selections such as “It’s Already Alright,” “Some Days,” “Everyday I Spend With You” (a straightforward love song), the lengthy “Thank You Lord,” and the aforementioned Hebb-inspired “Jesus.”

New England singer-songwriter BRETT TERRY has a new one out, titled Instant History (Leverkuhn, c/o myspace.com/brettermusic). While mostly filled with originals, he also does a cover of Harrison’s “If I Needed Someone,” and has a couple of videos of other Beatles’ tunes up on YouTube. Obsession? While Brett’s vocals sound a touch like it’s coming from his nasal passages rather than his chest, he brings earnestness to his music. Many of the tunes are well formulated with a harmony (no vocals are listed for lead/electric guitarist Eric Lichter so I am assuming its overdubs) and catches, and are memorable, like the opening and best cut, “Alexander Street,” “Piece of Mind,” “Baby,” and “Slow Moving Train.” The song “Rock Star” has gotten some notice, though I found it a bit trite (mind you, some great musicians had their corny songs as among their most popular, such as Melanie’s “Brand New Key” and Paul Simon’s “50 Ways”). To sum up, Brett’s work is well done, especially bolstered by Eric’s guitar work), but there seems something thin to me, something missing I can’t quite put my finger on. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to hear some more over time.

And how does TOWER OF POWER release their first new CD in 5 years? Why, by putting out all covers. Hey, they are Tower of Power, and they show why on The Great American Soulbook (towerofpower.com). ToP always had a Temptations kind of vibe to me (sans falsetto), and that solid R&B shines through here. The covers are pretty eclectic, such as Marvin Gaye and Kim Wetson’s “It Takes Two” (with Joss Stone filling in), Sam & Dave’s “I Thank You ” (with Tom Jones here; Sam Moore joins in on Otis Redding’s “Mr. Pitiful”), a non-disco version of Tavares’ “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel,” Aretha Franklin’s “Since You’ve Been Gone (Baby, Baby, Sweet Baby)”, and four – count ‘em four – James Brown songs in a tribute medley. If there are any weak points here, it is the near-copying of Brown and Billy Paul’s “Me & Mrs. Jones,” rather than putting more of their own stamp on them, but ToP more than redeem themselves with a powerful conclusion of Bill Withers’ “Who is He (And What is He to You)?” There are others here, and all fun to reminisce of when R&B was soulful.

JOHN WATTS has literally sold millions of records. Why have you not heard of him? Because he was part of the British punk movement, and most of what he sold was in Europe (though he told me that he remembers playing in New York during the ‘80s at The Ritz). Over the years and a few bands later, Watts is now a solo artist, performing his own version of pop with a somewhat more powerful force. He usually performs solo with a guitar, but on Morethanmusic & Films (SoReal, c/o johnwatts.co.uk), he has a full band behind him, and having heard his live show, I can tell you they’re both effective. His first song off this collection, “URSo,” is a charming apology song that any man can identify with. But it doesn’t stop there, as each selection has its own sound (i.e., they don’t all sound alike), mixed with his unique vocals, to produce songs that are both likeable and, er, singalong-able. As one listens, you can hear the dancehall influence that most Brits grow up with (while we Yanks have Tin Pan Alley, etc.), but his tunes are accessible to all. Just fun stuff. And I want to add a note of thanks to John who was ever so gracious when I had the opportunity to talk to him for a while in September.

I have a soft spot for bands based in Brooklyn, such as WHITE RABBITS. They’ve just released their second full-lengther, It’s Frightening (whiterabbitsmusic.com), and while I don’t believe I’ve heard their first, this one is pretty solid. I’m definitely enjoying their power-pop rock more on the second listen. What drew me in was their sharp drumming, placed right up front in the mix, which is rare. Most of the songs are produced as pretty standard and unremarkable, but enjoyable nonetheless. The biggest miss is that they rely a bit too much on polish, while the substance that is obviously there gets a bit bogged down in the trying to make it “radio-friendly.” And, really, they should be on the radio as they’re better than most of what you hear there. I just like this stuff with a bit more of an individualistic sound.

CD Reviews: A Jersey Beat Special

Text © Robert Barry Francos
Images from the Internet

These reviews originally appeared in my column in Jersey Beat webzine (www.jerseybeat.com/quietcorner.html), which is well worth checking out.

ANDY BILINSKI started out as a punker here in the New York area, and then became a successful singer-songwriter down in Wilmington, NC. His sophomore release is The Meaning Behind Nothing is Everything (myspace.com/andybilinski). For me, Andy’s strong point (and I’m not the first to say this by a long shot) is his introspective lyrics. In strong songs like “Paper Airplane,” “Silver Gull Motel,” “Strange World,” and “Brooklyn,” Andy looks at his emo side by being poetic rather than melodramatic (From “Silver Gull Motel”: “I reach my hands out across the sand/I part the tide with a fine toothcomb”). Andy either uses a full band or does the self-played-multi-instruments to give a plush sound, and this usually works (the rare exception is the overly electronic “Breathe”). While Andy’s voice is kind of “woody” and earthy, it fits the tone of the song, so it definitely achieves what he apparently sought.

Americana comes in many forms, as does rock’n’roll, such as the ‘20s Appalachian styles of Allison Krauss and Rachel Harrington, through the more bluegrass and country.. Then there is the raw C&W genre, like Emmylou Harris and PATTY BLEE. Her 6-songer, From the Inside (EP) (pattyblee.com), shows a solid feel for various forms of old school country. Right from the start, Patty comes out twangin’ with the what-are-we-waitin’-for? rave-up, “From the Inside.” After a power boogie “Can’t Explain It,” she goes into the love ballad “If I Knew”… Well, I could go song by song, but it really is pointless because this is such a strong release that it has me itchin’ for a full release. This is one of my fave of this batch of reviews.

Possibly the best way to describe KATH BUCKELL & THE FOLKS (c/o kat_uckell@hotmail.com) on their eponymous release is classic Celtic. With an Irish-based lilt, Kath gently jigs her way around topics such as lore, love, and loss. Her voice is soft and it swells and meanders around the song, which, in typical fashion for the genre, rises and falls in scale often (though not as much as, say, modern R&B). Much more pure than the Corrs, also present are all the necessary instrumentation for this style, like flutes and strings. If one is a fan of bands like Renaissance and the Rankin Family, as am I, this will most likely be an exciting find.

No matter what, one has to truly respect DOMENICK CARINO. His six-song, 23-minute The Only Thing That Comes to Mind are Songs About Us (fakechapter.com) contains two disks, which are identical. One is notched as “Yours to keep,” the other “Yours to share.” Brooklyn-born, this ex-singer of Red Engine Nine and Sunday All-Stars once again strikes out in a singer-songwriter genre. With a sweet-sounding voice, Domenick presents life moments, highlighting emotions with people (“Lovers, Neighbor or Friends,” “Streets of Dublin”), places (“Alabama”) and love, of course (“Delicate,” and just about all the others). Luckily, Carino has a nice turn of a music phrase, including lyrically, so the interest stays, especially with his guy-next-door voice.

THE CATERPILLAR BOOK is a collection of a few good friends, who include some cult musicians, such as a member of Hoboken’s Cucumbers (an underrated band) and The Remains from Boston. On their first CD, Maybe This Summer… (myspace.com/thecaterpillar book), they all show their love for pop music, along the lines of, say, Cheap Trick. There is lots of melody, harmonies, and some wicked good vocalizing by Ryan O’Dell. Musicianship and production are in top gear, like a smooth coat of paint that assures they can play at any place from Maxwells to the Sidewalk Café. There are a lot of good songs here, including “Maybe This Summer,” “Time to Go,” “Spring,” “A Girl Like That,” and the catchy coda (which could have been the first song, as well), “Already Wasted.” When some friends who have known each other for a long time assemble and decide to put something together, it can either be self-indulgent or harmonious. Luckily, this is the former.

Haven’t Slept All Year (Scat, c/o cobraverde.com) is a solid release from COBRA VERDE. They do it old school style, reminiscent of the blues-rock of bands like pre-“Shake Some Action” Flamin’ Groovies. Frontman John Petkovic has a bit of a wandering key voice, evocative of Ray Davies, and together with the band form a tight and totally enjoyable release. From beginning to end, there’s one good cut following another, with tales of drink, drugs and women. Even the song titles are clever, like “Riot in the Foodcourt,” “Something About the Bedroom,” “I Could Go to Hell For You,” and “Haunted Heavens.” But don’t be fooled that they are just a turn-of-a-phrase kind of band, coz no, they are a lot of fun. Hell, at one point, it even sounds like there’s a theramin in there (though it’s most likely a keyboard). This was above a pleasant listen.

Hailing from Virginia, SHANE COOLEY opens up Whirlpool (shanecooleymusic.com) with describing his home town as “My Asbury Park,” which of course is going to get the attention of a magazine named Jersey Beat (even though this reviewer is currently in/from Brooklyn). It also helps that the song is so, well, for a simple superlative, great. In the Kevin Devine style, Shane successfully walks two grounds: his catalog, sung with full band as it is mostly here, consists of good rockers; when in just a boy-and-guitar mode, such as with “Breath Sped,” are strong singer-songwriter material. I am on my third time through the CD, and find much to keep my interest, like “Whirlpool,” “Kamikaze,” and “Double-Edged Sword.” Shane’s voice is strong with an occasional warble at the end of the lyric line. Certainly, I can see him catching on, especially as a start with college radio.

THE CROWD SCENE is a trio, based upon couple Grahame Davies (on most instruments and vocals) and Anne Rogers (bass and mostly harmonies), with Evan Pollack adding drums. There are also some other players who contribute on *With Complete Glossary for Squares (wampus.com), such as pop cult icon (and rightfully so), Chris Stamey, who also produced some of the cuts here. This trio+ calls itself “Chamber Pop,” which basically means ballads with high production values and based strongly on melody. Okay, that’s an oversimplification for this collective, since they do not hit the listener over the head with studio work, but still keep in the smooth pop genre. I’ve heard some cathedral pop that makes me feel diabetic, but fortunately, this isn’t one of those. Well, anyone who is familiar with Chris Stamey’s solo work (“Summer Sun” is still a fave) probably has an idea of what kind of tone is set. The lyrics are somewhat bittersweet, jumping from “Walk Up to the Heath” through “Great Jones Street.” Grahame has a sweet voice that is hardly bland, and on her one solo outing, “Which Way,” Anne proves to hold her own. While the songs sometimes seem to blend together in its tone, the Crowd Scene does not lose its direction. It’s been a while since I heard something from Wampus, and it is good to see they have kept going.

JAMES DALTON has a strong, classic singer-songwriter voice, in the way he sings, the way in writes, and the posture he projects on Butterflies and Passerbys (aeriarcords.com). His structure, while being “classic” is hardly formulaic, thankfully, which makes this an easy listen. Sometimes he treads on Greg Brown territory (meant positively), but mostly he covers his material with freshness, right from the start, with “Kiss of the Dark Haired Girl,” straight through to the end. There is even a blues thrown in, with “Alafaya Mama” (named after a road in Orlando, FL, James noted to me). One of my fave cuts is “Wednesday Night Mass,” soaring through people’s lives. A one-man band (writes, plays), Dalton keeps it simple, exposing as much as is needed, rather than everything he has, which makes for a cleaner, clearer recording.

The latest by KEVIN DEVINE AND THE GODDAMN BAND is Brother’s Blood (Favorite Gentlemen; myspace.com/kevindevine), and I may be tipping my hand here, but I think it may my favorite of his releases so far. Kevin has a wide range between rocker and pop balladeer, and here he leans more toward the introspection of the softer side, but never giving in to the easy formulaic tune (like Springsteen did with “Dancing in the Dark,” for example). Quiet and delicate (yet never wanking) pieces like “Fever Moon” and “Yr Husband” share space comfortably with more forceful pieces like “Brother’s Blood” (which he goes full on power mode). There are some cuts that have been noted for possible “single” release, like “I Could Be Anyone,” but there is so much to choose from, like the opener “All of Everything,” “Hand of God,” or the CD’s coda, “Tomorrow’s Just Too Late.” Kevin Devine, if there were any musical justice, would be on the A-list of musicians, and perhaps his release will chip away towards that.

For those who don’t know, RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOT is a contemporary of the likes of Woody and Pete. On his umpteenth release, A Stranger Here (anti.com), Jack takes on the blues with both feet in the Delta. Produced by Joe Henry, and accompanied by the likes of David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) and the legendary Van Dyke Parks, Elliot leaves his Americana comfort zone, and here covers a number of pre-‘40s blues that influenced the sound he helped promote (the equivalent may be the Ramones covering the Ronnettes). Sometimes white artists covering the blues sounds disingenuous, but after living a road weary musicians’ life through the ‘50s and ‘60s, and now in his late 70s, his voice fits the emotional form. Some of the stronger cuts include “Rambler’s Blues,” “Richman Women Blues,” “The New Strangers Blues,” and the extremely personal feel of “Please Remember Me” (which emotionally reminds me of Phil Ochs’ “When I’m Gone”). RJE does not disappoint here, even as he stretches at this point in his life.

From the banjo and violin that open Let’s Do Something… (nativeandfinerecords.com), BILL EVANS & MEGAN LYNCH clearly posit their interests’ foundation, in an Americana sound. Megan carries most of the vocals here, with her sweet, high voice, though Bill also handles a few; and on rare occasions, they blend together beautifully. One of the interesting aspects of this particular release is that along with two of Bill’s textured originals, the rest of this is filled with reimagining of others’ songs, such as Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and their beautiful interpretation of John Gorka’s “Morningside.” Bill and Megan aren’t a flashing duo, so they get a chance to play some intertwining complex eclectic folk and bluegrass rather than trying to out blaze anyone, which I so respect.

Battle is the first solo release by the lead singer of the Willowz, RICHIE JAMES FOLLIN (richiejamesfollin.com). Okay, I’m willing to admit that I don’t know the Willowz, so I’m just going to take this for itself. All 72+ minutes of it. There are 12 songs, each with a single-word title. The music here is competent, though pretty generic, classic rock, including those C&W-influenced numbers. Little bit of guitar flash here, stretched out echoed vocals there. The press says, “RJF takes it a step into the future with a nod to the past.” Nod seems an accurate term. The process in which it was recorded is wicked cool, basically done in a single day during a barbeque in CA at the home of Dan Horne (Beachwood Sparks, Mezzanine Owls), who also plays on the collection. I totally respect that, but there just does not seem to be a spark to ignite the music, especially on the vocals. Maybe if they recorded less and focused on fewer songs there would be, well, more. The recording is a functional vanity project, but one would think that some of the excitement of the day would have passed along into what was recorded. This sounds more like a demo. Perhaps it will come across better on the DVD?

In his liner notes for Passing Train (tuition-music.com), JOEL HARRISON posits a treatise for this release, saying that he usually does improvisational jazz, but in this case tried going more “pop.” Actually, what he does is spiritually infused singer-songwriter in most cases. He also claims this was hard for him, though the only time I caught that was on “Midnight.” Okay, now that I’m done whining, nearly all the rest of the CD is actually pretty good. His mildly gravely voice fits well with singer-songwriter style, especially so on numbers like the powerful anti-war “Glory Days Are Gone,” the lyrically moving opener “The Wishing Well,” the Ritchie Havens-esque “Travel On” (with the help of the voice of the ever amazing Toshi Reagon), the twang-infused traveling “Just For the Ride,” and the spiritual finale of “Wash Away,” buoyed by the piano of Henry Hey. On two of the songs, Joel gives away his lead to vocalist Jen Chapin, backing her up on the anti-drug “No One Knows How to Die,” and sharing with her on the down-and-outer “God Loves a Loser.” While I am not familiar with Joel’s seven CDs previous to this, it seems “Regret” may be the closest mix of his jazz style with his singer-songwriter. The only song I was not fond of was the discoy-to-R&B-to-acid rock (and way too long at over 5 minutes) “Northwest Jewel” (a tribute to counterculture cult king Ken Kesey), though it is obvious this song meant a lot to him.

STEVE JAMES takes the title of his latest CD, Short Blue Stories (Hobemian, c/o stevejames.com) to heart. Most songs clock in at just over three minutes, quite short for some blues that have riffs that last longer. Using Delta-style steel strings (though he HQs in Austin), James swamps his way through traditional I-IV-V to breathe some life into 16 originals (in 54 minutes). With aplomb, James (and occasionally collaborator Del Rey, who also adds some interesting vocal counterpoint) wails through great numbers like the finger waggin’ “Sparky’s Tune,” “Factory Girl,” and my fave cut closer, “Why the Blues Don’t Worry Me (part two)”. While “Reckon I Did” sounds like new lyrics to the tune of “Froggy When A-Courtin’,” he mostly takes the classic sound and respects it, even with the humorous “Folk Radio” (which would be ironic considering he’s been on numerous shows, such as NPR’s Prairie Home Companion).

On Slow Dance (krecs.com), JEREMY JAY presents his synth pop style, in which his soft, child-like tenor is either highly echoed or he is overdubbing his own voice (honestly, I can’t tell which). There is, naturally, a strong synthesizer presence that sounds like it came right out of the ‘80s, but without the strong bottom which synth needs so badly. There is a definite in-motion thread running through all the songs, but most of them don’t seem to go anywhere. There are a couple of good songs here, I must say, such as “In This Lonely Town” and “Where Could We Go Tonight,” but that’s about it. Best way I can sum it up is by presenting the lyrics to you. Here are the opening stanzas for four songs in a row. First, there is “Gallop”: “Sometimes we gallop through the forest / Sometimes we gallop through the rain / Sometimes we gallop over moonbeams / Giddy-up horsey giddy-up / Giddy-up horsey giddy-up.” Second, “Canter Canter”: “Canter canter canter / Over moonbeams / Canter canter canter / Over starstreams / Canter Canter Canter / In the night air / Canter canter canter / Going somewhere.” Third is “Slow Dance”: “We are / slow slow slow slow slow / Slow slow slow slow slow / Dancing / We are / Slow slow slow slow slow / Slow slow slow slow slow / Dancing.” Finally, “Winter Wonder”: “Winter wonder winter wonder / Tear / Drop drop drop drop drop drop / Tear / drop drop drop drop drop drop.” Yes, the songs are about motion, but it feels like the “needle” is stuck. I’m not sure if he is trying to be something between early Jonathan Richman or possibly Suicide, but this is, well, let’s just say this is not a CD that will be on any kind of rotation at my casa.

Edible Word Parade (darrellelondon.com) is DARRELLE LONDON’s sophomore release, and even within this short time, I am impressed by her growth, which is saying a lot considering how much I enjoyed her first one. She starts off running with the very catchy “Understand,” and just keeps on going. Her looks at life and love are filtered through her sweet, childlike lilt, but do not hold back on different aspects of relationships. Darrelle not only has a way with a lyric phrase, but also has a strong pop melody sensibility that makes her songs memorable and hummable. Just check out cuts like “These Days” and “Bad” to see what I mean. I can see some critics may lump her into a category with the likes of Kimya Dawson, but that would not be fair, because as good as Kimya is, I find Darrelle’s songs to be more mature and enjoyable. I will definitely be listening to this beyond the reviewing process. Though she hails from Toronto, I so look forward to getting the chance to see Darrelle play at some point. Why is Joe’s Pub waiting to call her?

Yeah, ELLIOTT MURPHY has been around forever…well, since 1973 anyway. Now comes his 30th release, Notes From the Underground (elliottmurphy.com). I had the opportunity to see him play a couple of times in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He tours a large chunk of the year, and that is reflected in the strength of his material and playing. Elliott has mellowed a bit through the years, but just because some of his songs are a bit melodious, they still have a strong punch with both melody and deep (yet accessible) lyrics. There are lots of good songs here, including the opener “And General Robert E. Lee” (which is rightfully somewhat of a hit overseas), “Ophelia,” and “Frankenstein’s Daughter” (perhaps a sequel to the Doll’s tune?). He was an under the radar figure back then, let’s hope that people like college radio programmers take notice and start a grass roots swell.

Usually, I don’t review CD-Rs, but I’m happy to make an exception with CHRISTOPHER MORSE and his Here’s to Better Days (myspace.com/christophermorse). Christopher’s style is solid singer-songwriter, and I must say he has a very clear voice that is very listenable, even though his topic on this is not relationship-friendly. From “Super Me” through “Caught in the Headlights” and “Friend Line,” this 5-songer is touching without being treacle, with sharp lyrics and melodies, in a Richard Shindell kind of way.

Like jazz, country is a purely American musical extension. For over 10 years, NASHVILLE PUSSY has been taking the Country genre and wringing it through a metal perspective. Their latest is the hard-hitting From Hell to Texas (SPVUSA.com; nashvillepussy.com), proving that time has not softened them a bit. There are still the expected songs of substance abuse (“Drunk Driving Man,” “I’m So High,” “Dead Men Can’t Get Drunk,” “Give Me a Hit Before I Go”), local pride (“From Hell to Texas”), a look at the larger picture (“Late Great USA”), and the controversial (“Lazy Jesus,” “Pray for the Devil”). This mixed gender band never lets go to take the easy road, with Ruyter Suys laying down the metal crunch twang taking the place of the lap guitar (I was particularly taken with her riff on “Stone Cold Down”), while husband Blaine Cartwright growls and spits his vocals with the best of ‘em. For a crossover release recorded in country stalwart Willie Nelson’s studio, this is sledgehammer subtle. A head-pounding successful release.

It’s not often I get to review something from Israel. HADAR NOIBERG and VLADIMIR KATZ are part of a jazz quartet, who have produced Lunch Special (hadarnoiberg.com.com). As the CD begins, it sounds like it’s going the way of avant-garde, but as the music continues (about 1 minute in), what is presented is more freeform (though probably scripted). Excellent material and musicianship throughout the hour-plus presented here. With a pleasant and heavy use of Hadar’s flute followed secondly by Vladimir’s piano, Gon Amir (drums) and Avri Borochov (standup bass) ably keep the rhythm flowing. The one piece with vocals is the haunting “One for Yulia,” which is sung (in Hebrew) by Hadar (it is translated in the liner notes), and one of the few that is heavily klezmer-influenced. This is not a garden party kind of ensemble, but rather a roll up the sleeve and groove, but mostly it is a beautiful collection of material.

J. SHOGREN has a voice that’s a bit gravely and rough-hewn. Americana can absorb that if the songs hold up, and on American Holly (Jaha!, c/o jshogren.com), they do just that. The opener, the album’s title cut, is obviously meant to be the “single,” but it was the third cut, “Everyman,” that caught my “ear.” As the CD glides along, it really started to reach me. The songs are catchy in a folky singer-songwriter pop kind of way, with melody lines that stay with the listener. There is really nice horn work here, like where they counterpoint with the banjo in “Holes.” Another piece that caught my attention was a sort of revisioning of “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” with the biting “Hand Grenade” (“I’ll be a hand grenade for Jesus / And spread His word like shrapnel”). It is also amusing (or can be seen as such) that a “women is bad” song like “Relativity” is followed by the romantic “She’s With Me.” While many of his songs are poignant, it is his closing number that touched me the most in my life right now, “Come All This Way.”

I approached the British quartet SITUATIONISTS (why hasn’t anyone used that name before? It seems like such a “duh”) new release, Onward & Upward EP (toughloverecords.com), with a bit of trepidation. Two four-song EPs and a full collection only released in Japan. Seems a bit too designed marketing for a new band. Plus, there are supposed to be only 500 hand-numbered copies, but mine is not. That was all washed away, though, when I actually played the thing. I don’t know if there is such a thing as a “paux de quad,” but it would seem appropriate for this group. Musically – both melodically and vocally – they don’t harmonize as much as move around each other, maneuvering in smooth pop rhythms, reminiscent of a four-way helix. It really is quite well handled, without being overdone. The production is slick, with an occasional slip towards a boy-band sound, but nevertheless, they keep their integrity. Sort of flings right to the edge, and then pulls back in an explosion. Crafty. All four songs are good, with well-done catches, and it never lets the listener down. If they make it, all these EPs and foreign releases are bound to be issued as a “bonus” at some point, but for now, enjoy.

I was fortunate to meet Mo Goldner, the guitarist for SPANKING CHARLENE at a Brian Cogan book signing. Shortly, his band’s release, *Dismissed with a Kiss (spankingcharlene.com) arrived. Fronted (mostly) by Charlene McPherson (does she really enjoy spanking?), the band has a bit of a mainstream rock sound, but without pandering to the lowest common denominator. There is no overproduction; rather the songs are really tight with good hooks. If I may, they have sort of a Cheap Trick feel to them, with perhaps the slightest hint of some country. Charlene’s voice is a solid, straightforward (i.e., non-growl), and enjoyable. Better than nearly anything one can hear on the radio these days, this should be played instead. “I Hate Girls” is a perfect antidote to the lame Katy wazzername’s “I Kissed a Girl,” though SC’s “Pussy is Pussy” probably won’t get much airplay. Some of the other strong cuts include “When I’m Skinny” and “Red Rolling Papers.” Worth seeking out.

MARY GATCHELL once stated in a song that “brutal honesty will set you free.” Well, regarding her new CD, Syretha (marygatchell.com), composed of standards, this was wise choice of material – especially for her. Well versed in jazz pop piano, Syretha (listed as both artist and title, after Mary’s middle name) slides into pieces by the likes of Gershwin (“Summertime”), Kerns (“Yesterdays”), and Ellington (“It Don’t Mean a Thing”), bringing fresh life into some songs that will never get tired. For example, her takes on “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing” is to present these uptempo numbers and slowing them down to smoldering ballads bedded with a jazz-heavily piano accompaniment (surprisingly not played by her), and made them into something that she can keep as her own. In a day when Etta James complains that Beyonce is merely copying her, no one can say that about anything on this release. Songs like “Summertime” and “Bye Bye Blackbird” have been done countless times, so bringing some new breath into them is no small feat. Piano, bass and drums ably accompany Syretha. The only jarring aspect of the CD is the suddenly upbeat “It Don’t Mean a Thing” in the middle of the rest of the collection of relative mellowness; definitely a sudden mood change. That said, even that number is solid. I always look forward to hearing Mary’s work, and will be enjoying this one for a long time.

Let me start off with a digression by saying that Brian Smith did a great job with the artwork on this one, with the cover representing a board game and each space sequentially connected to a song, and the disk looking like a spinner. That being said, TAPE AND WIRE is an interesting melodic New Jersey punk band who present their newest release, Sleep! (formula7records.com/tapeandwire). This power trio (with sometimes help from others) range from acoustic guitar ballads to blast in your face power. It makes for a nice mix. Amusingly, there are a few songs about alcohol, but either in the past tense or in the use by others. Is this a straight-edge band? The lyrics vary from the obtuse (“As the grain goes by, you’re alone again / All you outbound ideas / Caught in the same old inbound delays,” from “We’re Not in Secaucus Anymore”), to the in-your-face introspective (“”In the town that I grew up in, we’re so cool / In the permanent reunion of high school,” from “Church of Beer”), but mostly the songs are looking inward without being navel gazing to the point of wanting to ask them to stop whining. One song, in particular, I could identify with is “Teenage Pricks,” about aging and remembrances hopefully without regrets. It’s a good release ripe with thoughtfulness and retrospection, rather than just a sophomoric “Let’s get drunk and fuck!” Now all they need to do is add their e-address to the CD.

Bob Richert has run the Gulcher label (gulcher.gemm.com) since the ‘70s, and while it is most known for the Gizmos and early releases of John Cougar (Mellencamp), Bob should also be commended for championing and releasing some of the more interesting non-commercial independent music over the years. I haven’t always liked everything the label puts out, but I cannot begin to express my admiration for his devotion. The last release I received from Gulcher is Constant Hitmaker, by KURT VILE. Vile’s music is dripping with electronica, which I usually despise, but on some cuts, he doesn’t hit the listener over the head with it, using it more to promote the music rather than take it over. Sure some are solid variations of noise, like “Trumpets in Summer,” “Intro in Z,” and “American Folded,” but others not as much. Vile’s vocals are usually filtered through heavy echo, but the dissonant pop tunes still shine through, with catchy phrases and offbeat melodies. For me, the best cuts are the ones that are more pure, like “Classic Rock in the Spring” and “Don’t Get Cute.” However, my fave is easily “Slow Talkers,” which is straightforward Vile and an exceptionally played guitar, sans meddling. A lyric sheet would be appreciated to help through the vocal fog, but if one listens to it on an ambient level, it makes it listenable.

British singer-songwriter RUPERT WATES now lives in Brooklyn, but he recorded Dear Life (rupertwates.com) in Washington state. It was recorded live in the studio, usually with one take, which works here because it sounds like he’s playing in the same room. Well done on that. Wates’s voice sounds like a clearer and more theatrical Gordon Lightfoot, and his songs are foisted by his light-fingered guitar work and backing musicians. Each song is a single piece, without any blending into each other, a mark of a true tunesmith. Most of the songs though, are pregnant with death, war, daddy-issues (“The Sound of Applause”), mommy-issues (“Fairy Tales”), and true visions of horror like Katrina (“Please God”) and that man who was murdered by the police in Queens the night of his bachelor party (“Fifty Shots”). Definitely a look at the dark side, though well written, Wates could make Phil Ochs look cheery. There are some potentially hopeful numbers, like “Blackness of the Nights” and “You’ll See Me Again” (and perhaps “I Dream”), but there are more tunes leaning toward the “Elegy for the Coming Man” mode. I especially liked “Please God,” which uses the “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” kind of repetition and is strongly in a traditional folk mode, and his use of lyrics makes it all the more powerful. Wates definitely has a way with words, thought structures, melody lines, and musicianship, so this actually is a positive review, and I truly believe this is worth a listen, just don’t expect the feel good CD of the year.

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The following are released by RESONANT MUSIC, a label run by DEE POP and ANDY HAAS (myspace.com/deepopnyc)

ANDY HAAS and DON FIORINO – Death Don’t Have No Mercy (fiorinohaas@hotmail.com): It is probably safe to say that this is abstractly as far above Miles Davis as he was to, say, Louis Armstrong. Using Sax, piri, fife, electronica, guitar, lotar, banjo and dobro, this duo mixes both originals and standards, such as the U.S. national “Anthem,” “Comes Marching Home,” “Que Sera Sera” (whose horn feels closest to Davis), and the title cut. Recorded in a day, there is a definite feel to the songs, almost like this anti-war collection is at war with our sensibilities of sound, especially mixing the feel and sound of the “Civil” War and a Middle Eastern pastiche. Some standouts are “Ashes in the Sand,” “Memorywound” (which reminds me of some of Wendy Carlos’s works), and especially “Sinawi Spirits.”

RADIO I-CHING – Last Kind Words (radioi-ching@earthlink.net): For this recording, Don Fiorino and Andy Haas (who used to play with Martha and the Muffins, by the way), are joined by genre pushing drummer Dee Pop (Bush Tetras, the Good, and so much more). Less “competitive” oriented (both topic and stylistic) than the last release, this one is more focused on the traditional side, even though the music is just as esoteric (get used to that word, because I am sure it will be used a lot in this section). The number of covers has also increased, including a earthy “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” Duke Ellington’s “Walk on Gilded Splinters” and “The Mooch,” Charlie Haden’s “Song for Che,” and a couple of versions of the spiritual “Let My People Go.” There is still a “gun section,” it may be called, with the original “Fife and Drum” and “Machine Gun Blues,” and a different version of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” than the first disk. Standouts include Geeshie Wiley’s “Last Kind Words,” the before mentioned “Caravan,” and the 8:13-long original “Morsing Code.”

ANDY HAAS – Humanitarian War: This is Haas’s solo project is definitely closer to the first above than the second, filled with originals. There are two interesting aspects of this collection. First is the instrumentation: shofar, raita, fife, electronics, and taal tarang. Second, this was all improvised live, with no overdubs. Haas continues a sort of Middle Eastern over-theme in an non-melodic, non-sequential, non-formulaic method. I respect the work, but a lot of this honestly goes over my head. The shofar and the taal tarang add some interesting touches, but much of the sound is lost on me. However, if the listener is into no wave electronica, well, have I got a CD for you!

RADIO I-CHING – The Fire Keep Burning (myspace.com/ radioichingnewyork): The trio of Haas, Fiorino and Pop return with more middle eastern influenced jazz electronica. Again, covers out number the originals, including by the likes of Mohamed Ardel Wahab, Hamza el Din, Thelonious Monk, Jimme Driftwood, and “Abba Zabba” by the ever lovable Captain Beefheart. I also liked their cover of Count Ossie’s “Let Freedom Reign.” This release is by far the most overall modern jazz in some kind of “coherent” form (i.e., there are some definite melodies in there). This is one of my favorite overall recordings from this collection.

ANDY HAAS – The Ruins of America: While this solo material by Haas is still more electronica than the others where he performs with others, it has an overarching theme of sort of a dance macabre, as is indicated by the title and cover art (taken from Rowlandson’s 1815 The English Dance of Death). Haas has taken his usual instruments (sax, piri, fife) and fed them through a synthesizer to create the sounds here. Cleaner and clearer than his first solo CD, this release feel more haunting. Much of the music here is based on traditional music from the nineteenth century, or feels like it, even those from Tin Pan Alley (e.g., Irving Berlin makes more than one appearance).