Text (c) Robert Barry Francos
Both of these dreams happened in the same night, between July 21 and 22. Also, both memories of them are fragments recalled 12 hours later...
In the first, I am the older brother of Jaqueline Blownaparte, the lead singer of the New York proto-horror-punk band Chesty Morgan and the Slice 'Em Ups. In real life, I've seen her perform thrice, the first two times in her previous band, Lady Unluck, and one in the SEUs, as reported on this blog in early November 2008 (look it up! It's about a Halloween show at Hank's.). The latter was the only time I actually spoke to her. In the dream, however, for whatever reason, we are siblings. It seems, unbeknown to me, she is angry with me, and I'm not sure why. Her partner in both real life and in the dream, Anthony Allen Van Hoek, pulls me aside to fill me in with what is happening: I had a couple of tickets to go see a show at a the convention center that is sort of like the car or boat show, but the subject of this one is wood, and she wanted to go as she likes wood for some reason. Yes, wood. And yes, I understand the inevitable connection it brings up, but she's my sister in the dream, remember?! Anyway, my conversation with him continues and I'm feeling contrite, when I awoke.
The second dream was much longer, but I remember less details. Essentially, I start traveling around with Paul Simon. For a large part of the '60s and '70s, I was a huge Simon & Garfunkel fan (even during my early punk years), including Simon's early solo efforts like Paul Simon and Still Crazy After All These Years. He started to peter out for me around "Late in the Evening," and even though I liked some material from Graceland; his work started to feel derivative and, well, "borrowed." In my dream, Paul and I were about to same age, I'm guessing around 40, and he had a jovial personality similar to Bernie Kugel (of course, that doesn't help if you don't know Bernie...). But in the dream, as we traveled about around the countryside, it was not a luxurious-limo-rock-star meandering, but rather hobo-bumming style; as I'm thinking about it, like Hank Morgan and King Arthur in Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. At one point, we snuck into a closed elementary school cafeteria and ate some dry breakfast cereal. In another part of our adventure, we slept on a golf cart at some course we found our way into. Paul lay on the bench in the front, and I was on the one in the back. Just before I awoke, as we were ironically falling asleep in the dream, Paul mentioned that I was a good friend. We had done a lot of things in the dream that I would not have dreamt - pun intended - of doing in real life.
I don't have a clue what these dreams mean, but they were fun to have, and I just accept them on that level.
Showing posts with label Chesty Malone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chesty Malone. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Favorite Releases of the Year
Text (c) Robert Barry Francos
Images from the Internet
Originally published at www.jerseybeat.com/quietcorner.html
The term “top 10 list” has always been kind of vague for me, when it comes to independent music. Things like mainstream films and music are released at a specific date (“dropped”), and usually out for a definitive time, so it’s easier to say, “this was released at X time.”
For independent music, even when it is released “officially,” it usually makes its rounds to the listeners over a longer, extended period of time. Just because a CD is finished, it gets sent to stores (hopefully), put up on Websites to hear or buy (or both), and usually is promoted virally, which takes time.
In honor to that process, and since I usually write about music that does not follow a schedule, rather than doing a traditional “released this year” kind of deal, I am going to list the top 10 CDs I’ve listened to the most this year that have been out within a reasonable time, arbitrary to my choice. Another criteria is that I can listen to them from beginning to end, with no desire to skip a song. Note that I have not put in the addresses of the labels, but rather suggest you look at their MySpace sites to hear samples of their sounds.
CHESTY MALONE AND THE SLICE ‘EM UPS - Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means. This band is everything a horror-themed hardcore band (horrorcore?) should be. You’ve got “13 Killers,” “Trouble with Cannibals,” “Livereaters,” and even a “Beavershot.” With Anthony Allen van Hoek’s screeching guitar, Hans von Severed’s bass and Tom Murphy’s drum bringing up the bottom, and fronted by the wonderfully named and fully committed Jacqueline Blownapart aka Chesty Malone aka Dotti Douchbag aka Vikki Voltage aka (TBD), this is a wrecking ball to the brain, with fun splattered all over it.
CHOKING SUSAN – [Self-titled]. Hailing from Detroit, this heavily Ramones-influenced band is fronted by the energetic Colleen Caffeine, a mainstay on the punk scene in MC. Seven strong old school punk anthems speed by. While my fave cuts include “Falling Round and Round,” “Baby Doll,” the point-out-the-poseur anthem “Punker,” and their should-be classic “I’m Alone,” there is just one solid song after another. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see them play CBGB, and I am looking forward to their next release.
ANGELA ESTERLING – Earning Her Wings. Angela is an artist whose music is bluegrass-twinged country with a touch of pop. Along with a sweet and powerful testament to one of her idols, Johnny Cash (“Dear Johnny”; he’s also mentioned in another song), she shows she’s up for some good times with “I Feel Like Drinking,” and “Truck Driving Man” (she refers to him as her “knight in shining diesel”), she also tells of hard relationships (“Cowboy”) and I’m guessing a somewhat autobiographical tale of remembering where one comes from (“The Accordion”). Angela starts and ends with gospel inspired tunes “River Jordan” and a cover of “When I Wake Up to Sleep No More.” She is currently recording, I am very happy to say. What I especially like about this is that it’s more infused with ol’ style C&W, and not the modern, fake pop-disguised-as-country (such as the bland Faith Hill). This is more “true” Nashville.
FIRE BUG – End of the World. I’m not usually a fan of classic rock, but this too short 3-songer is worth seeking out, especially the title cut. Juliette Tworsey’s vocals have sort of a Stevie Nicks kind of waiver to them, but with a much harder edge, which matches the music (Nicks is soft pop rock, really). I know they are recording new material as it shows up on their ‘site, so I am looking forward to a full length release at some point, hopefully sooner than later.
MARY GATCHELL – Indigo Rose. I was first turned on to New Hampshire native Mary by Boston publicity maven Joe Viglione, and was instantly smitten by her voice. Having seen her play a few a few times now, confirmed that she is an exciting talent. While Mary’s songs are often about relationships (“Indigo Rose”), they are not sappy. On this CD, she covers self-strength (“Stronger Backs”, one of my fave cuts), abusive relationships (“Beautiful Girls”), fun casual hook-ups (“I’m in Like”), and even a humorous look at misguided marriages (“Green Card”). Her background is on piano and guitar jazz, which she morphs with chanteuse into both the sensual soft of “Perfect Love” to the fierce “?” (yes, that’s the name of the song). She has released a Christmas album after this, but I haven’t heard that one.
RACHEL HARRINGTON – The Bootlegger’s Daughter. Rachel has a new release, “City of Refuge,” which is also wonderful, but for now I’m putting this one first. Her old timey, Depression era sound calls out from the past into the present, with strong cuts like “Sunshine Girl,” “Halloween Leaves,” “Summer’s Gone,” and the very catchy “Shoeless Joe.” I would love to hear a duet with her and Allison Krauss, or Emmylou Harris at some time. Maybe (dare I say it) all three? On her own, though, Rachel can keep my attention. I am looking forward to actually seeing this Seattle-based singer live.
TAMARA HEY – Right This Minute. While going to see another musician, Tamara was on the same bill. We were going to stay just long enough to hear a song or two but remained for the whole set because it was musical love at first hear. Afterwards, I went over and got this CD from her. With a mix of pop, country and jazz, Tamara is another that doesn’t follow a formulaic pattern in subject matter. The first and title cut of this CD just blew me away from the first time I put it on, and the rest does not disappoint. Many of the songs cover relationships, but again, her perspective is not standard. Included is a wistful realizing that a relationship is ending (“Up In the Air”), sadness in realizing a partner may be interested in someone else (the beautifully haunting “More Like Melanie”) and someone close who is battling personal substance demons (“In the Universe With Me”), supportively confronting a friend who has just come out (“Girl Talk”), standing up to another (“Angeline”), and even a bluegrass themed angst (“Pebble in My Shoe”). Tamara’s songs are powerful stuff that loses nothing in the music. She has just released a new CD, and I am sure it will be reviewed by me at some point in my “Quiet Corner” column.
PHIL MINISSALE – Home to Me . Phil has an old poet’s soul that expresses itself in the form of Delta blues. His material is strong, his guitar work is superb, and his songs go the entire range from tragic to funny, from dirgy to spritely, and his personality shines through all of it. Robert Johnson meets Uncle Sun meets, well, central Long Island. He plays around a lot in the New York and Pennsylvania area, so check him out if you can.
MONTY LOVE – Girls are the New Boys. This hardcore release from this two-years-gone Staten Island-based band has probably been played the most by me of any CD I have listened to in the past two years. Filled with one bon mot after another (“I’d rather look ugly than have your personality,” “This went from funny to hospital,” “Call on me and I’ll be there/This I swear/Shit, I never swear,” and so on), their songs are tight punk with a pop hook, but lose none of its power. Find their Xmas Spectacular video on YouTube from their last show to see just how exciting they can be” (yes, I was there that night). The song titles (which almost always have nothing to do with the subject matter) are also noteworthy, including “We Give Good Headache,” “When I Die (It’s Gonna Suck),” and “Rinse and Repeat.” Anyway, Monty Love the man led Monty Love the band, and both rock the shit out of this CD. There are 25 songs here, most of them pretty short, which make it seem like a mere few minutes before it’s over. Hell, I got pulled over for speeding because I was listening to it in the car (true story). The way the CD is produced is excellent, as well, as one song flows naturally into the next. I can go on and on about how great this is, but it’s time to move on to the next on the list. But first, I’m going to put it on the player.
SHE WOLVES – 13 Deadly Sins. While their first 5-song CD (with Laura Sativa on bass) has a special place in my heart, this full release just buuuuuuurns. Generally, I’m not a big fan of metal, but this one just works for me. It’s hard to believe it is only a trio making this glorious noise. Head wolf, Donna, is a guitar-maniac with a voice like growling steel who hurls her vocals with a piledriver force. Bassist Gyda Gash (who has since left the group) adds some nice touches with a heavy bottom and some great songs (such as “I Kill With My C*nt”). Drummer Tony WolfMann, who has pounded his skins for some of the best rockers out there, brings up the support rhythm without getting lost. He even has his own fun song, “Chainsaw,” that has a catchy hook. Actually, many of these songs do, without being overly pop and schmaltzy. Great titles, too, like “Ghost Boyfriend,” and “Vicious Tit.” Plus, there are new versions of their “Art of War” and the Ramones-like “Hundred Bucks.” I’d also like to add that the Wolves are a fun live band, so I recommend you getting out there and seeing them.
* * *
As for the 10 worst of the year, well, just pick up any Billboard from the year and look at their best selling charts for that particular week, because they’re all pretty much interchangeable.
Images from the Internet
Originally published at www.jerseybeat.com/quietcorner.html
The term “top 10 list” has always been kind of vague for me, when it comes to independent music. Things like mainstream films and music are released at a specific date (“dropped”), and usually out for a definitive time, so it’s easier to say, “this was released at X time.”
For independent music, even when it is released “officially,” it usually makes its rounds to the listeners over a longer, extended period of time. Just because a CD is finished, it gets sent to stores (hopefully), put up on Websites to hear or buy (or both), and usually is promoted virally, which takes time.
In honor to that process, and since I usually write about music that does not follow a schedule, rather than doing a traditional “released this year” kind of deal, I am going to list the top 10 CDs I’ve listened to the most this year that have been out within a reasonable time, arbitrary to my choice. Another criteria is that I can listen to them from beginning to end, with no desire to skip a song. Note that I have not put in the addresses of the labels, but rather suggest you look at their MySpace sites to hear samples of their sounds.
CHESTY MALONE AND THE SLICE ‘EM UPS - Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means. This band is everything a horror-themed hardcore band (horrorcore?) should be. You’ve got “13 Killers,” “Trouble with Cannibals,” “Livereaters,” and even a “Beavershot.” With Anthony Allen van Hoek’s screeching guitar, Hans von Severed’s bass and Tom Murphy’s drum bringing up the bottom, and fronted by the wonderfully named and fully committed Jacqueline Blownapart aka Chesty Malone aka Dotti Douchbag aka Vikki Voltage aka (TBD), this is a wrecking ball to the brain, with fun splattered all over it.
CHOKING SUSAN – [Self-titled]. Hailing from Detroit, this heavily Ramones-influenced band is fronted by the energetic Colleen Caffeine, a mainstay on the punk scene in MC. Seven strong old school punk anthems speed by. While my fave cuts include “Falling Round and Round,” “Baby Doll,” the point-out-the-poseur anthem “Punker,” and their should-be classic “I’m Alone,” there is just one solid song after another. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see them play CBGB, and I am looking forward to their next release.
ANGELA ESTERLING – Earning Her Wings. Angela is an artist whose music is bluegrass-twinged country with a touch of pop. Along with a sweet and powerful testament to one of her idols, Johnny Cash (“Dear Johnny”; he’s also mentioned in another song), she shows she’s up for some good times with “I Feel Like Drinking,” and “Truck Driving Man” (she refers to him as her “knight in shining diesel”), she also tells of hard relationships (“Cowboy”) and I’m guessing a somewhat autobiographical tale of remembering where one comes from (“The Accordion”). Angela starts and ends with gospel inspired tunes “River Jordan” and a cover of “When I Wake Up to Sleep No More.” She is currently recording, I am very happy to say. What I especially like about this is that it’s more infused with ol’ style C&W, and not the modern, fake pop-disguised-as-country (such as the bland Faith Hill). This is more “true” Nashville. 
FIRE BUG – End of the World. I’m not usually a fan of classic rock, but this too short 3-songer is worth seeking out, especially the title cut. Juliette Tworsey’s vocals have sort of a Stevie Nicks kind of waiver to them, but with a much harder edge, which matches the music (Nicks is soft pop rock, really). I know they are recording new material as it shows up on their ‘site, so I am looking forward to a full length release at some point, hopefully sooner than later.
MARY GATCHELL – Indigo Rose. I was first turned on to New Hampshire native Mary by Boston publicity maven Joe Viglione, and was instantly smitten by her voice. Having seen her play a few a few times now, confirmed that she is an exciting talent. While Mary’s songs are often about relationships (“Indigo Rose”), they are not sappy. On this CD, she covers self-strength (“Stronger Backs”, one of my fave cuts), abusive relationships (“Beautiful Girls”), fun casual hook-ups (“I’m in Like”), and even a humorous look at misguided marriages (“Green Card”). Her background is on piano and guitar jazz, which she morphs with chanteuse into both the sensual soft of “Perfect Love” to the fierce “?” (yes, that’s the name of the song). She has released a Christmas album after this, but I haven’t heard that one.
RACHEL HARRINGTON – The Bootlegger’s Daughter. Rachel has a new release, “City of Refuge,” which is also wonderful, but for now I’m putting this one first. Her old timey, Depression era sound calls out from the past into the present, with strong cuts like “Sunshine Girl,” “Halloween Leaves,” “Summer’s Gone,” and the very catchy “Shoeless Joe.” I would love to hear a duet with her and Allison Krauss, or Emmylou Harris at some time. Maybe (dare I say it) all three? On her own, though, Rachel can keep my attention. I am looking forward to actually seeing this Seattle-based singer live.
TAMARA HEY – Right This Minute. While going to see another musician, Tamara was on the same bill. We were going to stay just long enough to hear a song or two but remained for the whole set because it was musical love at first hear. Afterwards, I went over and got this CD from her. With a mix of pop, country and jazz, Tamara is another that doesn’t follow a formulaic pattern in subject matter. The first and title cut of this CD just blew me away from the first time I put it on, and the rest does not disappoint. Many of the songs cover relationships, but again, her perspective is not standard. Included is a wistful realizing that a relationship is ending (“Up In the Air”), sadness in realizing a partner may be interested in someone else (the beautifully haunting “More Like Melanie”) and someone close who is battling personal substance demons (“In the Universe With Me”), supportively confronting a friend who has just come out (“Girl Talk”), standing up to another (“Angeline”), and even a bluegrass themed angst (“Pebble in My Shoe”). Tamara’s songs are powerful stuff that loses nothing in the music. She has just released a new CD, and I am sure it will be reviewed by me at some point in my “Quiet Corner” column.
PHIL MINISSALE – Home to Me . Phil has an old poet’s soul that expresses itself in the form of Delta blues. His material is strong, his guitar work is superb, and his songs go the entire range from tragic to funny, from dirgy to spritely, and his personality shines through all of it. Robert Johnson meets Uncle Sun meets, well, central Long Island. He plays around a lot in the New York and Pennsylvania area, so check him out if you can.
MONTY LOVE – Girls are the New Boys. This hardcore release from this two-years-gone Staten Island-based band has probably been played the most by me of any CD I have listened to in the past two years. Filled with one bon mot after another (“I’d rather look ugly than have your personality,” “This went from funny to hospital,” “Call on me and I’ll be there/This I swear/Shit, I never swear,” and so on), their songs are tight punk with a pop hook, but lose none of its power. Find their Xmas Spectacular video on YouTube from their last show to see just how exciting they can be” (yes, I was there that night). The song titles (which almost always have nothing to do with the subject matter) are also noteworthy, including “We Give Good Headache,” “When I Die (It’s Gonna Suck),” and “Rinse and Repeat.” Anyway, Monty Love the man led Monty Love the band, and both rock the shit out of this CD. There are 25 songs here, most of them pretty short, which make it seem like a mere few minutes before it’s over. Hell, I got pulled over for speeding because I was listening to it in the car (true story). The way the CD is produced is excellent, as well, as one song flows naturally into the next. I can go on and on about how great this is, but it’s time to move on to the next on the list. But first, I’m going to put it on the player.
SHE WOLVES – 13 Deadly Sins. While their first 5-song CD (with Laura Sativa on bass) has a special place in my heart, this full release just buuuuuuurns. Generally, I’m not a big fan of metal, but this one just works for me. It’s hard to believe it is only a trio making this glorious noise. Head wolf, Donna, is a guitar-maniac with a voice like growling steel who hurls her vocals with a piledriver force. Bassist Gyda Gash (who has since left the group) adds some nice touches with a heavy bottom and some great songs (such as “I Kill With My C*nt”). Drummer Tony WolfMann, who has pounded his skins for some of the best rockers out there, brings up the support rhythm without getting lost. He even has his own fun song, “Chainsaw,” that has a catchy hook. Actually, many of these songs do, without being overly pop and schmaltzy. Great titles, too, like “Ghost Boyfriend,” and “Vicious Tit.” Plus, there are new versions of their “Art of War” and the Ramones-like “Hundred Bucks.” I’d also like to add that the Wolves are a fun live band, so I recommend you getting out there and seeing them. * * *
As for the 10 worst of the year, well, just pick up any Billboard from the year and look at their best selling charts for that particular week, because they’re all pretty much interchangeable.
Monday, November 24, 2008
CD Reviews: Fall 2008
These are the CDs that have been reviewed at my Jersey Beat: Quiet Corner column, at JerseyBeat.com/quietcorner.html.
Due to computer issues, I had lost a bunch of reviews I had written to be published here. If you sent me a CD and it still has not been reviewed, please let me know!
Talk about international: PAT ALLEN and ANDY BUCKLE are two British musicians teaching grade school in Connecticut, who have recorded this CD, Through the Same Eyes (kef4kids.org), to help build a school in Africa (Kilimanjaro, to be precise). While the collection is all over the map, from solid rock to children’s songs (think Wiggles) to ballads, to Hall & Oats-ish soft rock, to singer-songwriter, it comes together as a cohesive effort, thanks to the blending of both their mellow voices to the central themes of encouragement, empowerment, and positivism. Now, I know that this all sounds kind of preachy and has a high possibility of a yecch factor, but yes, they do pull it off, and quite well. As for the charity aspect, hey, we did the Rock Again Racism, Rock Against Reagan, and Hands Across Your Face, so why not help these kids in Africa? I don’t know if we are the world, or if they know it’s Christmas time, but I do know that this is a solid piece of work worth listening to on its own. It’s a bit steep at $25, but think where it’s going.
This seems to be the year of all ABBA-all the time. To add to the pile is Australian band AUDIOSCAM, who have produced their own interpretation on their CD Abbattack (australiansunrecords.com). All the hits that are in the movie, on the radio, coming out of storefronts, etc., are here. But what makes this different is that it is done in a poppy hair metal milieu. Yep, guitar solos, and all. It’s kinda interesting in its own twisted way, and would be more so if I was a fan of the Swedish acronym. One song that actually comes across especially well here is “S.O.S.,” on which they put just the right sheen. “Momma Mia” seems as if Queen arranged it, so I guess that works as well. Problem is, I was sick of these songs by 1985, so it was a tough listen at times, not because of Audioscam, who do a fine job, but because, well, as I said, all ABBA-all the time. Wonder if they’ll do a similar-yet-more-fun (to me) band next time, and cover The Seekers: “It’s a long, long journey, so stay by my side…”
For those who don’t know, KEVIN AYERS is a legendary British musician who was an original member of the psychedelic Soft Machine back in the late ‘60s, playing often with the likes of Syd Barrett. The Unfairground (giganticmusic.com), which is also the name of his back-up group, is his first release in 15 years. While his voice has mellowed, as it were, he is not just “famous for what he did before,” as his songs are top notch. The psychedelia is mostly gone but there is definitely a late ‘60s-early ‘70s feel that leans more toward glam (without the over-the-top exuberance that is usually iconified by the style), but mixed with some folk and even Tex-Mex! It is often said that the quality of a musician can seen in the company they keep. Backing Kevin in various songs include the old guard like Roxy Music’s Ray Manzanera, Brit folk marvel Bridget St. John, and Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper. Some of the newer ones include Teenage Fanclub singer/guitarist Norman Blake and Frank Reader from the Trash Can Sinatras. All the cuts here are musically superb, and even Kevin’s rough voice works well within the frame.
JOHN BATDORF and MARK RODNEY were cult favorites in the early ‘70s, with their mellow folk rock output. They broke up in 1975, but got back together again recently to record Still Burnin’ (johnbatdorfmusic.com), a mostly live recording at XM Studios, which is mostly their own covers plus two brand new songs. Have to say that before this CD, I hadn’t heard of them (though my go-to-guy, Bernie Kugel, who is a ’60-‘70s musical encyclopedia, knew them right off. Of course). I can only go by what I’m hearing here, and I have to say, as much as I like folkie stuff, this was the kind of material that originally made me want to listen to the Ramones. B&R would probably fit somewhere between Seals and Croft and CSN (sans Y). After all, in one form or another, B&R had toured with the likes of America, Hall and Oats, and, well, you get the picture. Yeah, the songs are okay, with a deep view of personal growth and heartache, and I don’t mean to put that kind of musical stretch down, but they are not my cup of tea. Melanie was more ‘core than they were (I loved Melanie, to whom I lost my concert cherry, so back off). That being said, for those B&R fans out there, please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying they are bad. Their musicianship is tight and Batdorf still has his voice (“Burnin’” comes across as Batdorf BACKED BY Rodney more than Batdorf AND Rodney) after all these years, but to me it is just…meh, whatever. Get this if you like Kansas and Poco.
THE BUGS (myspace.com/zodiackillerrecords) is a Cali post-hardcore band that owes a lot to the Ramones and the Descendants. Their self-titled release is 11 songs in just over 13 minutes. From what I can see, there are three main topics here. In no particular order, one is drugs (e.g., “Back on the Weed,” “Meth on My Mind,” “Dopefiend”), looks at culture (e.g., “No More Emo Haircuts,” “I Wish I Was a Mexican,” and my favorite in this category, “Dave Navarro’s Goatee Fucking Sucks”), and the most outstanding one is about homosexuality (“Lesbo! Lesbo!,” “Never Went Gay,” “I’m Turning Gay,” and “Email From a She-male”). I don’t know these guys, and despite the very humorous and sophomoric tone, they seem old enough to know what they are saying. Are they homophobic or homo-core, I’m not sure, but they made me laugh. The songs are little paragraphs of statements with a grin and elbow, and can be summed up by something in the one-page booklet that thanks someone “who was supposed to play drums on this record but could not due to state issued mandatory jail time.” If you like your ‘core with a non-serious bent, well, here ya go.
CAMERA-HEAD SHARK is the kind of band that just gets better the more you listen to it. Oh, You (cameraheadshark.com) at first came across as a slightly skewed pop rock band, but oh, it is so much more. With a sharp sense of melody and harmony, layered under the off-kilter but actually quite fitting vocals, the songs have memorable hooks, and a sound that if not unique is certainly in short supply. In other words, they don’t sound like every other damn band you hear these days. Some of the better cuts here, and they are actually all worthwhile, are “Baby Midnight,” “Pack Up Your Suitcase,” “It’s So Evil,” and especially the opening “Punched” (which could have been written by They Might Be Giants) and what should be their breakout single, “Since the Stone Age.”
It is amazing how much STEVE CARLSON at times sounds like Greg Brown on Stripped Down (smokinglionmusic.com or stevecarlson.com). Mind you, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. And please let me be clear that Steve’s material is really well crafted, and not reductive. From “Without You,” the opening cut, his emotion is on his sleeve in a powerful performance. Yeah, he looks like he w/could beat the crap outta ya, but there is definitely some heart in there and is not afraid to show it, evident by the one cover: the Ronnettes’ “Be My Baby.” It’s brave to go up against Ronnie Spector’s voice, especially as raspy as Steve’s is, but his heart definitely pulls it off. This CD, Steve’s fourth, is actually full of really strong material, like “All That I ever Wanted,’ “Happy Hour,” straight through to the finale, “Love Your Or Leave You.” If you like singer-songwriter with just a hint of western flair (sans country), check it out.
Seems when bands focus on horror flicks, they fall into two general categories: you have the non-human monsters, such as Children of the Night and The Scared Stiffs), or the human monsters (e.g., cannibals and mass murderers), such as The Cramps and now CHESTY MALONE AND THE SLICE ‘EM UPS. Their CD, Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means (Wrecked; c/o chestymalone.com), is a fuckin’ hoot. Post-hardcore speed with a New York ‘80s style, they pound their way through 13 numbers, such as “Trouble With Cannibals” (one of my faves), “13 Killers” (what, no mention of New Yorker Albert Fish?), “Meat Factory,” “Skincrawl,” “Livereaters,” “Dotti Douchebag Sings the Blues,” and “Beavershot.” Thing is, from the first to the last, this is such a fun release, that its 30 minutes goes by so quickly. Chesty Malone, in her latest incarnation (she was the lead singer of Lady Unluck), is Jaqueline Blownapate, whose throaty voice is not so much a death rattle, as it is a body slam, using a 24-pounder. The rest of the band, which includes her partner/co-writer/guitarist Anthony Allen van Hoek, keeps up with her (or she keeps up with them…either way it works). There are a lot of cool subtle film references throughout, such as “Spiderbaby” in “Livereaters” and perhaps “The Corpse Grinders” in “Meat Factory.” I haven’t caught them live, but it’s definitely on the agenda.
The Colorado-based MICHAEL HARRISON BLUES is – of course – Michael at the center, and a bunch of studio musicians, releasing Lost in the Blues (michaelharrisonblues.com). This CD is mostly blues standards, with some originals thrown in. Gotta say, Michael’s electric blues style is right up there with Stevie Ray and Eric C, with a sharpness like a razor. And what he lacks in the vocal area with a tendency to be flat (both literally and emotionally), he certainly makes up for with his flying fingers. Some of the covers include “Mean Mistreater” (a Muddy Waters’ wailer), Robert Ross’s 1991 “White Boy Lost in the Blues,” “CCR’s “Wrote a Song,” Buster Burnett’s Jumpin’ at Shadows,” and the late and underrated Tommy Bolin’s “Sweet Burgundy” (which is vocally the weakest here). It is nice that Michael’s originals fit in pretty well with the standards. Jennifer Burnett’s vocals on the opener and closer helps, but I do have to say that as a release that is put out by Michael himself, he did an above decent job. Maybe an instrumental release next?
Rather than producing the usual concept of songs, HOLLER, WILD ROSE! uses each cut of Our Little Hymnal (blacklightrecords.com) to create a soundscape experience, which is almost a world of their own. There are multiple instruments ranging from the classic guitar/bass/drum to all different types of synthesizers. For well over an hour, they stream out sounds that all flow together. No bleep or blurps, but rather texture and waves. It is hard to imagine them playing out, as each member of this group is listed as playing numerous instruments which are all blended. The vocals are wispy, sometimes in a John Lennon-ish way, other times, more pastoral. Despite such heady music, the lyrics are actually very accessible, which helps the whole project be approachable.
When I was in high school, I had a friend named Robert Gordon (not the rockabilly singer) who introduced me to his three loves: Bob Dylan, Jethro Tull, and pot. It took me a few years to appreciate Dylan, the other two not. Back then, I found arena rock really, excruciatingly dull, perhaps because I was not a lover of pot? I took chances and went to see Led Zeppelin at MSG, and was bored to sleep, literally. Now I was given the opportunity to review the new DVD by JETHRO TULL, Jack In the Green: Live in Germany, Recorded Between 1970-1993 (Aviator-Entertainment GmbH). There are 18 songs covering a few performances, the forefront of which is in 1982. Since high school and now, I have learned to value Celtic music, which is a large part of Tull’s sound (along with rock, jazz, and fusion). As the DVD started, at first I thought, oh, wow, this isn’t bad at all. Maybe Robert had something here. I mean, I still remember the main riff from “Aqualung,” but I didn’t recall anything else from that album or “Thick as a Brick,” which were quite prevalent in my high school days. Then, somewhere around the fourth of fifth song, I started looking at my watch. The quality of the DVD is excellent, with the visuals and the sound being very crisp. As the DVD went into the second show (1986), and the 10th song, I subconsciously I caught myself fiddling with the remote in my hands, feeling restless. About halfway through the ’86 shows, I started fast-forwarding a bit through the instrumentals. The ’93 part, taken from TV appearance, is nearly pure jazz, and the two songs kept my interest. The last part is from the “Beat Club,” also TV, one song from 1970, and one from 1971. While I was amazed at the sharpness of the image (with the typical German way of superimposing the full names of the band members), I was totally bored out of my mind, though it was interesting when Ian Anderson grabs his side in pain, walks off the stage, and end the song short. Of all the cuts here, the 1982 ones are the best sound, lighting, and most entertaining, showing Anderson at his best, but that’s limited for me. I think I’ll still with my “just Dylan,” though I appreciate the chance to see if I was missing something. Speaking of absence, there are no extras on this disk.
The handsome JANN KLOSE resides in the Bronx now, but throughout his life, he has lived on numerous continents, all of which has affected his music views. His latest is Reverie (janklose.com), which was recorded in New Jersey. It’s kind of hard to put a handle on Jann’s material, but it is somewhere in the theatrical jazz singer-songwriter area. His songs take you on journeys though emotions and styles, sometimes with basic guitar (by Jann)-piano-bass-drum, and on others, the lovely Jann’s voice, piano and cello. I can see this ensemble playing Carnegie (Hall, not Deli), or some of the ritzier jazz spots. Yet, the style never tries to talk over the listener’s head; I admire that. Jann’s vocal stylings are reminiscent of Sting, but with some major exceptions: first, Jann has a very beautiful and pure voice, where Sting has that nasal twang that is sorta chalk-on-blackboard; and most importantly, Jann comes off totally sincere and not focused on “self,” unlike…you know who. There are a lot of really enjoyable cuts here, such as the lush, jazzy “All These Rivers,” and the subtle “Questions of the Heart.” The instrumental “Ithaca” is pretty, and this ends on a high note, ironically, with “The Beginning.” I haven’t heard Jann play live yet, but I have met him (tremendously intelligent and nice guy). On the other hand, I have heard Sting play but have not met him, and don’t need to do either with Sting again.
EDDY & KIM LAWRENCE have released their first folkie singer-songwriter (including blues and country influenced) duo-focused cleverly named CD, My Second Wife’s First Album (snowplowrecords.com), but Eddy has been releasing solo stuff for over 20 years. Based near the northeast corner of New York State where Quebec meets Vermont (though he’s original from deep south), they recorded this on their own. Kim plays stand-up bass and adds minimal vocals, and most of the rest, such as writing, singing, and picking is by Eddy. Unlike some other DIY work, they seem to have good control of their material and recording (i.e., no over-indulgent “what will this button do to the sound?” here), thankfully. Eddy is a fine songwriter who takes his everyday life into accord, including addictions, presenting the likes of “Rescue Somebody,” “Camp Cumberland,” “Black Ice,” “Turnpike,” and “Apology.” Sometimes it gets a bit “hunh?” (like “Sammy From Massena” and “Weekend at the Muggles”), but even there the melody takes you, and his framing works. But there is a certain level of deepness that comes through when you least expect it, like on “Your Mama Likes Me,” “One Day at a Time,” “Truth or Consequences,” and “Step 8.” At a bit over an hour, this may have been able to be edited down a bit, perhaps to the next CD, but still good to hear what’s on his mind. What I like the most is that the crisp recording that makes it feel like they’re sitting in the room with the listener, all homey and comfortable. Kim seems to be good for him!
[Life Underwater photo by RBF/FFanzeen Prod]
There are lots of double things to mention when it comes to Staten Island’s LIFE UNDERWATER (liveunderwateronline.com). First, sometimes they’re a group, as in their Live at Café Verboten, and now they are back to a duo with their self-titled release. Sometimes lead singer Jamie Glass plays guitar, and sometimes bass…oh, and sometimes she’s just Jamie (the other part of the duo is her partner, Shane, who plays great guitar), and sometimes she’s amazing novelist JD Glass (Punk Like Me, Punk & Zen, Red Lights, American Goth, and yes, I’ve read them all; there is a huge interview I did with her linked to their MySpace page, but I digress). Both these CDs are their own flavor, and are superb in their own rights. The live CD is solid straight through, as a four-piece. I like the drum sound, and the songs on there are among my favorites of Jamie’s, such as “I Fall,” “I Say Goodbye,” and especially “Lead Me On.” The band helps give it a beautiful bottom rhythm. The self-titled one is stripped down to just Jamie and Shane, who play off each other well. Once again, Jamie’s wonderful use of melody and lyrics in her songs keep the listener’s attention. All the songs here, including “The Kiss,” “Complicated,” and “What Am I Fighting For” show solid songwriting in my melody and lyric. So, basically, check out their songs on their site, get the CDs, and read the books; you won’t be disappointed.
MICHAEL LINDNER is one of those DIYers who does it all, from playing all musical parts, to engineering and recording (his “day” job), to even designing the packaging of Cocktail Napkin (alleyonemusic.com). This CD consists of 8 original instrumentals, and 4 cover songs with vocals. His own pieces are lounge-based, with a strong surf guitar influence. Many of them remind me of the kind of music playing on the soundtracks of ‘60s exploitation films, such as those by Russ Meyer. Believe me, I mean that as a major complement, as those tunes were amazing. While multi-instrumentally talented, Michael’s main axe is the bass, which he uses as the cornerstone of pieces like “Tremulux”. All of these Linder-penned songs are strong. The only weakness seems to be in the vocal tracks, which are very vanilla. He opens up with the Bararach-David tune made famous by Love, “Little Red Book”; mind you, it’s hard to follow someone like Arthur Lee, or even the Stones on “2000 Man.” He just does not have the of the blues heartfelt singing chops. Even the post-doo-wop era “Party Doll” comes off flat. But that’s just four uninteresting songs for eight pretty amazingly fun ones. Definitely the odds are good, and worth a listen.
When the press release starts off with a quote by one of my old mentors and professor, Neil Postman (from “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” I believe), I’m going to pay a little more attention. THE LOVE KILLS THEORY takes Happy Suicide, Jim (xomu.com) as a look at Huxley’s version of dystopia, which is blinding ourselves with consumerism. Rarely does this post-pop group hit the listener over the head with its message, but it is definitely a theme throughout, from specifics, like giving up smoking (“This Thing”) and computers (“Suicide Girls”), to general ownership (“The Love Kills Theory”: “Things you’re wanting become things you’re hating/What sustained you now makes you weary”), to just general cultural morass (“Dream of Sleep”). Now before you start saying, “Ya commie bastids,” it’s not that at all, but rather a request to look inside. These guys are more into the Situationalists than Lenin. The music is quite interesting, in a pop way, with an industrial/electronic influence, though I thought a few more songs would have more power if they hadn’t been electronically affected: a couple times works, but about half are processed, which is overkill. Despite the down-tone of the lyrics, it is actually a positive message (much like Postman). And the final chorus of “Dream of Sleep” is hard to get out of one’s head.
JON MACEY & STEVE GILLIGAN make up the core of Boston pop rockers FoxPass. Now they expand into their own foray with Everything Under the Sun (Actuality Records, Box 408, Arlington, MA 02476; jonandsteve.com). Here, Jon and Steve have the support of percussionist Barry Marshall (of the classic Boston ‘70s band, The Marshalls, who double-duties as producer). I had the pleasure to see Jon and Steve doing their duo stuff up in Boston last year at the Cantab, and they are amazing together. Their material could have been right off Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks,” but it is all their own. In pure partnership, they each wrote 5 songs apiece, and two together, and yet all are seamless. The songs of life, losing oneself and redemption are woven together through various stringed instruments (such as guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, mandocello), and both their individual and harmonious voices. Truly, I could not pick out a fave because there is not a bad cut here, and each is as impressive as the rest.
While it is safe to say that the ROBERTA PIKET TRIO is built around Roberta’s piano on Love and Beauty (robertajazz.com), it is also fair to say that Ratzo Harris’s bass and Billy Mintz’s drums are equally strong in their mostly support role. Roberta is quite the fingerer. She flits and floats around the keys like a magician as much as a musician. Frickin’ impressive, really. The trio’s sound, for those who lack familiarity with jazz, is reminiscent of some of the “Charlie Brown Christmas” flavoring, but she definitely brings something of her own. Whether it’s the hyperness of “I’m My Everything” to the ultra romantic “Love and Beauty,” the trio shine. While mostly originals, there are interesting riffs on Jimmy Webb’s (known by the Fifth Dimension, though) “Up Up and Away,” and Cole Porter’s “So In Love”. If anyone uninitiated and is looking for a chance to step into some jazz, it would behoove them to seek out this nearly an hour of beauty.
Going to a cool She Wolves show at Delancey (of coz, all She Wolves shows are great), I met some guys who do a cable access metal show. Having worked on a cable show myself (Videowave), I understand the work it entails. They presented me with their DVD, Reality Check TV Presents Collector’s Series Volume One: Real Rock Divas (realitychecktv.com). These dudes know their stuff, and they have managed to interview and record shows by some amazing talent. And yet it is all looking two-cent, which I mean as a total compliment as it is appropriate. This is the video equivalent of a fanzine, sort of what Wayne and Garth may have done if they had balls and gotten out of the basement and actually attended shows. The list of bands is long, but I’ll rattle off a few, like the Donnas (who really open themselves up), The Runaways drummer Sandy West and ace underrated guitarist Lita Ford, the overrated Bif Naked, the ultracool Lunachicks and L7, Barbee Killed Kenn, Doro Pesch, and so on. Sometimes the sound quality is questionable, and subtitles may be helpful, but I repeat, “fanzine.” I am certainly looking forward to seeing Volume Two, which hopefully will include the likes of the She Wolves, maybe the Vesties and Chesty Malone. Oh, there is so much great talent, and I expect Reality Check TV to be there!
It takes all four names to identify Brooklyn resident MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON, which is appropriate since the music on his freshman eponymous CD (sayheyrecords.com) is just as complex. Miles is an ex-homeless junkie who has knocked around Coney Island for a while, and has settled into a musical groove that I would identify as anti-folk. His songs are dark and gloomy, sometimes nearly dirge-like, aided (and abetted) by members of TV on the Radio and Grizzly Bear, who fill in the music and some haunting harmonies. And speaking of that sorta thing, each song is overdubbed with Miles’ own voice, but not to add in harmony, but more as a counterpoint. It certainly does not add a pleasant or enhancing element, and is in fact disconcerting, which I’m guessing is the point. The songs about his life of hardship are made all the more dissonant this way. To add to this, the songs are either played slightly off-key, or off melody, I’m not certain which, making it all the more poignant. The only real issue I have is because of the double voice recording, usually with an echo, the sound is a bit muddled, making the lyrics a bit hard to make out (and no lyric sheet included). Still, I am impressed with the work, taking the risk, and doing something a bit different than the norm.
STACIE ROSE is a both a musician and humanitarian, who has a history of releasing her own quality pop material and compilations for various charitable organizations. I have reviewed some of both before, and this time I have the pleasure to pass on her new works in Shotgun Daisy (Enchanted, c/o stacierose.com). Stacie has a velvety voice, and her songs are equally as lush, looking at relationships – both positive and negative – with extremely catchy hooks, such as on “Hit Me in the Head,” “Mr. & Mrs. Happily Ever After,” and “Not Listening,” though it’s hard to pick a favorite. While they all are better than anything one can hear on mainstream radio these days, which is where a lot of this could be, Stacie needs to be careful not to overproduce her material. Producer Jeff Allen has played bass for Avril Lavigne, and it seems like he’s trying to make this sound like “Complicated.” Stacie’s material is too precious to take the chance to squander. Luckily, her voice and songs rise above it.
It is sort of an understatement to say SCRIBES OF FIRE is a metal band. Zauberer (myspace/scribesoffire) is loaded with a sound that roars, which is amazing considering they have only one (very talented) guitarist, Phil Salvagione. Backing him on rhythm is an acquaintance of mine from the Brooklyn Punk Temple/Peggy O’Neill’s days who is an equally strong bassist, Mike Delfino, and Dan Kurfirst on drums. The centerpiece is, of course, Ben Abelson on soaring vocals (and lyric writing). Now, when I say metal, I don’t mean either the death metal growl-scream that is seemingly omnipresent, or the sludgy kind that is sodden and molten; in fact this is the crisp fire that melts the metal. There are five songs here, over a span of 42 minutes. Yeah, long songs, but each one is practically a suite, broken up into sections to tell the story not only lyrically, but also musically. If you’re into intelligent headbanging rather than just the usual girls and drugs as so many metal bands are these days, than I suggest digging this up. Only negative thing I can say is that there are at least four typos in their booklet.
Hamilton, Ontario, is some ways is a mystical city. This is especially true when it comes to music. As Boston was to New York City during the mid-‘70s explosion, the Hammer was to Toronto. One of the first bands to come out of that rise was SIMPLY SAUCER, let by Edgar Breau. Despite a shoddy recording history on fan labels, mostly consisting of an album, Cyborg Revisted, put out by writer/musician Gary Pig Gold, and then by writer/local music historian Bruce “Mole” Mowat (both great guys and great writers, by the way), Simply Saucer (SS) have reformed recently, and recorded Half Human/Half Alive (sonicunyon.com). The first half of the hour-long release is a newly recorded record of their earliest material, which had not seen the studio before. The second half, recorded live, is their LP and single recently re-recorded before an audience. Now the thing that is important to remember is that SS is a band of their time, leaning more towards the Detroit MC5 sound than the New York Ramones style. The music is kinda rough and popish, with more than a hint of a synth. SS were highly experimental and thereby influential. Even with a limited recorded history, they managed to help change the face of what was cool. This is a worthwhile historical record of the music was like on the verge of revolution.
Now here is an interesting concept: STRATOSPHEERIUS is the brainchild of Joe Deninzon, and the result of his group is Headspace (stratospheerius.com). What makes them so unusual is that Joe is a classical-level violinist, who uses mostly 6- and 7-string electronic fiddles that he uses in place of a lead guitar. When Joe and southern blues guitarist Mack Price duel and play off each other, as they do on “New Material,” it’s pretty amazing. Now, one would think violin/fiddle = country, but not so here. The style is more classic R&B, rock, and jazz. Yep, one might say “Jew-Eyed Soul,” especially on cuts like the instrumental “Heavy Shtettle Part II: Heavier Shtettle.” Joe has a very sweet, high tenor voice, which actually gives this a bit of a glossy feel, and the occasional over-production also makes it kind of slick, and yet it is easy to appreciate them bringing something interesting and a concept to liven things up.
This is the first time I’ve heard JIM WHITE, though Transnormal Skiperoo (luakabop.com) is certainly not his first release. He’s known for being alt country, but other than a couple of twangy guitars here and there (mostly not, though), he comes across as pretty straightforward singer-songwriter. Anyhoo, Jim has a sort of sweet Jimmy Buffet kind of voice and tone, and the songs are, with one exception, deep and personal, either looking at his own life, foibles, and missteps, or his imaginings of those he knows. What I like about his work is that while I was not blown away by it, still I was impressed that even though it is heartfelt and layered, it is also extremely accessible. Personally, I wish it was more alt country, and perhaps his earlier releases were (MOJO called his work “Sweet hillbilly swing,” which I found very little of here). There are some standout numbers here, like the opening “A Town Called Amen,” “Take Me Away” and especially the haunting “Jailbird”. I’m curious to see where he’s going, musically, and hopefully I’ll get the chance to find out.
I love the concept of Born To Shine, Vol. 5: Seattle, WA, 01.27.07 (trixiedvd.com) DVD. Actually, as exposition, the press release says it perfectly and succinctly: “Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie brought together 14 of his favorite bands on one day to create a portrait of one of the world’s most thriving music scenes. Each band plays one song each and it is delivered here as it happened, in chronological order, in a jam packed 55 minutes.” Also, Fugazi’s Brendan Canty (Fuzagi) produced this collection, and was recorded by Eli Janney (Girls Against Boys). This is the fifth of (so far) six collections in different cities, and a wonder to behold. With this one exception, all of them are performed in condemned houses (this one was moved, as shown at the end of the DVD). The performances are quite crisp as they are performed in a living room, and the viewer can see as the sun as it goes through the day, and darkness sets through the windows. Since the 1990s, Seattle is basically viewed as the “grunge” city, but as with every other town, there are actually a full arc of styles one can see perform, and that is evident here. There’s the poppier rock sounds of Spook the Horse (who open the collection) and Harvey Danger, the anti-folk of the wonderful Tiny Vipers (aka Jesy Fortino), total psych-out instrumental Kinski (who have been known to play single songs for 45 minutes), dissonant (may have been called No Wave at one point) of the badly named Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death (and I thought When People Were Shorter and Lived Near the Water was a awful moniker), the rap duo Blue Scholars, post modern rockers Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, and the – yes – grundgy Minus the Bear. What is also interesting is what is sort of missing. Dave Bazan (ex-Pedro the Lion), Benjamin Gibbard, and Eddy Vedder (Pearl Jam) all sing with no back-up other than their acoustic guitar (or in Vedder’s case, an electric ukelele). There are a few previously unheard before songs by Gibbard and Bazan, for example. As a side note, it amazes me how many musicians in Seattle have beards. Not the Cobain two-day growth, but full-on bushes. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of this magnificent and yes, historically important, series.
There are a number of reissue labels, some cheesy like K-Tel, and some are a blessing, like Rhino, which specializes in ’60-‘70s. Now there is a new label, AMERICAN BEAT (myspace.com/americanbeat), whose vision is more ’70-‘80s. I contacted them, and they sent me 25 of their products. Truly, there is stuff there I’m certainly not interested in, like the works of Billy Squire, but there is so much more that made me salivate. And that is what I will discuss here. David Johansen’s Here Comes the Night was from his early solo period (post Dolls, pre- Buster “Hot Hot Hot” Poindexter). I remember many of us mocked it at the time, but it certainly stands up after 20 years. The Simthereens’ Green Thoughts was a solid CB’s band from New York, who had a pretty dedicated following that even touched some mainstream listeners. Peter Wolf’s Long Line was one of his post-J. Geils Band that was noteworthy. Graham Parker came so close in the early ‘80s to breaking through in the States, but was considered too close in style to Eric Costello here. His The Real Macaw shows that he wasn’t reductive. Tex-Mex cult hero and should-be legend Joe Ely recorded Live Shots while on tour with the Clash. This re-release also includes his Texas Special EP. After Ian Hunter left Mott the Hoople, he released this underrated All of The Good Ones Are Taken, which produced a title song that should have been at the top of the FM charts at the time, and is still one of my favorites. The Tubes were known for two things: humor and it’s lead singer, Fee Waybill. While Remote Control doesn’t contain their one charting hit, “Sushi Girl,” it shows how much fun they were, and that they were way ahead of their time. Todd Rundgren, who also plays on the recording, produced this collection. I once insulted Joe Jackson to his face around the time of “Is She Really Going Out With Him,” but his later, jazzier stuff, such as the rerelease of Beat Crazy, is much better. What I particularly like about American Beat is when they release two-on-one-disks. Some of the noteworthy ones they sent along are Ian Hunter’s live collection Welcome to the Club and Live, Gary U.S. Bonds’ Dedication and On the Line, and especially Robert Gordon’s With Link Wray and Fresh Fish Special. This is the rockabilly material he left Tuff Darts to do, and actually started a fresh movement (which led to bands the Rockats and the Stray Cats). He covers such material as “Red Hot,” “Boppin’ the Blues,” and “The Way I Walk” (though I have to admit I like the Cramps’ version more). I hope American Beat stays around for a long time, and I thank them for sending me hours of great music.
Due to computer issues, I had lost a bunch of reviews I had written to be published here. If you sent me a CD and it still has not been reviewed, please let me know!
Talk about international: PAT ALLEN and ANDY BUCKLE are two British musicians teaching grade school in Connecticut, who have recorded this CD, Through the Same Eyes (kef4kids.org), to help build a school in Africa (Kilimanjaro, to be precise). While the collection is all over the map, from solid rock to children’s songs (think Wiggles) to ballads, to Hall & Oats-ish soft rock, to singer-songwriter, it comes together as a cohesive effort, thanks to the blending of both their mellow voices to the central themes of encouragement, empowerment, and positivism. Now, I know that this all sounds kind of preachy and has a high possibility of a yecch factor, but yes, they do pull it off, and quite well. As for the charity aspect, hey, we did the Rock Again Racism, Rock Against Reagan, and Hands Across Your Face, so why not help these kids in Africa? I don’t know if we are the world, or if they know it’s Christmas time, but I do know that this is a solid piece of work worth listening to on its own. It’s a bit steep at $25, but think where it’s going.
This seems to be the year of all ABBA-all the time. To add to the pile is Australian band AUDIOSCAM, who have produced their own interpretation on their CD Abbattack (australiansunrecords.com). All the hits that are in the movie, on the radio, coming out of storefronts, etc., are here. But what makes this different is that it is done in a poppy hair metal milieu. Yep, guitar solos, and all. It’s kinda interesting in its own twisted way, and would be more so if I was a fan of the Swedish acronym. One song that actually comes across especially well here is “S.O.S.,” on which they put just the right sheen. “Momma Mia” seems as if Queen arranged it, so I guess that works as well. Problem is, I was sick of these songs by 1985, so it was a tough listen at times, not because of Audioscam, who do a fine job, but because, well, as I said, all ABBA-all the time. Wonder if they’ll do a similar-yet-more-fun (to me) band next time, and cover The Seekers: “It’s a long, long journey, so stay by my side…” 
For those who don’t know, KEVIN AYERS is a legendary British musician who was an original member of the psychedelic Soft Machine back in the late ‘60s, playing often with the likes of Syd Barrett. The Unfairground (giganticmusic.com), which is also the name of his back-up group, is his first release in 15 years. While his voice has mellowed, as it were, he is not just “famous for what he did before,” as his songs are top notch. The psychedelia is mostly gone but there is definitely a late ‘60s-early ‘70s feel that leans more toward glam (without the over-the-top exuberance that is usually iconified by the style), but mixed with some folk and even Tex-Mex! It is often said that the quality of a musician can seen in the company they keep. Backing Kevin in various songs include the old guard like Roxy Music’s Ray Manzanera, Brit folk marvel Bridget St. John, and Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper. Some of the newer ones include Teenage Fanclub singer/guitarist Norman Blake and Frank Reader from the Trash Can Sinatras. All the cuts here are musically superb, and even Kevin’s rough voice works well within the frame. 
JOHN BATDORF and MARK RODNEY were cult favorites in the early ‘70s, with their mellow folk rock output. They broke up in 1975, but got back together again recently to record Still Burnin’ (johnbatdorfmusic.com), a mostly live recording at XM Studios, which is mostly their own covers plus two brand new songs. Have to say that before this CD, I hadn’t heard of them (though my go-to-guy, Bernie Kugel, who is a ’60-‘70s musical encyclopedia, knew them right off. Of course). I can only go by what I’m hearing here, and I have to say, as much as I like folkie stuff, this was the kind of material that originally made me want to listen to the Ramones. B&R would probably fit somewhere between Seals and Croft and CSN (sans Y). After all, in one form or another, B&R had toured with the likes of America, Hall and Oats, and, well, you get the picture. Yeah, the songs are okay, with a deep view of personal growth and heartache, and I don’t mean to put that kind of musical stretch down, but they are not my cup of tea. Melanie was more ‘core than they were (I loved Melanie, to whom I lost my concert cherry, so back off). That being said, for those B&R fans out there, please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying they are bad. Their musicianship is tight and Batdorf still has his voice (“Burnin’” comes across as Batdorf BACKED BY Rodney more than Batdorf AND Rodney) after all these years, but to me it is just…meh, whatever. Get this if you like Kansas and Poco. 
THE BUGS (myspace.com/zodiackillerrecords) is a Cali post-hardcore band that owes a lot to the Ramones and the Descendants. Their self-titled release is 11 songs in just over 13 minutes. From what I can see, there are three main topics here. In no particular order, one is drugs (e.g., “Back on the Weed,” “Meth on My Mind,” “Dopefiend”), looks at culture (e.g., “No More Emo Haircuts,” “I Wish I Was a Mexican,” and my favorite in this category, “Dave Navarro’s Goatee Fucking Sucks”), and the most outstanding one is about homosexuality (“Lesbo! Lesbo!,” “Never Went Gay,” “I’m Turning Gay,” and “Email From a She-male”). I don’t know these guys, and despite the very humorous and sophomoric tone, they seem old enough to know what they are saying. Are they homophobic or homo-core, I’m not sure, but they made me laugh. The songs are little paragraphs of statements with a grin and elbow, and can be summed up by something in the one-page booklet that thanks someone “who was supposed to play drums on this record but could not due to state issued mandatory jail time.” If you like your ‘core with a non-serious bent, well, here ya go.
CAMERA-HEAD SHARK is the kind of band that just gets better the more you listen to it. Oh, You (cameraheadshark.com) at first came across as a slightly skewed pop rock band, but oh, it is so much more. With a sharp sense of melody and harmony, layered under the off-kilter but actually quite fitting vocals, the songs have memorable hooks, and a sound that if not unique is certainly in short supply. In other words, they don’t sound like every other damn band you hear these days. Some of the better cuts here, and they are actually all worthwhile, are “Baby Midnight,” “Pack Up Your Suitcase,” “It’s So Evil,” and especially the opening “Punched” (which could have been written by They Might Be Giants) and what should be their breakout single, “Since the Stone Age.” 
It is amazing how much STEVE CARLSON at times sounds like Greg Brown on Stripped Down (smokinglionmusic.com or stevecarlson.com). Mind you, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. And please let me be clear that Steve’s material is really well crafted, and not reductive. From “Without You,” the opening cut, his emotion is on his sleeve in a powerful performance. Yeah, he looks like he w/could beat the crap outta ya, but there is definitely some heart in there and is not afraid to show it, evident by the one cover: the Ronnettes’ “Be My Baby.” It’s brave to go up against Ronnie Spector’s voice, especially as raspy as Steve’s is, but his heart definitely pulls it off. This CD, Steve’s fourth, is actually full of really strong material, like “All That I ever Wanted,’ “Happy Hour,” straight through to the finale, “Love Your Or Leave You.” If you like singer-songwriter with just a hint of western flair (sans country), check it out.
Seems when bands focus on horror flicks, they fall into two general categories: you have the non-human monsters, such as Children of the Night and The Scared Stiffs), or the human monsters (e.g., cannibals and mass murderers), such as The Cramps and now CHESTY MALONE AND THE SLICE ‘EM UPS. Their CD, Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means (Wrecked; c/o chestymalone.com), is a fuckin’ hoot. Post-hardcore speed with a New York ‘80s style, they pound their way through 13 numbers, such as “Trouble With Cannibals” (one of my faves), “13 Killers” (what, no mention of New Yorker Albert Fish?), “Meat Factory,” “Skincrawl,” “Livereaters,” “Dotti Douchebag Sings the Blues,” and “Beavershot.” Thing is, from the first to the last, this is such a fun release, that its 30 minutes goes by so quickly. Chesty Malone, in her latest incarnation (she was the lead singer of Lady Unluck), is Jaqueline Blownapate, whose throaty voice is not so much a death rattle, as it is a body slam, using a 24-pounder. The rest of the band, which includes her partner/co-writer/guitarist Anthony Allen van Hoek, keeps up with her (or she keeps up with them…either way it works). There are a lot of cool subtle film references throughout, such as “Spiderbaby” in “Livereaters” and perhaps “The Corpse Grinders” in “Meat Factory.” I haven’t caught them live, but it’s definitely on the agenda.
The Colorado-based MICHAEL HARRISON BLUES is – of course – Michael at the center, and a bunch of studio musicians, releasing Lost in the Blues (michaelharrisonblues.com). This CD is mostly blues standards, with some originals thrown in. Gotta say, Michael’s electric blues style is right up there with Stevie Ray and Eric C, with a sharpness like a razor. And what he lacks in the vocal area with a tendency to be flat (both literally and emotionally), he certainly makes up for with his flying fingers. Some of the covers include “Mean Mistreater” (a Muddy Waters’ wailer), Robert Ross’s 1991 “White Boy Lost in the Blues,” “CCR’s “Wrote a Song,” Buster Burnett’s Jumpin’ at Shadows,” and the late and underrated Tommy Bolin’s “Sweet Burgundy” (which is vocally the weakest here). It is nice that Michael’s originals fit in pretty well with the standards. Jennifer Burnett’s vocals on the opener and closer helps, but I do have to say that as a release that is put out by Michael himself, he did an above decent job. Maybe an instrumental release next?
Rather than producing the usual concept of songs, HOLLER, WILD ROSE! uses each cut of Our Little Hymnal (blacklightrecords.com) to create a soundscape experience, which is almost a world of their own. There are multiple instruments ranging from the classic guitar/bass/drum to all different types of synthesizers. For well over an hour, they stream out sounds that all flow together. No bleep or blurps, but rather texture and waves. It is hard to imagine them playing out, as each member of this group is listed as playing numerous instruments which are all blended. The vocals are wispy, sometimes in a John Lennon-ish way, other times, more pastoral. Despite such heady music, the lyrics are actually very accessible, which helps the whole project be approachable. 
When I was in high school, I had a friend named Robert Gordon (not the rockabilly singer) who introduced me to his three loves: Bob Dylan, Jethro Tull, and pot. It took me a few years to appreciate Dylan, the other two not. Back then, I found arena rock really, excruciatingly dull, perhaps because I was not a lover of pot? I took chances and went to see Led Zeppelin at MSG, and was bored to sleep, literally. Now I was given the opportunity to review the new DVD by JETHRO TULL, Jack In the Green: Live in Germany, Recorded Between 1970-1993 (Aviator-Entertainment GmbH). There are 18 songs covering a few performances, the forefront of which is in 1982. Since high school and now, I have learned to value Celtic music, which is a large part of Tull’s sound (along with rock, jazz, and fusion). As the DVD started, at first I thought, oh, wow, this isn’t bad at all. Maybe Robert had something here. I mean, I still remember the main riff from “Aqualung,” but I didn’t recall anything else from that album or “Thick as a Brick,” which were quite prevalent in my high school days. Then, somewhere around the fourth of fifth song, I started looking at my watch. The quality of the DVD is excellent, with the visuals and the sound being very crisp. As the DVD went into the second show (1986), and the 10th song, I subconsciously I caught myself fiddling with the remote in my hands, feeling restless. About halfway through the ’86 shows, I started fast-forwarding a bit through the instrumentals. The ’93 part, taken from TV appearance, is nearly pure jazz, and the two songs kept my interest. The last part is from the “Beat Club,” also TV, one song from 1970, and one from 1971. While I was amazed at the sharpness of the image (with the typical German way of superimposing the full names of the band members), I was totally bored out of my mind, though it was interesting when Ian Anderson grabs his side in pain, walks off the stage, and end the song short. Of all the cuts here, the 1982 ones are the best sound, lighting, and most entertaining, showing Anderson at his best, but that’s limited for me. I think I’ll still with my “just Dylan,” though I appreciate the chance to see if I was missing something. Speaking of absence, there are no extras on this disk.
The handsome JANN KLOSE resides in the Bronx now, but throughout his life, he has lived on numerous continents, all of which has affected his music views. His latest is Reverie (janklose.com), which was recorded in New Jersey. It’s kind of hard to put a handle on Jann’s material, but it is somewhere in the theatrical jazz singer-songwriter area. His songs take you on journeys though emotions and styles, sometimes with basic guitar (by Jann)-piano-bass-drum, and on others, the lovely Jann’s voice, piano and cello. I can see this ensemble playing Carnegie (Hall, not Deli), or some of the ritzier jazz spots. Yet, the style never tries to talk over the listener’s head; I admire that. Jann’s vocal stylings are reminiscent of Sting, but with some major exceptions: first, Jann has a very beautiful and pure voice, where Sting has that nasal twang that is sorta chalk-on-blackboard; and most importantly, Jann comes off totally sincere and not focused on “self,” unlike…you know who. There are a lot of really enjoyable cuts here, such as the lush, jazzy “All These Rivers,” and the subtle “Questions of the Heart.” The instrumental “Ithaca” is pretty, and this ends on a high note, ironically, with “The Beginning.” I haven’t heard Jann play live yet, but I have met him (tremendously intelligent and nice guy). On the other hand, I have heard Sting play but have not met him, and don’t need to do either with Sting again.
EDDY & KIM LAWRENCE have released their first folkie singer-songwriter (including blues and country influenced) duo-focused cleverly named CD, My Second Wife’s First Album (snowplowrecords.com), but Eddy has been releasing solo stuff for over 20 years. Based near the northeast corner of New York State where Quebec meets Vermont (though he’s original from deep south), they recorded this on their own. Kim plays stand-up bass and adds minimal vocals, and most of the rest, such as writing, singing, and picking is by Eddy. Unlike some other DIY work, they seem to have good control of their material and recording (i.e., no over-indulgent “what will this button do to the sound?” here), thankfully. Eddy is a fine songwriter who takes his everyday life into accord, including addictions, presenting the likes of “Rescue Somebody,” “Camp Cumberland,” “Black Ice,” “Turnpike,” and “Apology.” Sometimes it gets a bit “hunh?” (like “Sammy From Massena” and “Weekend at the Muggles”), but even there the melody takes you, and his framing works. But there is a certain level of deepness that comes through when you least expect it, like on “Your Mama Likes Me,” “One Day at a Time,” “Truth or Consequences,” and “Step 8.” At a bit over an hour, this may have been able to be edited down a bit, perhaps to the next CD, but still good to hear what’s on his mind. What I like the most is that the crisp recording that makes it feel like they’re sitting in the room with the listener, all homey and comfortable. Kim seems to be good for him!
[Life Underwater photo by RBF/FFanzeen Prod]There are lots of double things to mention when it comes to Staten Island’s LIFE UNDERWATER (liveunderwateronline.com). First, sometimes they’re a group, as in their Live at Café Verboten, and now they are back to a duo with their self-titled release. Sometimes lead singer Jamie Glass plays guitar, and sometimes bass…oh, and sometimes she’s just Jamie (the other part of the duo is her partner, Shane, who plays great guitar), and sometimes she’s amazing novelist JD Glass (Punk Like Me, Punk & Zen, Red Lights, American Goth, and yes, I’ve read them all; there is a huge interview I did with her linked to their MySpace page, but I digress). Both these CDs are their own flavor, and are superb in their own rights. The live CD is solid straight through, as a four-piece. I like the drum sound, and the songs on there are among my favorites of Jamie’s, such as “I Fall,” “I Say Goodbye,” and especially “Lead Me On.” The band helps give it a beautiful bottom rhythm. The self-titled one is stripped down to just Jamie and Shane, who play off each other well. Once again, Jamie’s wonderful use of melody and lyrics in her songs keep the listener’s attention. All the songs here, including “The Kiss,” “Complicated,” and “What Am I Fighting For” show solid songwriting in my melody and lyric. So, basically, check out their songs on their site, get the CDs, and read the books; you won’t be disappointed.
MICHAEL LINDNER is one of those DIYers who does it all, from playing all musical parts, to engineering and recording (his “day” job), to even designing the packaging of Cocktail Napkin (alleyonemusic.com). This CD consists of 8 original instrumentals, and 4 cover songs with vocals. His own pieces are lounge-based, with a strong surf guitar influence. Many of them remind me of the kind of music playing on the soundtracks of ‘60s exploitation films, such as those by Russ Meyer. Believe me, I mean that as a major complement, as those tunes were amazing. While multi-instrumentally talented, Michael’s main axe is the bass, which he uses as the cornerstone of pieces like “Tremulux”. All of these Linder-penned songs are strong. The only weakness seems to be in the vocal tracks, which are very vanilla. He opens up with the Bararach-David tune made famous by Love, “Little Red Book”; mind you, it’s hard to follow someone like Arthur Lee, or even the Stones on “2000 Man.” He just does not have the of the blues heartfelt singing chops. Even the post-doo-wop era “Party Doll” comes off flat. But that’s just four uninteresting songs for eight pretty amazingly fun ones. Definitely the odds are good, and worth a listen.
When the press release starts off with a quote by one of my old mentors and professor, Neil Postman (from “Amusing Ourselves to Death,” I believe), I’m going to pay a little more attention. THE LOVE KILLS THEORY takes Happy Suicide, Jim (xomu.com) as a look at Huxley’s version of dystopia, which is blinding ourselves with consumerism. Rarely does this post-pop group hit the listener over the head with its message, but it is definitely a theme throughout, from specifics, like giving up smoking (“This Thing”) and computers (“Suicide Girls”), to general ownership (“The Love Kills Theory”: “Things you’re wanting become things you’re hating/What sustained you now makes you weary”), to just general cultural morass (“Dream of Sleep”). Now before you start saying, “Ya commie bastids,” it’s not that at all, but rather a request to look inside. These guys are more into the Situationalists than Lenin. The music is quite interesting, in a pop way, with an industrial/electronic influence, though I thought a few more songs would have more power if they hadn’t been electronically affected: a couple times works, but about half are processed, which is overkill. Despite the down-tone of the lyrics, it is actually a positive message (much like Postman). And the final chorus of “Dream of Sleep” is hard to get out of one’s head.
JON MACEY & STEVE GILLIGAN make up the core of Boston pop rockers FoxPass. Now they expand into their own foray with Everything Under the Sun (Actuality Records, Box 408, Arlington, MA 02476; jonandsteve.com). Here, Jon and Steve have the support of percussionist Barry Marshall (of the classic Boston ‘70s band, The Marshalls, who double-duties as producer). I had the pleasure to see Jon and Steve doing their duo stuff up in Boston last year at the Cantab, and they are amazing together. Their material could have been right off Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks,” but it is all their own. In pure partnership, they each wrote 5 songs apiece, and two together, and yet all are seamless. The songs of life, losing oneself and redemption are woven together through various stringed instruments (such as guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, mandocello), and both their individual and harmonious voices. Truly, I could not pick out a fave because there is not a bad cut here, and each is as impressive as the rest. 
While it is safe to say that the ROBERTA PIKET TRIO is built around Roberta’s piano on Love and Beauty (robertajazz.com), it is also fair to say that Ratzo Harris’s bass and Billy Mintz’s drums are equally strong in their mostly support role. Roberta is quite the fingerer. She flits and floats around the keys like a magician as much as a musician. Frickin’ impressive, really. The trio’s sound, for those who lack familiarity with jazz, is reminiscent of some of the “Charlie Brown Christmas” flavoring, but she definitely brings something of her own. Whether it’s the hyperness of “I’m My Everything” to the ultra romantic “Love and Beauty,” the trio shine. While mostly originals, there are interesting riffs on Jimmy Webb’s (known by the Fifth Dimension, though) “Up Up and Away,” and Cole Porter’s “So In Love”. If anyone uninitiated and is looking for a chance to step into some jazz, it would behoove them to seek out this nearly an hour of beauty.
Going to a cool She Wolves show at Delancey (of coz, all She Wolves shows are great), I met some guys who do a cable access metal show. Having worked on a cable show myself (Videowave), I understand the work it entails. They presented me with their DVD, Reality Check TV Presents Collector’s Series Volume One: Real Rock Divas (realitychecktv.com). These dudes know their stuff, and they have managed to interview and record shows by some amazing talent. And yet it is all looking two-cent, which I mean as a total compliment as it is appropriate. This is the video equivalent of a fanzine, sort of what Wayne and Garth may have done if they had balls and gotten out of the basement and actually attended shows. The list of bands is long, but I’ll rattle off a few, like the Donnas (who really open themselves up), The Runaways drummer Sandy West and ace underrated guitarist Lita Ford, the overrated Bif Naked, the ultracool Lunachicks and L7, Barbee Killed Kenn, Doro Pesch, and so on. Sometimes the sound quality is questionable, and subtitles may be helpful, but I repeat, “fanzine.” I am certainly looking forward to seeing Volume Two, which hopefully will include the likes of the She Wolves, maybe the Vesties and Chesty Malone. Oh, there is so much great talent, and I expect Reality Check TV to be there!
It takes all four names to identify Brooklyn resident MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON, which is appropriate since the music on his freshman eponymous CD (sayheyrecords.com) is just as complex. Miles is an ex-homeless junkie who has knocked around Coney Island for a while, and has settled into a musical groove that I would identify as anti-folk. His songs are dark and gloomy, sometimes nearly dirge-like, aided (and abetted) by members of TV on the Radio and Grizzly Bear, who fill in the music and some haunting harmonies. And speaking of that sorta thing, each song is overdubbed with Miles’ own voice, but not to add in harmony, but more as a counterpoint. It certainly does not add a pleasant or enhancing element, and is in fact disconcerting, which I’m guessing is the point. The songs about his life of hardship are made all the more dissonant this way. To add to this, the songs are either played slightly off-key, or off melody, I’m not certain which, making it all the more poignant. The only real issue I have is because of the double voice recording, usually with an echo, the sound is a bit muddled, making the lyrics a bit hard to make out (and no lyric sheet included). Still, I am impressed with the work, taking the risk, and doing something a bit different than the norm.
STACIE ROSE is a both a musician and humanitarian, who has a history of releasing her own quality pop material and compilations for various charitable organizations. I have reviewed some of both before, and this time I have the pleasure to pass on her new works in Shotgun Daisy (Enchanted, c/o stacierose.com). Stacie has a velvety voice, and her songs are equally as lush, looking at relationships – both positive and negative – with extremely catchy hooks, such as on “Hit Me in the Head,” “Mr. & Mrs. Happily Ever After,” and “Not Listening,” though it’s hard to pick a favorite. While they all are better than anything one can hear on mainstream radio these days, which is where a lot of this could be, Stacie needs to be careful not to overproduce her material. Producer Jeff Allen has played bass for Avril Lavigne, and it seems like he’s trying to make this sound like “Complicated.” Stacie’s material is too precious to take the chance to squander. Luckily, her voice and songs rise above it. 
It is sort of an understatement to say SCRIBES OF FIRE is a metal band. Zauberer (myspace/scribesoffire) is loaded with a sound that roars, which is amazing considering they have only one (very talented) guitarist, Phil Salvagione. Backing him on rhythm is an acquaintance of mine from the Brooklyn Punk Temple/Peggy O’Neill’s days who is an equally strong bassist, Mike Delfino, and Dan Kurfirst on drums. The centerpiece is, of course, Ben Abelson on soaring vocals (and lyric writing). Now, when I say metal, I don’t mean either the death metal growl-scream that is seemingly omnipresent, or the sludgy kind that is sodden and molten; in fact this is the crisp fire that melts the metal. There are five songs here, over a span of 42 minutes. Yeah, long songs, but each one is practically a suite, broken up into sections to tell the story not only lyrically, but also musically. If you’re into intelligent headbanging rather than just the usual girls and drugs as so many metal bands are these days, than I suggest digging this up. Only negative thing I can say is that there are at least four typos in their booklet. 
Hamilton, Ontario, is some ways is a mystical city. This is especially true when it comes to music. As Boston was to New York City during the mid-‘70s explosion, the Hammer was to Toronto. One of the first bands to come out of that rise was SIMPLY SAUCER, let by Edgar Breau. Despite a shoddy recording history on fan labels, mostly consisting of an album, Cyborg Revisted, put out by writer/musician Gary Pig Gold, and then by writer/local music historian Bruce “Mole” Mowat (both great guys and great writers, by the way), Simply Saucer (SS) have reformed recently, and recorded Half Human/Half Alive (sonicunyon.com). The first half of the hour-long release is a newly recorded record of their earliest material, which had not seen the studio before. The second half, recorded live, is their LP and single recently re-recorded before an audience. Now the thing that is important to remember is that SS is a band of their time, leaning more towards the Detroit MC5 sound than the New York Ramones style. The music is kinda rough and popish, with more than a hint of a synth. SS were highly experimental and thereby influential. Even with a limited recorded history, they managed to help change the face of what was cool. This is a worthwhile historical record of the music was like on the verge of revolution.
Now here is an interesting concept: STRATOSPHEERIUS is the brainchild of Joe Deninzon, and the result of his group is Headspace (stratospheerius.com). What makes them so unusual is that Joe is a classical-level violinist, who uses mostly 6- and 7-string electronic fiddles that he uses in place of a lead guitar. When Joe and southern blues guitarist Mack Price duel and play off each other, as they do on “New Material,” it’s pretty amazing. Now, one would think violin/fiddle = country, but not so here. The style is more classic R&B, rock, and jazz. Yep, one might say “Jew-Eyed Soul,” especially on cuts like the instrumental “Heavy Shtettle Part II: Heavier Shtettle.” Joe has a very sweet, high tenor voice, which actually gives this a bit of a glossy feel, and the occasional over-production also makes it kind of slick, and yet it is easy to appreciate them bringing something interesting and a concept to liven things up. 
This is the first time I’ve heard JIM WHITE, though Transnormal Skiperoo (luakabop.com) is certainly not his first release. He’s known for being alt country, but other than a couple of twangy guitars here and there (mostly not, though), he comes across as pretty straightforward singer-songwriter. Anyhoo, Jim has a sort of sweet Jimmy Buffet kind of voice and tone, and the songs are, with one exception, deep and personal, either looking at his own life, foibles, and missteps, or his imaginings of those he knows. What I like about his work is that while I was not blown away by it, still I was impressed that even though it is heartfelt and layered, it is also extremely accessible. Personally, I wish it was more alt country, and perhaps his earlier releases were (MOJO called his work “Sweet hillbilly swing,” which I found very little of here). There are some standout numbers here, like the opening “A Town Called Amen,” “Take Me Away” and especially the haunting “Jailbird”. I’m curious to see where he’s going, musically, and hopefully I’ll get the chance to find out.
I love the concept of Born To Shine, Vol. 5: Seattle, WA, 01.27.07 (trixiedvd.com) DVD. Actually, as exposition, the press release says it perfectly and succinctly: “Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie brought together 14 of his favorite bands on one day to create a portrait of one of the world’s most thriving music scenes. Each band plays one song each and it is delivered here as it happened, in chronological order, in a jam packed 55 minutes.” Also, Fugazi’s Brendan Canty (Fuzagi) produced this collection, and was recorded by Eli Janney (Girls Against Boys). This is the fifth of (so far) six collections in different cities, and a wonder to behold. With this one exception, all of them are performed in condemned houses (this one was moved, as shown at the end of the DVD). The performances are quite crisp as they are performed in a living room, and the viewer can see as the sun as it goes through the day, and darkness sets through the windows. Since the 1990s, Seattle is basically viewed as the “grunge” city, but as with every other town, there are actually a full arc of styles one can see perform, and that is evident here. There’s the poppier rock sounds of Spook the Horse (who open the collection) and Harvey Danger, the anti-folk of the wonderful Tiny Vipers (aka Jesy Fortino), total psych-out instrumental Kinski (who have been known to play single songs for 45 minutes), dissonant (may have been called No Wave at one point) of the badly named Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death (and I thought When People Were Shorter and Lived Near the Water was a awful moniker), the rap duo Blue Scholars, post modern rockers Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, and the – yes – grundgy Minus the Bear. What is also interesting is what is sort of missing. Dave Bazan (ex-Pedro the Lion), Benjamin Gibbard, and Eddy Vedder (Pearl Jam) all sing with no back-up other than their acoustic guitar (or in Vedder’s case, an electric ukelele). There are a few previously unheard before songs by Gibbard and Bazan, for example. As a side note, it amazes me how many musicians in Seattle have beards. Not the Cobain two-day growth, but full-on bushes. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of this magnificent and yes, historically important, series.There are a number of reissue labels, some cheesy like K-Tel, and some are a blessing, like Rhino, which specializes in ’60-‘70s. Now there is a new label, AMERICAN BEAT (myspace.com/americanbeat), whose vision is more ’70-‘80s. I contacted them, and they sent me 25 of their products. Truly, there is stuff there I’m certainly not interested in, like the works of Billy Squire, but there is so much more that made me salivate. And that is what I will discuss here. David Johansen’s Here Comes the Night was from his early solo period (post Dolls, pre- Buster “Hot Hot Hot” Poindexter). I remember many of us mocked it at the time, but it certainly stands up after 20 years. The Simthereens’ Green Thoughts was a solid CB’s band from New York, who had a pretty dedicated following that even touched some mainstream listeners. Peter Wolf’s Long Line was one of his post-J. Geils Band that was noteworthy. Graham Parker came so close in the early ‘80s to breaking through in the States, but was considered too close in style to Eric Costello here. His The Real Macaw shows that he wasn’t reductive. Tex-Mex cult hero and should-be legend Joe Ely recorded Live Shots while on tour with the Clash. This re-release also includes his Texas Special EP. After Ian Hunter left Mott the Hoople, he released this underrated All of The Good Ones Are Taken, which produced a title song that should have been at the top of the FM charts at the time, and is still one of my favorites. The Tubes were known for two things: humor and it’s lead singer, Fee Waybill. While Remote Control doesn’t contain their one charting hit, “Sushi Girl,” it shows how much fun they were, and that they were way ahead of their time. Todd Rundgren, who also plays on the recording, produced this collection. I once insulted Joe Jackson to his face around the time of “Is She Really Going Out With Him,” but his later, jazzier stuff, such as the rerelease of Beat Crazy, is much better. What I particularly like about American Beat is when they release two-on-one-disks. Some of the noteworthy ones they sent along are Ian Hunter’s live collection Welcome to the Club and Live, Gary U.S. Bonds’ Dedication and On the Line, and especially Robert Gordon’s With Link Wray and Fresh Fish Special. This is the rockabilly material he left Tuff Darts to do, and actually started a fresh movement (which led to bands the Rockats and the Stray Cats). He covers such material as “Red Hot,” “Boppin’ the Blues,” and “The Way I Walk” (though I have to admit I like the Cramps’ version more). I hope American Beat stays around for a long time, and I thank them for sending me hours of great music.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Live at Hank's: Chesty Malone and Sister Anne, 10/31/08
Live FFotos at Hank’s © Robert Barry Francos
Last time I saw lead singer Jacqueline Blownaparte (love that name), was when she was lead singer of Lady Unluck (as Vikki Voltage), both at Peggy O’Neill’s in Brooklyn, and CBGB’s. But that’s a couple of years now, and I’ve been just itching to see her new group, Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups. I’d recently done a review of their incredibly fun new CD for Jersey Beat (www.jerseybeat.com/quietcorner.html), Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means, so I was looking forward to seeing them play.
Turns out they had a gig coming up on Halloween (the perfect day to see them) at one of my favorite haunts (pun intended), Hank’s Saloon in Brooklyn. Hank’s is supposedly closing down for redevelopment (let’s finally get rid of that miserable mayor Bloomberg already, willya!?), so I was happy to not only get a chance to finally see the band, but to support one of my favorite remaining local music centers.
As for a costume, well I’ve never really been one to dress up, so I wore my official canary yellow Day of the Dead sweatshirt. It had been given to an editor of Fangoria by the film crew for appearing in the Romero film (as a zombie, of course), and he gave it to his girlfriend, Dawn. When they broke up, the girlfriend gave it to me. I don’t wear it often, but this was a special evening.
As the first band was setting up the crowded, tiny and slightly elevated stage, I saw Chesty Malone arrive all together. I went over and introduced myself to Jacqueline, who almost seemed a bit shy, and guitarist Anthony Allen van Hoek. Am I crazy, or was it just pre-show jitters? Or maybe it was the projection of myself who was bashful? Anyway, I found it kinda charming. While the band usually has some kind of blood-spattered appearance, for this show, Jacqueline wore a zombie Star Trek Yeoman Rand outfit that worked quite well, so I felt confident in my choice of “costume.”. At some point before the first band, Anthony came over and gave me a Chesty Malone t-shirt, and I truthfully told him that I would wear it with pride.
Got By Buckner
The first band up was the all-attractive Got By Buckner, the second band I know of that was named after the Met’s-winning 1986 World Series (other one is Miracle of 86). My guess is this is a one-off cover band made up of members of other bands, just having fun (I did a search through some Websites and came up with bubkus). And some of the crowd, obviously made up of their friends, seemed to be getting into it. I had some problems though, part of which was their choice of obvious Top-10 covers, from the good (e.g., Proclaimers’ “500 Miles, B-52’s “Love Shack” and CCR’s “Fortunate Son” – although I bet they were doing the U2 version), to the awful (e.g., Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean”, and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”). The band's musicianship was fine, based on guitar (acoustic), drums, bass, and keyboards, but the lead vocalist was not. Her voice was incredibly reedy, and mostly tuneless. The guitarist had a much better and stronger voice (and in hair-band mode, looked like that blond surfer dude on TMZ). Their audience was tall and thin, preppy types (one of the great things about Hank’s is their diversity of bands), who danced in front of the stage. As good as GBB were to look at, I was honestly glad when they were done.
Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups
Next up was the band I had come to see, and Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups certainly did not disappoint. Immediately, there was a change of crowd, as an older, rowdy and fun group came to the forefront, including Lisa Brown (of Mongrel Bitch),who I had seen before at She Wolves shows.
CM&TSEUs are as horror-focused hardcore punk and horror-focused hardcore punk can be. In a long tradition of bands that focus on the macabre, horror film (gory-type), and serial killers, they sound like the howl of an angry wind in which you hear voices calling for your soul. Jacqueline is loud and angry, pulling the listener down and stomping on them until they submit. Hunched over and clutching the mic while standing in the audience, she rocks back and forth, spilling her vocal guts to the level that Lucio Fulci (were he not at the Quella villa accanto al cimitero) would be proud. Anthony, tall and imposing, played his Frankenstein monster on guitar to the hilt, making horror faces at the crowd and strum-pounding on his instrument. Jeez, it’s a fun band.
Jacqueline Blownaparte and some Queens of Pain
They went through a number of their songs from the CD, and I even videoed one of my favorite songs from the CD, the opening cut, “Satan Met a Lady,” but like a fool I did half of it at vertical (when I take photos, I'm not locked into vertical or horizontal), and of course, there’s no way to view it that way. Oh, well. That’s why I’m a photographer rather than a videographer. They did “13 Killers,” “Eat Shit” (aka “BPPS”), “Dotti Douchebag Sings the Blues,” and “Trouble With Cannibals” (another of their tunes I really like). The set list is copied below the band line-up.
This was the first time I saw them play, and I’m certainly hoping it will NOT be the last. They are exciting and fun, in an insane asylum, hardcore, take-no-prisoners, 28-Days/Weeks-Later-speed kind of way.
Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups:
Jacqueline Blownapart: Vox
Anthony Allen Van Hoek: Guitar
Ernest Anderson III: Bass
Angel Cotte: Drums
Set list (as listed on their sheet):
Wasteface
Eat Shit
Satan
Livereaters
Meat Factory
Exit 13
Skincrawl
Everybody Hurts
Cannibals
13 Killers
Ghouls
Dotti Douchebag
Beavershot
chestymalone.com
myspace.com/chestymaloneandthesliceemups
Anthony’s excellent blog: rnrruinedmylife.blogspot.com
Sister Anne
After CM&TSEM’s set the crowd mutated once again, into one that was younger with urban-coolness, as we waited for the next band, Sister Anne. They are developing quite the following, though honestly I had not heard of them before. But there always is a first time anyway, right?
They all arrived in costume (listed next to their names below), and were very vibrant. There were tickets given to anyone who was in costume, and the winners got to take home basically stuff that the band wanted to get rid of. I remember the Nerve used to do that, too. It really produced some laughs and joy from the crowd, as one of the band’s bassists, Leon – dressed in full Queens of Pain Roller Derby gear – read off the numbers. The lead singer, Kitana (who also goes by the name Pink Chocolate), is tall and lean, with a performing strut-style stance, almost like an Egyptian empress. Next to her was diminutive Michelle, decked out in full nun outfit and carrying a huge guitar, which she played beautifully, I must say.
What I liked about Queen Anne is that they seem to really be having fun and enjoying themselves. They also play a mean, lean R&B rock. Kitana’s easy manner on stage and frank, sexual-based straight-talk between songs proved that she is a primed front-person. As I watched, she moved around the stage with a both a grace and slink. At one point, she swung her head, and her neon blue anime wig went flying into the audience (and was promptly worn by a male fan in front), followed by the nylon head cover, so her own hair broke free of it’s further binds and was free to move on its own.
Rather than having a set list, Kitana and Michelle had quick discussions, e.g., “Let’s play 'So-and-so'," which worked for them. They are definitely an up and coming band to look for.
About 20 minutes into their set, I left. It was Halloween night, and I wanted to get home. On the way to the train, outside of Hank’s, I saw Jacquline, Anthony, and Lisa, so I got to congratulate the band on a good and solid set. It was good to let them know in person.
Sister Anne (costume):
Kitana aka Pink Chocolate (Anime): Vox
Michelle (Nun): Guitar
Leon (Roller Derby Queen): Lo-bass
Sherry (Derek Smalls from This is Spinal Tap): Hi-bass
Jeph (Animal from The Muppets)
www.myspace.com/sisteranne
Epilogue: On the train ride home, I was listening to people talk about how crowded the Village Halloween Parade was (someone said they got there two hours before the its start, and couldn’t see because of the crowds, estimated in the news reports as in the millions along its route. Going to Hank’s was definitely the right choice.
Getting on the train at one point was a guy in the following costume: gym shorts, a t-shirt (yes, it was warm that night) with painted in sweat stains, and a gym bag. Oh, and he had an enormous soft rubber dildo and balls hanging out of his pants. Now that is just part of what disaster really means.
Last time I saw lead singer Jacqueline Blownaparte (love that name), was when she was lead singer of Lady Unluck (as Vikki Voltage), both at Peggy O’Neill’s in Brooklyn, and CBGB’s. But that’s a couple of years now, and I’ve been just itching to see her new group, Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups. I’d recently done a review of their incredibly fun new CD for Jersey Beat (www.jerseybeat.com/quietcorner.html), Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means, so I was looking forward to seeing them play.Turns out they had a gig coming up on Halloween (the perfect day to see them) at one of my favorite haunts (pun intended), Hank’s Saloon in Brooklyn. Hank’s is supposedly closing down for redevelopment (let’s finally get rid of that miserable mayor Bloomberg already, willya!?), so I was happy to not only get a chance to finally see the band, but to support one of my favorite remaining local music centers.
As for a costume, well I’ve never really been one to dress up, so I wore my official canary yellow Day of the Dead sweatshirt. It had been given to an editor of Fangoria by the film crew for appearing in the Romero film (as a zombie, of course), and he gave it to his girlfriend, Dawn. When they broke up, the girlfriend gave it to me. I don’t wear it often, but this was a special evening.
As the first band was setting up the crowded, tiny and slightly elevated stage, I saw Chesty Malone arrive all together. I went over and introduced myself to Jacqueline, who almost seemed a bit shy, and guitarist Anthony Allen van Hoek. Am I crazy, or was it just pre-show jitters? Or maybe it was the projection of myself who was bashful? Anyway, I found it kinda charming. While the band usually has some kind of blood-spattered appearance, for this show, Jacqueline wore a zombie Star Trek Yeoman Rand outfit that worked quite well, so I felt confident in my choice of “costume.”. At some point before the first band, Anthony came over and gave me a Chesty Malone t-shirt, and I truthfully told him that I would wear it with pride.
Got By BucknerThe first band up was the all-attractive Got By Buckner, the second band I know of that was named after the Met’s-winning 1986 World Series (other one is Miracle of 86). My guess is this is a one-off cover band made up of members of other bands, just having fun (I did a search through some Websites and came up with bubkus). And some of the crowd, obviously made up of their friends, seemed to be getting into it. I had some problems though, part of which was their choice of obvious Top-10 covers, from the good (e.g., Proclaimers’ “500 Miles, B-52’s “Love Shack” and CCR’s “Fortunate Son” – although I bet they were doing the U2 version), to the awful (e.g., Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean”, and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”). The band's musicianship was fine, based on guitar (acoustic), drums, bass, and keyboards, but the lead vocalist was not. Her voice was incredibly reedy, and mostly tuneless. The guitarist had a much better and stronger voice (and in hair-band mode, looked like that blond surfer dude on TMZ). Their audience was tall and thin, preppy types (one of the great things about Hank’s is their diversity of bands), who danced in front of the stage. As good as GBB were to look at, I was honestly glad when they were done.
Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-UpsNext up was the band I had come to see, and Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups certainly did not disappoint. Immediately, there was a change of crowd, as an older, rowdy and fun group came to the forefront, including Lisa Brown (of Mongrel Bitch),who I had seen before at She Wolves shows.
CM&TSEUs are as horror-focused hardcore punk and horror-focused hardcore punk can be. In a long tradition of bands that focus on the macabre, horror film (gory-type), and serial killers, they sound like the howl of an angry wind in which you hear voices calling for your soul. Jacqueline is loud and angry, pulling the listener down and stomping on them until they submit. Hunched over and clutching the mic while standing in the audience, she rocks back and forth, spilling her vocal guts to the level that Lucio Fulci (were he not at the Quella villa accanto al cimitero) would be proud. Anthony, tall and imposing, played his Frankenstein monster on guitar to the hilt, making horror faces at the crowd and strum-pounding on his instrument. Jeez, it’s a fun band.
Jacqueline Blownaparte and some Queens of PainThey went through a number of their songs from the CD, and I even videoed one of my favorite songs from the CD, the opening cut, “Satan Met a Lady,” but like a fool I did half of it at vertical (when I take photos, I'm not locked into vertical or horizontal), and of course, there’s no way to view it that way. Oh, well. That’s why I’m a photographer rather than a videographer. They did “13 Killers,” “Eat Shit” (aka “BPPS”), “Dotti Douchebag Sings the Blues,” and “Trouble With Cannibals” (another of their tunes I really like). The set list is copied below the band line-up.
This was the first time I saw them play, and I’m certainly hoping it will NOT be the last. They are exciting and fun, in an insane asylum, hardcore, take-no-prisoners, 28-Days/Weeks-Later-speed kind of way.
Chesty Malone and the Slice-Em-Ups:
Jacqueline Blownapart: Vox
Anthony Allen Van Hoek: Guitar
Ernest Anderson III: Bass
Angel Cotte: Drums
Set list (as listed on their sheet):
Wasteface
Eat Shit
Satan
Livereaters
Meat Factory
Exit 13
Skincrawl
Everybody Hurts
Cannibals
13 Killers
Ghouls
Dotti Douchebag
Beavershot
chestymalone.com
myspace.com/chestymaloneandthesliceemups
Anthony’s excellent blog: rnrruinedmylife.blogspot.com
Sister AnneAfter CM&TSEM’s set the crowd mutated once again, into one that was younger with urban-coolness, as we waited for the next band, Sister Anne. They are developing quite the following, though honestly I had not heard of them before. But there always is a first time anyway, right?
They all arrived in costume (listed next to their names below), and were very vibrant. There were tickets given to anyone who was in costume, and the winners got to take home basically stuff that the band wanted to get rid of. I remember the Nerve used to do that, too. It really produced some laughs and joy from the crowd, as one of the band’s bassists, Leon – dressed in full Queens of Pain Roller Derby gear – read off the numbers. The lead singer, Kitana (who also goes by the name Pink Chocolate), is tall and lean, with a performing strut-style stance, almost like an Egyptian empress. Next to her was diminutive Michelle, decked out in full nun outfit and carrying a huge guitar, which she played beautifully, I must say.
What I liked about Queen Anne is that they seem to really be having fun and enjoying themselves. They also play a mean, lean R&B rock. Kitana’s easy manner on stage and frank, sexual-based straight-talk between songs proved that she is a primed front-person. As I watched, she moved around the stage with a both a grace and slink. At one point, she swung her head, and her neon blue anime wig went flying into the audience (and was promptly worn by a male fan in front), followed by the nylon head cover, so her own hair broke free of it’s further binds and was free to move on its own.
Rather than having a set list, Kitana and Michelle had quick discussions, e.g., “Let’s play 'So-and-so'," which worked for them. They are definitely an up and coming band to look for.
About 20 minutes into their set, I left. It was Halloween night, and I wanted to get home. On the way to the train, outside of Hank’s, I saw Jacquline, Anthony, and Lisa, so I got to congratulate the band on a good and solid set. It was good to let them know in person.
Sister Anne (costume):
Kitana aka Pink Chocolate (Anime): Vox
Michelle (Nun): Guitar
Leon (Roller Derby Queen): Lo-bass
Sherry (Derek Smalls from This is Spinal Tap): Hi-bass
Jeph (Animal from The Muppets)
www.myspace.com/sisteranne
Epilogue: On the train ride home, I was listening to people talk about how crowded the Village Halloween Parade was (someone said they got there two hours before the its start, and couldn’t see because of the crowds, estimated in the news reports as in the millions along its route. Going to Hank’s was definitely the right choice.Getting on the train at one point was a guy in the following costume: gym shorts, a t-shirt (yes, it was warm that night) with painted in sweat stains, and a gym bag. Oh, and he had an enormous soft rubber dildo and balls hanging out of his pants. Now that is just part of what disaster really means.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
