2 Live Shows: Dave Rave, Randy Nerve/Toli Nameless/Kung Fu Grip

Dave Rave/Mark McCarron CD Release Party, D Lounge, NYC 6/20/2007

Many rockers and punkers, as they reach a level of maturity, seem to seek out a more varied means of expression. Even some hardcore SoCals have started releasing singer-songwriter output.
One of the more flexile artists over the past few years seems to be Dave Rave DesRoches. While not going through as many bands as, say, Kenne Highland, Dave has shown his versatility through such diverse acts as the Shakers, Teenage Head (both back-up and lead), The Dave Rave Conspiracy, and Dave and Agnelli (to name just a few). While there has been some consistency in his pop rock/punk, he also has not stagnated into a formula. One may say he’s more of an auteur. This is quite evident listening to his CDs, “The Dave Rave Anthology”, volumes 1 and 2 (Bullseye Records of Canada).
Lately, Dave has collaborated with Mark McCarron, a first-rate journeyman jazz/rock guitarist. Mark has deepened Dave’s palate, as has Dave’s association with Vancouver’s Bongobeat Records’ founder, Ralph Alphonso (who used to manage the Toronto punk band Diodes, and now fronts the more jazzy RALPH).
Dave and Mark have now released a CD of (all but one) originals titled “In The Blues of My Dreams” (Bullseye). On April 20, 2007, Dave had a CD release party at D Lounge, off Union Square Park in New York. As a fan of Dave, I was interested in going. Also, I had just gotten my digi camera, so I was itching to try it out in a live music situation. End result was not great, but I’m learning. Link to the photos are below.
The place was warm and intimate, with an occasional celeb sighting, like
Television’s Billy Ficca. My partner and I sat towards the back, and settled in. While waiting for the show to start, I had the opportunity to finally meet Bullseye’s rep and v-mail tag partner, Lisa Millar. I was also grateful to get to say hello to Dave’s (sort-of) ex-musical partner, Lauren Agnelli, whom I first met when I interviewed her earlier band, Nervus Rex (I was the first!). Of course, this was post her gig as a rock writer, and pre her folkie days as a Washington Square). By the way, check out her own CD of chanteuse material, “Love Always Follows Me” (Bongobeat).
As the set began, Mark came out with his full group, including strings and woodwinds. This was a similar set-up as when I saw Dave play with the Vancouver group, Bedsit Poets (their CD is also on Bongobeat, but I have not heard it yet).
The music was quite fresh. So new, Dave had the lyrics with him. Between songs of life and love, Dave pattered in his usual and charming self-deprecating way, curly hair tussled and bouncing. He immediately put everyone into the groove.
Most of the songs were off the new CD, like the catch-laden and very memorable “At the End of Day”. There was also “Sunday of My Dream” and the humorously sad, “Bad Day”, which had a bit of audience participation built in.
Of course, with Lauren in the audience, anyone familiar with them at all knew (and hoped) she was going to join in on stage for a few duets, and she even managed a solo.
On the way out, I made sure to snag a copy of the new CD, which I have to say, glows with Dave’s personality and Mark’s musical leading. I won’t lie, I would love to see Dave strap on the electric guitar again, but meanwhile, we can all enjoy his sounds for a rainy afternoon.

Randy Nerve/Toli Nameless/Kung Fu Grip, Vox Pop, Brooklyn, 6/22/2007
For those who don’t know, there is a small leftist bookstore on Courtelyou Road in Brooklyn that serves up great coffee, interesting lectures, and some diverse musical acts.
On June 22, 2007, I moseyed over there. When I arrived, The Sea That Dried Up was on stage, who is basically a guy with a vibraphone and a feedback machine. He would hit a couple of notes, loop it, and then add a few more, until it was a continuous, loud, and incredibly annoying sound. I’m not a fan of electronica, and this is an example of why. I tried to be open, and looked through some books, finding one I liked. After a few minutes, I knew I had reached saturation, so I brought the book to the front, asked them to hold it, and went out for some pizza, hoping it was over when I was done with my two squares (aka Sicilian style).
When I got back, he was still on. I put in some earplugs and checked out some more books. After the stage noise ended, I took out the earplugs and went back for the book and a big cup o’ coffee, meeting the cool server who is a punker recently moved here from Boston. .
Then I sat down with my cup and waited for the first act I wanted to see, Randy Nerve. I got to know Randy from his previous group, the Nerve! The first time I saw them was at the belated Brooklyn venue, the Punk Temple. Meanwhile, I’d seen Randy perform solo a few times, and it was always enjoyable.
With a love of ‘60s rock (e.g., Pink Floyd) and punk (e.g., Ramones), Randy uses the acoustic guitar no different than an electric, as does Ed Hammil (Hammil on Trial), playing rock and punk styles on hollow wood. This gives his songs a dialectic reversed answer to Dylan going electric. Mixed with some Nerve! songs and cool covers, there was also some newer material he wrote solo, or with sometime writing partner (and ex-drummer of the Nerve!) Anthony, of Kung Fu Grip.
As Randy played, the place began to fill, including some familiar faces. Also arriving were KFG’s Anthony & Ricky, along with their lovely companions, Desiree and Laura (respectively). When not jumping around taking pictures (link is below), I sat with the KFGers.
Between sets, I talked to them about work, school, and overzealous subway cops. Anthony gave me a copy of their CD (myspace.com/kungfugrip), which I highly recommend.
Amid gigs, Randy is a regular subway busker, usually on the F line. During his travels, he meets other musicians. In typical Randy style, he invited the next artist to play this night, Toli Nameless.
Toli is known for her jazzy vocals, and her trombone playing. She was accompanied by poet/rapper/musician Yako on guitar and percussion. When Toli opened up her case, it seems the trombone was broken, so that was out, unfortunately. But it also gave the audience a chance to listen to more of her voice.
Rather than jazz, Brooklyn native Toli focused on some political-dominated Rasta reggae, full of rev-o-lu-tion and social commentary. Very powerful stuff that surely would have made Marley proud. And through it all, Yako kept the rhythm going.
Last up were cousins Anthony and Ricky, formerly of Good Grief (led by Ricky) and now the core of Kung Fu Grip (led by Anthony). Ricky is a phenomenal guitarist and Anthony is a solid songwriter in the post-grunge vein. Together, in this case with both on acoustic guitars, they are quite formidable.
Their songs are actually quite adaptable from full rock band to softer acoustic, definitely lighting up the evening even more. I fought the urge to call out for some of their pre-KFG material like “Intro” and “Greatest Band in the World”. These guys are tight. It wouldn’t surprise me to hear of their success in the biz.
After saying my byes, I took a couple of pictures of Desiree dancing to Randy’s conga drumming. Yeah, this night, the rhythm was right.

Photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/ffranzos2006v1

A galaxy close, close away

Sorry for the gap here, it's been a fun period since I came back from Mexico City, mostly with visits by family. I will update soon, with comments on the Dave Rave show in New York, and the Randy Nerve/Kung Fu Grip show in Brooklyn.

More later, but sooner.

-- Robert Barry Francos

CD Reviews: Rarities

Just back from Mexico City, where I attened the 8th Annual Media Ecology Conference. While there, I climbed some pyramids, ate at a restaurant that was in a cave and another that still had bullet holes in the celing put there by Pancho Villa, and presented a paper titled "Technology's Role in the Birth and Death of Rock and Roll". All very exciting.

Here is a new feature for FFanzeen, some reviews of records (and a tape) of rarities. I have never seen any of these releases elsewhere, so if you have, I'd love to have you comment on it. Or if you haven't, well, feel free to comment anyway.

I don’t remember where (garage sale?) in the Northampton, MA, area I picked up this cassette of JIM & JENNIE AND THE PINE BARONS’ DIY self-titled cassette, but I’m glad I did. This is a bluegrass jug band at its sitting-around-the-campfire best. There’s only six songs here, but each has a distinctive tune, and ranges from humorous {“Rattler”, about an old dog and rules to live by) to heartbreaking (“Sing Me Back Home”, an eve of execution tune), to both (“Don’t Shit on My Heart”). Jim Drewson (guitar) has a sort of goofy voice and Jennie Benford (mandolin) has more of a high, crunchy voice, and yet both sing together well in harmony, and also remain interesting on their own. There’s fiddles, banjos and a dobro that round out the sound. The cassette cover is originally both hand drawn and written. I wonder if they put out any more, because I sure would be interested. Hell, what I’d really like is to be sitting around that campfire listening to them.

While hanging out in Montpelier, VT, I came across this strange second hand store that had a very, very small music section. In this area was a box full of cassettes (25c) and CDs (50c) of a local company compilation called “Camsco Music Sampler One: Carrying on the Tradition”. I bought the cassette, and then went back and bought the CD next time I was in town. There are 16 songs by 8 artists, and each one a rare traditional folk gem. The song range includes covers from the Victorian period, the Civil War, to older British material (the Short Sisters doing a beautifully touching version of the classic “Bonnie Light Horseman”). Some standouts include “The Man Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn” by the Aminons, “Pat Do This” by Jeff Warner and Jeff Davis”, the accapela “Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl” by Helen Schueyer, the rousing Cajun “La jeune mariee/L’homme a deux femmes” by Jeter Le Point, the miid-19th Century Americana “The Katie and the Jim Lee” and “Booth Shot Lincoln” by Jerry Epstein, and the rousing “From Where I Sit” by Anne Dodson. All 16 cuts are excellent, and if you can find this, definitely go for it.

Up in Kingston, Ontario, there is a furniture store that also sells used music. I picked up a number of great albums there in the 1980s, including this gem from the ‘60s. Put out by Vanguard (‘recordings for the connoisseur”), THE ALLEN-WARD TRIO (Craig Allen, Lynn Ward, Robin Ward) were Torontonians who played the Canadian folk circuit, and even performed at the Gaslight Café in NYC. All in their early 20s at the time of this recording, their style fits easily along with Ian & Sylvia and the Weavers. There a few standard covers here, like “East Virigina” and “The Trooper and the Maid”, but what is worth noting and what makes this LP stand out from every other sound-alike “Cumbaya” band from the period is their interpretations. “The Cuckoo” is done in sharp accapella, and there is an interesting treatment of “Leather Wing Bat”. They also do a rousing “No More Auction Block,” a slavery period song. Usually, when folk groups of this period did these kinds of numbers, it often felt like Pat Boone doing Little Richard. The A-WT give it depth and humanity. And most importantly, respect. There are also a number of then-newer songs covered from the likes of Tom Paxton, Gordon Lightfood, and Woody Guthrie (of course). Also present are a few original songs worth a listen, especially the heartbreaking “I Need a Friend”, possibly my favorite cut on the record. I don’t know what happened to them, anyone have a clue?

When I interviewed Tom Petty in 1976, just before his first album came out, the people at Shelter Records also gave me the LYONS & CLARK LP, “Prisms”. This is the only time I have heard of them, or saw any reference to them. That’s a shame, because they were great. Debbie Lyons and Pam Clark have a sound that’s somewhere between Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins (“East of Eden” period), and their voices blend together in amazing harmonies. While the songs are singer-songwriter with a soft touch (lots of horns and strings), they never sound bland. The melodies are memorable, and the lyrics deep and heartfelt. I was just looking over the song list and trying to pick out faves, and it’s just not possible; this is a listen-to-all-the-way-through record. Yeah, it’s one of those get cozy in front of the fireplace with a cup of Earl Grey kind of sounds.

In a completely different vein, there’s MYKEL BOARD’s “Nothing But Record Reviews Bonus II: The Strange Transmissions Cassette” from 1989, which came with one of his magazines. Mykel is a New York hardcore fixture, from his writing for numerous fanzines, to his underrated sarcastic band, Art, The Only Band in the World (Art’s “Live in Carnegie Hall” is jaw-dropping fun). But this cassette is something in a world of its own. The first side is called “The Radio Interview”, which is someone (Mykel?) interviewing a 16 year old girl who is into having sex with dogs. The interviewer starts just about every question with “So…” This side is pretty forgettable, but it’s the second side that’s the gem, titled “M. Board’s Answering Machine (selections)”. These are calls that people left, and they range along death threats, insults, poetry, desperate people, and sex workers. The whole tape is short at less than 10 minutes each side. Meanwhile, I’m hoping Art rises from the dead.

CD Reviews - Americana

Here are some releases by artists who are deep into the classic Americana genre, yet bring their own vision to the style.

On “Earning Her Wings” (angelaeasterling.com), ANGELA EASTERLING take a traditional pop country stance (think Loretta Lynn meets Barbara Mandrell) that is full of fiddles, pedal steel guitar, twang and some heavy emoting. From the fun “Feel Like Drinking” to the somber “Dear Johnny”, Angela invites you to the hoedown. Her voice is airy and fits the style like a sheath. Enjoyable from beginning to end, Angela has her finger (and voice) on the pulse of the style. The final cut is a rollicking cover of “When I Wake Up and Sleep No More”, with more than a hint of gospel handclapping sing-along. Yeah, I liked this one.

Stepping even further into traditional Americana, RACHEL HARRINGTON sets the calendar into prohibition period with “The Bootlegger’s Daughter” (Skinny Dennis, c/o rachelharrington.net). Not only does she capture the feel of the period with mandolins, steel pedal guitars, and banjos, but even her syntax and lyrics has the feel of the period. Stunning stuff, and backed by her beautiful, aerie voice, you can imagine you’re riding along with Bonnie and Clyde, or stepped into the “O Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack. Songs tell tales of shamed baseball player Shoeless Joe, revenge against the railroad around the time of the Civil War, and a hint of that ol’ tyme religion. It’s not often one finds this level of sophistication. File with along with Alison Krauss, Nanci Griffin and EmmyLou Harris.

MICHELLE TITIAN comes from one of the more musically underrated cities in Canada: Hamilton, Ontario. But even with me, who knows more of the rock side of the Hammer, there is a lot to learn. Michelle proves that with her eponymous CD (michelletitian.com). Her voice is very rich, as she sings somewhere between country and singer/songwriter, with a twang and pull on the heart. There is definitely a strong WTF air about this, making me wonder why this woman is not played on every country radio, as she has such a strong presence. With all the mediocre material broadcast, they need a fresh sound like this. I mean, she’s got the sound, the looks, and the material. The CD just gets better with each listen, making it difficult to pick a fave, so I’m just going to go down the middle, and pick two exceptionally strong cuts, with the classic sound of “Take My Hand” and the more contemporary twang of “Be Mine”.

JENNIFER BRANTLEY proves to be a watchable crossover country artist with her “On the Other Side” (Blue Room, PO Box 160916, Nashville, TN 37216). What does this mean? Simply, she sings country style, but in a way that it could easily fit into other genres, such as singer-songwriter, and even some pop. This is especially true on her demo of “Breakdown”, which I was luckily enough to hear. Jennifer has a sweet voice, which makes the meaning to some of the deep themes she covers all the more telling, including breakups and near suicide after mother abandonment. But the theme that seems the most consistent is coming through “the storm” to realization of love and home. It may sound simplistic, but through Jennifer’s eyes we see redemption among the questions in a way that is part story and all heart.

DOLORES DAGENAIS sent me her entire catalog of three releases, including her older releases “Mona Lisa’s Secret” (bluenewtmusic@sympatico.ca) and “The Original Fool” (bluenewtmusic@sympatico.com), and her newest, “Songs For the Moon” (Doloresdagenais.com). Of course, I started at the first and worked my way through all of them. Really beautiful music. Dolores sings from the heart, from her opening title cut of “Mona Lisa’s Secret” to her hopeful “A Course in Miracles” off her newest, this is a journey, and not just an RV trip to see James Kellaghan (see her amusing video diary on YouTube). Dolores’s voice is sweet, whether effectively being bluesy or traditional folk. Mostly she sings from the heart with full and emotive knowledge. Whether autobiographical or story form, you know this woman is coming from a place where she has experienced a wide range of both joys and hardships. Some of this shows up in her songs in the form of spirituality (but never preaching), in the likes of “2000 Years Late”, “Prayers” and the aforementioned “Miracles”. You can just feel the hope. Originating in Sudbury, Ontario (showing up in “Sudbury Home”, on “Fool”) she has made her way to Nova Scotia. For someone as prolific as she is (38 songs over 3 CDs), the quality of her writing doesn’t falter, which makes the listening a returned experience.

CD Reviews - Mixed Batch

Here are some CDs that cover the entire country, in both geography and style.

Listening to Vancouver-based CINDERPOP on “Their Skies Are Beautiful” (bongobeat.com) is just what I would imagine it would be like to float in one of those saltwater immersion tanks that gives one a feeling of weightlessness. Super powerpop that is incredibly smooth and polished as ice over glass. A substantial ‘sixties influence as deep as a homage to bands like the Association or Beau Brummels meet the Dream Academy. Kevan Ellis has a voice that glides over the music and programmed sounds. To be fair, and to their benefit, the programming is exceedingly credible and accessible, and not rinky-dink plunking as it tends to be. Very purdy. . – RBFrancos/FFanzeen

The DARK MARBLES originated, in many ways, in the garage revival of the 1980s. Lead singer Yod was in the Buffalo band, the Splatcats, and more recently in the Bernie Kugel Experience. The three cuts presented on “Let’s Go!: First Three Singles” (darkmarbles.com) are actually from that revival mold, and yet all three are different. “Run Through the Rain” is the purest of the paradigm, with cool farfisa sounds and twangy guitars. “In Angola”, written by Yod, is a moody piece, more arty than garagey, but still maintains enough to see the influence. The last cut is a cool cover of The Good’s (i.e., Bernie Kugel) first single, “Walk Around the World”. More pop than garage, the song is well covered by the DM, and they add their own touch to make it their own. Not we sit back and wait for the whole album. – RBFrancos/FFanzeen

When one thinks of “theatrics” in rock in the U.S., one may reflect along the lines of Alice Cooper. In the U.K., it’s probably more towards the Who. In fact, British rockers have more readily adopted Dance Hall than we have with, say, Tin Pan Alley. “Waking the Mystics” (zarathustrarecords.com) by SOPHE LUX, from the U.S. West Coast, is the brilliant brainchild of Gwynneth Haynes, who wrote most of the music here and mixes rock, theatric technic, a vivid imagination, and a band who is totally attuned, and has produced a collection that stands out. Song topics include a “Marie Antoinette Robot 2073” suite, our idiot president who uses religion as a guiding force (from “President”: “Countless bodies burning bridges losing liberties/For a war based on the export of democracy…/You’d turn the water right into wine.”), to a time-tripping “Lonely Girl”. The music never talks down to the listener, and certainly is thoughtful…with some killer tunes with that said theatrical touch. Plus, the CD is enhanced so one can watch their brilliant “Target Market” video, which is the opening cut and a possible breakthrough shot. – RBFrancos/FFanzeen

This is some really fun and fucked up shit. Imagine the Ramones if they had grow’d up on Hank Williams rather than the Beach Boys. Picture the Plasmatics if they had flowered on Patsy Kline rather than Black Sabbath. With fiddle and tongue firmly in place on “Usurpers of the Tradition” (unclefucker.com), UNCLE FUCKER just WHIP through their number with a ferocity that’s rare even today. To give you an example, think of Charlie Daniels’ fiddling as the devil in “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”, and then triple it. Great covers of “Ya’ll Come” and “Rolling In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” just burns rubber. This ain’t yer daddy’s bluegrass, this is a country all its own. Never heard nothin’ like it before; I gotta see these guys live, too! – RBFrancos/FFanzeen

In those glorious pre-punk-entitled days when it was just underground rock, bands like the WHITE DEMONS were a fun part of going to CBs or Max’s. They call themselves “Action Rock”, which I’m willing to agree is an accurate label, as I would with bands like the Dolls, Heartbreakers, Demons, and so many others rocked their way into our hearts. These guys are pretty solid and heavy, without being cumbersome. Their songs on “Say Go” (sonicswirlrecords.com) are catchy, and this is eminently worth giving a listen. In a time when bands were held back by the excesses of studio technology, as they are again today, it’s refreshing to see/hear a band just rock out without all the bullshit that not just pads, but disguises the sound. Melodic without being sappy, rocking without being boring, and musicianship that is nut grabbing. Ahhhhhhh, thanks, WD. – RBFrancos/FFanzeen

As always comments are welcome, and feel free to send us your material to review.

CD Reviews: Boston Special

The latest batch of reviews are all from the Boston area, where they know how to support their local bands.

With Karen DeBiasse leading the Boston-based GIRL ON TOP, it shows how a good rocker can range from heavy to light, as with “Cherry Blossoms/Sakura” (girlontop.com ), and still come out…er…on top. This band knows how to wave their axe high and strong (“Air Waves” and “Beat Myself Up”) and yet have a tender side (“Cherry Blossoms”), to just take the first three cuts of this rock-solid CD. The musicians in this band have passed the ingénue stage, and have enough solid experience to get the job done effectively. It makes total sense that there are two Stones covers (in a row!) from their post-Blues period, because they fit in so well here, including a smashing version of “Paint It Black”, which is loyal and yet Girl on Top make it their own, with Karen showing her range by singing in a lower register. The whole recording is catchy enough to get on the radio without selling out, which is a tough thing to do. – RBF/FFanzeen

MACH 5 are named as much for Speed Racer’s car as for lead singer Mach Bell, who fronted the seminal Boston first-wave punk-era band, Thundertrain. And he’s lost none of the power, growl or grit. This new combo has all the earmarks of hook-laden bar rock that would fit in well on the shelf with the NY Dolls and their ilk. Right from the start on "Meet Mach 5" (thundertrain.com/mach5) , they pound you into the floor with “Get It Up”. Bell and the ridiculously monikered (but good songsmith) Dee Stroy wrote this and many of the others. “Deadly Combination” is almost an updated version of Wayne County’s “Max’s Kansas City”, looking at the wasted deaths of the likes of Thunders, Vicious, and Spungen. There are also some interesting covers, including Kirsty McaColl’s “They Don’t Know” (also previously covered by Tracy Ullman, and which seems a bit out of place here), Mose Allison’s total I-IV-V rave-up “If You’re Goin’ to the City”, and Alice Cooper’s “Under My Wheels” also make an appearance. But they’re local Boston boys, and they make it clear with shout outs to “Quincy Girl” and “Kenmore Square”. This CD is a fun flashback of pure rock power. Welcome back, Mach. – RBF/FFanzeen

So, what happens when a bunch of musicians centered in Worchester (for those out of the know, it is pronounced Wooosda), MA, who had previously been in metals bands, get together and decide to go pop? You get some wicked guitars behind a mainstream sound with a solid bottom and soaring vocals. While ALMADA's self title release (almadarock.com) is a little too sterile for my taste, I also believe that they deserve their props. The songs are catchy and I can easily see them right beside bands like My Chemical Romance. Actually, I heard the latest from MCR while getting a haircut this afternoon, and I think Almada blows them outta da water. Just from the strength of this first release, I am amazed I don’t hear them on some radio station, or blasting out of some retail store, bolstered by songs like “Killed By Cuteness,” “Japanese B-Side,” and especially “Radiator”. Note that since this release, Almada have changed their name to the ArkRoyal. – RBF/FFanzeen

The night I received the self-titled CD of PAUL HULTMAN (varulven.com), I was fortunate to see him play at the Kirkland Café in Somerville, MA. Paul used to be in the band The Instagators (yes, that’s how they spell it), and that period along with he rest of the last 20 years (including some demos) are included in this collection of his work. The Instagators parts are solid ‘80s Boston bar band sound that is still accessible (such as the rave-up opening cut, “Where’s the Party”; the closer is the same song in Spanish), thanks in part to producer/label owner Joe Viglione. But I emphatically want to emphasize just how strongly Boston-based Paul’s work is, with lines that include words like “stahka” (stalker). While Hultman did an acoustic set the night I saw him play, his rock playing is melodic and catchy. His voice is unique and feels present and sincere. There are also some interesting choices for covers, like the Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”, Zep’s “Ramble On”, Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”, and “Down Town Talk” by Tom Dickey & the Desires (Paul’s pal Jon Macey was a member, as well as leader of FoxPass, who also shared the bill that night). There are lots of Boston staple players here, including Steven Paul Perry (who also mastered the CD), Paul Santo, and Brian “Taz” Durante (who was in the audience at the Kirkland). I’d love to see him play electric some time. – RBF/FFanzeen
Photos I took that night of Paul, Joe V, and FoxPass at the Kirkland: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/551751987yQzRZK

I liked APPOMATTOX (appmttx.com) the first time I heard their CD, and it just continues to grow with each listen. A power trio from Boston, the band has a way with a song that is punk, melodious, and yet manages to stay wicked edgy. Yeah, they use a shredding guitar, dissonant notes, and sharp vocals, but the songs are memorable and powerful. Not a hint of a bad cut here. At six cuts in a bit less than 20 minutes, I’m looking forward to the whole she-bang. – RBF/FFanzeen

CD Reviews

Here are some CD reviews that the artists have been kind enough to send or give to me. They cover a spectrum of styles. Comments are always welcome.

Hailing from out west (okay, Michigan), I must say this self-titled CD by CHOKING SUSAN (chokingssusan.com) really pissed me off. I mean, it’s so much fun that I felt almost gypped by its being only 15 minutes. Seriously, this is majorly entertaining. The band is solid Ramones throwback – a compliment that complements vocalist Colleen Caffeine. Okay, I realize this is exceedingly obscure, but Colleen’s voice remind me a lot of Canadian singer Anne Lorree, though the style is ever so different. Very clean sounding recording and so sharp leading the buzzsaw behind her. And I do mean behind; the vocals on this recording are so far in front of the band in the mix, that sometimes it has a karaoke feel, but it all comes out in the wash with fun songs, dynamite instrumentation, sublimely racous lyrics, and keen vocals. A must NOT to avoid. - RBF
Here is a link to the photos I took when Choking Susan played at CBGBs in 2006: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/554604681UlHbBX

OBJECT is not just a rock duo but a couple as well. Eric is the voice and plays a strong guitar with a grunge style. Maria is a kick-ass, full-on energized power drummer. I’ve seen them play a few times now, and they never fail to impress. Their songs, including the 5 here on “The Mirror World” (Velcro Kitty, c/o objectband.com), are brash and inventive within its genre. “Talk Too Much is the catchiest and easily the breakout of this collection. And there is the irony for this connected couple: the lyrics are all first person about the misery of relationships (an example is “You are a hole I fell into” from “The 8th Floor”). While I don’t know what that is all about, I am convinced the Object as a whole is wholly worthwhile listening. - RBF
Here are some photos at a show at Peggy O'Niell's in Brooklyn which feature Object: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/544794675WCPomm

The first (and last) time I met TERRY SULLIVAN was outside Max’s Kansas City, when his seminal Buffalo band The Jumpers played there. That group should have made it. Another of his bands, the Restless, came close. Now here is a solo release that highlights what Terry can do. Terry was always a great rocker, and this release, "The Earth Moovs Around the Sun" (goodcharamel.com), shows his growth, adding some Cars-ish/Bowie-like pop edges (Bowie especially on cuts like “Mr. Completely”). Jumpers co-member Bob Kozak, one of the better songsmiths to come out of Erie County, joins him on a few cuts. Terry covers a bunch of different pop-rock styles, including blues inflection, Springsteen-type rock, ballads, singer-songwriter, and even some programmed techo-influence. Sounds like he’s all over the map, and, well, perhaps he is, but this is a decent exercise in pushing his own envelope. That being said, I still have to add that I’d like to hear more of the Jumpers’ style “I Wanna Know What’s Going On” straight bar rock. – RBF

We went to see Mary Gatchell play at the Rockwood on the Side of the Lower East, and figured we’d finish our drink and go. But fate had other plans, when TAMARA HEY came on. We did not leave until after her set, as she transfixed us right from the start. After her set, I got a copy of her CD, “Right This Minute” (Sunsound, c/o tamaramusic.com), which I’ve listened to a number of time now. Tamara is a local veteran, but this was my first taste of her sound, a comfortable mix of pop, singer-songwriter, and just a touch of country. Her voice is reminiscent of Emmylou Harris without the vibrato. A sweet voice with a solid band (including her own guitar) and excellent production values. There are lots of standout cuts, including the title one, “Up in the Air”, “”Rainy Rainy Cloud”, and so many others right to the end . She can break your heart with “More Like Melanie”. to getting your foot tapping with the bluegrass influenced “Pebble In My Shoe.” I feel fortunate to have the happy accident in seeing her. Won’t be the last. – RBF
Here are the photos I took of the show mentioned in this review: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/552522711roiCPv


At that same Gatchell/Hey show, I also ran into chanteuse KATHY ZIMMER, who gave me her CD “Dreamin’” (kathyzimmermusic.com). Kathy’s vocalizing is clearly the focus of this 15+-minute EP. Her voice is silky and cultured like a pearl, with a velvet smoothness that is reminiscent of laying in a bubble bath. There is a strong jazz influence and a hint of operatic training in there. She sounds like she could be singing standards sitting on a piano, or jazz on a rainy afternoon. The four songs, written by Kathy, are all right in their own right, but actually her voice seems stronger than the material. Really, that’s meant as a compliment of degree. – RBF


I will try to put up 5 reviews every few days or so. Keep those CDs coming in, folks.