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The most shocking thing about Are We All Forgotten, the perky little EP from the Nashville quartet Paper Route, is the label that’s daring to release it. Apparently, Universal Motown didn’t get the memo that, as Eminem once bluntly put it, nobody listen to techno. Their “mistake,” as it were, is our gain, because this is one nifty collection of ambient electronic pop. The title song is the clear standout, armed with a skittery drum track and more jangly guitar than that entire La’s album. Lead singer Chad Howat’s tenor has a bit of Carl Newman to it at times, notably on “Empty House,” and the band is keen to balance the earnestness of the lyrics with plenty of ‘hoo hoos’ and ‘ha has.’ Gorgeous stuff. Looking forward to the full-length album. (Low Altitude/Universal Motown) |
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The six-song EP Laswell released earlier this year, How the Day Sounds, suggested vast landscapes of promise for Greg Laswell – so much promise, in fact, that it seemed altogether unlikely he’d be able to fulfill it all with the full-length follow-up. He doesn’t buck the odds here — Three Flights from Alto Nido is solid overall, and even close to brilliant in spots, but wide swaths of it are perfectly unmemorable in a perfectly pleasant way. Musically, Laswell is a blend of Ron Sexsmith and Coldplay, but he lacks the immediate emotional resonance of either; too much of the album glides past without lasting impact. But when he’s on, he’s on – “ “How the Day Sounds” is the greatest song that U2 never wrote, and tracks like “That It Moves” and “I’d Be Lying” soar on the strength of Laswell’s airy vocals and way with an elegantly catchy melody. For songs about such profound emotions, though, these recordings are curiously stately – almost airless. Part of the blame can be lain at the feet of Laswell’s fondness for GarageBand recording, but that’s just one symptom of a larger problem. There’s a bleeding heart lurking beneath all these layers of cool porcelain; with enough time, here’s hoping Laswell learns how to let it show. (Vanguard 2008) |
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There is an episode of “The Simpsons” where a record producer has Bart, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph sing into microphones that are hooked up to a machine that makes them sound like N’Sync (“Thank you, NASA,” the producer says). After listening to Hit the Lights’ Skip School, Start Fights, you will be inclined to believe that this machine actually exists, and nearly every emo band that put out an album in the last five years has used it. The problem is that instead of sounding like Justin Timberlake, you get a nasal, whiny, pinched tenor (must still be in the beta testing stage). Hit the Lights are not awful, mind you; they’re just unoriginal and derivative. Their songs are a series of Something Corporate-style vocals melded to breakdowns straight from your favorite My Chemical Romance song, so if you like that sort of thing, then odds are you’ll like this, too. But don’t let that album title fool you: the last thing these boys want to do is cause trouble. They sing of sobering up and staying out all night, getting you to break up with your miserable whore of a girlfriend, and getting out of “this bitter town,” presumably the band’s hometown of Lima, OH. They’re trying to sound like angst-ridden tough guys, but they’re far too cute and harmless to pass for menacing. It makes you wonder if they are even aware that their band name is a Metallica song. (EastWest) |
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It’s all too easy to forget what someone like Wes Montgomery meant to the guitar itself, and not just jazz guitar specifically. Concord’s Keepnews Collection, spotlighting milestones in the career of jazz producer Orrin Keepnews with 24-bit remastered sound and new liner notes from Keepnews himself, slips out a reminder with the series’ entry for The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery. Traditionally cited as Montgomery’s best studio album, it’s easy to hear why. Unlike his later recordings for Verve and A&M, which were often bloated by strings and other extraneous elements for a more pop-friendly sound, this landmark 1960 session finds Montgomery backed by a crack rhythm section – pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath – and nothing more. The quartet storms through six originals and two standards, and Montgomery’s trademark flying octaves are all over the place. His leads always sound effortless and simple, but just try playing them yourself with the style and grace with which Montgomery applies. He was one of a kind, and an inspiration to countless jazz guitarists for reasons that Incredible Jazz Guitar articulates clearly, succinctly and enjoyably. (Riverside/Concord 2008) |
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You can usually tell everything you need to know about a band by their name – Staind, Crystal Method, Motorhead, etc. – and then there are bands like the inexplicably named Sunny Day Sets Fire, who will likely turn off the very people who will love them before they’ve heard a note because of their name alone. For the record, they are far more about sunny days than setting fires, and Summer Palace, the debut album from the UK-based band – their members are from Italy, Hong Kong, Canada and England – is one of the year’s finest, a delirious mix of New Pornographers-style smart pop and psychedelic tinges that bring to mind Flaming Lips and Polyphonic Spree. “End of the Road” sports a spaghetti western guitar hook, while “Stranger” is straight-up bouncy power pop, and “All Our Songs” will make A.C. Newman green with envy. To carry the New Pornographers comparison a step further, some songs sound like Newman-written songs while others, namely “I Dream Along” and the (annoying) “Map of the World,” could have been the work of Dan Bejar. It all adds up to one of the most adventurous and rewarding pop records you’ll hear all year. More, please. (IAMSOUND Records) |
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Technology has afforded so many singer/songwriters to release albums in the last few years that it’s practically unfathomable. So how do we sift through everything and find the music that’s actually worth listening to? We rely on things like satellite radio, film/TV artist launches, and publicists. Of course, this stuff has to pass our ears and make us stand up and take notice, and Denver’s Dan Craig is doing that to more than a few ears. His third album, Skin Grows Thin, is 13 mostly acoustic offerings that are dreamy, ethereal Damien Rice-like fare that is performed with precision and emotion as if Craig truly believes every word he’s singing. To pull off the acoustic thing well, you have to have a remarkable voice, and Craig’s smoky tenor is just that. The opening track, “Further to Fall,” is money in the bank, but there really isn’t a bad track on here. Other notables are when Craig smartly uses strings and sweet harmonies to deliver his message, as he does on “Breaking Hearts Tonight” and “All Break Down.” Dan Craig’s music might be a music supervisor’s dream, but more than that, he’s a dependable singer/songwriter in a crowded genre. (Dan Craig Music) |
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The next time he’s in the shower, Chris Martin may want to take an extra minute to check his family jewels, because it sounds like his left nut has gone off and made itself an album. On its full-length debut, ’Til We See the Shore, Seabird presents itself as an incredible facsimile of Coldplay, copping every facet of their sound – swirly guitars, pensive keyboards, melancholy vocals – and adding nothing of their own, except perhaps the vaguest of CCM overtones. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being Coldplay for the Christian set, of course – just as there’s no crime in swinging for the fences with press kit quotes like “We hope this record will be an oasis for those who were left thirsty by years of heartache.” But dammit, if you’re going to swing for the fences, you’d better at least be holding a bat – not depending on such unintentionally hilarious couplets as ”So put this steak on your eye / It’s much better for you than rice / It’s your bread, water and rice.” It’s all very pretty, of course, but even on your debut, you’ve got to hope to provoke something more than unfavorable comparisons to Keane. (Credential Recordings 2008) |
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David St. Hubbins said it best; “It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever” and frequently it call comes down to presentation. Take a group like They Might Be Giants; a good majority of their songs don’t even make sense. They’re filled with non-sequiturs about human/alien lovemaking, evil puppets and deviant cyclopes. However, they present their lyrics in a musical format (college/indie rock) that is equally quirky and oddball, so it works out for them. Your Highness Electric, on the other hand, wrap their decidedly odd lyrics around generic, paint-by-numbers cock rock on The Grand Hooded Phantom. And since they aren’t going over the top with it a la The Darkness, it must be assumed that they want to be taken seriously. But when lines like “I know what the little babies need/They think ‘I want to suck on breasts all day long” are accompanied by bluesy rock riffs and a vocalist who sounds like he wants to make love to the microphone, it’s hard to wrap your head around it. Maybe if the music was a little bit better, it might work. Many songs, such as the hilariously named “Bob. Sugar. Sex. Magic.” and “Bearskin Love,” sound like boring arena rock that would have been embarrassing and boring if released 10 years ago, albeit with exceptionally out-there lyrics. It’s hard to hate Your Highness Electric because they are so damned odd. But it’s hard to like them because they are so damn boring. There has to be an audience somewhere for this weirdness; maybe philosophy majors who are into Skid Row. (LABEL: Longhair Illuminati 2008) |
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How many ways can we make money and exploit a dead star? We can keep releasing different versions of greatest hits, altering track order and omitting and including different songs. We can release groups of tracks from various record labels separately. We can also come up with new and interesting thematic collections, like songs from movies perhaps. Capitol felt the need to get some more Ol’ Blue Eyes product out there and compiled 20 tracks from his contributions to cinema. There is nothing wrong with compilations or Sinatra; in fact every American citizen should receive some Frank upon their birth, particularly Songs for Swingin’ Lovers or Strangers in the Night or if you want a compilation, try The Capitol Years from 1990. This collection has some of the well known stuff like “Chicago,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Three Coins in a Fountain” and “Young at Heart.” It also showcases the man’s voice from different periods of his career so you can hear the deepening and richness in his vocals as he matured. However, it is an unnecessary collection in that this material is available elsewhere. Sure, you can throw this on and have a nice Fresca on the patio, but there are many other collections much more worthy of your time. (Capitol) |
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Global Noize is collaborative project between turnbalist DJ Logic and Grammy Award-winning jazz composer/keyboardist Jason Miles, and joining them throughout their self-titled debut are about a dozen or so other musicians. Some of the more notable contributors include Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, Blues Traveler’s John Popper, singer Me’Shell Ndegeocello and legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert. In addition to those somewhat prominent names, jazz musicians Karl Denson, Billy Martin, Cyro Baptista and Christian Scott show up, as does Parliament/Funkadelic’s Bernie Worrell. That’s a lot of great musicians from a ton of genres; and they bill themselves as “the nexus of jazz, funk, world music and electronica,” so it’s really too bad that they sound like nothing more than a third-rate jazz act experimenting with a turntable and a sampler. This isn’t a record that has one foot in jazz while dabbling in other genres; it has both feet firmly planted in jazz while the occasional pinky toe dips into electronic music or rock for a second before quickly retreating back to the safe, soothing waters of modern jazz. If you’re looking for a successful blend of jazz and electronic music (two genres of music that go surprisingly well together) check out Sqaurepusher’s Ultravisitor or At the Center by Meat Beat Manifesto. This is nothing more than waiting room music with mediocre backbeats tacked on. (Shanachie 2008) |
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Val Emmich is a name you may not recognize, but here’s a dude (yes, Val is a man) that has released five albums and an EP, one on a major label and a few on indies. And years of touring with the likes of Butch Walker, Gavin DeGraw and Better Than Ezra has helped to shape Emmich’s current style and songwriting on his latest, Little Daggers. Emmich played most of the instruments on this effort, and it’s filled with anthems and rockers, heartfelt lyrics, and hooks that are sometimes subtle but usually engaging. It’s the kind of album you probably won’t hear on the radio, but you’ll find playing in some cool record store or, if Emmich is savvy at marketing, in a motion picture. You can take the songs on which Emmich tries a bit too hard, especially on “Hurt More Later” and “Darling Denise,” the latter of which sounds kind of like emo whining. But the bulk of the tracks are very good, bordering on really, really good. In particular, the first few rocking numbers, “The Lucky Ones” and “Get On With It,” will have you quite possibly dancing on the roof of your car, while the best track of all, “Down,” sounds like a cross between Butch Walker and a more somber Bruce Springsteen. Despite a few clunkers, this is still one of the better albums by an independent artist in 2008. (LABEL: bluhammock music) |
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The Feelings Mutual is a power pop trio from San Diego, and having been together for less than a year at release time, this five-song self-titled EP is literally hot off the presses. But it surely does what every good EP does, which is to make you want at least five more songs. There are hints of quite a few things going on in the Feelings Mutuals’ songs, including garage rock (think The Strokes), ‘90’s alt-pop (think Better Than Ezra), edgy pop (think Butch Walker) and active rock radio fare (think Breaking Benjamin). But what’s most impressive is that these three dudes somehow tie all that together in a way that, while obviously unique, is still quite palatable. Once you stop trying to figure out how they do it, and just listen, the answer is simple — this is a damn good band. Blazing rocker “Monolith” and rock anthem “Ring Me Out” are the standouts on a fine debut. Now let’s hope the Feelings Mutual gets in a van, tours, lives some life, and makes some more music. (Ares Records) |
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Yes, his rhythmic style is little more than a combination of Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg, but there is something charming about Kentucky white boy Kasper from the K (Timothy Hoggard to his mother). Maybe it’s the fact that he accepts that he’s a white boy, and forgoes the cliché hardcore gangsta scene in favor of sleazy club jams. And man, are these songs sleazy: there isn’t a moment on the Whatcha Gondo EP where Kasper isn’t talking or thinking about getting’ him some freaky. The super freak path is a slippery one, though; go too far, and you come off as a serial rapist, but Kasper is more fast-talking himbo than roofie-slipping perv. And with a calling card like the super-catchy, “Obsession”-cribbing title track, he is going to be up to his eyeballs in women for the foreseeable future. Isn’t that the primary reason why guys get into music in the first place? Sure, “Whatcha Gondo” might wind up as the “Boom Boom (Let’s Go Back to My Room)” of the new millennium, but as long as it helps him score women, we doubt Kasper will care much about his long-term legacy. (EO Music) |
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When you stop and think about all of the work and traveling involved in a 162-game baseball season, it’s no wonder that the game is littered with characters and funny stories. And while there have been your share of light-hearted songs about the game of baseball over the years, such as “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “Talkin’ Baseball,” it was high time that someone poke a stick in the collective belly of the sport. Enter this group of wise guys – Scott McGaughey (R.E.M.) and Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate). After enlisting Peter Buck (R.E.M.) and Linda Pitmon (Golden Smog) to round out The Baseball Project, the group whipped up thirteen songs and hit the studio, and the result is Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails. Nothing is sacred here, including maybe the best song title ever, “Ted Fucking Williams.” They also pick on guys like Curt Flood, Harvey Haddix, and Fernando Valenzuela. But perhaps the best track of all is “The Yankee Flipper,” a reference to rocker and former pitcher Jack McDowell, about the time he flipped off 50,000 booing fans at Yankee Stadium. But here’s a bonus - the music is really good. It’s raunchy garage rock with R-rated lyrics, but melodic enough to suit most musical palates. Serious fans of both baseball and music should own this one and look forward to Volume 2. (LABEL: Yep Roc) |
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His album artwork looks like an accident and his name sounds like he should be running a Chevrolet dealership in Hogeye, Arkansas, but Bill Purdy is actually a damn fine singer/songwriter – as evidenced by his debut EP, the five-song, self-released Move My Way. He bills himself as “Jack Johnson meets Dr. John,” and that falls within spitting distance of the truth, but if these tracks are a reliable indicator, Purdy has a lot more in common with rootsy troubadours like Martin Sexton. The EP offers a seamless blend of soulful ballads and breezy up-tempo numbers, all of them anchored by Purdy’s keys – he plays piano, Wurlitzer, and B-3 here – and sandpaper-coated-in-honey vocals. The songs are catchy, a little bit funky, and as warm as a Memphis night in July. If anything, Purdy could stand to scuff up the edges of his sound a bit more – his press kit tries to lump him in with artists like Johnson and John Mayer, and it’s easy to see him heading that direction, but no matter how strong the pull of the middle of the road might be, Purdy’s career will be much more interesting if he keeps hanging out in the weeds. Get busy with that full-length follow-up, please. (Bill Purdy 2008) |
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