Category: CD QuickTakes (Page 120 of 149)

The Frontier Brothers: Space Punk Starlet

September 12, 2008 / Jeff Giles

No, seriously, they really mean space punk: according to their official bio, the Frontier Brothers were “born in space and raised in Texas,” and the band members – who dress in red Spandex bodysuits on stage, by the way – are led by a singer named Marshall Galactic, whose voice could occasionally be described as otherworldly. (It could just as often be described as sounding like a bag of cats in a dryer, but nobody’s perfect.) Anyway, if you’ve ever wanted to know what space punk sounds like, this is your chance – and you should think twice about passing up that chance, really, especially if you have a fondness for ragged, impassioned, tongue-in-cheek rock & roll. For the duration of Space Punk Starlet, the Frontier Brothers sound like a band on the verge of falling apart, but they also sound like they’re having a blast, and their enthusiasm is infectious – in fact, the record is so much fun that you can’t help but wish they hadn’t bothered with the dopey gimmicks, and just trusted the music to do the talking. That’s just quibbling, though; by the time the band goes roaring into the madcap closer, “T.E.S.S. You Are a Wonderful Robot, Stay With Me All the Time,” you’ll be too far gone to care. Space Punk Starlet is a sweaty mess, in the absolute best sense of the word. (self-released)

Frontier Brothers MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

Various Artists: Ten Out of Tenn Volume 2

September 12, 2008 / Mike Farley

Singer/songwriter Trent Dabbs hails from Nashville, where you can throw a rock and hit a musical artist. But when he and his wife/manager Kristen realized that their favorite artists were Trent’s peers, and not those being touted by the media outside of Nashville, they decided to do something about it. The result was Ten Out of Tenn, a compilation featuring some of Nashville’s more under-the-radar pop/rock talent. The first volume was released in 2005, and Vol. 2 is dripping with so much talent, it may be difficult for anyone on it to remain unknown for long. Most of these artists have enjoyed film/TV placements, and some are or have been signed to labels, but the bottom line is that the Dabbs family knows how to evaluate talent. The most promising are Erin McCarley, whose “Pony (Go On)” is the first and best track, as well as Butterfly Boucher, Andy Davis and Dabbs himself. There are also a few clunkers – Griffin House sounds like he’s trying too hard to be Jason Mraz on “The Guy That Says Goodbye” and Katie Herzig’s vocal vibrato may wear on you after ten seconds – but both have been praised by critics, so feel free to form your own opinion. Overall, this is a solid compilation and a great avenue for pimping some of Nashville’s true talent. (Ready Set Records)

Ten Out of Tenn MySpace Page

Alternative, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country, Indie Labels, Pop, Rock

One Block Radius: One Block Radius

September 12, 2008 / Jeff Giles

This California trio boasts solid alt-rap credentials – Marty James and MDA were a Grand Royal act when they went by Scapegoat Wax, and the first One Block Radius sides were dropped courtesy of Oakland’s Hieroglyphics – but you wouldn’t necessarily know it from listening to their self-titled sophomore release; though One Block Radius boasts flashes of unexpected humor and solidly lyrical flow, wide chunks of the record are wasted on tracks devoted to the same old shit. Tracks such as “Dead Man” and “Stand Up” rely, for the most part, on the standard-issue gangsta clichés that were dried up in the mid ‘90s, and nothing here reflects the originality that made 2005’s Long Story Short such an enjoyable listen. It isn’t a total loss, though; while too much of the album is too self-consciously mainstream to make much of an impact, they do occasionally manage to focus their strengths. Songs such as “Shoplifta,” “Screwin’ It Up,” and the wonderfully juvenile “Choc-O-Lot” (sample lyric: “Underneath that sundress / She got cheeks, oh yes”) offer a few moments of smartly crafted hip-hop in between the all the formula. Begging to be cherrypicked, One Block Radius is an iTunes album if ever there was one. (Mercury 2008)

One Block Radius MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Hip Hop

White Lion: Return of the Pride

September 11, 2008 / R. David Smola

It’s been 17 years since White Lion’s last record, Mane Attraction. With only original vocalist Mike Tramp left in the fold, the Lion is back with a nice chunk of progressive anthem rock called Return of the Pride. Playing the part of original shredder extraordinaire Vito Bratta is the very capable Jamie Law, who shows a few chops of his own on this surprisingly good record. Tramp’s lyrics are heady as he questions religion on “Sangre De Cristo” and examines Custer’s last stand on “Battle of Little Big Horn.” “Dream” is a big-ass song with swagger and licks to spare. Tramp’s raspy vocals sound spot-on as you can feel the arena…well, maybe the small club rocking, but they’re still big in Belgium. (Or is that Citizen Dick from “Singles”?) Get your lighters ready for the balladry of “Never Let You Go” and the first minute of “Set Me Free” before it settles into a big rock groove.

There is nothing incredibly innovative about the album; it’s just well executed, thoughtful, and extremely well played big rock. Keyboards and acoustic guitars fill the spaces between guitar virtuosity and layered backing vocals as Tramp and co-producer and bassist Claus Langeskov know how to get the most out of their sound. It sounds like an ’80s record, but in a good way. There is enough space to hear the instruments, as opposed to just a deafening set of the higher end with no bass or drums. It is crowded inside the White Lion sound, but clear. Listen to the snarling bass line in “Battle of Little Big Horn” and try to keep your toe from tapping and your head from banging. Return is a welcome and pleasant surprise. The inclusion of live versions of their two biggest songs, “Wait” and “When the Children Cry,” are unnecessary. It should be okay for a band to evolve and move forward even if celebrating their past in the spirit of their sound, especially with a record as strong as this one. It’s okay to move forward, boys. Really. (Airline)

White Lion My Space page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, External Music, Metal, Rock

Solange Knowles: Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams

September 5, 2008 / Jeff Giles

Released during the same year as her big sister’s smash solo bow, Solange Knowles’ debut album, 2003’s Solo Star, had the misfortune of arriving during the full flush of Beyoncé mania – and also, it pretty much sucked. Since that album tanked, Solange has acquired a reputation as the more willfully independent Knowles sister – she’s a divorced single mother whose own Wikipedia entry describes her as “a total bitch” – while doing little to move herself musically out of Beyoncé’s shadow. Call her the Jan Brady of the Knowles family – and call it surprising, then, that her terribly named sophomore release is actually very much worth listening to. Solange’s voice is thin, but in a charming Diana Ross-type way, which works to her extreme advantage here, as she’s blanketed these songs with a heavy Motown vibe. Don’t call it a throwback, per se – there’s still plenty of the hard-edged modern production you’d fear from any young R&B artist – but there’s also plenty of live instrumentation (yes, even drums!) and an overall earthiness that’s as appealing as it is unexpected. The majority of the record-buying public will probably sleep on Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, but they shouldn’t – this record’s better than its title. (Geffen 2008)

Solange Knowles MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, R&B