Category: CD QuickTakes (Page 94 of 149)

Fiona Joy Hawkins: Blue Dream

February 13, 2009 /

Wow. This disc’s sleeve has so many splashy things on it, such as “Produced by Grammy Award Winner Will Ackerman” and “Guest Performance by Luka Bloom” to gushing quotes from T-Bone Wolk and Bob Ludwig that you get the feeling you should really, really love it before hearing a note. So why, then, is it so damn ho-hum? Ah, maybe because Hawkins is another in a long line of pianists who crank out faceless albums in which to listen while you do other things, like sit in a dentist’s office or work the Sunday crossword puzzle. Listeners are also told that this is “WORLD FUSION PIANO.” That doesn’t really mean anything other than Hawkins is employing other artists to throw some “non-traditional” sounds into her mix. No, this isn’t Richard Clayderman, but it’s about as captivating. And at 22 tracks it’s nothing short of ego overkill. Definitely for a certain type of audience. Could possibly be good to put your newborn babies to sleep at night. (Little Hartley Music)

Fiona Joy Hawkins MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, New Age

Adolfo Lazo: On Tape

February 12, 2009 /

Generic indie-rock that would be better if Lazo wasn’t doing the singing. His nasally voice would have been a wonder had he been working in a band like Camper Van Beethoven, but alas he only has his plain white music to prop himself up. There’s nothing inherently terrible about the album, but it’s just another one of those indie shots that sounds like it was recorded for the artist’s own amusement rather than something to grab anyone else’s ears by. Of course, the two Spanish-infused tunes here (“Rey de Espana,” “Wall es tu Carrera”) sound like Santana Lite, and a third one (“Borracho”) is just plain silly filler. Suffice it to say that Adolfo Lazo isn’t a very interesting musician or singer, and this album certainly isn’t going to further his cause. It may have been better for everyone if he had kept this one on tape in a shoebox. (self-released)

Adolfo Lazo MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Latin

Jackdawg: Jackdawg

February 11, 2009 /

One of those legendary lost albums, Jackdawg is the sole legacy of a one-time, second-string supergroup. Recorded in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s by a temporary trio consisting of John McFee and the late Keith Knudson – guitarist and drummer, respectively, for the Doobie Brothers – and ex-Creedence Clearwater Revival bassist Stu Cook, it makes for an intriguing footnote to the history of both bands. The obvious thread that united the participants was the penchant for insistent rhythms and a basic rock ‘n’ roll revelry. “Bayou Rebel” procures the swampy sound of CCR, while the pulse of “Lookin’ For Trouble” injects a dose of a Doobies-like panache. Still, it’s telling that the most noteworthy song is a faithful cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” to which McFee stakes a claim for having contributed to the original. Cook’s production duties on the original version of Roky Erikson’s “Cold Night for Alligators” give the band reason to reprise it as well. In the end, Jackdawg offers a fine example of a journeyman outfit doing what they do best. And that’s more than enough reason to give Jackdawg their due. (Sonic Past Music 2008)

Sonic Past Music website page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

Michael Anthony Milton: Follow Your Call

February 10, 2009 /

If there’s one genre that’s often hard to critique it’s contemporary Christian. Not being a very religious person myself, it’s tough to know which angle to approach these things. Is it overly preachy? Is the music good? Could any of the messages in the lyrics apply to someone else who wasn’t a devout Christian? Well, it’s probably a safe bet that if you aren’t into this sort of thing, then this album won’t be worth your time. But Michael Anthony Milton does have a nice singing voice, and the songs are pretty enough, produced well, and aren’t too obtrusive. But I feel the same way about this that I felt about George Harrison’s Krishna stuff: it might be groovy to others, but I’m not feelin’ it. Let’s just split the difference and call it even, then. (self-released)

Michael Anthony Milton home page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Christian, Pop

Daniel Lenz: Stuck in a Dream

February 9, 2009 /

There’s something tasty about Daniel Lenz’s electronica forays. It might be that it echoes some of the more carefree aspects of Information Society back in the early ‘90s, but then again the 15 tracks here sound like a lot of the stuff that was coming out back then – for better and for worse. The good news is that there’s a lot to enjoy here if you’re of the dancefloor crowd. The bad news is that like a lot of the other stuff in that genre, this album can wear a little thin before it’s all over. Still, solid tracks like “I Do It Again,” “This and That,” and “Time to Rock” are the kinds of things that would work amazingly well in some summer blockbuster action movie or even a video game. A few too many vocalists spoil the groove here and there, but overall Lenz is a lot better at doing this thing than many other similar-minded artists. (self-released)

Daniel Lenz MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Dance, Electronica, Pop

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