Category: Rock (Page 123 of 241)

Jeremy Jay: A Place Where We Could Go

September 4, 2008 / Lee Zimmerman

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Jeremy Jay’s downcast disposition and lo-fi designs combine to make A Place Where We Could Go seem something of a dreary destination. “Nite Nite” offers an uncertain send-off, its forlorn vocal and solitary strum providing a stilted backdrop for his wistful reflection. With Jay accompanying himself on piano and guitar, drummer Chris Sutton does what he can to manage the tempo, but the sparse monochromatic arrangements find the songs droning on and on to the point where it’s a challenge trying to distinguish one track from another. Jay ‘s unfortunate penchant for expressing his thoughts in a steady stream of consciousness doesn’t help matters either, and he sometimes appears so self-absorbed that his lyrics turn into fragmentary ramblings. The album’s final two entries – “Hold Me in Your Arms Tonite” and “Someone Cares” – aim to provide some respite by picking up the pace and imbuing some optimism, but by then it’s too late. The place Jay ‘s invited us to go has long since lost its appeal. (K Records)

Jeremy Jay MySpace page

CD Reviews, Folk, Rock

Paper Rival: Dialog

September 3, 2008 / Mike Farley

Paper Rival is a four-piece rock band from Nashville, so let’s give that obligatory nod to the fact that this is a rock band in a city known for country music. Okay, now let’s focus on Paper Rival’s music, because the songs on their debut, Dialog, are damn good. Paper Rival is being touted as having an “expansive take on classic rock,” which only means that it’s difficult to classify them. Their music is moody, alternative, at times bordering on heavy, but not classic – think Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s rather than Aerosmith. “Cassandra,” the first single, is a mid-tempo, melody-driven, lo-fi beauty, but it’s not the best track. “Foreign Film Collection” has that distinction – haunting, driving, alt-rock bliss. And there is a distinct balance between dark, scream rock (“The Family Ghost”) and musically uplifting (“Keep Us In”). And while a few of these tracks sound too much like a few of the others, we won’t hold that against Paper Rival when the majority of the band’s debut is this good. (Atlantic)

Paper Rival MySpace Page

Alternative, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Steven Alvarado: Let It Go

September 2, 2008 / Lee Zimmerman

Up until now, New York singer/songwriter Steven Alvarado has dwelled mostly on high-minded precepts, with philosophical ruminations veering towards politics and religion. However, on his latest effort, Let It Go, he, well, lets it go, trading his proselytizing for dark deliberations about broken relationships. Largely acoustic, it opens with a flourish of earnestly strummed offerings – the rockabilly-tinted “Get This Far,” the ever-persistent “It’s For You” and, most notably, the vibrant and jangly “New York.” Ultimately though, the album falls prey to a veil of tears, a downcast demeanor that finds Alvarado reveling in his own despair. “Nobody Knows” is especially affecting, a loser’s lament that finds our hero “Drinking and thinking about you,” even though the woman in question apparently broke his heart into a zillion tiny splinters. Still, that’s only the first hint of apparent anguish; “Burning Bridges,” “Blue,” “It’s Alright” and “Gone, Gone, Gone” document bitter break-ups with unflinching animosity. Several star session players rally in support, but ultimately it’s down to Alvarado wielding his guitar like a weapon and blasting his ex partners in the process. (Mott St. Records)

Steven Alvarado MySpace page

CD Reviews, Emo, Pop, Rock

The Moody Blues: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival

August 29, 2008 / David Medsker

This is going to make a small group of people very happy. Taken from the last of the original Isle of Wight Festivals before its resurrection 22 years later – the crowd that attended was estimated to be over 600,000 – the 1970 concert was videotaped for posterity, and now, nearly three decades later, comes an audio recording of the set from Moody Blues, who were as big as any band in England at the time. It’s a fascinating listen, both from a sonic perspective and a historical one. “Minstrel’s Song” explains the origins of half of the Stone Roses’ debut album, and it’s fun to hear a band known for its pristine studio recordings let rip on songs like “Tuesday Afternoon” (where singer Justin Hayward forgets the words) and “Question.” In retrospect, the Moodys weren’t much different from their harder-rocking peers when it came to playing live. As for the overall sound quality, well, it’s 1970 and it’s live, which means it’s really, really tinny. It’s a sweet dose of nostalgia, but for completists only. (Eagle)

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CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Concert CDs, Pop, Rock

Inara George With Van Dyke Parks: An Invitation

August 29, 2008 / Lee Zimmerman

A reconnection in ways more than musical, Inara George’s collaboration with the legendary Van Dyke Parks takes her into new terrain but, in a sense, brings her back home. Parks was a pal of her dad, the late Lowell George and was even there at her birth. Still, the biographical details will likely get less attention than this current outing, a swirling collage of orchestration, pop opera vignettes and contemporary classical motifs. Consequently, the sound checks proved equally ample, given influences that name check Kurt Weill, Edith Piaff, Aaron Copeland, Gilbert and Sullivan, Annette Peacock and Carla Bley. The lack of distinctive melodies and an overall flow that finds sets of strings dominating the musical landscape makes passive listening a bit of a challenge, at least for those who like their songs simple and succinct. Still, those looking to hear more from the man who helped bring Brian Wilson his Smile will find this Invitation worthy of an RSVP. (Everloving Records)

Inara George MySpace page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk, Indie Labels, Rock