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Del Marquis: Litter to Society EP

May 22, 2009 /

Anyone seriously jonesing for new Scissor Sisters material would be wise to check out Litter to Society, the new EP from SS guitarist Del Marquis. Sporting five new tracks and “shadow” versions (think dub mixes) of three of those songs, Marquis unleashes his inner Shriekback – or is it Underneath the Radar-era Underworld? – on the title track, which merges a lyric not far removed from Diana Ross’ “Upside Down” with a bubbly but sinister electro beat. Fans of Marquis’ day job, meanwhile, will gobble up the day-glo “Any Kind of Love,” which could pass for a lost Belouis Some track. Shriekback? Belouis Some? Those are some seriously dated and specific ’80s references, yes, but it’s hard to argue with where Marquis finds his muse when the results are this entertaining. (self-released 2009)

Del Marquis MySpace page

Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Dance, Dub, Electronica, Pop

twodoggarage: A Gross Display of Penmanship

May 22, 2009 /

Here’s the setup: the folks at RPM Challenge dared bands and solo artists to write, record and deliver a finished album in one month. Any number of things could happen under that kind of deadline: pigs could fly, songwriters could lose lots of sleep, and the biggest risk of all – the music could suck. One of the people who took the RPM bait was SoCal based twodoggarage, led by singer and songwriter Alex Kimmell. The band’s debut, Pinboy, was chock full of catchy pop tunes that brought Kimmell out of left field and onto our radar. This one, A Gross Display of Penmanship, with its diverse and interestingly arranged songs, is arguably even better. And further, the more you listen, the more it should grow on even the most skeptical of critics. Kimmell shows versatility galore with catchy ditties like “Something Real” and “Enough,” flowing mid-tempo Glen Phillips-esque tracks such as “Gradually Disappearing” and “Lift Me Up, Carry Me Down.” He even gets truly experimental on super-cool electronic instrumental “Circles” as well as on the rap-infused “The Runner” and spoken-word-meets-fuzz-box title track. Sure, the recording quality is at times bedroom-ish, but Kimmell makes the best of it, as well as the most of his time putting an album together on the fly. (self-released 2009)

twodoggarage MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

James Yuill: Turning Down Water for Air

May 22, 2009 /

Tradition and technology collide in the opening moments of James Yuill’s Turning Down Water for Air, a 12-song bedroom-pop set that’s been earning raves in Yuill’s native England since last fall. Leadoff track “You Always Do” begins with the familiar sound of an acoustic guitar – which is then pushed and pulled by what sounds like a defective tape head, thus setting the tone for the album’s overall aesthetic, which mashes up old-school, analog-driven new wave pop with mopey British folksinger confessionals. It’s an uneven mix, but when it works – as on “No Pins Allowed,” which kicks off with a NIN-esque burst of industrial noise before giving way to a gently surging melody over a dance beat that vaguely suggests something New Order might have done, or “No Surprise,” which rides a circular synth pattern and kalimba-sounding percussion around the edges of a classically monochromatic new wave melody – the album is positively entrancing. Next time out, Yuill could stand to write a few more standout tracks, but for a debut effort, Water ain’t bad – this is a songwriter who’s on to something. If you’ve ever wondered what Nick Drake might have sounded like with a skinny tie, be sure to check this out. (Nettwerk 2009)

James Yuill MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk, Pop

Yes: Symphonic Live

May 22, 2009 /

Yes and all their pompous self-love usually produce fabulous music because they aim so high, to continue a legendary presence, none more exalting than the ones in their own minds. However, as good of an idea as it sounds, Symphonic Live is kind of a dull and flat effort. Jon Anderson’s energy level sounds a bit low and the band at times doesn’t sound all that inspired; in fact, they sound as if they’re mailing it in. Contrast this with the Magnification album (2001), a record written specifically to be accompanied by an orchestra, and this album doesn’t measure up. I am sure that Yes-o-philes will lap this up, because let’s face it, there are some people who will never tire of hearing “Roundabout.” They do manage to play three tracks off of Magnification which still sound very good, and the Steve Howe guitar solo is well worth the listen. He is an eloquent and underrated player and chooses material like “Lute Concerto in D Major, Second Movement” as a part of it instead of wanking on and on like some of the young turks do. They have put out some good material in the last 10 years or so (Essentially Yes), but this one is fair at best and one you can skip. (Eagle Rock, 2009)

Yes Myspace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

Mikey Wax: Change Again

May 22, 2009 /

Being a singer/songwriter today and trying to stand out from the pack is not an easy task. You have to be damn good, and you have to be damn good in the first 30 seconds to hook the listener in. Long Island’s Mikey Wax will hook you in with his debut, Change Again, and he’ll keep you there with melodic stuff that is also a nice mix of uplifting pop/rock and darker, slower-tempo fare. Wax has a breezy way about his songs, which have a modern yet classic feel (think Josh Rouse or Ari Hest) and his slick falsetto is the perfect vehicle to deliver that material. The falsetto is also overused, but if the songs are this good on a debut, it’s easier to let those things slide. And while tracks like “Slow Motion” and “Yes” are driving, mid-tempo hooky songs, Wax is at his brooding best on the more somber material such as “Love Light (Triad)” or “Cedars Bay.” (LABEL: self-released)

Mikey Wax MySpace Page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

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