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Anders Holst: Romantika

October 3, 2008 / Mike Farley

Dubbed as the “crown prince of contemporary romantic music,” it would seem Swedish import Anders Holst’s publicist and label are reaching a bit. Reading about him and listening to Holst’s debut album, Romantika, you get the feeling that this is a guy who has always had aspirations to have his music played on light rock stations. And in that lies a problem – the fact that most light rock artists didn’t get there by wanting to get there. They arrived there because they were aging rockers who mellowed over time like wine or cheese, and because their fans mellowed in parallel fashion (think Eric Clapton or the Eagles). Others, like Daniel Powter, wound up on light rock stations by default. But Anders Holst is being marketed that way, and while his songs aren’t bad and are arranged and produced like a cross between light rock and smooth jazz fare, there is something here that sounds forced. Adding a bit of insult is the fact that Holst, while being touted as a songwriter, leads off the record with Billy Joel’s “All About Soul,” proof that even his label doesn’t have enough confidence in Holst’s songwriting. Again, Holst could do much worse than this, and he’s going to find an audience with his nice brand of light romantic pop. But as a whole, this batch of songs will help listeners relax—relax to the point of putting them to sleep. (LABEL: Unheard of Music)

Anders Holst MySpace Page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Jazz, Pop, Rock

Carlon: Johari Window

October 3, 2008 / David Medsker

“Canteloupe,” from New Jersey quartet Carlon’s debut album Johari Window, is one of those lightning-in-a-bottle moments, a slice of Hollies-style genius that seems to stop time. Indeed, singers Michael McWilliams and Ryan McGlynn do such an uncanny impression of Hollies singer Allan Clarke that they should be forced to take a blood test. “Rosie” does not fall far behind with its delightful climbing falsetto vocal. When the band tries to rock out, the results are fine, but do not measure up to the album’s quieter moments. “Have a Window” falls somewhere in between, with the somber verse and fuzzed-out chorus. All young bands naturally want to rock, but Carlon’s talents clearly lie in the hushed moments. Either way, it will be very interesting to see what they do next. (Ropeadope Records 2008)

Download Carlon’s “Canteloupe” here

Carlon MySpace page

Americana, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Jody Raffoul: Big Sky

October 3, 2008 / Mike Farley

Sometimes an artist delivers music that is just comfortable – and by comfortable, think Middle America along the lines of Mellencamp, Springsteen, and Petty. Jody Raffoul is one of those artists (but shhhh! He’s Canadian), though he has managed to stay under everyone’s radar. This, despite the fact that if he came around 20 or 30 years ago, we might be mentioning him in the same breath as those other guys. The latest evidence is Big Sky, another album from Mr. Raffoul with anthems, big hooks, signature rock vocal, and soaring guitars. Right from the start, “Chasing Paper” is like an AC/DC song with vocals an octave lower, and “Stay” as well as “It’s Grand” also have some really nice guitar work and sugary melodies. Raffoul also does nice work when he turns the volume down, as he does on “Little Black Car” and, to a lesser extent, “My My,” which features lush, Beatle-esque harmonies in the chorus. There are a few disappointments, such as “Home,” which is heartfelt but a bit bland. But as a whole, Raffoul the Canadian delivers another sweet slice of American pie on this effort. (Fontana 2008)

Jody Raffoul MySpace Page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

House of Badger: Death Birds

October 3, 2008 / James B. Eldred

House of Badger describes themselves as a pop/electronica/experimental band, and as vague as that categorization is, it actually sounds about right. This is a weird band that writes weird songs and performs using weird instruments. However, they still have one foot (barely) in the pop realm; they’re the Talking Heads by way of Portland, Oregon. I mentioned the weird instruments, right? In addition to guitar and keyboards, singer Amanda Kelly also plays mandolin and Turkish saz (another plucked string instrument – thanks Wikipedia). Bass player Charlie Gallipeau rocks out old-school electronic sounds thanks to his Moog and theremin skills, while drummer Liam McNamara puts down his sticks on occasion to play the guiro as well as “the pans,” which I can only assume is a pan flute. How an unsigned indie-rock band can afford all these instruments is a mystery, but they certainly know how to use their unique instrumental capabilities to craft beautifully odd pop songs. “Vultures” and “Away” combine stark riffs with subtle ambient electronic effects to stunning effect, while the more upbeat “You Give Yourself Away” and “Into the Sun” crank up the rock and focus on the spectacular voice of Amanda Kelly, who has the ethereal quality of Siouxsie Sioux with the power of Amanda Palmer from the Dresden Dolls. Clocking in at only 30 minutes with seven songs, the only fault of Death Birds is that it leaves you wanting much more. (Self Released 2008)

House of Badger MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Electronica

Wunderbugg: Written in Flesh

October 3, 2008 / Captain Capm

On Written in Flesh Wunderbugg has created an electronic mix of impressive proportions. A little electroclash here, a smidgen of ambient there, some dance and house beats sprinkled throughout. “3 Molecules Away” opens the album on a fuzzy, jagged note where the sublime mixes with the crunch of synths whirring away. “Infected with Hope” sounds like its title might suggest; an ethereal space-age sort of breezy groove with a bit of a dark undertone running down the middle. “Heartworm” approaches the New Age side of the yard, and “Overdose No. 5” features raging beats that would please any of those 140-BPM-and-higher fans. Like many electronic-based groups, Wunderbugg’s repertoire doesn’t come off entirely clean over the course of this album, but what’s good here is very solid, indeed. It just seems a little faceless at times. (Self-released)

Wunderbugg MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Dance, Electronica, Pop