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Red State Update: How Freedom Sounds

August 29, 2008 / David Medsker

Say this for Jonathan Shockley and Travis Harmon, the two men behind Red State Update: they are walking as slippery a slope as you will find. Pretending to be what is traditionally thought of as blue-collar Republican voters, without either pandering to blue-collar Republican voters or having fun at their expense, is not an easy feat, but Shockley and Harmon do the balancing act quite well. The problem with not taking sides, though, is that you deny yourself the opportunity to do something extraordinary, and that is what ultimately prevents How Freedom Sounds, Red State Update’s debut (and likely swansong) album, from being something special. The songs won’t reinvent the satire wheel, but some genuine smarts are lurking within the redneck accents; “If I Was You” recommends that the subject of the song should just start drinking heavily in order to forget how miserable their life is, while Dunlap (Shockley) daydreams about the elusive “Stripper without a Kid.” Best of the bunch is “Get the Hell Outta My Store Hippie,” where Jackie (Harmon) complains about the Bonnaroo crowd freeloading in his store. It’s cute, but it’s just that: cute. The best humor is incendiary, not cute, and Shockley and Harmon are clearly capable if doing something incendiary. (Dualtone)

Red State Update MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country

Pork Pie: Transitory

August 29, 2008 / Michael Fortes

Packaged in a cool mini-LP sleeve replica, complete with gatefold cover, liner note insert and a CD that looks like a tiny vinyl record (even the plastic is black), Promising Music’s MPS reissue series takes some cues from those collectible (and pricey) Japanese LP-sleeve reissues in feting the catalog of the German jazz label. Dutch keyboardist Jasper van’t Hof has one of the more obscure titles in the series, with his Pork Pie group’s Transitory album, though any ‘70s fusion head will be glad to hear it. Recorded and released in 1974, the music reflects much of what was going on in jazz at the time – the rock and world rhythms that supplanted the swing of old, the appropriation of rock guitars and funky electric pianos, and compositions that defied categorization. The “world rhythms” truly are international here – each member of the collective hails from a different country (the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, the United States, and a guest percussionist from Brazil round out the collective), culminating in a sound that, when not venturing into ambient territory, provides an interesting window into a time when “fusion” was not yet a dirty word. (MPS/Promising Music 2008)

Jasper van’t Hof MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Jazz

Wilkins: No Expiry Date

August 29, 2008 / Captain Capm

Family group Wilkins has created a pleasnt pop album on No Expiry Date. The trio mixes a bit of everything from smooth pop (“Easy”) to classical (“.79”) to torch songs (“Just a Memory”). Throughout the playing is tasteful and the performances are tight, which can only come from years of playing together (indeed, the inside of the disc’s booklet features pictures of the husband/wife/son unit through the years). It’s just hard to tell if this kind of work will appeal to a wider audience. What’s here is good, with “Love Is Gone” featuring a folksy/country vibe with its mandolin and “P.E.I.” treading into Carole King and Carpenters territory. And those are the same things that might limit larger appeal overall. As great as King and the Carpenters were, sometimes some of these tracks come off as a little sappy. And with so many of the 13 tracks here slower numbers, sometimes the whole thing begins to sound the same. Still, you have to give Wilkins credit for doing what they want to do and doing it well. (self-released)

Wilkins’ official web page.

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop

Brandie Frampton: What U See

August 28, 2008 / Captain Capm

I’m not the world’s biggest pop country music fan by a long shot, but even I have to admit that 16-year-old Brandie Frampton has a lot going for her on her album What U See. The young artist shows an uncanny command of working a song into a tasty froth without getting into cornball or cliched territory. The gal’s already won some awards for her work, and one listen to this disc will prove why. “Ain’t That Life” is one of the best pop country tunes to come along in years by anyone, period. “I Want You 2” sounds like something that could easily climb the charts with Frampton’s throaty vocals at the fore and her down-home attitude shining through. “Colours” shows off Brandie’s softer side and once again it comes off impeccably, with beautiful production. What Frampton really has here is a true pop and country album, straddling the line easily between both. What’s more, she isn’t doing kiddie fluff or tackling subjects that might be too “adult” for someone her age. This is simply just good stuff through and through. Look out, Miley Cyrus. (DLF Records)

Brandie Frampton MySpace page.

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country, Pop

Mars Arizona: Hello Cruel World

August 27, 2008 / Lee Zimmerman

Pinpointing the exact locale of one Mars Arizona may be difficult, but the Berkley-based duo that appropriates these fictional environs as their moniker offers up an assured sound for their superb third outing. Banjos, fiddles and mandolins – not to mention the participation of legendary veteran session players David Grisman and Al Perkins — fuel their tales of hard-bitten heroes and steely glimpses at the nation’s current malaise. Fortunately though, the blues in their bluegrass never sounds so downcast as to deter from the album’s unabashed exhilaration. Intriguing covers of Neil Young’s “Time Fades Away,” T Rex’s “By The Light of the Magical Moon,” Loretta Lynn’s “Blue Kentucky Girl” and back porch standard “In The Pines” reflect the band’s diversity and should help turn heads their way, but the originals are equally embracing, a reflection of their down-home charm and rousing, rambunctious technique. Suffice it to say, there’s enough life on Mars for all. (Big Barn 2008)

Mars Arizona MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country, Folk