Despite often unrealistic expectations, there’s been an abundance of musical offspring all too anxious to enter their parents’ trade. Take the Wainwright kids, Ben Taylor, Teddy Thompson and, of course, the Bobster’s boy Jakob as examples of those who have secured successful careers based on both talent and a famous surname. Then there’s those unfortunate few who were named after iconic associates apparently near and dear to daddy’s heart. (Justin Townes Earle, anyone?) How’s that for a not so subtle sign the folks expect success in the family business? Talk about parental pressure! Take note, then, that Crosby Loggins is Kenny’s kid, not another combo combination appropriated by the Cros, sans Stills and Nash. In truth, young Mr. Loggins doesn’t sound a whole lot like papa, although it could be said he shares a similar penchant for pure pop fare and radio-ready intents. Still, it’s a shame that this debut disc belies its title and settles instead for a generic sound that does nothing to bend the boundaries. John Mayer and Jason Mraz appear to have set the standard here (the former even contributes a guitar solo on the title track) and while aptly dubbed songs such as “Good Enough” and “Radio Heart” raise expectation for regular rotation on the airwaves, there’s little that leaves a mark for the long term. A decent beginning perhaps, but if Loggins is truly anxious to fill his father’s shoes, let’s hope the time to move forward isn’t long in coming. (Jive) – Lee Zimmerman
This World Fair: This World Fair It appears the next incarnation of Aware Records is here, in the form of Los Angeles-based Ping Pong Music. Ping Pong manages Epic Records’ Augustana, and they are bringing us the next wave of very talented baby bands such as This World Fair, the London, and Windsor Drive. The formula of Ping Pong’s bands is similar to Aware, which launched the careers of artists like Train, Vertical Horizon and John Mayer. And that formula is almost a no-brainer – finding talented acts with hooky, melodic songs – but it’s in stark contrast to today’s hipster-driven music industry that mostly relies on gimmicks and fabricated street cred meters. Still, there is always a demand for great bands like This World Fair, and their debut album is an absolute sonic gift to those who dig the likes of Augustana, Better Than Ezra or Keane. Chris Kalgren fronts the band with a smooth tenor that effectively delivers a balance of driving rockers such as “Can’t Stop Falling” and “Drama,” or dreamy tracks like “This is All.” But among ten tracks that are quite frankly straight A’s, This World Fair scores an A+ with the pulsing, stunning piano-driven “Seven Letters.” Despite where the music industry is headed, there is no good reason why This World Fair shouldn’t be as successful as the rest of the world will allow them to be. (Ping Pong Music) Comments Off on This World Fair: This World Fair Posted in: Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Indie Labels, Pop, Rock Tags: Augustana, Better Than Ezra, John Mayer, Keane, Ping Pong Music, The London, This World Fair, Train, Vertical Horizon, Windsor Drive |