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INDEX TO REVIEWS
"Another Joyous Occasion" - Widespread Panic "Another Joyous Occasion" - Widespread Panic "Another Joyous Occasion" is the eighth official release from Widespread Panic. It is the first release of the newly formed Widespread Records, an independent, band-managed label dedicated to releasing live shows as well as side projects from various members of the band. Although the band it shopping for a major label for upcoming studio projects, they are keeping their live material closer to home. It is also only their second live album, despite the fact that the band tends to make the highways and performance halls of America their home away from Athens, GA. It's no secret that the extended improvisation and jamming in a concert environment are what have allowed Widespread Panic to carve their niche both within the "jamband" community and the music world at large. Part and parcel to this approach to music making is the ability to add other musicians and outside sounds to the mix without throwing the momentum of the groove out of balance. Appropriately enough, "Another Joyous Occasion" (or AJO) is an eleven-track retrospective of the Summer and Fall tours in 1999 when Widespread shared the stage with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band as their special guests. This album is very different from even their live "Light Fuse, Get Away" release because it has 3 tracks on it that really wouldn't be considered songs in the purest sense. The fact that they give two long instrumental jams and one studio remix of a popular live song separate tracks further reinforces the band's attempt at bringing the live experience to music fans in the comfort of their own living room. The studio and live sounds of the band have been slowly merging closer together for the past several years, and this can be partially attributed to the influence of John Keane who also mixed the tracks on this album. An excellent example of this can be seen in the versions of Christmas Katie, both in the studio and live on "AJO." While the live version is only 45 seconds longer than the track on "Till the Medicine Takes," the jam stretches out at the end and peaks out at a level hard to capture in studio work. Mike Houser takes the reins at the end, wrapping a sharp guitar solo around the rising and falling horn support of Dirty Dozen. There is no identifiable point of separation between the end of Christmas Katie and the Beehive Jam that follows, but that is the beauty of this album. All twelve players on the stage are bouncing sounds off of one another, taking turns in lead and support roles. The jam lives up to its title as the Dirty Dozen blow their horns to the forefront, while the 6 members of Panic buzz busily in the background, waiting for the segment to climax. Eventually, they break through the instrumental swarm in steady, swelling waves. This is definitely not music for anyone with a taste for short, simple sing-along songs. All of the elements of a live Panic show are present here: multiple drummers/percussionists, spacey segments between Jojo Herman on synthesizer and David Schools on bass, soulful wailing from John Bell on vocals, and even a trick or two thrown in at the end. Even the song choices themselves make a lot of sense. Songs like the Big Chief Jam highlight the connection between the city of New Orleans, the Dirty Dozen, and Widespread Panic. The Big Easy has always been fertile ground for Panic both in terms of inspiration and overall support. Certainly the fact that the Dirty Dozen hails from the birthplace of jazz is no coincidence. Big Chief is a song written by Earl King, but more identifiable with the Dixieland sound of ragtime pianist Professor Longhair, the man who gave Tipitina's its name. "'Fess," as he was known, also influenced Jojo Hermann greatly, so Hermann's tremolos and rolls down the keyboard are at their most potent here. Each song on the album seems to have its own identity within the framework of the live setting. I Walk On Guilded Splinters also conjures up visions of voodoo and dark magic via the funk influence of New Orleans native Dr. John Creaux. Foreboding and sinister, Guilded has long been a favorite cover song of Panic fans. Its inclusion on "Another Joyous Occasion" was perfectly placed. The combination of Houser's slide guitar work with the hiss of Bell's vocals and depth of Schools' bass is almost overwhelming.. Weight of the World has a very open structure, allowing the Dirty Dozen to lay a deep groove throughout. Coconuts is the both a fan favorite and the original single of Widespread Panic, so after successfully adding horns to it in Hampton, VA over their Thanksgiving run, it was included on the album as well. The two biggest surprises on this album to me are the beginning and end. The Fishwater sandwich with Stevie Wonder's Superstition segued into the middle serves as the opening three tracks on the album. I was personally surprised at how improved the sound of these specific songs was after Keane's remixing process. I attended both the original concert at Mud Island Amphitheater and listened to bootleg tapes of the show afterward. Due to the difficult conditions for audience taping at Mud Island (wind ripping down the Mississippi River tends to make things precarious at times,) I initially thought the Fishwater and Superstition sandwich would not be worthy of an official release. It was also only the second time the 2 bands had played together live since Halloween '98, so the mix coming through the soundboard that night had yet to be fine-tuned. I am happy to see that John Keane cleaned the mix up enough to prove me wrong. The last track on the album is the hands-down enigma. While Widespread Panic's constantly-mutating versions of Arleen and their influences could be the subject of a study into the call and response of reggae music, it's suffice to say that Arleen has been one of the band's signature songs for many years. Arleen has always been an improvisational battleship, both within the lyrical structure and the instrumental interplay between the musicians. The lyrics follow a general pattern, but are almost never the same twice. The jam is long and funky, although it is based on a song once performed by the Itals, an obscure reggae group that enjoyed their heyday back in the 1980's. It is not uncommon for a live performance of Arleen to be considered the highlight of a show. So why include a shortened version remixed in the studio on an album that is otherwise based on a purely live sound? An answer is not readily apparent. The most obvious explanation seems to lie in the fact that there is no radio-friendly tune on the album. In staying true to their live roots, the band did not include any other song short enough for radio play. Although there is certainly plenty of interest in the dance scene and music coming out of underground clubs nation-wide, it still seems dubious to push this track as representative of Widespread Panic's sound. Fans of the band and jamband fans in particular will certainly enjoy the long jams and hard-driving grooves throughout the album. That's what would make it so hard to justify releasing Arleen as a radio single. Anyone who bought the album based on that one track would be sorely disappointed. Overall "Another Joyous Occasion" is like the audio scrapbook of Widespread Panic's Summer and Fall tours of 1999. It documents the collaboration of some of the most creative and inspired musicians around and links their best moments together in a little under 90 minutes of highlights. It gives casual fans of the band a chance to delve a little deeper into the essence of the creative process in a live environment, but will also impress long-time fans of the band by the strength and balance of the contributing members. Even audience tapers need to get a copy so they can see how some of the tracks differ after Keane remixed them in his studio. Both the band and it's management are undergoing many, many changes as a result of their leaving Capricorn records and forming their own label. If "Another Joyous Occasion" is any indication of the quality of the music they are going to be releasing on a regular basis, there will be many more joyous occasions in the future.
self-titled - Charlie Hunter 8-string guitarist Charlie Hunter is perhaps one of the links on the chain connecting jazz to jam-bands. Both genres rely on improvisation between the heads of the tunes, but the styles of those improvisations are usually distinguishable. I would not go so far as to say that Hunter creates a hybrid version of the improvisation styles on this album, but he surely switches between them on its different tracks. He is joined here by tenor saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum, trombonist Josh Roseman, drummer Leon Parker, and percussionists Steven Copek and Robert Perkins. With his hybrid instrument, Hunter functions as both the bass and the guitar player. Three tracks (Al Green, Dersu, and a bossa arrangement of Monk's Epistrophy) are simply duets with Parker, a continuation of their work together from the 1999 album "Duos". The duets have a certain compositional consistency to them, as what we normally hear as three separate roles (bass, guitar, drums) is here controlled by just two players. Even when the percussionists are added to the texture, the result is still as unified as the duets, since Copek and Perkins, both students of Parker, only played the grooves laid out by Parker (this according to an interview of Charlie Hunter at musictoday.com). The horn players then add tasteful solos and backgrounds on the rest of the tunes (Flau Flau, Cloud Splitter, Nothing but Trouble, Two For Bleu) The three strongest tracks are the ones on the jazz side of the fence, Nothing but Trouble, Epistrophyand Two For Bleu. Hunter's technique shines on these tunes; with his two hands, Hunter easily manipulates the basslines, chords and solos that for, say, a jazz organist takes two hands and two feet. Apart from Hunter's impressive technical work, the whole group's performances on these tracks are outstanding. Hunter also plays a solo track at the end of the album, a beautiful cover of Donny Hathaway's Someday We'll All be Free. The album might be pocked, though, by two superfluous drum-circle-sounding sections at the end of the first and last tracks. Still, this is a great album in a burgeoning genre.
"Dick's Picks XVII" - the Grateful
Dead Joey Tuttledge stumbled into his friend Brad's dorm room late one Wednesday night in May. Brad was staring quizically at a battered copy of "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass and listening to a worn copy of "Kind Of Blue". "Brad, man, fire up the bong. Fire up Ulysses!" Brad looked up. "Nah, dude, I only got one nug left, and I'm saving it for when the Iron Chef is on" "Uh-uh, man. Iron Chef isn't on 'til Friday. I got the new Dick's Picks. Phatty setlist. Ulysses is coming out now." "When's it from?" Brad sighed. "'91 at the Boston Garden. It's with Hornsby." Brad poked his head up weakly, a look of resignation on his face. What's on it? "Says here the first set's got a Help > Slip > Frank and some other stuff. Check out this second set, though: Victim into Crazy Fingers into Playin' into Terrapin..." Joey trailed off. "Something called Boston Clam Jam, that goes into drumz and space. Then, on the third disc, That Would Be Something into Playin' into China Doll into Throwing Stones into Not Fade Away and a Quinn encore." "Damn." Joey grinned. "And there's filler with a 30 minute Eyes." Brad pulled Ulysses off the shelf. *** For forty-five minutes, a continous stream of conversation rolled on, running the spectrum from what Brad described as "the sheer intensity of the Mongols" to a heated debate about whether or not pandas belonged, zoologically speaking, in the bear family or the squirrel family. Behind it all, the first disc of the new "Dick's Picks" burbled unassumingly and somewhat inconsequentially in the background. Dire Wolf began with a bang. When Garcia's vocals came in, both Brad and Joey looked up. "Man, Jerry's nailing it," Joey exclaimed. "His voice sounds so good. I wish the whole disc were like this." "Maybe the rest will be," Brad said hopefully. Dylan's Queen Jane Approximately began in earnest, Weir expressively growling the lyrics. Throughout, Garcia added backing vocals on the chorus. As the song progressed, Garcia's delivery became less and less focused, moving from the precision of Dire Wolf back to the base-level disinterestedness that permeated so much of his work from the period. By the time Tennessee Jed came on, the Grateful Dead were once again the stadium behemoth that cynical critics so loved to lambaste. "They still kick ass," Joey said to no one in particular, let alone an unseen narrator. "Jer is still Jer. I mean, he's still really expressive." Joey furrowed his brow. "Listen that stuff he's playing under Bobby's vocals. That's such articulate playing. It just doesn't seem coherent as a whole -- I mean, with what the rest of the band is doing." "Yeah," Brad agreed. "It works occasionally, though. Hornsby's always interesting. When he plays his accordion it makes 'em sound like the Band. He's a little busy when he plays the grand piano, though; kinda overbearing." "Kinda over-squirreling," Joey added and the two collapsed into hysterics. *** By the time the second set came on, the pair was tired, but they pushed onwards, committed to the task at hand. They'd smoked the last of the pot and, with the approaching end of the school year, they were pretty unsure as to where to get more. They weren't gonna let it go to waste. As they pressed on, their conversation flowed less evenly from one topic to another. They'd fade to silence before one would meekly make some vague connection and begin the talk anew. Likewise, the music seemed to mirror the two sets of glazed eyes. The band would work through a song, jam on it for a little bit, and let the tension drop. There seemed to be a defining moment in each song when all of a sudden it was patently clear that it was time for somebody to do something -- namely begin the next tune. Before that, it was - at the very least - interesting. "I've heard this before," Brad insisted. "It was much better before, though." He paused. "But it had a different first set. I swear it was from the Garden in September '91, though. I didn't think it was from Boston, though." He picked up a copy of DeadBase from a shelf next to his bed and flipped through it. "Shit. I'll be damned. There's a set like this from the week before, at Madison Square Garden. It begins with, like, the same thing: Victim > Crazy Fingers > Playin' > Terrapin. I remember it bein' much better though. I think I lent my tape out to somebody, though." Each band member spun by himself, occasionally entering the sphere of another, locking into orbit briefly with the other, and spinning off again. It created a cool tapestry, but one that only hung in the background. Occasionally - during space - it came to the forefront. As Garcia, Weir, and Lesh took the reigns of their MIDI-fied instruments, suddenly Garcia's decline wasn't even relevant. It was free music anybody could lead. And they did. Oddly enough, even Garcia. The sun was coming up as the Eyes Of The World filler from 3/31/91 began to fade in. Joey shifted himself on the bean-bag chair as the light peaked through the window. "This is really pretty," he smiled. "Yeah," Brad said. "I kinda wish I'd saved that nug for Iron Chef, though."
"3rd Annual Gathering On The
Mountain" - various artists On the weekend of the third anniversary of Jerry Garcia's death, 19 acts performed for thousands of people at the Big Boulder Ski Area. This CD is culled from the performances at this ski area located at Jack Frost Mountain in Pennsylvania. The songs contained on this release indicate that most of these are musicians drawn by their love of music more than their need to be "out front." The Festival, dubbed The Gathering On The Mountain, was in its third year at the time (they have an impressive line-up planned for their fifth festival this coming August). Five of the acts from the '98 Gathering are represented on this CD. The lead track is from former Grateful Dead pianist Tom Constanten. Tom is known as "TC" to Dead Heads, and his classical flavored inputs are vital to some favored early versions of many Grateful Dead songs, particularly Dark Star. His version of People Get Ready that appears on this disc is unquestionably elegant, but it only hints at his classical abilities. He first intersperses a gentle lyrical approach with some buoyant low notes. There are a couple brief moments of mild improvisation in the track; one flurry in particular is evidence of his deft left-hand work. However, for the most part TC plays this one pretty close to the vest compared to much of his other work. It would have been nice if there an additional solo track from TC that featuring some more adventurous improvisation. Another former Grateful Dead member, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, is also represented on the disc. She fronts a six piece band which includes her husband David, and longtime Bay Area musician (and original member of Kingfish and Ratdog) Matthew Kelly guesting on harmonica. Although No Mercy is not a Grateful Dead related song, its arrangement has a decidedly hooch-fueled, laid-back psychedelic Bay Area feel that sometimes is also associated with her former band. Donna's voice has incredible warmth, and while it wavers at a couple of points, she delivers a predominantly solid lead vocal. She steps up the energy for lines like, "I got the 'have not blues' breathing down my neck." I enjoy the way the members of the band work with each other, especially during the instrumental. The relaxed way that they ease between ensemble playing and lead sections with no toes being stepped on is indicative of the musicians ability to focus on listening to each other. Merl Saunders' version of Tore Up features a sweetly elongated blues prelude, which gives way to a playful lead vocal. Although Tore Up did appear on a Garcia Band album, and was intermittently part of their repertoire (typically known as Tore Up Over You to JGB fans), guitarist Will McFarlane delivers his own interpretation with some stout lead guitar. Merl delivers a fantastic mid-song solo, revealing once again his ability to make the funky and the psychedelic compatible. McFarlane and Saunders even engage in a brief section of impromptu dual work that stirs up sweet energy. I am more impressed by Toni Brown's writing than I am by her singing. The back side of the CD has a nice example of her warmth with a touching tribute to Garcia and the inspiration of this event called The Gathering When August Comes. I wish I could speak as highly about her vocal performance on the Toni Brown Band version of the jazz standard Summertime that is included on this release. Her band tackles the song admirably, but this is a bold cover choice, given the fact that it has been sung by some of the greatest female vocalists in the history of music. Toni definitely has her moments, and should be credited for resisting the urge to over-sing. She leaves ample room for her guitarist to accompany her with some nice jazz riffs, which become bluesier as the song progresses. Matthew Kelly sits in and offers some gentle harmonica and a brief but impressive section of lead. However there are moments when Brown sounds like she is in over her head trying to sing this one, particularly when they return to her lyric after the very well played instrumental section. It may have been a better choice to include one of the other artists who performed on this day (David Nelson Band, Richie Havens, Stir-Fried, or The Grisman Quintet each performed and have been left off of the disc). The last half of the CD features the great Hot Tuna without Jack Casady. They deliver Uncle Sam Blues with authority. Jorma sings "Uncle Sam ain't no woman, but he sure can take your man" with the edge that this poignant lyric deserves. He also wastes no time diving into his familiar attack at the guitar, with piercing notes, seductive flurries, and muscular repeated notes with his band stirring energy beneath him. Pete Sears steps up for an organ solo that alternates between delicate coloring and uplifting washes. Jorma joins him for some tasty interplay, catapulting the band to even higher highs featuring some intense blues washes. This settles down and more outstanding lead work emits from a grand piano which sounds an awful lot like TC is sitting in (although it is not listed as such in the booklet). After another quick wash, Jorma takes over and he and Sears alternate quick, muscular leads. At one point Sears plays some descending notes, which set the table for Jorma to wrap up this fantastic instrumental portion in his own inimitable fashion. Gypsy Fire would have been served better if it preceded Uncle Sam, as it would have flowed better out of the Summertime than it does splitting the tandem of Uncle Sam and Not Fade Away (the JKB set conclude with the Uncle Sam followed by NFA). Even though it sort of breaks up the energy of the performance (and calls the sequencing of the release into question), this is a standout version of Gypsy Fire. Mike Falzarano delivers a strong lead vocal, perhaps he is inspired as this is about the time that this song, one of his finest compositions to date, was really starting to get its legs. Jorma again shreds with his lead, and Sears play some soaring organ. Sears reveals his undying generosity as a musician by eschewing the traditional lead approach; instead offering more washes which set the table for his band mates to shine. While the version of Not Fade Away that closes the disc is a bit ragged, it is oh-so-right when it comes to feel. The frisky improvisation represented on this cut recalls the days (or really for most of us, tapes of these performances) at The Fillmore and other great venues where evening's performances would culminate with loose jams featuring members of various groups. This jam took place at the end of JKB's set. Merl Saunders and Tom Constanten join JKB on keys (Sears moved to the accordion), as well as Will McFarlane on guitar and the familiar voice of Donna Jean. The way the musicians share the spotlight so generously drew parallels in my mind to the most positive experiences I had touring with The Dead, when our group would run into other groups and share our experiences, as well as our grub. The surly attitudes and selfish behavior more associated with mainstream society were harder to find on tour in those days. Following The Dead allowed one to escape this darkness for the most part, and revel in the rapture and beauty with other music lovers. This whole CD seems to capture this spirit, which seemed to begin to fade a few years before we lost Garcia. Those of you who long for these halcyonic days should consider attending this festival, as it is one of the few that truly captures this predominantly bygone era.
"Heartbreak Town" - Ronnie
McCoury "Heartbreak Town" is the first solo effort from one of most the esteemed mandolin players playing in bluegrass today. Ronnie McCoury has won many awards for his skill and ingenuity onstage, as well as in the studio with his family's group, the Del McCoury Band. Here he takes the reins writing and singing many of the songs himself. The band backs him in spots, joined by other special guests. Much like the North Mississippi All-Stars album last week, McCoury's first solo album is a testament of sorts. Most of the songs were written over a period of 7 years from 1991-1997, after the McCoury family had just moved to Nashville. It seems only fitting that the album has a distinctly country theme to it. Most of the songs on the album deal with nasty break-ups, unrequited love, Mexican mistresses, and unrepentant drunkenness. Well, most except the instrumentals that feature Bela Fleck and David Grisman playing inspired banjo and mandolin respectively. The album begins energetically with the title track, Heartbreak Town. The town in question could perhaps be insinuated as Nashville itself. The singer longs to return to life in the country, far away from the grind of the daily routine. The musical accompaniment itself is a rolling daydream, carrying the listener along for the ride. The second track, The Road from Coeburn to Warren, is one of the four instrumentals. Here Bela Fleck and David Grier on guitar give ample support to McCoury's work on the mandolin. Somebody's Gonna Pay is a vengeful ballad of lost love, and a good example of the songwriting style of Nashville's Jamie Hartford. Hartford is one of the most popular songwriters in Nashville today, so his song fits in well with the picture McCoury is trying to paint here. Lilly Hoskins is the first of several songs with Jason Carter and Stuart Duncan on twin fiddles. They lay a smooth cornerstone to the foundation of 3 tracks on the album. The song takes the tone of an old-country waltz, moving slowly "in three quarter time." It's also somewhat sad in a way. By and large, the material on this album is tear-in-your beer kind of stuff. Our Love Never Dies is a love song, but only in the sense that one the singer laments the loss of a loved one and plans anxiously for a reunion in Heaven. When Hurt's a Talkin' dramatized the arguments and fights of a married couple, or so we are to assume. Cold Lonesome Feeling in like an open letter to an ex-girlfriend. Although the songs are similar, they aren't all exactly the same. Evangelina is an amusing number about sneaking down the Mexico to see a mysterious woman. Last Call, the last song on the album, is a drinkin' song needed to make the album's story complete. After all the heartache and heartbreak expressed on the tracks before it, the protagonist needed to have a toddy or 6. That's one of the funniest songs on the album, to be sure. It's similar to Cold Lonesome Felling but much less repentant. These types of songs seem like they have welled in McCoury's mind and heart for a long time. It seems as if they needed this album to set them free and clean his conscience. In my opinion the instrumentals really make the album. David Grisman certainly receives his share of recognition from within the music community at large, and more so within the bluegrass circles. Ronnie wrote Dawggone for him and join both Grisman and Bela Fleck on the track. Throw in Carter and Stuart and Duncan on twin fiddles and you have a very rich and textured jam. Noppet Hill Breakdown is another short tune, this one performed by the core of the Del McCoury band plus Duncan again on the extra fiddle. There's something very open and free about the instrumentals that is a little curtailed on the other songs. That's not a criticism, just an observation. Overall "Heartbreak Town" can best be described as mood music. The instrumentals will appeal to bluegrass lovers of all tastes, but many of the songs sung by Ronnie are not for everyone. This would definitely be an excellent choice for anyone experiencing a nasty breakup, divorce, or death of a loved one. It's the kind of songs you want to hear while mixing a double-shot of Makers Mark. The spirited play of the instrumentals counter-balances the mood of the other songs, so there is good contrast within the album as well. I would recommend this to dedicated fans of the genre as well as those of country and it's hybrids.
"nyc ghosts & flowers" - Sonic Youth You know that guy that hangs out occasionally that you just wanna grab by the shirt and throw to the Sarlacc? The one you can never quite bring yourself to do this to because, generally speaking, he's proved himself a pretty decent guy and, at the same time that he disgorges utter moose shit, he also says stuff that's amazingly right on? Listening to Sonic Youth's new album - "nyc ghosts & flowers" - is a lot like hanging out with that guy. Some of the time (as on small flowers crack concrete, SY spews forth with some ridiculously overwrought post-Beat babble... at least in terms of delivery. At the same time, underneath the bile, they also gracefully produce some of the most delicately gorgeous music of their career, unfolding like the same "great metallic flower" once used by Blair Jackson to describe the "Live Dead" Dark Star. You badly want simultaneously to kick Thurston Moore's nuts in and sit serenely at his feet, listening intently to everything to that comes spiraling out of his guitar. There was a time when Sonic Youth didn't think they were modern poets and all was good in the world. Well, sort of. For a period of about a decade - from 1988's "Daydream Nation" through 1998's SYR series - SY produced a stream of records which combined stunning experiments in noise, an acidic sense of humor, blinding white washed sheets of sound, and - above all - the wonderful glue of melody. It created a form that seemed neither overtly aggressive or pretentious -- it existed because it needed to. Everything seemed as if if it sprang forth naturally from the band without too much contrivance. As somebody once wrote, the ultimate post-modern sin is to take one's self too seriously. On the aforementioned small flowers..., Moore moves, with seemingly utter boredom, through a poem. Sort of. It sounds as if Moore is trying very hard to sound bored, but failing miserably. He is, in fact, very interested -- and wants very much to show off the depth of his words. Not that the words are bad, per se, they're just hard to listen to. And they're hard to take seriously, if only because Thurston seems to have that covered in spades. It comes off sounding like a parody of itself. This problem plagues many of the songs on the album - most notably: free city rhymes, renegade princess and nevermind (what was it anyway) - though, thankfully, never to the same extent as on small flowers.... It does manage to work in several places, though: namely on the momentum-filled streamXsonik subway and guitarist Lee Renaldo's haunting title piece. Renaldo has been writing songs like this for years and has become quite good at it. With his warm voice he delviers a spoken piece that hovers on the edge of melody, words tumbling over each other, wanting very much to somersault into song. Occasionally, Renaldo succumbs to this -- for the good, too. A little bit sung, a little bit spoken. Everything sounds casual and tossed off, spontaneous and - above all - honest. Behind the words, the music lurches -- not in exact synch with the text, but close enough to provide a unity. Throughout the disc, the instrumental beds for the songs are extremely gorgeous, bordering on some of prettiest music Sonic Youth has yet laid to track. Sounding - unpretentiously - like the aural equivalent of some of the modern art reproduced in the liner notes, splotches of color rise and fade, shadows flicker, ghosts float over the city streets. When the band manages to transcend the boundaries between poetry and lyricism they can be just as compelling as they ever were. When they don't, it's usually best to tune out what's being spoken in favor of listening to the language the band is most fluent in anyway: gorgeous noise.
"Get Your Shinebox" - Inasense New York's Inasense brings something a bit different to the jamband recipe. Along with the usual rock, jazz, blues and funk influences that many jambands build upon, Inasense spices their third disc, "Get Your Shinebox", with a spin on traditional Israeli music. Vocalist/guitarist Noah Chase and guitarist/vocalist C. Lanzbom spent their formative years in Israel, meeting when Lanzbom worked as a session musician with Chase's father. Upon returning to the U.S. Chase and Lanzbom began adapting the sounds of Israel (which include a heavy Spanish influence) and Hebrew texts to their original compositions. This blend is effective and innovative, but is curiously under-represented on Get Your Shinebox. The disc starts off with Intro > Adir Hu, a showcase of the percussion/Israeli sounds that work extremely well and establish a clearly original approach. Adir Hu and the 'Dick Dale surfs the Dead Sea', Ode Yishama, were both penned by Lanzbom's mentor, Rabbi Schlomo Carlebach, and are highlight tracks. When the band slips back to more familiar American compositions, the distinction begins to fade. Although there is some question as to whether the more experimental music would appeal to a 'commercial' audience, the strength of Inasense is undoubtedly there -- and I think more viable than their mainstream attempts. The flavor of Inasense's improvisational style is apparent in this self- produced studio recording, even if the energy isn't always effectively captured. Although the production is instrumentally, musically, and technically sound, at times the disc is sterile with very little true interplay. The extensive jam of Oze Vahadar, which should be a live monster, seems a bit too safe and scripted. They fall too easily into the jamband 'traps' of repetitive lyrics and mid- tempo boredom, particularly on the slow ballads Lay Me Down and Crazy Things. Their cover of Joni Mitchell's anthem Woodstock, does add some short but effective psychedelic travels in the jam segment, but pales overall to the popular CSNY version it too closely mirrors. Even the funkier tunes, Electrify and Ain't We All (which includes some nice essence of sitar), aren't transmitting the magic that Inasense is rumored to have in abundance. Current fans of Inasense will undoubtedly want to pick this disc up, as well as those seeking an introduction to this excellent live jamband. However, for my tastes, this studio disc comes up a bit short when the more 'traditional' tracks are compared to the current concoctions of other jamband heavyweights. The few shortcomings of this disc, notwithstanding, my money is on a tasty show if you catch them in your area.
"Two" - Gran Torino Many similarities exist between Gran Torino and various acts of the 70s such as Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder: the creation of remarkable albums, with lush ambience and infused with a breezy jazz/funk feeling. While certain readers and fans may deem such a comment crass and reductive, it should be analyzed as purely complimentary. With their mix of jazz, funk and rock, Gran Torino displays the same skills employed by Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder to achieve considerable market success. Just when the music begins sounding too retro, various elements added by Gran Torino save "Two" from being a tribute album. The opening strains of Phyliss prove the Steely Dan analysis perfectly. Consisting of a horn filled opening, then entering into a funky, walking-in-the-park-on-a-sunny-day groove, the song sounds quite similar to early Steely Dan. With an upbeat tempo and lyrics about the ever elusive theme of love, Phyliss in four and a half minutes shows Gran Torino prepared to launch into the sonic stratosphere of popular radio. Any comparisons to Steely Dan become further solidified in the track Bound. Once again, containing trumpet and various horns, the jazz opening falls into wah-induced funk jamming. Eventually when the chorus arises, with high harmony vocals, the listener feels at home, as though he/she has heard all of these sounds before. The comfort level of Gran Torino must be commended because the ability to assimilate numerous archetypal sounds of the past into a stew of modern music often alludes many bands. When Gran Torino strays from the waters of Steely Dan, these nine musicians fly into the lands of Stevie Wonder. Are You Livin begins sounding like Superstition until leading into a disco fueled ala Jamiroquai chorus. Despite the infusion of disco, the lead vocals of Chris Ford, forcibly raises the Stevie Wonder comparison. As Ford sings, "Are you livin too fast / Are you livin in the past," with a high, almost falsetto tone, the listener cannot help being taken to another epoch, when music existed as a clavinet-imbued, danceable entity. Once again, Gran Torino remains able to lead the listener back to a certain musical era without sounding overtly nostalgic. Never once does Gran Torino tread into the evil waters of musical plagiarism, but instead adds modern instrumentation, such as turntables and various grinding guitar solos (noticeable in the opening Coup detat). Considering the influences, amazing production quality and remarkably tight song organization, "Two" will set many listeners dancing. At times the music recalls the years 1977-1979 too much, as though this album appeared out of a tear in the space-time continuums fabric. Just when Gran Torino begins sounding exactly like a 70s cover band, they add in an Interlude or Outro, bringing the album back into the present, with a deep funk flavor and dirty guitar riffs. Overall, "Two" will garner Gran Torino an enormous fan base, receive some airplay, and will become the soundtrack for many parties; especially with those listeners who love Jamiroquai.
self-titled - Swampadelica It's a long, hot summer day on the bayou. Steam rises from the marsh floor into the Spanish moss drooping from nearby cypress trees. Out of the mist two speakers emerge as a band swoops down from on high. A few steel drumbeats invoke an incantation, and soon happy souls are moving in majestic sway to the surging, swirling sound incorporating many musical styles that have drifted into this swamp to melt. I envision scenes like this happening many times this summer as the joyous celebration that is the new Swampadelica album snakes its way around the CD player circuit. Swampadelica's music combines elements of jazz, funk, blues, reggae, gospel, Memphis blues and San Francisco psychedelia with a taste of hoodoo. Theyíd be a fine continuation of the recent line of New Orleans groovers such as Dr. John, the Neville Brothers and the Radiators were it not for one problem: they're from New Jersey. But as keyboardist Damian Calcagne is quick to point out, New Jersey has swamps too. So they're cool. The self-produced "Swampadelica" is a strong debut. Every tune is jam-packed with solid grooves and catchy hooks. There is a sense of cohesion among the songs, although they display a variety of instrumental and vocal textures. This nine-piece outfit has many tools at its disposal, and each number seems to find a different instrument making a statement of the opening groove. Snowman Brian Powers' saxophone and Calcagne's keyboards (Hammond, piano and Wurlitzer, often all at the same time; at least on the record) are usually most prominent among the instruments, but Tim Cassidy's harmonica carries Mighty High, while guest Emilio "Zef" China's violin leads What She Do. A scat vocal riff kicks off Daydream. Always, though, the other instruments are bobbing around near the surface. Calcagne (formerly of From Good Homes, fellow ex-Good Homer Jamie Coan sits in on mandolin on a couple tunes) and percussionist Stevo Nelson wrote and sing lead on all eight selections. Their somewhat raspy voices find pleasing counterpoint in the lush, soulful twin vocals of Kerri Lavin and Nicole Grana. The voices are used effectively as additional instruments in the bandís vast repertoire. Normally I tend to be a somewhat lyric-oriented kind of guy, but I pretty much forget to listen to them most of the time here. It's just so hard to get beyond those fat grooves. This is a groove band more than a jam band, although Hoo Doo (with guest Eddsie Moffit on flute, just in case anyone felt they hadnít yet displayed enough variety of sounds) decomposes into a long jam that gradually builds to a frenzy before bopping back into the main riff for one last chorus and a flute & percussion fadeout groove. This is not your typical guitar-driven outfit, but Jack OíDonnell's six-string does assert itself here and on a few other cuts. Evidently, I am not alone in my enthusiasm for this disc. MTV has licensed all eight songs for its "The Real World" series, with 24 episodes filmed in New Orleans set to begin airing this month. The band rose to #7 on Billboard Talent Net's Favorite Artist list in late January, and two weeks later Mighty High was the #2 song on the Billboard Talent Network Radio charts. The album was engineered by jamband sound guru John Siket, who has of late performed similar tasks for Phish, Dave Matthews Band, moe., Strangefolk and Guster. There's a certain crispness to the recording which at times reminds me vaguely of "Billy Breathes", but it's probably just my imagination. What a joyous record. I expect to make it one of my party favorites this summer. You should, too. One suggestion, though: please do not attempt to listen to this CD while sitting still. I actually tried this once, and it made me feel kinda queasy. This is music youíve gotta move to.
"Live" -
Built To Spill I should probably confirm right off the bat that Built to Spill falls more into what one would brand "indie rock" as opposed to the "jamband" musical category. However, Built To Spill has the hunger and the undeniable ability to create absolutely mind-blowing jams, as evident on its first live release, simply titled "Live". Built To Spill, probably the only national band of real merit to hail from Boise, Idaho, (more or less a piss stop as opposed to a tour stop) owes more of its jamming style to Crazy Horse and Sonic Youth then, say, SCI or Phish. Loud guitars are prevalent throughout the disc, with intermittent moments of jangled yet melodic beauty. Bluesy, jazzy and/or countrified shuffles are absent. Built To Spill will not make you dance, but for the listener with a taste for louder underground rock and roll as well as extensive jams, the band comes through, to say the least. The opus kicks off with The Plan, the opening tune from last year's studio effort, "Keep It Like A Secret," an album consisting of mostly shorter, tighter compositions. Built To Spill stay true to the structure of this tune as found in its studio form, but the numbing riffs and melodic chord progressions come through much stronger on stage. This opens a view into a depth in this tune that is not quite evident on its studio version. The guitar interplay between band leader Doug Martsch and guitarist Jim Roth in the breakdown about halfway through The Plan really sets the tone for what these guys can do, and continue to do, throughout the disc. With the possible exception of moe., I really can't think of two guitarists that play off each other as well. In the long jam department, Built To Spill comes through with two nearly 20 minute excursions, one being a dead-on cover of Neil Young's Cortez The Killer. While staying true to the verses of this bonafide classic, the band absolutely rips it up with a number of extended passages that continuously soar to new heights. No unnecessary time changes; just some highly intense, loud and melodic jam sessions that surpass each preceding minute in brilliance and power as the song sails on. In an even more intense vehicle, they close the disc out with pounding vigor in a classic interpretation of its own Broken Chairs, with bassist Brett Nelson providing extra punch with a third lead guitar (a chore he handles on several other tracks). If this doesn't make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, check your pulse, seriously. What makes the band special, in my opinion, is its songwriting ability, a necessity of any band rooted in indie rock values. Three of the best tracks from its jam-heavy 1997 classic, "Perfect From Now On", appear on this disc. What is very interesting here is that these three versions are actually shorter then they are on the studio disc, arguably a first in the live vs. studio versions of jamband compositions. The soaring Randy Describes Eternity shines through a short four minutes, unfortunately hampered by a much too abrupt ending on what is a mind-bending, slowly fading jam in its studio body. However, I Would Hurt A Fly, and particularly Stop The Show, absolutely glow and are arguably the strongest tracks on the disc. The nine-song disc is filled out with two obscure covers, including the compelling Virginia Reel Around The Mountain, originally recorded by Halo Benders, and an older, somewhat whiny original entitled Car. Built To Spill may not noodle, but there's no question they can jam. This strong, timely album represents an important and impressive musical effort that veers off the path of our burgeoning jamband scene yet is not all that distantly related, whether the band realizes it or not.
"More Beautiful Than Death" - Either/Orchestra
Smoke crystals, from the nostrils Music moves, effortlessly at times throughout city streets, rubbing its nuzzle, like an Eliot-esque fog, against the glass formed buildings. Jazz often epitomizes this creature, entering every fissure, throwing open every manhole cover; seeping far beneath the steamy layers of the city, subversively imbuing everything with its power and panache: lurking underground, unannounced. A large portion of this beings life blood must be the Cambridge, Massachusetts based Either/Orchestra. Consisting of ten members, the ingenuity and power expressed by this jazz band can not be matched by any band, period. In fact, the Either/Orchestra may be the greatest unknown band, which only furthers the connection to the insidious being lurching throughout the citys underground. On "More Beautiful than Death," the Either/Orchestra moves away from "standard" jazz fare (as if they ever stayed logically and neatly within the jazz idiom anyway) and enter into the sounds and rhythms of Africa. While many bands have ventured into African inspired song structures, few return with anything groundbreaking or pleasing. A sense of logic exists for the saunter into African music by a jazz band: blues came from Africa. As jazz grew, more and more artists returned to the blues based sounds spawned from the African continent. Art Blakey became one of the more prominent musicians of the 1960s to bring African percussion and rhythms into standard jazz song structures. Later, Miles Davis, Sun Ra and several other musicians would extend the ideas presented by Blakey, by adding in chanting or various antiphonal/modal elements, thus forcing the connection between jazz and African rhythms. A poem by Quincy Troupe reflects the African elements within Mingus compositions and certainly all jazz, when he writes:
into space time walks bass strings of charlie mingus Troupe's poetry reflects what many authors within the book "The Jazz Cadence of American Culture" outline. Art, which jazz has always been a part of, continually returns to African culture. If not in the cubist works of Matisse and Picasso, then in Art Blakey's rhythms or Miles Davis modal classics on "Kind of Blue." Whether for aesthetic reasons or for the thrill of trampling in the vortex of primitivism (the view of Picasso and several others), the sounds and sights of Africa continually launch artistic endeavors. Therefore the Either/Orchestras quest does not remain unorthodox. In fact, the previous historical ramblings bulwark and legitimize this album as one of the most vital jazz releases in the last five years. Or this fact could explain why the album works for almost any music lover, not just jazz fans. Fans may remember Medeski Martin and Wood's use of African scales and phrasings on their cover of King Sunny Ade's Moti Mo. Following MMW's lead (one could argue MMW followed Either/Orchestra's lead, considering they first played African inspired pieces in 1987), the Either/Orchestra adds ornamentation to three very intriguing Ethiopian standards. When they aren't playing covers, Russ Gershon's brilliant compositional skills add several memorable originals to the album which traverse various musical paradigms: traditional jazz/blues, calypso and Latin are both blatantly exhibited. Amiak Abet Abet, Musicawi Silt and Feker Aydelmwey make up the Ethiopian Suite on "More Beautiful than Death." All three of the pieces are astoundingly arranged by the Either/Orchestra, but the stand out may be Feker Aydelmwey. Beginning with some arpeggiated runs, the song slowly moves into a well-sustained groove. With the bottom end established by the horns, bass and multiple percussion in Either/Orchestra, Russ Gershon begins playing an enormously exploratory solo. As he continues building scales and lines upon each other, layers upon layers of sound, Gershon becomes more passionate, inducing squeals from his soprano saxophone. Gershon's playing sounds Coltrane-inspired throughout Feker Aydelmwey, often reminiscent of Coltranes playing on live versions of Afro Blue(a decent comparison can be found in John Coltrane's "Afro Blue/Impressions" Pablo Live Records 2PACD-2620-101-2). As Gershon's solo dramatically builds, the ensembles intensity increases, causing an enormous swelling effect beneath the soprano saxophones ethereal lines. While the Ethiopian Suite makes "More Beautiful than Death" one of the greatest jazz releases in recent memory, several of the blues/jazz compositions also make the album worthwhile. Both More Beautiful than Death and All Those Sobs add the necessary traditional jazz elements to the album, with a distinctive Miles Davis circa 1959 sentiment. Slow, and melodic, More Beautiful than Death nears "Kind of Blue" waters, however it remains distinctly original, with a continued big band/hard bop flair. The other piece, All Those Sobs, begins with distinct blues phrasings, before yielding the traditional blues shuffle, as the backing horn section "sobs" distinctively over the soloists' cries. With the arrangement used on All Those Sobs, the listener becomes forced to imagine a smoky bar where the sultry Billie Holiday wails the blues and whiskey begins flowing freely from table to table, sounds of pavement and New York: a wonderful blues shuffle for the traditional jazz fan. Reaching almost schizophrenic proportions, songs like Breaktime for Dougo and Slow Mambo for J.J., fly into other musical lands. One notable critic commented on Breaktime for Dougo as a "mariachi styled, latin number," yet such a comment appears shrouded in ignorance. Filled with numerous arpeggios and multiple antiphonal elements, the song has a sound more like a Haitian Calypso piece than a Latin composition. Although the listener can never be sure, mainly because just when the music becomes decidedly Calypso, trumpets enter, sounding not unlike the dawning of bull-fighting season in Spain. By readily genre hopping, the Either/Orchestra displays their finesse and flexibility despite being a large ensemble. Breaktime for Dougo becomes decidedly less Latin when Slow Mambo for J.J. commences. With bouncy piano playing and assorted percussion, the song clearly displays a Latin flavor, leaving the listener in awe regarding the plenitude of genres ambulated by the Either/Orchestra. After reaching Slow Mambo for J.J., traditional jazz, African, blues and Latin have all been displayed; with soloists flying through the scales of Coltrane, Davis, Blakey and Monk. Buddhists believe death can be the most beautiful experience for any human being: nothingness/nirvana means the human body no longer remains attached to any earthly experiences. The Either/Orchestras goal, with their album "More Beautiful than Death" may be the sonic equivalent of such an experience. Traversing foreign domains and imbuing the music sonically with the breezes of Africa, the Either/Orchestra has created a rare album, which deserves attention. By acknowledging the strange beast existing within the citys underground mankind can realize the bountiful art being created. However, the Either/Orchestra may love the lack of attention: fewer attachments and an existence "more beautiful than death." 1) Kaufman, Bob. Solitudes Crowded with Loneliness. Canada: New Directions Books, 1965. 2) Troupe, Quincy. Avalanche. Minneapolis: Coffee House Press, 1996.
"co(incidents)" - Mark
Nodwell This is a nice find -- a CD that manages to be avant-garde and friendly at the same time. If you'll excuse the trite comparison, this disc reminds me of Phish's early releases in a sense. Just as "Junta" brought some of the more appealing aspects of 60's and early 70's rock into the present without being nostalgic, this CD does similar things for the avant-garde jazz of the same era. The four tracks on "(co)incidents", which average almost 20 minutes apiece, are similar. On each cut, pensive, modernistic composed passages give way to quiet solo statements from various members. Odd-meter vamps eventually appear and lead to vigorous themes with traces of Eastern European music. There are some edgy moments, especially from guitarist Khabu Doug Young, but the harshness of much experimental jazz rarely appears here - instead, long stretches of near-silence are common, and the players exhibit a firm grasp of both melody and noise. Even drummer Jack Kaham's solo on the opening cut Laurie's Lake is melodic, with identifiable motives on the cymbals and toms. Soprano saxophonist Mark Nodwell wrote the music, but each member of the sextet (which also includes clarinet, viola, guitar, bass and drums) gets equal space. Often I hear traces of the AACM school of jazz (Anthony Braxton or the Art Ensemble of Chicago), and the dancelike themes recall the more eccentric side of John McLaughlin or Gong. Francouis Houle's opening solo on bass clarinet reminds me of the intro of Santana's "Caravanserai" record, and other passages recall Surrender To The Air (another Phish comparison - sorry), without the deliberately ugly outbursts. This is music that requires concentration, and that rewards it. Worth checking out.
self-titled - Megaphone Man If improvisation is the name of the game, Megaphone Man is a star player. Their self titled album is a live recording by the three musicians, who never practice together and, aside from some basic landmark melodies, have no clue what they are going to play before it comes out. Following in the traditions of free jazz, the sax-bass-drum group practices group improvisation. Although any schmuck can get together with some friends and improvise, it takes masterful musicians to pull real music from the chaos. Megaphone Man largely succeeds at producing a cohesive product that holds together and is fun to listen to. The overall sound is a funky kind of jazz, with a heavily syncopated beat, organ tone (Leslie rotating speaker often used on the bass), and screaming saxophone solos. Although the saxophone solos are all powerful and throaty, they begin to sound somewhat similar by the end of the album. This may be a result of an unfamiliarity with the nuances of free jazz, resulting in sax screams that are subtly different coming across as identical. Repetition is a common problem when one improvises without firm boundaries. When one wanders without a map, one tends to choose the directions that he is most comfortable with. No signposts guiding the way, it's easy to return to those licks which feel most comfortable. Another result of the free format is that a listener can easily identify improvised changes. One musician will spontaneously change direction, and the others quickly follow. This gives the songs a raw edged feel that is fun to listen to, particularly for a listener who appreciates the skill involved in improvisation. The true hero of the album is bass player Neal Fountain. In traditional jazz, a trio without a rhythm instrument (i.e. piano, guitar), is almost unheard of. The risk is that there will be a gaping void left in the center of the music. Yet, Fountain's nimble lines easily fill the gaps, as he intersperses chords and melodies. In fact, on a first listen, one might be led to believe that this trio is actually a quartet, particularly when Fountain's Leslie bass poses as an organ. With surprising chemistry and spontaneity, Megaphone Man's latest album fuses funk, jazz, and improv into a free, fun sound. These are three masterful musicians giving it their all in the name of music, and producing some great music as a result.
"Your Mind" - ONOFFON Cluttered. Weird. A smorgasbord of splendiferous sounds. Absolute perfection. I absolutely love it when I am surprised by a piece of music when I hear it for the first time. I love it even more when it takes multiple listens to even figure out what instruments are being played. Does this sound like a familiar sentiment? If so, "Your Mind" may be just what is needed to poke at, well, your mind. The very first track, fittingly entitled Your Mind starts off with a loud count-off, and then what I have come to figure out is probably someone running their hands or some sort of utility on the actual strings that are inside a piano. Stunning. Then, some screams here and there, and chanting of the words "your mind" over and over again. And then, a blast of vocals and instrumentation that honestly made my heart jump. This is a strong drug of a band. And ONOFFON are a talented bunch. Shadowglass features a flute part that gives an incredible tribal feel to an already sensuous masterpiece. Perhaps a soprano saxophone is what brings chills up and down your spine. Look no further than Mardi Gras, an instrumental tune led by Glen Garrett on saxophone. The percussion on this particular track is absolutely top-notch. It truly is the essence of the festival, as it is a portrait in melodic symmetry with Latin influence. ONOFFON indicates that Ocean's Cry would be "...a stark contrast of surrealistic hues and delicate gradiations reminding one of a dream not yet realized." Outstanding vocals and an almost Santana-esque feel that gradually builds from pretty and melodic to somewhat raging proves this to be true to light. ONOFFON is an honest, creative band that is not afraid to stand out from the norm. What a good idea... Perhaps Bebe's Song may be right up your alley. Yes, ONOFFON is not only creative, but they certainly like to make music from multiple genres and forms. A more jazzy tune, Bebe's Song is a love story of sorts that sounds like it could be performed on Broadway. Whereas Opus is a simple song featuring multiple guitar talents and even some occasional background rainstorm sounds that left this reviewer in tears. All in all, one cannot go wrong by checking out ONOFFON. In fact, I would stand to believe that letting this one slip through your fingers would be a mistake you'd learn to regret. Beautiful music does exist, and people are still making it...
"Standing In The Deep End" - Fifth House Asheville, North Carolina is one of my favorite cities in the southeast. Any place where so many people manage to be simultaneously enlightened and down to Earth is OK with me. High quality restaurants serving healthy food are everywhere. The gently looming mountains serve as de facto protection for this special city. Warren Haynes grew up here. The cozy confines of The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium are here. The Biltmore Estate is here. Asheville is also home to the young jam band Fifth House. The band already has a core following of "Househeads," (I wonder if fans of Galactic's lead singer take the same moniker) and this group will surely grow now that the band's debut release, "Standing In The Deep End" is available. While the songs may be a bit similar to each other with the initial listen, there is clearly some creative songwriting, and challenging changes going on here. One could easily get the feel that this is a band that will do some serious damage as they grow and flesh out their sound. One listen to the title track helps the listener understand why this band's music has been described as "tripadeliafunkmorgastic, paradigm-shifting, soul-lifting music." This song starts with a laid-back guitar and piano prelude, which quickly succumbs, to the groove of the song. This groove, reminiscent of Derek and The Dominos' Keep On Growin', gets my shoulders swaying with every listen. I also find myself wooed by the lyricism right from the first verse. "The gravity of our conversation, it brings my body down. The caravan of indecision, drags me all around. I've got one thing to say, it never felt this way." Lyrically, the song evolves to suggest someone who, after a perplexing weekend, has had a shock of realization causing him to go through intense self-evaluation. Whatever happened, he was pathetically unprepared for the event. The Zappa-esque keyboard lead over the strikingly fast changes, and smartly placed stop/starts underscore the confusion the song addresses. This gives way to some tight ensemble playing which seems to suggest that the voice of the song has come to some kind of resolution. However, the band gradually returns to a frenetic pace, ultimately reaching a section that I assume allow for ample improvisation in the live setting. When the song's melody returns, and the song returns to the lyrical bridge, we find that the contemplation has still left our protagonist confused and the song wafts to a gentle close. The band proves its true mettle with the last listed track Groove Real Tight, which features the line "we don't need no information, just keep the groove real tight." Jim Leatherwood lends some excellent sax work, at some points jutting into the sound with honking, squeaking, and other funky coloring, at other points broadening the group's sound with his lilting lead work. Once again Bullman shines with a guitar solo toward the end that starts with some nice gentle flowing notes, before it builds through some strong lead work (he references the Allman Brothers with very classy subtlety). Rather than spewing an array of notes at the listener, Bullman chooses to resolve his solo with some crafty interplay with drummer Mike Ashworth. He demonstrates maturity as a player by repeatedly opting for restraint over showmanship on this release. The CD also contains the charged lead track, Songs From The Alley, which features more fast changes and raises curiosity about its potential as a live song. The positive message of Betterland is underscored by some more incisive guitar runs from Bullman, who lives up to his liner note nickname, "toro hombre." He starts his solo with a strong single note, but gradually veers into a fusion lead that tickles the ear as it weaves in and out of Rob Heyer's liquidy bass and Keven Scala's keys. The stop/start at the end of the solo serves as a smart bridge back to the song's lyrics. The desperate Putcha Down continues the disc's theme of contemporary lyricism put to a fusion sound. It is a concise track driven by a kind of Allen Holdsworth meets the Derek Trucks guitar line. The disc then has about fifty blank tracks, which give way to the hidden track number 55, the only disappointment of the release. The intro, driven by a shuffle drum beat, gives the listener false hope for a creative take on (Turn On Your) Lovelight. I think this is a poor choice for a straight cover as it has been covered countless performers (among them jamband giants Col. Bruce Hampton and The Grateful Dead). Even a cool drum break, which leads to more impressive Bullman/Ashworth interplay, does not save this otherwise tepid reading. Nonetheless, this is clearly a band with promise, and they are definitely worth checking out live.
"Southern Rockers" - the Winters Brothers
Band The Winters Brothers Band have succeeded in making music that closely resembles that of some good old Lynyrd Skynyrd - and adding to that a twist of Legs-era ZZ Top. This combination keeps "Southern Rockers", well, rocking, without giving in whatsoever. In short, it ain't so bad. Not bad at all. However, even great bands have their shortcomings. While songs such as Tasty have a satisfying melody and, at times, intensely tight backgrounds, songs such as Angel (Hold Me) are thrown into the mix: standard country ballads with very weak vocals. In fact, the weak vocals are pretty much the only downfall of this entire collection. These musicians from Tennessee may actually be onto something here... For instance, turn on Irresistable Charm. You may just enjoy the good-time country tune, but pay close attention to the piano talents of David "Spig" Davis. Dennis Winters, who is the lead vocalist, completely rips through Family Curse with a melodic vengeance of sorts. Perhaps this is what many up-and-coming country artists are missing nowadays: a no-nonsense attitude laced with good songwriting and a nod to great rockers of the past. Perhaps you are looking for a cynical love song with great harmonies and a simplistic melody (which is sometimes all you really need). Look no further than What Kind of Lover: a fast-paced tune with all the charm of an old ballad. Interested in catching some live Winters Brothers Band? Try Sang Her Love Songs, which could really entice a local listener to go out and give these boys a shot. And if Misty Mountain Morning's bassline does not make you happy, then nothing on this album possibly could. All in all, this is a gem. Sure, it has its downfalls, but at least it was far from ordinary.
"All One" - Entrain "We are all connected, all one," sings Entrain's Brian Alex, in a vaguely Bob Marley-esque voice that seems appropriate for this message of unity. "We were born with a love for all mankind. Let's think back to our innocent mind," he preaches. This philosophy is the perfect metaphor for the group's new album, "All One." True to their word, the group does not discriminate, exploring traditional music from all over the world. Their primary influences seem to be mainstream American music, African music, and reggae. And they have really learned these three styles inside and out. Songs like Letter to the World are as close to authentic African music as a group of hippie white boys can ever hope to come. Yet, Entrain does not come across as imitators; they explore far too much ground to run that risk. Much of the album finds the group utilizing these varied influences in pursuit of their own unique style. The group is best defined by their lead vocalists (Alex shares duties with Ned Nugent). Alex's voice is high and airy, at times sounding like Sting. Nugent's voice is lower, with more of a reggae twinge. What the two have in common is beautiful tone and complete mastery of their vocals. For a group with such extensive instrumentation, it is mildly odd to find so few instrumental solos. Lead work is provided by guitar, trombone, saxophone, trumpet, and sitar. Yet, aside from a drum song, the musicians mainly limit themselves to accompanying the vocals. Furthermore, many songs feel as if they don't develop enough, merely repeating the same idea several times. When this is added to the extraordinary range of the group, at times the album may not seem like it fits together. However, many of the songs are simply too catchy to pass up. Although it features a lead sitar, Arm Yourself would not be amiss on a mainstream radio station, with it's alternative rock feel. Despite its shortcomings, "All One" is a fine album that, indeed, does not discriminate.
self-titled - the Street Corner
Healers If you live around Rhode Island, perhaps you've heard of the four (and occasionally, five) piece band called the Street Corner Healers. They have this strange song called Chinese/Japanese that actually mimics the lyrics you may remember from your childhood: "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees..." No? You don't know this band? I mean, are you sure? Well, now that I think of it, it could be easy to miss this band, as they unfortunately fall under the category of obviously talented musicians who produce such plain music that it would be hard for them to catch many eyes. Sadly, their self-titled release is a showcase of just that. It is a small array of different types of music, blending simple folk sounds in some cases, while in others, resorting to harder rock. However, that is where the versatility ends. The Street Corner Healers are just like any other so-called 'hippie band' nowadays; pretty tunes here and there, but nothing so memorable that any future could really be secured. What makes this fact hard to swallow is the apparent talent coming from each and every member of the band, that are all featured prominently on the album. George Reithoffer does the lead vocals for Here We Go Again, Something New, and yes, that Chinese/Japanese rendition. And he is darn good at it. If that is not enough to make you shake your head in sincere pity, introduce yourself to the vocal stylings of Matt Wunsch, who sings on Blanket of Lime, World of Our Own, and Ooh Las Vegas. Wunsch, who is also the drummer for the band, demonstrates his songwriting talents on World, perhaps the most lyrically pleasing song on the album. Guitarist Mike Arciero sings as well on Betty Sue, one of his originals. It seems that each member is an active contributor, and this is something that many bands nowadays lack greatly. However, the final product does very little for even the very open ear. So what are we to make of bands such as the Street Corner Healers? Is the interesting guitar lines and driving mid-80s style rock-n-roll in Blanket of Lime just not enough? Can the mellow, wonderous vocals and backdrop to the silly lyrics of Chinese/Japanese make a dent whatsoever? Is there room for just another band like this? Surely. There is always space for music. But it will take some pushing, and perhaps a new -original and different- sound altogether to make this band one to watch.
self-titled - Sunny Weather
"but they who do go there[ to the ultimate plane] are saunterers in the
good sense the saunterer is no more vagrant than the meandering river, which
is all the while sedulously seeking the shortest course to sea." Some bands have names that are in no way representative of their overall sound. While people shouldn't live by the "tell a book by its cover", sadly many do practice this sort of assumption game. It is a consequence of our fast paced society or at least a direct result from our need to assimilate and synthesize an enormous amount of information in a minimal amount of time. Which brings us to Sunny Weather, a quintet from upstate New York. Never in my life has a band perfectly created music indicative of their title. An infectious blend of reggae, zydeco, and roots music, sunny weather is certain to occur under these sonic rumblings. Sunny Weather's sound is also one which makes the listener step back, relaxing in mellow rhythms, gentle guitar fills and soaring harmonies. No need to assimilate this sound at the normal rapid rate. All of these fine qualities are exhibited on their eponymous debut. The band, something like Henry David Thoreau, saunters through the vast green musical fields of reggae, zydeco and any other "genre flowers" they can pick along the way. Thus creating an album perfect for listening to on Sunday afternoons with no place to go and nothing to do. The point is to relax and enjoy the sunny weather, while lying in a field of clover, yellow mustard and daisies. Watch the blue sky and clouds. Vocally, Sunny Weather is a tight unit, with Trevor MacDonald's scratchy, earthy lead vocals and Amy Glicklich's Liz Berlin-esque backup harmonies. While musically they prove to be heavily rhythmic, refraining from being overly self indulgent with blasting leads and masturbatory jamming inherently common in jambands. Mixing these elements together Sunny Weather has the remarkable ability to create unfeigned songs filled with hope, beauty and inspiration. All of these elements become readily apparent from the opening song, the blue-eyed reggae of Something. This album is set to soothe the overworked, hysterical, maniacal city worker. Slow and smooth, the reggae rhythms become intoxicating; inebriation is certain. One quality of reggae music to its detriment is its inherent monotonous nature. Which is what makes Sunny Weather refreshing. They can not only play realistic Kingston beats, but they mix in some contagious zydeco pieces. This allows them to continue with a hypnotic, rhythmic feel, but allows the listener some needed diversity. The best zydeco track is My Own Private Zydeco, which is quick, with accordion blasting the lead chords and rhythm. It is possibly the most effective track, stepping between the two Jamaican tracks Oh Brother and Smile. Therefore its rubboard and accordion rhythm is merely accentuated and displays the bands extreme agility. There are only two cuts on the album, which don't fall into the reggae or zydeco categories. One is extremely successful, while the other, sadly, is not. What's it Gonna Be, is a roots rock piece, a blend of Cajun, country and rock and roll, almost sounding like a Donna the Buffalo cover. Of all the tracks on the album, this may be the best, not only vocally, but because it is the most off beat track. While the other song that stays out of the reggae/zydeco sound, is the closing track Livin on the Dance Floor. Possibly the most apt description of this song is to say "the BeeGees". Now some listeners out there may be huge disco fans, which is clearly their business. What is depressing is that considering the musical elan exhibited, which has depth on many levels, closing with music I hoped was left for dead in 1980 is disheartening. Although it should be noted that even with this small miscue, the CD exhibits enough outstanding moments to look past the Travolta, bell-bottomed Studio 54 trip. Apparently, after reading about Sunny Weather, they have only been together as a unit for two years. Meaning there is a ton of addicting, relaxing music to come in the future from this quintet. Music to enjoy the clouds and clear, full moon nights to. Lets all just hope they continue to create music with soul rather than songs that belong six feet under.
"Spo What?" - the Spodee Odees Does this sound like a typical day to you?: You wake up, rubbing your eyes a bit just to see that the alarm clock on your nightstand reads two hours later than you were supposed to get up. Uh oh. You hurriedly take care of your morning chores, doing the best you can to ignore the blinding sunshine taunting you from your half-opened blinds. You make it into work, breathless and tired, only to be greeted by tasks you never really wanted to take care of. You sigh wistfully and count the hours...the minutes...the seconds... until you can retreat back to your pad. Yet, once you do finally end your work day, you find a whole slew of trouble greeting you at home. You cannot relax. You cannot sleep soundly. And thus, the process begins again... If this sounds at all familiar to you, perhaps you should invest in the sounds of the Spodee Odees to calm you down some. I guarantee that after just one listen, your stress levels will decrease remarkably. Unless, of course, if by listening to what seems to be like a wacky combination of Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead is causing you to punch your computer screen in agony. If this is the case, then please, skip this one. For your own good. For the rest of you, though, songs like Another Day and Brecon Beacon may be exactly what you need to take the edge off. Steven Rosenfeld's guitar lines are happy and bouncy, yet incredibly mellow, allowing for a mild focus on some really interesting harmonies. The vocals are not entirely too strong throughout, (although To See What's Down The Road showcases the vocals by Matt Delaney at a peak level) yet this is not such a terrible thing entirely. What is even more compelling is the hint of some bright Leslie sounds coming from keyboardist Chris Martin. However, songs such as Down The Road and Hallelujah may have been more memorable if the keyboards were more prominent. If James Taylor makes you cringe, perhaps you should skip over I'll Take My Time, for example. This music is a good pain reliever, but that is about where it ends. All in all, this album certainly has its highlights. Melodies on songs such as Fussin' and Bliss are remarkably Dead-like, while others knock at Steely Dan's partially opened door - like Delaney's Song For Captain Bligh. Perhaps you should just lay atop your covers and close your eyes for an hour or so. Slip "Spo What?" into your player, and remember that the world is full of sweet sounds and songs about nothing at all.
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