EXTRA EXTRA… Web Only Special Feature
TOM’S TOP 10 REGIONAL
CD PICKS OF 2005
by Tom Lounges
As publisher of a monthly music
magazine, a daily newspaper music columnist and the host of a
Chicagoland radio show that spins a fair share of music by Chicagoland
artists, these hard-working ears get to check out a LOT of homespun
original albums.
An endless stream of new local
music finds its way to my desk throughout the year. Ultimately, I do
manage to eventually check out everything that comes my way.
Some stuff may make one grit
their teeth, but most have merits of some type –– be it in the
songwriting, the artistic performance, the production, the packaging,
etc.
My mission here was to revisit
the many regional album releases of 2005 and cull my very favorites from
the herd. A tough challenge indeed, for Chicagoland and Northwest
Indiana is home to some truly talented and gifted musical artists – of
all different genres and styles.
Since the influx of CDs that
find their way to me on a daily basis, consists of a lot of computer
burned “demos” (raw, unmixed, non-commercial releases) and EPs (extended
play singles), the first job was to establish a criteria before the
culling could begin.
Here it is! To make this
Top 10 of 2005 list, each CD had to have been released since
November of 2004, be commercially available to the public, be fully
pressed and packaged, and contain a minimum of eight of more songs.
Anything older or with less music was not considered.
Quite honestly, there were way
more than 10 local releases that found considerable favor with my
musical palate over the last 12 months, but the cream of the crop was
pretty clear cut once I started separating the gems from the diamonds in
the rough.
The mix of albums also reflects
my eclectic musical tastes –– running the gamut of pop, rock, jazz, R&B
and even a little country.
Hold on to your headphones,
cause here we go...
1) ELECTRIC X
“Radioville”
(Independent)
Twenty year veterans of the
area acoustic scene, Chris Sulcer and Darren Locasto (of Acoustic X
fame) have always been decent songwriters. The duo took things to the
next level after finding a perfect collaborator in bassist Lou Samaniego
(ex-Loudflower) and plugging into amps to become – Electric X.
Released last January, there
was never any doubt that
Radioville
would top my list this year, as it visits my stereo often and is allowed
to play straight through with no track skipping.
The 10-song collection is a
nearly perfect slice of melodic pop rock – infectious – sporting
outstanding vocal harmonies both Beatlesque and folky a la Crosby,
Stills & Nash.
Those ear-appealing vocals are
always the focus, as they lay over tasty meldings of acoustic and
electric guitars, underscored by the spirited rhythms of Lou and his
drummer/cousin, Shane Samaniego.
Highlights:
“Emperor’s Clothes” “Radioville”,
“Elegantly Wasted” and
“Madeline”.
2) THE HIGHWAY BAND
“Nine Fine Wines”
(Independent)
This Southern-fried, Hoosier
sextet has a solid chemistry from years of writing, playing and
recording together.
While past releases have always
been anchored by their strong writing talents and proficient playing,
Highway Band were always much better live than recorded.
Nine Fine Wines balances the scales. For the first time ever,
Highway has truly hit the note! This is due in no small part to the
capable production skills of the omni talented Phil Miller (of Sonia
Dada fame) and having Rick Barnes (Nick Tremulis) tweaking and twisting
knobs as their engineer.
All the right ingredients came
together to make this a fine vintage. The cork in the bottle here is
the disc’s high quality packaging, complete with a lyric booklet chock
full of color band shots.
As a total package, “Nine Fine
Wines” can stand up to any major label release and even best a good
chunk of them.
Highlights:
“All’s Forgiven”,
“Rusted Nail”
and “How Does
It Feel?”
3) MARK LONSWAY
“Not Your Typical Cowboy”
(Jabberwocky
Records)
Newly relocated to Nashville,
Lonsway hails from Chicago and was a former sideman with Chicago country
diva, Dayna Malow (who topped this list last year with her Jabberwocky
release,
Tangled Up In You).
A sideman no longer, Lonsway
stepped out strong with this Summer 2005 solo debut. This is
contemporary country ten songs strong with Lonsway’s picking and singing
capably backed by a gaggle of talented musicians tossing in accordion,
steel pedal, banjo, dobro, mandolin and pert near everything but the
kitchen sink.
Lonsway authored or co-authored
most of the tracks, but doesn’t let a songwriter ego get in the way of
picking great outside of the box tunes like
“Finish What He
Started.”
Highlights:
“Big Backyard”, “Not
Your Typical Cowboy”, and the heart on his sleeve number
written by Malow,
“What Has He Got”.
4) SUSAN MAY
“Black Coffee”
(Southport Records)
From upbeat and sassy, to moody
and melancholy –– Susan May –– delivers it all with oodles of style and
pizazz on her sophomore album, “Black Coffee.”
Sounding like a young Sarah
Vaughan, this fourteen-year-old St. John, Indiana resident knocked me
out with her first album, “The Rose”, a couple of years back.
May has greatly matured. Like
the finest wines served in the smokey, upscale night clubs where her
kind of music thrives, this woman-child is intoxicating to listen to as
she cascades through the collection’s eleven jazz standards, backed by a
stellar session band, smoothly directed by Bobby Schiff
Though tender in years, May is
decidedly an old soul, capable of channeling the very essence of those
late, great ladies of song Judy Garland and Billie Holiday. This album
is so legit and solid that jazz scribe Jason Koransky of
“Downbeat” magazine offered glowing words on it’s jacket.
Highlights:
“Come Rain Or Come
Shine,” “Black Coffee”
and “Love Me
Or Leave Me”.
5) KAMERA
“X-Posure”
(Kamera Music)
Twenty years ago, this band
would have been all over the radio, sales charts and opening shows for
the likes of Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon and Styx.
While this brand of
keyboard/guitar-driven “arena rock” may not be the flavor of the day in
2005, there is no denying that Kamera has mastered the style.
Superbly played and produced
remarkably well, fans of the aforementioned bands will take a real shine
to X-Posure,
which barely made the cut for this list having come out in November of
2004.
Vocalist Greg Flores is on the
money and the ample vocal and instrumental support is layered well and
works. Perhaps Kamera can kick start a resurgence in the area for prog-rock
with those tired of the pop-punk scene.
Highlights:
“Chance”
and
“Everywhere I Go”.
6) VARIOUS ARTISTS
“One Kind Radio Compilation Vol 2”
(OKR)
The production is a little
uneven on this baker’s dozen of underground Midwest bands assembled by
passionate region music fan, John Bowles, who has for years hosted the
internet radio show,
“One Kind Radio”.
Like it’s predecessor, this
compilation showcases bands well under the radar, who might very well
never have a shot at being heard. Thank goodness Bowles takes the
incentive to bring them kicking and screaming to our ears.
From heavy to punk to ska...and
beyond. There is surely something sure to tickle one’s fancy.
Highlights: Coinslot’s
“Peanuts And
Car Exhaust”,
Derek See’s
“Ivy”
and Pousto’s
“Can’t Get Enough.”
7) EVERYDAY CELEBRITY
“This Could Be Your Life...”
(Space Pants
Records)
This energetic Chicago-based
foursome have created eight fresh tracks of poppish modern rock with
plenty of crunch. Their sound is groove heavy with an equal balance of
old school and new school influence, enabling
This Could Be Your
Life...
appealing to a cross-generational fan base.
Some cuts are instantly
contagious, like
“It’s Never Over”, which kicks off the album and hooks a listener from the onset. Above
average production, solid writing and good rockin’ performances. These
guys could be celebrities one day soon.
Highlights:
“Everything,
Everything,” “It’s Never Over”
and “Truth
Hurts”.
8) CANASTA
“We Were Set Up”
(Independent)
Musical diversity, quirkiness
and loads of talent fuse into an eclectic 13-song set that is indelibly
stylish and hard to pin down.
Canasta’s appeal is that the six
members gel well and have no qualms about going outside the box. When
was the last time you heard a rock album feature clarinet and trombone?
They venture from savory Ben
Folds-style piano pop, to Americana-frosted fare, to left of center
Barenaked Ladies territory. Like fellow Chicagoans, Poi Dog Pondering,
Canasta can rock, they can jazz, they can twang and they blend
flavorings so well, that
We Were Set Up
winds up a hearty musical stew...palatable from the first taste.
The considerable buzz about
Canasta is not just hype, as this CD attests.
Highlights:
“Microphone Song”,
“Imposters” and
“Busride”.
9) PERRY JORDAN
“Georgia Flyer”
(Planet 49 Records)
A founding and principle member
of Chicago-based national country rock pioneers, Heartsfield, Jordan
does not venture too far afield from the music we have come to expect
from him.
The eight new original songs
are countrified rock with a long tall draw of a jug of blues. For
those unfamiliar with Jordan, his throaty vocals are in league with
those of Molly Hatchet’s late singer, Danny Joe Brown, and they impact
these songs well.
Georgia Flyer was recorded very well at the artist’s home studio
with a few past and present Heartsfielders, plus a few outstanding and
talented session guests, like drummer Pat Doody (ex-Lonnie Brooks).
Perry can be proud of this solo effort, which to my ears is thoroughly
pleasing from start to finish.
Highlights:
“Bucket By My Bed”,
“Open Road”
and “Georgia
Flyer”.
10) NICKI G
“Versatility”
(Space Pants Records)
Released just four weeks before
Christmas,
Versatility,
sneaked into the running for this list, but it’s a worthy way to wrap up
the list and the year for me locally speaking.
This debut CD from a former
Lake Central High School cheerleader could use better song sequencing
for the sake of flow, but clearly indicates this Northwest Indiana
diva-in-training has a certain “star quality” about her.
While not all great, several of
the ten songs – which range from upbeat R&B dance cuts to smooth love
ballads – were written or co-written by the artist, who comes across as
a soul-deep romantic with a innocent sort of sexuality. Production is
pretty decent throughout.
Highlights:
“Caught You Lookin’,”
“Unstoppable,”
and “How Can
You Be So Sure.”
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