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NEW MUSIC REVIEWS |
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CD SPINS by Staff
DIXIE CHICKS Home (Sony) Having been on a
soapbox on what I feel “country” music really IS and ISN’T
Current – mainstream
“country” – is actually classic pop songs sprinkled with some
“country-lite” flavoring, versus traditional country music that has
elements of bluegrass, and western influences.
As the Dixie Chicks
used the fast track mainstream country tool to make their mark with
their mega-hits Fly and Wide Open Spaces, they have surprised us all
with not following suit with their follow up Home.
Here, they have
stripped down the heavy pop production to strict acoustic instruments,
letting the traditional country style take them to a new world of
possibilities. I have
always regarded the band’s musicianship as stellar; with Home they
push that regard even higher.
The CD opens with
“Long Time Gone,” which is chock full of great melody, great
harmonies and great playing. Their
cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” certainly redeems the song
from the last time it was covered by a popular artist – (ever cringe
listening to Billy Corgan whine out the Smashing Pumpkins attempt at
this song? –– Yikes!).
The Dixie Chicks made
the song their own by introducing wonderful instrumentation and slight
alterations to the original phrasing of the song.
Okay, there had to be
a “Sin Wagon” song in here some place ––“White Trash
Wedding” –– is hilarious in it’s recount of the of color
wedding. The musical skills
of Emily Robinson and Martie Maguire simply astound the ear with their
precision and lightning fast playing.
“Li’l Jack
Slade” is another tune that shows of the Chicks’ musical prowess.
The CD ends with the compelling “Top of the World,” featuring
Natalie Maines’ exacting voice. The song starts out simple and direct and moves to a
monumental, goose pimple-on-the-arms emotional climax.
Wow!
Home puts the Chicks
on a definite and deliberate level.
This direction may disappoint those that wanted more of the same.
This album was seemingly made for themselves, their influences
and peers. Refreshing and honest with a “damn the torpedoes” type attitude, Home is a hands down triumph. More Info: www.dixiechicks.com – Jon Rice RAILROAD EARTH Bird In A Cage (Sugar Hill Records) When I listen to Bird In A Cage by
Railroad Earth I can see VW busses, mountains in blue skies, beautiful
women in long skirts twirling to the music, and Bill Monroe looking down
from the heavens a little bit confused, but nodding approvingly.
Railroad Earth comes
to us from the fertile lands of eastern Pennsylvania where pickin’ a
solid banjo is right up there with God and the “Pledge Of
Allegiance.”
The band has obviously
been schooled on Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Jim & Jesse and the
like, but carries on the flame of more progressive groups like Sea
Train, Muleskinner, Old & In The Way, and New Grass Revival.
I would love to see
Railroad Earth playing live, because I have a feeling they are in the
same league with modern day “new grassers” like Leftover Salmon,
String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band.
Bird In A Cage is the
band’s first release on the infamous Americana label – Sugar Hill
Records – and boy is it a good one.
The musicianship, the
production and the songwriting on this recording are all first rate.
Vocally I’m reminded of Peter Rowan and Leftover Salmon’s Drew
Emmitt. There is lots of great banjo, fiddle, mandolin and guitar
playing mixed with percussion, pennywhistle, flute and steel guitar.
Standout tunes include
the opening cut “Drag Him Down,” the hot instrumental “Pack A
Day,” and the sweet ballad, “Mountain Time,” which includes a
great jam section that reminds me of a vintage Wharf Rat. This is good stuff from beginning to end. Please make a point to visit this wonderful string band on the internet at: www.railroadearth.com – Eric Lambert STORMY WEATHER Voice Activated (Street Gold) Acappella recording can be very dangerous. Unless a group/producer/ arranger is highly creative, voice-only recordings can begin to sound the same rather quickly, and interest lost rather permanently.
So the question here
is... Are N.W. Indiana’s Stormy Weather – led by vocal maestro Henry
Farag and including Linda Walla, Billy Shelton, and Jenise McAleer –
able to sustain interest through an entire CD?
Yes!
It helps that the CD
is only a little over a half-hour long, and it also helps that instead
of being a pure, entirely acappella recording, different, unusual
instruments are brought in to give the songs a tad bit of flavor –
drums and a string quartet, to be precise.
Allow me to elaborate.
The leadoff track is a
cover of the Commodore’s
classic soul romp, “Night Shift,” which begins as a voice-only
recording (with very distinctive “Hummm... Hummm...” ensemble vocals
courtesy of arranger Ben Odom), but shortly into the number, drums are
brought in.
What I found
particularly attractive about this idea is that the voices are the only
tone instruments; the voices become the “band.”
Instead of a bass guitar, a bass vocal is providing the
foundation. The other
“guitars,” as well as “piano” and whatever other instruments one
might imagine, are provided by the tenor, alto, and soprano vocal work.
From start to finish,
this collection is rather very good, for which we can again heap a good
deal of credit on Odom and his solid arranging.
The other unusual
instrumental touch is the use of a string quartet on many of the
numbers, including Ben E. King's “Stand By Me” and Sam Cooke’s
“Wonderful Word.” Placed
alongside the voices, the quartet provides an engaging effect.
A different context is created by this arrangement technique, and
I found it very enticing and exciting, indeed.
A musical highlight of
the CD for me is the Van McCoy composition “Baby, I’m Yours,” with
Linda Walla handling the lead vocal.
I’ve always loved Walla’s singing style (when I used to go
and see her front Pawnz over at the old Club Dimensions), and she does
not disappoint here. The
song itself is very infectious and Walla’s vocal provides the
necessary class to put it over.
The lion’s share of
the lead vocals are Henry Farag’s, and some interesting song choices,
such as Louis Prima’s “Banana Split” and Bill Wither’s “Lean
on Me,” showcase his smokey, cigarette-stained voice quite
effectively. When listening to Farag sing, it’s obvious that he is the
“soul” of the group.
What makes his style
work so well in an a cappella context is his tone. It's very warm and inviting.
A great example is his treatment of Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful
World.” Farag knows what works for him and his choice of songs
capitalizes on it.
This CD is definitely local music worth supporting. Congratulations on a wonderful piece of work! – Ben Likens PETER GABRIEL Up (Geffen) “Up” is the album that even pre-So
fans will appreciate. Gabriel has shed the “poppy-ness” of his
previous and commercial efforts from the Eighties and early Nineties on
this release.
Although a very dark
album, Up echoes back to what made Gabriel a standout artist in the
first place – his left of center world-view that pushes the envelopes
by mixing modern touchstones with tribal/ethnic musical quilts.
Having been a fan
since his days with the seminal progressive rock band – Genesis – I
was able to put a smile on my face as I recounted the same overwhelming
feeling I got when listening to his third album during orientation week
my freshmen year in college.
Up kicks you square in
the teeth with “Darkness” – a trudging monolith of soundscapes and
dynamics – reminiscent of “Family Snapshot” from his third effort
(Author’s note: Gabriel never gave his first three albums titles). This tune takes you to the depths of the human existence with
it’s juxtaposition of horrific images set against a sky-blue musical
background.
That said, “Sky
Blue” takes us back to “San Jacinto” and “Don’t Give Up”
with it’s angelic climax and the wonderful guest appearances of the
Blind Boys of Alabama (O' Brother, Where Are You Bound) and the long
lost Peter Green on guitar. “Growing Up” has
an infectious groove and unforgettable hook with the line – “My
ghosts like to travel.”
Some touches of 10cc find their way into this highlight track.
“The Barry Williams
Show” features regular Gabriel sideman, Tony Levin, who turns in some
tasty subsonic bass lines. This
song is the closest song to feature the wacky side of Gabriel, comically
turning in a tongue-in-cheek allegory of the talk show circuit.
“The Drop” ends
the CD. For as much as
Gabriel albums are the most produced tracks on the planet, “The
Drop,” is perhaps the most uncomplicated tune he has recorded yet.
Simple, honest voice and piano – imperfect and intense.
Very Genesis- like.
What makes this CD a
success is that it doesn’t pretend to have any connection to the
“mega-star” Gabriel. When
he became popular (“Sledgehammer,” “In Your Eyes,” “Big
Time,” etc.) I must admit, I was disappointed by his popularity
thinking it would diminish his music.
I had to wait years to see if that came came to pass and I am
happy to report that he has not “lost it.”
In fact, to the contrary... Up reaffirms that this artist has “found it” once again, as he harkens back to the days he was a true musical pioneer. Highly, highly recommended. – Jon Rice RONNIE WOOD Not For Beginners (Steamhammer Records Keith Richards, in his recent
compositions for The Rolling Stones, has redefined and “played with”
song structures in ways that make these compositions seem, dare I say, a
little out of place on the CD’s on which they are contained.
Songs like “Thief in the Night” and “Why Should I Stop”
from Bridges to Babylon, and “The Worst” and “Thru and Thru”
from Voodoo Lounge immediately come to mind as examples of this.
As far as songwriting is concerned, and one could apply this to
Richards’ solo albums as well, he decides to push boundaries rather
than write safely within them.
Now, on to bandmate
Ronnie Wood’s latest solo album, Not For Beginners.
There are a lot of
similarities between Wood and Richards, in terms of musical style.
Both of them have voices that have been ravaged by time and
nicotine, but somehow that only adds to their effectiveness.
Both have strong roots
in the blues, which is evident in Richards’ rhythm playing (open
tuning and unusual chord voicings – that “Keith Richards Sound”)
and Wood’s slide and lead playing, no doubt influenced greatly by his
bandmate’s.
As far as differences
are concerned, there are those between Richards and Wood in terms of the
actual songwriting. Wood
doesn’t break new ground or turn standard song structures on their
heads, although he does give his songs a very unique “spin” if you
will, in terms of subject matter.
Ultimately, however,
the thing that sells this album most is the recording and resulting
sound of it. There is
something about this batch of songs that will draw you right into the
thick of it.
It’s not that the
songs are overly dramatic or shocking or anything like that. Rather,
listening to this album is like someone you’ve known for a long time,
whom you haven’t seen in a while, putting his/her arm around you. You feel instant familiarity and love. That's what sells this CD.
You just want to hear
these songs, just like you want to talk to your old friend.
You will take whatever time you need to catch up.
There’s no hurry about these songs.
Even though they may be new melodies (although there are a couple
of cover versions, notably an extremely cool take on The Byrds’
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Star”), they sound like old friends.
Back to Keith Richards
for a minute. No matter how
he writes or what strange (or at least “un-Stones like”) stuff he
might come up with, it’s the heart of it, that very human, wrecked,
heart full of compassion and life experience that keeps people wanting
to hear what he has to say next. It’s
easy to identify with him. Keith’s
not a “star,”so much as he’s a hero.
Strange as it may
seem, it’s the same scenario with Ron Wood.
Although undoubtedly fewer people will buy Not For Beginners than
a Stones or even a Keith Richards solo album, the ingredients are still
the same and it’s just as satisfying.
Anything with this much heart deserves to be heard.
Just wait until you check out the wild collection of studio sidemen who guest on Wood’s new collection. Wow! It’s a vintage lesson in old school rock ‘n’ roll! Check it out. – Ben Likens BLUE OYSTER CULT A Long Day’s Night (CMC International) In all of the dozens of times I have
witnessed BOC perform live, I can not say that I have ever seen them put
on a bad show.
Sure, there have been
some nights where you could tell that they were especially eager to get
back in the bus and head to the next town, but there has always been an
ethic involved with this band that consistently yields a quality
product. Here is another
fine example of that all too rare rock phenomena.
Recorded here in
Chicago on the Curse Of The Hidden Mirror, tour this single disc isn’t
likely to replace a live classic like On Your Feet Or On Your Knees, but
to be able to hear live takes on the newer tracks, “Harvest Moon”
and “Dance on Stilts,” for instance, makes this a worthy addition to
the BOC collector’s stack-o-discs.
Older fans will also
appreciate the Eric Bloom-led, “Cities On Flame” as this, I believe,
is the first live version with his vocal on it.
For newer fans, this
CD is a perfect BOC primer. That veteran metal drummer, Bobby Rondinelli,
is now pounding the skins for the Cult, just takes their live show
beyond anything comparable by any of BOC’s surviving contemporaries.
Look for a DVD of this
same show to appear in the near future, as well as a solo disc by
Rondinelli. Could it all be too much for ya? Yeah, but overload was always the most enjoyable of all BOC’s trademarks. – David Lee Wilson
DELBERT McCLINTON Room To Breath (New West Records) When most people hit their sixties, they
are probably thinking about the joys of retirement, becoming snowbirds
and moving to Florida.
In the music biz, most
artists at that age, become a shell of what they once were. Some try to
tour and get an “A” for effort, but the performance leaves little to
be desired.
This is not the case
with roadhouse rocker Delbert McClinton. Once again, Delbert seems to
turn it up a notch with each recording. His sophomore effort on New West
Records – Room To Breathe
– continues where he left
off. It is a polished mix of Texas roadhouse blues, Memphis soul and
knee-slappin' good ol’ country!
The recording really
shines on cuts like “Same Kind Of Crazy,” which features powerful
vocalist Bekka Bramlett, the talented offspring of Delany & Bonnie.
I can’t figure out where Delbert was headed with “Jungle Room.”
Was it a tip of the hat to Elvis’ famed room?
Whatever it is, the song oozes with the classic Memphis Stax
& Hi Records sound. I
kept waiting for Al Green to chime in.
Delbert also brings
back the Sun Records-era with his rockabilly tinged “Blues About You
Baby.”
There is one
country-flavored cut on the CD that finds him paying tribute to his
Texas roots. The Grand Ole
Opry flavored sing-a-long “Lone Star Blues” features an ensemble
cast of Texan legends Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Marcia Ball, Joe Ely,
Rodney Crowell and others.
As usual, the blues
material on this project is stellar and it’s quite obvious that former
Gary, Indiana resident and blues legend Jimmy Reed made a big impression
on Delbert.
The disc is a fine
compliment to McClinton’s live shows. It is not overproduced and most,
if not all of the backing musicians on this disc, are or were at one
time members of Delbert’s touring band. The only negative thing here
is Delbert’s lack of using his horn section, which always play a huge
part in his live gigs. But as a positive, it did make the other players
such as guitar player Todd Sharp (Rod Stewart & Fleetwood Mac) and
keyboardist Kevin McKendree step up to the plate in a big way.
It’s been a rather
successful run for Delbert. Hailing from Lubbock, Texas he makes you
wonder what the other famous musician from Lubbock (Buddy Holly) would
be doing today. From
backing up Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Bobby Blue Bland and countless
others, Delbert played a major role on the Bruce Channel 1962 #1 hit,
“Hey Baby.”
Delbert’s
distinctive harp sound was also taught to John Lennon who took what he
learned from Del and put it into “Love Me Do.”
Delbert continues to play a huge role in Americana music. He is
one of a very few artists who has been able to fuse country, blues,
soul, and rock ‘n’ roll into one cohesive package.
This is one guy who I
hope never hangs it up. I
believe when his meal ticket is finally punched, Delbert will go as he
should, on stage, kickin’ ass and takin’ names. Catch Delbert live in Chicago at House Of Blues on December 21.
– Brian Pearson
VARIOUS ARTISTS Rock Chicago Vol. 1 (Indie)
Rock Chicago Vol. 1 is billed as “overlooked,
undiscovered, up and coming Chicago area bands”, this collection is
more of a modern punk collection than anything else. Most of the bands
here seem influenced by bands like Green Day, MXPX
Clocking in at just
under fifty- three minutes, the fifteen bands contained on this CD are
(for the most part) lesser known region bands.
Fallout Boy gives us
“Growing Up,” a guitar-driven power pop /punk tune with excellent
harmonies and smart lyrics about....you guessed it...growing up.
Morningside Drives’
“Waiting” is one helluva good pop/rock tune. Straight forward
guitar, strong vocals and a sophisticated sound, propel this tune to
single quality.
Fertility contributes
their best tune, “Crush”. A great pop tune with jangly Johnny Marr-ish
guitar tones and tight rock rhythms. Among the best cuts on
Rock Chicago Vol. 1 are –– Moped’s “Hometown,” a song about
hating where you grew up; and “Take Me In” from Backdrop.
In fact, “Take Me
In,” just may be the best tune here. This alt/pop gem is worthy of
airplay on WXRT, Q101 and radio stations nationwide.
It’s as good or better than most of the drivel being pumped out
as “modern pop” by the major labels.
Overall, this collection is an above average sampling of some of the Chicago area’s up-and-coming talent. Sporting a few “A+” tunes, this set is a necessary addition to the CD library of any local music enthusiasts. – David Buco
ROCK STAR CLUB Shut Up And Work It! (GDR Records)
I remember several
years ago, 1996 to be exact, receiving a self title cassette by this
group of guys calling themselves, Rock Star Club.
I thought – “cool
band name” – then listened to the tape and sat back in my chair
stunned and amazed. Hard,
raw rock with emotion and attitude. I thought it strange that I had no
comparisons to make, as none came to mind even after repeated listenings.
They sounded like no one other than themselves, and that was way
cool. Fastforwarding six
years – we find guitarist/vocalist Paul Kasprzak (who’s solo
cassette I wore out and played to death) and his remarkable band –
Chuck Tipton (bass), Eli Sabbagh (drums) and Justin Zucker (guitar/keys)
– are still providing some truly incredible and meaningful music.
Every song featured on
Shut Up And Work It, has something interesting to say.
People tired of the stale and unadventurous state of today’s
rock music, really owe it to themselves to hear RSC’s rock ‘n’
roll gems.
Quite honestly, Rock
Star Club, is by far the most under-appreciated band that this writer
knows of today. Those
hometown Chicagoans out there, who are familiar with this group of
talented guys, know exactly what I mean. This is the kind of band a real
music fan wants to run up to the rooftops and shout about.
I just do not get
tired of hearing this band, which something I can not say too often
about too many groups.
Experiencing the music
of the Rock Star Club by letting your own ears suck in their sound, is
the only way you can really “get it.”
I could write a thousand words trying to describe the music these
guys create and still not be able to convey a true picture of what makes
them one of the best Chicago bands of all time. Trust me on this one folks. Go out and buy this new CD, or any other RSC disc, and as Jimi once said – “get experienced!” – David Buco EXSERVANTS Smile Of Tragedy 1988-1992 (8-Ball Salad Records) This review won’t
work. It is going to fail. I know it. A friend gave me this
record. In fact, he had played on it. But the more I listen to it, the
more I wish I had just found it by accident. The album is full of
fragments – some incredibly funny, some just sort of weird, some
lethal – but its beauty is in its “found” qualities. Voices appear
for a second to utter a word or two, drum machines chatter, sudden edits
disappoint... It’s the kind of thing I wish I’d found on the street.
The Exservants are
three: David Buco, Christopher Buco, and Chris Hora. This is a
compilation of their work over a five-year period. I don’t know if the
recordings are available elsewhere. This compilation is dedicated to the
memory of Christopher Buco. I don’t know anything about these guys. I
don’t want to know anything about them either. I prefer to listen in a
state of eclectic disorientation and/or “dequilibrium.” Some of the voice
samples (though the recordings are from the pre-sampling era it should
be noted) are obviously from fundamentalist preachers, others seem to be
from creepy children’s records, some are definitely from television
– so the “songs” take aim at the usual evils of society.
But it’s the way the
pieces are put together that is so interesting. It undermines not only
society, religion and pop music, but also our notions of how to
undermine society, religion and pop music. It’s as if the Exservants
tried to critique society, and instead found themselves critiquing how
cut-up artists always try to critique society. If this isn’t making
sense, it may be because the Exservants do not make sense. They seem to
have succeeded beyond their intentions.
I am tempted to try to
run down to you a sequence of edits for a particular song. Or perhaps
offer a list of the samples I can recognize. (One of them is Black
Panther activist H. Rap Brown, I think.) But neither would amount to
much. Would it be of help to tell you that “What Time Would Archie Be
Home?” begins with a four-note tom fill from some ‘70s record, then
alternates that with the sound of what seems to be the crumpling of
paper or the eating of tape, until at 0:09, a voice comes in saying,
“I read them to see Jesus”? The voice continues for a couple more
lines, punctuated by the tom fill. At 0:24, a phonograph needle is
ripped off the record, and we hear the sound of rain fall, a peaceful
moment that unfortunately lasts a mere ten seconds – replaced suddenly
by a different voice intoning, “What time would Archie be home?” At
0:42, a gospel singer sings – “Would you be free from the burden of
sin? There’s power in the Blood.” End of song.
For all the Exservants’
seeming randomness and occasional wackiness, there is something reserved
about how the pieces are constructed. Rarely do they overstay their
welcome. The pieces are not belabored; they credit the listener with the
intelligence to “get it.” Pieces
(I hesitate to call most of them “songs”) shift focus mid-stream.
You thought a piece was about one thing, then it turns on itself and
deals with something else.
There are a couple of
songs with lyrics actually. One with a sped-up vocal recalls Ween,
though it predates them, which is both admirable and scary. A couple
remind me of a lower-fi My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts. There are also
two cover versions: Tuxedomoon’s “59 To 1” and Jackson Browne’s
“Boulevard.’
The former is fairly
straightforward, which gives you an idea of where The Exservants’
sympathies lie. The latter,
by contrast, is eviscerated – with screeching vocals that sound like
Cosey Fanni-Tutti’s guitar, a throbbing distorted jungle beat, and the
occasional sounds of what seems to be someone doing the dishes. A cross
between the Latin Playboys, Throbbing Gristle and Dragnet perhaps. It
goes beyond being just a potshot taken at Jackson Browne and becomes a
real sweaty (blackboard) jungle soundtrack in its own right.
The Exservants CD is now available for $10 (postage included in US). Email requests to: the_exservants@yahoo.com
– James Herbert Mills
TWOTHIRTYEIGHT You Should Be Living (Tooth & Nail)
Twothirtyeight adds up
to a unique sound with lyrics so simple they’re profound.
Ponder
if you will these lines – “they
park their teenage car on the lawn” and travel toward the sad
inevitability of adulthood with “the sticks woven in the spokes
again.”
You Should Be Living
is full of clever and intelligent metaphors reminding us that there is
more than “That Sad and Holy Glow” of television.
Twothirtyeight preaches independence and freethinking, rather
than drinking Henessey.
“Sad Semester”
reminds us that “there’s life outside” the confines of the
classrooms. The lyrics are almost enlightening and riffs calming while
the high-hat ticks like the clock we’re all watching.
Yet, not every track
here is a winner. “I
Pretend to Choke” is comparably bland with lame riffs that could have
been performed by a drunk with a twitch. A monkey can strum a guitar or
pound a drum in half-second increments. The fact that it started strong
made it even worse.
The final track, “The Bathroom is a Creepy Place to Keep Pictures of Your Friends,” has lullaby rhythm that could put a meth-head to sleep. After enjoying an upbeat rock ‘n’ roll record, this closing cut was a shift in sound that I didn’t care for. For those looking for categories, call it alternative. Call it rock. Call it popular. Call it whatever the hell you want, but those are sections it might feasibly be found in at the local Coconuts. I’m choosing to call it – “electric modern folk reinvented.” Listen to it and give it your own label, it’s an album well worth picking up. – Adam Madison
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