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 12.24.07
The Bon Mots
FORTY
DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS WITH THE BON MOTS- (MELLIFLUID)-
Back in 2003 a little known Chicago band released a terrific
debut record called LE MAIN DRAG and those of us who heard
it flipped out. Rock in a classic sense (if you think the 1980’s
releases on New Zealand’s Flying Nun Records were classic…I
do). Well, it’s now 2007 and the same Chicago band have
returned with another fantastic record and I’m happy
to report no sophomore slump here! I guess the biggest influence
I hear is The Byrds but if the Byrds were updated to the 00’s
Chicago (after having already kicked Crosby out). The opener, “Walk
to California” was ok, not their best but after that
they rattle off a string of classic selections like the gently
beaming “Past or Present” to the 9 miles high whump
of “On her Telephone’ to the jarring “Reasons,
Dear” san on and on. Songwriters Eric Chial and Mike
Coy seem to be dueling each other, trying to see who can write
the better song and it’s that kind of tension that usually
breaks bands up but so far it has seem to only make The Bon
Mots stronger. Chial has the odd songs on the record while
Coy handles the even ones. Go one, give it a listen and try
and pick who’s better. I say they’re dead even! www.thebonmots.com
 12.24.07
Mick Harvey
TWO
OF DIAMONDS- (MUTE)- In addition to being Nick Cave’s
right hand man, this Aussie has also worked his magic on records
by Robert Forster, PJ Harvey, and Scott Walker . This is the
2nd record full of covers for Cave’s secret weapon (Harvey’s
2005 record, ONE MAN’S TREASURE, was full of HAUNTING
covers as well). Well, I believe 10 of these 12 songs are covers
and Harvey does an amazing job of making these songs his own.
Namely “Sad Dark Eyes” (originally done by 60’s
Aussie band The Loved Ones) and the gorgeous piano ballad, “No
Doubt.” Later on he does a playful, bouncy cover of Mano
Negra’s “Out of Time Man” and tackles an
obscure PJ Harvey tune called “Slow-Motion-Movie-Star.”,
both to equal aplomb. I also really enjoyed the two originals
on here, “Blue Arrows’ and the deeply moving “Little
Star.” Not sure if he will ever be a household name (and
something tells me that is not what he’s aiming for)
but with records like this Harvey has already carved out a
name for himself among many of today’s most respected
musicians and he deserves as much respect as any of them. www.mute.com
 12.24.07
Okkervil River
THE
STAGE NAMES--
(JAGJAGUWAR)-
Like a brilliant/cockeyed leader of a ship lost out at sea,
Will Sheff and his hairy brethren start their journey with “Our
Life is not a Movie or Maybe” and end it with the Beach
Boys-inspired/inflected “John Allyn Smith Sails” (diving
into “Sloop John B”). Along the way “Unless
it’s Kicks’ get the crowd revved up in the best
way. It starts with a simple garage riff then slowly other
instruments start joining in (Sheff’s voice, drums,
a maraca, etc.) while “A Girl in Port” is the
most beautiful song I have heard this year and “Savannah
Smiles’ could be considered twee pop if it was done
by any band other than Okkervil River. Elsewhere Sheff is
spouting off about “100 luftbaloons and 97 tears” and
if any other vocalist in rock said that you’d wanna
call em’ a smarmy dick but with Sheff you just call
him a genius one more time. After a bit o’ deliberation
I have found my favorite record of the year…or maybe
it found me. Either way, I can’t stop listening. www.jagjaguwar.com
 12.24.07
Revisions
REVISED OBSERVATIONS-
(DIRTNAP)-Basically
the work of 2 guys, Douglas Burns and Husayn Sayer, these
ex-Observers and Red Don ‘s members have stripped things
down to rocks bare essentials. To be honest I wish The Observers
would have stuck around longer than one minute…they
released one fine, dark record (like “BENEATH THE SHADOWS-era
T.S.O.L.” as Ken Dirtnap used to say) but hey, stuff
happens , right. Apparently, at the behest of an old bandmate
(Colin Grigson), Burns would occasionally perform acoustic
sets and dug it so much he decided to carry on. Like Even
in Blackouts before them, Revisions create songs that crackle
with crackling punk energy (but minus the jokey stuff of
E.I.B.). Both “Lead Pill” and “Useless
Information’ will make a few mix tapes around here
while just like the title implies, “On the Lam” is
a furious mix of punk aggression and paranoia and “Out
of Reach” is the one that gets the crowd all hepped
up (minus the pills) with handclaps and a cool, shuffling
beat . Recorded by the in-demand guy Pat Kearns (Exploding
Hearts, etc.). Curious to catch these guys live (and see
if they utilize the piano, violin or cello that is on the
record) and it’ll be nice to leave the ear plugs home
for a night. www.dirtnaprecs.com
 12.17.07
The Pubes
PEAT
SOUNDS- (ROADHOUSE TUNES)- This is good old-fashioned
hardcore like I have not heard in a long while. The band has
a sense of humor (the record title is an…umm…..homage
to Beach Boys PET SOUNDS) and reminded me of bands both new(The
Briefs) and old (T.S.O.L.) Mario Viele’s guitars are
kicked into overdrive for nearly the whole record (14 songs
in 23 minutes…like an old Circle Jerks record or somethin’)
and in Peat Henry they have a vocalist who could beat Johnny
Rotten at his own game (“Ever feel like you’ve
been cheated?”). “Built My Dancin’ Feet”, “Wolf
Oo-lo” and “Sweet Pea” are a few of my faves
here and the guy who did the cover art deserves some serious
kudos too. The best thing to come out of St Louie since Drunks
w/ Guns (or Sex Robots)? www.roadhousetunes.com
 12.17.07
Sleeper Car
LOVE
AND ANXIETY- (SELF-RELEASED)- Anyone who knows me
knows that I am a sucker for pedal steel and even more of a
sucker for a pedal steel player with a cool name (ie: Sneaky
Pete, Farmer Dave, etc.). Well, in Sleeper Car it’s Tie-Die
Charlie plus they have a violin player in the rock format (bonus
points for that). Thus Chicago bunch take their cues from the
American Folkways catalog and with lovely harmonies (led by
guitarist/vocalist Michael Musikantow) and plenty of hooks.
From Woody Guthrie to The Byrds up to current masters like
Son Volt the band seems to have their heads screwed on tight
and the world by the balls. Only 6 songs here and all of em’ good
(My faves are “I Won’t Break Down” and “Anti
Climactic Girl”). A perfect introduction. www.sleepercarband.com
 12.17.07
Warm In The Wake
AMERICAN
PRHISTORIC--
(LIVE WIRE)-
A lovely mix of acoustic guitars, analog synths and dreamy
vocals from this Atlanta bunch and I have to tell you, I
went from not liking this record to sorta liking it to loving
it in the past 10 minutes. Leader Chris Rowell is onto something
here…in the same ballpark as Band of Horses, Mercury
Rev and The Flaming Lips but still unique enough to stand
in a different line. “Pawn Shop Heart” is an
epic, cosmic rocker that swirls and sways and ends before
you want it to while the title track is epic in a different
way as it soars n’ swoops and never quite lands on
terra firma. “She’d never Seen It” is like
the Feelies fighting The Byrds on angel dust or peyote or
lots of pot. Ok, after I finish this review I’m going
to call up every human being I know and tell them to buy
this record. Now go wait for your call! www.livewirerecordings.net
 12.17.07
The Yarrows
PLUM-
(EMPYREAN)-The
Yarrows are four guys from my old stomping grounds of New
Jersey who apparently formed in an abandoned lodge surrounded
by acres of woods (like maybe where they used to take people
to shoot them in THE SOPRANOS??). They create hazy epics
and not sure how much more detail I can go into other than
they are a rock band but not very loud (but they play guitars,
bass and drums and have a vocalist). I guess if you needed
a real ballpark reference point I might say Band of Horses
but that’s not totally accurate either. To my ears
the guitars usually sound pretty and the melodies strong.
They have really good harmonies too. For further proof check
out “You’re Cruel” or “May” (which
reminded me of The Band). Sometimes the songs go one for
a bit too long (5 of the 10 songs are each over 5 minutes
long) but really that is a minor quibble as PLUM is a fantastic
record. You should really go buy it. www.empyreanrecords.com
 12.10.07
Jule Brown
SOLDIER
IN THE 9TH- (ENABLER)- Jule Brown (aka Jennyanykind’s
Mark Holland) is back with more of the low-endy folky blues
that he has perfected on his last several records (including
last year’s awesome SMOKE NSD MIRRORS). Taking his biggest
cue from Blues great Charley Patton (as well as Bob Dylan…you
can tell it in the vocals) Brown and his motley crew (which
includes help from his brother Michael on bass as well as Dean
Wareham on guitar and Britta Phillips on umm…clavinova??!!)
amble and shuffle on ace songs such as the raw “Stop
What You’re Doin’”, the Kinks-y “Those
Were the Days” the poppier , smooth-as-silk title track.
I hear more organs this time around but the sound is basically
the same as on other J.B. record and while SOLDIER IN THE 9TH
is a terrific record from start to finish I still have to call
SMOME AND MIRRORS as my favorite J.B. record. If you’re
a newby though you’d be just fine starting anywhere in
his catalog. Dive in and discover one of the best songwriters
in America. www.enablerrecords.com
 12.10.07
Fireflies
GOODNIGHT
STARS, GOODNIGHT MOON- (LAVENDER/MUSIC IS MY GIRLFRIEND)-
Absolutely wonderful, gentle soft pop (ala Galaxie 500 or The
Cat’s Miaow) from a Chicago guy named Lisle Mitnik. Each
song tells a poignant story whether hearing fireworks (on the
amazing “We Heard the Fireworks”) or the jitters
when speaking to a girl for the first time (on “The Pull”).
Mitnik has created a gentle record that’s as comfortable
as walking through a New England forest on a crisp Autumn day
as Winter is approaching. A few of the guitar parts on here,
as well as the vocals, really reminded me a lot of that first
Galaxie 500 record (which is fine by me, I wish more records
sounded like that one !). He a adds a bit of Left Banke grace
on “Summer has Gone” and I must say that there
is not one dog amongst these 11 songs. If this guy needs some
encouragement to write more songs then I’ll write a million
of these reviews!
www.myspace.com/fireflies
 12.10.07
The Owls
DAUGHTERS AND SUNS-
(MAGIC MARKER)-
Their mini-lp from 2004 (OUR HOPES AND DREAMS) was a nice
slice of bucolic pop but on DAUGHTERS AND SUNS this Mpls,
MN quartet sound more confident and it shows in the strength
of the songs. The band features 3 songwriters (2 of them,
Brian Tighe and Allison LaBonne were in The Hang Ups and
The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group respectively…drummer John
Jerry rounds out the lineup ) and while I think they could
have picked a better song to lead the record off than the
minorchord-ed “The Way On” (not a bad song but
not a leadoff track) the band then gets on the right on the
path on the very 70’s singer-songwriter “Yellow
Flowers.”One of the record’s best tracks, “Welcome
to Monday”, has some tasty lead guitar and some of
the prettiest “bah buh bah bah bah’s” I’ve
heard in ages while “Peppermint Patty” had some
harmonies to die for. The curvy, swirling “Apocalypse” twists
and turns down a lonely road and “Isaac Bashevis Singer” is
a charming tune about the Yiddish novelist. Not sure at this
point of The Owls are still a side project or the main concern
for these folks but let’s hope it’s the latter
as DAUGHTERS AND SUNS is too good of a record for them to
not wanna make another one. www.magicmarkerrecords.com
 12.10.07
The Silent Boys
ONE STEP CLOSER-
(WALRUS)-There’s
low key then there’s LOW KEY then there’s….well,
off the radar. Unfortunately the Silent Boys are pretty much
off the radar (except for those of us on the indie pop list)
which is a damn shame as they are so good at what they do.
What is it that they do, you ask? Transport us back to a
bygone era called the 80’s when labels like Postcard,
Factory and Sarah (and bands like Orange Juice, The Field
Mice and, of course, Joy Division…who are not exactly
what you’d call jangly) brought us some of the best
low-key jangle pop that any music scene has ever produced.
This is this Virginia bands 3rd record and is definitely
their best. Leader Wallace Dietz’s songwriting has
gotten more confident and with his sturdy rhythm section
(including longtime Virginia mainstay John Morand on drums)
the melody flows and ONE STEP CLOSER is filled with one good
song after another. “St. Paul’s Letter” has
that guitar that speaks the language of love while “Love
Will Keep us Together (I.C. Was here)” is an homage
to (big influences on The Silent Boys) Joy Division and dance-worthy “Love
Struck” nimbly peeks its head in and out of closed
doors. While the rest of the world is vying for my space
and you tube time the Silent Boys seem content to bask in
their own little world and to me that’s perfect. www.silentboys.com
 12.03.07
The State Of Samuel
HERE
COME THE FLOODS- (TOTAL GAYLORD/HUMBLEBEE)- More of
that terrific pop from , where else? Sweden ! T.S.O.S. is a
trio led by Samuel Petersson and this is record #2 from them
(as much as I like this I really need to find their debut,
MUTINY ON MERCURY). There is not much guitar on the record,
the songs are led by some organ , drums and , of course, Samuel’s
vocals but regardless of who or what is up front the songs
have a knack for finding a hook that tickles that sweet spot
of your brain. My favorite songs here are the pure pop ones
like the awesome “Always Under the Gun”, the softer “The
Birds and Bats”, “Square Roots” and the Beatles-ish “Cotton
Island.” The band even has a few forays into more crunchy
power-pop which is good but as I said, I dig the pure pop sound
of the mentioned songs. This is one of those cds I’m
really glad someone took the time out to send me (and I can’t
say that about every cd that comes in my po box). www.totalgaylordrecords.com www.humblebeerecordings.com
 12.03.07
Greg Summerlin
ALL
DONE IN GOOD TIME- (SUPERPHONIC)- Bouncy, joyful pop
from a former member of alt-country favorites The Quinsonics.
Travelling to Minneapolis, like so many before him have, Summerlin
recorded with Mpls guru, Ed Ackerson and the results are a
sunny pop record. Let me add a caveat here, the melodies are
sunny but the song topics aren’t always sunny as tunes
like “Unlucky in Love” or the heavier “Redemption.” The
occasional female vocals will pop in for some terrific call
and response vocals (like on the super “Just Listen Tonight”).
With Ackerson at the helm (and adding guitars, bass, keyboards
and percussion) Summerlin has made a quality record that is
brimming with confidence. Hopefully this is just the beginning
of a long solo career. Hopefully Just a side note that the
label here is Summerlin’s as well (he has already released
a John P. Strohm record and has others in the pipeline). www.superphonicrecords.com
 12.03.07
Stuart Valentine
SUMMER'S WINTER DAY-
(VALENTINE MUSIC)-
Stuart Valentine’s debut cd from a few years ago, MELODY’S
TRUE, was a terrific slice of classic pop in the tradition
of the masters (Beach Boys, Zombies, Left Banke, etc) as
well as more recent stuff ( stuff on labels like Sarah, Creation,
Matinee, etc.) and SUMMER’S WINTER DAY is at least
as good,. Maybe better. Valentine sounds more confident on
this record and the melodies ring truer and freer. He was
a member of both The Outcrowd (which is led by Matt Hollywood,
ex- Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Richmond Fontaine but I
think I like this more than either of them. “Now or
Never” is perfect on a gorgeous spring day while “Wish
I Could Remember Your Name” starts out as a simple
acoustic tune then dives into epic beauty with some wild
guitar leads and fx all over the place. “Never Change’ sounds
like prime Go-Betweens and if you haven’t; already
guessed, this sorta low-key pop is right up my alley. Not
sure what you’re into but this gets a big thumbs up
from me. www.stuartvalentine.net
 12.03.07
Watoo Watoo
LA FUITE-
(LETTERBOX)-Ex-Parisians
(who now live in Bordeaux), W.W. is Michael, who plays all
of the instruments and Pascale , who coos her beautiful pipes.
Though this is only their 3rd full-length they seem to have
been bouncing around the indie scene forever as I’ve
seen their name on lots of comps. LA FUITE is full of sophisticated
60’s pop , some with orchestral arrangements (my favorites
on here) and some with a bossa nova feel and even a few funky
numbers too (“Ipb” being one). Being from France
it would seem that ladies man Serge Gainesbourg would be
an influence and he certainly is. The one electronic tune
could have been dropped (“Decembre”) but otherwise,
LA FUITE is impossible not to like, unless of course you
only dig like Mudvayne and Tool or something. Man, that’s
just wrong. www.letterboxrecords.com
 11.26.07
Nord Express
LOVELAND
1995-2005- (PEAPOD)- The duo of Robert and Ron released
a few records on the Slumberland label back in the mid-90-‘s
before hanging up their instruments. The only thing is…they
never hung up their instruments. As the title implies, these
songs were recorded between the decade of ’05-’05
and this is a collection of tracks from 3 unreleased eps and
if you dig the soft n’ supple pop of the Cat’s
Miaow, The Feelies, Galaxie 500 or Yo la Tengo then you’ll
be ok with this. Robert strums the guitar while Ron taps the
drums (and both sing) and the gentle wisdom that emanates from
cuts like “Follow & I Shall Flee”, “Gem
You Sold” and “Tripleplay” will melt your
heart in an instant. All that and they had the good taste to
cover both The Wedding Present and Jesse Garon & the Desperadoes.
Really glad to see these guys still (occasionally) recording
music together. www.peapodrecordings.com
 11.26.07
Pants Yell!
ALISON
STATTON- (SOFT ABUSE)- A new record by these guys
seems to come at the best of times…..just as i.ve fully
listened to their last one and am jonesing for a new one. Well,
here it is ! This Cambridge, MA trio (who have named their
record after a Young Marble Giants member) keep honing their
pop sound into something a bit more…uh…..sophisticated.
Don’t get me wrong, they’re not Belle & Sebastian
(who I love) but they have honed their craft and have a style
all of their own. The opener “More Purple” reminded
me of Wash, DC’s smooth posters Aden while the suave
pop of “Tried to be Good” was pure Pale Fountains
(love those horns). Vocalist Andrew Churchman has a high reedy
voice and this woulda been perfect on the Postcard records
label had he been writing songs in the early 80’s (and
not been in elementary school). Something tells me these guys
could play a pop fest, biker bar, Bar Mitzvah or a gutter punk
show and win the crowd over at every one of them. Now that’s
a feat , my friends. www.softabuse.com
 11.26.07
The Resonars
NONETHELESS BLUE-
(GET HIP)-
4th record from these peyote-munchin’ gobblers outs
Arizona…actually, I say “these’ but it’s
only one guy, Matt Rendon. The guy sounds totally authentic
like he just stepped out of the Sunset Strip circa 1967 as
the jangle sound brings to mind mostly The Byrds (with a
bit of Curt Boettcher’s The Millennium tossed in for
good measure) . The vintage-sounding tunes come at you, one
right after the other, with hooks galore and smooth vocals
harmonies . Put your ear to tunes like “Whatever You
Want”, “Places You Have Been”, the more
rockin’ “No Problem at All”, or the snappy/suave “If
Darkeness Comes too Fast.” Rendon is a fantastic songwriter
and this being the first time I’ve heard his stuff
I now need to check out this other records and now. www.gethip.com
 11.26.07
Stevie Tombstone
DEVILS
GAME- (SAUSTEX MEDIA)-New
collection featuring tunes from Stevie’s SECOND HAND
SIN (13 tunes) and ACOUSTICA (4 tunes) cds……17
tunes in all and (there;’ some odd n’ sods on
here (including a brilliant cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom
Prison Blues”). While I had never heard his music before
now, after hearing this, I wanna find all I can out there.
Tombstone is a fantastic songwriter who dives head on into
straight country, blues and some gospel too and he has a
voice that is pure soul and grit. The spare tunes here ,
like the title track, “Breaking Me Down” and “Blade” showcase
Tombstone’s soulful voice while the songs with fuller
instrumentation add bit of violin (“Dark Shines Through”)
and some pedal steel too (“Same Old Tune”). I
think if this guy was ever looking for a touring partner
he has one here in Portland in the form of Mike Damron (ex-
I Can Lick Any S.O.B. in the House) who is another heart-on-the-sleeve
guy writing some great music (just like Tombstone). Also,
I dare anyone out there to find someone with a better side
of sideburns than Tombstone. Go on…I dare ya’!
www.saustexmedia.com
 11.19.07
Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies
S/T-
(SELF RELEASED)- Terrific orchestrated pop from a guy who turned
this record in as a senior project and he got an A. There is
a laundry list of players (most from the Carnegie Mellon University
School of Music) and it all adds up to a heavenly bubble bath
of baroque pop that I can soak in for hours and hours. Remember,
I’m the guy back in 1994 who wouldn’t shut up about
the Cardinal record and this bringing back those same fuzzy
feelings. For fans of Cardinal, The Left Banke, early Bee Gees,
The Zombies and the like. While the songs are seriously orchestrated
some of the lyrics are quite goofy ( they have one song about
wanting to be a cyborg) and they have one of the best promo
shots ever (2 of the band members on the shoulders of the other
two and getting ready to star chicken fighting). Now after
giving this several thorough listens I’m really bummed
about missing these guys in Portland a few weeks ago. www.stevegoldbergmusic.com
 11.19.07
Ham 1
THE
CAPTAIN'S TABLE- (ORANGE TWIN)- Ok, I dug this guy
Jim Willingham’s debut cd from last year and now he’s
back to offer us a 2nd dose and not sure if his students are
driving him to drink or what (he’s a teacher) but Willingham
has come up with his 2nd batch of highly listenable songs.
This thing is all over the map, from lo-fi coughs to the whole
Barnun n’ Bailey trip to something that reminded me of
a Man or Astroman? outtake. “Methmouth’ sounds
like a somber (drunk ) salute to a lost friend …well,
at least until the spacey part kicks in then you’re not
sure what to think while you can almost dance to “Hare
Lipped Bust.” I think Ennio Morricone is a big influence
too so having said all of that Jim, I’m gonna call your
Principal and demand a raise for you. How ‘bout that?
Side note note; I have never seen a picture of Willingham but
for some reason I picture him having really bushy red hair,
a beard and glasses. Don’t ask me where that came from
because I have no idea. www.orangetwin.com
 11.19.07
Dan Kwas
A LIFE TOO LONG FORGOTTEN-
(FLYING SCOOTER RECORDINGS)-
I didn’t recognize the name until I read a bit into
the press sheet and realized that this is the same Dan Kwas
who front Milwaukee’s The Sidewalks all those years
ago ( Hyped2Death put out a great retrospective of the band
last year) . He hung up his guitar, bounced around the country,
got began life as a newspaper editor, got married, had a
family and then realized that music was in his blood so he
went back to it. Smart move as the songs on A LIFE TOO LONG
FORGOTTEN are strong and you’d think this was the work
of a guy who never spent any time away from music. Both the
leadoff track ,“Just Passing Through”, and “The
Tenacity Song” are bouncy ( the former with some great
keyboards) while my favorite song on the record, “Winds
of Change”, add some tension to the proceedings (the
song chronicles a broken relationship). Elsewhere the 6 minute
plus “Back Where I Began” tells a story of a
man’s return to his roots while the hooky “Cold,
Cold Kisses” sounds like prime Old 97’s (I hear
bits of Bob Dylan and The Jayhawks here as well). I hope
Kwas has more songs inside of that head of his because of
so, I want to hear them. www.dankwas.com
 11.19.07
The Lovetones
AXIOM-
(TEE PEE)-Truly
enjoyed their debut (BE WHAT YOU WANT) and missed record
number two (MEDITATIONS)and here we are at their third installment.
From the past (The Byrds) to the current (Teenage fan Club)
and everything in between (Rain Parade, The Chills, The La’s,
etc.) Matt Tow and his unkempt Aussie band mates have taken
a big gulp of the past and let it pour out into 10 gorgeous
songs complete with twinkling melodies, lush harmonies and
swirl of not only all of the normal instrumentation but the
added bonus of mellotrons, brass, strings, sitar and yes
folks, a bozouki (I thought only Damon & Naomi used these
??). The pillowy cloud of “Pieces of Me”, the
baroque opening of “Everybody Hides Away” , the
jangle of “Say You Will”, the positively dreamy
(that ends up majestic and sweeping) “Ordinary Lives’ to
the heavenly, elegiac closer “Alone” AXIOM adds
up to a record that hearkens back to the 60’s but sounds
as current as anything you’re likely to hear on any
modern radio station. It might not change your life but it
could seriously brighten your day. www.teepeerecords.com
 11.05.07
The Condors
WAIT
FOR IT- (RANK OUTSIDER)- Yeah! This So. Cal. foursome
have retained the two most important things that they learned
about rock and roll back in first grade; one, it has to be
retain n that sense of fun that rock can seem to lose from
time to time and two, put as many hooks that you can cram into
a song and then put in a few more ! Taking their cues from
everyone from Cheap Trick to The Knack to The Replacements
to contemporaries like Tsar And The Lolas, this things starts
out in 4th gear and remains there for the whole record. The
first tune, “Waiting Half the Night’ is full of
fist-pumping goodness as is the hilarious “I Don’t
Want a Girl Who’s Been with Jack.” “Carnival
of Fools” is a but darker but no less melodic. More anthems
appear on the 2nd half of the record (“Something better
Coming Soon”, “Wake Up”, etc.). Two things
of note is that this is Pat Todd’s (Lazy Cowgirls) new
label and they get some keyboard help from Brady Bunch alum
Robbie Rist (who I think has played in every L.A. power pop
record) . Also, I had no idea that leader/songwriter pat “Pooch” DiPuccio
is the same Pooch from FLIPSIDE zine all those years ago! Why
didn’t he release a record years ago?? The Condors rule! www.rankoutsiderrecords.com
 11.05.07
The Fairer Sex
TWO
CAN WIN- (IONIK)- My first glanced at Ionik Records
was the fine cd by The Spectacular Fantastic last year so when
this package came Ionik was hoping for more S.F. Not surwe
what happened but when the cd plopped out of the padded manila
envelope , just judging by the name (and the grainy photo on
the press sheet) I was expecting some bad emo but this is quite
pleasant pop with strummy guitars and a general sense of careless
abandon one used to feel when getting the girl’s number
was the most important thing on your mind. Had these guys existed
in san Francisco in the late 90’s they would have been
on every bull with The Aislers Set and The Fairways and wowed
the fans at the S.F. Pop Fests. As it is now with songs like “(The
Conception of) Isabelle Flowers’ and “Penny” they
should be wowing ‘em in Lawrence, KS ( the band’s
hometown). I hear bits of The Feelies, Belle & Sebastian,
The Lucksmiths, and a few other faves. Nice to be knocked back
a bit when I wasn’t expecting too much.www.ionikrecords.com
 11.05.07
Fast Computers
HEART GEOMETRY-
(SELF-RELEASED)-Portland
bunch who (thankfully) raise a giant middle finger top the
rawk scene and are carving out their own niche’ in
our fair city . It is one that includes fancy clothes, Serge
Gainesbourg and ABBA records, expensive booze, framed Stereolab
posters on the wall and, oh…and plenty of terrific
songs. Peter and Jennifer are the core of the band and are
getting heaps of good press and with good reason, tunes like “Math
Predictions”, “Designs”, “Lives of
the Stars” an at least a few others. There’s
even the occasional ballad for the long makeout session (“How
many Times” ). From what I’ve heard they seem
to be a pretty formidable unit on stage as well . There’s
so many bands here in Portland (and so many good ones at
that) that I seem to take a lot of them for granted. Fast
Computer are onto something and I, for one, wanna go along
for this ride. www.thefastcomputers.com
 11.05.07
Fishboy
HOW WE TRIED TO SAVE THE LONE STAR STATE WITH THE POWER OF ROCK N’ ROLL-
(HHBTM)-Wow,
that record title is quite a mouthful. Anywho, like a lot
of Texans they apparently love their state. Denton is the
home of this band, led by the enigmatic Eric Michener. Apparently
he started recording in high school and now at the ripe old
age of…..i dunno, maybe 24, he has continued the project
and gotten a few friends to join in. The songs are short,
choppy, fuzzy and fun ! The band sounds like one of the few
bands who are able to translate their live energy onto record
and if you dig the sounds of early Of Montreal or any of
Colin Clary’s bands (or his solo stuff) then this will
be your new favorite band. I’d drop a 10-spot to hear
them play “Taqueria Girl.” Apparently this guy
Michener has written a ton of songs and if they’re
all as good as this batch then we’ll all have to start
listening a lot more closely. www.hhbtm.com
 10.29.07
Bodies of Water
EARS
WILL POP AND EYES WILL BLINK- (SELF-RELEASED)- Bodies
of Water are an odd bunch….you can tell that just by
looking at the cover of the cd. A grainy, sorta-color photo
with the 4 of them sitting in what looks like a living room
of a house. The guys are wearing rumpled suits and the 2 gals
are wearing, well, either bathrobes or expensive dresses (another
person tried to sneak into the photo but didn’t quite
make it…oh, and there’s a dog in there too!). Anywho,
odd or not , this L.A. is giving that city something to be
proud of, they are a rock/pop band but not in so much of a
traditional sense . Occasionally all 4 of them sing and it
sounds just heavenly and then other times they are all merrily
bashing away on their instruments like they just learned how
to play them (which maybe they did). The amazing “I Guess
I’ll Forget the Sound” ends up on some other planet
with only the prettiest voice being heard while “Doves
Circled the Sky’ adds a bit o’ gallop to the proceedings
(I heard a bit of Calexico). The whole record is full of neat
surprises…..give it a listen. Go on…and if David,
Meredith, Kyle and Jessie ever show up in your town be nice
to them. Give ‘em food, shelter and even gifts. They
deserve it. www.bodiesofwater.net
 10.29.07
The Busy Signals
S/T-
(DIRTNAP)- The Busy Signals just seem like they would be from
Chicago. Now, I’m saying that without ever having been
to the Windy City (thought I did get invited once: when John
Mohr, the vocalist/guitarist for Am. Rep rockers Tar invited
me to his wedding…..man, I almost made it). To me Chicago
is this big, rough, blue collar city and the forces that be
there say your guitars must sound a certain way and if they
don’t…well, the forces that be make you move! Naked
Raygun, The Effigies and Big Black were all allowed to stay
and The Busy Signals (no relation to the home-recorded electronic
indiepop beatbox dude) are allowed to stay. The reason is cos’ this
12 song record trims any and all of the fat and just cranks
out good punked up power pop and a nice rate (no fat but plenty
of protein and carbs). The songs blur by quickly , I like the
female vocalist, the guitar are something you can sink your
teeth into, the rhythm section is rock solid and there’s
hooks all over the flippin’ place ! What more do you
need really? This record is the reason I loved my Buzzcocks
and Briefs records. The whole record is good but first off
check out “Plastic Girl”, “Tell Me”, “Matter
of Time” and their cover of “Oh-Oh” (originally
done by The Limit). The band is in good company on the Dirtnap
label. www.dirtnaprecs.com
 10.29.07
California Snow Story
CLOSE TO THE OCEAN-
(LETTERBOX)-Scotland’s
C.S.S. released a wonderful ep on Shelflife Records a few
years back (2002’s ONE GOOD SUMMER ep) and then ….nothing,
until now. Now sure exactly what the band leader David Skirving
had been doing in the interim (though I do remember hearing
that David, one of the founding members of Camera Obscura,
was quite ill and a few of the other band members skirted
off to other bands, namely the Hermit Crabs and All My Friends)
. The band is now essentially pared down to a duo with David
being joined by a vocalist named Sandra Belda Martinez (2
other folks help on drums and keyboards). The songs are more
gentle and less jangly than the EP and it did take ms a few
plays to get into but get into it I did. The gentle “Begin
Again” starts thing off sounding like a prime Field
Mice song while the next song, the Sandra-sung “My
Life is Only a Daydream” is a bit peppier (as is the
fantastic “Suddenly Everything Happens”). “Future
Perfect’ adds a bit of bossa nova sound to the proceedings
and they tuck two of the best songs near the end of the record; “Wishing
Well” and “You Set the Scene” (not a Love
cover). Suffice it to say if you dig the sound of labels
like Sarah , Sunday or Matinee ( the first 2 listed are long
defunct) then C.S.S. will feel like a favorite old blanket
that you cannot do without. www.letterboxrecords.com
 10.29.07
The Choir Practice
S/T-
(MINT)-You
almost think this is going to be like a Polyphonic Spree
of some sort, lots of folks singing choir-type songs, on
the back cover they aren’t wearing robes but are all
dressed in white in a Christmas photo but this band seems
to have much less of a schtick than the Spree. First off
, there; 12 of them (not 24) and they all sing and play odd
bits of percussion and if I’m not mistaken the band
was started by Coco Culbertson who then, one by one ,began
recruiting members (including Larissa from P:ano) and The
Choir Practice was born! T.C.P. seem like the kind of band
that would have been formed out of some 60’s utopian
community, no bad vibes, all good. Like if The Partridge
Family had driven their bus out into Laurel Canyon in 1967,
picked up half-dozen more recruits and then just driven off
into the sunset where all there is is LEAVE IT TO BEAVER
reruns and Jujubees (with tongues planted firmly in cheek)
. Oh, and the songs are great too ! On “Red Fox” they
ask us all to take off our clothes (ok, I’m naked right
now) and on “Pretty’ they are seriously dissing
some shallow guy who wanted a Ginger or Mary Anne instead
of a Mrs. Howell (“he wanted someone pretty…”).
If you were smart you’d drop what you’re doing
right now, quit your job and your life and move up to Vancouver
and join The Choir Practice. I’m doing it…you
with me? www.mintrecs.com
 10.22.07
The Bongos
DRUMS
ALONG THE HUDSON- (COOKING VINYL)- The Bongos were
one of those bands I had always heard of but had never actually
heard. I certainly wasn’t going to listen to them back
in the early-mid 80’s when hardcore punk ruled my life
(my loss) . Leader Richard Barone was a name I seemed to always
read about in the mags and, after finally listening to the
cd I realized they seemed to bounce out of Hoboken, Nj with
some interesting ideas and along with bands like Let’s
Active and the dB’s ushered in a jangly pop scene amongst
all of the noisemakers. This sweet reissue contains their debut
record (DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON) as well as an unreleased early
single, a few songs from a live gig in London (w/ fans/friends….Throbbing
Gristle) , a few tunes from their first recorded gig and then,
finally, a song they recorded (this year) with uber fan, Moby.
Some of the live stuff is ok but man, the DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON
record is fantastic and I can’t believe it took me to
2007 to actually hear it (almost embarrassed to say that )
. The jittery opener “In the Congo” is a rush of
jangly 6-strign energy while “The Bulrushes’ (the
song they redid with Moby) is darker and moodier but no less
engaging as well as “Clay Midgets” and that is
just the first 3 songs. For whatever my opinion is worth ,
the guy who waited over 20 years to listen to it , I can say
that DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON should be on the shelf in any music
lovers home. www.cookingvinylusa.com
 10.22.07
The Groop
S/T-
(SUNDAZED)- If you want to hear some obscure ,baroque 60’s
pop leave it to Sundazed to reissue it. The Groop were a late
60’s band that was , in a way, manufactured (like The
Monkees) which isn’t to say that their debut record (
and only one) isn’t a near masterpiece of dreamy melodies
and breathtaking harmonies. In much the same way that The Free
Design, The Carpenters, The Cowsills and even the Mamas and
the Papas touched our soft rock side , this 2 man/2 women band
were able to melt hearts with a collective sigh. The story
apparently begins with L.A. record guru Richard Adler who was
managing Sergio Mendes and Brazil ’66 when he met The
Groop’s vocalist, Susan Musmanno and the rest, as they
say , is history. The other band members were friends with
someone or were suggested and it appears that most of these
songs were recorded in 2 sessions, May 20, 1969 and May 27,
1969 and the songs are fabulous. The record opens with “A
Famous Myth” which includes all of the uplifting ,soaring
qualities of a 5th Dimension song with strings, horns and those
heavenly vocals (the song was also a single for the Bell Records
label) then goes right into the equally sublime (and awkwardly
titled ) “I Try to Think of you When I Can” and
right into the bouncy “The Continental.” This cd
includes the record 12 tracks and most written by a young songwriter
named Jeffrey Comanor and hey, lookeee there …one tune
was even written by my beloved Joey Stec and Sandy Salisbury
(from The Millenium ) !! Apparently the band did a disastrous
tour of Spain in the Summer of 1969 and called it quit shortly
after that. If you ,however, like the music of the above mentioned
bands then this is something you really need to hear. Really
enjoyed the liner notes by indie popster (and music aficionado)
Keith D’Arcy too.www.sundazed.com
 10.22.07
Sebadoh
THE FREED MAN-
(DOMINO)-Ok,
back in the day I was , and still am, a huge Dinosaur fan
(I still
hate saying Dinosaur Junior !) but I was always curious to
hear the Lou songs tacked onto the end of the records. They
were always the weird ones (and Lou was a bit weird himself)
but no matter whether he was mumbling about unrequited love
of screaming that no one likes him I was always interested
. Sebadoh began as the duo of Lou Barlow and his pal, Eric
Gaffney and when this first Sebadoh record came out I could
not stop listening to it. It was like nothing i had ever
heard before. Some guy and his buddy recording songs in their
house (an girlfriend’s dorm room as I read in the liner
notes…which is where the record title came from , Friedman
Dorm at Smith College) on a Tascam 4-track recorder , lots
of tape hiss, some samples from old tv commercials and some
seriously good songs. And here it is, nearly 20 years after
first hearing it (with the lo-fi genre being beaten to death
) it still sounds unique and fresh. A few of my favorites
here are “True Hardcore” (where Lou’s voice
cracks) , “Soulmate” (where Lou questions whether
he is gay or not), Eric’s Byrds-like “Julienne” ,
the radio channel switching “Amherst Hanging House” (which
sounds like the same riff a “Temporary Dream” off
WEED FORRESTIN ) and a cover of The Beatles “Yellow
Submarine.” They have also added some redone tracks
from the record as well as their song from the Sonic Life
split 7”, their side of the Magic Ribbons box set and
, most importantly, the songs from their incredibly rare
ASSHOLE 7” that Vertical Records released (that I have
not put on my turntable in years). Not sure what else to
say, if you have read this far and not been scared off yet
then you know, you need this reissue. I mean, come on, what
other band chose to record their cat snoring?!! Pure genius
I tells ya’! www.dominorecordco.us
 10.22.07
Smokey And His Sister
S/T-
(SUNDAZED)-Looking like some
lost Bob Dylan treasure of a record, Smokey and his Sister
record was apparently recorded nearly 40 years ago but sat
shelved until now. The duo of Larry “Smokey” Mims
and his sister Vicki were raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and Smokey
decided he wanted to become a musician after meeting Dylan
himself in Cincinnati in 1965. Then next year he packed his
bags and headed to NYC with his sister following not too far
behind. After playing all of the Greenwich Village folk houses
they were signed first to Columbia Records and then Warner
Bros. From what I understand the Warners record is incredibly
difficult to find while this, as mentioned previously, had
been unreleased in Columbia’s vaults until now (apparently
Clive Davis wasn’t into it and killed the project). This
is dreamy, mysterious folk music with haunting strings and
horns/woodwinds here and there. Things open with the gorgeous,
baroque “Losin” while elsewhere is the haunting “In
a Dream of Silent Seas (you can find me )” , the swaying “A
Simple Cameo”, and two versions of the gentle “A
Far Better Thing.” 13 songs in all and once hearing it
you’ll wonder why anyone would keep these lovely songs
unreleased for so many years. Vicki passed away in 2006 while
Smokey has been m.i.a. Smokey , wherever you are, thanks for
these 13 pearls of beauty. Now, let’ see if that rare
Warner Bros record can get the reissue treatment. www.sundazed.com
 10.15.07
Augie March
MOO,
YOU BLOODY CHOIR- (JIVE)- Hard to believe that as
good as this Aussie band’s songs are how they simply
cannot get noticed over here (and this is record #3 ). Their
previous record STRANGE BIRD,, the first one I heard , was
full of the sort of hazy, emotional, swelling rock that most
bands would kill for and this new one is even better. MOO, … shows
band leader Glenn Richards in fine form creating the sort of
epic tunes that his fellow Aussies Died Pretty used to do back
when Bush #1 was still in office (you haven’t lived until
you’ve heard Died Pretty’s FREE DIRT record) .
The opener “One Crowded Hour” swoops and sways
while the almost bouncy “The Cold Acre” sends shimmering
waves of guitar and piano cascading down your back. The gorgeous,
countrified “Mother Greer” is one of the best songs
I’ve heard this year and on “Thin Captain Crackers’ the
band shows they have a sense of humor with it’s laid-back
n’ loose feel . “Bottle Baby’ is where Richards’ does
his best Dylan imitation (he does a few of those on this record)
and the next-to-last, 7 minute “Clockwork” will
have you exhausted by the songs end. If the intelligent sounds
of bands like Mercury Rev or The Decemberists turns your crank
then MOO, YOU BLOODY CHOIR will be a most pleasant surprise. www.augiemarch.com
 10.15.07
Band Of Horses
CEASE
TO BEGIN- (SUB POP)- Seattle seemed to me to be the
perfect home for the occasionally gorgeous, misty music of
Band of Horses but it calls Seattle home no more. Leader Ben
Bridwell and his bandmates decided to split for back east to
South Carolina to be closer to family and long-time friends.
Though the songs were written back east, this record, like
the bands’ 2006 debut, was recorded at Avast Studios
in Seattle (by Phil Ek) , and not much has changed from the
bands stunning debut, EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. If it sounds
like that record part deux….well, it is. All of those
major guitar chords and reverb-soaked vocals that draped themselves
over the debut’s songs are back and sound at least as
good as said debut, maybe better. The record’s opener, “Is
There a Ghost” , starts things off with Bridwell creaking “I
could sleep, I could sleee-eep. When I lived alone, is there
a ghost in my house” as the guitars swell and aim for
the crescendo that never comes while Bridwell repeats those
words over and over again. That crescendo does come on “Ode
to LRC’ with its major chords erupting into huge hooks.
Elsewhere, a Beach Boys influence shows up in a that banged-up
piano sound on “The General Specific” and fizzle
out in the shoegazer interlude, “Lamb on the Lam (in
the city).” They nail the soft/loud dynamic better than
anyone these days and Bridwell’s vocals have never sounded
more vulnerable. Plus they have a song called “Detlef
Schrempf”, ummm….how cool is that? www.subpop.com
 10.15.07
The Capstan Shafts
ENVIRON
MAIDEN- (RAINBOW QUARTZ)-I
have had a cd by this guy for a few years now (one on the
Kittridge label) that I keep looking at but never played
it. Well, when ENVIRON MAIDEN came and I noticed it was on
the Rainbow Quartz label then I stood up and took notice.
The Capstan Shafts is the work on one guy, Dean Wells. He
calls Lyndonville, VT home and apparently, since 1999 has
released …well, I dunno how many but a lot of self-released
cds (ok, press release says 17 since 2002 but I have heard
it might be more). ENVIRON MAIDEN has 29 songs, ok, I will
call them fuzzy pop nuggets. They bump into each other and
smile and each song is barely over a minute long and on occasion
they might hit the 2 minute mark but never much longer. This
is music for folks like me who love pop hooks but have no
attention span. It reminds me mostly of GBV when Bob is in
a good mood and tunes like “One of Us Should be Further
Away”, “The Ballad of Kid Butane”, “The
Complete History of Greenland”, and “Right on
the Malthus” are unbelievably tasty an put him in the
same ballpark as some of the indie hall of famers (Pollard,
Lou Barlow, a few of the Elephant 6-ers). Kudos to Rainbow
Quartz for giving this guy the bigger audience he deserves.
www.rainbowquartz.com
 10.15.07
Grand Champeen
DIAL
T FOR THIS- (IMWT)- Nice n’ sturdy rawk from this
Austin, TX The thing about Austin is that bands doing this sort
of p[op-roc are a dime a dozen and to really stand out in that
music-soaked town you’ve gotta have the hooks n’ chops
and Grand Champeen has it in spades. Leader “Carol” Channing
Lewis must’ve listened to some Kinks and ELO records in
his day cos’ the guy, like other Texans Rhett Miller and
Brent Best , can pull a hook out of a hat but for more contemporary
stuff he was taking notes when The Replacements came to town
too (and he maybe took in a few Paul Westerberg solo gigs too
. Not everything here hits the mark but out of these 13 songs
the good to average ratio is titled way to the former. Plus,
in bassist/pianist Alex Livingstone, Lewis has a songwriting
foil who can whip up as many hooks as he can. They spit gold
on “Wounded Eye” , “Cities on the Plain”,
Nice of You to Join Us” , Gonna be the Death of Me” and
at least a few others. As the band has had a trail of labels
behind them maybe they have found a happy home on the Portland-based
In Music We Trust (a fine label run by the hard-working Alex
Steininger). www.inmusicwetrust.com
 10.08.07
Boat
LET'S
DRAG OUR FEET- (MAGIC MARKER)- I think it’s
about time that folks started noticing the little label that
could, Magic Marker Records . In the past few years this Portland
label has been consistently releasing some amazing records
by bands like The Faintest Ideas, Walker Kong, New Zealand
legends The Bats and this hard-working Seattle, trio, Boat.
I thought their debut cd , SONGS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE (great
title) was a decent to good slice of sloppy indie rock (something
this band is proud of…the sloppy part) but on LET’S
DRAG… the band takes a huge leap forward with better
production/arrangements and , more importantly stronger songwriting.
One listen to “(I’m a ) Donkey for Your Love” should
put a smile on your ugly mug and if it doesn’t well then,
you are checking out the wrong website here my friend. “Illustrate
the History” is more of that clangy n’ chiming
pop with off-kilter backing vocals and a general sense of fun
all the way around (plus I met the singer/guitarist Dave at
a wedding a few weeks ago and he was a stand-up guy ). Look
here you bitter ol’ bastard, Boat is here to stay so
you’d better get used to it. As my dad used to say, if
you can’t beat em’, join em’. www.magicmarkerrecords.com
 10.08.07
Breezy Porticos
THESE
RECORD HIGHS- (BEST FRIENDS)- Ok, this is the 2nd
Breezy’s record I have heard, the first one being their
previous release, KEEP IS CRISP, from a few years ago. But
then I realized something, I wasn’t sure what a portico
was. I used to be an English teacher and pride myself on my
vocabulary but this was one word that escaped my grasp sop
I had to look it up and this is what I found: a structure consisting
of a roof supported by columns or piers, usually attached to
a building as a porch. Ok, now that that is out of the way
time to reviews the cd. This Denver trio like Boat above, seem
to take a rather nonchalant approach to writing songs (though
the BP’s songs are less sloppy and more pop than Boat)
and the record it really hard not to like. Main guy Andy Falconetti
knows just when to drop in a trumpet part (or is that a trombone??)
on the wonderful “Olivetti” , just like the June
Brides used to do. “Vichy Sun” is a jangly rocker
that must warm those Denverites bones when they begin dancing
to it at gigs . And what do ya know, they even do a remake
of one of their own tunes, “Crayola Sunset” (from
their debut 7”). Yeah, I like these Breezy Porticos. www.bestfriendsrecords.com
 10.08.07
The Sammies
S/T-
(MO RISEN)-Damn,
no press release….too bad cos’ I like this. The
vocalist sounds like Richard Butler (from the Psychedelic
Furs) or perhaps a bit of Bryan Ferry, but I think the band
hails from Charlotte, North Carolina (well, that’s
where the label is from, anyway). Plus one of the dude’s
in the band looks like a scruffier version Joey Tribbiani
(“How you doin’?”) . Dig the guitar sound …these
guys have it. The band makes a bold statement on the first
3 tracks where they come out of the gate and immediately
hit you with some classic hooks and seriously good songs
(that lead at the beginning of “For John” could
melt a heart) . On track four ,”Caretaker”, is
where they begin a bit of riff-rawk and then they add some
synth on the 5th song, “She Died.” For the rest
of the record the band goes back and forth between jangling
pop rockers and straight up rockers (not unlike Nada Surf).
Vocalist/guitarist Frank Backgammon has a cool name and a
great set of pipes, a bit raspy with just the right amount
of attitude while the rest of the band backs him up perfectly
with strong chops. I don’t see the west coast mentioned
for upcoming gigs on the bands my space page but hopefully
that will change soon. www.morisen.com
 10.08.07
the Sharp Things
A
MOVEABLE FEAST- (BAR NONE)- When indie rock bands began
adding symphonic elements to their proceedings no one was happier
than me (and if anyone was happier then I have not met them).
For me I think it began with the Cardinal record in 1994 and
has grown since then. I first heard the Sharp Things debut on
an Italian cassette label several years and now, on their 3rd
record, leader (and Joe Pesci lookalike) Perry Serpa has made
his grandest statement yet (well, Serpa and his 9 other band
members, but he is the ringleader). This time out he has enlisted
the help of the New York Symphonic Ensemble (ok, they sound professional/important
to me !) and the songs take off and soar to higher places than
they ever have before. “Through With Love” is an
indie waltz complete with the rises and dips of a waltz dancer
while “An Ocean Part Deux’ is a bit moodier but no
less melodic. The swaying “Cruel Things” is where
Serpa shows us his best Marvin Gaye and he sounds marvelous.
If an Americanized version of Neil Hannon’s The Divine
Comedy is what you’re after then The Sharp Things more
than deliver the goods. I’ll bet record #4 moves mountains. www.thesharpthings.com
 10.01.07
Jason Anderson
TONIGHT-
(ECA)- If I’m not mistaken this is the same guy that
released that record on k a few years ago (though it makes
no mention of it on the one sheet I have ) but I do believe
it is the same guy and even if it isn’t, we will assume
it is. That record was full of quiet/ brooding sad sap tunes
and on TONIGHT , Anderson, has, well…gotten happy. Whomever
first described this as a “poor man’s Springsteen
and his E St. Band” was right on the money. From the
honking sax to the handclaps all over to the general “good
time” vibe Anderson and his cronies have made if nothing
else, a fun record (but it is oh so much more ) . On the opener, “Tonight”,
Anderson and his room full of friends shout the song title
over and over again as the sax player is blasting away . Same
with the next tune, “July 4th, 2004” , tho’ this
song has a bit more melody but again more horns and handclaps.
He slows thing down on “On Vacation” as it’s
long intro has some lovely piano and moodier sax as Andersons
wistful vocals don’t come until a few minutes in, it
totally works though. The other 5 songs , save for “So
Long”, are in the more raucous category and after hearing
this I’m now dying to see the guy live (and apparently
this guy basically lives on the road…I guess all he does
is pretty much tour ). TONIGHT is a total hoot! www.ecarecords.com
 10.01.07
The Dead C.
VAIN,
ERUDITE, STUPID: SELECTED WORKS: 1987-2005 - (BA DA
BING)-
Mind-bending, revelatory comp. from this influential New Zealand band (“leader” Bruce
Russell was in charge of the X-Pressway label, the band also included ex-Verlaines
guy Robbie Yeats on drums and Michael Morley on other guitar…or bass )
that collects all kinds gunk from their storied career. Until reading the liner
notes (by Tom ”Siltbreeze” Lax, Seymour Glass (editor of the defunct
BANANAFISH) and Nick Cain along with track notes from Bruce Russell) I had no
idea just disliked (ok, despised) these guys were in their native country. The
music isn’t …uh…pleasant and not normally the type of thing
I review or even like, but I got turned into these guys fairly early on by Tom
lax and I have dug them ever since. I had a bunch of this stuff on 7” and
12” that I stupidly sold so I could eat back in college but this is a generous
2-cd collection that brings out some of their best work including “Helen
Said This” from an early Siltbreeze 7” plus a cut (“Mighty”)
from their FORCED EXPOSURE single and the amazing “Maggot” from the
EUSA KILLS lp (that Flying Nun released in 1990). The stuff is chronological
so disc one is from 1988-1994 and disc 2 from 1994 til’ 2003. Can you believe
that I sold the stuff so I could eat….imagine that, eating food over listening
to a Dead C. record. Yeah, I was an idiot back then. www.badabingrecords.com
 10.01.07
Tenderhooks
VIDALIA-
(ROCK SNOB)-This
shaggy bunch hail s from, Knoxville, TN and I had never heard
of them before this came tumbling out of my po box a few
weeks ago. One thing is for sure, they have a love of some
serious songwriter from the south. Everyone from Michael
Stipe to Gram Parsons to Alex Chilton to maybe even the Windbreakers
dudes (Bobby Sutliff and Tim Lee) too though the opener, “Kid
Stuff” , the guitars get all tangled up and veer off
into Dream Syndicate territory (first lp where axeman Karl
Precoda wrote a new guitar language). Bassist/vocalist Emily
Robinson sounds lovely singing on track 2, “Mouthful
of Rain” while the title track winds over hill and
dale with some terrific melodies and dynamic changes. Even
when the tone it down a bit, like on the bucolic “Quarter
of a Century’ the band still hits a winning combination
of subtle (and not so ) hooks and solid songwriting. At just
over a half hour the band also abides by the daggerboy credo
of “less is more.” If you’re the kind of
person who wishes that Wilco would go back to their Uncle
Tupelo roots then VIDALIA just might be what you’re
looking for. www.rocksnobrecords.com
 10.01.07
Velcro Stars
HIROSHIMA'S
REVENGE- (HHBTM/ GRAND PALACE)- Well, they sure as heck
do not skimp on the packaging on this one. It’s a cool,
silk-screened cardboard fold-over with a pull-out that has all
kinds of cool artwork on it. The 5-piece, led by guitarists/vocalists
Shane Spresser and Keith Pratt, hail from Murfreesboro, TN which,
from what I gather, is turning into a little hotspot for music
or at least that is what I’ve read (have never been to
that fine state). The Velcro Stars, like a lot of other bands
on the HHBTM label, either call Athens, GA and it’s whimsical
musical spirit home (ie: Elephant 6) or don’t live there
but still have the spirit. This band would fit right in with
the whole Of Montreal (earlier stuff), Masters of the Hemisphere,
Kincaid, Apples in Stereo (who are/were not from Athens but sorta
spearheaded that whole sound) and HIROSHIMA’S REVENGE is
full of sprightly melodies , what sounds like a gazillion instruments
and just basically smiles and good vibes all the way around.
Track #2, which is the title track, bounces along like a dog
after a good leak on a fire hydrant as does the even sunnier, “All
That I Do.” The band seems to know where they want to go
and how they wanna accomplish that and if I can offer any advice
to them is to take the Tenderhooks approach (see above review)
and trim things down next time from 15 songs to about 10 or 11
, trim the fat so to speak. Otherwise, HIROSHIMA’S REVENGE
could be a pop lover’s best friend. www.hhbtm.com www.grandpalace.us
 09.24.07
Every Gentle Air
PT.
2- (THE RECORD MACHINE)- I could just tell this was
gonna be good…….Mansfield, OH (which has apparently
been rated as one of the 5 ugliest cities in the country) duo
of Nathan and Ryan create mini masterpieces out of busted kazoos,
old Tupperware and whatever the hell else they have lying around
the house. Oh, wait, an old oil pan too. All of that (and a
flock of friends helping out ) gives PART 2 a most organic
, disjointed pop feel and as far as I’m concerned Nathan
and Ryan should be hoisted up on people’s shoulders and
paraded throughout the streets of Mansfield (that would make
the city a bit less ugly, no ?) . That and be given a ticker
tape parade too and if any of this doesn’t happen what
is wrong with you people ??!! Since this record is called Part
2 I think it’s pretty mandatory that I hear Part 1 and
if I’ve got to go to Mansfield, Ohio to find a copy then
by god I’ll do it. www.therecordmachine.net
 09.24.07
Donny Hue And The Colors
FOLKMOTE-
(THE KORA RECORDS)-Pretty much everything I have received from
this totally low-key label I have really liked (especially
the Meredith Bragg stuff) and here is something else. I had
never heard of this cat, Donny Hue, before but he sounds like
he’s making a splash in Washington, DC where he used
to reside (Donny is now in NYC while the rest of his bandmates
are in DC). Along with his band, The Colors (which apparently
has some members of Meredith Bragg’s band as well as
the Washington Social Club) like to get a bit out there on
their debut, FOLKMOTE. You’ve probably read it in reviews
before but it does conjure up the memories of some of the better
Elephant 6 bands, mainly Olivia Tremor Control and a bit like
Neutral Milk Hotel and a dash of Of Montreal. I like the just-waking-up
intro to “Piano Dream” while “Real Long Time” has
some of that great banged-up piano that I love and “Humming
with the Flower Birds” is as lovely a song as its title.
The other 8 songs are no slouches either. Dive into the world
of Donny and come up with a smile on your face. www.thekorarecords.com
 09.24.07
The Krinkles 3
THE MORDORLORFF COLLECTION-
(MORDORLORFF)-There
is a handful of bands out there (ok, so more than a handful)
who admit to liking bands
like The Knack and Cheap Trick and have no problem wearing
skinny ties or powder blue jackets or wear their hair in
styles that might be a bit of out of date. The Krinkles,
a Chicago area band, are one of those bands. However , in
addition to The Knack and the ‘Trick (both of whom
I love) they also have plenty of Kinks and Big Star records
in their collections (ok, that line was just to appease the
hipsters). On THE MORDORLORFF COLLECTION the band cranks
the amps up to 11 and lets the melodies rip as guitarist/vocalists
Dan “The Fox” Edwards and Henry Krinkle must’ve
guzzled plenty of Jolt Cola prior to record as did the rock-solid
rhythm section of Jerry on bass and Matty on drums,. Apparently
the band took a bit of a hiatus but you wouldn’t know
it as tunes like “Dirty Girl” , “Best Friend” , “I
Want You” and “Today is the Day” are all
rip-roaring rockers with hooks a plenty. Nothin’ real
fancy here folks, just good pop/rtock tunes played with heart
and plenty of energy. www.myspace.com/thekrinkles
 09.24.07
Young Galaxy
S/T-
(ARTS & CRAFTS)- Except for Broken Social Scene (who I don’t
like) the Arts & Crafts label is all winners as far as I’m
concerned. Not sure why I let this sit in the shrinkwrap for
so long. I had read good things about this Canadian duo (plus
I really like the cover art which is usually a factor in how
long it takes me to wanna listen t something) but this sat in
a big box of promos for quite some time. Well, it is Friday September
21, 2007u and I finally busted it open and played it and I liked
what I heard. The band is essentially the duo f Stephen Ramsay
and Catherine McCandless but there are plenty of players on here
(including The Dears Murray Lightburn and Memphis Chris Seligman)
have really hit on something here, the song bend , sway and swerve
and sometimes break wide open . If you have heard the old Sarah
Records band (now reformed) Secret Shine then you’ll have
a reference point on where this bunch are aimed at. Cuts like
the dreamy “No Matter How Hard You Try” , the gorgeous “Lazy
Religion” or the bucolic, mostly acoustic “Wailing
Wall” will suck you into this band’s seductive vortex.
As the open road in the front cover indicates, the possibilities
are endless and Young Galaxy are willing to explore. www.arts-crafts.ca
 09.17.07
King Louie and the Loose Diamonds
MEMPHIS
TREAT- (EMPTY)- Kept hearing about this guy King Louie
(Louie Bankston), how he was an early member of the Exploding
Hearts and how he wrote (or co-wrote) most of their good songs.
I asked a record store clerk here in town once why he was no
longer in the band and he said “Basically he was too
drunk to be in the band anymore.” Well, now there’s
some sobering words. Apparently they recorded most of this
at Easley Studios in Memphis (and mixed by Jim Dickinson) but
then the studio burnt down…but the master tapes were
fine ! Anywho, on MEMPHIS TREET Louie has assembled a fine
greased n’ grizzled cast of miscreants including members
of The Oblivions, Tearjerkers, Kajun SS and the like and here
he goes from fuzzy power pop (ala Exploding Hearts) on tunes
like “Gypsy Switch” (which is a reworking of the
Exploding Hearts “Shattered (You Left Me)” ) and “Negative
Contact’ to more spare, chicken bone rock on tunes like “Girl
in the Holler” , “Wheelbarrow Whiz’ and the
title track. Not sure if Louie has sobered up these days or
what but MEMPHIS TREET shows a man of (mostly) clear mind and
there’s enough hooks on here to keep a pop loser like
myself happy for weeks. www.emptyrecords.com
 09.17.07
The Mabuses
MABUSED!-
(MAGPIE )-OK, I can’t get too excited about The Mabuses
returning cos’ I had never heard of them in the first
place. The band is apparently led by the elusive Kim Fahy who
has worked with The Jesus and Mary Chain and a few cats from,
the House of Love (he also had a previous band called The Assassins…ok,
never heard of them either). He and his international pals
(with members from the U.K,, Germany and France) have whipped
up some groovy psych-pop here akin to something that the Apples
in Stereo or their zonked-out, defunct pals the Olivia Tremor
Control used to do back when the Advil seemed a bit stronger.
Both the opener “Dark Star’ and “Seasider” are
catchier than psoriasis while a few of the other tunes slip
off into never never land (“Sugarland” sounds like
some tossed-off Robyn Hitchcock outtake). Still, MABUSED! is
an impressive collection of off-kilter pop that any band would
be proud to call their own. And the packaging is quite impressive
as well (wonder how much out of pocket Fahy is for this project?).
Go on, get mabused and I mean now. www.themabuses.com
 09.17.07
Ray's Vast Basement
STARVATION UNDER ORANGE TREES- (HOWELL'S TRANSMITTER)- Jon Bernson wrote
a clutch of songs here dedicated to the genius of John Steinbeck
. Although most of STARVATION UNDER…. Was written for
the Actor’s Theatre production of OF MICE AND MEN some
of the 14 songs on here were inspired by other Steinbeck
tome (TORTILLA FLAT, CANNERY ROW, GRAPES OF WRATH). With
a cast that includes Portland’s own Nate Query and
Larry Crane, Bernson and his cast have cobbled together a
bunch of songs that hold together just fine even though duct
tape and twine are doing the holding. I like the more spare,
mostly acoustic ditties the best, cuts like “Not Just
Mine” and “How Through Sacrifice, Danny’s
Friends Gave a Party.” Was thinking of how it reminded
me a bit of the Michael Zapruder record that this label released
a year (at least in terms of ambitiousness) or so back and
then realized that Zapruder was one of the contributors to
this record. Also in the same ballpark at M. Ward and that’s
not a bad place to be at all. Cover art reminded me something
that the Stone Roses would have done back in their prime.
www.howellstransmitter.com
 09.17.07
A Shoreline Dream
COASTAL-
(LATE WEEKNIGHT)- Still have not had a chance to listen to this
band’s debut, 2006’s AVOIDING THE CONSEQUENCES which
is sitting in a big box of cds. I actually thought this was a
new cd by the band Coastal (Words on Music Records) but then
inspected it a bit more closely and realized it is the new 4
song ep by A.S.D, a trio from Denver, CO led by Ryan Policky
(Erik Jeffries plays guitar , Enoch Torraca manhandles the bass
and they have a new drummer, Jennifer Burns, who didn’t
play on this record) . The first song is the soaring , fuzz-laden “Ukraine” sounding
like an old U.K. post-punk tune from the 1980’s while “The
Barrier’ mashes and swirls with dirgey guitars and tape
loops of voices coming on from as few angles. “New York”,
not unlike the opening cut, does some soaring nosedives and then
gets the plane ready for landing after some air swirling. The
record ends with the haunting “Afershocking”, sounding
like Prime Pale Saints with flanged guitars and moody keyboards
while Policky’s vocals are offering up ever secret in the
universe. You’d better be listening. www.ashorelinedream.com
 09.10.07
1888
HONEY,
I'D KILL...- (CLAY GARDEN )- Don’t remember
a whole lot coming out of Norfolk, Virginia , at least
not in recent years. I think Avail are/were from there
and perhaps Gwar too (ok, the first time I saw them in
a small club in Philly in about 1988 I loved it ) too
but not many others. I think this came in a package from
the fine Planting Seeds records so I had a feeling I’d
dig it and sure enough, I do. This trio, led by the songwriters
Brad Rosenberg and Daniel Driskell ( Rosenberg wrote
8 of the tunes while Driskell write 3) and they each
have a distinct style. Rosenberg goes for a more wigged-out
Feelies-esque feel with meandering guitar leads leading
up to killer climaxes while Driskell seems to be the
more laid back one with a love of acoustic guitars and
possib
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