Adam Levy
Loose Rhymes — Live on Ludlow Street
Recorded live at The Living Room by Steve RosenthalMixed by Steve Rosenthal
On this disc, recorded live at New York City’s The Living Room, Adam Levy makes his debut as a performer — of his own songs. A sideman for Tracy Chapman, and more recently Amos Lee, Levy’s guitar work also has a regular place in Norah Jones’ Handsome Band, for whom he has written as well. On this album, aptly set in an intimate space and featuring the addition of a bassist and a drummer, Levy shows the influence of the musicians he has worked with in theses bluesy and pared-down tunes, inviting in their heartfelt interpretation.
The opening track, “Little Bit of Sunday Morning,” has a cozy, folk-rock feel and matches the spiritual with the everyday as a barroom scene is depicted in religious terms, including the song’s female muse, “an angel lost in drunken flight.” On the lyrically playful “I Can See It From Here,” Levy notes about a relationship that “Maybe this ain’t love yet,” but he can see it on the horizon. It also has a blues feel, with an accompanying steady, soulful guitar solo. In “I Put a Spell on You,” Levy moves more into deep blues territory inflected with some traditional folk and jazz, with a solo that is expressive and poignant. “Unsay Goodbye” has one of the brighter melodies on the record, outlined on guitar with arpeggios and doubled vocally with a kind of relaxed earnestness that seems to suffuse all Levy’s songs.
“Confidence Man” sees the singer and guitarist exploring deception and the way it works between people, in the process presenting the different shades of the word confidence. Musically, the song has a bit of Elvis Costello to it, though slower and sparer, especially Levy’s vocals, rough and tender at once. With the sixth track, “Long Way Gone,” there’s more interplay between the drums and Levy’s guitar and the imagery is particularly sharp here, with the standout lines: “Now I strum a guitar, my hands know the way / Like the dusk knows the end of the day,” and “My skills escape me, I’m losing the craft / Then I hear the one-two punch of your laugh.” The release into the chorus is also very well done, as the vocals roll into a build-up that finds the band at one of its most full-sounding moments of the session. The next song, “Jukebox”, has a slight country twang and is told from the perspective of a bar-keep, meandering through a scene of speakeasy solitude and heartache. The last performance is of “Join My Band,” an upbeat, modestly-paced song that feels like mellower John Fogerty and is the most clearly pop-rock-sounding track on the CD. And just as it seems like things have come to close for the album and the night, Levy rallies the crowd for a clap-accompanied repeat of the chorus. Overall, Levy’s mostly mid-tempo grooves please as they are delivered ably by the songwriter and show off a deftness with lyrics that has served others well, now helping him to a promising start as a performing songwriter. (Lost Wax Records)
www.adamlevy.com
-Andrew Palmacci
Brett Rosenberg
Drop Dead Air
A Red Rose Production
Written & assembled by Brett Rosenberg
Recorded & mixed by Darren Ottaviani at the Moontower in Cambridge, MA
Mastered by Michael Quinn at the Moontower
“Still In Luv” and basics for “Divorce” recorded by David Minehan at Wooly Mammoth Sound in Boston, MA
Brett Rosenberg is a classic power pop facilitator. Sure, his rhymes are often simple and predictable, and his song structures aren’t terribly inventive, but isn’t that what makes up the genre for the most part? It’s no surprise then that the first seven songs on Drop Dead Air run the typical pop tune gamut from songs about going to work to dating to never making it big as a pop singer. And if this shwag is your bag, then you’re in for a treat. At least for the first half of the album.
Beginning with the album’s eighth track, “Still In Luv,” Rosenberg hits on something better than his typical power pop standards. Strangely channeling Johnny Rotten, Rosenberg’s lyrics turn near menacing as he wails in a faux British accent: “Went to parties, tried to meet the new girl of my dreams / All I found were stupid cunts with no identity.” Damn, he just dropped the c-word. This could get interesting.
The next track, “Divorce,” is a grunge guitar song supported by a hook that spells out the title, while “Keno Expert” features a fun hillbilly beat. The album dips again into power pop with “Eyes Open,” a tune that feels like it should be featured on the soundtrack to 1985’s Real Genius. But the album resurrects itself with the closing track, “When I Die,” a song that doesn’t sound like anything else on the LP and is a fitting finish.
It is difficult to appreciate Rosenberg’s blind devotion to hokey songwriting in the first half of his album. It’s not that his songs aren’t catchy; they’re just a smidge too predictable. What is promising about this release are his more experimental tunes, which highlight his inventiveness as a songwriter and performer. After five back-to-back albums released in as many years, he may only now be tapping into something more unique; and when he decides to tap into it for a full album, many will be more open to listening. (Self-released)
www.brettrosenberg.com
-Len Sousa
Cober
Eulogy
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Rainstorm Studios in Bellevue, WAProduced by Sheila V. Bommakanti and Steve CarterEngineered by Steve Carter
Simply stated, Cober is a one-piece bucket plunge into the depths of Sheila Bommakanti’s well of a heart, bled dry by former lovers and the scorn of an unforgiving society. The music on Eulogy, the third album under the Cober name and first to use the one-piece band format from the Seattle native now living in the Boston area, is intimate and deliberate, paced by Bommakanti’s double-necked SG and two Marshall half-stacks. But where each delayed guitar part glimmers, the tie that binds is Bommakanti’s expressively poetic voice, at once both haunting and inviting, a gentle caress in a darkened room mapped by candlelight. Bommakanti’s sort of prodigious musical work is Cober as a whole, as she’s responsible for all the sounds emanating from the speakers.
When she’s not hypnotic, she’s demanding, but as Cober, she never loses her aim. It’s a beautifully eerie piece of work, a star of Mazzy-like proportions. It’s a soundtrack for the pensive, emotionally delved into after you’ve returned home from catching your lover in bed with another, or realizing time and age are catching up with your youthful ambitions. Sort past all the rage, sort past the despair, and you find introspection. Cober is the sound of healing, the starting over and the new beginnings. These aren’t cityscapes she’s traveling through; this journey is inwards.
On opening track “Words,” Bommakanti sings “She didn’t need you / What makes you think I do?” On “The Verge,” she concludes with “I tried to be a lady / But look where that has gotten me.” If it weren’t for the luminous musical creations she seems to mold from anguish, it’d be easy to feel sorry for her. But in the end, through darkness there is always sound. And through sound, there’s often hope. Even in its most pessimistic of hours. (Self-released)
www.cober.org
-Michael Marotta
Dilly Dilly
Akidleadivy
Recorded by E.O.D. Mastered by Micah Blue Smaldone
Successful use of the ukulele in indie pop: impossible? Dilly Dilly says no, and if the Cerberus Shoal bassist and vocalist’s recent (and most curiously-titled) release is any indication, she may be on the road to a most curious musical pilgrimage. Erin Davidson’s girly vocals are showcased often — and why not? The girl has range, depth, and is teeming with emotion — if not to the point of sounding a bit overwrought. Immediately into the opening track, “Rival,” it becomes clear that other than the short addition of soft strings in the background, the ukulele is the primary musical accompaniment. The result is more successful than one would imagine, but its awkward twang begins to grate at times, sounding a bit too much like a child’s jack-in-the-box. In “Kge,” Davidson enters into dicey territory by using her vocal range to compose a kind of vaguely Celtic-sounding musical soundscape. With Tori Amos-esque vocal breakdowns and three-or-so note uke picking, the song comes across as confused. The world is a critic, and if Dilly Dilly is to gain a little more respect for her solo pursuits, she might want to take a cue from other moody/quirky singers like Kristen Hersh or Chan Marshall and cut it a but on the crazy vocal tricks. It’s fully possible to be eclectic as well as dignified, and a fine line may be crossed here. Don’t worry, Erin can do it, and more songs like the jaunty “Doo Write” (complete with finger snapping) and country-western-cum-campfire ditty “Daisy A Day” bring a bit more modesty into an otherwise self-absorbed EP. It would be easy to imagine Davidson as a less-depressive version of Hank Williams, happily strumming her uke with a light tap of her feet. Country-western tunes or campfire ditties, these songs are pleasant and relaxing, with just a bit of grit below the surface, which in comparison to her otherwise flourishing vocals, is quite welcome. (North East Indie)
www.myspace.com/cerberussiren
-Kimberly Abruzzo
Crimes in Graceland
Three Ring Circus
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Mike Clark at Clark CreationsProduced by Crimes in Graceland
Crimes in Graceland are badass, and they want everyone to know it. They dress in black, they play songs with titles like “Sobriety Sucks” and “Marry a Bitch,” and in the photo under the tray of their CD Three Ring Circus, they extend a synchronized single-finger salute to their soon-to-be-disappointed listener. Thanks, fellas.
The menacing attitude divebombs (and the disappointment begins) as soon as the lead vocals enter the mix, which is, unfortunately for these three brothers, around one second into the album. No matter how drunk and sweaty the music is, when the vocals are high-pitched, whiney, and poorly produced, as is the case for bassist and primary vocalist Ry’al Lindgren (think Nick Carter … before he joined the Backstreet Boys), it’s almost impossible to pay attention to anything else. Relief — if it can be called that — comes only a few times during the disc’s 43 minutes, when older brother Roby Lindgren, obviously the Gene Simmons to Ry’al’s Paul Stanley, takes over on vocals.
Musically, the primary reference points are ’70s arena rock (KISS, Van Halen) and ’80s hair metal (more Bon Jovi than Guns n’ Roses), along with a little punk and country thrown in to mix things up. Finger-tapping guitar solos run amok, as do dramatic song breaks and dual call-and-response vocals.
Given the musical influences, lyrics don’t offer much in the way of surprises. Choruses like “I can’t find / Peace of mind” and “Made your own bed / You’re the only one who can fix it” are pretty standard for the genre, while couplets like “Please get off of my tale / I don’t want to go to jail” and “Jill and Steve were a couple of teenagers in love / You may have heard this tale before” (um … definitely) offer some unintentional laughs.
In the future, Crimes in Graceland should worry a little bit less about their “tough guy” images and just have fun. Three Ring Circus’s closer, a country tune called “Don’t Love Ya,” shows them loosening up a little bit, and it happens to be the best track on the album. (Uglyjam Records/What the Music?)
www.crimesingraceland.com
-Brett Cromwell
Destroy Babylon
Oligopuzzled
Recorded at Looking Glass Studios and Clinton Studios (NYC)Mixed at Metronome in New HampshireMastered at New Alliance East in Cambridge, MA
Destroy Babylon, originally from New Hampshire and now Boston-based, make their recorded debut with the self-released and thought-provoking Oligopuzzled. The band has a strong reggae underpinning sound-wise that is tinged with indie rock and a punk spirit, at times recalling The Police. Raucous, metal-esque guitar work and a diverse assemblage of instruments (including fruit) fill out the atmospheric vibe. Add a healthy dose of world-conscious lyrics, and you have a wide-ranging, genre-hopping album.
“Rocky Shores from a Bird’s Eye,” the first track, is a kind of fable where a certain current president teams with “a bird named Jim” to cause all sorts of trouble in the name of a higher power. The song features a steady, reggae groove with powerful, yet airy, guitar soloing overhead that becomes a recurring dynamic on the CD.
“Of Fish and Water” sees the group continuing to take up the classic call of reggae as a supporter of social causes, as this track has a line that typifies the album’s perspective: “I believe in human rights / For more than just myself.” “Grab a Shovel (Dig Faster!)“ starts with a brief recording that sounds like an educational broadcast from the ’60s and references colonization.
Sweeping, hard-rock guitar then moves in, making way for a brief keyboard solo before taking back the reigns of rocking out until the end of the song. “Bureaucratic Beat” examines another cause of societal strife, with vocalist/multi-instrumentalist John Beaudette noting that “big business sucks up and it spits out.” A significant point in the album comes with the short fifth track, “ADD to Album,” followed by “Oligopuzzled (Part VI),” both of which cast a wary gaze at the digital music revolution. The former offers a sharp lament that sounds like an ironic pro-CD rallying cry for our modern age — “I’ve got music ADD so skip the track!” Musically, the tune sways from dominant hard rock to mellow indie rock and back to intense guitar-heroics before closing with a somber horn outro.
Clearly a group who wants you to be a bit puzzled, then ask some questions, Destroy Babylon puts a tripped-out spin on the reggae sound and seizes on a number of current social issues to come up with a strong first record. (Self-released)
www.musicadd.com
-Andrew Palmacci
Down June
Brookline
Produced by Down JuneEngineered and mixed by Greg CapolinoAdditional engineering by Tony Crowe, Greg WrightBasic tracks recorded at Clow Studios in Haverhill, MAOverdubs and mixing at Rumblestrip Audio in Brookline, MAMastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering
It’s hard to figure Down June out. The band name is confusing, as is their music. Part of the problem might be that the band hasn’t really figured it out either. Instead of deciding on one lead singer, they’ve chosen two — and the results are mixed at best.
Singer/guitarist Ryan Sawyer takes lead vocal duties for most of the tracks on Brookline (the band is from Haverhill) and he does a reasonably good job. Imagine a little Scott Stapp mixed with a lot of Rob Thomas and you’ve got a good idea of his pipes. Sure, we’ve heard this sound before on most soft rock stations, but it’s a decent listen nonetheless. Recommend tracks are “Burning Away” and “Sea Of You,” aimed to some Matchbox 20 fans. It’s tough to recommend “Juliet” to anyone, however — the chorus of which includes the line: “Where is my Juliet, baby?” Yikes.
The remaining three tracks feature female vocalist Kristin Clow taking the lead. Clow’s voice is nearly an American Idol parody. When she’s not shallow breathing through her vocals, she overextends her singing notes and it feels like a poor karaoke performance. Throw in the fact that her voice is always masked by a filter of some kind (either intense reverb or a strange flange), and the idea is clear. The guitarist also has an unfortunate tendency to use his pedal’s delay effect in every song (once can be forgiven, but after eight tracks, it just gets hokey). And while having two singers in a band can work, it only works if both singers can actually sing. Since Down June’s music is on the lyrical ballad front and the vocals are the vanguard of every song, having a lead singer who just can’t hack it only makes for a weak release. (Self-released)
www.downjune.com
-Len Sousa
Michael Greenberg
The Truths of Bees and Birds
Recorded by Pat Keogh SoundProduced by Patrick Keogh and Gerald Wenner Mastered by J.D. Hagstrom
To those who appreciate the subtle beauty of a wholly acoustic album, Michael Greenberg’s The Truths of Bees and Birds comes highly recommended. Is it wholly acoustic? Well, no, not really. But the unifying elements throughout the album are Greenberg’s brilliant acoustic guitar work, and the youthful insecurity portrayed in his voice. At the record’s conclusion, you feel like you just listened to a great acoustic work.
Greenberg’s voice sounds remarkably like that of British jazz/pop artist Jamie Cullum, but with more of a Jeff Tweedy folk/rock edge to it. And unlike Cullum, Greenberg’s voice fits brilliantly within his style.
And that style varies throughout the album. On “Sailing,” Greenberg evokes Damien Rice’s best works, plodding through a rhythmic and brilliantly mysterious song. On the album’s title track, Greenberg’s light guitar work, bongo percussion, and bossa nova rhythm reeks of Jack Johnson. It is one of the only points on the album where Greenberg’s work doesn’t come across as wholly unique and original. On the other hand, “I Like it When She Calls Me Bum Bum Bum” features astounding folk-style finger picking in the opening verse, and then a tear-worthy chorus that is just screaming for an entire orchestra to give it the power it deserves.
Greenberg’s greatest talent is in writing these energetic choruses. At no point in the album does any song sit stagnant. If well-written songs are supposed to be like a journey, then Greenberg must have the map somewhere. (Self-released)
www.myspace.com/michaelgreenbergmusic
-Keith McBride
Jennifer Matthews
The Sunroom Sessions
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jerry Bates at Sunroom Studio in Norton, MAProduced by Jennifer Matthews
Jennifer Matthews’ latest release, The Sunroom Sessions, is a totally acoustic album, but Matthews is not just another girl with a guitar. Having been labeled as a “rocker” in the past, an acoustic album might seem to be somewhat of a departure for Matthews, but The Sunroom Sessions retains the core qualities that qualify Matthews as a rocker while allowing her to traverse a surprisingly wide range of musical territory.
The album opens strong; both of the first two tracks feature an intensity and vocal confidence that clearly support the idea that Matthews can rock. While the tunes are understated and stripped down, the delivery is not. “Jove” has a more ethereal quality, with Matthews’ vocals wafting above some unexpected, but very interesting harmonic changes. “1000 Miles” is in a much more traditional rootsy style — its delivery, with Matthews’ vocals delving into her lower range, is even more powerful despite the folk trappings.
The next two offerings, “Wrote U A Song” and “Gospel of Love,” are more representative of the stereotypical girl with a guitar sound. They are not bad, but they do not stand out the way most of the album does. But Matthews gets quickly back on track with the haunting “Floating.” The dark and eerie mood is in stark contrast to the hopeful lyrics, creating a hypnotizing juxtaposition.
“Dogs at the Door” follows with a driving, grungy, repeating guitar riff and equally grungy lyrics — all delivered in a style that recalls Tori Amos at her most bizarre. It’s a great cut that really stretches the acoustic format. Other standouts include the captivating tale of “Little Sister,” the disjointed but catchy “Lemon Peels & Tangerines,” and the heart-wrenching “Western Skyline.”
The diversity Matthews displays on The Sunroom Sessions is truly impressive. Even her more stereotypical singer/songwriter songs are not bad, and the songs that depart from that formula are outstanding. The breadth of music encompassed on this album belies the fact that it is an acoustic effort while providing something for a wide variety of listeners. (Thundamoon Records)
www.jennifermatthews.com
-Brian McGrath
The Kamikaze Hearts
Oneida Road
Produced by Troy Pohl and The Kamikaze HeartsRecorded by Troy Pohl and Seamus Nulty except for Defender, recorded by Troy Pohl and Brent Gorton Mixed by Troy PohlMastered by Larry Devivo at Silvertone Mastering, Saratoga Springs, NY
With such a precious band name, one would assume Albany’s The Kamikaze Hearts, billed as “Upstate Porch Rock,” was made up of a few chinos-clad gents with beards, banging on pans and strumming an acoustic guitar while loudly crooning about an unfortunate encounter with the local Hot Coffee Shop Chick. Semi-predictably, the first track, “Top Of Your Head,” listens like a slicker, more musically mature version of The Mountain Goats (an influence referenced throughout The Hearts’ press booklet), though losing a significant amount of effectiveness in the process.
The grungier guitar parts, though few, come across as an afterthought, sounding a bit like the too-clean guitar “breakdowns” of an early Counting Crows song. Fortunately, the similarities end there. Keeping with the theme of poppy, sentimental music, “Ash Wednesday” kicks it up a notch, a simple melody with layered vocals and dual acoustic finger picking that is both pretty and moving in its easily-relatable way.
There is no doubt that these young men are varied musicians: the use of banjo and mandolin accent the otherwise simple musicianship nicely. The moody ballads “Deer Hunter” and “Guyana Central High School Class of ’78” are a bit heavy and too subtle (read: lyrically interesting but musically boring.) However, these faults are redeemed with “No One Called You a Failure” in which two lonely-sounding voices sing sentimentally about the sadness of a seemingly dismal existence and its potential hopes. With a slightly alt-country ring, the song really encompasses the young, simple spirit of Oneida Road: a well-written record that shines with a fallible sincerity. (Collar City Records)
www.kamikazehearts.com
-Kimberly Abruzzzo
Ringers
Ringers
Tracked at Zyllion Studios
It looks like New London’s sleeper cell status is about to leak (Don’t tell them we ratted.) Who knew a band like Ringers could hail from such a quaint Connecticut hole in the wall? Actually, vocalist Ben Johnson probably knew — aside from fronting the group, Johnson used to write music reviews for New London’s The Day newspaper. So he’s seen his share of local music hits and misses and knows just where his band should aim for best effect.
Ringers’ EP opens strong with “Disco,” providing a good auditory peek at the band’s overall sound and Johnson’s dexterity for penning unusual lyrics: “You might just be the one who will / Pull me from this wreckage I’ve been / Burning since my bold encounters / So let’s get down and measure our / Flesh pound for pound.” Pretty neat images, huh? Yeah, this EP’s chock full of ‘em, which makes it even better listening. Take the opening verse of “Buried Son”: “High-rise homes and the hooky kids / Playing ball on the asphalt / Concrete landscape and the crooked cops / Doing laps ‘round the dollar shops.” One would be hard pressed to think of a better setting for the single guitar string echo that starts the track.
Clocking in at slightly over five minutes, “This Just In” is the longest song on the album and finds Johnson channeling something like Interpol at their slowest. “The Alchemist” has the singer repeating the chorus in a whiny rather than forceful voice, but things soon pick up in the six-song EP, ending too early with “Torch,” an incendiary call-to-arms.
Ringers are a solid indie rock act and would fit well in your stereo to mix up the mood between Carina Round and Leonard Cohen. After three days, “Disco” is still stuck in the listener’s head. And for a long drive, there may be nothing more whirr-worthy than some Ringers spinning in the dash. (Self-released)
www.myspace.com/ringers
-Len Sousa
Murkádee
From A Spectral View
Recorded by Joseph K. Murphy and DeLaine BennettMastered by Duncan Watt
Hailing from the small farming town of Epping, New Hampshire, is the duo who call themselves Murkádee. Joseph K. Murphy and DeLaine Bennett are joined by several guest musicians on their second album, From A Spectral View. With a penchant for recording in odd places, Murphy and Bennett have added a tractor-trailer and a cabin deep in the Epping backwoods for this record.
The album reflects their song-at-a-time mentality with tracks ranging in intensity from the upbeat pop drive of “Sunshine Cherry” to the meandering lost-romance ballad styling of “What Do You Want Now?” The arrangements are well put together and the supporting musicians do a great job of rounding out the collection of songs. You can hear a passion for production in this disc. It has the sound of a self-produced album, but one where the production work itself is as important as the songs.
“Traffic Lights” takes a simple, sweeping rock melody and with layers of vocals and keyboard riffs floating in and out, adds a rich soundscape that is reminiscent of The Flaming Lips’ production work. The combination of Murphy’s throaty voice and Bennett’s young, sweet voice adds a sense of innocence mixed with experience on some of the tracks, such as “Like Gold.” Murkádee’s music has been described as “small town quirky pop,” and this seems to sum it up pretty well. With only three of the tracks clocking in at less than four and a half minutes, they border on the fringe of “pop.” But the songs have a generally catchy feel and college radio stations are more lenient on song lengths, so you can expect that at least a couple of these tunes should make it out there to the great radio waves of America. (Self-released)
www.murkadee.com
-Christopher Wilkey
The Secret Ink
The Secret Ink
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music Studios, NYCRecorded and Mixed by Nick Lloyd at Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT
Glittery use of nontraditional instruments must be very ‘in’ this season, as this charming band proves. Innocent guy/girl vocals and poppy melodies give The Secret Ink a definite charm — and looking at their promotional photos, they definitely have the look down. The lovely track “Neverafter” brings together simple violin accents with 4/4 drumbeats and whimsical female vocals, reminiscent of Cub or Tiger Trap. The title track adds bouncy synth tracks to the already fun-as-hell violin and guitar twee-fest. Make sure not to eat before listening to this record; you might just not have enough room for dessert. “Runaround” sweetly chronicles the difficulties of a relationship going tragically awry.
Despite their irresistible charm, The Secret Ink is not without an Achilles heel; their much-lauded (apparently impressive enough to score advert deals as well as attention from labels) “Layers L” is just downright confusing with its artfully-scratchy violins followed with some other humdrum lolling until a distorted close ends the song, thankfully. The band also falls into dubious territory by placing all of the lower paced tracks towards the end, causing a bit of a sugar crash. This separation (broken up by only one song) stands out dramatically; perhaps this would be remedied by a careful re-arranging of the track order, but their slow, moodier songs are not nearly as well-constructed and enjoyable as their prior sugar-poppy counterparts.
Even in times of peril, The Secret Ink can be applauded for its clever and rather ingenious use of the violin. There is something inherently smart about using this classical instrument as a replacement for guitar, but even at its best, the violin might not be your cup of tea, so be warned: The Secret Ink does not use the instrument sparingly.
But regardless of any doubt presented by a few simple errors (a fine harmony of classical and modern elements is always hard to achieve), it’s clear The Secret Ink have a bright, glittery future ahead of them; their self-released album was published with renowned Rough Trade Publications in 2006, so watch out for more adorableness to come. (Rough Trade Publishing)
www.thesecretink.com
-Kimberly Abruzzo
Session Americana
Table Top People, Volumes 1 & 2
Recorded live at Hi-N-Dry Studios, Cambridge, MAMixed and engineered by Tom DubeMastered by Ian Kennedy, New Alliance EastDirected by Billy Conway
Table Top People is not a typical album. It is a work of love for the core members of the Session Americana project, Billy Beard, Ry Cavanaugh, Dinty Child, Jim Fitting, Kimon Kirk, and Sean Staples. The Session Americana project is based on a simple concept — a bunch of musicians sit in a circle and play together.
They take turns working out the arrangements for the mix of standards and obscure original songs that they play. The core group is joined by an array of talented musicians, both live and in the studio, but always in a circle. This gives the music an open, inviting feel. With brushes on a snare and an upright bass, the music has a down home feel to it. Lap steel and harmonica, trombone and mandolin, it’s all in there. This is a family friendly album.
Some of the songs seem to be there just for the kids, running around in the backyard at a barbecue on a Saturday afternoon. You’ll be singing along with these discs before you even know it. “Food Opera” will find itself flying from your mouth the next time a sad little kid needs you to belt out a melody. You don’t even have to sing the exact words that are there; it’s the melody that’s so catchy. And if that doesn’t work, their version of Jonathan Richman’s “Party in the Woods” will put a smile on even the most flustered wee one. This is by no means strictly a kid’s album, though.
The music is intelligent and fun. It swings and shuffles; it is thoughtful and whimsical at the same time. This is music you’ll want to put in when guests are coming over. You’ll probably listen to it while you clean the house on Sunday afternoon. Turn it up and grab a dance partner; you’ll find yourself prancing around the house or swinging in the yard instantly. (Self-released)
www.hi-n-dry.com
-Christopher Wilkey
Stephanie Jacobson
Consciously Pathetic
Produced by Ted ComerfordEngineered by Matthew BoswellMixed by Paul David HagerRecorded at Low Watt Studios in Raleigh, North CarolinaMastered by Mark Donahue at Soundmirror in Boston, MA
Stephanie Jacobson’s Consciously Pathetic is certainly not pathetic, though it is not quite good enough to really pull off the attempted irony of the title. The four songs on this EP rock hard and Jacobson delivers plenty of spunk and attitude, but there still is something missing.
Consciously Pathetic opens with the hooky “Don’t Ever Love Me.” Starting easy with an acoustic guitar riff, this cut hints at the album’s forthcoming attitude as soon as the bass line kicks in, though the slow build continues through the first verse. The chorus teases at a release, but the second verse pulls the reins back again, not letting the song’s energy go until the second iteration of the chorus. This track is easily radio ready; the hook is memorable and the balance of tension and release is well orchestrated, with the song ending full out.
“Black & Blue” follows in a similar formula. Its chorus is more melodically complicated, but less catchy as a result. The fluctuation of energy is a mirror image of the opening cut, with one significant difference: when “Black & Blue” reaches the expected climax towards the end, instead of ringing out with Jacobson wailing over a powerful guitar chord, the song limps to the end, losing its momentum and ending in a whimper. “Anything to You” and “Numb (I Am Me)“ are near carbon copies; both do a good job of building tension in the verses and cutting loose in the chorus, but both also end in the same inexplicable, momentum-sapping manner as “Black & Blue.”
Consciously Pathetic leaves no doubt as to Jacobson’s talent, with her strong vocals striding easily over the top of the rocking power-pop instrumentals, but it also demonstrates room for improvement. Other than the opening track, the songs lack memorable hooks; they are fun to listen to at the time, but they do not imprint themselves very deeply. And the bizarre endings of the last three completely destroy the otherwise ass-kicking emotion of the album. All of the potential is there, though. With some minor tweaking, the sky’s the limit for Jacobson. (Never Never Records)
www.neverneverrecords.com
-Brian McGrath
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