CD OF THE MONTH

The Chinese Stars — Listen To Your Left Brain

Recorded at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, RI

The Chinese Stars’ Listen To Your Left Brain lies in the space where post-rock meets synthpop and disco. To this mix, The Chinese Stars add a plethora of bizarre guitar sounds, trancey bass effects and eerie keyboards. It’s funky, amusing, and erratic — and utterly incredible from the first spin.

Singer/lyricist Eric Paul isn’t afraid to speak his mind, treating listeners to a whiny but irreverent take on American pop culture. Listeners, though, might be too busy dancing and trying to discern precisely how this band creates its music to notice The Chinese Stars’ lyrics. The band employs a layered sound through which the vocals are often echoed by slippery, high-pitched guitar riffs. All instruments fit together neatly, particularly on the spacey semi-title track, “Left Brain.” Over a steady background beat, the band experiments with different synth and keyboard sounds, coloring the music with rich sonic textures. Produced at Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Machines with Magnets Studios, the record’s aural palette is pronouncedly dancey in nature, but still manages to preserve a true organic tone.

Each song on Listen To Your Left Brain employs similar dance beats; however, the band shifts the tempo, timbre and mood throughout the record. The Chinese Stars manage to maintain manifest control over each instrument with just the perfect level of precision for this type of music, giving each song a sexy, confident swagger. “Shake off the Nurse” is an infectiously energetic track where the band layers swirling keyboard sounds under a sensual, pronounced bass line. Slower-paced and darker, with a retro feel, the track reeks of desperation. Furthermore, Paul demands the listener’s full attention, shrieking lyrics like “My temperature is 107 / Is there a nurse in heaven?”

The Chinese Stars definitely have a sense of humor. The strangest track, “TV Grows Arms,” showcases fast-paced drumming and a speedy, perky guitar riff — all of which devolve into a harsh, distorted breakdown. Yet the song’s lyrics are the most amusing. “What are you going to do when the TV grows legs?” sings Paul. Bizarre, yes, but don’t expect anything soothing or comfortable from The Chinese Stars. Listen To Your Left Brain is the kind of album that begs to be played during a crazy, all-night party and is guaranteed to be “borrowed” by a friend and never returned. (Three One G, Skin Graft)

www.thechinesestars.com

-Miriam Lamey

Session Americana — Beer Town: The Table Top Collective Volume 3

Produced by Billy Conway and Session Americana

Recorded by Matt Malikowski, Jabe Beyer and Dave Westner at Hi-N-Dry Launch Pad, Cambridge, MA

The third volume (although just the second album) in the Table Top series, Beer Town reveals Session Americana to be in peak condition as the Boston-based collective fluidly jumps stylistics hurdles. But such is the genius of this in-the-round sextet (Ry Cavanaugh, Sean Staples, Jimmy Fitting, Billy Beard, Dinty Child and Kimon Kirk), which boasts a collaborative family tree that runs deeply through roots, folk, bluegrass and (fittingly) Americana circles. The latest release following rising local acclaim from consumer and critic alike, Beer Town aroused enough interest to sell out advanced tickets for the group’s two-night CD release run at Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge, the proverbial home for the café table that is Session Americana’s “stage.”

The album’s best selling point is its tone, and its best salesman is the first track, “John Brown.” Session Americana is inevitably the sum of its parts, and here the group not only finds a place for each instrument to stretch its acoustic legs, but also exercises astonishing vocal control and harmony. Unhurried and bass-driven guitar sweeps quietly inform the listener that a sullen and love-weary ballad is coming, and the insertion of plaintive vocals not long after usher in waves of nostalgia. The climactic final chorus bemoans those who love selflessly, only to die lonely deaths at the hands of an uncaring world. It is the most enjoyable of heartaches, courtesy of jaw-dropping vocals. Tracks like “Theresa” and “Trinity” supplement the minimalist timbre, pitch-perfect vocals, and heart-wrenching lyrics laid down in this first song.

But Session Americana does not dabble in romantic pining for long, instead inserting a pleasantly melodic composition (“Month of Sundays”) as an acoustic transition before “Beer Town,” which sloppily celebrates the joy of beer-drinking with playful lyrics, a fat bass line, and a harmonica-heavy hook.

Even the album’s weaker tracks feature enough toe-tapping rhythm to keep the listener’s attention. Session Americana is blessed in this regard: With musicianship that sets the standard for the genre in Boston and vocals that do the same, the group’s songwriting can explore territory without losing its way. (Hi-N-Dry)

www.sessionamericana.com

-Will Morgan

Tulsa — Hunting With Cats

No production information available

Boston media outlets have had Tulsa earmarked for breakout success in 2007, predicated on an outstanding live set and the knowledge that the group’s first EP would be arriving. Now, with the release of Hunting With Cats, all predictions have been confirmed. Principal songwriter Carter Tanton, who previously released a solo disc entitled Birds and Rain (also on Park The Van Records) in 2005, fleshes out his compositions to fit a four-piece (comprising Eric Wormwood, Greg Hatem and Marc Pinansky) on this album. Despite the additional layers — of which there are many — the seven-song offering comes in at just over 21 minutes, an EP in the truest sense. But listeners shouldn’t be discouraged, as Tulsa has done a fine job of spreading the wealth. The group just finished up a sweep of much of the eastern U.S., culminating in a handful of local gigs with the likes of Viva Viva, Mittens and Helms. And given that the sound on Hunting With Cats has a profoundly live quality, it is little wonder that the group has created such a substantial buzz with its landmark, high-profile performances.

“Hyenas” abruptly clatters to a start — a quick cymbal splash and moaning, incoherent vocals give way to the song’s rhythmic foundation, a wafting guitar line that complements the vocal pattern with gruff production tricks. Profoundly lo-fi, as is the entire album, the song has certain similarities to the work of Mason Frenzel outfits Aireline and Sleeptalker, mainly in its compositional climaxes and acoustic guitar flourishes. Tanton’s voice has a soft wavering to it that makes him sound very adamant in his delivery, nearing the realm of Thom Yorke, albeit with less control over octave leaps and volume changes. “Hyenas,” at just under five minutes, dominates the EP with its slow deconstruction into guitar noise and synthesizer meanderings.

The third track, “Fill Her In,” follows a much more standard pop formula, led by Tanton’s vocal hooks, while “Crocodile Teeth” oscillates between spacey reverb and gritty major-chord energy, complete with twinkling bells to add to the confusion. Piano becomes the foundation for the next two tracks — the very bare “Our Eyes Fill Up With Water” and “Whissper,” where a heavily-produced organ fills in the space.

The album ends just as it began, on a high note, with another long (relatively speaking) track, “The Greedy and The Mountain Men,” in which the vocals are almost completely hidden beneath production tricks that distance them from the mix. The eclecticism of Hunting With Cats allows for a decidedly entertaining listen where Tanton and company show how much area they can cover and utilize lo-fi production to its finest extent. (Park The Van)

www.parkthevan.com/tulsamusic

-Will Morgan

Bang Camaro — Bang Camaro

Recorded and engineered by Mike Quinn at The Moontower

Mixed by Bang Camaro and Mike Quinn

Additional engineering on “Rock of Mages” by Aidan Flax-Clark

Mastered by Chris Z. at M Works

Bang Camaro is unarguably an experience best served live: it’s hard to watch twenty-five self-professed Dudes onstage, rocking out and spraying beer, and not get caught up in the moment. Hearing these songs on record takes some of the emphasis off of the Choir and puts it back on Messrs. Bennett, Necochea, Dole, Riley and Diemer — the actual band behind the thirty-headed monster that is Bang Camaro.

The record begins with little pretense; “Push Push (Lady Lightning)” kicks in almost immediately with its scratchy guitar riffing over the drummer Dole and bassist Riley’s heartbeat 4/4 hits. The song is all chorus with the exception of a short pre-chorus. This is the way most of the Bang Camaro songs roll: pure anthem — a fist-pump on disc.

The original six Bang Camaro “singles” are represented on the disc, each given a slight mastering facelift. There’s the call-to-arms of “Nightlife Commando,” the vicious entendre of “Gates of Love,” and the grand finale of the original Bang Camaro track, thoughtfully titled “Bang Camaro.”

The disc’s new material demonstrates that the band has continued their excursion into the heavy metal of the ’80s, but now wishes to include ’70s melo-metal in their curricula vitae. This decision is most apparent on tracks like “Pleasure Pleasure” and “Out on the Streets,” the latter of which is a full-throttle jalopy ride through dingy alleyways and dimly-lit city squares. The aptly named “Pleasure Pleasure” is the star of the record, forged of a singular guitar riff, a cut-loose vocal track and an addictive chorus.

“F.Y.T.F.O” is another strong addition, complete with a huger-than-normal chorus and the classic guitar solo trade-off where the three guitarists each take a few cuts in the cage. After all the shredding and singing along, Bang Camaro shows that there actually is something behind all this fist-pumping and beer-spitting and video-gaming and sold-out shows and magazine covers. Bang Camaro is faced with the unenviable task of reproving themselves with each appearance, and they have yet to falter. (Black Sword Records)

www.bangcamaro.com

-C.D. Di Guardia

The Daily Pravda — She’s So Mature

Recorded at Blue Jay Studio in Carlisle, MA and Jupiter Audio in Boston

Engineered by James Zaner and Jesus CardosoMixed by Jesus Cardoso

Mastered by Michael Quinn at The Moontower in Cambridge, MA

One might immediately peg The Daily Pravda as pseudo-sophisticated Faux-ropeans in black button-down shirts who are pure style and little substance. True, they do drop a lot of European-sounding names and words. It is also true that they appear to be a stylish bunch. The difference here is that The Daily Pravda actually deliver substance with their style, the result being She’s So Mature — a record that, while finely pressed and polished, still sounds real.

The main element on She’s So Mature is definitely the two-pronged guitar work of David Jackel and Adam Anderson. Jackel’s voice fluctuates between dry and detached aloofness all the way up the ramp to a primal and impassioned expression. Jackel makes this entire trip in the standout song “Viva Natalia,” which starts coolly and ends in a refrain of blue fire. Additional personality is injected into the album via the vocals on “Home Invasion,” where a soft-and-sharp delivery brings about the same feeling of helpless-yet-oddly-satisfied present in the final tracks of other fine releases.

The aforementioned guitar approach is a different sort of animal; there is plenty of what could be considered “lead” playing, but none of the guitar work comes off as overbearing. The ringing tones and splashy chords of the title track mimic at once the dynamic vocals as well as the driving beat behind the song, and the all down-stroke riffs in “Kinki Malinki” serve as a fine conjunction between differing areas of the song.

She’s So Mature truly does have a multifaceted appeal. It’s stylish enough to appease cool people in blazers, yet has enough substance and authentic feel to turn on anyone simply looking for well-written and well-performed rock music. She’s So Mature may have a suggested dress code, but can still please the t-shirt crowd as well. (Self-released)

www.thedailypravda.com

-C.D. Di Guardia

Calumet-Hecla — Alloy

Recorded and engineered by Jon Taft at New Alliance in Boston, MA

Mastered by Ian Kennedy at New Alliance in Cambridge, MA

Mixed by Jon Taft

Worcester’s Calumet-Hecla have a name that’s about as striking as the heavy tin packaging and foldout liner notes that encase their most recent effort, Alloy. Appropriately, the aesthetic evokes the same ethereal notion that the record’s tracks do with their consistent, warm, spacey drone.

Alloy starts off with the ghostly “Gunning.” Though the overall resonance gives the track character, the first several minutes seem to lack a real soul, with nothing terribly novel to be found in the song. As riffs and other guitar touches work their way into the track, it opens up considerably, but still isn’t strikingly accessible.

Instrumentation serves as the focus of Alloy; the band implements interesting patterns in tracks like “P.S. sos” in which eclectic guitars and a heavier feel bring their work to life. The percussion is consistently smart, particularly in the strikingly short standout track “Don’t Pretend To Know Me” where the instrumentation sounds more developed with its melodic twang.

Vocals have a strange presence on the record. Used sparingly, the mix of both male and female voices punctuates the tracks with ambient humming and darker, Aaron Turner-esque textures. The female portion in particular also evokes a more distorted, Mazzy Star feel on “Target,” adding an interesting dynamic to the track. Otherwise, the vocals show up in interesting places at certain points in the record, but seem extraneous in other places.

Alloy seems underdeveloped and likely to slip under the radar as passive music. The band’s talent is clearly there, yet the quartet only seems to bring their efforts to fruition in fleeting glimpses, and doesn’t sustain that potential through the entire record. With a little more forward movement and a bit more structure, Calumet-Hecla could open up dimensions of their sound — Alloy, however, won’t be their key. (Big Spoon Records)

www.calumethecla.com

-Meredith Turits

28 Degrees Taurus — 2007 Tour Compilation/Sampler

Recorded by 28 Degrees Taurus

The 28 Degrees Taurus album is, upon first glance, not even really an album. Titled 2007 Tour Compilation/Sampler, it comes self-packaged in a purple CVS CD case, the cover a blurry inkjet printout, accompanied by a stretched-out photo of the band, and liner notes giving shout-outs to Goldschlager and “crazy Allston parties.” Most junior high mix-tapes receive more aesthetic attention.

But only moments into the first song, “Aquarian Love,” with its genre-blending mix of a bluesy guitar intro and “ooh-la-la” refrain, it becomes obvious 28 Degrees Taurus is not a joke band at all. It’s as though Mirah joined a bubblegum rock group. The spacey, ambient pop is loaded with guitarist/songwriter Jinsen’s reverb, melding perfectly with the eerie voice of Karina Dacosta. Drums and a good bit of tambourine from percussionist Kyle Courcy complete this unique sound.

If one is not listening carefully to the lyrics (which is easy to do, as Dacosta’s melodic voice is quite mesmerizing), the first few minutes of the album may seem as if 28 Degrees Taurus enjoys twinkling love songs and upbeat ruminations on life. But five tracks in, the listener is met with the distinctive lyrics of “Jager Shots.” “I wanna party all night long / I wanna fucking jager shot / I think I wanna get laid tonight / I don’t care if it’s wrong or right,” croons Dacosta, ironically.

The band’s melodies also possess this strong tinge of the unexpected, as exemplified by the traditional Asian sounds layered over the Sonic Youth-influenced keyboard/guitar interplay. They become most notable in the songs “New Essence” and “When You Know,” which conjure up memories of first learning to play “Chopsticks” as a kid.

The band is able to balance meandering Asian melodies with irreverent, sarcastic — even vulgar — lyrics. Either quality has the potential for being obnoxious, but 28 Degrees Taurus is able to play them off one another with charming sincerity. In keeping with the band’s eclectic influences, the album is equally suited to being the soundtrack to a drinking night with friends as it is to a quiet night of personal introspection. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/28degreestaurus

-Kate Cole

Peter C. Johnson — Yaka Yaka — Come Into My Cave

Produced by Peter C. Johnson with Howard Thompson

Recorded and mixed by PCJ at Hi-n-Dry studios, Cambridge, MA

Yaka Yaka — Come Into My Cave by Peter C. Johnson is a sardonic, riveting descent into misanthropy. Unrelenting and assured, the Boston rock vet’s weary lyrics and biting, sing-speak delivery collide with languid, rootsy orchestration here to create a true cave of a record — one that is humid, dark, and intense throughout. It’s moving and compelling in any setting, but it’s especially appropriate when one’s pissed off.

Recorded for Hi-n-Dry, the label’s signature “low-rock” musical aesthetic is gorgeously rendered and applied by Johnson, Howard Thompson, Billy Conway, Dana Colley, and Mike Castellana. This accomplished cast of characters presents hypnotic, discreet, lap-steel- and string-based improvisations. Drums and background singers, and the occasional sound effect, pushed to the rear of the mix add to the record’s cavernous feel. It’s an uncommon backdrop for an album as unrelentingly bleak as this, but it is nevertheless an effective, downright haunting one. In tempering Johnson’s most searing lyrics and subtly reinforcing the wit beneath all the cynicism, the warm orchestration also gives legs to what might otherwise be an exhausting listen.

Meanwhile, above the soundscape, Johnson smolders through what he describes as “one man’s story of loss, grief, confusion, and redemption in a violent world.” He takes his time, turning otherwise banal phrases like “Monday night football” into symbols of American cultural decay through the sheer power of his gravelly enunciation and impeccable phrasing.

Johnson seems to be no longer in the business of making popular records, but he is still in the business of making good ones. Yaka Yaka is an incisive, hypnotic and well-made comment on this world of ours, from someone who doesn’t seem to want much to do with it. (Hi-n-Dry)

www.petercjohnson.com

-Al Moore

Mean Creek — Around the Bend

Recorded at 51 Lions by Mike Vera, Quincy, MA

Mastered at New Alliance by Nick Zampiello, Cambridge, MA

The introductory first track off of Mean Creek’s strong debut, Around the Bend, offers a very brief teaser of the album’s last selection — “Who Are You?” — and also gives light to the harmonization that is to take place in rest of the album. The group’s two male vocalists and one female vocalist create beautiful, intertwining vocal harmonies throughout this record of intricately melodic indie-folk. “Hands Behind Our Heads” sounds a bit like The Mamas and the Papas gone indie. The album’s third track, “Momentary,” is a memorable, slightly solemn song showcasing layered vocal tracking. “Ohio,” with a country/roots guitar intro, adds an entry into the recently growing catalog of geographical indie-folk songs, such as those by Sufjan Stevens. The ethereal chorus is the focal point of the song, contrasting nicely with its instrumental sparseness. The next track, “Rotten Apples,” is reminiscent of The Frames and leads into the album’s title track, “Around the Bend.” This selection features confident harmonies from the group’s female singer, who leads one-half of a lyrical exchange that alternates between “The sun is shining / Dark days are dying right around the bend” and “Why do I always seem to forget where I’m going? / Why do I always seem to forget where I am?” Paired with the intimate tone set by the instrumentation, the lyrics are extremely poignant. Vocalist Aurore Ounjian also adds a heart-aching harmonica solo early on.

Around the Bend offers up a number of memorable indie-folk tunes that function together to form a cohesive and enjoyable album. With an extraordinary debut and the live act to follow, good things seem to be around the bend for Mean Creek. (Clubhouse Records)

www.myspace.com/meancreek

-Andrew Palmacci

Little Wooden Men & Women — Songs of Praise & Joy

Produced by Little Wooden Men & Women

Don’t be fooled by the album’s title — Forrest Mulerath and his ragtag band of Little Wooden Men & Women are not delivering gospel music or Christian rock or anything else one might initially think of when presented with Songs of Praise & Joy. Rather than a religious experience, the music is more of a spiritual experience, as borne out by Mulerath’s introduction in which he describes recording in the woods of Vermont and the “praise and joy of the natural beauty that can be found in an area like that.” Even Mulerath’s own description of his sound can be a bit misleading, though, as this is not particularly uplifting or happy music. In fact, the album is quite ominous for the most part.

“First Birth” opens with the mysterious sound of running water, joined by a trembling, sustained high note, followed by the picking of acoustic guitar and a pedaled bass tone. The rising vocal line that breaks the introductory tension creates a sense of anticipation, but also contributes its own tension, beginning over again every time it is about to resolve. The next cut, “Praise for Infant Joy,” is even darker, with its plodding bass line and unidentifiable, alien-sounding reed interludes.

The lengthy “Walk Into the Woods and Stay There” showcases the album’s schizophrenic side, opening with a funereal tempo and stretched, almost monotone vocal phrases, later reaching some intensely frantic points that border on madness. It is as though the natural beauty that is the inspiration for the songs is being filtered through the troubled, twisted, confused consciousness of some tortured soul — a fascinating juxtaposition of content and delivery.

But after defying expectations for the majority of the album, the biggest surprise comes when the concluding “Light of Bug” drifts in like a true song of praise, complete with major chords and sustained choral passages. It is a wonderful release from the almost-menacing tone of much of the rest of the album, and the impact of the song is heightened by its climactic placement against an otherwise dark and challenging journey.

Songs of Praise & Joy is overwhelmingly defiant — fighting against expectation, classification, and convention. This ultimately becomes the key to the album, where outdoing the ordinary leads to a discovery of praise and joy in the unordinary and the unexpected. (Self-released)

www.littlewoodenmen.org

-Brian McGrath

Emilia Dahlin — God Machine

Recorded at The Studio in Portland, ME

God Machine, the latest release from folk singer/songwriter Emilia Dahlin, is a good example of how to put out a self-release the right way. Its consistent, high-quality production and assured songwriting reflect a confident, emerging professional who knows her sound. And, at barely 40 minutes, the disc remains focused and straightforward, with no big risks.

Vocally, Dahlin falls somewhere between Ani DiFranco and Norah Jones. Like DiFranco, Dahlin adheres tightly to the do-it-yourself ethos of indie-folk, and her musical eclecticism and vocal phrasing recall DiFranco’s earlier, more lo-fi work. While Dahlin is not quite as sultry as Norah Jones, her intimate vocal approach hints at Jones’ jazzy, mellifluous work.

Dahlin’s songs are also more organic and earthy. Songs like “Sad Affair” have a natural accessibility, charm, and gentleness, making God Machine an extremely pleasant listen. Dahlin’s lyrics, filled with images culled from a rural upbringing and second-hand stories, aren’t particularly poignant, but they align well with her musical foundation of pure folk and roots.

The care Dahlin has taken with this disc and her busy tour schedule suggest that she is an ambitious artist, and the quality of these songs is a testament to her success as a songwriter with feet planted firmly in the earth. (Self-released)

www.emiliadahlin.com

-Al Moore

Symbion Project — Wound Up by God or the Devil

Songs written, arranged, recorded and produced by Kasson Crooker

Mastered by Dave Locke at J.P. Masters

Symbion Project’s Kasson Crooker is indeed wound up by a spiritual being of some sort because the music on this album is not of this world. Listening to Wound Up by God or the Devil is a bit like being kidnapped by mad, time-traveling scientists and brought to a world in which machines rule the endless expanse of city streets, cars roar through the air at ridiculous speeds, and “freedom” is just a word used by propagandists to keep the proletariat in line. And it’s a wonderful trip.

Those who are in love with complex and interesting instrumental pieces will appreciate the album — Symbion Project’s third in eight years. The melodies sometimes flow gently out of the speakers, but more often than not they violently burst forth to surprise and challenge the listener. Several tracks are vaguely reminiscent of old-school video game soundtracks (fitting, since Crooker also doubles as audio director for Harmonix Music Systems, the company behind Guitar Hero), most noticeably on “All Things Are Ultimately Measurable.” However, Wound Up is unique and creative enough as a whole that it is difficult to draw a uniform comparison to any musical style.

Like most great albums, it can be listened to in several settings. It is perfect for driving, getting work done, or for your everyday journey into an ominous and oppressed future society. (Self-released)

www.symbionproject.com

-Sherri Schon

Laurie Jones — Laurie Jones

Recorded, produced, and mixed by Jim Begley, Laurie Jones, and Steve Peer at The Studio in Portland, Maine

Additional Recording by Mike Shepard at Lakewind Sound Studios — Point Aconi, Nova Scotia

Laurie Jones is hard to stack. Part alt-country and part blue-collar rocker, she opens her third album with a 19th century hymnal, of all things. Though an odd start, it demonstrates Jones’ suave command over her vocals. Her songs are equally well crafted and executed, but her lyrics sometimes falter. Awkward phrasing brings otherwise elegant songs like “Give Me A Moment” and “Hey My DJ” down a few notches.

Things pick up by the sixth track, “Torin’s Revolution,” as Jones hits a sure-footed stride. A lazy fiddle waves behind her chants and the song transforms into a contemporary line-dance shake-up. Jones’ lyrics also get a helpful boost: “Life gets sketchy, people get snakey / Eve left Adam to join a band / I’m a little crazy, so come on pretty baby / Play that voodoo in the palm of your hand.”

In “Another Road Trip,” she invokes the same jokey attitude present on the album’s poppy single, “Overrated.” The album winds to a close with a slower number, “Wonderful And Cheaper,” which, like much of the album, is a reflective piece backed by a driving guitar solo from Dave Beaney. Jones’ vocal layering is a revelation and makes one wish she’d incorporate her vocal talents into her songwriting more often. A secret track at the very end features looped and reversed tracks mixed with masticated vocals. The song is interesting, but it is even more out of place on the album than the opening hymnal.

All told, Jones serves up familiar chord progressions with an unexpected touch that provides for some unique songwriting. Her heady lyrics can sometimes get in the way of a good song, but when she makes a few concessions to her words, the results are powerful. (Reversing Recordings)

www.lauriejones.org

-Len Sousa

The Fixations — Day For Night EP

Recorded at Q Division Studios in Somerville, MA

On a very basic level, The Fixations play straight-up post-punk, although this characterization doesn’t precisely capture the music’s nuances and full range. The Fixations’ inspirations are clearly The Clash and Joy Divison — the latter being quite apparent in Justin Vassallo’s vocals and the songs’ sonic structure. Take the energetic, bass-heavy “High Illusion,” for example, where Vassallo sounds very much like Ian Curtis. Yet, when Vassallo tries his chops on moodier, more melodic songs, such as “Memento,” the results sound vaguely insincere — as though Vassallo is trying too hard to imbue his words with excessive heart-wrenching affect. Likewise, interspersing their punkier, more frenzied tracks like “Namesake” and “Permutations” with shallow emo-esque pieces doesn’t help the EP, either.

Day For Night‘s uncomplicated, raw sound is based around jagged guitars, pronounced bass and steady drums. The EP illustrates that The Fixations simply haven’t settled into their groove. The well-balanced opening tracks are juxtaposed with the messy, superfluous “Memento,” which is thick with distortion. Yet, just when Day For Night becomes too frustrating, The Fixations bust out a surprisingly tight Strokes-esque number, “Renaissance Man,” to end the EP. This standout track showcases strong vocals, heavy power chords, and clean guitar work — and demonstrates that the group knows when to lay off the distortion pedal. With “Renaissance Man,” The Fixations hit a mature, professional stride, and this closing track is actually good enough to leave listeners wanting more of the same. (Sin Tactics)

www.myspace.com/fixations

-Miriam Lamey

Emily Grogan — At Sea

Recorded and mixed by Ducky Carlisle at Ice Station Zebra Recording Studio in Medford, MA

Produced by Emily Grogan and Ducky Carlisle

Mastered by Toby Mountain, North Eastern Digital, Southborough, MA

On At Sea, Emily Grogan combines a diverse range of sounds with soulful lyrics, reminding listeners why she received a nomination for best singer/songwriter in the 2006 Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll. The album starts strong with “End of the Line,” a fast, upbeat piece in which Grogan’s voice maintains its richness and depth as she slows and transitions into “Time is Waiting.”

With a blurring of genres and stimulating sounds, accompanied by thought-provoking lyrics, Grogan’s music captures and demands attention until the piano softly fades in the last track, “Just No Good.” Each song has more than enough personality and range to distinguish it from the next, all the while retaining the album’s cohesion. Grogan utilizes many instruments throughout, adding to At Seas‘s complexity, yet she stays true to her classical roots with a range of styles on the piano.

“Restless Souls” features violin and cello elements combined with flawless piano flourishes that add a dramatic feel to Grogan’s simple but eloquent lyrics. Grogan sings “It’s all about the time we spent working out how to pretend/ If you rehearse your life so well / You’ll forget what is real, but nobody can tell.” The following song, “Far Apart,” features trombone, trumpet, and saxophone, adding many more sonic dimensions to the music and complementing the strong vocals.

Subtle metaphors and references to the sea flow throughout the CD and bring together the ranging tracks to construct an engaging experience for the listener. (One Way Productions)

www.emilygrogan.com

-Robyn Burnham

Paddy Saul — One Town Tasted

Recorded and mixed at Zippah Studios in Brookline, MA

Mastered at Zippah Studios by Brian Charles

Paddy Saul should not be mistaken for a monotone musician, even though it may feel that way at first. His sound soon expands and grows, and by the end of the first song, “Walking the Dog,” the listener is drawn in by his deep, mellow voice.

The second track, “Undone,” shows the softer side of Saul’s vocal range and lyrics, with lines like “I love you, I love you / Yes I do / As you walk away, it slowly comes undone.” These elements surface again with “Tasted,” combining an even slower tempo with sparing sounds, highlighting Saul’s guitar playing. His poetic talents are revealed when he sings “Your magic draws me in, as you move across my skin / I pinch, but I do not wake / And how to know this is fake / You’re the sweetest thing I ever knew.” Lyrics such as these seem a bit overbearing in their confessional intimacy, but ultimately come off as sincere.

“The Devil Must” features trebly vocal production, evoking alt-country tones. “Balance” takes quite a different tone, in contrast; the slow beat and dragging vocals draw the listener in. “Life is the only game / Gotta love it just the same,” he sings, sticking to the somber mood.

“Come Alive” has a surprisingly catchy sound. Featuring subtle backup vocals, the music and lyrics pair well to draw the listener into a trance-like state.

Saul continues to impress on the title track, “One Town Tasted,” with intriguing lyrics and layered sounds. The smooth transitions allow for listening in any setting, and the record maintains a cohesive tone without becoming drab. (Nine Mile Records)

www.paddysaul.com

-Robyn Burnham

Walter the Orange Ocean — Restless or Sleeping

All songs produced, engineered, and mixed by Walter the Orange Ocean in Worcester, MA

Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering, Newton, MA

Sometimes a band comes along that sings with what seems like old souls. Perhaps the endless hours of busking in Harvard Square weighed heavyily on lead singer Daniel Burke, or perhaps not. That’s the trouble with listening to Boston-based Walter the Orange Ocean; it’s difficult to decide whether to be sad or buoyed. Restless or Sleeping is as haunting as the somber eyes on the record’s cover suggest.

“Someone Who Loves You” caused a stir in England when it won the grand prize at the We Are Listening Songwriting Competition, sponsored by the Berklee College of Music. The intro sounds mysteriously like The Stranglers’ “Golden Brown,” but like everything Burke gets his hands on, the delivery is so smooth and honest, it comes across as overwhelmingly sincere. “Making Honey” and “You Can Only Look” are Walter the Orange Ocean at their simple and soulful best. With a definite Aqualung vibe, the songs feel like hymns.

Drummer/percussionist Kurt Dyrli does a fine job of not stealing the show, and a big part of the band’s strength lies in his understated gentleness. The acoustic guitar on “1000 Things” is a treat, and is reminiscent of a more credible Richard Marx. “Songs for Progress” has a whiff of Sade to it. While there’s a glut of piano-based rock out there, Walter the Orange Ocean proves with this album that originality doesn’t have to come from the experimental or avant-garde — it can also come from the subtle adaptations and permutations of pop influences into downright enjoyable music. (Self-released)

www.waltertheorangeocean.com

-Victoria Hutcheson