ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Birds of Avalon - Outer Upper Inner

Recorded by Mitch Easter at Fidelitorium in Kernersville, NC

Birds of Avalon come out swinging on Outer Upper Inner, but don’t let the tight rhythm section fool you. No digital gear was used for the tracking or mixing processes, let alone for editing. At his North Carolina studio Fidelitorium, engineer Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Suzanne Vega) used two 4-track tape machines to capture the band’s performances. The compact disc itself is the first digital processing that the music has seen.

The EP begins with the Stephen Malkmus-esque “Measure of the Same,” which stomps along with falsetto vocals and high-pitched guitars playing out the same riff. The verse opens up into a 1970s rock groove which sets the tone for the entire EP. Although the band’s previous release Bazaare Bazaare set a similar precedent, Birds of Avalon’s songs have evolved into more focused, clutter-free anthems. Dueling guitarists Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler keep things moving, throwing in high squeals and trills whenever the music allows. On the band’s previous release, this same technique seemed like an unrefined rush to squeeze in as many notes as possible before each bar ended. This time, however, the playing comes off as more purpose-driven.

“The Reeds” falls right between ‘70s acts King Crimson and Television, standing out as one of the EP’s shining moments. It provides a good contrast to the relatively low-key “Keep It Together, Thackery,” which brings the EP home with a tastefully-executed saxophone solo. As the song ends, the instruments yield to a churning whirl of tape delay. The sound evokes images of the band and Easter actually turning knobs and manipulating honest-to-goodness gear, reminding the listener that an analog mix is a performance in itself. (Volcom Entertainment)

www.birdsofavalon.com

-Harold Zimm

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

Produced, Engineered and Mixed by David Barbe at Chase Park Transduction Studios in Athens, GA | Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound NYC in New York, NY

Brighter Than Creation’s Dark is an album full of diverse songwriting and instrumentation by a band that has come through one of its most turbulent years more focused and passionate than ever. The Drive-By Truckers were able to work through the majority of the albums tracks during The Dirt Underneath tour last year — and the live feedback and tweaking have definitely helped hone and refine the album. The band enlisted the help of soul music legend Spooner Oldham on keys and founding member John Neff on pedal steel for both The Dirt Underneath tour and the subsequent recording sessions.

The variety of lyrical styles and lead vocalists, a constant strength of DBT albums, is further enhanced this time around with the addition of songwriting and singing duties from bassist Shonna Tucker. Her weary yet pure vocals on tracks such as “The Purgatory Line” and “I’m Sorry Houston” add a welcome female touch to the otherwise testosterone-driven tracks on Brighter Than Creation’s Dark. Guitarist Mike Cooley increases his usual songwriting output to contribute stand-outs “3 Dimes Down” and “A Ghost to Most.” His songs once again contain some of the most poetic and authentic lyrics of wisdom and regret, such as “I used to hate the fool in me, but only in the morning / Now I tolerate him all day long” on “Perfect Timing.” Lead singer Patterson Hood also contributes several stellar tracks in the upbeat “The Righteous Path” and bluesy “The Opening Act.” Hood pens and performs two of the most somber, heartfelt and biographical works of the bands career with “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife” and the Iraq war-inspired “That Man I Shot.” Overall, this album ranks among the best the band has recorded and is a welcome return to the more southern-focused songwriting that DBT is known for. (New West Records)

www.drivebytruckers.com

-Micah McLain

Andy Bilinski - The Meaning Behind Nothing Is Everything

Recorded at Cape Fear Studios and Ear To The Ground Studios in Wilmington NC |

(1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) Engineered by Brian Durham and Jeff Reid | Mixed by Brian Durham and Ian Mallard | Recorded by Andy Bilinski at Office Space in Wilmington, NC | (8) Recorded at Kawari Sound in Philadelphia, PA | (2, 9) and bass (4, 5, 6) Engineered and mixed by Adam Winokur | Mastered by Barrie Maguire

The ambiguous title of Andy Bilinski’s CD The Meaning Behind Nothing Is Everything is as susceptible to interpretation as the songs it contains. The Wilmington, N.C.-based songwriter’s lyrics paint vivid pictures in the listeners’ minds while at the same time leaving the meaning open to personal interpretation. With phrases like, “You were born and raised by the shore in a one room efficiency motel,” “A wilted flower and a pen that bleeds too,” and “Blistered by the thorn of a rose you held too close,” there are certain pictures that come to mind differing from person to person depending upon what in his or her own imagination is added to the canvas.

The CD opens with the upbeat “Paper Airplane,” its country flavor offset by the organ flowing through the background. From there the songs take on a more somber tone, led by the steering thump of the heavy bass groove in “Silver Gull Motel,” “The Artist” and “Brooklyn.” The ebb and flow of the organ in “Rue De Varenne” and “My Little Girl” give those songs their essence while the steadier organ and the near-whispered vocals in “Breathe” give it a unique character. The honky tonk flavor in “Strange World” is enhanced by the addition of the harmonica, while the starkness of “Table For Two” is embellished by musical and vocal bursts.

While all singer/songwriter offerings feature introspective lyrics about relationships between people and places, it’s the diversity of how those experiences are viewed and expressed that makes each writer’s songs distinctive. Andy Bilinski has a very artistic way of crafting his songs that take them beyond the scope of the norm. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/andybilinski

-Kat Coffin

Brett Harris - Yesterday’s News

Produced by Brett Harris and John Plymale | Mixed by John Plymale at Overdub Lane Studios | Mastered by Brent Lambert at Kitchen Mastering

The self-released debut EP from singer/songwriter Brett Harris is a delightfully warm and upbeat introduction that effortlessly elicits thoughts of sunny days, smiling faces and first loves. Yesterday’s News benefits from Harris’ mostly acoustic approach and his earnest, honest vocal style. Harris’ delivery is unique and his songs represent a mix of influences from blues to upbeat power-pop. On Yesterday’s News, Harris shows a penchant for cherub-voiced girl-filled choruses and rollicking piano-driven melodies. The lo-fi production adds to the intimate feel of the album, almost as if Harris is playing in a tiny jazz club for lovers or a solitary room just for the listener. Though the instrumentation is sparse (Harris plays every instrument himself), the most captivating instrument is Harris’ golden voice. Soft and enchanting, it conveys themes of love and loneliness more so than the actual music does. One of the best songs on Yesterday’s News is “Tennessee Line,” an achingly soulful duet with crooner Alisa Turner that manages to create an atmosphere of unrestrained yearning with nothing more than a piano, a guitar and pair of voices. “Dew Drops” is another infectious gem that starts off like a lounge-type number replete with xylophone and “ooh-ahh” choruses. This first release from the Durham native is a charismatic effort that truly endears itself immediately. Taking cues from singer/songwriters like Paul McCartney, M. Ward and Jeff Buckley, Harris’ performance is unmistakable but familiar. Yesterday’s News is definitely a fresh headline and well worth the read. (Self-released)

www.brettharrismusic.com

-Charley Lee

Ross Johnson - Make it Stop! The Most of Ross Johnson

Produced by Bob Mehr | Compiled by John Floyd, Ross Johnson, and Bob Mehr | Mastered by Jay Reatard

Make it Stop! The Most of Ross Johnson bills itself as “ranting with musical accompaniment,” which is an apt description. The 24 tracks, spanning 25 years, mostly consist of Johnson’s boozy, stream of consciousness ramblings over a Memphis soul-punk fusion. The music is solid. Johnson is a fine drummer,\ and the musicians are more than capable, but the music isn’t the focus of Make it Stop!. It’s all about the rants.

Johnson’s diatribes — on failed relationships, drinking, sex and anything else that stumbles into his mind — are endurance tests for the listener. Johnson states in his autobiographical liner notes that, “The main feelings I have when I listen back to these pieces (I won’t call them songs) is discomfort. I loved recording them, but I can’t listen to them without cringing.” This self-effacing reaction is refreshingly honest and true for the listener also. It is difficult to listen to many of these pieces without cringing, but a certain self-deprecating charm comes through nonetheless. This appeal is especially apparent on the more earnest numbers like the songs “Senior Stroll” and “Pretty Flamingo.” The lines, “I am weak and afraid,” repeated over and over during “Theme From ‘A Summer Place,’” is oddly affecting.

Listening to Make it Stop!, it is easy to picture oneself sitting in the crowd at one of Johnson’s shows listening to him spout off like a black sheep uncle at a Christmas party. You are wanting him to Make it Stop! but also wondering with a strange fascination what he’s going to say next.

“I hope I make someone feel uneasy; because that’s my mission,” Johnson says in one of the closing tracks, “My Mission.” Mission accomplished. (Goner Records)

www.myspace.com/thebaronoflove

-Jason Peterson

Stratocruiser - Egg Shells

Produced by Clay Howard and Mike Nicholson | Recorded by Mike Nicholson and Clay Howard, with additional recording by Mitch Easter

Gliding through the musical mire like a perfectly designed airliner is Egg Shells, the latest from North Carolina band Stratocruiser. This newest offering may very well prove to be the band’s long range flagship of material as each track is a full-on salute to psychedelic, trippy, powerpop at its finest. Lead singer Clay Howard’s vocals have always had a stalwart style that is transfixing, but with even more distinctive and powerful production, his latest delivery is more provocative than ever.

Long compared to the likes of Cheap Trick and Badfinger, Stratocruiser’s sound could very well be the one that other bands get compared to from now on. The uncompromising and brilliant guitar work of Mike Nicholson coupled with Matt Brown on drums and Jack Getz on bass results in a singular sound that Stratocruiser can call its own. Moving easily from ballad to straight-ahead rocker, Egg Shells lands spot-on to commanding lyrics, guitar work worthy of any six-string legend and pocket-perfect bass and drums exemplified in standout tracks like “Egg Shells,” “By Design” and “Cherry Flavored.”

Egg Shells is a smooth landing at what pop music longs to be. (Sam Evendor)

www.stratocruisermusic.com

-Kim Thore

Endless Mic - The All New Super Exclusive Al Gore Bongwater Club Mixtape Vol. 1

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered at home by Deez in Greensboro, NC | Track 9 was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by the Apple Juice Kid in Raleigh, NC

What do you get when you mix Similac with Cognac? You get the hip-hop crew, Endless Mic. Coming to you out of Chapel Hill, N.C. with The All New Super Exclusive Al Gore Bongwater Club Mixtape Vol. 1, the band’s free digital mixtape fuses conscious lyrics over familiar beats from the ‘80s, ‘90s and now.

Written and recorded over the course of a month, much of the mixtape features first-take verses spontaneously composed during late night recording sessions. Endless Mic approaches this recording much like a wrestling match, tag-teaming verses without hesitation. The MCs’ seamless rhymes flow directly into the next track, hence the group’s name.

Endless Mic makes a mockery of 50 Cent’s “I Get Money” with its rendition entitled, “I Need Money.” Here, the group uses a humorous approach to tackle the familiar struggles of being caught in the rat race.

Sampling from Daft Punk, the track “Confessions From The Doo-Doo Nation” is so brutality honest that it will beat up your eardrums and have you hitting repeat for another licking. Hands down the best song of the mixtape, each group member strips himself naked in each revealing verse. A standout line from the song is, “You see we’ve all got monsters in the closet / If you don’t wanna hear about mine then you can pause it.”

Not since Eminem has the envelope been pushed this far. While the controversial group often opts for shock value, the act simultaneously promotes conscious thought. Endless Mic’s witty wordplay is sure to satisfy your insides right before gut punching you. (Trekky Records)

www.endlessmic.com

-Chas Jackson

Darnell Levine - Journal Entries EP

Produced, mastered and engineered by Darnell Levine and Jerry Navarro

A dazzling effort by Nashville singer/songwriter Darnell Levine, this six-song EP Journal Entries shines with artistic pizzazz and a plethora of creative colors and textures.

The album brings together the perfect mix of soul and jazz during a period when much is not present in the local singer/songwriter scene. “My imagination could think up of things fictional easy, but I wanted more. So I turned to my journals,” says Levine, whose writings and journal work sparked the initial mood and atmosphere on the album.

With soul-stirring songs like “Alright,” “S.O.S.” and the appealing opener “Red, Yellow, Green,” Levine delivers the goods with great fervor and passion. His vocals are forever sultry and sonorous and his piano is full of subtle beauty and charm.

Taking four grueling days to record, Levine wanted this effort to feel as close to a live show as possible but without any blemishes between or during the tracks. Jerry Navarro adds an extraordinary piece to the puzzle, tearing out pulsating, bluesy stand up bass, while completing the project as engineer-in-charge. There is no doubt that, with the thinking process of the arrangements, including harmony vocals, his experience resonates fully.

Levine’s candid playing, with deft and graceful touches, send out a buzz of wondrous energy in the air of the night — a full kaleidoscopic range of colors and bubbling passion.

With a heart-on-sleeve approach, Levine presents virtuosity as a musician and singer that makes for strongly recommended listening material.

www.darnelllevine.com

-Shawn M. Haney

Josh Preston - The Complex Wooden Heart EP

Produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by Josh Preston with mix assistant Lisa Reed Preston | Recorded at Me and the Machine Studios in Nashville, TN

Exit Sounds, the third full-length record from Nashville singer/songwriter Josh Preston, came out May 13. To make ready, in March he released The Complex Wooden Heart EP, a sampler of acoustic renditions of two tracks from the forthcoming album and two from his first record, Between Memory and Mortality.

These four songs are emotive and clear-headed. “It could be simpler than this / But it won’t be / So don’t belive me,” Preston sings on the track, “Simpler.” The recordings couldn’t be much simpler or more tonally beautiful. You can almost hear the shape of his guitar’s resonance chamber in the notes: all warm sounds and repetitive minor finger picking.

Like the best country music, Preston weaves specific, imagery-heavy tales of sorrow. His lyrics and compositions come across as mature, espousing truths hard-learned from experience. It sounds like the opposite of teenage angst: sad and realistic without ignorance but not without hope. The listener can feel his frustration with lines like, “We were pushing all the buttons / Nothing would turn off” (“Safety Feels the Exit”). Preston sings in a rich, pitch-perfect tenor, just a little throaty, and occasionally breaking into falsetto for a lilting “oooh.” He sings of “existing in metaphors” and “dancing around the issues” on “We Are Alone,” telling the story of an unhappy relationship and the decisions necessitated by loneliness. His low guitar rings dissonant into silence to end the song. It is a bittersweet final statement that fits the tone of the EP perfectly.

Preston owns Nashville label Me and the Machine Records, an imprint on which he releases his own music and that of three other brainy acts: Brad Sweitzer and the Young Sophisticates, The New Whole Usuals and Nick Shelton. (Me and the Machine Records)

www.myspace.com/joshprestonmusic

-Julia Reidy

Hills Rolling - Sweet Tea

Produced by Trey McGriff

“Sweet Tea” is the debut CD from Hills Rolling, the latest project by Atlanta’s Trey McGriff. McGriff not only wrote, arranged and produced all the songs on the CD but also plays all the instruments and provides all the vocals.

The first song, “Crazie,” kicks off the CD with catchy lyrics and a driving rock beat peppered with southern flavor, setting the up-tempo tone for the rest of the songs. “Not Again,” “No I Don’t Mind At All,” “Here And Now” and “Waiting On You” shift between various multi-layered effects of harmonica, bongos and vocal harmonies for their individual flair.

On “Watching Waves,” the sparse lyrics, “Standing in the ocean / Watching the waves roll by, roll by,” open the song up for the instrumental jam that follows before closing out with the same lyrics. The acoustic “Laugh Out Loud” and the sci-fi-tinged instrumental “Middle Of Nowhere” illustrates the diversity of McGriff’s songs.

The prominent bass line on “Slow Down” creates a retro ‘60s vibe through the song as the lyrics chronicle the kind of day no one wants to have: “Everything was going okay until I started my day / Things started to unravel then I wish I had stayed at home.”

While the musicianship is impressive, the downside to being a one-man band is the lack of probability to recreate the music in a live show, and for an indie performer like McGriff that is one of the best ways to secure new fans and sell CDs. (Whiskey Child Records)

www.myspace.com/hillsrolling

-Kat Coffin

Rick Brantley - Prize Fight Lover Soul Auctioneer

Produced by Rick Brantley | Mixed by Joey Turner | Engineered by Joey Turner and Michael Davie

There’s a fire walking around right now in Nashville, Tenn. in the body and spirit of Rick Brantley, a 21-year-old singer who sounds like he’s in his mid-30s vocally while maintaining the pissed-off nature of most good young men.

Brantley belts out lyrics like late ‘70s Meat Loaf and is barely careful about it. His vocals are harsh and grainy, deliberately in your face. Imagine Bob Seger and Train’s Pat Monahan fighting to be heard in a rowdy piano bar. But Brantley’s vocals really recall the overlooked early ‘90s band The London Quireboys, singing in a manner that grabs the listener’s ears and shirt collar.

When not spewing passion, Brantley slows it down on Prize Fight Lover Soul Auctioneer for the soulful and downtrodden “I Don’t Believe in Love.” Much of the album’s material is based around songs breaking down musically, pausing for effect (think Joe Cocker) and social/political themes (think Springsteen). “I Don’t Believe in Love” employs horns to lend a Delta feel and church harmonies for that backcountry vibe. “Living on the Outside” aims to tear off the roof, blending big city horn playing with theatre musicals. It’s a show-stopper only to be challenged by the fist-fight of “Tookie.”

On Prize Fight Lover Soul Auctioneer, Brantley is firmly rooted in the society of rock ‘n’ roll, soul and all its history. He’s got the framework down solid, working from what has come before. Brantley does it well but his next move should be to refine it into something removed from what we all know. He should turn it into something he can call his own. (Carnival Recording Company)

www.rickbrantley.com

-Brian Tucker

Rahbi - Raw Live

Recorded Live at Apache Café | Mixed by Reggie Croslan

Raw is an appropriate title for Atlanta singer Rahbi’s full-length debut album. Just viewing the CD cover alone will transport you to a back alley brothel. It screams, “Open me for a good time.” Rahbi is a true showman whose stage presence rivals that of Prince and he has the vocals to back it up. Risqué lyrics plus a stage act that drips sexual authority equals Rahbi.

The album, recorded live at an Apache Café performance, starts with “He’s Here,” a toe-tapping intro featuring Madame CJ and a spirited drum set. The remake of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” titled “Bitter Sweet Dreams” is the equivalent of vocal foreplay, guiding the listener to the climax of “Another Chance/Give It to Me Baby” and down to “Never Hurt You.”

Rahbi has paid his dues as a backup singer and is ready to be seen as the solo performer that he is. He is a talented singer and songwriter and can easily blend R&B, hip-hop and soul. Raw is a fierce collection of songs that showcase Rahbi’s talents as a singer. If Rahbi’s ego could be channeled into songs with lyrics with substance, he might have the power to be known on a national level. He has the vocal talent and stage presence, the only thing missing is lyrics that leave a lasting impression. His debut album is a valid collection of songs and solid enough to stay in one’s CD changer. Raw gives the listener a peak into the live aspect of a Rahbi performance and proves he is indeed a raw talent. (Self-released)

www.rahbimusic.com

-Kelly Tenedini

Tyler Reeve - Whiskey Down

Produced and engineered by Don McCollister at Nickel and Dime Studios in Atlanta, GA | Mastered by Don McCollister | Additional engineering by Jonathan Medley

Modern day country music doesn’t always sound like it used to, but Tyler Reeve’s debut album proves that he wants to get back to the roots. Whiskey Down begins with the catchy, upbeat track “Good Music,” in which Reeve describes his musical influence and the heart of his melodies. The opening song is a perfect introduction to Reeve’s untapped talent with the lyric, “People always ask me how a boy like you learned music like that.” Throughout the album’s 11 songs, Reeve delivers solid guitar and genuine lyrics, though often tongue-in-cheek. Songs like “Can’t Stop Drinkin’” discusses his inability to love his girl without a little alcohol, many guys can identify with the lines “She wants to talk all night long / I want to sleep.”

The title track also explores the genre’s fascination with drinking while keeping things upbeat and lively. Most of the songs have a quick tempo showcasing Reeve’s inherent rhythm and lighthearted sentiment. But Reeve isn’t afraid to slow it down and show a different side on tracks like “Broken Song,” a number about hurting and heartbreak, with lines like, “I haven’t talked to you in 13 days / Though you spun me in a million ways.” His vocals, stripped and raw, give a look into how Reeve’s live concerts probably feel.

The most fascinating thing about Tyler Reeve is his ability to sound like classic Lynyrd Skynyrd one minute and the new mainstream country chart climber James Otto the next. Reeve also brings something unique and new to southern rock and will hopefully find a whiskey-lovin’ following, but it might be hard to stand out from the crowd with all the familiarity. (Self-released)

www.tylerreeve.com

-Mandy Rodgers

The Influence - Pig Radio

Recorded, mixed and produced by Tim Roberts at Soul Haven Studios in Virginia Beach, VA | Mastered by Fred Kavorkian at Avatar Studios in New York, NY

There is certainly a pop element to The Influence’s sound, but it is not a frustrating one. Lead singer Matthew Stephenson’s scraggly, strained vocals make him sound like a smoker of 40 years, and while this is often a characteristic of radio-friendly neo-rock bands such as Puddle of Mudd and Nickelback, Stephenson’s strain owns a certain underground harshness that occasionally wanes on the intensity of Music Hates You’s angry lead singer Noah Ray.

It is the grungy tambour of Stephenson’s vocal that gives this band unique berth with neo-rock/radio-friendly fans. “Corpse Song” is a haunting, prospective audience sing-along that — Stephenson’s idiosyncrasy notwithstanding — achieves an earthy sway in the school of Alice in Chains. Combined with Stephenson’s tastefully foregrounded vocal performance — packed almost begrudgingly between full background acoustics and a driving drum and bass — this song stands out as The Influence’s most promising effort. The song is reminiscent of the band’s influences but collaborated upon beautifully and subtly enough to be almost totally unique.

Interestingly, Pig Radio features tracks with Latin and tribal influence. Verses in album opener “Break,” which match acoustic and electric guitars over snappy drums and chanted vocals, contrast effectively against soaring choruses with extended vocal lines and euphoric open-string electric guitars. “Cielo Sin Sol” juxtaposes English and Spanish lyrics over a similar verse-to-chorus formula verses are deliberately snappy with reserved vocals, abbreviated guitars and foregrounded bass and drum lines, followed by soaring, full-volume choruses with extended vocals. This mid-’90s Bush- and Silverchair-esque formula can be frustratingly trite, but it achieves its ideal dynamic effect in songs like “The Following,” which features the tabla and an impressively unique and powerful vocal performance. (Self-released)

www.theinfluenceofmusic.com

-Brian Gilton

Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward

Produced by Steven McDonald | Recorded at Alex the Great in Nashville, TN | Engineered by Jeremy Ferguson | Additional engineering by Marc Primeau | Mixed by Joe Chiccarelli | Mastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge | Assistant mastering engineer Joe LaPorta

Superficially, Nashville punk/garage rockers Be Your Own Pet went for immaturity on its new album Get Awkward. The youthful quartet’s new album celebrates zombies and food fights (“Sucks for the Janitor”) and comes with a picture card of each band member perfect for taping up inside your locker.

Be Your Own Pet’s bubble-gum side, however, is something of a veneer. Cute song titles like “Creepy Crawly” and “Heart Throb” mask gut-twisting songs about infidelity and grown-up alienation.

As likely to sing about pizza parties as they are pill parties, the band is at once trashy and innocent in a way that’s hard to fake. Some music snobs may find the band’s sound a dubiously fizzy concoction. It’s mostly skuzzy garage but the attitude is slightly distanced (like indie rock) and its beating heart is audibly that of a vocals-foregrounding pop band. Singer Jemina Pearl’s out-of-control-tomboy persona and dramatic, refreshingly un-pretty delivery flies Cherie Curry’s flag.

The contradictions make one wonder about the three songs pulled from the American version by Be Your Own Pet’s distributor Universal to be released as a separate EP. Supposedly the lyrics were too violent — a strange move when you consider the album cover already bears a parental advisory.

It’s also strange considering that teen violence depicted in the redacted tracks has been a communal theme in pop music, dating back to the songs of the innocuous-sounding girl groups of the ‘60s. This connection is especially clear on “Becky,” a comic tale of killing your ex-best friend that sounds like a debauched version of Little Eva’s “The Loco-motion.”

The American version feels perfect at 12 brisk tracks. Each one rattles through fast enough to make you wonder what happened. It makes listening a little like getting clipped by a misappropriated shopping cart. (Ecstatic Peace)

www.beyourownpet.com

-Beverly Bryan

Simple - Songs From A Broken Hip

Engineered by Nick Peterson at Track and Field in Carrboro, NC | Mastered by Tom King at Nihlo Studios

Simple is a guitar/bass/drums trio that hails from the historically rich and fertile pop stomping grounds of central North Carolina (The dBs, The Connells, Flat Duo Jets, Southerrn Culture on the Skids, etc). The band’s debut CD, the intriguingly titled Songs From A Broken Hip, however, seems to have more in common with a couple of bands from the Northeast (Haledon, N.J.’s The Feelies and Boston’s The Pixies) than any of its Tarheel brethren. Led by singer/guitarist Chip Smoak, the band establishes its sound from the leadoff track “In The Night” with its slightly distorted yet still decidedly melodic and rhythmic guitars, punctuated by the relentlessly stuttering drumming of Eric Herman and the solidly supportive bass playing of Rodney Merritt. The sound is eerie, hypnotic, and, at times, repetitively propulsive. Lyrics are difficult to distinguish as Smoak’s vocals are generally hidden in the mix even when they’re doubled as in the promisingly titled though not quite delivered upon “Harper Lee” (if the song has anything to do with the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, the listener would be hard-pressed to say exactly what). Short repeated phrases do come out occasionally, but Simple is clearly concerned with creating a mood and they do so brilliantly with a sort of slowed-down Feelies groove mixed with some cleverly inverted arrangement nods to The Pixies (dynamic verses followed by calm and quiet choruses). The band also keeps it “simple” (sorry, too tempting) by maintaining a basically “live” sound with only a few endearingly amateurish guitar solos (and a bowed saw by guest Sean Parker on the CD’s creepiest track, the 3/4 time “Song For Sleep”) thrown in for color. Songs From A Broken Lip is a very impressive debut from a band well worth watching. (Factor IX Records)

www.myspace.com/simple

-Scott Roberts

Hot Lava - Lavalogy

Recorded at Spartaneye Recording in Winchester, VA | Mastered by Doug Stanford

People of the Southeast take notice: your summer soundtrack has arrived! Courtesy of the Virginia-based Hot Lava, Lavalogy is a blend of indie-pop and beach-timey rock. The record is laden with ocean sprays of synthesizers and whimsy echoes of electric guitar rifts that throw back to ‘60s surfer days. Still, this debut album is not a record that stands in any era’s shadow. Led by Alison Apperson’s loose-lipped singing, the record possesses a sort of indie grit. Think Clap Your Hands Say Yeah or Tokyo Police Club but with a suntan.

Lyrically, Hot Lava wraps sentiments of bliss, heartache and frustration in blankets of pop culture and fun images. There’s talk of “Ghosties” and even a “Mummy Beach” where the Egyptian frights roam the sand. There are also moments of personal revelation that are sneakily embedded within the tracks like “O Retorno Da Lovefoxx,” where the band sings, “You own me, like you bought me on eBay,” or the simple statement laid down in “JPG in the Sun,” where Apperson sweetly mumbles, “Now we’re together and we’ll be there forever.” The word choices throughout the album display how the band is in touch with human emotion but the band members manage to never take themselves too seriously.

Lavalogy is well-crafted, seamlessly transitioning from one song to another. Yet the continuity of the record does not equate to monotony. The group puts forth quirky beats, layered instrumentations and textured vocals making every piece of the album a must-listen. Even the production on the record is solid. Balance is given evenly to every player in the group, adding to the smooth flow of the record. With no glitches found in the recording and a fierce talent to back the band’s playful brand of tunes, Hot Lava will have people swiveling their hips and wishing for summer warmth all year long. (Pop-Hop)

www.hotlavaownsyou.com

-Cristina Marin

Dropsonic - The Low Life

Recorded by Dan Dixon at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA and The Precinct in Atlanta, GA | Mixed by Dan Dixon at The Precinct in Atlanta, GA | Mastered by Glenn Schick

Atlanta’s own Dropsonic proves that southern rock is alive and well. The band’s latest release The Low Life features Dan Dixon on guitars and vocals, Dave Chase on bass and Brian Hunter on drums. The album opens with the ethereal otherworldly sounds of a guitar clothed in the effects of warm, thick chorus with delay but quickly downshifts into overdrive with snarling guitars supported by a thick resonating bass on the catchy rants of “God Lies.” Hold on tight and get ready for a crazy ride while the band performs “Brain Surgery.” The 10-track CD includes the song “No Good,” but it is not a cover of the Linda Ronstadt classic. However, listeners might wonder if Dropsonic was inspired by the ‘80s hit “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Stevie Nicks,’ due to Dixon’s utterance of the phrase “Stop draggin’ my cross around” in a manner similar to Nicks. Nevertheless, the song is a standout ballad among a CD with mostly high-powered guitars and bluesy vocals.

The trio gets down and dirty with the punchy thumps of a crazed bass accented by the toxic sludge of fluid, monstrous guitars on “Low Life.” Following the band’s run through the muck is the in your face whine of Dixon’s vocals “Paralyzed.” The tune begins with an acoustic intro but soon gets plugged into the high-powered rhythms of an infectious meandering of rock arrangements. The song’s movement creates an interesting dichotomy between its subject matter and its instrumental orchestration. Following is a quick trip with “Going Down” and the marathon “Ran.”

The album ends with a blast of the F-word with rocking out worthy of The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes or The Strokes. Excellent work. (Ascetic Records)

www.dropsonic.com

-James Hester

The Dexateens - Lost and Found

Recorded by Shane Lollar, Lynn Bridges and Mark Nevers at Old Capitol Recording in Tuscaloosa, AL | Produced by The Dexateens

With a sound influenced by southern rock, most songs on the album barely stretch to the three-minute mark. It creates an interesting dichotomy in a genre where the tenacity of a live show doesn't always make for the best 10-minute track. Still, "Lost and Found" starts out the album a bit on the repetitive side, while "Out On Your Own" lightens things with a soundtrack-worthy melody. It sounds as though the video montage of the song's muse could be playing along in the same vein as Creedence Clearwater Revival tunes being used for a multitude of '70s films.

The Dexateens self-released the tracks via a free downloadable .zip file on their website. Now on their fourth album, The Dexateens will tour with The Drive-by Truckers this spring.

On "Altar Blues," the band turns the rudder toward something a little more interesting, telling the story of a wedding day gone hilariously wrong. Lyrics mostly rhyme throughout, with a little southern drawl to help complete the lyric, "Tell me what's a forlorn groom to do with wilted boutonnières / Tell me how to break it to the best man and the bridesmaid here."

The sunshiny southern glow of "You're Gonna Love Me" elicits memories of "Blue Skies" by The Allman Brothers Band. "Kid" sounds more similar to their modern day indie counterparts: an account of the pains of growing up. Overall, these songs are endearing snapshots capturing the soul of jam band derivatives while finding an independent flavor all their own. (Skybucket Records)

www.dexateens.net

-Nicole King

Violet Vector and The Lovely Lovelies - EP 1

Mixed by Brian Paulson | Mastered by Nick Peterson

Let's just say you're cruising down I-80 listening to some talk radio nonsense or a flash back mixtape (an actual cassette mix-tape to be exact that you made 20-something-years-ago). Let's also say that coming fast from behind is a 1987 Volvo station wagon. As it passes at a high rate of speed, but well within the limit, it almost looks like this auto is producing a glow of sunshine around the thing itself. Flower petals are clouding out of the exhaust pipe. You can't see who's driving for all the camping gear packed inside.

"California or Bust!" would just be redundant. It's safe to say that the occupants are five 22-year-old females who just heard Violet Vector and The Lovely Lovelies' latest, EP 1. This record screams road trip.

Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies are in tune with the likes of The Pipettes and Dressy Bessy, but with psychedelic '60s overtones and an organ (and an egg shaker to boot). Throw a kaleidoscope in there for good measure. The group is a five-piece out of Chapel Hill, N.C. that'll create a sun-shining, pop-filled smile on your face and an "I can't stop smiling!" atmosphere.

Amanda Brooks' vocals are peppy and high, fun and vibrant. She must be singing with a grin to create that "sugar plum sound" quoted on "Can You Dig It?," the first track of the EP. Positive lyrics abound throughout the record. "Don't wait for your whole life / And she makes, makes my day / Because she knows what she wants and she goes everywhere she wants," on the track "Make My Day," and "There's nothing now I would not do for you," on "Serva Ad Manum" keep the album happy and alive, and side to side head movement constant. (Holidays For Quince Records)

www.myspace.com/violetvectorandthelovelylovelies

-Cooper van Rossum