Wilson the Rocker - Teenage Messiah

Produced, recorded and mixed by Evan Hill at The Cabin On the Mountain in Fairview, NC | Mastered by Mike Garrigan at Smittys

Asheville, N.C.’s Wilson the Rocker is the brainchild of Evan Hill and Teenage Messiah is the long gestating result. Born from songs crafted solely by Hill, they found further life by bringing in additional musicians Addison Brown, Shayne Heather and JonPaul Hess for live shows. Hill’s songs are a cross reference of musical themes and varied music history, ranging from doo-wop back up singers, 1980s synth orchestration

and Beatle-esque grandiosity. The latter echoes the large pallet of “October Evenings.”

Hill sings like the lead in a musical, part John Cameron Mitchell and part Pete Shelley. He is the narrator of Teenage Messiah, its cheerleader and maestro. Lyrically, Hill is adept at placing images square in the listener’s mind (random lyrics such as, “Your posters on the wall ... Deck of cards on the floor ... Your sweat on top of sheets until the sun is too bright” are fine examples) and Hill is unafraid in his lack of guile.

Teenage Messiah finds it center, and strength, on songs “Honestly, I,” “I Want to Sleep” and the album’s gem “New As Carefree,” all gentle songs in comparison to the title track and the electric stomp of “Between New and Gone,” in which Hill declares, “You have to be dumb every once in a while.”

The world of Teenage Messiah inhabits themes of growing up, growing older, wounded existence and life’s joys. Musically, the album has a spring in its step and makes sure to slow down. In the last few years there has been resurgence in concept albums and it’s a bold move for an underground band of musicians to put another into the musical ether. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/wilsontherocker

-Brian Tucker

Buzz Cason - Hats Off to Hank

Produced by Buzz Cason | Additional production by Parker Cason

Hats Off to Hank is the next best thing to a photo album of Cason’s experiences from a life in music; it is the sound version of a lifetime of influences. For those not familiar with Cason, he is a Nashville native and a music veteran since the 1960s. He backed vocals for Elvis and Kenny Rogers; he also recorded his own material with two members of The Jordanaires. The Creative Workshop he operated in the 1970s-80s had the likes of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, The Doobie Brothers and Olivia Newton-John in its studios recording albums.

Hats title track pays homage to Hank Williams. It has perfect backing by high pitched slide-guitar and rumbling bass guitar. “Black Man inMississippi” and “Barbeque” are classic rockabilly type tunes. “Black” describes a man who dreams of a music career; “Barbeque,” as you might guess, was inspired by a hallmark of southern cuisine. Two other songs’ themes wander below the Mason-Dixon: “I Love The South” is slower and more gospel in tone, while “Texas Wildflower” is a great traveling song (like Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”). “Wondering” contemplates love that might have been; like “Texas” it has that perfect summer road trip beat. “Ain’t Nobody” is the strongest blues-influenced track; its theme is isolation and knowing that oneself is the one responsible for that state; “Hooked Up With the Man” is also bluesy, it alludes to getting life in balance with a higher Divine plan, while “Oddly Enough” is inspired by the eternal acceptance and forgiveness of a romantic partner.

On the cover, Cason is turned to look at the image of Hank, and his arm is extended, holding a freshly removed straw hat. When you’re inspired by truth and love, you often hit gold. (Palo Duro Records)

www.buzzcason.com

-Kathleen Wehle

Lindsay Spurlock - Heart On

Produced by Ben H. Allen | Mastered by Glenn Schick | Engineered by Mark “Exit” Goodchild, Rob Skipworth and Graham Marsh

For those who don’t know Lindsay Spurlock already, songs on her second album, Heart On, could remind music fans of Imogen Heap, Yael Naim, Regina Spektor and Tori Amos. Life’s Puzzle Pieces, her first album, was covered two years ago in Southeast Performer.

The title Heart On reflects the album’s theme of love and its frequent flops. Love might suggest a February release, but really, Spurlock’s songs note that love knows no specific season, time or place. Thoughtful mementos or a hot spark in the beginning don’t mean it will last. To find something meaningful, a gal has to keep trying, in spite of false leads and lavish tokens. Spurlock’s work implies she understands this. All the while, there’s a resilient sense of innocence present, represented by xylophone chimes in the background of many songs.

“As For Now” has bubbly enthusiasm and pep. The lyrics describe a situation of instant attraction. It has new wave feel with its computerized keyboards backing the lead vocals.

“Chocolate Hearts” starts as a simple voice and piano song, but guitars and a massive strings section enter during the refrains and closer to the end. Its lyrics describe love’s odd timing and how situations that start with promise end up foiled, in spite of romantic tokens and gestures.

“Seattle” is a more solemn, introspective ballad backed by syncopated strings and synthesizer. It tells a tale of two people who could use time apart, as their space has gotten two small for them.

1990s and early millennium pop has featured several twentysomething solo female acts, their voices backed by a “wall of sound” type effect. Lindsay Spurlock is a new addition, she brings rich lyricism, unique orchestration and sound layering to the mix. (Self-released)

www.lindsayspurlock.com

-Kathleen Wehle

The Bonaventure Quartet - The Secret Seduction of the Grand Pompadour

Recorded at Ken Gregory Studios in Atlanta, GA | Produced by Charles Williams Engineered and mixed by Ken Gregory | Mastered by Alex Lowe

It never, ever, gets old hearing a band play music like The Bonaventure Quartet does on The Secret Seduction of the Grand Pompadour. The band’s blend of western swing and old time jazz played through a southern filter jumps in your pocket and puts a high-dollar sprint in your step. Like Christabel and the Jons or Miss Tess, The Bonaventure Quartet brings the unmistakable music of jazz clubs and cabarets of ages past beautifully to the present and in an unsullied light.

The songs are steadfast and mysterious. They are sleek and sexy, smooth like honey spread on gold bars. Amy Pike’s vocals are celestial in a bawdy kind of way — sweet and sassy, delivering something both timeless and easy to swoon over. On “Henry and June” Pike coos and purrs when she sings lyrics like “They were the love of each other’s lives.”

But just as the music on The Secret is from an era many will find fresh, yet it’s not without its own diversity. Note the Asian flavor lent to “Postcards” on its opening and during each break, the Mexicali flair of “Moonlight Falling” or the Henry Mancini strut of “Lily’s on the Prowl.” Don Erdman’s sax takes a wonderfully curious walk all over the track. His clarinet playing on “The World’s Greatest Lover” charms and the combination of Erdman and Pike recalls Carmen McRae’s “You Took Advantage of Me.”

The music-only interludes on The Secret are like life’s playful moments, sweet pauses before strong emotions. This is a careful and cautious creation to be sure, but the band handles it deftly with uncanny inspiration.

When not focused on cooking things up, The Secret moves casually along like a stroll on a weekday afternoon. Take “The Very Idea” or “Little World” which sound like the melodies echoing in the ears of new lovers or those taking the fall unknowingly. The Bonaventure Quartet takes care to swing you around in their arms and embrace you with the same soulful manner. (Château Debris Music)

www.thebonaventurequartet.com

-Brian Tucker

The Weeks - Comeback Cadillac

Produced and recorded by Jimbo Mathus | Mixed by Winn McElroy

The title track on Comeback Cadillac starts off at full blast, (that is, after a mischievously quiet “One, two, three” count off), and doesn’t slow down to let you catch your breath until roughly 50 minutes later. That song might as well serve as an analogy for the debut album by this five-piece Mississippi group; both are merciless to the listener with unrelenting energy and likewise both do well in showcasing the impressive vocal range of lead singer Cyle Barnes. More importantly, both catch you completely off guard from what one might expect such a young group — with a collective average age of a mere 18 years — to typically sound like.

The Weeks are at their best when just out having fun, like the head- bopping “Altar Girl,” featuring hooky guitar riffs, quirky xylophone-like glockenspiel and high octave-reach of singer Barnes, all coming together beautifully. Equally successful is the bluesy-rock, guitar-driven, George- Thorogood-meets-The-Allman-Brothers “Mississippi Rain.” More so than any other song on this album, the latter truly shows off the musical chops and natural talent that The Weeks seemingly effortlessly possess.

Having said that, the group tends to miss the mark when it starts acting too seriously and forgets to have fun (“Hold It, Kid” and “Sailor Song,” for example). When sandwiched between songs of such a contrasting nature, instead of achieving a diverse sound portfolio, it merely comes off as forced and inauthentic. Somewhat pretentious lines like, “And she asked all about me / I said darling well let me see / I see wedding bells and kisses from lovers,” don’t do much in the way of defending that case either.

The name of the band is very appropriate, though probably not intentionally so. A crucial aspect to their future success will rely on just how far they can push their sound into potentially new and challenging directions, while simultaneously not alienating those fans who simply have a penchant for catchy rock hooks and sing-along ready choruses. It is now only up to The Weeks (and months and years) from here on end to find out. (Esperanza Plantation)

www.myspace.com/theweeks

-Matt Frisch

Pride Parade - Descendants

Recorded and mixed by Kyle Spence at Ronnie Jone$ound

Pride Parade marches through 11 tracks of angry anthems on its first release, Descendants. This five-piece powerhouse packs three guitars, a bassist and vocalist into a band whose music speaks for itself.

The album comes straight from college campus aggression one would expect to hear in Athens, Ga., but this sound is not cliché or typical. The chorus of “Mr. Man” shouts, “I have no regrets” and “Leave Me Alone.” While reminiscent of Nirvana in lyrical content, these men add solos and harmonies which are all their own.

Pride Parade does not sound as much like mainstream music as it seems like the kind of thing fans would follow at live shows. This is not dancing music, but the kind of music one would want to see live to be in a mosh pit letting out the frustrations of life.

No other artist comes to mind when one listen to this album, so Pride could be categorized as completely original and anyone who is a fan of rock or punk music should check them out.

The CD’s insert claims, “It was wrong to believe in the power of my own dreams,” but the music proves dreaming can reap rewards. Pride Parade will go far among fans. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/prideparade69

-Ellen E. Aldridge

William F. Gibbs - My Fellow Sophisticates

Produced by Holiday Childress | Co-produced by William F. Gibbs and Vic Stafford | Engineered by Jeff Leonard at Fusion 5 Studios in Charleston, SC, Jeff Knorr at Collapsible Studios and Holiday Childress at Guitargo Garage | Mastered by Kevin Bartley at Capitol Mastering

William Gibbs’ debut album begins with a blaze of promise and innovation that, sadly, fizzles out rather quickly. The South Carolina native offers unique, saloon-styled ditties filled with toy pianos, tambourines and many other fun and quirky tricks. The result is an entertaining reinvention of antiquated and long forgotten forms of pop music.

The opening track, “Darling, You Were Beautiful Once,” starts off with a more than welcome David Bowie-esque flair. But somewhere toward the end of the song that bouncy Bowie energy degrades to a My Chemical Romance pop drudgery. This is a symptom that infects the whole album. Gibbs throws out incredible bursts of creative moments, but doesn’t maintain them. Large portions of the album fall back into accouti-pop laziness a la Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson. And some experiments, like the stab at rockabilly on “Here Comes Your Steamboat Brother! Here Comes Your Freightline Sister!” is made wince-worthy by pinched backing vocals and other minute elements that maul an otherwise good song.

The percussion generally maintains an upbeat Johnny Cash freight train style that keeps the tempo of even the slower songs quick and lively and the piano/organ driven melodies are the highlight of the CD. Gibbs proves that he is a musician filled with great ideas, but there still remains a bit of honing to reach their full potential. There’s a wealth of innovation lurking under the surface of a day-old pop mélange on this album. With any luck Gibbs’ next outing will be closer to the sound he’s aiming at on My Fellow Sophisticates. (Old Man Records)

www.myspace.com/wfgibbs

-David Feltman

John Hiatt - Same Old Man

Produced, Recorded and Mixed by John Hiatt | Assisted by Arthur “Midget” Sloatman | Recorded at Highway 61 Recording, Tanning and Barbeque | Mix board design and layout by Arthur “Midget” Sloatman | Mastered by Adam Ayan at Gateway Mastering in Portland, MN

Nashville native John Hiatt has been around a long time and he has the resume to prove it. Here’s a quick list of some folks who have covered his work: Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Paula Abdul, Mandy Moore and Iggy Pop. And there’s a reason list reads like a who’s who of pop music: Hiatt is a master of Americana.

Effortlessly blending folk, rock, blues and country with clever and humorous diatribes in a vocal styling somewhere between Tom Waits and Randy Newman, Hiatt’s brand of soulful music is hard not to listen to. For his 18th studio release, Same Old Man, Hiatt seems out to prove that he still has the touch, and for the most part he does. The album is wholly in his hands: produced, recorded and engineered by no one but Hiatt. And the result reveals a man who loves what he does.

Same Old Man starts off with the hilarious “Old Days.” Hiatt recounts a long list of funny anecdotes from the road, name dropping such notables as John Lee Hooker, under a slow and bluesy country beat. The song sets the perfect pace for the album, and Hiatt keeps that pacing just right by mixing bluesy ballads and jazzy numbers in equal measure. However, the CD seems to run out of gas right midway through, settling in to by-the-numbers pop-country formula rather than trying to hold up the bar set on the first five tracks. That’s not to say the closing songs are bad, they just pale when compared to those that preceded them. But Hiatt remains an adept hand at his craft and he shows his act is still worth the price of admission. (New West Records)

www.johnhiatt.com

-David Feltman

Dearestazazel - Be Mine

Produced by Matt Malpass

If you have been longing for that fist-pumping, body-reverberating electronic rock of the 1980s to resurface, then rest assure that the Atlanta-based Dearestazazel has come to deliver your desires. The band’s debut album, Be Mine, is nothing short of a throwback to those deliciously over the top anthem-spouting hair bands of the past.

Like any good rock ‘n’ roll group, Dearestazazel’s strongest point is its cohesiveness as a whole. The group’s display of instrumentation is tight, with all the key players interlocking their sounds in a magnetic web of hard-hitting tones. Jesse Greene’s years spent in music school are brought to justice with his articulate guitar rifts and his instrumentis a consistently strong presence throughout the album. He is equally

matched by his comrades on the drums and keyboard.

The only member of the foursome that seems to falter a bit is lead singer Peter Armstrong. Though his voice is by no means unpleasant, it often times does not match up with the robust theatrics that support his vocals. While the synthesizers rain full throttle and the drum work pounds away, Armstrong’s singing seems to lack the strength to stand up to these grandiose backdrops. His abilities shine more so when his voice is accompanied by harmonies or interwoven layered vocals, like in the songs “Dead, All Dead” and “Bubbles and Nights.”

Matt Malpass’s production on Dearestazazel’s first record is clean, with all elements of the package well balanced and compact. This enhances the overall spectacle and drama of the album. The only unfortunate aspect of all the high energy and synergy of the record is a need for variance. Be Mine is almost like a marathon run, a constant trek of speed and endurance with little room to catch a breath until the very last track, “I Never See Them In The Dark,” the most stripped down song of the entire album. It gives way to the fact that this band sounds just as good without all the glitz and glam of its heavily played instruments and leaves the listener wishing they had a little more of that second option to offer. (One Eleven Records)

www.myspace.com/dearestazazel

-Cristina Martin

Nerdkween - Synergy

Produced and recorded by Monica Arrington in Atlanta, GA | Track 7 recorded live by URBATL at Faison Theater in Harlem, NY

It takes only a minute and half into Nerdkween’s newest album, Synergy, before the word ethereal comes to mind. Ethereal is defined as something light, airy or tenuous and this album falls directly into that category.

Even though that is certainly something that Nerdkween set out to do, the beginning of the album leaves much to be desired in terms of ear-catching music. The first two tracks, “3 haiku” and “Icon,” are so light and airy that they seem to lack any real substance. One cannot deny that the songwriting is beautiful, but the arrangement, which can communicate just as much as the words, seems bland and blank.

From there, the album picks up the pace, not just figuratively but literally as well. “Earning my Disgrace” features a beautiful string arrangement, along with shakers and the occasional xylophone. “I Wish I Was Your Cloud” changes the way the listener is presented with the vocals (they are clearer and stronger), and brings out the depth of the songwriting on this album.

The gem of the record shortly follows in “If,” a song that features instruments that can be called nothing more than minimalistic but vocals that can be admired as nothing less that gorgeous. The five- minute folk anthem builds to a crescendo that could not be executed by an artist of lesser caliber.

Finally the album comes to a close with four songs that reek of existentialism and switch the focus away from the vocals and back to the arrangements surrounding them. The final four tracks combine for a total of one minute of vocals, highlighted by the aptly named “The Beautiful Noise.”

Synergy takes a couple of listens to fully appreciate and is not for strictly rock ‘n’ roll listeners, but for fans of new folk and Joanna Newsome this is an awesome and unexpected treat. (Stickfigure Records)

www.myspace.com/nerdkween

-Michael Aguilar

Meghan Coffee - Songs To Sail By

Produced by Meghan Coffee and Band of Brethren | Mastered by Chris Arias at Shebang Audio | Recorded and Mixed by Deke Spears

Meghan Coffee’s emoting, angst ridden lyrics have a way of penetrating the soul. Songs to Sail By is the second album for the Atlanta singer/songwriter, a follow-up to the well received All Things Being Said. The new album, recorded in various rooms of an Atlanta Presbyterian Church, straddles the line between indie rock and pop, with a touch of eclectic folk. With a debut album and a national tour under her belt, Coffee’s focus has sharpened, setting her sights on deeper lyrics that go straight to the listener’s core. Songs to Sail By does not need bells and whistles; it is what it is — a girl, her piano and dynamic lyrics.

Songs to Sail By starts with “Nightingale”, a smooth song which evokes thoughts of a loved one’s departure, repeating the line, “You left before I was ready to let go of you.” The album’s songs are slow and sincere, with the exception of “Jericho” which is a bit more upbeat and light. The lyrics of the album are well thought out and genuine; the piano is a worthy accompaniment and does not overshadow the vocals.

Meghan Coffee has a talent for songwriting; her lyrics seem to pour naturally from her. Songs to Sail By is a 10-song collection that lends the listener to believe that the album is a vocal memoir of Coffee’s life. Songs to Sail By is a solid second album — the only direction for Meghan Coffee is up. The world outside of Atlanta would be lucky to get a hold of a copy of the new album. (Self-released)

www.meghancoffee.com

-Kelly Tenedini

Peter Bradley Adams - Leavetaking

Produced by Lex Price and Peter Bradley Adams | Mixed by Kevin Killen

Peter Bradley Adams’ sophomore solo release Leavetaking is an aptly titled collection of songs. The nine tracks are saturated with images of motion — moving away, coming home, and of love both lost and found. The music supports this vision, with its airily spaced acoustic instruments and Adams’ understated melodies underscored by the sweet harmonies of fellow Nashville-based singer/songwriter Katie Herzig.

Adams arrived at Leavetaking after relocating to Nashville from Los Angeles, where he had scored films and television shows, formed the duo eastmountainsouth, and released his debut record Gather Up. This development is evident throughout the maturity of Leavetaking’s tasteful arrangements and discerning use of Herzig’s lovely voice. Songs like “I’ll Forget You” and “Always” are remarkable as much for what is in them as what is not — there’s no over-the-top, showy vocals or musical overkill. Adams crafts a delicate balance of simplicity and sophistication throughout the album.

Lyrically, Leavetaking is notable for its plainspoken insightfulness. The beautifully stated “Los Angeles” opens with the words “You carried us like broken dreams like a mother does her sons / We were scattered across your dirty streets / We were dying one by one.” Other standout lyrical efforts are the opener, “The Longer I Run,” and nicely paced “So Are You to Me,” which unfolds its wedding-themed metaphors simply, without any saccharine aftertaste.

Pop-folk music has been experiencing a renaissance in recent yearsthrough indie movies, TV shows and the Hotel Café tours. While Adams’ sound lends itself to this movement, it has a timeless feel to it that transcends a contemporary label. If the musical landscape changes winds, Leavetaking will still stand up as an impressive record, especially for those listeners who are embarking on journeys of their own. (Sarathan Records)

www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams

-Jason Peterson

Lefty Williams Band - Snake Oil

Produced and engineered by John Keane

Snake Oil, the sophomore release from Norcross, Ga.’s Lefty Williams Band is packed full of impressive music. Its 13 jazz-inspired blues rock songs run over 63 minutes, much more music than on most CDs, and that’s a very good thing, it’s not just quantity, but quality as well can be found here.

From the first song, “Thank You,” it’s apparent that this CD will be an aural treat, from the skillful interplay between music and vocals to the inspired jam with the guitar taking the lead. “What I Believe” has the guitar and piano artfully switching between leading the jams, while the prominent bass line in “On The Prowl” and “Frightened” give these songs a darker undertone. The organ and piano work on “In The Valley” and “A Little Bit Of Faith” combined with the spiritual lead and backing vocals give them a gospel flavor.

The CD also features guest appearances by Todd Smallie (Drive By Truckers) on bass for “Why Didn’t You Call” and Tinsley Ellis’ blues guitar on “On The Prowl” and “Hey Mama.”

Lyrically the songs’ inspirations stem from common ground. Lefty sings about familiar circumstances to most people, as in “What I Believe,” with lines like “Sometimes I think we’re gonna drown / Cuz happiness won’t show her pretty face / You Know I can’t find a paddle for this canoe,” or in “Why Didn’t You Call,” with the lyrics “Could have dropped a dime / To settle my mind.”

The songs here sound fresh and new, while at the same time exhibiting the stellar qualities of music that is timeless, making them sure to be future classics. (Second Heaven)

www.lefty-music.com

-Kat Coffin

Chris Knight - Heart of Stone

Produced by Dan Baird | Mastered by Jim DeMain

Growing up in the rural coal town of Slaughters, Ky. has had a marked effect on Chris Knight’s songwriting. On Heart of Stone, Knight’s lyrics tend to focus on the hard times and lifelong regrets that befall so many of the individuals who are never quite able to escape the lower-class rural lifestyle into which they are born. The majority of the tracks on the album feature the usual roots-country instrumentals, as Knight’s acoustic guitar is accompanied by drums and violin; although he does utilize the occasional trombone and bouzouki as subtle additions.

Knight’s vocals and lyrical style are extremely reminiscent of John Mellencamp — for better or worse. “Crooked Road” tells of a family’s life that falls apart after their son is killed in a colliery with lyrics such as, “Damn these hard times / Damn the coal mines / Damn the good dreams gone cold.” A husband that has finally made it back home to his wife after hitching a ride with a truck driver is the subject of the more upbeat “Maria.” Tough times are again the focus on the title track as Knight soulfully sings of a man whose father abandoned him at an early age and who, later in life, lost his first child and wife but who still trudges on, warning, “Got the broken promises / Got the broken home / Don’t break yourself / On a heart of stone.” While the lyrics are not especially memorable, they do a good job of describing the various protagonists in an easily accessible prose. Heart of Stone is an honest account of the hard luck in life delivered by an artist whose experience (musical and otherwise) lends his words a unique sincerity. (Drifter’s Church)

www.chrisknight.net

-Micah McLain

The Explorers Club - Freedom Wind

Produced by Matt Goldman and Jason Brewer | Mastered by John Baldwin at Lake Fever Productions in Nashville, TN

Some bands wear their influences on their sleeves; The Explorers Club waves its like a banner, unabashedly sharing with the world its Beach Boys fixation. These Charleston, S.C. natives manage to borrow heavily from another era without sounding like trite and mediocre clones. On Freedom Wind, The Explorers deftly graft Brian Wilson melodies into a modern era. At the same time, they apply similarly easy and earnest lyrics to every track. Songwriter and arranger Jason Brewer’s simple lyrics often evoke picturesque adolescent romance, especially on the songs “Don’t Forget the Sun” and “Safe Distance.” This same lyrical simplicity is elevated to the sublime by the group’s intricate melodies.

Multi-instrumentalists Jimmy Faust and Dave Ellis handle between them 12-string guitar, accordion, lap steel, mandolin, bass and banjo, as well has vocals. Wally Reddington, Stefan Rogenmosser, and Neil Thomas round out the rest of the band, playing bass, keyboards and drums, respectively.

The Explorers Club has pieced together a wonderfully cotton-candy sweet album of indie-pop gems that bring to mind the breezy/orchestral/pop of years gone by. With each track the band builds and ethereal and serenely ecstatic atmosphere. The highlights include “Don’t Forget the Sun,” “Safe Distance” and “In the Country.” Freedom Wind is like a soundtrack for a kite-flying, beach lounging afternoon. (Dead Oceans)

www.myspace.com/explorersclub

-T. Ali. Eubank

The Dry Heathens - First Contact With Ground

Recorded by Jerry Kee at Duck Kee Studio No. 8 in Mebane, NC

Durham, N.C. punks The Dry Heathens have pieced together an album with a distinctly southern sound, while remaining true to early punk and college radio tunes that inspire them. The Heathens are comprised of Darren Sink on vocals and guitar, Steven Jones on bass, and Dave Parent on drums. Sink and Jones, both vets of the Durham scene and members of the Midnight Gladness Band, founded the band in 2006 and in 2007 added Massachusetts native Parent, rounding out the current lineup.

On First Contact with the Ground, all the elements are in place for theSend your CD to establishment for a fresh take on a now classic sound. Lyrically and sonically the album bounces between punk anthems,garage wryness and country’s sentimental dour. The band’s sound melds together best on the tracks “Mary’s Song” and “Her Daddy Hates me.” “Her daddy hates me / But he ain’t really her daddy / From the time she was a baby / You could have sworn she was an angel / Now I’m maybe I should put away the bottle / Cause it sure as hell can’t save me / I don’t want to be just like her daddy was,” from the most country-twinged song on the album serves as a great example of the group’s southern/regular- Joe philosophy. Also among First Contact’s better songs are the more traditional punk ventures, “Lose It” and “Sociopath.”

The Heathens make a solid attempt at expanding on what punk could be, while maintaining a genuinely punk sound. The slip up on First Contact comes midway through the album, where the bands slips in some rather generic sounding punk/garage and loses the momentum of the first few tracks. The recording was done very loosely and at times the guitars sound out of tune, but this works in the bands favor by lending a more authentic sound. All in all, this band sounds best when it is squeezing a sentimental/country lemon on a track. (Churchkey Records)

www.thedryheathens.com

-T. Ali. Eubank

South85 - El Camino

Produced by Mike Bader, Kathy Osborne, Ted Kynard and Bill Noonan | Recorded at Lazy Ridge Music in Concord, NC

Released Memorial Day Weekend, South85’s El Camino is a perfect country- fried bluesy rock album to add to the summer roadtrip soundtrack, especially for those cowgirls and belles wearied by love.

Inspired by country and Americana music as by acts like Marshall Tucker, Loretta Lynn, Old Crow Medicine Show and Gillian Welch, the band takes its name from the highway stretching from the heart of South Carolina out westward to Atlanta. For the bandmates, 85 is the road that always leads home in the northwest of South Carolina, AKA the Upstate. The band is made up of Tracy Wyatt on lead vocals, Kathy Osborne on backup vocals and guitar (she also wrote all the songs on the album and helped produce it), Mike Bader, who plays guitar, dobro and banjo (he also produced), and Ashley Conine providing finishing touches with her harmonica and mandolin.

The album title is El Camino, which has two meanings. In Spanish, the phrase means “the road.” In American culture, it is the name of the Chevy car-truck hybrid that was popular in the late 1960s into the 1980s; this car is featured on the cover of the album. Among the 12 tracks there are obvious homages to country’s leading ladies: “Firefly” is reminiscent of Lynn and McEntire, telling the story of a wistful heroine seizing destiny before it slips by; “Chains” is more of fearless declarative ballad in the style of Yearwood, and “Hold Me” is more intimate in the style of (Faith) Hill. “Rosalie” is more bluesy-rock. “Sex and Laundry” and “The History of Scooter Scum” are two unique tracks on the album, reflecting wit and originality in subject matter, indicating South85 has a long road ahead of them if they’re willing to take risks about subject matter with the backdrop of life and love experiences.

Through instrumentation, apt twangy soprano voice, perfect harmonies and well-versed lyricism, the listener is taken up and down the El Camino of experience with South85 on a very personal journey. (Self-released)

www.south85.com

-Kathleen Wehle

Danny! - And I Love Her

Recorded and mixed at Su Tsu Studios and Wanderland Studio | Mastered at Roscoe’s Mastering and Waffles in Los Angeles, CA

With this concept album, supposedly a valentine to his one true life-long love, hip- hop personified as a woman, Danny! (AKA Danny Swain) lives up to the immense hype he has already created in his short career thus far. The artist laments his troubles from the past year, both typical (fame, girls, respect) and atypical (constant comparisons to Kanye West), over jazz and early rock ‘n’ roll instrumentation. The lyrics switch off between self-deprecating, bashful and boasting, sometimes all within the same song. The result is nothing less than trailblazing.

Although Swain produces all of his own songs and does occasionally utilize the same pitch-altering voice sample technique that is a staple of Kanye West’s music, comparisons to that other much more famous rapper/producer are unwarranted. A more constructive analogy would be Danger Mouse, and not just because of their mutual love for The Beatles (Swain slyly references them throughout, including with the album title taken from the song off A Hard Day’s Night) or the Georgia connection (Swain once resided in Savannah). More importantly, these two have an immense respect, irony-free, for the artists that came before them, while simultaneously keeping a forward-thinking approach in everything they do. With as diverse sounds on this record ranging from soul, jazz, early British invasion rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop, it is without a doubt a hip- hop record through and through, all the way down to an overabundance of mostly unfunny skits (a small complaint). Swain still gives shout outs to the old-school tradition of A Tribe Called Quest all the way to new- school style of Prince Paul and even, amusingly, a reference to Soulja Boy (because, why not?), but the result is wholly its own.

Most hip-hop stars in the game today seem to be languishing in a persistent state of ennui; their rhymes uninspired, their beats lazy and often boarding on the obnoxious. Swain, on the other hand, very well one day may crash (and burn) given his refusal to play by the rules to stardom. Whatever you do, just don’t call him boring. (Self-released)

www.dannyswain.com

-Matt Frisch

Jews And Catholics - Inside

Produced and recorded by Eddie Garcia in High Point and Winston-Salem, NC Mastered by Nick Peterson at Track and Field Recording in Carborro, NC

Jews and Catholics (Alanna Meltzer on upright bass and Eddie Garcia on guitar, vocals and sequencing - take a wild guess as to which member belongs to which religion) follow up their first full length with this four song EP. Rock duos usually prove to showcase more raw, unbridled energy than their four to five member counterparts (see Death From Above 1979), this usually being even truer with boy/girl groups (White Stripes and The Kills will quickly jump to any well respected hipster’s mind). Unfortunately, far too often the same does not apply quite so much with this garage rock group. Although at times the group does show promise as an indie breakout (the moody, reverb-heavy intro/verse to "Visitor" is reminiscent of a lo-fi Interpol), they unfortunately fail to fully realize this potential, with song structures often breaking out, unintentionally, into chaotic and uncontrolled messes.

"Wife Swap" seems to suffer from the same problems as that opening track does as well. There are moments when the song succeeds, in particular the line, "Well she slept with bosses / Slept with strangers / What a lovely wife," offering not only a satirical insight into sprawling picture-perfect suburbia with the lyrics, but emphasizing this message with anxious guitar riffs and gritty-sounding vocals. However, the song then proceeds to enter an unnecessary and much prolonged (not to mention, out-of-tune) chorus of "Wife swap / Swapping wives" ohh's and ahh's, that becomes even further dettoriated with guitar noodling that would have been best left in the basement messing around alone, not on a record meant to be sold to the public.

"Noose" is much more restrained than the other songs on the EP, and thus each instrument is able to fully breath and makes sense for being there. The eerie, echo effect of the sequenced drums provides a great platform for Garcia's intricate fretwork and Meltzer's heavy, slightly bent bass lines. Perhaps in a few LP's time the duo will have a more focused vision and the musical chops to be able to get there. (Self-released)

www.jewsandcatholics.com

-Matt Frisch

The Hellblinki Sextet - Oratory

Recorded by Andrew Benjamin at his home in Asheville, NC and at Southern Cycle Works in Augusta, GA Track 13 recorded by Asa Leffer live at The 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA Found sound and field recordings discovered, compiled or created by Andrew Benjamin

The world influences on this Asheville, N.C. sextet are absolutely staggering; everything from Russian folk to Italian concerto to Americana (and most everything in between) all find themselves present and accounted for, albeit all of the above given a more than punk edge aesthetic. Appropriately enough, the group itself describe its sound as a "Three Penny Opera meets Sesame Street ... with punk rock experimentation and a southern drawl," which, if one must be forced to categorize the band’s sound, is probably as fitting of a description as any other. Think Gogol Bordello, with an emphasis on European cabaret, and you're getting a little bit warmer.

"The End" kicks off things with a charismatic and slightly evil sounding Andrew Benjamin (singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist) leading the band in a dark cabaret-esque tune, accompanied by Ian Moore on violin and Brad Lunsford on bass. It is easy to imagine the singer Benjamin as Lucifer himself, complete with a circus top hat and a cane in one hand, inviting the listener to join him in the depths of the underworld for the rest of eternity to come. Lyrics like, "Look down in this deep dark hole/beneath the ground, here's a ticket to a land below / ...Follow, follow, follow me" only help to reaffirm the above mentioned image that much more. From this point on, things simply get weirder (and much more wonderful) as the album progresses.

"Kerosene" finds the group playing in an early 20th century bluesy style Americana, complete with dobro guitar, piano and Tom Waits-like vocals, while only two songs later the band completely switches it up with "Bella Ciao," a traditional Italian folk song played without the slightest bit of smugness or sarcasm. The lovely Valerie Meiss uses her operatic voice to full degree on the later, creating one of the absolute highlights in all the 23 tracks on an album filled with glowing songs. The Hellblinki Sextet is without question one of the most unique, gifted and flat-out fun bands to come out of the region in a long time. (Self-released)

www.hellblinki.com

-Matt Frisch

Perpetual Groove - Livelovedie

Produced by Perpetual Groove and Robert Hannon at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, GA

Perpetual Groove is calling itself a "rock" band these days. Which is new for them. Sure, the band has been doing the loud guitars and heavy drums thing for a while, but with Livelovedie, Perpetual Groove has begun to depend less on improvisation and the impulsiveness of its live show and more on authentic song structure and originality.

Not every song off this album is a gem. Upon first listen, the latter songs start to fall under the weight of the band's own desperateness for change, as "Dust" and "Legends of Preston" - songs that are stripped of the live show improvisation associated with the band's old sound - feel like unexciting pop songs in the grand scheme of things. Light guitars adorned with stretched melodies and snappy drums, for the uninitiated jam band fan, might sound less inspiring that Perpetual Groove's previous work, but this is just the sound of the band evolving.

There are some gems, though. Opener "Save For One" and "Two Shores" stand on their own as richly inspired attempts at rediscovery. While jam qualities are evident and maintain the authenticity of Perpetual Groove's established sound, these tracks depend heavily on vocal melody, which, especially in "Two Shores," provide the nuance that their "new" sound demands.

"So Much For Goodbye" is the ultimate blend between the band's old and new sound. Heavy slide guitars and a not-soon-to-be-forgotten vocal melody commingle to create a truly unique sound that, as of right now, might be idiosyncratic to Perpetual Groove's abilities alone. While the song pivots on the tasteful vocal melody which, as in "It Starts Where it Ends," addresses philosophical topics and interesting image-exploration, it enters into what much of Perpetual Groove's original fan-base would call "outer space." Interestingly, this spacey bridge doesn't grope for Phish-like authenticity like so many jam bands are infamous for doing, but, within the context of the newly realized sound, create a "rock" to "space-rock" juxtaposition that really works. This album was worth the trouble, and is at least 70 percent full of charming, original rock music. (Tree Leaf Records)

www.myspace.com/pgroove

-Brian Gilton

Griffin House - Flying Upside Down

Produced by Jeff Trott

All songs written by Griffin House

Mixed and engineered by Bob Salcedo at Dr. Babyhead Studios in Manhattan Beach, CA

Griffin House’s latest release draws in the listener from the start with inviting acoustic guitar strings and caressing vocals of “Better Than Love.” House’s lyrics explore the sentimental moments and aching heartbreaks of relationships in a simple, yet deeply meaningful way. The following song “I Remember (It’s Happening Again)” tells of his family members fighting for the country in World War II, Vietnam and Iraq, yet struggling within to find a meaning and end to such conflicts. Reminiscent of a Johnny Cash-style of storytelling, House sings, “I remember, when I was a younger man / We were soldiers fighting in a foreign land / Now I'm older and it's happening again.”

House’s sound borders somewhere on the lines of rock, pop and folk music. Songs such as “Let Me In,” “Live To Be Free” and “One Thing” offer rock tastes similar to Tom Petty or Chris Isaak with organ notes and guitar riffs, while others like “The Guy That Says Goodbye To You Is Out Of His Mind” carry melodies in a folk fashion with acoustics and gentle piano keys. “Flying Upside Down,” the title track of the album, begins with House’s call for help and slowly builds alongside repeating violin strings and up-tempo drums. House’s flight ends with him whistling to the sounds of a falling violin.

The longest song of the album “When The Time Is Right,” slows down the pace, almost freezing time and holds tight to those moments between lovers, urging them that, “When the time is right, don’t hold back.” The song continues to grow and unfolds into an ethereal sound parallel to songs from Coldplay and Sigur Rós. Flying Upside Down draws its influences from House’s upbringing, past relationships and musical aesthetics, bearing to the listener the naked voice and heart of a soon-to-be classic American songwriter and musician. (Nettwerk Music Group)

www.myspace.com/griffinhouse

-Wahid Khoshravani