CD Of The Month

Nedelle — The Locksmith Cometh
Recorded by Nedelle Torrisi
Mixed by Andy Hong at The Hangar
Mastered by John Dieterich

As an ambitious young doe growing up in Northern California, Nedelle Torrisi dreamt of making it on Broadway while cultivating her skills as an impassioned violinist. The Oakland chanteuse was also in a band called Pretty Brown Eyes, an R&B dyad fashioned after 1990s girl-group En Vogue; Torrisi tinkered with a Casio keyboard and sang about the sum of every teenage girl’s hang-up: boys. More then 15 years after the fact, Torrisi has blossomed into quite the songstress, still at odds with the opposite sex, but elegant and wide-eyed as ever on her fourth full-length (third as a solo act), The Locksmith Cometh.

The album embraces a balmy array of eloquent folk-pop ballads, and frankly demonstrates Torrisi’s knack for sculpting breathless, tantalizing gems that dote gloom-fraught, poignant lyrics encased in a chromatic, jubilant shell. This is evident on The Ronettes-tempered “Your Fiance,” as Torrisi croons, “Yesterday I met your fiance / She takes up hardly any space / But when she opened up her perfect teeth / A cold wind blew right through me,” while a buried melodica and chirpy piano keys chime in the backdrop.

Other numbers such as the title track and “Poor Little City Boy” are a bit more saturated in melancholia, but touch the heart nonetheless. During the latter, Torrisi recites the tale of a boy who suffers a heart attack after stumbling upon a grizzly bear in the woods. With her despondent, soothing vocals and funereal piano, Torrisi shimmers like the glint in the eye of Karen Carpenter. Accompanied by her acoustic guitar throughout, Torrisi whips up thoughtful, soul-stirring love songs written by a young woman who is unafraid to share her darkest moments. (Tangram 7s)

www.nedelle.com

-Chris Sabbath

Spanish for 100 — Say What You Want to Say to Me
Recorded by Johnny Sangster
Mixed by Phil Ek
Mastered by Ed Brooks

Answer: Comprised of Corey Passons (vox, guitar), Ross McGilvray (bass, vox, piano), Aaron Starkey (guitar, piano), and Andrew Squire (drums), this Seattle band boasts an energetic take on the Northwest’s ubiquitous indie rock sound. On the follow-up to last year’s Metric and 2003’s self-released Newborn Driving, and under one of the more memorable monikers in recent memory, this band’s propulsive and melodic hooks sit atop unflappable rhythmic support and some seriously inconsistent mojo. Question: What is Spanish for 100?

Say What You Want to Say to Me opens with a pair of stunners. Like many a great rock offering, the album bursts out of the gates with something of a rally cry. “Attack!” blisters the listener with the best of what’s to come: driving riffs, smart arrangements of alternating density, and Passons’ often high-pitched vocal command of the entire proceedings. On its heels, “Sangria” carries similar momentum, though it introduces the album’s most searing drawback in the form of bland lead guitar stuck way too far forward in the mix.

After an admirable whip-lashing from the title track, “Snakebite” and “Sweet Surprise” demonstrate Spanish for 100’s least memorable songwriting. Luckily, the sequence leads to the blind-siding “Limerance Be.” Showing the band at its most cohesive, every instrument joins in a continually blooming harmony that — despite the lyrics’ heady, psychological take on having a simple crush — results in a gutsy, visceral love song. Throughout, Squire proves to be the album’s MVP, treating the drum kit like melodic accompaniment through both mercilessly pounding tracks and the band’s softer moments (“She’s a Robber,” “Quick as a Shutter”).

In all, Say What You Want surmounts paroxysms of inconsistency to suggest a band in no jeopardy of disappearing anytime soon. (Fish the Cat)

www.spanishfor100.com

-Jason Kirk

Zig — Cranium Miner’s Blues
Engineered by Bob Meyer, Richie Laing and Zig
Recorded at Crimelab Studio in Seattle, WA
Produced by Zig and Richie Laing

For his debut release, Cranium Miner’s Blues, Seattle musician Zig has cleverly disguised his singer/songwriter approach with aural experimentation in the vein of Radiohead. The inspired production has a way of focusing the listener and giving weight to the oft-flighty songs of political protest and love.

Credit must first be given to the beautiful artwork provided by Rikka Ayasaki, whose green-tinted, foggy landscapes grace the pages of the CD booklet and allude to the wispy, moody tone that much of the album embraces. Never is the connection between artist and musician more evident than in the song “Weightless,” which features a muddied synth beat, large, plucky guitars and droning feedback, not to mention the rallying cry: “Come one, come all / We were all once / Weightless.” These elements are the sonic construction of Ayasaki’s visual world.

What’s most impressive about Cranium Miner’s Blues is its construction as an album. Each song flows seamlessly into one another and the lack of a standout track emphasizes each song’s individual strengths. Listen to the vocal treatment in “Feels Like a River,” which has all the trappings of a folksy protest song, but soars far above with the addition of the perfect vocal reverb and a cagey drum machine. See also the transition between “Weightless” and “Follow You Down (The Red Road),” which effortlessly transports the listener from ambient noise to catchy guitar strumming, subtle harmonies, and a swinging drum beat.

While Zig has certainly created an intriguing album, it is still far from perfect. The samples used in “Little Vocal Quake” feel cheap and easy and Zig’s voice is occasionally gratingly thin, as he strains to overcome the dense layers of production. Thankfully, though, these chinks serve only to highlight the quality of Zig’s overall armor. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/zigzuege

-Rob Bergquist

Sky Pilots — Enjoy a Day Off
Recorded and mixed by Tim Green
Mastered by John Golden

The West Coast could use a few more bands like Sky Pilots. The San Francisco-based trio of drummer Bill French, bassist/vocalist Mike Chopko and guitarist/vocalist Patrick Wachter plies a heavily experimental sound from the far reaches of indie rock. Throughout their sophomore album, Enjoy a Day Off, Sky Pilots mash together mildly melodic lyrical passages and jerky instrumental tangents. Pulling together these would-be disparate elements into a loosely cohesive whole, the band transcends its ingredients and yields continually surprising results.

“Elk,” for example, puddle-jumps through a slew of time signatures, forming a musical bed that ideally suits the two vocalists’ vastly different rhythms, registers and timbres. Three songs in, “Shoot the Pass” opens with a wandering, two-minute bed of guitar harmonics and percussive flailing that gives way to a rare, breezy rhythm and the album’s first vocal harmonies. Never at rest, the song’s driving instrumental bridge unravels in waves of decreasing tension before skidding down the runway toward the finale crash landing.

On paper, the continual abutting of such jagged sections sounds repetitive, but the sheer depth of Sky Pilots’ bag of compositional attacks renders repetition nearly impossible. Enjoy a Day Off does make for a challenging listen. Its stop-and-go aesthetic amounts to a far cry from what most would call a vacation and in all but the most hardened fans of sonic whiplash, repeated listens will yield a numbing need for something more mercifully melodic. But whatever the album lacks in the way of pleasantries, it more than makes up for in suggesting a pretension-free band well on its way to something of a creative zenith. (Ghost Mansion)

www.sky-pilots.com

-Jason Kirk

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Amateurs — Speak Easy
Engineered by Manny Nieto, Scott Hirsch and Josiah Mazzaschi
Mixed by Dave Trumfio
Mastered by Mark Chalecki

Born in San Francisco and raised in Los Angeles, Amateurs’ sound is not traceable to either city. There’s a decidedly rural element to the recordings on the band’s first full-length release, Speak Easy, as evidenced by the copious use of violin and viola to create a sound reminiscent of old time country and western music. Yet, with support of rock guitar and percussion, the album covers more ground than the traditional country of Hank Williams, Sr.

Before the acoustic guitars and high lonesome sound really kick in, however, the band gets what sounds like their single out of the way. “Omaha Nights” comes off like a rootsy version of The Shins, with a melody that one can retain much more easily than picking out the lyrics. After this deceptive little pop opening, the album starts veering off in different directions. A wash of vocal harmonies introduces the next song, “Atlantis,” and suddenly everything has changed. This is where the sonic identity of Speak Easy really begins. The sparse percussion takes the listener straight into nighttime, with violin adding to the dark mood. It’s the lead vocals that say the most though, and not even through actual words. Notes are bent and stretched, rooting the music in the blues.

“Six Days” and “Maple” add more sonic diversity with their odd meters, but the real depth and breadth of Amateurs’ sound shows up in their instrumentals. “Cigarettes” is especially engaging as bass drum, acoustic guitar, violin and viola intertwine to produce a calming effect. It could be mistaken for a loose jam if not for the careful manner in which the strings are played together. Two more instrumentals, the murky “Submariners” and an unlisted selection entitled “Hoedown,” round out the album. It’s a winning mix of styles, making Speak Easy a compelling listen from beginning to end. (Self-released)

www.amtrs.com

-Michael Fortes

Pseudosix — Pseudosix
Recorded at Jackpot, Typefoundry, and Tim’s Basement
Engineered by Jay Pellicci
Mixed by Jeff Saltzman
Mastered Tony Lash

Portland’s Pseudosix has just released its self-titled sophomore effort to astounding acclaim, much like 2003’s Days of Delay. The ten-track album transcends mood, calling upon tragic lyrics, soft, rhythmic harmonies, and surprisingly quick-tempoed drums. The four self-proclaimed “weirdos” that comprise the group quietly demand attention with their thoughtful music, easily enrapturing listeners in the flowing rhythms and mounting vigor.

Initially, the album’s opening track, “Some Sort of Revelation,” sets a forlorn tone. However, this song does not dictate the entirety of the record; soon the song climaxes with powerful backing drums and raw vocals. Track two, “Under the Waves,” is oddly reminiscent of a more energetic Velvet Underground (the twangy guitar and Lou Reed harmonies) with a twinge of Elliott Smith (the desperate lyrics and yearning vocal inflections). The tempo continues to pick up with every song, sharply contrasting the original prediction.

Lyrically, the message tends to be one of heartbreak, or other depressing tales of angst. “Paltry Remains” begins: “I can’t get you out of my mind / No matter how hard I try / It’s the same empty promises / That keep my hopes alive / Despite these paltry remains,” yet the melody drives the song in a manner that contradicts the apparent message. Walking a perfectly balanced line between melancholia and pensive eloquence, Pseudosix is difficult to categorize.

The album explores the entire board — simplistic acoustic guitar accompanied by soft vocals to full-on poignant harmonies with a complete backing band. The CD has timeless potential: a more sorrowful approach to Neil Young, yet a more lively version of Bright Eyes. (Sonic Boom Recordings)

www.pseudosix.com

-Jen Utley

Adrian Orange & Her Band — Adrian Orange & Her Band
Recorded and engineered by Phil Elverum with Nicolaas Zwart and Calvin Johnson
Recorded at Dub Narcotic Studio in Olympia, WA

With the longtime support of fellow Northwesterner Phil Elverum, Adrian Orange has put out 12 records in five years, most often as the one-man project Thanksgiving. Adrian Orange & Her Band is a new sort of collaboration for him, piling 18 musicians, including Elverum and Calvin Johnson, into Dub Narcotic Studio to lay down a spontaneous, slapdash record of their time together in the studio.

The album tosses in plenty of arrhythmic horns over an energetic rhythm section led by Davis Hooker’s elastic bass, with ragged, strained vocals from Orange. The tight, appealing group sections feel strong and careless, like a kid with perfect balance walking along a railing. An active, substantive saxophone solo on “Give to Love What’s Love’s” experiments without losing sight of the hypothesis, creating its own strange melody and emotion over a funky rhythm line. The highlights of the album are all instrumentals, but when the makeshift orchestra drifts off into spacey jams as it often does, something’s lost. Every time they bring it back to close the song, the reaction is “What took so long?”

Orange’s voice feels a little too lost at times — parts of the album are tight and coherent, so the rough spots stick out like splinters to catch the listener. Vocals cracking on a high note may be a great demonstration of honesty, emotional rawness, desperation, etc., but straining after every five notes (as on “You’re My Home”) is a little much. Orange knows how to put together a piece of music with its own exciting energy — he can trust in his instincts, but he needs to start trusting in his skill. (K Records)

www.myspace.com/adrianorangewithchildslaverebellion

-Kjersti Egerdahl

Juliette and the Licks — Four on the Floor
Recorded at 606 Studio

The cover art for Juliette and the Licks' sophomore effort, Four on the Floor, perfectly encapsulates its image. Juliette Lewis, buff and bare-chested with a feather headband in her hair, brandishes a bow and arrow as she looks at her audience as if to say, "Bring it on." This particular brand of angry-girl, he-done-me-wrong rock makes Four on the Floor play out like a concept album — and in this case, the concept is one feisty chick. The band comes off like a grown-up version of The Donnas, with a hard-edged beat and a take-no-prisoners bite.

Musically, there are some tasty and satisfying licks, particularly in “Smash and Grab” and “Hot Kiss.” The Sprechstimme-laden, expletive-ridden (“Fuck you, I’ll fuck you, I’ll fuck you some more”) “Death of a Whore” is wonderfully gritty yet surprisingly subdued; Lewis’ softer vocals and the repetitive, rambling guitar leave room for the hard trauma of the lyrics. The classic-rock-infused “Get Up” sounds remarkably like AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” meets The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” fluctuating between a guitar-driven beat and a rhythmic drum pattern.

The album’s one flaw is its too-abrupt descent into wistfulness in its final tracks: Lewis’ screechy, snarled vocals become more lyrical, the frenetic guitar becomes a softly-strummed, concordant line of accompaniment. It is an admirable attempt at resolution (the album’s initial raving energy seems a bit exhausting and one-dimensional), but it comes out of the blue; a little lead-in would be nice.

All in all, Four on the Floor is both an enjoyable listen and a pure rant. The booming beat and catchy melodies are enough to inspire embarrassing foot tapping and singing under one’s breath, but the fever-pitched catharsis is the real satisfaction. (The Militia Group)

www.julietteandthelicks.com

-Caitlin Berka

Jake Mann — Daytime Ghost
Engineered by Adam Aaronson, Garret Fierce, Leah Johnson, and Adam Veal
Recorded by Jake Mann at the Turtle House Annex in Davis, CA and the Precita Garage in San Francisco
Mixed by Max Hart at Studio 502 in Los Angeles
Mastered by Eric Broyhill at Monsterlab in Sacramento

Bay area natives Mann and his backing trio are texture aces. Unlike other lo-fi artists (think Elephant Six), Jake Mann wholly embraces the past. Mann’s adventurous folk-inspired wordplay, psychedelic pop, and traditional verse/chorus structure shows influences from Neil Young and Dylan’s rambling early years to modern hooks and experimentation paved by Kelley Stoltz.

The bedrock of Daytime Ghost is laden with fuzzy, 4-track acoustic guitars, and conventional rhythmic support from bass and drums. All this enlivened with narrative by Mann’s Elvis Costello-like voice. The album has a reacquainted feel, similar to finding buried vinyl, and a sound that wallows in lo-fi, vintage production. Further influencing the nostalgia, Daytime Ghost clutches on to classic Americana inspiration — the vagabond — suggesting that it’s an album that seems created for road music.
“When the Tone Blows Down” offers a moment of modernism, where an undulating bass, sopping with distortion, embraces My Bloody Valentine shoegaze, and Mann, in a soulful murmur, sings, “Did you want to come over today / If you don’t think it’s crazy / We could go outside when it’s dark in all directions.” Literate and loquacious, Mann’s songs work because even where there is repetitious instrumentation, his unique vocals and characteristic lyrics elevate the songs.

Throughout the album, Mann has his fingers on a dark, rarely energetic pulse — an interesting approach to the chronic folk structure, a genre where idealism and optimism are nearly unflinching. Mann takes the road less privy, repeating stark soliloquies like “Somewhere in the depths of hell, they made a place for you” (“Edie in Hades”).
Daytime Ghost is a rough gem, an album that certainly takes warming up and patience, but once in the proper mindset, it’s an album with an enveloping effect, providing a lo-fi trance to fall into deeply, like a daydream. (Crossbill Records)

www.jakemann.org

-Christopher Petro

The Girlfriend Experience — When In Rome ...
Do As The Lions
Produced by Sylvia Massey at Radiostar Studios and Justin Phelps at Hyde Street Studios
Engineered by Rich Veltrop and Justin Phelps
Mastered by John Cuniberti

San Francisco’s The Girlfriend Experience has a few tales to tell and they’re laid out in all their gory detail on the band’s first full-length release, When In Rome ... Do As The Lions. The band’s vocalist, Tobias Hawkins, actually has such a robust, roaring voice that it’s very easy to cling to his melodies and the timbre of his voice while overlooking the words of some of these songs.

The lyrics on the album’s seventh tune, however, are pretty hard to ignore: “I’m told of your scabs / And your foul stink,” Tobias growls, before he frighteningly screams the song’s title in the chorus — “Gonorrhea!” The band can go from a short, intense, punked-out tune like this, to more of a Soundgarden-esque, dirge-like feel on “Death Of the Elephant.” They even go all wacky and experimental with some back-masked guitar and sick, spoken tales of animal abuse over a bass-driven rock groove on the title track. Sample confession: “My friends used to shoot nails into cats with slingshots just ‘cause they wanted to see them bleed.” And on the six-minute “Coke Buddha,” the band flirts with Sonic Youth-like guitar arpeggios and simple drum patterns for a little while before crashing into a hardcore/death metal scream-fest. These are the exceptions that keep the disc quirky and interesting.

Most of the album, however, aims for the musical mainstream of hard rock, echoing mainstays like the Foo Fighters while keeping the vocals heavy and the melodies mostly catchy, but not too precious. This is a band with lots of testosterone and an appreciation for solid riffs and clean production, not to mention shock value. (Heyday Records)

www.gfemusic.com

-Michael Fortes

Telephone Jim Jesus — Anywhere Out of the Everything
Produced and engineered by Telephone Jim Jesus

It’s not everyday that an artist or producer can take a palette of unique genres such as hip-hop, indie rock and ambient, and paint a sonic picture of colors and emotions. Yet Telephone Jim Jesus succeeds at doing just that on his new 11-song album, Anywhere Out of the Everything. With an intricately melodic sound that borders on both the beautifully ambient and the darkest aggressions, the primarily instrumental album takes the listener to new places with its melancholy songs and tapestries of sonic nuances.

“Did You Hear?” opens the album with bleeps layered lightly over guitar echoes and deep, guttural beats that keep getting louder and louder with each passing moment. “Birdstatic,” on the other hand, is a spacey trip into the outer regions of sound; with floating, synthesized textures and a tuneful guitar line, this beautiful ode to much of Brian Eno’s ambient work also happens to be one of the album’s highlights.

“Featherfall” is another gorgeous journey that unfurls with swirling synths and rapid-fire drums, while “Ugly Knees,” floating ominously with tremolo guitars and aggressive break-beats, features the raps of Pedestrian and Doseone. Finally, “A Mouth of Fingers” and it’s sampled, hip-hop drum loops and melodious guitar, is reminiscent of that mid-’90s sound that DJ Shadow made so famous with his debut album, Entroducing.

Anywhere Out of the Everything certainly lives up to its name as both a dark, introspective album that mirrors the darkest emotions a person could feel, while also emulating the euphoric heights that life can bring when they’re least expected. Telephone Jim Jesus has created a sonic masterpiece, letting the music be the ultimate guide into the unknown. (Anticon Records)

www.anticon.com

-Casey P. O’Neill

Planet Asia — Jewelry Box Sessions: The Album
Mastered by Mike Aaron at Soundcubed Studios in Hollywood, CA

Southern Cali’s galaxy of stars shines far too bright for an underground artist to catch any kind of shine, and the Yay Area’s hyphy movement doesn’t leave much space for anything traditional; so it’s only right that an emcee hailing from the Central Valley of California would represent the perfect middle ground.

Retooled and revamped, Fresno’s Planet Asia returns to the hip-hop front lines with Jewelry Box Sessions: The Album. Truly his best effort to date, Planet Asia as “Medallions” digs deep into the roots of hip-hop culture and unearths a king’s ransom in headphone fodder.

Planet Asia has always been one of the hardest spitting emcees to toil away in the underground, but his artistic direction has sometimes held him back from his full potential of reaching a wider audience. Jewelry Box Sessions: The Album, however, is solid all the way throughout — a fifteen-jewel opus.

The Fliptones-produced “Fly Boy,” featuring Dirty South celeb Bun B, displays Planet Asia’s ability to double-time his rhymes, with a firm grip on the clutch to speed up and slow down his flows. “Street Hop” plays out like a politician’s platform for candidacy as Planet Asia, nonchalantly, sets the record straight on his stance about where the state of hip-hop should be: for and from the streets.

There are cameos aplenty. Strong Arm Steady representative Krondon Cognac throws down on the comical “F*ck You Up” while Chase Infinite of Self Scientific fame teams up with Asia on “Hustler Anthem” — the tightest track lyrically on the album.
With a video single in “Havin’ Thangs,” this very well may be Planet Asia’s most earnest effort to garner the fickle attention of rap fans everywhere. (Gold Chain Music/RBC Records)

www.mcplanetasia.com

-Franklin Grimes

Reed KD — The Ashes Bloom
Produced, recorded and mixed by Reed KD
Mastered by Gavin Lurssen

Reed KD’s The Ashes Bloom might easily be filed under the umbrella of Elliott Smith acolytes, but the sometimes-similar vocal qualities and singer/songwriter status are really the only likenesses here. Perspective is a crevasse that separates Smith and Reed Dahlmeier, the UC Santa Cruz Global Economics major who chose to live out of his van to pursue his music as Reed KD. While Smith seemed to exist within his problems, Reed KD sings with the weariness of someone who has just emerged from a morass of troubles and can finally see for miles.

Opening The Ashes Bloom, “Road Flares” is easily the best track on the whole album, with its rollicking tra-la-la of guitar, harmonica and mandolin. Reed KD’s lyrics and instrumentation flow best in the confines of a happy, head-bopping pace. “Say You’ll Miss Me,” describes the fallout of drinking, as Reed KD sings, “I want to do whatever’s right for you / And clear out all these empty bottles / To tell the truth, I’m sick of self-abuse as a means to forget all my troubles.” The song follows the similar themes of Smith’s “Baby Britain,” in which Smith refers to empty bottles as “dead soldiers” but wallows in the abyss of the situation, rather than recognizing that it’s time to make change. Reed KD demonstrates that he has already climbed that mountain.

The album’s musical arrangements are obviously lovingly cultivated, and Reed KD’s use of various instruments — including guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, harmonica, piano, Rhodes, keyboard, bass and accordion — make for a wonderfully rich sound. Recorded in “various closets, bedrooms, and living rooms called home throughout 2005 and 2006,” as the liner notes explain, The Ashes Bloom has the spark of phoenix-like promise for future albums. (Dirty Laundry Records)

www.reedkd.com

-Kristen Schaer

The Tongues — ...as seen on TV
Recorded by The Tongues at 3rd Nut Studios
Mixed by Dan Rathbun at Polymorph Studios
Mastered by Ben Conrad
Produced by The Tongues

Though only five tracks long, ...as seen on TV shows how far The Tongues can reach, musically speaking. The Oakland group’s debut EP runs the gamut from upbeat, danceable pop-rock (think new Brit rock/pop invasion without the attitude) to catchy punk (like a slightly softer version of The Vandals or Bad Religion) to languid, lamenting rock.

Happy-go-lucky guitar hooks not only introduce one of the bands’ many styles, but also help frontman Barry Syska tell the story of an unequal friendship on “See You Around.” With lyrics like, “I must be stepping out / There’s nothing left for me to savor / Have yourself a good life / See you around,” Syska sings of a friend who seems to be taking everything but giving nothing, and the point of no return when enough is finally enough.

The Tongues’ punk rock side comes out on “Many Towns” as heavy drums in the chorus and rhythmic, galloping guitars set the pace, matching the song’s theme of constant roaming: “I’ve been around in many towns / Only ‘cause I haven’t found a place to settle down.” This track seems especially fitting, given The Tongues’ adept ability to master several different styles of music and the way this causes the album to jump around from point to point just like the song’s narrator. This quality raises the question as to where the band will set foot next for their anticipated 2008 full-length. (Lick Me Records and Undergarments)

www.myspace.com/thetongues

-Krystal Iaeger

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475 Haight St. Ste. 4, San Francisco, CA 94117

Jackpot — Moonbreath
Produced by Rusty Miller
“Hangar Tracks” co-Produced by John Baccigaluppi
Mastered by Eric Brohill

Already with a small library of music to their name, Sacramento natives Jackpot release Moonbreath. The album not only holds 10 tracks of smoky rock anthems, but also includes an additional 12 bonus tracks for those with iTunes software.
The album’s main tracks are high-speed adventures through classic rock and western ambiance. Rusty Miller, having worked with the likes of Cake, steers Jackpot with his guitar. Like an untamed stallion, Miller’s guitar has a mind of its own and bucks wildly, creating dangerously beautiful melodies like “Juggling Boulders” and “Mojito Blues.” The band isn’t far behind with moody psychedelic bass lines from Sheldon Cooney in “Vital Signs” and the ‘50s-esque “Write Me Back.” Drummer Mike Curry has no problem keeping up with Miller’s spontaneous guitar riffs either, and when Lee Bob Watson hits the keyboard, the band hits its stride.

Where the band goes bankrupt is in some of its lyrical choices. Smartly focused on showing off its musical skills, Jackpot often misses the mark with random, off-the-wall lyrics like, “Run through your dirty laundry / Make believe I’m Gandhi” in “Invisible Train.”

The beginning of the album starts like a speeding train about to run off track with “Chemical Reaction.” By the time “Divine” hits, the band has revealed a softer side, which continues in Moonbreath Part 2. By slowing down, Jackpot is able to win listeners over with more heartfelt emotions. In “Invisible Train” and “Waiting Like a Sponge,” harmonica takes the place of riffing guitars, often accompanied by Watson’s steady piano. With spurts of adrenaline in songs like “I’m Alone” and “Natural Fact,” the band ends on a quiet acoustic note with Miller and his guitar in “Afternoon,” showing that Jackpot wins at any speed. (Jackpine Social Club)

www.myspace.com/jackpot

-Megan Clinard

Emilia Sosa — Rhythm of Life
Written and performed by Emilia Sosa
Produced by tj Rehmi in his U.K. studio

The variety of nuances tucked into Emilia Sosa’s soulful first album, Rhythm of Life, come as no surprise given her eclectic taste and early exposure to a wide range of cultures. Born and raised in New Orleans, Sosa fell in love with music as an active participant in her city’s vibrant and diverse music scene and her long list of musical favorites includes Peter Gabriel, Santana, Ravi Shankar, Portishead and Bjork, to name just a few. Before embarking on a solo music career, Sosa also traveled extensively, spending large amounts of time in places like India and Australia. The diverse influences of these musicians along with the musical information she gathered abroad fit seamlessly within the framework of bluesy trip-hop electronica as laid out by English producer tj [sic] Rehmi of Real World Music.

Sosa’s travel experience comes through most notably in her inclusion of instruments reflecting music from various cultures: soulful acid electronic riffs over bossa nova vibes, flute-accented jungle rhythms, airy guitar synths reminiscent of Pat Metheny, meandering sitar, and flamenco rhythms. Additionally, Sosa sings interchangeably in Spanish and English on many tracks.

In general, simple melodies and uncomplicated rhythm showcase Sosa’s voice on her latest album. In some songs, such as “Nothing Good to Say,” Sosa slides evocatively between notes like British songstress Dido. Meanwhile, the album’s title track, “Rhythm of Life,” seems to channel equal parts Nikka Costa and Sia, pairing growled, smoky hooks with a strong crisp beat and warm bass line. The bridge of “Rumour of a Hooker,” in particular, features Sosa in her element, sliding through and lingering on several melancholy notes, almost chanting.

Rhythm of Life is moody and sexy with a taste for foreign instrumentation. Sosa’s experience is varied, but her style is all her own. (5 Points Records)

www.emiliamusic.com

-Lulu McAllister

That 1 Guy — The Moon is Disgusting
Mixed, mastered, and engineered by Karl Derfler

A concept album that’s laid out as a soundtrack to an imaginary, animated feature might sound like a self-important endeavor. In the case of The Moon is Disgusting — the latest release from Mike Silverman, a.k.a. That 1 Guy — the result of this concept is ten dance-heavy songs primarily about food and a fifteen-minute instrumental cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Two standout tracks suggest that the moon is made of cheese, while three similar-sounding songs are named “Bananas,” “Oranges” and “Guava,” though other subjects are explored. “Mustaches” is about indecision over growing a mustache, while “Buttmachine,” the strongest song on the album, is in fact about having an artificial ass. However despite the goofy lyrics, the music has a serious, dark feel to it, stemming from That 1 Guy’s homegrown instrument The Magic Pipe. The seven-foot tall steel pipe with strings produces the vast majority of the music, with occasional contribution from other Silverman inventions such as The Saw and The Boot.

The Magic Pipe is enhanced with a wide array of effects, delays and samples, giving the music as full of a sound as any produced by a full band. The trade-off is that the recording loses much of the novelty that comes from hearing Silverman’s own instruments. The middle of the album does have leaner songs like “Dig” and “Jigsaw,” where Silverman’s instruments appear in their most raw form. Silverman’s own musical talents focus primarily on the songwriting itself rather than technical fireworks, and the reward is consistently funky songs with great melodies, suggesting that, as aloof as the material may be, That 1 Guy is not to be taken lightly. (Self-released)

www.that1guy.com

-Bonwell Parker

Ryan Ferguson — Only Trying to Help
Recorded and mixed by Shawn Cornell at Blue Roof Studios in San Marcos, CA Mastered by Gavin Lurssen at Lurssen Mastering in Los Angeles, CA
Produced by Ryan Ferguson and Shawn Cornell

Coming off anticipation seeded by his acoustic debut EP Three, Four, Ryan Ferguson fans have been waiting for two years for his first full-length debut. San Diego’s Ferguson was a member of the praised power chord quartet No Knife, and since the band’s ‘03 separation, he has been pursuing an introspective rock solo career.
Unlike the EP, which circles acoustic, bedroom-pop conventions, Ferguson fills the space of his latest album with crushing guitars, drums and bass, further detailed by keys, double-tracked vocals, symphonic synths, and anthemic harmony. Only Trying to Help characterizes Ferguson’s pursuit of melody and his relentless attention to hooking the listener.

“Reservation” opens the album with a heavy note, nodding to Ferguson’s No Knife days, punctuated by crashing cymbals, keys, the churnings of electric guitar, and Ferguson’s golden-toned voice. Throughout the album his tact is abrasive, but the songs have a revealing underbelly where an attentive listener will find the artist confronting sadness by abusing his guitar and singing forceful, affecting vocals. “In the Sea” is a plaintive breeze, a nod back to Ferguson’s acoustic EP, structured around a rolling vocal harmony, strummy acoustic swells, kettle drums, and apocalyptic vocals about the end of days: “So come on / We’ve got to make it out / to the ocean / Where the sun will be setting down / We’ll dive into the deep ... when we talk there’s nothing coming from our mouths.”

In the past two years, Ferguson has grown not only as a musician, playing nearly every instrument on Only Trying to Help, but also as lyricist; beaming with introspective depth and challenging chamber reflections, he underlines a separation between being passionate and being emo. (Better Looking Records)

www.ryanferguson.net

-Christopher Petro

Cary Brothers — Who You Are
Produced and mixed by Chad Fischer at Lookout Sound and Greg Collins at The Nook
Additional production Stephen Hague
Mastered by Mike Lazer at Paramount Recording Studios
Strings arranged, played and recorded by Oliver Kraus

Cary Brothers may not be a household name, but to the regular filmgoer and television watcher, many of his songs should strike a familiar chord. With tunes on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and indie films like Garden State even before releasing a true full-length album, Brothers’ road to musical recognition was gradual and less traveled. After two EPs and the occasional soundtrack, Who You Are, an amalgamation of emotive pop, entrancing melodies and captivating songwriting, reintroduces Cary Brothers as a full-fledged singer/songwriter and not just a provider of background music for a scene.

Opening track “Jealousy” sets the pace with what seems like another typical acoustic fare, but quickly evolves into something of more epic proportions, a la Snow Patrol, thanks to cavernous bass lines and intensive, heavy drumming. Next is a revamped version of “Ride,” one of a few older tracks that have undergone makeovers. Although the original may have been what older fans remember, this one still has the qualities that made it an underground classic, except with a modern tweak. Oldie “Who You Are,” has a more up-tempo rock beat than when it was previously released.

Brothers may be the finest for penning heart-wrenching ballads that visually capture raw emotion. One of the best examples is the brief “Loneliest Girl in the World,” a flawless masterpiece about the pain and heartache of desperately wanting to be loved. He includes a universal truth with the line, “You are the loneliest girl in the world / And tonight you’d fall for anyone.” The addition of strings creates a hauntingly tragic atmosphere, enhancing the few piano processions that bridge the song into one.
Who You Are is not a revolutionary album nor does it attempt to be, but for the casual listener, this is a satisfying pop-rock debut with a few hidden gems. (bluhammock music)

www.carybrothers.com

-Philiana Ng

Jonny Manak and the Depressives — Rebound Town
Recorded by Joe Clements at Compound Studios in Ben Lomond, CA
Mastered by Jason Livermore at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO

Jonny Manak — professional skater and a musician — supposedly recorded Rebound Town playing all the instruments on his own, one at a time, writing all his own lyrics on and lending a '50s croon to them.

Manak adopts the vocal presence of Glen Danzig and updates it for 2007. Rebound Town is the ultimate chronicle of late night partying, skating, and being entertained by loose women. "She Said Yeah," "Her Body's the Main Attraction," and "Young Girls" definitely will not be the topic of deep discussion, but they do get right to the point. Manak does a fantastic job of reviving a gritty rockabilly throw-down with all the "yeows" and "wows" that would be required of such a task, filling it out with a bunch of grimy punk guitars riffs.

However, Manak is not without his sensitive side. Through all the fun, one can tell he's been wronged by more than a few women. The title track "Rebound Town" hints at what may be the reason for all this partying: "Gonna fill that void / When my heart's destroyed / Strutting through Rebound Town." That the heartbreak songs still manage to rock without ever getting whiny keeps the theme of the CD consistent throughout. Manak's woes and tendency to self-medicate are something many can relate to and, just maybe, manage to get over with the help of this disc. (Reach Around Records)

www.jonnymanak.com

-Allison Foley