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Blues CD Reviews 6-25-06 -- Plus

Cephas & Wiggins – “Shoulder to Shoulder” (Alligator) A-

Good acoustic blues is a tough find these days. Cephas and Wiggins have been some of the best. Cephas with his gruff vocals and guitar work, and Wiggins with his stellar harmonica, put out some good stuff on this disc. All tunes good for morning mix.

DeAdder, Lou – “Slow Down” (Indie) C+

Clean vocal with guitar gymnastics; music leans toward Stevie Ray Vaughan. Songs over-arranged with backing band that doesn’t measure up to guitar chops; and guitar tone is annoyingly sharp. Not recommended.

Dickinson, James Luther – “Jungle Jim” (Merless Records) B

Veteran sideman Dickinson pulls together a rough vocaled, country rock disc with a good-ol-boy sound. Okay, nothing too special. Like the Ry Cooder-ish sound on some tunes though.

Funky Nashville – “Hitch a Ride” (Iceberg) B

Wow…this one is a strange ranger. Kind of a cross between the Beatles, the Ventures, and a Spaghetti Western. Nice vocals, pop-y songs, interesting backup vocals, and bizarre electronic touches. I hardly know what to say but wow—it’s different. I have to hand it to them though, it’s verrrrrrry interesting. Not sure I could recommend it for early morning mixes. A Norwegian band?

Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials – “Rattleshake” (Alligator) B

Lil’ Ed has been a Chicago blues club fixture for years and well known for his lively and electric blues club performances. This CD is full of his trademark rave-ups, that for my money, don’t translate all that well in recording. His live shows are entertaining and get the folks dancing and partying, but the recordings don’t catch fire. Still, there are keepers here, all punctuated with his stinging guitar tone – a bit over the top sometimes, but that’s Lil’ Ed’s trademark. Not much for morning mix here.

Linwood Slim – “Last Call” (Delta Groove) A-

Harp playing crooner Lynwood Slim hosts another album of very tight blues (featuring his favorite guitar player Kid Ramos) and incredibly smooth vocals. For my money Slim vies with Darryl Nulisch or Sugar Ray Norcia for top blues vocal honors, and this record bears that out. Does some really good change ups in tempos and serves up a tasty banquet of blues here. (Slim doesn’t back away from a challenge.)

Mystics – “Satisfy You” (Mystic Eyes) B-

Gruff lead vocal over a tight band that leans toward country, but liberal popular sound. Duke Robillard’s favorite drummer heads up tight rhythm section that puts things over nicely, but can’t say I’d pass around the cigars. #2 a straight lift from “Send me Someone to Love.”

Rogers, Robin – “Crazy Cryin’ Blues” (95 North) B

A clear-voiced blues singer with a fine band backup. Husband guitarist has a heavy hand in arranging music to good effect. Smooth vocals sound odd in blues (as I’m first to attest), but Rogers pulls it off well. Sneaks up on you. Big horn backups. Fantastic version of “Come on In This House” and stand-out vocals on a spiritual (#8).

Thackery, Jimmy – “In The Natural State” (Rykodisc) B

Thackery pulls together reknowned Cate Brothers to do a disc of music from his Home State (Arkansas). Some of the usual rave-ups from Thackery, punctuated with some favorite covers that, in my opinion, don’t quite cut it. Unusual for Thackery. But his usual fine rock guitar chops shine in an early instrumental (#2), and an incredible standout, both spare and beautiful, is done with minimal backup (#4) – another unusual Thackery offering.

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Wednesday, June 21

ADDS FOR JUNE 19

DATE: 6.19.06
ARTIST: Darrell Scott
TITLE: The Invisible Man
GENRE: Country
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Reminiscent at times of recent Rodney Crowell — Let's Call It a Life, Do It Or Die Trying, even the emotional closer In My Final Hour — The Invisible Man may arguably be Scott's most mainstream recording. Surrounding himself with the best of Nashville – Danny Thompson-bass, Kenny Malone-drums, and Richard Bennett-guitar and keyboardist Gabe Dixon – Darrell then invites other like minded iconoclasts – Sam Bush, John Cowan, Dan Dugmore, and Andrea Zonn – to make the invisible man visible. Highlight tracks include: Shattered Cross, There's A Stone Around My Belly and The River Is Me. RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12
REVIEWER: www.acousticmusic.com

DATE: 6.
ARTIST: Ane Brun
TITLE: A Temporary Dive
GENRE: rock/alt/s-s
GRADE:
REVIEW: Swedish singer-songwriter Ane Brun’s 2004 release A Temporary Dive finally has been issued stateside, courtesy of the Virgin off-shoot V2 — and it comes not a moment too soon. In spite of its minimalist production, the album is imbued with a melancholic ambience that is worthy of Neko Case. Brun’s voice is equally enchanting: an angelic, almost childlike soprano that possesses both Joan Baez’s quaver and Joni Mitchell’s lilt. Add to this confessional lyrics and guest appearances by indie singer-songwriters Ron Sexsmith and Syd Matters, and the resulting record is both mystifying and irresistible. A Temporary Dive’s opening cut To Let Myself Go is an enigmatic, bare-bones, folk-pop lament that enhances its introspection with haunting backing vocals, while The Fight Song features a frenzied slide guitar bridge in the midst of its ominous, inscrutable lyrics. Elsewhere, the country-folk Balloon Ranger is reminiscent of a solitary, late-night drive down a deserted, southern highway; the title track manages to be both mournful and hopeful, philosophical and accessible; and with a jaunty rhythm that belies its lyrics of depression and loneliness, Little Lights (Brun’s duet with Syd Matters) concludes the effort on a high note. At first glance, the moseying rhythm and full-band production of Song No. 6 should seem at odds with the rest of the album, but beneath the spark and spirit of the tune, lurk the same ambient shadings that pervade the entirety of the affair. Of the outing’s 11 tracks, only the overly simplistic Where Friends Rhymes with End is less than stellar, meaning A Temporary Dive is essential listening for fans of meditative, atmospheric euphony.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 10
REVIEWER: www.music-boxonline.com

DATE: 6.19.06
ARTIST: Frank Black
TITLE: Fast Man Raider Man
GENRE: Rock/Alt/S-S
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Two CDs, 27 songs. Overkill, perhaps? Yes. Somewhere there’s a bootlegger crying over his CD burner. These days, everyone is Ryan Adams. No more outtakes — just release everything and let the listener sort it out. On Fast Man, Black kept to an informal, impulsive recording schedule. In Nashville, he’d ring up his producer, Jon Tiven, and have him gather the finest players available on short notice — Steve Cropper, Spooner Oldham, Free’s Simon Kirke, Buddy Miller, Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson; in L.A., he rounded up drummer Steve Ferrone, bassist Carol Kaye and P.F. Sloan. Black’s come a long way from the Pixies, and the assurance of working with overly competent studio pros has enabled him to slip into Americana mode without sounding disturbingly out of place. Much like 2005’s Honeycomb, Fast Man Raider Man uses traditional forms, specializing in soul ballads (“Fast Man”) and classics (Ewan MacColl’s “Dirty Old Town”) that economize on the electricity spent without sacrificing too much power.

FCC CD 2 TRACK 6 “SHIT”
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: CD 1: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12
CD 2: 2, 4, 7, 9, 10
REVIEWER: www.orlandoweekly.com

DATE: 6.19.06
ARTIST: Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplin
TITLE: Lost John Dean
GENRE: Country/Alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW: The duo, along with the nifty skills of multi-instrumentalist Fats Kaplin, released You Can’t Save Everybody in 2004, a solid mix of folk, roots, blues, and everything that makes Americana or alt.country music great. Now, they’re back with their second album. Recorded in a span of basically a few days, the album gets off to a slow, bluesy, folksy start with Kane taking the lead vocal for “Monkey Jump”, a tune that flies thanks to its barebones feel and Kaplin’s subtle but effective fiddle in the background. From there, they slow things down just a hair for the steady, Delta blues-flavored “Satan’s Paradise” that Welch delivers quite nicely. If you’re looking to boogie your butt for a few minutes, then you’ll lap up the mountain-meets-Delta vibe of the title track, which has some sweet harmonies by both Welch and Kane as a banjo leads the song along. While all of the songs here are great, this one seems to edge the others out by a nose. Although both songwriters would be able to shine on their own with these songs, it’s the combination of the two of them that makes for one heck of a listen. Add Kaplin to the mix and songs like “Them Wheels Don’t Roll” anymore just roll perfectly from start to finish, no one performer stepping on the toes of the other. And if the first ten songs weren’t enough, the trio decides to let loose for a rousing and instantly infectious cover of “Mellow Down Easy”, a track that doesn’t mellow down at all.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11
REVIEWER: www.popmatter.com

DATE: 6.21.06
ARTIST: Hacienda Brothers
TITLE: What's Wrong With Right
GENRE: Country/Soul
GRADE: A-
REVIEW: Out in Arizona The Hacienda Brothers put together a slow-burning mix of country and soul that I bet is big fun to check out live. In the studio, southern-soul producer Dan Penn is a good match for the band, although the gas doesn't really get turned up high enough on the stove to make this the scorcher it could have been. Still, their slinky sound gets under your skin. Many fine original tunes here and some great covers – The Boxtops “Cry Like A Baby” (written by Dan Penn and Spoomer Oldhame, the Gamble & Huff soul classic “Cowboys to Girls”), and “Rebound”, written by Bill Justis and Charlie Rich.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
REVIEWER: jIM mANION/wfhb

DATE: 6.21.06
ARTIST: Jason Wilber
TITLE: Live and Otherwise
GENRE: LOCAL
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Local favorite Jason Wilber compiles some of his best songs recorded live (and otherwise) at variou locations over the last 6-7 years. Soundwise, a mixed bag, some of the live tracks are kind of raw, but Jason's spunk always cuts through.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 4, 5, 6, 10
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

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Tuesday, June 20

cheb & ziggy

COMRADES! Only a few discs in this week, but I promise a full slate of genre adds for the summer solstice....

Artist: Cheb i Sabbah
Title: La Ghriba: La Kahena Remixed
Label: Six Degrees
Genre: int’l / electronica
Grade: A

Calling this a Cheb I Sabbah album isn't totally accurate. The original tracks are his, of course, from La Kahena, but the versions on Ghriba: La Kahena Remixed are from 11 other producers, all of whom bring their individual outlooks to bear. What's apparent (and understandable) throughout is the emphasis on rhythm, natural in something based around North Africa. Inevitably, some remixes work better than others, with the Chakadoons take on "Toura Toura" (01) and Temple of Sound's deep bass on "Esh 'Dani, Alash Mshit" (05) being real standouts. But there's not a bad cut here, each taking the basic ideas into new dimensions, from the Indian inflection of Gaurav Raina's "Im Ninialou" (11) to Bill Laswell's almost epic grandeur on "Esh 'Dani, Alash Mshit" (10).

Reviewer: Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

Artist: Ziggy Marley
Title: Love is My Religion EP
Label: Tuff Gong
Genre: reggae / mainstream
Grade: A-

A nice-enough return to form for the “Conscious Party” Marley, who will continue to be overshadowed by his brother “Jamrock” for the foreseeable future. There’s one awful lyrical couplet (“I don’t want to fight / Let’s go fly a kite”) that threatens to derail the lot, but the sentiment is nice and the harmony is solid and catchy. The acoustic version (03) deserves the lion’s share of programmer interest, stripping away the drums and production for guitar and voice.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

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Sunday, June 11

TFF + (3 x int'l) = ???

COMRADES! WE ARE PARTYING LIKE IT'S 1985 HERE AT CARAVCOM CENTRAL! DELUXE REISSUE OF TEARS FOR FEARS--COUNT US IN!.....

Artist: Tears for Fears
Title: Songs from the Big Chair [Deluxe Edition]
Label: Mercury
Genre: mainstream
Grade: A-

80s completists rejoice (but tread lightly)! First off, the original 1985 album gets an unqualified “A” from me—go beyond the hits and revisit tracks like “I Believe,” “Broken,” and “Listen.” The remaining 1 ½ discs are a definitive rag and bone buffet of everything else released in association with TFF’s sophomore release. There are believable alternate versions of nearly every song on the record: the best of the lot are probably the ambient revisit of “Everybody Wants” [on a track inexplicably named “Pharaohs”], the 7” remix of “Mothers Talk,” and the 12” of “Broken/Head Over Heels.”

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Enter the Haggis
Title: Soapbox Heroes
Label: UFO
Genre: int’l / Celtic rock
Grade: B+

As a calling card for their scheduled 8/12/06 gig at the Indiana State Fair, Soapbox Heroes is enticing enough. The band mixes straight-ahead rock with bagpipes and such to particularly fine effect on the instrumental “Lancaster Gate” (01). Those looking for something a little slower should check out the lyrically arresting track “The Barfly” (06). These guys would kick Lotusfest’s buttocks, full stop.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Marta Gómez
Title: Entre Cada Palabra
Label: Chesky
Genre: int’l / Columbia
Grade: A

Colombian singer/songwriter Marta Gomez is a wonderful, enigmatic talent. Her voice has the lulling softness that evokes Brazil's female vocal icons, yet there's a depth to her writing that goes far beneath the surface. Her last album saw her labeled as a jazz singer, but there's little evidence of that here, possibly quite deliberately. Instead it's an album of low-key Latin music that at times edges toward a more straightforward singer/songwriter stance. Gomez is a rapidly rising star of genuine quality and inspiration.

Reviewer: Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

Artist: v / a
Title: The Rough Guide to Bachata
Label: WMN
Genre: int’l / Dominican Republic +
Grade: A-

Dancefloor-beckoning rhythms, nimble fretwork, and Romantic vocal delivery are all calling cards of bachata, here pleasingly given the Rough Guide treatment. Highlights include the bubbly swagger of Luis Vargas (04), the tuneful guitar-vocal counterpoint of Anthony Santos (05), and the duet of Monchy & Alexandra (11), who bring the only female vocal work to the compilation.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

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Tuesday, June 6

Blues & Jazz Reviews - Cathi Norton

Omar & The Howlers – “Bamboozled” (Ruf Records) B-

A live disc from this Austin road dawg band. It’s a party band, a la Creedence Clearwater with a leaning toward blues. Omar is a big old bear with a growly voice who does a lot of parties and cover songs. Not bad—covers Doug Sahm and Bo Diddley beats, and some come credible rock/blues, but not necessarily my favorite group.

Swinderman, Eric – “In Pursuit of the Sound” (Belle Productions) A

San Franciscan guitarist who does a variety of smooth jazz to spanish-flamenco-tinged numbers, and some interesting covers of Miles Davis. Check out the solo acoustic cover of Miles in “Nardis.” Verrrrry interesting. All instrumental but for a Joyce Grant original (#6). Probably good for all mixes

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Blues & Misc Reviews -- Cathi Norton

Guitar Shorty – “The Long and Short of It: Best of Guitar Shorty” (Shout Factory) A-

The Chicago guitar-slinger, by way of Seattle, is probably most famous for his somersaults and headstands, all while playing what could be described as “slashing” guitar licks. He’s an up-tempo/energy guy from whom Jimi Hendrix is said to have garnered a few licks. He’s always entertaining and this offers many of his best tunes, with gravelly vocal accompaniment and blistering guitar throughout. He’s an old timer, distilled and genuine. I wish I had some of his vitamins. Not a lot here for morning mix, but it’s the real deal all the way.

Bonamassa, Joe – “You & Me” (Premier Records) A-

Bonamassa is the guitar wonderkid. Another someone Stevie Ray Vaughan has to answer for, he signed with Epic Records at age 22 after opening for B.B. King at age 12 and playing gigs in New York long before he was able to drink. His guitar work is fiery and skilled, approaching an almost heavy-metal blues. Sometimes loud, sometimes not, it always has structure and frames the song in a way that holds it together while seeming to barely contain itself. Interesting player, and certainly someone bound to be very popular in the blues-rock genre.

Earl, Ronnie – “Heart & Soul: The Best of Ronnie Earl” (Shout Factory) A

Wow. I love Ronnie Earl, and my usual (secret) disappointment is made up for here in this collection of great hits, with Sugar Ray Norcia, Kim Wilson, Darrell Nulisch, and Mighty Sam McCain on the mic. Duke Robillard and David “Fathead” Newman guest...Dave Maxwell. This is a treat of a disc with great nuggets from the fantastic guitarist. He plays it all and well. Lots for everyone.

Ferreira, Johnny – “Rock & Roll Saxophonist” (Pair-a-Dice Rec.) C (pond)

This is a disc of flamboyant saxophone licks over flat-out rock and roll. Best part of the disc is the double chick-vocals that lace throughout. The songwriting is not that exciting and the vocalist sings like a young kid. Could be a sound worth developing with some maturity, but for now, it’s more garage-sounding.

Funderburgh, Anson & Rockets – “Blast Off: The Best of Anson Funderburgh
and the Rockets (Shout Factory) A

Dallas guitar wizard, Anson Funderburgh must be a cyborg. I don’t think he CAN play a wrong note. He learned straight off old blues records before he was ten and hooked up with Sam Myers (harp and vocals) in ’82. He’s a stellar blues guitarist, never steps on the vocals or harp and is rock solid whether playing support, or tasty lead over the always in-the-pocket, Rockets. Texas jump and Delta Blues are this man’s meat and he chews up the scenery every time. Great collection of good tunes here. Everyone is top call.

ShaNaNa – “One More Saturday Night” (Gold Label) C – (Pond)

I used to be quite a fan of this group, when they leaned more heavily on the vocal arrangements that were interesting. This disc, however, leans more on the ’50’s style pompadour grease for old fashioned arrangements and none too slick at that. Not really recommended except for niche lovers.

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pearl jam + (3 x intl) = ?

COMRADES! Summer Solstice draws near! The pools are open! What in God's name are you doing sitting at a computer?!?

Artist: Pearl Jam
Title: Pearl Jam
Label: J
Genre: mainstream rock
Grade: A+

Nearly 15 years after Ten, Pearl Jam finally returned to the strengths of their debut with this self-titled release, a sharply focused set of impassioned hard rock. Gone are the arty detours (some call them affectations) that alternately cluttered and enhanced their albums from 1993's sophomore effort, Vs., all the way to 2002's Riot Act, and what's left behind is nothing but the basics: muscular, mildly meandering rock & roll, enlivened by Eddie Vedder's bracing sincerity. Pearl Jam has never sounded as hard, direct, purposeful, alive, or engaging as they do here. (4 ½ stars)

Reviewer: Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Artist: v / a
Title: The Rough Guide to Planet Rock
Label: WMN
Genre: int’l
Grade: A

Sorry, no Africa Bambaataa here—not even a Kraftwerk sample. We can divide up this disc into three categories: First, friendly reminders of albums that have seen ‘FHB rotation (e.g., Tinariwen’s Amassakoul [03]). Next, tracks from discs we wish we had (e.g., Konono No. 1’s Congotronics [15]). Finally, nice fresh cuts from around the world, led by the raï-ish Les Boukakes (02) and the Ukrainian ska of Haydamaky (12). Some clunkers, but plenty of good’ns, too.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Etran Finatawa
Title: Introducing Etran Finatawa
Label: Riverboat
Genre: int’l
Grade: A-

We are told that “etran finatawa” translates as “the stars of tradition,” a nice moniker for this Niger band, whose members are both Tuareg and Wodaabe. There are definite elements of both Tinariwen and Malian blues here, and while Etran Finatawa has yet to separate from the pack, this is a solid enough debut from a group that could go places.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Extra Golden
Title: Ok-Oyot System
Label: Thrill Jockey
Genre: int’l
Grade: A

Ok-Oyot System is a wonderful collaboration between Americans Ian Eagleson and Alex Minoff of Golden and Kenyans Otieno Jagwasi and Onyango Wuod Omari of Orchestra Extra Solar Africa. The sessions grew out of Eagleson's doctoral work on the Benga music of Kenya and Nairobi, but this isn't really an attempt at playing true Benga music. There's certainly an African feel throughout the album, but you can hear that everyone brought a little bit to the table. It's too bad more cross-cultural collaborations don't come off as naturally as this. Unfortunately, the passing of Otieno Jagwasi in May of 2005 probably put an end to Extra Golden, but Ok-Oyot System is an excellent album that will serve as a tribute to his memory. (4 stars)

Reviewer: Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide

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Thursday, June 1

ADDS FOR 5.29.06

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST: Mark Knoffler & Emmylou Harris
TITLE: All the Roadrunning (Warner)
GENRE: COUNTRY/ALT
GRADE: A
REVIEW: This lush and earthy collaboration between Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris may sound like it rose from an amiable weeklong studio session, but the 12 tracks that make up All the Road Running were actually recorded over the span of seven years. The boot-stomping "Red Staggerwing" and the gentle "Donkey Town," both of which were bumped from Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia record, give the ex-Dire Straits leader a chance to flex his country muscle, while the wistful title track spotlights the lovely Harris, whose playful demeanor and guarded confidence helps keep Knopfler in check during his sometimes excessive soloing. The two couldn't be more at odds vocally, but Knopfler's laconic drawl is like an easy chair for Harris' fluid pipes, and standout tracks like the 9/11-inspired "This Is Goodbye," the wistful "Beachcombing," and the infectious single "This Is Us" come off as effortless statements of vitality from both camps. ~
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12
REVIEWER: James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST: Ralph Towner
TITLE: Time Line (ECM)
GENRE: Jazz
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: This is Ralph Towner's 21st recording for ECM and his fifth made entirely solo. A mix of through composed pieces, improvisations and a couple of standards, it's a reminder of a singular talent. Towner's use of 12 string and classical guitars is pretty much unique in jazz. Similarly, his playing has little to do with conventional jazz harmony, though it's hard to say where else it comes from...Towner's most discernable influence is probably Bill Evans, and there's something of the pianist's unsentimental, impressionistic melancholia in these pieces. But there's muscle too; the freely improvised 'Five Glimpses' and the gorgeous "Freeze Frame" brim with invention and power. In short, beautiful music from a master of the guitar.Reviewer: Peter Marsh
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 7-11, 13, 14, 15, 16
REVIEWER: bbc.com

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST:Gigi
TITLE: Gold & Wax (Palm)
GENRE: INTERNATIONAL/ETHIOPIA
GRADE: A
REVIEW: For her third album, Gold & Wax, Gigi invites US guitar master, Buckethead to play with the addition of noted keys-man, Bernie Worrel, who has worked with Talking Heads, and multi-instrumentalist, Bill Laswell, who also produces this effort.
With a swirl of jazz, exotic old world vocals, and a mélange of rhythmic styles that runs throughout, Gigi and her guests develop and present a captivating album of songs. Beginning with an upbeat jazz tune, “”Semena-Worck,” one can easily see the allure of such music. An underlying example would be Dead Can Dance’s Lisa Gerrard’s fascination with such world vocals and the music that carries it. If you listen closely, you can begin to hear DCD and their own style, while more ethereal in nature, still has root in this style. The first song certainly opens the door for the rest of the album, which can be called an entrancing step into a new world ready to be explored, mapped, and enjoyed. Every song on this album is an intrigue that gently pushes into the next song. “Jerusalem,” a song that extends nearly 9 minutes, is a steady rhythm that finds Buckethead guitar encapsulated into its heart, making the track a standout as it hypnotically spills from the speaker.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
REVIEWER: musictap.com

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST: Camera Obscura
TITLE: Let's Get Out of This Country (Merge)
GENRE: ROCK/ALT
GRADE: A
REVIEW: The album opens with the first eerie organ bars of "Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken". Though the beauty and slickness of Campbell's voice and the provocative lyrics ("Hey Lloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken/Cause I can't see further/Than my own nose at the moment") are unmistakably Camera Obscura, the music itself strays from their previous two albums. It's faster; the drums and tambourine play a bigger role in than in older songs. Campbell's vocals aren't as soothing or aS melancholy. Here she sounds more confident, and the song sounds very produced. It's a good song, though. It's catchy.
"Tears For Affairs" is more of a bluesy (but up-beat bluesy) song with a defined rock beat. "Dory Previn" and "The False Contender" are slower tunes with much less of the "rock" of the majority of the album. The album's title track might be the most pleasing. It has the heavy pop rock beat Camera Obscura is so fond of this year, strings, and steady tambourine, but it's Campbell's wide-eyed voice that makes the song so pleasurable. "If Looks Could Kill" is a dancey tune, upbeat but still treading the cynical, bittersweet lyrics songwriter Campbell is most noted for. She sings: "I promise hidden words of tenderness in every single line that I write/Still you act like a man who is cross with every woman he's never had/If it's true looks could kill and you will be the first to make me mad/Then you'll have to go/Maybe you'll have to go."
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8
REVIEWER: musicforamerica.com

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST: Tim Easton
TITLE: AMmunition (New West)
GENRE: FOLK/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW: For his first release in over three years, and his third for the New West label, singer songwriter Easton goes even further back to his roots. Easton sticks primarily to emotional ballads, with even his own strumming guitar and occasional percussion relegated to the background as he sings primarily of alienation and lost or waning love. The album's generally dark, somber lyrics mesh well with his doe-eyed sleepy voice and the laconic tempo of the songs. "C-Dub" and "News Blackout" returns him to Bringing it All Back Home-era Bob Dylan with prominent harmonica and political lyrics on the latter that creep into the personal as he closes the song with "Sweetheart please, please take my hand." There is a lonely, solemn quality to the unaccompanied "J.P.M.F.Y.F." (short for Jesus Protect Me From Your Followers) that sounds like Easton strumming in his bedroom as he quietly lashes out at those who are "spitting in the face of love with one hand on the bible and the other in the purse." The closing cover of the blues standard "Sitting on Top of the World" brings the disc to a resigned and tranquil conclusion. A personal album that takes a few spins, or more, to appreciate, Tim Easton shoots his bullets with a silencer on the scraggly, moving and introspective Ammunition.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
FCC: 9
REVIEWER: allmusicguide.com

DATE: 5.31.06
ARTIST: Mojave 3
TITLE: Puzzles Like You 4AD
GENRE: rock/alt
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: With great seasonal timing, Mojave 3 has snapped their music into Brit-pop shape with an album full of bubbly summer sounds. With the exception of the album’s slower songs like “Most Days”, “Big Star Baby” and “You Said It Before”, Puzzles Like You rocks like the band never has before. From the opening two-chord kick of the first track, “Truck Driving Man”, you know this is going to be a record that rings well in the summer air. Relying heavily on 4/4 beats and rock song conventions, the upbeat side of Puzzles Like You carries a top-down cruising quality that brings a sunny smile. Farfisa organ riffs, resonant pedal steel guitar atmospheres and glockenspiel tones ornament the tunes in all the right places. Rachel Goswell’s bass anchors and punches the clock while Neil Halstead’s breathy voice rides each song’s wave with relaxed intensity, sometimes supported by Goswell’s subtle but sure backup vocals. Guitarist Simon Rowe picks out scrumptious leads, keyboard player Alan Forrester comps and enhances melodies with a variety of keyboard sounds including some stately piano and drummer Ian McCutcheon kicks out perfect beats on his kit. It all comes together in melodious focus like the best Cure songs minus the goth makeup. The songs on Puzzles Like You are wistful, smart and speak from the heart. Sprinkled with sadness, nostalgia and self-examination the overall mood is still happy, sometimes giddy, with the wisdom of experience. “Breaking the Ice”, the first single, is particularly rich in this mood. The album is loaded with potential radio hits - “Truck Driving Man”, “Running With Your Eyes Closed”, “Ghost Ship Waiting” and “Kill the Lights” among them.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10 FCC:6
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST: The New Orleans Social Club
TITLE: Sing Me Back Home (Burgundy)
GENRE: Louisiana
GRADE: A
REVIEW: After the post-Katrina migration of Big Easy musicians, part of the Lone Star State is starting to look like New Orleans West, but the refugees aren't ready for cowboy hats.That much is apparent from the title of this all-star album by the New Orleans Social Club, a loosely assembled collective based in Austin, Texas. Sing Me Back Home, in stores Tuesday, is flavored with love and good feelings for the storm-ravaged musical destination. It's that sense of purpose that weaves together a diverse cast of stars that ranges from Ivan Neville, his uncle Cyril Neville, Dr. John, Henry Butler and the Sixth Ward All-Star Brass Band Revue. Cyril Neville, now a beloved fixture in Austin, shines on the opening "This is my Country.'' It's a Curtis Mayfield song written at the time of the 1960s civil-rights movement that resonates anew in the wake of the Katrina response. That song is followed by nephew Ivan's funky reinvention of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son.''
The rest of Sing Me Back Home is more of a celebration of the New Orleans spirit: Texas icon Marcia Ball teaming with Irma Thomas for the uplifting "Look Up''; Dr. John doing a reverential "Walking to New Orleans''; the subdudes' lilting stroll through "Make a Better World.''
REVIEWER: Jim Abbott Orlando Sentinal

DATE: 5.29.06
ARTIST: The Bottle Rockets
TITLE: Zoysia (Bloodshot)
GENRE: rock/mainstream
GRADE: A
REVIEW: The Bottle Rockets play truly believable blue collar rock ’n’ roll. And the collar’s as worn and greasy as the guitars are twangy. The St. Louis quartet plays haphazard barroom rock that hints at any number of roots, especially country with songs sung in an “aw-shucks,” Crazy Horse kinda way. The band’s new Bloodshot record, Zoysia, has the group strumming distorted guitars beneath frontman Brian Henneman’s reedy croon. The band rocks steady and seems suited for nights spent scootin’ on the sawdust, fueled by perhaps one too many cervezas. Henneman exudes heartbreak in his “melancholy trousers and masochistic shirt” on cuts like “Happy Anniversary,” stubbornness (“when I drink I drink/when I quit I quit”) on “Quit,” or exasperation over human ignorance on the track “Blind,” where he asks “Could our own two eyes be our own worst enemy/If we all were blind I wonder what we’d see.” First-rate American roots rock ’n’ roll.
REVIEWER: RochesterCityNews.com

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