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First Table/The Richest/Album/La-La Records  If it's intensely soulful and energised punk rock you're after then 'First Table' and 'The Richest' are not for you. They aimed at it but they failed to deliver. Do they know that? Now they do... They attitude bristles with self-belief but without enough quality to back it up. So it gets annoying. Shake them and wake them. They are just trend-chasing posers currently doing the rounds around London. If you see them make them cry. ____________________ The Kickbacks/Motel Stars/Album/Peeled Label Records  With their fourth album Motel Stars this four piece from Swamscott, (?) MA, delivered an exciting, hybrid sound. Their new release has the interesting ability of smacking of all sorts of familiar sounds (rock, pop, indie, folk and hints of 'Americana') coupled with a new, interesting way of fusing the same. Thumbs up guys. ____________________ The Destroyed/Russian Roulette/Album/The Destroyed Wow! This Boston based punk band are at it since 70s. You have to admire and respect them without even listening their new album. They don't lack energy or eagerness. Worthy your ears. ____________________ Palette/Sofia's Mind /Album/PON Music Is it Indie? Grunge? Or something else? Palette's debut LP lacks the freshness and perspective. ____________________ The Green And Yellow TV/Sinister Barrier/Album/Records Records What Biologique (see below) lacks The Green And Yellow TV has. This LA 3-piece play some really rather lovely pop rock. It made my day. ____________________ Biologique/Corps/Album/Aqua Music Records Disappointingly safe and unthreatening rocky pop or popy rock. Whatever. There are a lot of other bands who do this kind of thing and a hell of a lot better. Ie The Green and Yellow TV. (see above) Listen to them instead of Biologique. ____________________ Jerry Drake and the Front Page Big Band/3 Albums/Darmar Publishing This mature New Yorker gave us 3 albums to play with: 1. A tribute To The Big Band Made up of original songs 2. Latin Latitudes Songs based on various Latin dances of the ball room era 3. Songs From My heart Personal and intimate, trilogy of songs about Vietnam, 9-11 and WWII All three are easy and comfortable, never overplayed. Delectable. ____________________ Stamps/Gold Stamps/Album/Music4U Records Stamps should bury this mellow ska immediately if not sooner. Poor, unattractive, uninspiring, off. ____________________ Evil Beaver/Models Of Virtue/EP/E. Lago Entertainment Group Evil Beaver (pardon the name) was founded in Chicago in 1999 by front women Evie Evil. Her love for letter 'e' didn't promise much in the beginning but after listening carefully to this duo and their new EP I was pleasantly surprised. They have a bucket load of energy and right amount of attitude to pull it off. ____________________ Bonus/Kevin&Co/Album/Super Sweet Records This was excruciating for me to listen. As I was in 'hug the world' mood I really tried my best to find something positive about Kevin&Co to write about. Couldn't find a thing. ____________________ Richard McGraw/Song And Void/Album/Non-Utopian Records Another album worth your listen from this talented New Yorker. Song and Void is bursting with emotions and love for all and it should please Richard's loyal fan base. Having Van Morisson's legendary guitar player John Platania on this album made this project even more special. ____________________ Jose Promis/Promis/Album/JFPMusic Publishing (BMI) Chilean-born songwrite Jose Promis (now lives in Silverlake, Los Angeles) gave us 14 songs to enjoy with his newly realised album 'Promis'. His theatrical approach to indie and an impressive list of collaborators on this album makes him stand out. Lets keep our fingers crossed. ____________________ Roadshow/Dour/Album/Understated Records After just few minutes listening to Dour I was completely lost. In a desperate attempt to produce something unique they gave us way too many ingredients to swallow. It gave me heartburn and indigestion. ____________________ Munkey Juice/Fatty Arbuckle's Coke/Album/Choose To Lose Music CTL Records Although I cannot say I approve of their name or even title of their 8th album I don't disapprove of their music. Munkey Juice's (I cannot even write their name without laughing, giggle, giggle giggle...) light hearted post modern punky rock (?) won me over. After 11 years together this 4 piece from Minnetonka, MN, USA deserves our deepest respect for hanging on. And its good to know that they are still enjoying it! After listening to their Fatty Arbuckle's Coke (giggle, giggle, giggle) I've started to rather like their choice of name(s). Silly, giggly me. ____________________ Urban Game/Solitaire/Album/More Than Music Records I was utterly disappointed with this album. I do remember watching them live few years back (under different name). I was impressed with their row energy they had back then. What happened? What did you became and why? The album is so flat, so dry, so cowardly done, so stale... and so not you! Shame. ____________________ Joe Matson/Demo This one-man-indie-band from Essex delivered decent 4 song demo. Its perfect for what it is: demo - showcase of Joe's talent hoping for that all important break. With little bit of luck and help from the right producer he may get it. Good luck! ____________________ Ingemar Ohlsson/Blue Topaz/Album/Blue Topaz Records Swedish born true gentleman, professor, composer and virtuoso Ingemar Ohlsson gave me a very special treat by sending his Blue Topaz Album to be reviewed on this pages. I've enjoyed all 11 songs, vocals by Bjorn Elmgren, choir, the orchestra...the lot. I am so looking forward to hear his new 14 songs he promised to deliver this summer. ____________________ Ultra Tindra/Lilly Of The Valley/Album/SMG Tunes I wish Ultra Tindra's music was less repetitive and predictable. Less polished and more grown-up. Maybe if they got their music up for a heart transplant? Maybe than it would be worth resuscitating? But they didn't. So switch that SMG Tunes life-supporting machine off. Switch it now! ____________________ Bloom/B Like Water.../EP/ This Chelmsford 3-piece folk rock alternative band are building an impressive fan base. Nationally and Internationally. They made the top five radio play list in Belgium, played one off acoustic show in Germany organised by Australian producer...and now aiming to write the illusive Classic Album. I like their energy, confidence that still isn't arrogance and above all realism in their songs. Keep it up. ____________________ Hypoallergenic/Voice Control/Album/Get Me Records Sometimes I just do not know what to do when I get material like this. Shall I sent it back and demand refund of my time? Demand to speak to some sort of manager or write to health and safety executive of their Borough? You tell me?! ____________________ Edward Barturen/The Lady/Album/Abydos Music Originally Oklahoma now living in Florida, Edward Barturen grew up deeply influenced by The Beatles. And it shows on his debut album The Lady. This ageless music will always find listeners. Are you one of them? ____________________ Alex Gomez/Metallic Blue Electric/Album/AGO Publishing Deltaelectric 'Metallic Blue Electric' - Another great delivery from neo-bluesman Alex Gomez. Its grimy enough in places to make you gnash your teeth but amiable and essence-y in some to make you wanna build that castle in the air. Buy it. ____________________ Rapid/Direct/Album/Soft Sound This is so crap that I am lost for words. I am not doing this to be cruel. Cruelty is a necessary punishment for the terminally stupid. And 'Direct' is just that. ____________________ Dead Next Door/Time To Fight/EP/Prison Records I am always excited to hear a band from London. Especially if there is even a slight chance of sniff of punk init. DND has both, so do not ask me to be objective. Check their web site: www.deadnextdoor.co.uk and buy that £5 ticket for their next gig. You know the drill! ____________________ Ryan Frisinger/ Two Lovers/Album/ This generous 10 track debut CD is putting his creator Ryan Frisinger up high. Concoction of acoustic meets folk and religion. If you are ever in Angola, IN - check it out. ____________________ Paradox/Suite/Album/Medline Sound The first thing Paradox need to understand: there is such a thing as too much vocal distortion. Vocals are indistinguishable from their strings, drums are buried deep under.. . Its all a bit unfinished and unloved. ____________________ Coves H/Unheard Of/Album/Stop OS A quick listen to 'Unheard Of' will reveal that Coves H is quite the nutcase and I sincerely hope that he isn't real. This veteran ear-attacker should retire soon. Very soon. ____________________ SeDiva/All Night, All Day/Album/Raw & Uncut This hip-hop stunner was born and raised in San Jose, California. Also known as a 'Saul Train' dancer SeDiva she did all she could to peruse her real dream - singing. SelDiva cooked hard her debut album 'All Night, All Day' by writing all of its songs from personal experience. Have a listen. ____________________ I am not picking-up/Solitude/Album/SWENS With their beards and barnets out of control, those fanatical 'I am not picking up' are looking like first class wife beaters. Raw and gritty ( but in the bad way) with permanent whiff of unsuppressed redneck lunacy, the band's sound is pure retro punk hell. Yuck. ____________________ Various Artists/Album/Sevier Productions This indie record label from Nashville treated me with 5 great records currently under their wing. Its a pity that I have limited space on this web site for my reviews and I cannot tackle each artists individually (this is gonna look more like a Label review) but here there are briefly: Matt Woods - Something Surrel Chad Bradford - Dollar Short Suzanne Samford - Lonely Charade Drue Nelson - Ambient Fixtures Compilation 1 I was impressed with quality of their songs, their vocal abilities, their recordings, the lot! Sevier Productions chose well. ____________________ Silver Brainwave/Emporium/Album/Whimsical Records This is the fourth album for this Edinburgh 3-piece. Again, they didn't disappoint by delivering some seriously cheerful but clever pop. Cannot wait to see them in London venue. ____________________ Crash The Machine/4am/Album/CTM Music This Sacramento, California band's music is easy on the ear, fun and melodic. Crash The Machine's string-based songs are fervent and frank. I am sure that this four piece has a future. ____________________ Nicotine Crisis/I need to P/Album/PIP With Nicotine Crisis and 'I need to P' all you get is the racket a synthetic orchestra might make during a digital tune-up. No hope. ____________________ The FulMouth/Album/CEE-X Productions This album is UK Hip Hop and comprises of MC's from Brighton and London who are members of the Foulmouth Crew, all done by CEE-X. CEE-X is a /composer/producer originally from Wolverhampton, now living in Brighton and this is his first album. And a pretty good one hence the quality of recording. His talent and skills are clear. No one can doubt that. I like the whole concept and their sincerity. I want only best for them. Fingers Crossed. _________ Simone Elizabeth/EP/Think Tank Simone's first experience of singing came while studying classical performance. This compliments a lot her r'n'b- hip-hop-reggae outlook by giving her music sense of sophistication. Thumbs up. ____________________ Tippi/Remember My Face/Album/Measured Records Brought up on the outskirts of Glasgow solo artist Tippi graduated with an Honours degree in Applied Music. She appeared in guest slots for likes of Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Paul Weller... Having Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Cure...as her influences Tippy was 'raised' well and it shows. She has a look, style and talent. She'll do well. ____________________ Smiling Mayer/Terence/Album/SUR Records Let's face it. Smiling Mayer won't go down in history as the band whose personality and uniqueness got us out of this latest musical pothole. Very bland, very tired. ____________________ Abie Toiber/Lotus/Album Originally from Vancouver solo artist Abie Toiber collaborated with some pretty impressive names on Lotus. There is a seventies element present on this album but it doesn't sound old. Full of ambience, they successfully bridged different genres without overloading. Nice and tranquil. ____________________ Hansom Pilot/Demo/ What a fantastic material for a demo! This unisex (3:2 for girls) 5 piece from London gave great unpretentious rock that matters. By not taking themselves too seriously Hansom Pilot brought back fun into music while keeping that all important edge. Great future ahead! ____________________ Summerset/Rise/Album/Tweed Music Records Inexperienced and misguided Summerset delivered poor and confused 'Rise' Album. Its hard to pin point what's wrong with it without sounding too harsh, (those guys are only 15 so I am going to cut them some slack) but there is a definite room for improvement as far as music, lyrics, vocals, image, production, sound, playing, .... is concern. Biiiiiiiiiiig room for improvement. ____________________ 857/Stand Out/Album/ Another great hip-hop act from New York. 857, four piece call their music innovative hip-hop and I agree. With more core and variety then your standard rap band they delivered truly unique 'Stand Out' album for all of us to enjoy. ____________________ This Et Al/You've Driven For Miles And Not Remembered A Thing/ Single/Double Dragon Leeds/Bradford four piece This Et Al gave their new single a very long name... But its a good one. The name and the single, lets not be cheeky. Melodic but without cheesy hints, edgy without sounding too intense, they found their right balance. Looking forward to hearing more from them. ____________________ Fivestar Riot/Unfamiliar Sky/EP/Street Scholars Records Rochester, USA birth town of five piece Fivestar Riot must be proud: Those young chaps know how to play good music. 'Unfamiliar Sky' is one true post punk pop with enough energy to give you one decent workout. Its is typical and predictable in its genre but that is not necessary always a mistake. Its honest and faithful to itself, especially to Green Day lovers. ____________________ Reverse/Yours/Album/Allstreet Music Records Oh dear, dear me. Let me put it this way: Makes me glad Reverse don't have my home address! What a bunch of weirdoes! ____________________ Binghi Ghost/Street Hits/Album/Street Scholars Records The start of 'Street Hits' was really deceiving. Sooo placid, but...well...not in a good way... I was just about to give up and then it happen: Wow! Powerful reggae rhythm started shaking, and, dare I say - me too! This whole album does not lack complexity but its not overcrowded. They gave us just the right amount of everything. Buy it! ____________________ Toffee/Titus/Album/TT Music Now This dreadful Depeche-electronica definitely tested my patience to the limit. I've gave up after 30 minutes. I just couldn't carry on and on and on listening to the same thing. Was it the same song all along? ____________________ Dead Drive Fast/Solstice Of The Soul/Album & EP/ There's a nice atmosphere here. This trio from Maplewood, USA has a old school of rock approach but doesn't feel dated. Just cosy. Pleasure for your ears and soul. Its definitely worth a listen. ____________________ Dog Men Poets/Birth Of The Cool/Album/Awesome Management Based out of Texas, discovered by the mainstream media, produced by two time Grammy nominated producer...'Dog Men Poets' demands your respect straight away. Hip-hop, funk, retro hi-hop and funk? Well, it has a loads of character. If you like Red Hot Chile Peppers - you'll like this one as well. ____________________ Bank it all/PlusMinus/Demo/ Drums are in evidence, as are strings and synth, but rather than coming together in some kind of apocalyptic groove, all you get is the ear bleeding noise. Bank it all need above all one good tune-up! ____________________ The Suns Of March/EP/ Semi-finalist in the Independent World Series, The Suns Of March are Montgomery based six piece offering you exciting alternative southern rock with this four track EP. The band has a bags of vigour and heart, I would really like to see them live. ____________________ Solve It!/Steady solve it/Album/PC Music These are not so much songs as loose, disturbing collections of sounds, not all of which are immediately recognisable or understandable. Really painful! ____________________ Skippy and the Bellbottoms/What Happened to Turn Signals/Album/El Deth Brought to you from Tennessee 'What Happened To Turn Signals?' is eleven track album all well produced by Arrison Kirby. Unusual in its aroma, this album can get you high or down, little bit above the earth, floating...or stuck you underground... So, tight up your seat belt and enjoy the ride through this mixture of electronica and acoustica. ____________________ The Streamers/This is not material world/Album/Omorica Records Another good New York based ( four piece) crew. I especially like lead singer/guitarist Sean Yoxovic and not just because of his Serbian roots but because he understands that rock NEEDS to be raw and raucous. Amen! ____________________ Jupiter One/Jupiter One/EP New York five piece Jupiter One gave us with this 6track EP fresh outlook on sometimes very predictable wanna-be-Beatles resonance. Each of five members are studied musicians giving their indie outfit grown-up but funky zest. Definitely watch this space. They are coming! ____________________ The Mines/Steve's Mum/Album/Lola Music My journey with 'Steve's Mum' started with one nasty paper cut. Bad sign! Its my fault that I've continued. It just got worse from that point. Appalling vocals, vile sound and heave lyrics. I wish The Mines kept 'Steve's Mum' to themselves. ____________________ Good Question/New Retro/Album/Cyclone Records Calgary based 'Good Question' gave us 'New Retro' rock with touches of funk, blues, jazz, classical and reggae. They gave u slots of instrumental adornments but luckily they didn't go OTT. (its a fine line, don't cross it!) Good Question's music has already been featured in the film 'The Morning After' giving me an impression that their success won't stop there. Good luck! ____________________ The Bella Fayes/Far From The Discos/Album/The BF Music Originally from Portland, The Bella Fayes gave honest and reliable 'Far From The Discos'. It has what one needs from first-rate, energetic cut. Thumbs up! ____________________ Action/Action/Demo/
Intellectual musings take precedence over the music. I hate that. Its always a danger when one musician has (or thinks he/she has) few talents and wants to show all of them at the same time. Its just one big mess. ____________________ Logic Logic/SMD/Album/SOB Record Those guys are just so tired. Are you sure you recorded this under your own free will? You know - you don't HAVE TO PLAY if you don't want to... Honest?! ____________________ Niall James Holohan/A Beautiful Corpse/Album/ S/c 'Dark Prince of Pop' from Dublin, its sorta too black market for me overall. But that is not necessary bad, no! Maybe I am just getting old...I am more into 'pick-me-ups' these days... So, you better judge it for yourself. ____________________ Pail/Blue Man on the Sun/Album/Moderate Roger Records Winners of the LMC Award for 'The Best Band', 'The Best Live Band', 'The Best Band' and 'Best Demo'. With all that under their belt they cannot be bad! No, they are fantastic, and with their young age on their side they have plenty of time to get even better. Brisk, pulsating, wholehearted, melodious metalcore to impress you all the way. I think they'll have a great future. If not: Big Boys are blind and deaf. ____________________ Giles/Blue Funk/Album/May Tree Each song on this fine album has different flavour. From reggae, upbeat rock to slow blues. Despite all that variety Giles are one true blues band. And I like it. Giles are based in NW of England and the regular tour the UK and abroad. I have a feeling they are good live. Check them out. ____________________ Rhymes/Sleep Dreams/Album/NR Records Plodding monotony. This psychotic metal attack suffers from that saggy repellent syndrome. Don't even bother. ____________________ Paul Larson/Through The Window/Album/ Originally from Utah, Paul wrote and sang all his 14 songs on this album. Successful combination of folk, country and acoustic. Honest ballads, great voice. There is something about Utah... ____________________ Steady/Tusse/Album/Song Tunes Records Its pretty unfathomable why oddball eight-piece Steady have been hyped to high heaven as the new 50 Cents. I don't see it. What's a statement of intent? Eight egomaniacal singers going through a power struggle doesn't 'tickle my fancy'. (track No 4) Do not waste your time on this. Its too bad I did. ____________________ Liquid Blue/Supernova/Album/David DeVore Liquid Blue's debut album 'Supernova' is a simple fine pop meets East Indian flavour. Hybrid that works. It looks like a music with a message despite its simplicity. But that is a beauty of it: no unnecessary fuss, no frills just straightforward, intelligent tunes. ____________________ Lisa-Lee Dark/Breath Of Life/Album/CDV Music Lisa-Lee's outstanding nine-octave soprano voice left me amazed as much as her life story. You probably heard this Welsh born singer in Galaxy Quest and Lord Of The Rings. Breath Of Life is Lisa-Lee's own modern arrangements of 12 well-known classical pieces and it was done FANTASTICALLY WELL, you have to have this album for your diner parties. On a personal level: I wish you all the best in the world Lisa-Lee, you can teach us all a lesson or two! ____________________ Lou DeAdder/LouD/Album/ Canadian born Lou has worked with many bands in the past, experimenting with variety of styles. With 'LouD' he went back to his rockin' blues roots. This ten track album gives you a blend of blues, some r'n'b, funk and hint of country. Have fun! ____________________ Biggup & Elijah/United We Stand/Single/B&E Records Met as recording artists signed to a Philadelphia based independent record company, Biggup and Elijah had a unbelievable share of bad luck in the past. What didn't kill them, made them...'United We Stand' - testament to people of different social, religious and educational background. This positive hip-hop track it is a breath of fresh air among the violent and wet blanket lyrics on this controversial music scene. Keep up the good work! ____________________ Caesar/Nine/Demo/ And when you think it cannot possibly get any worse Caesar came... It was a nightmare to listen to whole 86 minutes of it, that's for sure. Overflowing with otherworldly atmospherics and gospel flavoured speed metal breaks that hit my migraine like a butcher his steak,' Nine' left me puzzled and confused, sore and tearful. God, what did I do to deserve this? ____________________ This Floating World/Sweet Relief/Album/South By So What This nine track album was a pleasant surprise. Watch them closely, it won't disappoint in any front. ____________________ Twisterbait/I Spay/EP/Xacca Sounds I like this six track EP. It made me miss the late 80s. U2, Talking Heads, The Cure... I Spay took me there once again and I enjoyed the ride. Twisterbait's crossbreed of electro, funk and that alternative rock will serve you well. Take it on! ____________________ Playtime/Down Time At The Brothel/Album/ You gather a bunch of homies, have one write a sentence on a piece of paper, hide everything except the last word, pass the paper onto the next guy and so on. When you finally unfold the sheet you're supposed to get freeform creation at its finest. Well, Playtime gathered wrong bunch of homies.... ____________________ Marlo Donato/Marlo/EP/ This New Yorker turned Londoner is classically trained musician with a bachelor's degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music (City University of NY) and its shows. She sang her dance based track 'Breathe Life into Me' and pop tunes 'Wishing' and 'Time Won't Wait' with ease. I am sure that she sounds even more amazing performing live. ____________________ Somascetic/The Violence of Distance/Album/Shawn Burnette This album came with a warning: Be prepared to invest a pretty large chunk of your attention span while listening. They weren't kidding: Disk1 is 45min and Disk 2 is 57min, take it baby! Fantastically recorded, mixed and mastered this string driven progressive rock masterpiece from Ohio goes all the way. ____________________ Manicolic/Swen/Album/Diggi Records Gothic gospel soul maybe looks good on paper. But it isn't while listening. Honest! Sin and salvation...oh...who cares.... ____________________ TRES/Holistic/Album/BS Records Lie in all day, party all night and live your life like you are in School Of Rock. Uninspiring, lazy, past sell by date cut. Yuck! ____________________ Rabba2Rouge/Radio Be Folk/Demo/ Well, had a problem with this one as the letter was in Italian and, I am sorry to admit, I don't speak any Italian! Hopefully I got the name of the album/artist right! Its a nice fuse of electronica jazz, trip hop and an Italian charm. ____________________ Hal Cragin/Wet Grassy Ground/Album/Catvalley Records and Tapes Wet Grassy Ground is the second solo record from this American bass player and composer. After eight years collaborating with Iggy Pop, Hal did learn a thing or two. Well for starters Hal played all the instruments on this album. Well, that alone is enough to impress! ____________________ Alex Gomez/Always Never/Album/ Bridging the Delta/Chicago blues gap 'Always Never' gives you guitar virtuoso under name of Alex Gomez. This album was recorded live in the studio using vintage equipment at Houston's legendary Sugarhill Recording Studios (Janis Joplin). Amazing! ____________________ Liz Tansey/What I want/Album/Manta eastern Sound Two songs from 'What I want' ('I think You Know' and the title track) are featured on the soundtrack of the film 'Nostradamus'. This Canadian singer knows her 'blues', her husky powerful voice works its magic leaving you wanting more. ____________________ Stefan Seano/PIN/Demo/ Kitschy synth in PIN is just irritating a hell! Mixture of idiocy, almost child-like lyrics and bad recordings. Avoid it! ____________________ Noodle Soup/Scare/Demo/ Creepy barley scrapes the surface. In fact, most sensible people would hurdle fast-moving motorway traffic to get out of the earshot of Scare and Noodle Soup. Trust me, it is t bad! ____________________ Liam Macdonald/Verge/Album/ Originally from Canada, now living in Germany, Liam learned to play guitar to help a friend in need. How interesting! Verge will give you some good jazz/pop with variety on instruments throughout. Even some I had trouble identifying. (mini-Mooq. Thai kaen.. I've been told...) Enjoy! ____________________ Talking Straight/Dorian/Album/Pish Mish Records They made the classic mistake of burying frontman Pete's vocals too low in the mix and what overrules them is so unreservedly generic its difficult to care about what they are actually trying to say with this cheesy bunch of crap. What a waste of electricity. Hope to never see you live. ____________________ Cat Designers/Chemical Jazz/Album/Googlie Mooglie Records I like this a lot. For some reason it took me ages to review this gem, its like this CD was hiding away from me. This 'period' indie album got some roots in Bowie, T-Rex and dare I say Iggy Pop but still offers all mod cons. Thumbs up for your reflective and insightful lyrics my fellow East Enders. Hope to see you live soon. ____________________ Liner/The Pressure/EP/Solar Creations Fantastic. You just have to check this band out. Now. Go to their web site and see for yourself: www.linermusic.com. I hate myself for not reviewing this band straight away. It just I have this back log (please feel sorry for me) and real talent is getting away. Shame on me. They are stars. ____________________ Stacye Branche/For The Man I Love/Album/Love Sounds Music This Californian stunner has a outstanding voice - no doubt. I loved her music more than her lyrics but even cynic like myself has to admit that Stacye is one true diva in her spectrum of listeners. ____________________ Eschaton/Dirty Ice/Demo/ This is very young and innocent sounding home grown demo. Points for creativity, just keep on working. Explore and experiment. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you. ____________________ Sleeping Booty/Survive That/Demo/ It hardly seems possible that a whole year has gone into this project. I've haven't stopped for breath from start of 'Survive' to finish. I shook in disbelief. Sleeping Booty's eclectic take on funky hip hop went terribly wrong. ____________________ Eric Sootes/Nerves; Spanish Image; Soul Impress/Albums/E.S. Time Ltd/ New Yorker Eric Sootes did impress with Soul-Impress. He gave us HM Guitar in various styles: the first part of the CD was given to electric guitar, the second to acoustic, the third is western and the fourth connects all three. Interesting and refreshing. I've expected more from 'Spanish Image' but I was pleasantly surprised with 'Nerves' - Eric did great job in showing us how different styles of music can be performed by playing only one instrument - an acoustic guitar. All three albums show quality but I am concerned about Eric's audience. Its ONLY for REAL guitar lovers. Rest of you may find it well... boring. ____________________ Plan: B/Antiform/Album/Pro Gravity Records/ Group of childhood friends from Washington, DC Plan: B gave us an album Antiform that shows little interest in typical hip-hop. Plan: B are undoubtedly a very talented foursome. The group does all of its writing, production, recording etc but I would like them to get somebody independent involved as their music can suffocate due to a lack of objectivity. I had enjoyable and often vivid trip through their 13 tracks on this album. Things are lookin' right! ____________________ Prodeeds/Dance In The Mud/Album/PGP Records This is typical posturing baseball-cap metal, 'kill, kill, blood, kill, blood, kill' image and not to forget 'kill, kill, blood, kill, blood, kill' lyrics with 'we-don't-care-we-can't-play' music but we are kill, kill, blood, kill, blood, kill - your posturing baseball-cap metal band. Yak! ____________________ Ian North/Emptiful/Album/Speak Music/ Emptiful gave us 12 well written, well recorded and produced melody-rich songs from this Canadian artist. Ian music is fusion of country, jazz and blues with deep, deep roots in traditional Canadian music and influences. ____________________ T. Hallenbeck/Doubting Thomas/Album/TH Tunes/ Well I am not. Doubting Thomas. Surprisingly optimistic for folk artists (must be Californian sunshine!) T. Hallenbeck's 10 track album even has a sense of humour! Its easy to spot that this one-man project, maybe Mr Hallenbeck got too much involved here - for his own good. Talented and versatile artists can work against their own project, so careful Mr T, don't go overboard. I liked his witty lyrics, I did hum from time to time but I have a feeling that he can give us more if he decides to employ and trust his producer. ____________________ Perfection/Be My Guest/Album/Hen Records/ Those responsible for this project should really take a holiday. Album was obviously rushed, recordings and production are far from broadcasting quality. Vocal is too shy, drums are too loud and strings are well-hidden. The challenge this 'Placebo wanna be' material is facing shouldn't be a challenge at all. If this album is meant to showcase the band's ideas more than their ability to make good use of a producer I would say thumbs up. But its a whole package. This is not a demo. Perfection needs to get back to the studio. Now. ____________________ Quecia/Quecia II/Album/Deep End Records/ Quecia describe themselves as a female fronted British rock band, incorporating a distinctive raw rock sound, emotive lyrics and a strong pop feel in songwriting. And I agree. Quecia sound right up there with the best of the up-and-coming bands playing the circuit these days. Those high praises are thoroughly deserved although I would like them to take more risk with their next material. I know they can do it. ____________________ Elena's reviews...  The
Make Out Sessions-
BabyStrange Review The Make-Out Sessions by Baby Strange is an EP of five contemporary rock songs, written by Deneen, Ehrig and Baby Strange. With good production and music that is easy on the ear, this EP is fairly consistent with an upbeat tempo throughout. It seems that at the moment many popular rock bands have a sound that is influenced by seventies’ rock. Therefore I would say this band could be likened to the Scissor Sisters, and it is possible that Baby Strange have been influenced by people like. You may disagree, but the bass and rhythm parts of tracks 2 and 4 sound similar to those of Duran Duran. That’s just my opinion, though! Singer, Eric Deneen, does not have a particularly memorable or outstanding voice, although it seems to suit the music. If asked to compare his vocals with another artist, I would say he sounds a touch like Gaz from Supergrass, but more rock and less tuneful! Generally this CD has fairly catchy riffs, although I feel the last track, Ups and Downs, is the least memorable of the CD. My favourite track is Why Didn’t You Fall? In my opinion, this would make the best single from this EP, as I imagine it would be the best to sing along to! In conclusion, this EP is a good start, but it’s nothing outstanding. As I said, it’s easy to listen to, but it could, nonetheless, be any other rock band on your stereo. The lyrics are average and nothing really stands out to impress the listener. Maybe if the sound of the band is given more time to develop, this group may produce better than average songs, and hopefully a more definitive album. 33-
Richard Gilpin Review 33 by Richard Gilpin is generally quite a happy, upbeat album, with a few contemplative ballads thrown in for good measure. With an earthy, honest feel, there are no pretensions about this CD, and Gilpin shares his experiences of relationships and the problems of growing up in Belfast. This album has an even mixture of electric and acoustic tracks, and fits into the category of Irish folk rock; the kind of rock you could almost imagine line dancing to. There is a touch of Dire Straits about Gilpin’s sound, and his voice could be compared to that of Ryan Adams. The singer’s Irish accent adds warmth and realism to the lyrics he uses, shown in the opening track, Man On The Moon And Me. Track 5, A Stranger To Me, however, is much slower, with less prominent accompaniment, allowing the listener to focus on Gilpin’s humble voice. The album has varied instrumentation, and this prevents it from becoming too samey. Strings, harmonica, and the prestigious Hammond organ have been combined to create this well-produced, easy-going album. Perhaps the good natured sound of strumming guitar and clean drums would be more appealing to a more mature audience. However, I enjoyed listening to the last track from the album, A Man Of 33, because the riff on the acoustic guitar is very memorable, Gilpin’s vocals are soft and wistful, and the strings provide a beautiful lead out to the album. This is by far my favourite track. In conclusion, I feel Gilpin has produced a well-rounded album with good lyrics, good musicians and tuneful melodies. It is nice to hear genuine music in an age where manufactured bands dominate the charts. However, I did not feel that this album stood out from anything else I have heard, and although I cannot find fault with 33, I cannot say that it captivated me. Good
Show- Paul
Waters Review If I had to describe this album in one word, I would say it is ‘sweet’. It is also understated. Written, and largely performed by Paul Waters, Goon Show is, I suppose, a retro acoustic pop album that appears to be heavily influenced by the sixties. Waters’ voice, however, has elements of a few different artists, such as Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, and Damon Albarn; and is accompanied by strumming guitar and drums. When I first listened to this album, the most prominent aspect was how much it sounded like The Beatles. I can’t quite put my finger on which song it is, but It Seems The Party’s Over sounds very much like a track by the foursome with different lyrics. This happens to be my favourite track from the album. It is quite catchy and has an off-hand appeal to it. Also ,Little Boy Lost sounds very much like it could be a Dylan song, which can only be a compliment! I realise this review has been fairly ambivalent. Maybe if the recording was more flattering, Paul’s songs would have the chance to shine. As it is, I feel this album is good-natured and harmless, but lacks the certain ‘wow’ factor needed to keep it in the CD player. Harlequin-
Rory Merritt Stitt Review Hmm… what’s this next CD I have to review? ...Yawn… Blimey! This stuff’s great! I’ve actually found something that I would listen to even if I didn’t have to review it. What a relief to hear some good music for a change! Where to start? Well, apparently this is Rory’s second album, which reminds me; I must try and find a copy, if Harlequin is anything to go by. This album is beautiful: it is well produced, eloquent, original, and has a great sense of style without being pretentious. I would recommend it to anyone, especially as it is difficult to classify as a particular genre. I resent having to classify it at all, as I feel it warrants its own appreciation. However, for the sake of this review, I would say this CD combines a jazz-style piano and bass with funk drums, in a ‘popular’ style. I say ‘popular’, because it is easily accessible, not because it sounds like it should be in the charts. It’s too good. Again, if I had to think of who Rory could be compared to, I’d say he has the cheekiness of normal Ben Folds Five (on a couple of tracks), with the jazziness of Jamie Cullum (although I’m not comparing the two artists, Mr. Stitt deserves the recognition of a free-standing, competent male artist). And the vocals? Well. Nothing has been overlooked here either. Rory has a highly expressive voice. It is a pleasure to listen to. When I hear him sing Unlaced, which is by far my favourite track from the album, I almost wish he was singing about me! It is such a poetic love song, and every time I hear it, it feels as if it is being sung for the first time. The emotion is so true and so audible. Even the piano has the sadness of French cinematography about it. I’ve put this song on repeat. By itself. I cannot praise it enough. I also like the song Jaded. This track reflects the versatility and range of Rory’s voice, whilst normal' The Song That Wanders shows its strength and purity. McDonnell (bass), McFarlin (drums) and Rory all have wonderful musicianship, and come together to form a perfect whole. I have had this album on my walkman, I’ve been singing the words (which are, incidentally, so well written), and it will join the rest of my CD collection once I have finished its review. I’m so glad you sent me this CD, Rory, I think you have bag-fulls of talent, and the playful cynicism of your music makes this album very attractive to the ear. All in all, this is certainly a CD worthy of high acclaim. Orphan
Found-
Orphan Project Review Having read the inside cover of Orphan Found, I am very much aware of the fact that this CD is more than just an album, or a ‘project’, it is also the life story of a man named Shane Lankford. Shane, who is an orphan himself, provides the lyrics, while John Wenger produces the music and arrangement. Both sides have come together to record a well-produced soundtrack, with the help of highly capable musicians. I would say this CD has a touch of eighties power rock, with big stadium drums and heavy guitars. There are some good riffs thrown in, with synth lines that might appeal to the more mature male audience. However, the nature of the lyrics indicates that this music could only be classed as good-natured rock. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but like many American productions, Shane’s Orphan Project has ‘heart-on-sleeve’ lyrics, and the music reflects this clichéd approach. I realise that this may sound harsh, and that one man’s heart and soul has gone into creating this CD, but the best albums are found when the listener hears something new every time they play the album, and this CD lacks intrigue. Everything is on the surface. Maybe I am asking too much, as I know there is an audience that would find the music of Orphan Project very appealing, but I feel it lacks poetry. The subject is an incredible concept for an album, and Lankford, as well as all the other contributors, should feel a great sense of achievement. However, I cannot help but feel that the lyrics might sit better with more of an acoustic sound. Maybe if the production was toned down a bit, the music would seem softer, and less juxtaposed to the lyrics. Lankford’s voice suits the style of Wenger’s writing, but again, it seems as if Lankford and Wenger are trying too hard to gain that ‘epic’ rock sound, when there really is no need. If I had to pick a single from the album, I’d say the title track is probably the best; it has a good intro and holds the listeners interest. I also like the metal-style guitars on this track. Coming Into View III: Gazing Down On Golden Streets, however, has more of a new-age feel to it, and the Outro has a strong Christian influence, which represents the end of Shane’s search for his Father. All in all, this album has been well-crafted and well-produced. Sometimes it’s difficult for writers to use sentiment without being sentimental. You'll
Always Remember- Gerald White Review Ever heard of the phrase, ‘never judge a book by its cover’? I don’t know if the same stands for CDs, but the cover of You’ll Always Remember, by Gerald White, epitomises the style of music recorded on his CD. Clean shaven with a crisp white shirt and far away look, photos of the artist are splashed all over the cover with a noticeable lack of subtlety. Similarly, most of the songs lack the sophistication and fragility of emotion needed to create the heart-warming effect Mr White, I feel, is searching for. Recorded in 2003, the songs on this CD could be classified as popular gospel/jazz ballads. While I feel that this album, minus a few exceptions, is rather cliché, it is very well produced. Gerald has a strong, highly capable voice, which blends the wholesome, squeaky-clean, Christian appeal of Sir Cliff, with a tiny, tiny pinch of Stevie Wonder’s American jazz influence. Surrounded by equally talented musicians, and supported by a full band with horn and string sections (as well as a choir), it is clear that White is the star of the show as most of the lyrics are written and sung by the artist himself. Perhaps perceived as sentimental-verging-on-schmaltzy, White’s lyrics are often predictable, and this becomes wearisome after a few tracks. However,Mystic Place, track nine on the CD, reveals a more imaginative lyrical approach, making a nice change from the general style of gushing vocals. If I had to pick a favourite song from the album, I feel the title track, You’ll Always Remember, is by far the best song of the twelve. This gentle track compliments White’s voice. By keeping things simple with piano accompaniment, Gerald leaves behind some of the over-sentimentality I find off-putting in his songs. A prime example of this is evident in Hang In There Daddy, which sounds as if it is from a Disney soundtrack. This is not a bad thing in itself, but as I listen to it, I cannot help myself from cringing. Maybe I have cynical ears, but the title of the track alone makes me smirk and shake my head. Unfortunately it’s just a bit too clean for the likes of my ears. Maw and Paw- Xox Le Roq Review I was walking down an avenue lined with cherry blossom trees under a deep blue sky on a sunny afternoon. Or at least I felt I was whilst listening to Xox Le Roq by Maw And Paw. I suppose the style of this CD could be described as fairly light-hearted rock/pop, with a touch of folk, creating a hazy flower child kind of aura. Recorded in 2003, Xox Le Roq might be the sort of CD you think of listening to on a Sunday afternoon; a CD to wind down the weekend with whilst lying on a sofa full of big cushions. Deb King’s drifting, blissful vocals are distant and alluring, creating an offhand, carefree dance with the lyrics of each song. Breathy and fairly trebly, King’s voice has similarities to the main vocalist from Australian dance producer, Herbert’s, album, Bodily Functions.Some may beg to differ, but the style of the guitar and drum tracks sound vaguely Radiohead-esque. Possibly the synths as well. Such a comment could only be a compliment, as the lazy, dragging-of-feet drums on a couple of the tracks (most noticeable in Time) echo the track No Surprises by the highly acclaimed band on their third album, OK Computer. In saying this, I also feel the band may have been influenced by Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, evident in their final song, Monterey. There’s a bit of a hippy vibe floating around this CD, especially the first track, One Like This. If I were to pick out the song I would consider most successful as a single, I feel Another Reason is probably the most widely appealing due to its easy-going, happy acoustic sound. The only slight criticism I have about this CD is that the recording is a bit too bright for my ears. There seems to be a lot of hiss on each track due to some erroneous high frequencies. Although this may go unnoticed, it could prove taxing on the ear after a while (more so through headphones) even though there are just six tracks on the CD. Apart from the one quibble, I enjoyed listening to this CD. It’s sunny, but thoughtful lyrics and music allow you to drift through the six songs, leaving the listener surprised when the CD seems to end so quickly. Blumpkin/Penny
Nation- The Invisible Movie Soundtrack Review Once you get past the off-putting amateur cover of The Invisible Movie Soundtrack (with graphics that remind me of GCSE Science revision guides), this CD is well worth listening to. One big collaboration between diverse producers and performers, the tracks on this CD range from Latin world music to lounge electronica. Although so many different genres have been packed onto Penny Nation’s soundtrack, there seems to be a natural flow from one song to the next. Amongst the varying performers, Lydia from Mothers Favorite Child features heavily on most of the tracks. Swinging from lazy, sleazy-sounding lounge pop to more soulful and evocative vocal lines, this singer shows her flexibility of style and ability throughout the soundtrack. The tracks on this CD are all fairly short, providing an all round vista of the work produced by Penny Nation. Their second track, She Sings To Me, has a Beatle-like quality about it, with its hazy vocals and sixties’ simplicity. The next track, Mr Rogers, however, has a style similar to Squarepusher in one of his more relaxed moods. Each track is a snippet of a different person’s idea. My favourite track, though, which I feel would do best as a single, is Darwin. This song starts with a smooth, chilled lounge verse, then breaks into an ambient Goldie-style drum and bass chorus. Great stuff, good lyrics too: ‘…and the fruit tastes like it was purified…’ quite dreamy.Without warning, the listener is then pushed into the next track: a chaotic funk interlude… just in case things were becoming slightly predictable. Obviously there are the tracks that are more fillers than thrillers (to coin a phrase), but overall, the quality is continuous throughout. The only thing I feel is unnecessary is having several instrumental versions of previous tracks shoved on the end of the CD after the hidden track. Although I am not a fan of the idea of hidden tracks, Nice Day (Keep Wakin’ Up) is worth hearing. I doubt that many listeners will bother to hang around for tracks they’ve already heard minus the vocals, however. If one of these songs featured a beautiful solo piano, or something of pure instrumental value, then it would be worthwhile. Apart from the above suggestion, I found this CD interesting and fun to listen to. It certainly isn’t boring. Whilst being a compilation that serves well as an ambient background soundtrack, it is also worthy of contemplation on a quiet afternoon. I say give it a listen.
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