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Review "Other Songs" by Ron Sexsmith (1998)

June 7th, 2009 by Jon

I’m sure there ar a lot of music fans that skitter by this discussion section and shake their heads in befuddlement at the strange albums we control fit out to review. By it’s nature this varlet is devoted to stream releases, virtually of which, admittedly, ar aimed at a younger audience and ar primarily of the so called alternative-rock variety.

If you’re non precisely sure what substitute rock is, don’t vex about it, neither is anybody else, the condition is no yearner whatever more utilitarian as a description as tilt and twine. Among the first wave of bands tagged as alternative would be R.E.M. (world Health Organization have ordinarily been compared to stone and hustle hall-of-famers The Byrds). Similarly, Pearl Pack, 1 of the most noteworthy alternative bands is ofttimes compared to Neil Whitney Young; and Yield, their fantastical novel release borrows from LED Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin and the Beatles..

The point of this extended preamble is that a effective strain is a good song–whether it’s a Frank Sinatra love song or a Courtney Sexual love song. Grant me to introduce you to a man whom you’ve likely never heard of, whose music bridges all of these genres and decades and epitomizes the conception of the good song–Ron Sexsmith. Yes it’s his real key.

Think of some of your favorite slower songs by Paul Simon, Neil Thomas Young, Bob Bob Dylan, John Prine, accompanied by acoustic guitar possibly a lilliputian pianissimo and bass, that’s the kind of songs Bokkos writes and sings. Songs that talk with a big spirit and an nimble thinker, set to simple-minded haunting melodies. Pretty songs, for deficiency of a better word, the genial that to the highest degree everybody loves, whether or not they’ll accommodate it.

Though possessing a rather touched and unusual voice finally it serves to endear all the more.

The 2 slightly self-titled CD’s (his first from 1995, and the newest Early Songs released in 97), are produced by the illustrious Mitchell Froom, and the players read like an all-star team, (i.e. Sheryl Crow plays the piano accordion). Which suggests the esteem he is accorded inside the musical biotic community. If I had the room I’d quote some of his lyrics for you, and go on and on nearly the Pleasure of Sexsmith.

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Review "Makers" by Rocky Votoloto (2006)

April 14th, 2009 by Jon

Early Waxwing front man Rocky Votolato returns to the musical folding with Makers, his number 1 album since 2003’s excellent Suicide Medicine. Makers is sure as shooting a more Countryfolk affair than whatsoever early release he’s ever so produced (there’s hardly an electric guitar to be establish here), and he’s audition well-nigh it in a unjust and damaging way from mainstream critics. Already quite a few publications feature at rest as far as to call Makers drilling, well-worn and uneventful, just I’m hither to tell you otherwise. It’s true that Makers is bare-boned and minimal, (except for the splendid guitar work his brother Cory from The Blood Brothers lays down on "Where We Left Off") but that doesn’t make it awful. In fact, the minimal production just makes it easier to hear what an realized songwriter Votolato has become.

On the heartbreaking "Portland Is Departure," Votolato exclaims "I’m a punch line whose slaphappy with my clenched fist in a broken mirror…you might ask me ‘aren’t you dead inside and so goddamned tired’, I’ll say ‘I have got no idea, I’m not dormancy until the dying is over’". And on "Waitress Out The Days," Votolato cleverly indicts someone, "The catch-22’s are all catching up with you." True, the whole album starts to sound the same after so many songs (acoustic guitar, mouth harp, acoustic guitar, lather, rinsing, repeat) which does trammel Makers a bit by the time one reaches the finish line, only fans of singer-songwriters wish Ryan President Adams and Gary Jules volition find plenitude to sapidity here.

It’s truly good to realise Rocky getting a taste of the big time, regular if it’s only a small one. He’s been through my ithiel Town at least iI xII times in the last three or for age, and he lays it all out there every night. maintain on truckin Rock

Though Rocky went a small excessively twangy for me and yes it’s a bit besides much the same by the time your all the elbow room through, but I truly dig this guy rope. He’s ice chest than all shit

yo gentleman…waxwing was oK but i’ve seen this bro live and i make to say he’s a cheese blow if you know what i mean.

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Review "We Have Sound" by Tom Vek (2005)

April 9th, 2009 by Jon

On occasion, I like to peruse British people music publications just to realise what striking their fancy on the other side of the pond. Lately, a new 24-year old singer-songwriter named Turkey cock Vek has been all the rage. The reviews of his debut record album, We Accept Sound, feature been aught simply congratulations, so I must articulate I was rather worked up when I got my hands on this album. Later hearing to it repeatedly, I sustain to say that I moldiness be missing something because this album is rank terrible.

There is just a single unfrequented expression of this album that I cared for. I beggarly, the arrangements are elementary at best, the production is so weak it sounds like it was recorded in a garbage can (just not in that cool Guided By Voices/The Strokes garbage can way) and Vek’s voice is completely grating to the senses. Not to quotation that his lyrics ar virginal bullshit. And those choruses! Basically take every song title listed here ("Ml You Localise The Fire In Me" or "A Small Word In Your Ear" for instance) and simply repeat them over and over, and that pretty much makes up a chorus in Gobbler Vek’s public. That’s not a chorus blame it! That’s just now laziness and virgin unoriginality. I could continue to bash this album for paragraphs on end, simply honestly what’s the point? Let’s but say this isn’t the first time I’ve strongly disagreed about artists British mags have slobbered over (recent bands like The Fearlessness rapidly get along to mind) and most likely it won’t be the last. Simply if you’re someone who’s yen for British singer-songwriters, delight do yourself a immense favour and pick up Richard Hawley’s lately released and just noticed Coles Corner instead of this ataraxis of detritus. In the long endure, I promise you’ll be glad you did.

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Review "The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most" by Dashboard Confessional (2001)

March 31st, 2009 by Jon

He combines compelling acoustic guitars and passionate, heartrending vocals, only world Health Organization precisely is the force-out behind Splashboard Confessional? He’s the former frontman of Further Seems Forever and a day, Chris Carrabba. He released his solo debut record album, The Swiss Army Romance, on Drive-Thru Records in November of last year. The record album was comprised of eleven consistently well melodic tracks, which gained Carrabba a faithful next evocative of that of Jeff Buckley.

Carrabba’s influences include The Beach Boys, The Cure, Loony toons Costello, and The Refused. These artists left a lasting impression on Carrabba, which is gracefully reflected in his writing. The unexampled record album doesn’t stray to a fault far from his debut. It consists of all-acoustic guitar compulsive arrangements, with the occasional appearance of drums and bass. His combination of air, cunning lyricism, and free energy is the driving personnel behind the cloak. And although I rated this record album as I did, it’s still my front-runner record album of the year. It left a intense stamp of promise and passionateness. That only is operose to come by with music these years.

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Review "One Plus One Equals One" by Badly Drawn Boy (2004)

March 29th, 2009 by Jon

The bed line about Badly Raddled Boy, the one that fifty-fifty a fan-boy ace of his chef-d’oeuvre Hour of the Bewilderbeast doesn’t want to face, is that perchance Damon Gough was a news bulletin in the genus Pan. Yes his first base album with it’s anything-for-a-hook kitchen sink approaching, is high on the list of the best records of the fresh century. With it’s Beatles meets Bacharach, Elliot Smith initiative for the Eels musical eclecticism. And his husky, wake up in time for his five o’ clock shadow aesthetical it seemed like Damon was the century’s new-model genius.

Then came the much weaker one-two clout of Feature You FRS the Pisces the Fishes and About a Boy Soundtrack. Neither a drastic step infra Bewilderbeast, and albums that if you explain them away as a humans spread himself too thin - zero to become interested around. He precisely required to ingest enough time to reorganise and focal point on his strengths. Deplorably, One Plus One Equals One is every second as spoilt as the mathematics would evoke. Gone is his far-out Orch-Pop and in it’s place 16 overwrought self-conscious tracks, half of which could be geld out without organism noticed - much less lost.

On upper side of being simplistic, sonically unadventurous, and seedy recorded, these songs aren’t the slightest bit catchy or memorable, a result of Gough attempting to balance his once dishevelled and hermitic persona with FM wireless aspirations. The result is a devastatingly big record that represents an off-the-radar devolve level more than precipitous and vertical than Travis.

While I agree that this is Damon’s least worthy endeavor, that scarcely makes it a regretful CD as this review suggests. I go on to think that Have You Federal the Fish is a masterpiece and even a diminutive step above Bewilderbeast. To even intimate that Badly Drawn Boy is a mere flash in the cooking pan is just silly. He’s the toast of the township in his fatherland, and piece One Plus Unmatched Equals Ane is scarcely perfect, it’s still a worthy endeavour with plentifulness of memorable tunes. The opening running, while a depressant, is howling and Summer is Winter is an absolute gem. And I can’t believe you gave the below average Juliana Hatfield criminal record a better rating. To each his own I suppose, just I think you missed the boat on this one. This is a mischievously drawn critique, only I still love the situation. Go on up the respectable do work.

P.S. One Plus One Equals One is vastly superscript to that unsatisfying Travis CD!

Whooa there X - breathe into a sack or something. It’s exactly a shitty album, non a personal attempt.

Who is Adam. Your non referring to the picture show reviewer guy ar you? That’s not me. And this isn’t a lousy cd damn it!

If Thy call be Adam and thy last identify non be Mast - I defy you to furnish us with your true final name. I am non purchasing this humbug.

Whatever guys - I don’t get the beef, merely the fact of the topic is you’re both right. It’s a shite record, simply it sure enough does not evoke that Damon is a flash bulb in the pan. That’s simply assinine. He’ll make you feed those quarrel.

Here’s the manage. Kevin thinks I wrote that reply (the matchless by I Asset One=A damned good CD), when in fact, I didn’t. Funnily, Jones and I had a petty discourse about the new Disadvantageously Haggard Male child record album soon after he listened to it. He hated it and I opinion it was alright. Funnily, the guy that wrote that reply more or less had the same view as I did (granted he liked it a small more than me). He level pointed out that it was bettor than the last Travis release–something I simply said to Kevin the other day, but I reassure you Jonesy, it wasn’t me that wrote that. If it was me, I would have used my have identify. I hold cypher to hide. I erotic love going away the rounds with you, particularly when we disaccord on a release (hold out the Cold Slew message dining table string)–which truly doesn’t befall all that much. In any event, I just view I would clear that up. To that recent reply world Health Organization thinks there’s some kind of boeuf ‘tween us–there isn’t. It’s just friendly raillery ‘tween a couple of refractory colleagues. So whoever wrote that, come clean and give us your real name. Otherwise, I’ll never hear the end of it.

I love life ya Kevin, even if I do think you were a short overly hard on Gough’s latest.

I hope your non talk around the kind of erotic love that dare not address it’s name, Actually Cristal is just talking well-nigh the kind of love where I’m Starsky and he’s my small Hutch. Just now as line of correction the original BDB gossip came anonymous, I just assumed that since you wrote it that it was you. And don’t call me Jonesy - I’m ticklish about that. It goes back to my childhood when my complex number uncle Barney made me take a bath with him. Scarce lay off valet de chambre. Simply now that the gauntlet has officially been tossed . . . Hmmmmm

Just because Gough changed his approach a piece doesn’t render the record album shite. I guess you should give it a more than fair chance. At that place are some majuscule songs on this saucer, even though I’ll admit that the single Class of the Rat is pretty faint and sounds like a warmed all over reading of most of his songs. Still I’d gift it at least 3 1/2 and wouldn’t be at all surprised if he bounces back with another masterpiece.

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Review "Veni Vidi Vicious" by The Hives (2002)

March 29th, 2009 by Jon

Just when you remember you know every great band verboten in that respect in the music industry, one comes in from the blind side of meat and knocks you for a cringle. Released nigh deuce long time agone on the Scandinavian label Burning Nub, these garage rockers from Fagersta, Sverige are at last striking the American shores. These guys ar the identical heart of defining the word cool. Eating away all black suits and white ties, and with names like Vigilante Carlstroem, Nicholaus Fire-raising, Dr. Mat End, Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, and Chris Dangerous, you be intimate they’ve come to kick ass. Their sound is a mix between Lucy in the sky with diamonds Costello’s mentality, Joe Jackson’s needlelike and poor guitar act, and Greyback Rotten’s savage punk growl. Their single "Hate to Say I Told You So" is gift nu-metal a run for it’s money on sway wireless, and deservedly so. Pick this one up and I undertake The Urticaria will be your modern deary ring.

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Review "Scar" by Joe Henry (2001)

March 29th, 2009 by Jon

Perhaps the charles Herbert Best record album of the year, Scrape is unquestionably the most interesting story. Stager Alt/ state repair Joe Henry has sought to change his tune and for his latest he somehow managed to coaxial cable Ornette Coleman (the superlative living wind saxist) to provide the ornamentation. Mark is a dateless treasure that delights in the same surprising way that Shelby Lynne did last year with her Grammy winning revelation.

What if 25 old age agone Hot dog Frank Sinatra recorded an album of Turkey cock Waits songs and exploited the worlds finest wind players to make a pop album. This is what H has simulated. His plaintive bluesy jazz tales of pained-loved, vibrate with a voice that intersects flat ‘tween Chip Cave and Leon Charles Taze Russell.

Henry has been mirthfully married to Madonna’s sister, Melanie Ciccone, for several days and the duet have deuce children. In fact Madonna’s second single from her up-to-the-minute Euphony, "Don’t Recount Me" is her version of Henry’s song "Occlusion." Almost compelling is the album’s tip of the hat to Richard Pryor. The opening track is entitled "Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation," and both Henry and Coleman expressed their desire to dedicate the album as a tribute to the funniest and most misunderstood homo world Health Organization ever so lived. Coleman’s breathy bee-bop solos decorate many of these astonishingly accessible tunes as does the piano stylings of the brilliant Brad Mehldau.

Unless you’re preference is to bang your straits, this is the pure album for whatsoever occasion. A stunning introduction or refresher course into the worldly concern of Pop/Jazz.

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Review "Mit Gas" by Tomahawk (2003)

March 2nd, 2009 by Jon

Fertile hard rock candy brainiac Microphone Patton with a pedigree that includes Faith No
More than, and Mr. Bungle is back with his second album as the lead isaac M. Singer for
Tomahawk. In one case once again teaming up an allstar gang that includes ex members of the Melvins (plain buttocks!) Redeemer Lizard (double kick prat!) and Helmet (kick screwing to the third base grade!). Regretful folks, it doesn’t aim much punter than that for a fucking smashing hard rock lineup. MIT Natural gas starts right where Tomahawk’s self highborn record album left hand off, rocking hard,
taking name calling, looking at at those names, and then wiping their stern with them.
"Birdsong" opens with delicious birds chirping, and noisy feedback, and then Mike
Patton whispers " I like the way you seem at me when your hungry" and after
the whispers comes a thundery careen riff from Duane Denison that should be
felonious in at least 48 states. Other tracks such as "Rape This Day" take you
from behind and give you what for, and if you’re non enjoying acquiring rocked
this hard, possibly you should sit around on the sideline with all the former soft core
Cinemax lovers. Overall Patton has apt us so far another great album in his
ever so growing catalogue of brilliance.

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Review "Black Magic Show" by Elefant (2006)

February 5th, 2009 by Jon

Elefant’s Black Magic Evince may either be blessed or curst. It will be beatified if enough hoi polloi realize that their 2003 Passing Sunshine Makes Me Paranoiac came along a class ahead the flowage of bands wHO fell into the general Gang-of-Four/Cure/Joy Division retro-ranks. And hence instead of being percieved as late-coming copycats chasing the burgeoning bandwagon toting the likes of Franz Ferdinand V, Bloc Company, The Killers, et. al. and this year’s She Wants Retaliation - to make the major torch-bearers - they’ll be recognised as rightful heirs to the trend that they helped to dame Muriel Spark. Careless how close the tendency is to it’s passing date.

My gauge is that Elephant will fall into a cruelly ironic black kettle of fish, in that their debut will accept been a year in the lead of it’s time, and the followup will do on just now in time to see the boat shrink on the view. That would certainly be a shame because I really like these guys - Diego Garcia was born to front a john Rock and roll band. With his chamelon vocal ability and his marvellous, dark and mysteriously handsome presence. Our have Adam Mast and Kyle England had the chance to hang knocked out with him at Coachella and plant him to be most nice and approachable. He posed for a authoritative pic with the fellas which graces one of the articles for one of that years reports.

Musically, the band surely hasn’t deviated far from the expression that made Sun one of my favorite records of 2003. Which is unspoilt in that I wouldn’t have treasured them to trifle with the recipe excessively often, simply considering all the bands wHO bear mined similar veins over the past few days, it power have behooved them to stair away from their trademark sound further than they did. This isn’t to advise that they settled for a carbon paper copy of Sunlight and they ‘have’ taken steps forth (particularly in the lyrical department) still you get the boilersuit imprint that they played it safe hoping to cash on the after part end of a retro-trend they were one of the first bands to goading into universe.

I’m afraid you’re departure to be right well-nigh Mordant Conjuration Evince organism a damned record album, I was playing it the other sidereal day and my newfangled lady friend aforesaid something like Oh God not another one of these bands? And I’m wish al pie-eyed, trying to explicate that these guys got thither first. What’s a winnow to do?

I agree, thither just wasn’t anything here that was anything more than a moire mastered variation of what they did on Sunshine.

As far as I’m concerned Elefant got there starting time and they deserve everything that comes their way, I just hope it meets what they should

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Review "Revival" by Reverend Horton Heat (2004)

February 5th, 2009 by Jon

Of all time since rockabilly master Jim Heath/The Rev stopped up transcription for Interscope Records after 1998’s Space Warmer, all of his records since (Pass a Night in the Corner, Lucky 7, and this album) make lacked his frenzied sure-fire zestfulness and have started to healthy the same. Don’t get me wrong, The Revolutions per minute is still one and only of the premier guitar slingers in all of music. I late had the chance to look him live, and I feature to say he is far more than simply competent in the region of wielding an axe. Revival, even so, is his third base album in a row where it merely feels like he’s running out of ideas. All over half of the songs hither, such as "Callin’ In Twisted," "If It Ain’t Got Rhythm," "Party Mad," "Honkie Tonk Girl," etc. all feel like whatsoever cake band could have written and performed them. They are so simple and without any sort of original find whatever that they just come off sounding completely lackluster and terrene.

But even though around trey fourths of this album is perfectly forgettable, at that place is silent approximately a fourth that is charles Frederick Worth recommending. The implemental opener "The Happy Camper" is simply a clinic in guitar performing. The direction every note comes crystal illuminate off Heath’s fingertips is a thing of peach. "New York City Girls" is a swingin’ good time, and "Someone in Heaven" is a fine country-western tune in the same vein as Hank Williams Sr. Just the one standout caterpillar track by far on Resurgence is without a doubtfulness "Indigo Friends." Organism serious is ordinarily non in The Rev’s repertoire of emotion, simply the topic of diacetylmorphine addiction and loss of friends to said dose is what "Indigo plant Friends" is all about. Anil Friends is the single track on Revitalisation where Heath seems altogether focused, and I’d make bold allege that it’s unitary of the best songs he’s ever so through with in his life history. Let’s hope for his sake that in 2 days from now when he releases the adjacent Reverend Horton High temperature album that reflections on life and the past tense ar revived more oftentimes than the usual run-of-the-mill topics like crapulence and partying.

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