A new magazine edition and I’ve dived head first into the mailbag to see if any hidden gems could be located. Some good, some bad, and to quote my buddy Joe Walla, “It’s always an adventure”.
James Kennedy
“Tent Show”
www.heartconsortmusic.com
An instrumental CD that’s intriguing to say the least. Listening closely I detect a little Appellation influence in some of the slower tracks and the to be expected rock influence in others. The slower songs meandering pacing hypnotically sucks you in to the music drawing your thoughts away like watching a palm tree sway in a tropical breeze. Whereas the faster paced songs reminded me of a snake charmer who’s hand moves just fast enough to avoid the cobra’s bite. The song “Russian Dance 1" oddly enough reminds me of a sound track from a slow moving silent movie, and I mean that in a good way. I’m generally not a fan of instrumentals, jazz being the exception, but this CD has emotion I was not expecting.
Rating 3
The Appearance
“Lost in Aurora”
www.theappearancemusic.com
www.myspace.com/theappearance
From the very start of the CD I hear a band that plays the LA clubs on the Sunset Strip like the Viper Room on a regular basis. Oddly enough the music has conjured up ideas of what the lighting might be because this is the type of music when combined with a good lighting scheme has so much more impact. I might be out in left field with that analogy but listening closely I hear music with 80's dance undertones overlaid with alternative rock. The music is really catchy and easy to get into and I see nothing wrong with that.
Rating 2+
Death To Anders
“Punctuate the Calamities”
www.deathtoanders.com
www.myspace.com/deathtoanders
I chose to review this CD purely because of the CD case which was a cardboard jacket closed by twine. A professionally done job complete with artwork and unique enough to grab my attention. The vocal style reminds me of Perry Ferral and musically a rough version of Porno for Pyros. The songs are roughly arranged and lack solid direction, melody, and anything catchy to keep you interested for a long period of time. But it’s a different sound, one I could see garnering attention from a public looking for off-mainstream style music.
Rating 2
Bless The Fall
“His Last Walk”
www.myspace.com/blessthefall
I’m having a tough time with this CD. It’s your typical metal sounding music complete with howler monkey screaming vocals but also contain a lot of lyrics that are sung. Typically this wouldn’t push me off a CD but the problem I have is the sung vocals are in too high a key for the music. In my ears a juxtaposition like this draws too much attention away from the ripping guitars and pound double kick drum to get a favorable nod. Just not onboard with this one.
Rating 1+
Dir En Grey
“The Marrow of a Bone”
www.myspace.com/officialdirengrey
Metal with a groove is the best way I can describe this CD. Though it’s got a vocal style, which for the most part is incomprehensible, there is a lot of emotion running through the microphone giving it a dark feeling. Put together with guitars that have a little early White Zombie style creeping in along with distinct bass lines and driving drums and this really is something that grabs your attention. It’s like watching a twisted Quentin Tarantino flick that makes no sense if broken apart but altogether works very well. The song “Disabled Complexes” starts with this funky rhythm and low key slow vocals then kicks into gear and gets the body jumping then ends with vocal screams reminiscent of Loudness. Trippy...
Rating 3
Nick Black
“Hollow”
www.myspace.com/nickblackband
www.nickblack.net
For the record I love the artwork of the CD. It’s gotta cool rock and roll look which goes right along with the image and style of the band and the music. However, the issue I have is the sameness in the music. The best way I can describe it is to go to the Viper Room for a week and this is exactly the band you’ll see there nightly. Not a bad thing if that’s what you dig but I need something with a little separation. Granted, I like this sound, the look, and the style, but I hear it and see it so frequently I find it tough to get into sometimes on CD. Unfortunately this is one of those times.
Rating 2
Secondhand Serenade
“Awake”
www.myspace.com/secondhandserenade
www.secondhandserenade.com
I like singer songwriter style music, and have mad respect for anyone that plays acoustic, which is what this is, but the problem I have with this CD is three fold. One I can’t fathom why the band is called Secondhand Serenade when it’s essentially one guy playing guitar and singing throughout the CD. Two, the high pitch male vocals. Not that I think this style of music should have an appropriate vocal key but it’s just too high. Imagine how popular Tom Waits would be if he sung like a Backstreet Boy. Granted, John Vesely, the songwriter on this CD, is no Tom Waits, nor is he trying to be, but he sounds too much like a Backstreet Boy. And three, the “boy band” look of Vesely. Sure he’s got jeans and a t-shirt on in the photo but the spiky Bart Simpson hairdo and two-strand leather bracelet are just too out of place for me to take him serious with this style of music. CD’s heading for the pass bin.
Rating 1
Loader
“You Live For Now”
www.loadermusic.biz
www.myspace.com/loaderrecords
Two things jump out at me with this CD. The first is the music, which has a solid rock / alternative rock sound. There are some nice rhythms, grooves, and hooks in the music which make listening to this CD enjoyable. But in order to have yin there must also be yang. And in this case the yang is the vocals, which in my ears sound like finger nails on a chalk board. That’s not to say the vocals are high pitched, to the contrary. The vocals are delivered with such medium mundane tone with forced emotion it simply drives me crazy. Look, you’re either able to pull off emotion naturally or not, and this is not pulling it off. Every time the singer tries to reach a long lasting note I cringe and am waiting for the crack. Not a good sign for a reviewer, or listener for that matter. Adding to the vocals yang is the lyrics. We’ve all heard some basic lyrics, and to be quite honest lyrics don’t need to be complicated, but this needs work. The lyrics reminds me of a songwriter who’s simply penning some easy words while the band is working out the songs. Given the quality of the music it’s not complimented and this CD lacks some fine tuning.
Rating 2 (only because of the music)
Kevin Crider
“Signatures”
A blues rock style CD where Kevin Crider plays most of the instruments on the CD. The exception being the vocals. And to aid in this endeavor Crider as enlisted other professional musicians to lend support and their talents. Clarence Clemons, Pat Travers, Brad Gillis, Rick Derringer, and Mickey Thomas just to name a few. I’m usually skeptical about CD’s with lots of guest appearances but this offering is solidly arranged and each guest appearance is matched extremely well with the song they appear. An excellent sounding CD and really hard for me to say much more so I’ll leave it at that.
Rating 3+
Radium 88
“Only Science Can Tell Us The Truth”
www.myspace.com/theradium88
This digital instrumental CD reminds me of the old saying “just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” And maybe I should just stay away from reviewing CD’s like this but I can’t always write about stuff I understand or like so here goes. Before the first song ended I had a thought this music sounds like something from Britain and would be played in a new age castle. Not gothic and not renaissance but instead something from the digital age with energy efficient appliances. A quick Google search and turns out the band is from the UK. As for the music it’s too slow, meandering, and boring, and I just can’t get into music that can entirely be produced using a keyboard. Seriously why bother listing the players when all this music can be programmed. Good thing I have a full bottle of tequila to wash this one down with.
Rating 1
Every Time I Die
“Gutter Phenomenon”
www.myspace.com/everytimeidie
I love music that when you hit play grabs your attention. The kind that screams “hey check me out”, and this is indeed that. The style is typical metal with fast paced music with screaming vocals but there’s a little southern rock influence thrown in which is that one spice you’re not sure will work and then you taste it and can’t see not including it. From the start the one component which perked my ears up is the guitar work which I totally dig. Given this is metal the guitars are not just thrashed out cords making noise. Nor is the drummer sitting back beating the tar out of a double kick. Instead the two, along with the bass, meld this arrangement that goes from metal to something along the lines of a groovy old style White Zombie with a funky rockabilly sound. This is one of those indie gems I’m always looking for. Something that catches me completely off guard and finds it’s way into my CD rotation more and more.
Rating 3+
John 5
“The Devil Knows My Name”
www.myspace.com/john5official
www.john-5.com
Normally I’m not a fan of guitar shredding CD’s, because most simply lack true heart and spirit, but this new release from former Marilyn Manson guitarist and now current Rob Zombie axeman is to put it simply, “just plain cool”. Normal guitar shredding instrumental CD’s are filled with unemotional riff after riff but John’s style has a attitude that’s down to earth and natural. It’s got the typical rock & roll flavor I expected but also some country / rockabilly influence thrown in on a few tracks. Definitely not what I expected but it works and I dig how it changes the direction and overall style of the CD. There’s even an instrumental rendition of GNR’s “Welcome to the Jungle” which is freakin’ killer with John making the strings coming alive to sing the lyrics. I search and search to find the hidden gem and here it is.
Rating 4+
