Top Johnny! ~ self-titled CD

Down from Montreal, Canada, comes some very high-quality modern rock, courtesy of a quartet called Top Johnny! - it's not modern in an emo or screamo way, but just in the sense that it's good, propulsive rock-&-roll that really hits the spot. As the band puts it, this is "new, classic rock." A look at the disk's dozen track-titles reveals a pretty basic rocker's repertoire of ready-for-action, feel-good tuneage - "Bustin' Loose" and "Keep It Real" should give you a preliminary idea of what to expect, and for a lot of fans, there's nothin' at all wrong with these sentiments. Better still, there's definitely nothing amiss about the playing and production on this release. Your "Master of Ceremonies" is guitarist-singer TJ Star, who co-produced the disk with a fellow called Mr. Positive. Top Johnny! also includes a fine lady bass player named Karo, plus drummer Hitman and guitarist Izzy Slater. Now, one good indication of a band's buzz is when you have one or more of the group's songs resounding in your head a day or so after you heard it, and several of Top Johnny's tracks can seriously adhere to your grey cells in that fashion. This could be the case with "Out of Control" and "Love You Like An Animal," to name but two back-to-back hummers on the disk. Karo is a competent player, hitting a disco beat for "Keep It Real," and supporting strongly throughout, in conjuction with Hitman's drums. Released by StarBrite Records, the songs on this CD have a generally upbeat, progressive, sing-along quality. Expert guitar-tone craftsmanship, through crunchy chords and slippery licks, is coupled at times with synthesizer accents to illuminate propulsive tracks such as "Love You Like An Animal," "Your Love Is Killing Me," and "Bad Boy for Loving You." And oh yes, on that "Animal" track you can tell that TJ has been practicing his high-neck scales, tasty! The players in Top Johnny!, like their fellow Canadians in Nickelback, have routed at least the slightest edge of a hip-hop vibe through their polished melodic rock channel, as found in "Bustin' Loose" ("whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do?") and "We Are Live." Also, to continue on a cross-cultural theme if you go to their website, you'll find that they cater to both English and French speakers, tres bien, merci! But whatever your idiom, throughout this solid self-named CD by Top Johnny!, you get a hearty earful of the universal language of rock.

(As a footnote, it must be mentioned that here in L.A. during the Eighties, there was a familiar front-man on the Strip called "Top Jimmy," who used to tear it up on the Strip with his band The Rhythm Pigs, as memorialized by Van Halen on their "1984" album. Sadly, Top Jimmy passed away in 2001 ~ gone, but not forgotten. Now, out of Canada, comes this strong act with a similar name but a sound all their own -- and maybe they, too, will be "Bustin' Loose" one of these days on the Strip, or elsewhere around town. Bonne Chance, Top Johnny!) www.topjohnny.com

003 ~ by: Oh No Not Stereo

This is a dose of compelling modern rock, from a “band” that’s basically composed of just two guys, Skyler Nielsen and Mykul Lee. Funny, that this duo gave their second effort the name “003” -- but it looks like this team works kind of like Steely Dan’s Fagin and Becker, feathering in all kinds of in-jokes and behind-the-scenes chuckles. Anyway, these guys put together a package that sure sounds like the work of a full band, full-force, through track after track of the generous 15 cuts on this recent release. The verse for “Core” starts a little slow, like “Hotel California,” but the song picks up tempo and interest, when the singer tells his honey that he’s “gonna love you like a scientist!” There are some catchy lyrics here, on an album full of clever songs. "All You" gets some interesting retro-style production, along with "Miss Hard Time,” which has cascading keys to open. Again, "12 Years Later," comes with tinkling keys and swooping strings. "I Can't Say" fuses old Beatles vibes with nu-rock crunch, for an interesting mix – which includes a kind of Weezer-style vocal emoting. And there's that "Roaring Twenties” antique-microphone vocal effect on "Brothers," which turns out to be a favorite trick for these guys, it seems. The disk closes with a piano-based piece called “Can’t Trust Anyone” – sounds like a Randy Newman title, eh? – illustrating what competent craftsmen Nielsen and Lee are. Despite their heavy use of keyboards, the fellows gives special thanks, in their liner notes, to Iron Maiden -- for "being so kick ass." Two thumbs up, yeah! www.ohnonotstereo.net

Get On The Bus ~ by: Melting Point

Listening to “Bush,” the opening track on this Melting Point CD, the first thing that might register in your ears is a reminder of Neil Young – there are the thick, distorted chords, and the plaintive, whiny voice, yeah – but the busy backbeat is a little like Offspring, bringing these boys up-to-date for a more current approach. The retro-grunge sound is reinforced on the title track, “Get On The Bus,” which seems to be about life on the road and groupies and automotive metaphors for hot love – yep, it sounds like rock-&-roll, and this could be a ride you want to take. Melting Point is a quartet from Berkeley who just peeled off this 13-song CD in January on Banana Man Records. Consisting of vocalist Jesse Brownstein, drummer Andrew Prout, bassist Tom Megantz, and guitarist Ben Kramarz, Melting Point is a pretty witty group of guys, as seen in songs such as "Ishmael," when the question is asked, "Is there wisdom in your tooth?" And naturally, being from the East Bay, it seems that some residual trippiness has soaked into these lads, left over from the hippie-dippy days of yore. You hear this on a track such as "Interlude," which feels like old Quicksilver Messenger Service, yet with a more modern metallic edge. Then there's the quirky melange of Seventies-style chords in "The Boy from Outer Space," with oohs and ahhs like Moody Blues on Ecstasy. And you’ll dig that hip-daddy sax on “Rainbow Tincan,” thanks to Chris Massound, and you’ll ponder the possible musical reference to the late Kurt Cobain in "Seattle Love Song," which is headily hypnotic and engagingly good. There’s not so much lead-guitar work on this CD, but that’s not Melting Point’s mission. Their intent, evidently, is to get you on board their own special magic bus – and they’ll make it worth the trip. www.meltingpointband.com

Ross Byron ~ self-titled CD

Okay, now is time for this reviewer to insert a subjective note into his usually impersonal and objective commentary. It so happened that on the day when Ross Byron's promotional CD got spun for the first time, the phone rang and a companion explained that she was "watching the white trash acting out on Jerry Springer." Okay, fine, the first cut on Byron's disk is called "White Trash," and glory-be, he tells us about a gal who's "no good for me, but you'd be great on Jerry Springer." Love that synchronicity, y'all -- and what you also need to know, gentle reader, is that the song is pretty much straight-ahead rock-&-roll, with saucy support on the chorus from Pam Dixon. Now, in the spirit of full disclosure, you should be aware that your humble scribe has a cheesy affection for "trailer culture," a taste of which comes through with another band reviewed in this issue, Day of the Outlaw, and likewise, obviously, with White Trash Cowboys, discussed in the February edition of All Access Magazine. Well, after taking that opening trip to the trailer, Ross invites you to the “Medicine Show,” telling you that “it only costs your soul,” hmm … and then he asks, “What’s It Gonna Take?” – Well, maybe it’ll take a solid power ballad, such as Ross delivers with “Don’t Say Goodbye.” Sometimes you can tell he’s reaching for the limit with his voice, and he does it with a lot of heart. The man totally shreds on "Story of Job," asking that archetypal Biblical sad-sack, "Why can't you curse God?" Ross touches on the highlights (lowlights?) of Job's tale of woe, in a song that has a heavy, busy underline, and an outstanding lead. But in a direction that takes a turn for the happier, check out the funky feeling found in "The Na-Na Song." There you will find fine rockin’ and good, clean fun -- pumped out by a crew that includes Vinny Rose on drums, Elmer Johnson on bass, and Mike Desroches on keyboards, with expert production by Tom Stiegler. So – pull yourself away from Springer, and give Ross Byron and his music a look and a listen at: www.myspace.com/rossbyronsmusic

Holy Avenger ~ by: Michael Stollaire

This seasoned singer-guitarist enlisted the aid of veteran musician Stu Simone to construct a disk of high-energy tunes that might gain some of their strength and vision from the glittery glory of bands such as Sweet and Slade. Perhaps he has been through a trend or two, but what he has come back to is what a lot of listeners are clamoring for: punchy rock tunes with an electric feel and a pick-you-up attitude.