Scroll down for capsule reviews of The Knife & Fork Band, Anders Parker, Goldoolins, Volumen Cero, The Society of Rockets, Andy Partridge, Lonesome Brothers, Lisa Mychols, Michael Mazzarella, The Sun, The Neville Brothers and Water School

The Knife & Fork Band -- Cold Cereal & Juice (Groove Disques): A friendly EP from a band that mixes strings and an accordion with the usual rock line up to make music that has hints of British folk, The Delgados and early 10,000 Maniacs. The band also has a strong vocal presence. Meg Murphy's insinuating lead vocal is joined by Denis Murphy and George Shirley in a powerful call-and-response chorus on the fine opener "Crazy". The band takes a detour from its sophisticated folk on the breezy "Sun, Moon, & Stars", an excellent piece of swaying ‘60s light pop, which is only enhanced by the creative use of strings. But they should not detour from folk music too often, because we need a 21st Century version of Fairport Convention (yes, I know Fairport Convention still exists -- but a younger one, at least). Songs like "Diamonds" and "2000" are far from trendy, but they are exceptional examples of folk rock. A band to keep an eye on, they have a special sound. groovedisques.com

Anders Parker -- Tell It To The Dust (Baryon): A lot of folks refer to ‘60s bands like The Hollies and The Easybeats as ‘second line' bands -- that is, they don't rank up there with The Beatles, The Stones and The Kinks, but they were terrific bands. I suppose that's where Varnaline would be placed amongst alt-country acts of the last 10 years. A very very good band, yet not quite as original or groundbreaking as groups like Wilco or The Jayhawks. Varnaline leader Parker keeps up the quality on this solo record. I hear a bit of Jay Farrar and post-Mark Olsen Jayhawks in his sound. Songs like "Goodbye Friend" and "Something New" totally fit in that mold. Parker mixes these type of songs with detours such as the cool mid-tempo rocker "Into the Sun", which has a swell melody, the heartwrenching ballad "Innocents", which is a somber piano piece, and "Don't Go Alone", which sounds like a mix of Van Morrison and Flaming Lips, with an assist from Paul McCartney. Parker ends the album in grand fashion with the foreboding epic guitar slasher "Doornail", where he mixes drawling rock with some Neil Young and Free. Every track on this disc offers some reward. So Parker may not be an innovator, but he's one hell of a craftsman, and this is a very rewarding disc. baryonrecords.com

Goldoolins -- Goldoolins (Earsay): Earlier this year, E.T. Doolin put out a swell disc of classic ‘50s style crooning rock and roll. On this effort, Doolin teams with O.D. Goldbart to bring back early ‘60s folk rock. That may be putting it a little strongly, but a lot of the songs on this disc definitely have a hootenanny ready feel. Needing a Mary to go with their Peter and Paul, Tadlik Doolin (E.T.'s wife) contributes a strong female voice to the proceedings. After that introduction, I would have to say that my favorite song on this album is E.T.'s "Ocean Song", a pensive acoustic ballad with hints of John Lennon and The Rolling Stones in their sweetest moments, that is well augmented by a harpsichord. Goldbart's "Waiting for The Rain" stays more within the folk motif, though it has a Russian/Eastern European feel that reminds me of Mary Hopkins' "Those Were the Days" or a Kate Bush song. You don't hear this type of song too much nowadays, and the Goldoolins do it right here. Goldbart scores with the strong album opener, "Be My Friend", which somehow manages to be driving and laid back at the same time. This song seems to have both the aforementioned folk influence with a moody minor key ambience that's reminiscent of The Zombies. E.T.'s "I'm Doin' Something" is simply a lovely piece of tunesmithing, on par with the solo work of Ronnie Lane (this would make a great medley with Lane's "Annie"). This record is no grand statement, just three people doing some nice songs very well. It's great to hear something with no pretense other than expressing feelings and thoughts with skill, craft and emotion. earsayrecords.com

Volumen Cero -- Estelar (Warner Music Latina): Sharp modern pop-rock album by this Miami-based band who sing primarily in Spanish. The trio (pared down by one member on this, their third release) shows a flair for songwriting (spearheaded by guitarist Martin Chan on most of the tracks) that touches on bits of power pop and Brit pop, without falling into any simple genre description. They are just as comfortable on the disc's best track, "Autos", a percolating guitar filled track with a winding melody that is kind of a Latino variation on the power pop coming out of Sweden, as they are playing a mid-tempo rocker that melds their inherent sunniness with a heft approaching Oasis on "Diviso". On "Biscayne", the band hits upon a modern pop sound in the realm of Gin Blossoms and Tal Bachman -- good urgent stuff. While the lyrics aren't deep, they are basic and convey a simple theme -- the need for companionship and to not be alone (not necessarily the same thing). The music provides a fitting background and vocalist Luis Tamblay brings it home. A similar theme is visited on the excellent final track "The Universe". Here, Tamblay is convinced that no matter how lost anyone can get, they are okay if they can find someone to be with. Now, whether he can convince the person he's singing to come along with him may be another story, but he's trying real hard. Based on this, I need to check out their earlier releases. volumencero.com

The Society Of Rockets -- Sunset Homes (Underpop): Members of the Shimmer Kids Underpop Association move from the pure psychedelic revival of that band to quiet, contemplative music. At its best, the Rockets provide further proof that quiet might very well be the new loud. On "Little Road", the music has somewhat of a Western feel, with just a voice and quiet guitars. This song could easily be twanged up a bit and turned into a country song, but is splendid in its lonely quietude. The opener, "O, Sing Transformer" tries a different tack. It is also quiet and spacious, but then layers other instruments into the mix – spaced out guitar, keyboards, an accordion and they also add some reverb. Meanwhile, "Too Many Thorns in Your Bed of Roses" also find the band trying a country motif. Again, the band avoids straight country instrumentation; however, they achieve a nice barroom feel. On this song, I wish the vocal was a bit stronger, but it's one of the best written songs on the disc. I think there are a couple of songs that float around a bit too much, but the blend of country and atmospherics is fertile ground for these guys and is worthy of further exploration. societyofrockets.com

Andy Partridge -- Fuzzy Warbles, Volumes 5 and 6 (Ape): The mad genius behind XTC seems to be perfecting this ongoing series of demo recordings. Mix in just enough songs that made albums with a few that just missed the cut, find a couple of weird odds-and-ends, and a few nice things that a true fan will scarf up and voila! A collection of warbles fit for listening. Yes, there are a few times where the skip button should be hit, especially on the Volume 6 opener "The Laugh Track", which is nearly three minutes of our dear Andy in a massive giggle fit brought on by an inability to sing "Omnibus" during the Nonsuch sessions. And the tracks that didn't make albums skew more towards nice-but-not essential. As a fan, though, I'm glad to hear them. But what I'm really glad to hear are great ‘new' songs. The best of the bunch is "My Land is Burning', a dirge-like rant with Partridge decrying a society where: "the fat cats add/all our savings to their name." This is in the vein of "The Last Balloon", but it's pissed off instead of resigned, with a violently angry guitar solo. Early on, "Young Cleopatra" is a bouncer in the tradition of "Down in the Cockpit" while "I Defy You Gravity" is playful white funk pop. Indeed, if one thing characterizes a lot of Partsy songs that don't make albums, it's that they tend to be playful and light. Such as "I Can't Tell What Truth Is Anymore" on Volume 6. Another good one is "Difficult Age", which Partridge notes is yet another ode to masturbation. Hey, you write what you know, right? Amongst the released songs, it is cool to hear some Dukes Of Stratosphear demos, and other good ones include "Earn Enough For Us" with some different lyrics, a very dubby take on "Human Alchemy" and some swell Nonesuch numbers, particularly the stunning "Rook". These demos lead me to believe that they should have tapped a livelier producer than Gus Dudgeon for that album. These are two more nice additions to the collection for any XTC fanatic. ape.uk.net

Lonesome Brothers – Fences (Spirithouse): This trio features two talented songwriters – Jim Armenti (guitar) and Ray Mason (bass), who, of course, does great work with his own Ray Mason Band. The opening song, "Move Along", features Armenti's relaxed, weatherbeaten voice, on a pithy slice of country rock with maybe a smidge of early-‘70s Grateful Dead. It is a calling card for the rest of this album – these guys are two characters with some stories to tell and wisdom to impart. Such as "life's like a bottle game at the fair/you toss the ball, but nothing goes anywhere" (from Mason's twangin' "Help Me Please"). Some songs have a bit of an old rock and roll feel, while others are country inspired. "Little City" is a nifty shuffle via Armenti. "Try Me Out For Awhile" is a tender ballad, with Mason eschewing his usual exaggerated vocals, and sounding a bit like Joe Walsh. This is one sweet song. Meanwhile, "Come To The Window" is a charmer, with a feel similar to a Drifters classic, but played in a rootsy acoustic fashion. This album should come with a free shot of sippin' whiskey. spirithouserecords.com

Michael Mazzarella with The Fellows of Mortimer – Only Hope For Winter (self-released): This DVD release is comprised of 21 performances by The Rooks frontman, all in a casual studio setting, and six of the songs are previously unreleased. Mazzarella is joined by Huw Gower of The Records, Dave Rave and Greg Field. If you're a Rooks fan, you may just want to skim down to the bottom and get the web info. It's pretty much the next best thing to having Mazzarella play in your living room. If you're not familiar with Mazzarella or The Rooks, I don't know if this is the best place to start. Only since I think it would be hard to get into new music via DVD rather than CD. Because the music here is wonderful. Mazzarella writes flawless pop songs inspired by The Beatles and other kindred spirits in 1966-68. The best Rooks music, while clothed in these obvious influences, transcends them, because of the passion and emotion invested in every song. Mazzarella has a voice that is two parts John Lennon, one part Marshall Crenshaw, and he sounds like he feels every word he sings. In this format, with Mazzarella on guitar and generally subtle accompaniment from the Mortimer Fellows, there is a very intimate sound. So songs like the piano dominated "Better Start Now" and the acoustic guitar laden "Reasons" (an excellent early Rooks tune) are all the more captivating in this format. There are some perky moments like the jangly "Folk Hero". There is no doubt that the music here is top drawer. From the visual angle – the production here is pretty basic, and it generally looks like a two camera set up. This was shot in different sessions, so you can decide which hairstyle looks best on Mazzarella and whether you like him better clean shaven. My only knock on the direction, is the poor use of dissolves (I may be using the wrong term – I mean the technique where one camera shot is superimposed over another). With annoying consistency, the director overlays two images of the same person from only slightly different angles – this just is not an effective use of the technique. Otherwise, though, the spare production fits the stripped down music, and let's it do the talking, as it should. therooks27@aol.com

Lisa Mychols -- In This City (Wizzard In Vinyl): A six-song EP on the heels of her 2004 album -- this is the most prolific period of Ms. Mychols' career! She opens with the widescreen title cut, which mixes crunchy power pop with a tune that's in the vein of, I dunno, Petula Clark ("I Know a Place" maybe?). A great start. It's followed by a song written by Darian Sahanaja of The Wondermints. It's called "Ingenue" and it's a song that seems to float in the air, yet it has a lot of drive. Again, this is a good mix of light melody with sharp rocking playing in the background. Mychols really nails her lead vocal here. On "Lyin (In Front of Me)", Mychols travels to 1968 for a little bit of psych-pop. Nice. "Times Two" sounds like a cross between The Go-Go's and Off Broadway. To me, anyways. Mychols covers The Velvet Underground's "I'll Be Your Mirror". She turns it into a somewhat perky uptempo pop tune, with a looped rhythm track. It's a nice try, but I don' t think it quite works. The finale is a live recording of the song "Choke Up". This is a sweet soft pop song, and another superb vocal performance. Five out of six winners, by my count, and another swell disc from Ms. Mychols. wizzard-in-vinyl.com

The Neville Brothers -- Walkin' In The Shadow Of Life (Back Porch): Ofttimes the best way for a veteran group to sound relevant is not to try to sound contemporary, but to just do what they excel at. These New Orleans legends pay almost no mind to what's on the charts (with the exception of one guest rap interlude, which I believe is mandated by Congress) and the result is a mix of New Orleans funk and straight R & B that simply cooks. The Neville's have shown a social conscience before (remember "Rosa Parks"?), and quite a few songs here are a plea to end the plague of drugs and violence in our inner cities. While songs like "Junkie Child" and the devastatingly pointed "Kingdom Come" may lack subtle lyrics, they aren't too overdone. They are played with utter sincerity and commitment, and pack a gigantic punch. They mean every word they sing. In this context, the cover of The Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" is a perfect fit, as some of the songs have a feel similar to the great songs penned by Temps producer Norman Whitfield back in the day. The album has a nice flow, going from the funkier stuff at the beginning, to most of the social commentary in the middle and some uplift at the end. "Brother" is a beautiful affirming ballad and then it's followed by a smashing cover of "Rivers of Babylon". The band plays it in a slower tempo and the wonder that is Aaron Neville simply takes over. He has that special quaver in his voice that just reins you in. I'm not fully versed in the Neville's work to say precisely where this stacks up, but this certainly is one more high water mark in a grand career. backporchrecords.com

The Sun -- Did Your Mother Tell You? (Warner Brothers): The second EP from this Ohio band, who, on the back cover, promise to release a full length in 2005. They better, since they now have back to back EP winners. It's hard to specify what makes this band so great. The bands who immediately come to mind when I hear The Sun are The Clash and The Replacements, though they aren't that similar to either of them. What they share with The Clash is a punch and versatility -- they can rock and then incorporate some reggae or funk. What they share with the Replacements is a ragged rootsiness combined with strong hooks. The spirit of both bands, and likeminded rockers, pervades tracks like "Sandy", which is a runaway of a train of a song, built on an insistent rhythm, with just a hint of melody in the chorus, which rocks like crazy yet has a light touch, and the opener "My Girlfriend's Best Friend", which has a ragged vocal from Chris Burney and goes from mid-tempo fun to a roar, with fast jangling guitars and driving drumming. The band also has quieter moments. "Demons" is a pretty acoustic tune, and the title cut starts off sounding like an epic folk tune. The song doesn't stay there. It explodes in a guitar fury in the middle, becomes quiet again, and the dam bursts for good in the end. Yet, this dramatic standout isn't the best track. That honor goes to "Justice", which is jittery and urgent, built on a rhythm where guitar notes play in sympathy with the drums. The song has a feel similar to Fastball's "The Way", but instead of a sunny pop hook, the music here is dramatic -- this sounds like it was inspired by Orson Welles' Touch Of Evil. I don't know if I'm doing this disc justice (pun not intended) -- just buy this. warnerbrosrecords.com

Water School – Break Up With Water School (self-released): Winning low-key rock songs that aren't usually steeped enough in roots to fit within the realm of Americana, but they have a similar appeal. You could play this for a fan of Poco or The Silos and I'm sure they'd find something to love (okay, nowadays it might be hard finding a Poco fan, but I'm sure if you tried hard enough...). And on "Blooms in Disguise", they conjure up a song on par with Camper Van Beethoven during their major label heyday, which transforms in the chorus into something more straightahead rock – it's a good combo. Meanwhile, "Andy" is a fun ragged pop song, keyed by a memorable organ part – kind of like old Green On Red. On "Firefly" and "(Darling) You Won't Have To", the band gets a bit rustic. "Firefly" is a pleasant ramble, while "(Darling)" is a sweet luv song. This band is quite charming and the music is...comfortable. The songwriting could be more consistent, and a few of the 13 tracks just kind of lay there. But overall, this is just nice stuff. morphius.com

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