Scroll down for capsule reviews of Solomon Burke, The Wonder Stuff, Planting Seeds compilation, Hell's House Band, Pop Boomerang compilation Vol. 2, Jackdaw 4, Dave King, Heap, Smash Palace, Wanderjahr, Jarvis Humby, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, a Zip compilation and The Satelliters

Solomon Burke -- Make Do With What You Got (Shout Factory/The One): With his pencil thin mustache, tailored threads and rotund physique, this certified god of soul looks more like The Godfather -- the Black Don Corleone. If you don't believe me, look at the back cover photo. We should all kiss his ring and show some respect, as Burke shows that 2003's Don't Give Up On Me wasn't a one-shot comeback from a legend. It just proved that when you give one of the best voices in soul history grade-A songs, it will result in a classic. On this effort, Burke teams up with producer Don Was on an album that is more purely R & B than the last disc. It's a heck of an album, even though the quality of the songs is not as stellar this time around. Yes, Burke sometimes settles for the merely good. That's not the case with album's biggest highlight, "At the Crossroads", which marks the second consecutive album that Solomon has hit a home run with a Van Morrison song. What makes this so great, is that even with Burke's southern fried voice and the country accents of Robby Turner's pedal steel, this is so clearly a Van tune, and Burke's gospel background makes it a spiritual experience. This is followed by a terrific Memphis soul take on The Rolling Stones's "I Got the Blues". This has it all -- a horn section, background singers and a mournful organ. I don't think Mick and Keith could have conceived just how great this song could sound with a full blown soul treatment. Burke has one co-write, on "After All These Years", which is a similar smoky ballad. The upbeat stuff gets the album going, and "I Need Your Love in My Life" is standard issue Stax, while there's a slight reggae accent on Bob Dylan's "What Good Am I?". The other bouncy number is "Make Do With What You Got", with Ray Parker, Jr. playing playful licks that are reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt; boy, shouldn't someone get Burke and Raitt together for a duet, now that I think of it? I'm sure a Burke duets album is inevitable, and if anyone can overcome that moldy cliche, it's this vocal genius. shoutfactory.com

The Wonder Stuff -- Escape From Rubbish Island (Independent/Gig/BMG): The Wonder Stuff pick up where they left off, which is unfortunate, since their last LP before breaking up was not very good. After three impressive albums, the band seemed directionless, not sure whether to get slicker or rockier or more pastoral. Moreover, lead singer Miles Hunt's typically bitter lyrics seemed to infect and strain the music, and hooks were fewer and farther between. And that's about where the Stuffies find themselves here. This album is a series of mid-tempo rock numbers that are competent and professional, but rarely inspired, in either the composition or the performance. While Hunt sounds engaged with his words, this album is otherwise devoid of spark, and motions are gone through. "Bile Chant" (what a title) shows some signs of life, with a nice acoustic guitar riff and some violin accompaniment setting up a basic chorus that at least has some energy. But too many songs simply simmer, without really establishing a mood or building to something. Frankly, if it weren't for Hunt's voice, there is almost nothing distinctive about this album at all. A gigantic disappointment. independentrecordsltd.com

Various Artists -- Sunsets And Silhouettes (Planting Seeds): A nice compilation that is not put together by genre, so much as mood and tempo. This is a good collection of tunes from the mellower part of the pop-rock spectrum. So you get a little alt-country vibe from The Asteroid No. 4 ("Back Where I Belong") and a wonderful tune by Goldrush ("Counting Song") that ambles nicely like a lot of Swedish pop, but then crackles into a shoegazer big guitar finish. You also get sweet music with a Velvet Underground vibe on Camera Obscura's "Books Written for Girls" (a live acoustic version), and twee girl pop that is perfect for a rainy Paris day on Sister Vanilla's "Pastel Blue". Astropop 3's "Anything" is a fine slice of winsome acoustic pop craft -- it's like a less perky Aztec Camera. Fiel Garvie's "I Didn't Say" is a blend of Velvet Underground and girl group sound that is reminiscent of Denise James. The Autumn Leaves have a comparable ‘60s vibe on "See the Light Again", a dramatic little tune. The Voyces' "I Don't Want to Go Back" is a throwback to sweet ‘70s AM radio pop, a la Poco and Firefall. I could go on, but within the confines of softer sounds, this is a versatile compilation that ebbs and flows well. Enjoyable Sunday morning music. plantingseedsrecords.com

Hell's House Band -- Dozen Lies (Hard Soul): This L.A. band is fronted by Mark Curry, who put out two really good solo records on Virgin back in the ‘90s. Curry has a gritty voice and writes hard edged songs that could, at times, be called folk with attitude. This album shows that Curry pretty much approaches music the same way, and here, he is backed by a skilled band. Indeed, after a handful of listens, this is effectively Curry's third album. As such, it strikes me as being just a tad weaker than the first two records, primarily because even though there are a lot of nice songs throughout, the disc could use a few more stand outs. This is the type of disc that might become better after I've thrown a song or two onto a mix disc -- sometimes consistency makes a good album not sound as good as it is. My favorite song is probably "Come on Out", which lopes along on to a snappy snare drum rhythm. It's probably the happiest song here, and contrasts with the more sober tracks that comprise the most of the disc. Another song that's just a bit different from the norm is "Sleeps Quietly", which is kind of Curry's version of a soul ballad. He is normally so vocally intense (though rarely overly so), and hearing him lower the emotional temperature is actually pretty sweet. The band plays so sparingly on this track, in a way that so throughly supports the excellent vocal -- this is so much harder than it sounds, filling some sonic space while leaving a lot of it empty. The intensity I speak of is captured well on acoustic based rock songs like the title cut and "Talk on Till You're Blue". It's good to hear Curry again and I hope that this band can keep going. Curry's a great talent and these guys play very well together. hardsoulrecords.com

Various Artists -- Planet Of The Pop Boomerang Vol. 2 (Popboomerang): In just a few years, Popboomerang has established itself as one of the top labels specializing in power pop and related types of music. If you want proof to back up that statement, look no further than this two-disc, 46 track compilation. Mixing in some well known pop scene names (Gigantic, Cosmic Rough Riders, Michael Carpenter, Lolas, Neilson Hubbard, and others) with talented up-and-comers, it's clear to see that top drawer popsters respect the Popboomerang brand. The first disc is comprised of artists outside the U.S., and the second disc is 100 percent Yankee Doodle Dandy. A healthy number of these tracks are previously unreleased, but whether brand new or already released, the quality rate here is very high. For example, take Brad Harvey's breathless ‘60s inspired "Blinded By Your Love" -- Harvey's EP from a couple years ago was nice, but this comp now has his best track, an intent pop tune that I'd have loved to have heard The Searchers or The Hollies sing back in the day. Then there's Milli Davis - she's a 21st Century update on the great British girl-pop singers of the ‘60s, and "$4.15" is terrific. American Suitcase are a Norwegian band who have mastered Byrds/Teenage Fanclub style jangle as "Hun Kommer I Farger (She Comes In Colours)" proves. Popboomerang does not forget the mellower side of pop, as illustrated by the stately folk pop of Bedsit Poets on "February Kisses" and the lush piano piece "Spector's Dead" by Adrian Whitehead. Fans of Toothpaste 2000 and The Like Young should enjoy the punchy fun rock of The Clifton Foundation's "Squirrel Conspiracy" ("they're living in my house/and they don't pay rent"). The disc also includes two old-school nuggets from ‘70s popsters Blue Ash -- newly discovered demos that show why they merited a two disc compilation on Not Lame. Other top tracks include Michael Carpenter's "Miracles", Maple Mars' "Beautiful Mess", Spinning Jennies' "Big Deal", Chris Richards' "I'm No Better Than You", Ryan Ellsmore's "I've Had Enough", Idiot Grin's "Reluctant Guy", and Japanese bubbleglam revivalists The Oranges, singing in English on "Beautiful". This collection is an embarrassment of hooks. popboomerang.com

Jackdaw 4 -- Gramophone Logic (369): Baroque pop music in the vein of Jellyfish and Doug Powell. At its best, the music has a majesty and beauty that is gripping and moving. Starting at the end, the official closing track (before the short hidden finale) "Happy? (Dumbka)" is a swirling pretty delight, sounding like a sublime combination of early 10CC and The Beach Boys. Mastermind Willie Dowling and his fellow vocalists spool off tapestries of gauzy harmonies that float like clouds. Moving back to the start, the Jackdaws master dramatic pop on "This Is Your Life", a moody and passionate number with a spectacular chorus, and a megahook piano line orbiting Dowling's vocals. These two songs are a testament to a band that could be poised for greatness. However, like the aforementioned Jellyfish, there are some moments where they are bit too slick and glib for their own good. This is true of "Everything I See" and especially "Deep and Meaningless". But these moments are outweighed by lovely efforts like the ballad "Karoake Ballet" and "The Day I Wrote the Book", which takes a Beach Boys reference in the lyrics to a logical conclusion with a lovely vocal interlude. The band also deserves credit for articulate lyrics -- even though "Deep and Meaningless" is not my cup of tea musically, it's otherwise a nice piece of social commentary. There is no reason that Jackdaw 4 should not garner an audience as devoted as those to whom they are compared. jackdaw4.com

Dave King -- Elevators (self-released): A reflective mellow solo effort from King, who was last heard as part of the Canadian band The Cloudsmen. Whereas The Cloudsmen specialize in mid-tempo pop that compares favorably to The Nines, later period XTC and Crowded House, King is exploring slower and more atmospheric sounds here. The major common thread is King's melodic facility. Which means that throughout, the songwriting is certainly solid. I think at times, however, the playing could be just a bit more forceful -- I'm not talking about full balls out rock, but just a bit more punch -- the piano-based "Seeing in Colour" comes off tastefully, but the subdued backing diminishes the jaunty nature of the composition. I'm wondering if perhaps in trying to cast a certain downbeat mood, King may have needlessly tamed the performances on the more relatively upbeat songs. By contrast, the straight ballads are more successfully rendered. "Love My Way" is a tender and soulful composition with a simple melody and some terrific chord changes. "Empty" is a haunting song with light piano and drum accompaniment. King really captures heartbreak on this song. He also does this well on "From Above", which ends with King repeating over and over, "why'd you tell those lies?" At its best, this is resonate sad romantic music. daveking.ca

Heap -- On The Cheap (Rave On): Scruffy rock in the tradition of The Replacements and middle-period Goo Goo Dolls, with some slight forays into Americana that also make Marah a solid comparison. Heck, you could probably shoehorn in a little J. Geils Band and Graham Parker in there too. Which means this is unabashed rock and roll, sincere and spirited and fueled by girls, partying and beer. Lead singer Tim Heap was born to sing this roadhouse rock. Heap has a weathered voice, and he strains and snarls and sighs while he and his mates create an organized racket. The racket can be quite bouncy, as on "Women", which Heap co-wrote with guitarist Mickey Leigh. The song has a bit of a "Hang on Sloopy" rhythm, rocked up a bit, and is cleverly arranged to allow for lots of nice guitar bits. The instrumental break features a killer solo. The band really hits Graham Parker territory on "Vague", which is gruff R & B flavored rock leavened by a great melodic chorus, fueled by a delicate lead guitar part. Of course, Heap is made to kick some ass, and songs like "Puerto Rican Girl", "No Shame" and "Electricity" are automatic in that regard. Heap perfectly mixes inspiration, perspiration and passion. rave-on-records.com

Smash Palace -- Over The Top (Smash Palace): Old skinny-tie rockers never die, they just grow up to make swell jangle rock records. Maybe not the catchiest of slogans, and probably not 100 % true, but it sums up this effort from a band featuring former members of Quincy. Quincy was one of a number of bands who scored a major label deal in the wake of The Knack and new wave, and their sole CBS album still holds up well to these ears -- lead cut "Turn the Other Way Round" is a personal fave. Smash Palace resurrects "Dime Store Lies" from their Quincy days, and the song loses some of its new wave sheen, and translates well to this band's more organic sound. This is good rootsy rock and roll through and through, from guys who know their Beatles, Byrds, Beau Brummels and other likeminded artists. And there's a palpable joy in their music, that comes through on automatic winners like "Ordinary World" and "Steal Her Thunder". Fans of Tom Petty should find some kinship in this music, on songs like "Lucky Me" (which also has a John Lennon vibe) and "One Way Track". This is a pretty easy disc to review -- a familiar sound, done well, instantly appealing, and that continues to sound good after a number of spins. smashpalacemusic.com

Wanderjahr -- Is To Disappear (self-released): Good psychedelic pop record. What I like about this record is that it really encompasses a wide range of psychedelic sounds, in a manner that emphasizes enduring nature of the style. This disc seems to be a common ground between the Pretty Things, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and Flaming Lips . There are also some aspects of shoegazer music, as Wanderjahr has a spacious sound on some songs. This comes through on the sweet "Happy With Your Hat On", which has a winsome melody and ambient guitar and keyboard sounds. This tune comes off like a slow change of pace track on a Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix record. Generally, the band's approach seems to be to start with a solid song and then play around with the textures. Listen to the well arranged "The Lovely Apprentice", which has cello accompaniment by Sarah Linz and swooping keyboards and guitar bursts that sound like Orca. One of the pleasures of the band is that they can be quite concise, so when they do stretch things out, it is a well planned musical journey. "Mother Nature's Gun" is a top notch track, with jazz-blues inflection in the verses, perhaps verging on Jeff Buckley territory. Mike Clawaert isn't quite in that league as a vocalist, but he can handle this song with his nice top range. The band builds a groundswell of guitars in the chorus that is quite satisfying. The band even shows an affinity for more earthbound material, as "I Give Them a Name" is rooted in back porch blues. This band has been around eight years, yet this is a debut disc. They need not wait another eight years to get back in the studio, as they surely have more material of this quality. wanderjahrmusic.com

Jarvis Humby – Assume The Position...It's Jarvis Humby (Hard Soul): British band plays R & B infused garage rock, well enough to garner a cover blurb from Little Steven. The band's sound seems to be equal parts Small Faces and organ driven beer soaked rock in the vein of The Lyres. At all times, they lay down the groove, as shown splendidly on a cover of Brian Auger's "Black Cat" -- here, you can see that the British R & B scene in the late ‘60s was a precursor to the dance oriented sounds of the Madchester scene years later -- this could be the template for The Charlatans. Speaking of covers, Humby acquits itself quite well on The Sparkles' best known nugget, "Ain't No Friend of Mine". All of the Humbys pen at least one tune, and everything they write is, at a minimum, solid. Singer Andy Smith slyly tips his hat to The Byrds' "Eight Miles High" on "These Eyes", which is a good mid-tempo blend of rock and psych, with a deft light touch. Drummer Rix Jordan's "Vampyros Hetros" is quintessential garage rock, with plenty of vamping, big beats and squiggly Farfisa. Dave Heard's bass drives the jazzy "TV 200", which sounds like the super cool theme to a non-existent sci-fi series. Guitarist Mick Hepple makes his sole composition count, as "99 Steps to the Sun" is foreboding minor key pop in a Zombies mode, with rougher vocals courtesy of Mr. Hepple himself. This is an enjoyable album, and in spots, it reminds me of The Bees, though Jarvis Humby is less pop oriented. If they could take their songwriting to a higher level, they would be one of the best modern garage bands. As they are, they are pretty darned good. hardsoulrecords.com

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives -- Origin Vol. 1 (Republic/Universal): This Swedish psych-rock band has built its reputation on its intense live show. However, the band's records are more sleek and professional. TSOOL rocks, that much is for certain, but they keep things under control. Moreover, they always have a few stretched out mystic late-‘60s style tunes. If anything, this collection is possibly the poppiest thing they've put out to date. Songs like "Heading for a Breakdown" are downright friendly and jangly. This is a mixed bag -- the tunes are tuneful, no doubt, but should this band be trying to become Oasis? And should they subvert their personality to do so? I'd much rather they mix in a little old fashioned Alice Cooper snarl, which would suit them better. The balance of the album, however, is either more garage or psych in its direction. The best track is probably "Big Time", a percolating rocker that has a guitar solo very reminiscent of Rick Sims's work with Didjits. The band also rocks out effectively on "Age of No Reply" and "Royal Explosion (Part II)". There are some lovely moments, especially on "Lone Summer Dream", a majestic number with a strong melody and a towering chorus. The album could use a few more killer hooks like that. So, like prior efforts, this is a good, but not great, album. universalrecords.com

Various Artists -- West Of Eden (Zip): The Aussie Zip label goes to the land of surf-and-sand, which allows them to: 1) have an album package with babes in bikinis, and, 2) mine the always vital pop and rock scene of the Golden State. This is a nice collection that hits on a number of tangents, making for a diverse pop experience. The best song might be Anna Waronker's "California Fade". This is the former that dog frontwoman's best solo turn yet, a bouncy acoustic number with a yearning melody reminiscent of early Sam Phillips. This setting shows off Waronker's exquisite voice in all its glory. San Diego's The Shambles are one of pop's hidden secrets, and this Bart Mendoza led band doesn't disappoint with the short and sweet heavenly jangle of "All Sorts". With so many bands looking back to the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, it may be time for San Francisco's Persephone's Bees to get more attention. "Sex" has chilly lead vocals from Russian chanteuse Angelina Moysov and a film noir feel -- they sound like they came up as contemporaries of Wall Of Voodoo and Romeo Void. The Chantigs are a personal favorite of mine, who aren't afraid of a little XTC style dissonance and a bit of sloppy indie-pop bounce like Hypnolovewheel. "Holly Jolopy" is scruffy fun. Speaking of fun, how can you miss with a tune called "I Fell in Love With a Lying Stripper"? Carlos! certainly doesn't with this playful song, that brings to mind Weezer and Redd Kross. Meanwhile, The Paranoids have a glammy edge on the excellent ‘60s pop grounded "The Party's Over". This disc also has a nice cover of "My Little Red Book" by The Rubinoos, along with tracks from Lisa Mychols, the Muffs and The Well Wishers. This comp is worth the price of a full disc. universalrecords.com

The Satelliters -- Hashish (Dionysus): This veteran German band strives for authenticity, putting out albums that, with the exception of slightly cleaner production, are meant to be doppelgangers for the original primitive sounds of ‘60s rock and roll. They do a damn good job. They have done their homework, and the album mixes R & B stompers with some fuzztone proto-psych and a couple mellower moments. And, of course, they select cool covers -- not only do they acquit themselves well on We The People's "You Byrn Me Up & Down" and The Small Faces' "Wham Bam Thank You Mam", but they have the extreme cool to take on one of the handful of straight rock numbers done by The Association, "Five (Six) Man Band". The Satelliters really unleash the full garage potential of the latter track. The band's originals stand up well with the covers. "Anything I Do" is a crisp guitar fueled burner with a strong hook. "Tomorrow Is Another Day" is a nice acoustic blues rocker, the kind of change of pace The Rolling Stones and Pretty Things did so well back in the day. And "1969 -- The End of Time" is the requisite heavy rocker, with the rhythm section laying down a groove and thick guitars and serious sounding lyrics that are perfect for retro social commentary. A safe bet for true garage rock fans. dionysusrecords.com.

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