Mike
Bennett Capsule Reviews:
August, 2006

Scroll down for capsule reviews of Methadones, Rahim, Leels, Adam Power, The Goldstars, Glorious Day, Cats & Jammers, Martin Gordon, The One and Only Typicals, a Phoenix soul compilation. The Sound Team, Stereophonics, Andre Williams, The American Werewolf Academy and Alejandro Escovedo

Andre Williams with The Diplomats Of Solid Sound -- Aphrodisiac (Pravda): The gravel voiced blues singer teams up with the snappy mod-ish R & B band for a diverting effort. The Diplomats are as tight as tight can be, while Williams personifies loose, drawling his way through some basic soul and blues numbers. His performance style may be a deal breaker for some, as his imprecise phrasing and low energy vibe may not impress all. Sometimes I find him a bit too lethargic. But sometimes it works great, like on "Prove It to Me", which has a classic Southern soul rhythm, and while the backing vocalists sing "show me what you got/prove it to me" quite loudly, Williams's vocal is a total contrast -- maybe he sees the situation with his lady to be impossible, or maybe he's confident that he's right. Anyway, it's a unique approach. This is follow by one of the grittier tracks on the record, "I Don't Need Mary (Juana)", with Williams railing against smoking dope, since he can get a "natural high" from his woman. The music sometimes takes surprising directions, like the flute-inflected "Do You Remember?" But nothing is more striking than "Three Sisters", with Williams commenting on 2005's devastating hurricanes -- Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. While it's not exactly trenchant social commentary, the song is still a meaningful vehicle to express frustration and outrage. Don't let the bouncy music fool you. While musically consistent, not all of the songs are up to par. I wouldn't mind seeing Andre and the Diplomats team up one more time, with stronger material. pravdamusic.com

The Methadones -- 21st Century Power Pop Riot (Red Scare): 2006 has been a great year for all covers albums, from the fine Matthew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs LP to the excellent Def Leppard effort. This veteran Chicago punk band checks in with a terrific effort, playing classic power pop and skinny tie-era songs. This is a well-chosen set, with well known tunes, lesser known tunes and utter obscurities -- something for everyone! Their Midwest roots show with covers of Off Broadway's "Full Moon Turn My Head Around" and Cheap Trick's "He's a Whore", both which sound great. But they really excel on covers of British acts, with the mod/pub rock flavor benefitting from some extra punk energy. It starts off with The Jags' moment in the sun, "Back of My Hand", with guest vocalist Adam Fletcher sounding terrific. Then the ‘dones go to the guy the Jags were ripping off, Elvis Costello on his debut album's "Welcome to the Working Week". Finally, they move to one of Elvis's competitors, with a great version of Joe Jackson's "I'm the Man". These numbers all highlight a tight band having a good time, playing great songs with tons of spirit. There are no duds on this collection, though their version of The Beat's "Walking Out on Love" can't measure up to the definitive cover by The Smugglers. A nice change of pace is provided by taking on Scandal's "Goodbye to You" with The Soviettes' Annie Soviette taking the lead vocal and Sanuwon's Jenny Choi adding necessary new wave keyboards. The band gets extra credit points for doing a great job on one of the ultimate power pop tunes, The Records' "Starry Eyes". Here, they only rock it up a wee bit, staying true to the track's pure pop perfection. This is a great listen and is especially exciting because it will turn on a younger crowd to some great tunes penned before they were born. redscare.net

Rahim -- Ideal Lives (Frenchkiss): Since the break up of Jawbox, recorded work by J. Robbins has been increasingly sporadic. This is due in large part to the number of artists seeking his services as a producer. So, while us Robbins fans await a second Channels release, this Rahim album is the next best thing. This trio is practically a Robbins tribute band, favoring the same mix of dissonant chords, intent vocals and subtly strong melodies that have marked J.'s work since his Jawbox days. Moreover, they are spot on with the interlocking rhythms, with the bass, guitar and drums each taking part in propelling the song forward. Sometimes they augment things, with "Shut Off the Light" featuring some synthesizer noodling, literally laid on top of the precision playing, and lead track "Klangklangklang" sporting faux-Calexico horn parts. This format isn't as restrictive as it might sound -- indeed, it's a challenge finding a melody to match a tricky lockstep rhythm. Yet that's precisely what the band does on "Enduring Love", which probably isn't far removed from some of the best atmospheric work of The Cure. Indeed, The Cure seems to be a secondary influence -- check out the keyboard line on "Only Pure" and hear a Robert Smith-like melody line. But the chorus is not Cure-like in any fashion, with bottleneck guitar notes shot off into space over an offbeat melody. At times, the songs have an insistent, post-punk mantra feel to them, exemplified by "It's Not What You Said". The similarities to Robbins's work are obvious, but it's obvious that this band wants to take them in their own direction. I'll follow along for sure. frenchkissrecords.com

Leels -- Fingees Crossed (Cloth Monkey): The third Leels album offers more psychedelic indie rock. They aren't as instantly accessible as Flaming Lips or Grandaddy, nor as retro as units like Rockfour. In some respects, they remind me a little bit of Pinback. This is relaxed music -- if instruments could drawl, they do so here. Don't let the laid back and loose vibe fool you -- the songs are well-constructed and hooks and nice melodic ideas come to the fore as the album moves on. The first high point on the disc is "Work", which is an inspired piece of organic psych-pop, with a crawling piano part and supportive drumming. The off-kilter vocals are compelling and the song builds up, with strings and woodwinds entering the picture, leading to a swelling climax. It moves from endearing to inspiring. "H.L. Champs" is more instantly stirring, with a pastoral introduction giving way to a pleading vibe, with a bubbling bass and a strong lead guitar line leading the way. This song shows off one of the band's best qualities, the way to move the song in different directions, and making it all sound so flowing and natural. I definitely think that you either will like Leels' vibe or it just won't connect. Primarily because of the relaxed vocals, they seem loose, even though a lot of care goes into constructing these songs. I find this record more compelling with each listen, as the band really carves out a place all its own. clothmonkeyrecords.com

Adam Power -- What Were Sundays For? (Big Radio): An Aussie power popper who immediately dredges up two comparisons -- Paul McCartney and Myracle Brah's Andy Bopp. The resemblance is both vocal and musical to Macca, though a few tunes here are Brah-ish, thus encompassing more than Beatle-y and Wings-ish constructions. Indeed, "Walk" would be one of the better tracks on any of the Myracle Brah albums. For that matter, so would "Sad and Lonely", which has one of those downcast melodies that I associate with some of Chris von Sneidern's best work. One nifty feature of the song are the clipped lyrics in the verses, with some internal rhymes, which reflect the singer's frustration with the woman he's singing about. This is contrasted by the sumptuous chorus melody. This is unfortunately followed by the only real dud on the album, the blues-rock vamp of "Heartbreaker", which not only notes that she is, indeed, a "heartbreaker," but she is also a "love taker." How about a heartbreaker who stole my coffee maker, or insulted my religion, which is, by the way, Quaker? This song sticks out so much because of how masterful Power is throughout the rest of the album. Whether it's a superb slice of melodic rock that is Beatle-esque, Matthew Sweet-esque, and Squeeze-esque in equal degrees ("Recluse") or soft ballads that may make you melt (the opener "Amor", a beautiful piano piece, and "Truth", which has a ‘50s feel), Power is in command. One of the best pop records of the year. bigradio.com.au

The Goldstars -- Purple Girlfriend (Pravda): The second album from these Chicago garage rockers benefits from one minor tweak that makes me like it more than their fine debut -- the keyboard stylings of Skipper on Rheem and Hammond Organs are given their proper focal point in the mix. While Dag Juhlin does not go reverb crazy on his guitar, in many respects, the ‘stars follow in the garage rock tradition of the supreme revivalists The Lyres. Lead singer Sal (who used to drum for The Krinkles) is even more settled into his frontman role and tears into the songs with more than the requisite gusto. As with a lot of garage rock records, the question is whether the originals can match well performed covers, such as The Sparkles' "No Friend of Mine". This is answered affirmatively on "One + One", which rides a cool organ line and has a punchy, shout along chorus. The lead track, "D.M.V." is a barn burner, angry and catchy at the same time. "You look at me/like the D.M.V." works in the same way that "In the night time/that's the right time" -- some garage rock things never change. There's even a nice little melodic coda to close out the song. I really like "Go Baby Go", which is a cool slower track that reminds me of The Fleshtones during their *Beautiful Light* phase. There are a couple of nice instrumentals too. The only thing that the ‘stars need now is their anthem, their killer cut, their permanent set closer. Perhaps on album number three. pravdamusic.com

Glorious Day -- Never Say Surrender (Out of Tune): Robust punk flavored rock from Seattle. This band has spent some time studying old school punk, and mixes anthemic post-Clash riffing with a sore-throated vocal approach reminiscent of Leatherface. Maybe this is a slightly lighter take on Leatherface. "Never Say Surrender" is shouted effectively by Kenneth Grooms, while Rob Dub's guitar playing is ace throughout, especially his hooky guitar leads. The band rumbles with a mix of menace and velocity on "Do You Want a War?", which has a melody on par with the best of Naked Raygun. The anti-military theme is familiar, but timely (and sadly, timeless), and well articulated: "they always imagined they'd see your name in lights/but you came home in a wooden box/draped with an American flag." The band dials down the tempo on "Lies", which looks at the same topic from a bit different angle, Groom's hoarse voice generating a mixture of empathy and indignation. Andy Partridge once noted that the reason he was against releasing the XTC song "Dear God" is that he felt it was incomplete -- you could release the world's largest box set about religion, and it would still not be enough. I suppose you could say the same about war. Nevertheless, these three songs are a worthy contribution. gloriousdaymusic.com

Cats & Jammers -- wholelottagoddamn (Scotch Hell): More smart ass rock from this Chicago band, who come off a bit like a mix of Too Much Joy, Pansy Division and The Dickies. The music is not quite punk or power pop, but it's urgent upbeat guitar rock. Scott Anthony goes from puerile to clever to more than meets the eye very well. Actually, compared to other bands who rely on humor in the lyrics, Anthony usually avoids the juvenile. The closest he comes to that might be "Women's Tennis Obsession", a paean to the hotties on the WTA, though most of the players listed are retired. Anthony couldn't resist this line: "And then there's Anna Kournikova/I think I saw her vulva." Yes, that's puerile. But it's a fun song. As is the "Lips That I Miss", which has a nice stuttering rhythm guitar hook, and is probably the catchiest song on the disc. The band adds a nice psychedelic gloss to "Salvador Dali Lama" -- I'd love to hear them try more sounds that deviate from their basic guitar rock. The band muses about the positive side of expiring early on "Will I Die Young?", but the humor here is black and cutting: "If only ‘heartbreak' were a cause of death/there'd be a sharp decline in suicide." Great line. Bass player Paul Medrano takes on the lead vocal on the clever observational tune "Closing Estelle's Again", about a guy who's spending too much time at a particular bar -- he wants to quit the long nights, "but I know better than to never say never." This is the band's most consistent album to date, and might be an even better introduction to their music than their recent compilation disc. catsandjammers.net

Martin Gordon -- How Am I Doing So Far? (Radiant Future): This might be the ultimate argument settler. Rather than squabble over which of Gordon's three solo albums is the best, just get this compilation, and skim the cream. The former leader of Jet and Radio Stars (after his apprenticeship in Sparks) does a terrific job of picking out the top tracks from his trilogy of witty power pop discs. As I've written before, Gordon's solo tuneage sounds like a modern update on his Radio Stars work, just a bit smoother, and leavened with bits of his glam past and contemporaries like Cheap Trick. He has a crack band, with former Jet and John's Children drummer Chris Towson on the skins and an excellent singer in Pelle Almgren, along with two ace guitarists, Andy Reimer, who played on the first two albums, and Enrico Antico, who was on the last one. Some songs are just breezy fun, like "Fuss Me". Gordon shows that he can take a clever lyrical concept and make it pay off, skewering internet scams on "(Oh No, What Shall We Do?) Daddy Lost His Head in a Coup", and writing a sci-fi romantic tale in "Her Daddy Was a Dalek, Her Mummy Was a Non-Stick Frying Pan". While rockers like "Cheap Trick" and "Plug 'n' Play" are Gordon's bread-and-butter, some of the best songs are slower tunes, augmented by outstanding lead guitar work. "Only One Dream Per Person" imagines what Heaven would be like if run by Germans, while "Bad Light Stops Play" takes a term used in cricket broadcasts on a song with Move-like pop-psych overtones. While Gordon's cover of The Move's "Tonight" is a personal favorite, the three on this collection are also standouts. There's The Beatles' "Every Little Thing She Does", Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Captain of the Pinafore", and from the original movie *The Producers*, "Love Power". These remakes give you an idea of the musical and lyrical sensibilities at work here. There are four bonus tracks, i.e., unreleased, which just add to the fun. martingordon.de

The One And Only Typicals -- Riot In My Head (Sounds Like Vinyl): More power pop with some mod inflections on this duo's latest effort. Matt Garappolo and Eddie Garza write their tunes separately, but they share a sensibility that gives the album a winning personality. The album is full of splashy drums, melodic bass lines and a guitars that riff and shimmer, sometimes during the same song, like on the contemplative and driving opener, "Guided By Choices" (extra points for the clever title). Speaking of that clever title, the O.A.O.T.'s acknowledge their influences throughout. Whether it's the spiffy cover of The Jam's "All Mod Cons" that closes the album (and at some point, they had to do a Jam cover), the name dropping "Underappreciated and Mean" ("I wanna take a superdrag/and be guided by the voices in my head."), or the swell look back to seeing Sonic Youth (or was it just a dream) on the title cut, these guys wear their outstanding taste in music on their sleeves (CD sleeves?). The band really rocks out, appropriately enough, on "Rock Do the Talking", the O.A.O.T.s furiously throwing down the gauntlet. Yet they don't exclusively rely on going balls out, showing an ability to slow things down credibly on songs such as "Ghost" -- this song has a swoony aspect, while still possessing guitar energy -- this is something The Godfathers also did well in their heyday. Matt and Eddie could probably kick out a few more albums in this vein. I'm curious if they aspire to up the ante and experiment with added instrumentation and more complex lyrics. They have a lot of options to explore. theoaots.com

Various Artists -- The Soul Side Of The Street (The Hadley Murrell Story: 1964-1972) (Bacchus Archives): A great compilation dedicated to the writing and production skills of Mr. Murrell, who gave Phoenix soul in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Yet again, as with other recent obscure soul comps, I'm left amazed the sheer amount of regional talent that was cranking out soul and funk back in those golden days. The disk starts out with Freddi & Henchi & Soulsetters "Funky to the Bone", which is three parts Sly & the Family Stone and one (guitar) part Funkadelic. A damn good way to start. There are other workouts that are more in the James Brown tradition (or perhaps almost rewrites), like "Soul Train" by The Soulsetters, suitable for frugging the night away. There are some excellent R & B numbers on here. Freddy Love's "I'm Just a Nobody" is not as masochistic as it sounds - he's just "a nobody/looking for somebody." This is Southern soul that made its way out to the desert. Even better is the pulsing "Are You Angry" by The Servicemen, which takes on a topic that isn't often addressed in pop songs -- what did I do, darling, to piss you off? Speaking of unusual topics, nothing can beat The Soulsetters hilariously silly "Cecil, The Unwanted French Fry". All he wants is to be eaten -- that's not too much to ask, is it? The best track on the album is Bobby Soul's "Funky Freeze", which is a proto-funk rumbler with a gospel-inflected vocal. What makes this song is the insane backing vocals; the female singers are downright psychedelic in the way that they draw out the word ‘freeze.' From the moment I heard this song, I could not get it out of my head. A flat out winner of a comp. dionysusrecords.com

The Sound Team -- "Movie Monster" (Capitol): A very nice analgam of contemporary indie-pop styles, the Team is conversant in Flaming Lips/Grandaddy psych-pop, Shins's style whimsy, and a retro ‘70s pop sound that may owe a little bit to Ben Folds and Fountains Of Wayne, or may just be where their hearts (and ears) are. Moreover, they are really good at crafting memorable hooks and swell melodies. Maybe they could use a bit more an individual personality, but I'll settle for good songs, and this debut is awash in them. One of my favorites is definitely in the ‘70s vein -- "No More Birthdays" has a jaunty electric piano part driving it and a sunny hook that could have come from Pilot back in 1976. The song also benefits from smart arranging and production, layering some hard guitar sounds underneath the smiley faced keyboards and vocals. The band moves up nearly a decade or so on "Shattered Glass", which may have been recorded to specifically show The Killers that they aren't as good at aping Duran Duran as The Sound Team is. And it's a good stab at the Double D sound. "Born to Please" is one of a few songs on the disc that have an airy pop vibe in line with The Shins and Rogue Wave, albeit with more of that ‘70s pop underpinning than either of those two bands. Heck, I'm hearing a bit of Human League-esque synth-pop and even some U2 -- all of this is blended so finely it never gets overly derivative. A real fun disc. capitolrecords.com

Stereophonics -- Live From Dakota (V2): This double-live CD both explains why this Brit band has a large legion of fans worldwide, yet also explains why they aren't bigger. This set documents a very adept live band who rocks out very well, with every song having something to make it worthwhile -- a nice chorus, a cool riff, and so on. This audience had to come away pretty happy. However, the one thing missing is top drawer songs. Indeed, the band's first big hit, "Local Boy in Photograph" is the only real killer here. Some songs come close -- "Doorman" sounds like a mix of early Radiohead and a harder band like The Cult (and I mean that in the best way possible). There are others that, in a live setting, show that basic rock riffing never really goes out of style, whether it's Foghat, The Rockets, Queens Of The Stone Age or these guys. However, compared to those bands (who are so rarely compared to Stereophonics, understandably), the flair for drama is always on the horizon, as illustrated by a new song, "Jayne", that builds up quite nicely. Nothing here is less than pleasant, but an hour's worth of live material would have done the trick for me. That may be my limit for melancholy modern arena rock. v2music.com.

American Werewolf Academy -- Tell Them Right Now! (self-released): Ten songs in 20 minutes! Hooray for brevity! The AWA is back with the rock and roll equivalent of a stack of Dixie Riddle cups (which no longer exist, but now we have Pringles with riddles printed on them), with silly lyrics and punchy garage rock riffing. Aaron Thedford's slightly raspy voice is perfect for this music that is two parts ‘60s inspired and one part in the vein of early Too Much Joy, exemplified by inspired song titles like "Gang of Inadequates". The band really rocks out on the power chord slamming "What's Shakin', Dr. Wizard?" Here, the band taps into a kind of Who/Guided By Voices-inspired groove, and the song kills. The only damper is that Thedford's voice is a bit lost in the mix, and I can't make out all the words. Then again, maybe I'm just getting old. I also dig the bouncy "Jack Wild", which has a great melodic hook, but also could have benefitted from making Thedford's vocals just a little bit more prominent. Of course, the fact that I still enjoy the songs shows that the compositions are strong. Another winner is "The Good Time Kids", which has a easy to like big riff chorus. I imagine that these guys can serve this type of stuff up for years. Maybe someday they could try a concept album, like The Coolies' terrific Doug. americanwerewolfacademy.com.

Alejandro Escovedo -- The Boxing Mirror(Back Porch): A great match of producer to artist, John Cale mans the board for Escovedo's first full length studio set since overcoming a serious bout with hepatitis. This album is consistent with other recent Escovedo work, with a lot of slow and mid-tempo songs that are heart-wrenching, passionate and full of drama, with a couple of rockers mixed in. While I wouldn't have thought that Escovedo and Cale have much in common, this LP reveals there is an intersection in their sounds. On some songs, you can practically visualize Cale asking Alejandro if they could try a certain string arrangement, or insert a screaming guitar solo in a certain spot. It's the strings where Cale really shines. Escovedo has worked with them before, but Cale has a knack for tight, powerful arrangements that give a song more rocking strength. And what great material there is to work with, as Escovedo has put together a great batch of tunes. There's the compelling "Take Your Place", which has a Philly soul rhythm put through an interesting mix of fuzz guitar, strings and percussion, as Escovedo sings of a woman who has him flustered, and while he's near the end of his rope, he can't find a better alternative (this song is done in a more rocking version as a hidden bonus cut - that sounds great too). Escovedo comes up with a chugging rock tune on "Break This Time" -- the song rumbles along in classic fashion, but the crowning touch is stopping the driving verse, and having Escovedo linger over each word of the chorus, as strings and guitar chords bang away in unison. And the guitar solo is remarkable. The most Cale-like number is probably "Dear Head on the Wall", which suggests that this album could have been called Paris, Texas 1919. This song has a nice integration between the rhythm and the bounce of the melody that makes for an intoxicating combo. The following track, "Notes on Air" is a moody but elegant and cuts deep. This is simply an excellent piece of work that reaffirms Escovedo's vitality as an artist. I hope that he and Cale get together for another album. backporchrecords.com

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