Mike Bennett Capsule Reviews, October, 2003

Scroll down for capsule reviews of releases by The Bitter Little Cider Apples, Jericho, The Trouble Dolls, Joss Stone, Ola Framby, Flux A.D., The Black Watch, Various Artists -- You're Still Young At Heart and The Raveonettes

The Ramblin' Ambassadors -- Avanti (Mint): After all these years, why are there still bands trafficking in traditional rock instrumentals, traversing the trails blazed (and often scorched) by greats such as Link Wray, Duane Eddy, Davie Allen and Dick Dale? I can think of two reasons: 1) for the musician, it's fun to play, and, 2) when done right, it's equally fun for the listener. The Ambassadors feature a former member of Huevos Rancheros, one of the better recent instrumental bands, though not as well known as Los Straitjackets or Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet. Like those three bands, part of what makes the Ambassadors relevant is that they obviously know their instrumental forefathers, and make liberal use of all of their tricks, while throwing in some wrinkles of their own. They immediately test their mettle by doing an inspired take on Ennio Morricone's "Sixty Seconds to What". The famed soundtrack composer's tunes are readily adapted to a twangy instrumental format, but doing it and doing it well are two different things. The Ambassadors nail it. They show that they can do an original tune in a similar vein on "Hawgtied", which is a whammy bar ride through the scenic West. The main melody is memorable and the well thought out arrangement uses dynamics to enhance the dramatic effect. The best track on the disc is composed by Brian Connelly, a fellow Canadian, not the late lead singer for Sweet, who was Brian Connolly. "Twenty Original Fembots" blends a nifty melodic theme that's neither surf nor spaghetti western, which is followed by a second melody which supports some twang guitar, which shoots the curl into a nifty fast surf guitar burst. This song effectively blends all these elements together. A fine debut. mintrecs.com

The Trouble Dolls -- Sticky (Half A Cow): In his book The Tipping
Point, Malcolm Gladwell explains that one of the keys to making an idea
palatable to the public at large is ‘stickiness’ -- something about the idea
(whether it be a product, TV show, notion of behavior, et. al) that
immediately resonates, making the public conducive to hearing the message
repeatedly, and then adopting it. Whether this is the inspiration for the
title of the first full Trouble Dolls album title, I don’t know. I do know
that Sticky has the stickiness Gladwell writes of in spades. This album
has the versatility of a prime Blondie album. Singer Cheri Leone shines on
every track, which covers everything from new wave era pop (in the vein of
cool bands like Bonnie Hayes and the Wild Combo) to oddball blends of
sweetness and pure evil; for example, “Your Love Is the Sunshine” is
ultrasweet in its verses, but the choruses play like a grunge exorcism,
Leone growling and screaming out the title phrase. Clever and cool. She
also shines on “I Don’t Know Anything at All”, a sterling folk-pop number
that echoes past triumphs of Marti Jones and The Swimming Pool Qs. Another delight is the fizzy pop track “Japanese Gum”, which compacts some buzzy and wobbly guitars into the verses and gets cutesy (in a good way) in the chorus. The band wisely brings back “7:05", a top track on their last EP, as it is a rousing opener. In fact, this album more than delivers on the promise of the EP. halfacow.com.au

The Bitter Little Cider Apples -- Still (Pink Hedgehog): Pink Hedgehog, who gave us the swell compilation from the band Cheese, strikes gold (or some other precious metal) again with another jittery melodic Brit pop band that falls somewhere between early-‘80s XTC, The Close Lobsters and (insert name of your favorite pub rock band here). Singer Steve Huntingdon really serves the needs of each song. On some of the more skittish number in the tradition of British indie pop, his voice acquires a rough urgency. On numbers that are as pop as pop can be, Huntingdon reveals a voice which has shades of McCartney. This comes through strongly on "Wants and Needs", a song that shares some melodic characteristics with "Rocky Racoon", but goes in a more melancholy direction. Another Brit legend comes to mind on "Crocodile Head", which seems to blend (or blur?) the sensibilities found on the classic Kinks albums Arthur and Muswell Hillbillies. The band even has a theme song, that chugs along merrily, with Geoff Carbis showing off some fine lead guitar skills, between the galloping rhythms of Andy Carbis (bass) and Alan Strawbridge (drums). There are a few great bouncy and shimmery pop-rockers, the best of which is "Playground", a song where the melody and the rhythm sound inextricable (think XTC's "Stupidly Happy"), making the song instantly catchy and intensely addictive. There are some clever lyrics, my favorite is in the ode to the automobile, "Park the Car": "my penis extension is outside/shimmering in the sun/my day won't be fully over/until I've taken her for a run." Biting and good natured at the same time, much as The Bitter Little Cider Apples' sound is inviting but still is a bit grumbly and prickly. In a good way, of course. pinkhedgehog.com

Jericho -- Retrospective 1995-98 (Popboomerang): For those of you, like me, who just discovered the considerable talents of Danny McDonald (with the band P76 and/or his wonderful 2003 solo record), this compilation shows that he has been writing fine songs for a while. Moreover, it demonstrates where he has refined his approach. Some of his characteristic big chord anthemic power pop was part of the Jericho mix, but I hear some other things -- in particular, on a couple of songs, a later day Replacements vibe. Maybe that's just some of the lead guitar parts -- listen to "If I Could" which crackles with energy while McDonald wonders if he'll ever be able to "break out of these chains", and let me know if I'm close. "Alone" is classic modern power pop, sounding like a mix of Dumptruck and The Posies, with a real emotional punch. Fans of P76 will eat up "Talking to Myself", which is quintessential McDonald, with a melody as big as a mountain sky and McDonald's coltish yearning vocals. Guitarist Leigh Thomas has a couple of his compositions on here, and "Washed Out", an exceedingly well-recorded demo, is an effective pleading jangle rocker. In addition to the numerous cracking good rockers, there is one really good slow track, "Miles Away", which provides additional proof that this band had some amazing stuff on the cutting room floor. The song finds just the right chords to strike the right chord -- it's a tale of two lovers who've grown apart. It seems that it is heading towards and explosion, but instead, it mournfully winds away. Which is the right way for it to end. Yet another terrific slice of Australian guitar rock. popboomerang.com

Joss Stone -- The Soul Sessions (S-Curve): Stone is a 16-year old English lass who is about 20 or 30 years younger than her voice. Full, throaty, smoky and teeming with a sensuality that is rare, Stone dazzles with her stunning power. Though there are a few forays into unnecessary acrobatics that characterize Christina Aguileira and Mariah Carey (who, for whatever criticisms they deserve, have great pipes), Stone generally maintains her cool, in a hot manner. This disc is the product of a fortuitous collaboration with Southern soul vets like Latimore, Betty ("Clean Up Woman") Wright, Timmy "Why Can't We Live Together") Thomas and others. With a well-chosen collection of tracks, some dusties, some newer, Stone makes it clear that she is a force to be reckoned with, if she can fully tame her talent and discover nuances that will make her work resonant. As it is, she engages the material fairly well. For example, she does a good job of building the intensity on "I've Fallen in Love With You", which mixes Philly and Muscle Shoals soul to make something earthy yet sophisticated. She channels Aretha with her mix of testifying energy and deft phrasing on "Super Duper Love", which lays down a loping comfy groove. As much energy as she's putting out, it's obvious that she could really throw down at any minute -- which makes it all the more exciting. Speaking of Aretha, the arrangement of the old R & B chestnut "Some Kind of Wonderful" (which was also a hit for Grand Funk) sounds like it's the work of Atlantic records in the ‘60s. A fresh take on this classic tune. The slowed down cover of The White Stripes "Fell in Love With a Boy (Girl)" is intriguing -- there's a slight funk thing going on here (courtesy of The Roots), kind of like Rufus. It's growing on me. Stone is working on a more contemporary record that is due in 2004. Her voice is tailor made for this old school thang. I'm extremely curious what 21st Century Joss sounds like. s-curverecords.com/joss.

Ola Framby -- Ola Framby (Finings Musical Industries): This Swedish artist does pretty much everything himself, and does everything so very well. Framby has mastered a whimsical and biting form of power pop that reminds me at various times of Phil Judd's work with Split Enz and The Swingers, Radio Stars/Martin Gordon, Sparks, 10CC, Advertising and The Boys. And there are probably others that would come to mind, if I thought about it long enough. The constants here are Framby's solid vocals and slightly skewed lyrical sensibility, which transfer well to different styles. So Framby pulls off the odd "Hradcanska", with it's dissonant verses fueled by an old-fashioned electric organ, juxtaposed by the sunny chorus. The song finds a mid-point between mid-‘80s Tom Waits, psychedelia and good old fashioned pop-rock. "You're Not Going to Stick Around to Know" has a relaxed loping pseudo-country feel, and Framby tones down his vocals appropriately (and quite winningly). "I Bought Myself a Smile" is silly cod-Eddie Cochran, while "Therapy" defies comparison, with it's a capella intro, odd percussion and building arrangement. These tracks are joined by some straightforward hook fests. "My Turn" sounds like a modern update of classic ‘70s top 40 radio, "Eight Hours" makes good use of horns and compares favorable with Elvis Costello's early-‘80s heyday, and the opener "Mr. 5" simply rocks. Top notch. ola.framby@swipnet.se

Flux A.D. -- transatlanticthoughts (self-released): Lush pop-rock songs with strong vocals from Julie McDonald. The production here is a bit more ornate than typical female singer-songwriter fare, and the band makes music that can appeal to fans of early Sarah McClachlan, although the tunes here are generally more robust than anything that fellow Canadian has ever waxed. Indeed, "Letter from Japan", with its thick yet melodic guitars, wistful keyboard and classic pop song structure that could have been constructed in the ‘60s and ‘70s, could be termed ‘sophisticated bubblegum', it's so darned catchy. McDonald accompanies herself on backing vocals -- she underplays her lead while her backing is strong, which is an engaging contrast. The band's secret weapon is Graham Walsh, whose varied keyboard and synth stylings provide texture and mood. On a few songs, Walsh takes advantage of the enveloping omnipresence that these electronic keyboards can create (something artists like Gary Numan and A Flock Of Seagulls exploited over 20 years ago), giving a sweeping warmth to spectacular tracks like "Optic Nerve" and "Feels Like Rain". Even better, the keys yield just the right amount of sonic space for guitar ornamentation and, most importantly, serve as a complimentary frame for McDonald's sensual and feminine vocals. At every level -- writing, production and performance -- this album is extremely well done. fluxad.com

The Black Watch -- Very Mary Beth (Stonegarden): This veteran L.A. aggregation weathers a substantial personnel change much better than expected. Violinist and backing vocalist J'Anna Jacoby is no longer around, so leader John Andrew Frederick recruited three guys in her stead. Jacoby's smooth vocal compliments and awesome fiddle skills will be missed, but Frederick's songs are rock solid. The biggest change is that a few songs have a bit more guitar muscle than before. This is apparent on the smoking "There Must Be Something Wrong", where the band powers along like early A House while Frederick concocts a host of odd metaphors to describe a relationship (Ex. -- "I need you like a hemo needs to bleed" and "I need you like a famine needs disease"). The band fits well with Frederick's compositions, which often show a strong influence of ‘80s Brit bands like The Smiths and New Order. The standout track is "Bitter Getting Better", which shows that Frederick is up there with Joe Pernice at the clever deconstruction of love gone wrong: "She doesn't know why yet/why she left/so how can you expect to sort out her feelings/when she hasn't any left?" Frederick shows off a nifty whimsical side on "The Girl of My Dreams", where he describes a nine-foot tall fantasy babe. The middle eight shows Frederick getting in touch with his inner Rudy Vallee, and at the end of the song, he concedes he's delusional. The sharp wordplay takes a break on "Happiness", which finds the arch Frederick loosening up as much as possible on a song that has a bopping ‘70s white soul slant. This is another winner from The Black Watch. This gets bonus points for the front cover photo of Beth Burson, looking ultra-cute and smart girl sexy. stonegarden.com

Various Artists -- You're Still Young At Heart (Shelflife): The fiftieth release on Shelflife is a cleverly packaged compilation of 19 highlights from their catalog. The fold out digipak cover has all prior 49 releases on a shelf -- though, I note, neither chronological nor alphabetical, so I dock the cover grade a notch to A minus. The music gets well above passing grades, too. Shelflife specializes in breezy soft-pop, with everything from loungecore to mildly percolating dance music to satisfy the craving of all of those who are swingers at heart. The best track is "Lousy Judge of Character" by Daydream Cycle, which mixes a modified Afrobeat rhythm, lilting reverb guitars, assorted fuzzy electronic noises and a winsome melody with plaintive vocals to create a song that is retro, post-modern and utterly winning. Other gems include Laura Watling making like Lush without the heavy electric guitars on the sweet "Sunday Came and Went", the twee-yet-suave "Before I Came" by Majestic, Brideshead combining bright horns, a wistful melody and mod rhythms on "Love Makes the Sun Shine Bright", and Calories "The First Phase at High Noon" which melds low-fi vocals to cool electropop. If you are exploring mellower pop territory, this is well worth checking out. shelflife.com

The Raveonettes – Chain Gang Of Love (Columbia): Geez, the first word of the title is like a hint. As on their previous EP, this Danish duo slavishly worship the Jesus and Mary Chain, utilizing similar songwriting templates (Ramones, Phil Spector, Beach Boys) and not being afraid to set the guitars to a volume designed to shred the speakers. The Raveonettes' invention is how they invert the J & MC formula. These are pop songs first and the fuzz and feedback and slam is added later. While not the overall visceral experience of their inspiration, their approach is effective. Nowadays, playing insanely fucking loud isn't as shocking as it was almost 20 years ago. By mixing in the noise in different spots, it is very effective. And you can't go wrong with big hooks, like on "The Great Love Sound", with it's sad sack refrain: "So I walk right up to you/and you walk all over me/and I ask you what you want/and you tell me what you need." Yes, we've heard this sound before, but when it's done this well, it still sounds great. However, "The Love Gang" does a great job of fucking around with the core ingredients in a surprising and delightful way. Dual vocals by Foo and main Raver Sune Rose Walker ride over spare accompaniment, and then elements are added and subtracted in an expected fashion -- a squall of feedback here, a layered backing vocal there -- the trusty sing-song melody is augmented by the oddball textures that come and go quickly. On "Heartbreak Stroll", the song has a ‘50s rock and roll heart, both lyrically ("get it all straight/'cause you're whistlebait") and musically (a nifty twang guitar breakdown in the middle that dares you to dance). The title song takes a page from Sam Cooke, with actual chain gang sounds, though nothing else will remind you of Cooke. "Noisy Summer" starts off in Shangri-Las fashion -- just handclaps and sweet voices. Then they turn on the blast furnace. Not sure how much shelf life they have, but this stands out amongst the current rock crop. columbiarecords.com

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