Mike Bennett Reviews, Part I : May, 2001

Scroll down for reviews of the latest from Michael Carpenter and Jonny Polonsky. Click here for reviews of the latest from Neil Finn, The Fletcher Pratt and Green Pajamas. Click here for reviews of releases from Ray Mason, Johnathan Rundman and Astrid.

Guided By Voices
Isolation Drills
(TVT)

www.gbv.com

For whatever reason, this album took quite a few spins to really grab me. But now I'm in its clutches, and it keeps sending me to my CD player so I can listen to it again. There is really nothing that you haven't heard from Guided By Voices before, but they've never been more consistent and have never sounded this good. Maybe it was the combination of familiarity and consistency that created a 'can't see the forest for the trees' listening experience initially. Robert Pollard and crew (again, Pollard is joined by Cobra Verde guitar hero Doug Gilliard) have perfected a unique brew of big time Who chord changes, 60's pop melodies and an sporadic early R.E.M. vibe, fully krausened in a powerful arena-ready musical attack. The lyrics are still relatively impenetrable, but there are signs that Pollard may be reaching towards writing songs that make sense. Of course, there are great oddball singalong phrases, and the words always flow well and help GBV retain some of the otherworldliness that they have otherwise lost since making the transition to big studios. Of course, I'd rather live in that GBV world, since that would be a world where songs like "Chasing Heather Crazy" and "Glad Girls" might actually be hit singles. The latter is particularly punchy, ripping right into the simple chorus that almost comprises the entire tune. Another winner is "Skills Like This", opening with a Gilliard guitar riff, before exploding into a power jangle backed by great work by the rhythm section of Tim Tobias (bass) and Jim McPherson (drums) -- the bass playing is melodic and the drumming is forceful. The real highlights, however, are the more pensive numbers. "The Brides Have Hit Glass" is a real journey. Initially, it is another patented GBV mid-tempo number, but it melts into a bridge of astounding melodic beauty. It is followed by "Fine To See You", a slow tune with an exceptionally heartfelt Pollard vocal (one thing that separates Pollard from the equally cryptic former Pavement frontman Steven Malkmus, is that Pollard really connects emotionally with his material) and a build up to a majestic mid-range lead guitar figure that is indelible. And strings are brilliantly brought in to give GBV an even more resonant appeal - "Privately", "The Enemy" and "Unspirited" are uniformly terrific. May this foreshadow further augmentation on future GBV discs. If you are a GBV virgin, this is probably the best place to start. If you've been following for a while, this is the destination many of you have been waiting to get to.

___________________________________________________

Michael Carpenter
soop #1
(Big Radio)

www.mcarp.com

Release Date: April 1, 2001

What was the first true rock all-covers album (i.e., an artist known for his originals just doing the old tunes)? Bowie's Pin Ups? Bob Seger's Smokin' O.P.s? (No, I won't count Ringo Starr's Beaucoup Of Blues). No matter - the all-covers album is not the rare event it was during the early 70's. And, to me, a large part of a successful all-covers album is mixing a few obvious classics with some lesser known songs - not only because this is the same formula for a good mix tape, but moreso due to the fact that the obscurities often give you more insight to the artist.

Unfortunately, so many artists have not gone this route - Ramones and Joan Jett both immediately come to mind - knowledgeable rockers who went pretty much with safe selections. Boring! Of course, you can count on Michael Carpenter not to fall into that trap. soop #1 (which stands for 'songs of other people') is the first in what Carpenter promises will be series of all-covers records. And although Carpenter doesn't hit any obscure artists, he does a nice job of highlighting the smaller gems of artists like The Zombies, The Monkees, Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys and Tom Petty. Oh…and The Beatles!

Of course, this being a Carpenter production, I should point out that all of his trademarks are here: his warm, friendly vocals, quality musicianship and superlative production. The arrangements run from replication (he should compare notes with ex-XTC Dave Gregory, who has also recorded a recreation of The Beatles' "Rain") to rather creative - Carpenter's take on The Monkees' "You Just May Be The One" puts a much stronger emphasis on the melody and harmonies instead of the rhythm parts, as on the original. The result sounds a lot like vintage Searchers.

Some songs have the same uplifting spirit as Carpenter's original material - it isn't surprising that he is drawn to tunes like The Zombies' "This Will Be Our Year" and The Beach Boys' "You're So Good To Me". But it's the covers of songs such as Bob Dylan's "Chimes Of Freedom" and Bruce Springsteen's "I Wish I Were Blind" that really display the emotional breadth of Carpenter's artistry. Carpenter's reading of the latter song, a spurned lover's lament at the torture of seeing his ex with another man, may be the highlight on this 12 track collection.

Yep, another great, must own Michael Carpenter record. But kids - this is a limited edition (500 copies), so don't snooze or you'll lose.

___________________________________________________

Jonny Polonsky
There Is Something Wrong With You
(Eggbert)

www.eggbert.com

For those who may have forgotten about Jonny Polonsky since his debut disc a few years ago, take note that he is back and in full rock and roll mode. This six-song EP is sharp and punchy. The basic approach is reminiscent of latter day Replacements, but with a brighter sound that puts one of Polonsky's feet squarely in Powerpop City.

Lead off track "Freezed" opens with a guitar part that sounds a lot like The Small Faces' classic "My Mind's Eye" before it chugs into a toe tapping rocker that mixes Westerberg bounciness with a rocking edge that shouts Aerosmith. Indeed, Polonsky has a certain tone and roughness to his voice that makes him sound at times like the bastard son of Steven Tyler.

This resemblance is more marked on "You Are My Star", which is a power ballad in the best sense of the term - a gently rousing chorus, minus the icky bombast. Polonsky's phrasing in the verses is tender and really sells the tune.

This EP is highly recommended for folks who dug the Goo Goo Dolls until they went Hollywood. Like the best of the GGD's, although the influence of Westerberg and Co. is obvious, the tunes are rocking and melodic and certainly stand up on their own. And anyone who can pull off a quality boogie rock tune in the 21st Century ("Roll On") deserves your attention.

___________________________________________________