Mike
Bennett Reviews,
May, 2004

Scroll down for reviews of the latest releases by Cliff Hillis, The Lift, Bigger Lovers, Scissor Sisters and The Davenports

Cliff Hillis
Better Living Through Compression

(Tallboy)

tallboyrecords.com

One of the most frustrating things about reviewing loads of independently released music is that so much good music has little chance of reaching the larger audience it deserves. This is particularly frustrating when writing about artists like Cliff Hillis. Hillis writes wonderful evocative pop songs that are thoroughly accessible. Hillis is a top flight power popper. Ten years ago, such a designation might net him a major label deal, like Tommy Keene, or, even better, a hit record like Matthew Sweet. But even those artists have not achieved success proportionate with the quality of their music, music that would seem to have widespread appeal.

I would like to believe that there is a parallel universe where power pop artists like Sweet, Keene and Hillis were big stars. And in that universe, this is how a rock encyclopedia would describe this record:

The personable Hillis solidified his position as the logical successor to the power pop royalty of the ‘80s and ‘90s with his second album. The former Starbelly singer-guitarist made a big splash with his debut, Be Seeing You, and the second album advanced on its predecessor by showing off an added maturity and depth. This culminated in three songs that dominated the American airwaves in 2004.

The first was the sweet "Madeline", a bittersweet love song that was as classic as ‘70s-era Paul McCartney, yet as contemporary as Owsley. This sweet number had a deceptively catchy melody, and a distinct emotional tone -- at one level a lament at a romance that failed, yet, at another level, infused with a warmth that acknowledged that there were good times too. Hillis's expert guitar ornamentation only added to allure.

Rather than follow up with a more typical rocker, Hillis then unleashed the beautiful "Used to Be The Man". With its generally spare instrumentation, the friendly and empathetic tones of Hillis's voice really struck a chord with listeners. The song is a wistful inventory of a better past. Yet again, Hillis showed a great facility for augmenting his singing with well placed lead guitar fills. This song really seemed to resonate, coming in an election year in which a poor economy and the fierce debate over war were hot topics. A song about looking over past mistakes must have seemed timely.

The topper was the stand out amongst stand outs, "All These Memories". A simply timeless song that sounds like it could have been heard alongside 10cc on a ‘70s transistor radio or on an alternative station in the ‘90s right after The La's, the song was a stirring ballad that superbly updated the sounds of power pop originators like Badfinger and The Raspberries. This pensive song, with its gentle haunting backing vocals and indelible guitar solo, may have induced more goose bumps than any tune since The Korgis' "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime".

While it was the pensive side of Hillis that surprisingly sent him up the charts, the album had its fair share of up tempo magic. On "Go Go Go", Hillis mixed a nifty Elliot Easton-ish guitar part with mid-tempo rock that was somewhere in between the sounds of the early Posies and The Gin Blossoms. "Better than Myself" was a shuffling smiler enhanced with just the hint of a twang (which is why it later resurfaced as a big country hit when waxed by Dwight Yoakam).

The album stills sounds great today, showing an artist finding all of the pieces coming into place. Yet may would say, the best was still on the horizon.

I must note that it's really reassuring that parallel universe rock encyclopedia's of the future will read as if I wrote them. But seriously, Hillis is on par with other contemporary pop singer-songwriters, like Michael Carpenter and Brendan Benson, who seem to innately and effortlessly write songs that just feel right. His solo record winning streak now stands at two.

_______________________________________________________________

The Lift
Road To Hana

(Little Red)

theliftstation.com

This Los Angeles band (with Illinois roots -- there are some former members of Suede Chain) combines a few familiar elements in a very enjoyable manner. The Lift makes rock music on a large scale that is accessible without being overly obvious. More importantly, though they come off as serious and intent, there is a lot of joy on this record. The press release for this record name checks U2 as an influence, and that comes through on some of these songs, not just in the sound, but in The Lift's ability to make songs that soar.

There are a few songs on this disc that will garner comparisons to Bends-era Radiohead and their progeny (good reference point -- Radiohead's "Just"). By that, I mean that The Lift has a few big melodic guitar rock numbers with strong tenor vocals that could come across real well on an arena stage in their arsenal (and this is why U2 is a good comparison). Of course, their task is made easier by the fact that lead singer Matt Docter is a gigantic talent. What is so pleasing is that this band knows that it's better to get to the top than go over the top, which would certainly be a temptation with a singer who can hit any note he feels like.

But The Lift clearly puts a great emphasis on just writing good songs that capture a mood or an emotion. This gives the album a delightful balance and flow and rewards the listener with gems like "Carousel". This is a limber mid-tempo mix of sunshine and passion (akin to the Chicago band Oh My God, but without some of the arty trappings), with ebullient vocals, a clever arrangement, ringing guitar and a sense of purpose that makes it seem like it breezed by in five minutes. The band also offers up "Spaceman", a 21st Century slice of classic rock, a song with reverbed guitar, electric piano and a vibe on par with Jimi Hendrix Experience's "The Wind Cries Mary" and some of the softer side of Ziggy-era Bowie or Led Zeppelin. Over three minutes, the song builds up tension, and then pauses. Finally, the band comes to a boil. Instead of exploding and obliterating the song, the controlled playing here is ultimately much more effective.

The band also has something to say lyrically. "The War Parade" is an excellent song. It's a driving anthem that takes on empty-headed beliefs, whether it's from wing nuts or religious fanatics. The Call or Midnight Oil in their heyday would have been proud to wax a song like this. The song is awash in sharp guitar playing, with a melody made to support the declamatory words. The Lift are decrying preemptive strikes and war mongering: "Take our propaganda food/let religion think for you/never mind/there's money to be made." A terrific song for the times.

Though not socially oriented, "Firecracker" is equally (and, because of the title, logically) incindiery. This song is a lesson in Advanced Dynamics, as the song builds tension, starting with rumbling bass and vocals, which are then augmented by stabbing lead guitar notes and an increasing pound on the drums leading to the urgent, driving chorus. Okay, it's probably one of the lesser songs lyrically, but it makes up for that with its visceral power.
The band cools things down near the end of the album, which serves to further highlight their songwriting ability. The best of the final numbers is "Satellite", which is a straightforward love song. The verses are built on delicate playing around a fragile melody, with Matt Docter confirming that he's not just a big voice -- he knows how to sing and convey emotion. He sure sounds stoned in love here. When he gets to the chorus and tells his love that they should "put a kingdom near the sun/together we'll shine on everyone" -- well, it's warm and fuzzy and endearing, without being sappy or wussy.

So you have a serious rock band that makes big time music, without forgetting the importance of having a sense of scale. Thus, their socially aware material and their personal songs can co-exist quite well. Indeed, what makes this a particularly impressive debut is the three-dimensional nature of the whole affair. Anytime a band decides to make big sounding rock, they are taking a risk. But when it works as well as it does here, the rewards are bountiful.

_______________________________________________________________

The Bigger Lovers
This Affair Never Happened...And Here Are Eleven Songs About It

(Yep Roc)

yeproc.com

Rarely have I listened to a disc so much before sitting down and reviewing it. I'm simply having a hard time coming up with an angle, so to speak, on this, the third album from The Bigger Lovers. This Philadelphia band is one of the shining examples of the continuing vitality of power pop as a genre. They match their evident songcraft with robust, ballsy playing -- no one has to tell these guys to loosen up. Every song has at least one well-defined hook. It's fun. And it is definitely a pretty darn good listen -- I could never have spun it so much if it weren't.

Their influences are obvious throughout the album without ever crossing into just being plain derivative. So when I dole out the list of bands who they are comparable to and/or influenced by, beyond the requisite Beatles/Beach Boys/Big Star, I can also cite the less cited -- like the Holsapple-fronted dB's and You Am I, or maybe The Model Rockets (just to be a bit more obscure). And The Bigger Lovers are a band that are almost as good as any of those bands.

Yep, The Bigger Lovers sound just fine. They may even make a great record someday. But they don't seem to have quite enough distinctiveness to achieve greatness, at this point in time. Which isn't to say I couldn't easily pick them out of a guitar band line up (from amongst Cosmic Rough Riders, The Lackloves, Pernice Brothers and Teenage Fanclub, let's say).
There are records that after you've played them a few times, you can hear the songs in your head. There are records that you could play 100 times, and they'd leave no trace in the brain. On this disc, only a couple songs have that staying power. However, while playing, the songs hit the proper power pop pleasure receptors.

What are those songs? The first and last cuts. "For Christ's Sake" is a nice melancholy closer, a slow song that has a melody that could go with an old folk song. It's a basic lament. It's the holiday season, he's lonely and he wants his girl back more than ever. Funny how the holidays make the hurt that much worse. This song shows an area of improvement for this band, as I thought that early on, their slow songs weren't as interesting. But here, the song builds in intensity, with a verse-bridge-refrain structure that flows perfectly. This is a great drown-your-sorrows song that anyone who's missed an old flame can raise a glass to.

The opener, "You (You, You)", gets right to the hook, opening with the chorus before going into a sing-songy verse. The guitar work on this song is exceptional, with the rhythm guitar giving the song an appropriately crunchy texture and lead work is outstanding throughout. This song rocks out of the gate and just doesn't stop.

These are the songs I remember when it's not on. Which isn't to say that I don't enjoy the galloping "Blowtorch", the sweet "Peel It Away", which may appeal to fans of Teenage Fanclub, the meaty riff of "You've Got to Pay", which would segue all too well into Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (I don't recall The Only Ones' original version making me think that), and the forlorn "No Heroics", which relies on the rhythmic interplay between the bass and lead guitar, which is quite creative, giving the song a sparse, haunting quality. These are the songs that haven't resonated, but I definitely like them.

And I can't say there are any bad cuts, though a couple just kind of pass by pleasantly. So, I like this record, with the reservations stated above. It could be that I will cross paths with the Lovers in a live performance, and suddenly everything will come together, and like will turn to love. Or it could be that this is as much as I'm going to like it.

_______________________________________________________________

Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters

(Polydor)

polydor.co.uk

This New York band had to go overseas to get a record out. The reason why becomes immediately apparent. The Sisters survey the past 30 years or so of R & B based pop and dance music. Just like Robbie Williams, quite a few Scissor Sisters songs are heavily influenced by Elton John. In the U.K., this means commercial success, whereas here in the States, well...you know how Robbie Williams career has done in the U.S. of A. There are also quite a few club ready songs, some which are white funk, and a couple others that are electro-disco.

One of the those electro-disco numbers has turned a lot of heads. In a ballsy move, the Sisters recast Pink Floyd's classic "Comfortably Numb" as a modern dance track. I have to admit, the first time I heard this version, I was scratching my head. While the lyrics were recognizable, they seemed to have deconstructed the melody of the verse to the point that it killed the song. But then they hit the chorus, utilizing the original melody. Singing falsetto style, like the Bee Gees in their white suits, the cover comes together. What really impresses, is that the band manages to retain a fair amount of the emotional vibe of the song, although it is done from such a different angle. Fairly brilliant really.

While no other track is so in-your-face awesome, good old-school pop-rock songs are always a treat, and they have a bevy of them for your pleasure. The best may be "Take Your Mama", which is honky cat cool, a breezy summer mid-tempo piano bounce. What is particularly delicious is the sublime structure -- piano bounce verse (referenced in last sentence) that melds perfectly into a melodic bridge, and a chorus that builds on the rhythm of the verse, with terrific memorable lyrics, and then, coming out of the chorus with a bonus falsetto hook. Reginald Dwight himself could not have done better. Moreover, if I'm reading the lyrics right, this song is about a guy who is coming out of the closet, and his friend (the singer) is telling him the best way to break it to his mom is to take her out on the town and get her sloshed. Awesome.

On "Better Luck", the Sisters posit a world where Elton replaces Bernie Taupin as a lyricist with Kid Creole: "Boxers use their fist/hockey players break their wrist/you break my heart/when you try to play nice." The song is about one of those relationships where, no matter how good it seems to be going, your partner keeps you on pins-and-needles. Other great pop tracks include "Laura", another happy as hell tune, and the pretty and resonating ballad "Mary".

The band mixes their pop approach with their dance side on the fun "Music Is the Victim", while "Tits on the Radio" and "Filthy/Gorgeous" are good, but not great, club tunes. The last two tracks on the disc are even more intriguing, since they are strongly evocative of another band that masterfully balances pop and dance music, Pet Shop Boys. "It Can't Come Quickly Enough" is delicate and haunting. I'm still trying to suss out what it's about, though when you can write lines as splendid as "we knew all the answers/and we shouted them like anthems/anxious and suspicious/that God knew how much we cheated", meaning is secondary. This song yet again shows how well the Sisters can build up a chorus, with another great falsetto vocal, by the way.

I do know what "Return of Oz" is about. It's a somber number about club kids dying, hooked on crystal meth. Actually, this song may be the perfect mid-point between Elton John and Neil Tennant. The waltzing tempo is met with a building intensity, and some passionate guitar work (a David Gilmour comparison is appropo here). This song moves from intimate to epic and makes you feel what they are singing about. Quite an end to an album that starts off as simply damned good fluff.

I should note there are two nice bonus tracks on this U.K. edition. I don't know if they'll end up on the American release. I do know that these guys (and gal), know their stuff. While there is no one killer vocalist, they find a way around that. I suspect they compensate with their skill at really selling a song. Catchy is simply to faint a word for most of these songs. After a few plays, almost every song latched into my brain. The second classic debut record of the year (after Franz Ferdinand).

_______________________________________________________________

The Davenports
Hi-Tech Lowlife

(Mother West)

motherwest.com

Scott Klass and company are back with twelve more vignettes that explore the softer side of power pop. Fans of Fountains Of Wayne and Cherry Twister/Steve Ward should proceed immediately to this combination of sweet melodies and intelligent observational lyrics.

Somewhat surprisingly, however, this isn't an immediate knock out disc. Perhaps its greatest flaw is that it doesn't have one out-and-out classic song. Overall, it takes a few plays for the songs to really plant themselves in the brain. To the band's credit, the surface of the disc is sufficiently inviting, that it was easy to keep throwing this in the ol' CD player, and letting its charms unfold. And once planted, the song's roots grow in deep.
Yes, I am hooked. In fact, I'm hooked to the point that I can't believe that "Annette O'Toole" didn't instantly lodge itself into my brain. Don't let its innocent surface fool you. Yes, it is easy to get caught in the soaring chorus (Klass utilizes his limited high range to great effect, and finds great ways to get it to ascend in a chorus, letting the song take you straight to the sunshine), but listen carefully. Yes, there are plenty of power pop songs about fantasy girls. Yet, I don't recall one so specific -- this guy keeps trying to imagine his girl as the strawberry-blonde beauty of ‘70s film (and the current Mrs. Michael McKean, by the way). It's bad enough when he sings "I run my hand/over your face/feel for her cheekbone", but when he asks to "rent One On One again", you have to hope that the woman he's singing to has been fantasizing that he's Robby Benson. Or Robbie Knievel. Or Robbie Rist.

Of course, that guy is a prince compared to the guy singing the title cut. He's a happy guy. Because he has a home theater system. And a big screen TV. All the better to see every detail on his favorite porn DVD. The lyrics are hilarious. In fact, matched with the bouncy ‘70s AM radio tune, it's all the funnier to hear Klass sing "my seven sacred speakers and my work related expertise/bring to life their body sandwich." Not since the *Mr. Show* sketch about a mom-and-pop porn shop has x-rated been so cuddly and family friendly.

The light "Eric Grey" blends a Kinksy character study lyric with a Simon and Garfunkel-ish folk-rock strum. A big reason for the prior Fountains Of Wayne comparison. The opening line gives you an idea of where this tale is going: "Are you ok/after a week of Eric Grey?" Yep, Eric's a loser. Klass casts the song in a cloak of empathy, both for Eric and the poor bastard who had to put up with him.

At least I think that it's empathy. The sticky-sweet tunes can only mask the sour-scathing lyrics for so long. At times, I'm wonder if Klass was misanthropic and is now just bemused (which is kind of like "used to be disgusted/but now I am amused."). In the end, I think he's just curious and observant. So while "A Deadhead's Lament" may seem like a shot at an obvious target, Klass isn't mean about it -- really, what are all the Deadheads doing since they can't follow the band around?

The last cut really seals the deal for me. Klass cares. "Whore for the Holidays" is a much better track than the weak pun of its title suggests. Here, Klass tenderly sings about a woman who annually goes too far at the office Christmas party. Beyond the fact that this song has more good lines than most albums (like "You know normal rules no longer apply once Bing Crosby plays."), it keys in on an essential human weakness -- the negative behavior patterns we develop that we can't get out of. What fascinates about this song, is that the narrator briefly drops his objectivity, noting that "we wrong her -- our whore for the holidays." An office full of enablers I tells ya. This is witty, poignant and disturbing, all at the same time.

So, this record demands repeated listens, not just so the subtly seductive music can soothe and delight, but to allow enough time dig into the layers of meaning in Klass's words. While the music evokes specific comparisons, it's with his words that Klass makes The Davenports a singular experience.

_______________________________________________________________

To reach any other page contained in this month's update on Fufkin.com, read the home page for the appropriate link and click on it. You can also search the site from any page using the search box located at the top of each page. Merely type in the word, phrase, name of the band, recording, name of the Fufkin writer that you are looking for or Whatever in the search box, and then click on "Search". If you would like to e-mail us, go to the About Us page for a list of e-mail addresses.

Go back to the home page by clicking here

________________________________________________________________