Mike
Bennett Reviews,
Part I, September, 2001

Scroll down for reviews of the latest from The Dave Rave Group, RockFour, The Shins, Detroit Cobras and Ted Leo. Click here for the latest from Tammy and the Lords of Misrule, Cosmo Topper, Starflyer 59, and Sparklehorse.

Adam Schmitt
Demolition

(Parasol)

parasol.com

Since losing his major label deal, Adam Schmitt has not rested on his laurels, and has helped a lot of bands in the studio. He just hasn't released any of his own product until now. Schmitt's first two albums certainly glistened with studio sheen, but just because this isn't a big budget production doesn't mean that it is some kind of low-fi exercise. No, most Adam Schmitt fans will find Demolition to be demolicious.

In fact, this disc may unite fans of World's So Bright and Illiterature, as it seems that many folks feel much more strongly about one or the other (I prefer the latter, myself). This record has no specific approach or agenda - it's about the songs, baby. And with Schmitt's talents, that's exactly where it should be.

For those who've just tuned into Schmitt, imagine a talent who lies somewhere in between Tommy Keene and Jason Falkner, with a robust voice that comfortably glides into a high range, when necessary, melodies that make the beefier guitar songs still sound pop, but have enough tang to prevent the quieter numbers from being pretty trifles.

The songs? This is the most consistent collection Schmitt has put out yet - in fact, based on this, I'd tell him to stick with these demo discs. The sound is way above the usual demo quality. And the tunes are immediately winning, but full of little touches that give the album a high repeat play factor.

I could just pick out tracks at random, and my description would be of a well-written song - what the heck, let me hit shuffle here…Track 9 - "Timeless", where the piano foundation is counterpointed by a pithy lead guitar part and Schmitt puts his vocal up in the mix a bit - this is a ballad with a slight kicking energy and a great hook. Track 3 - "Visited", which is probably the closest to the Illiterature sound with the big heavy guitars in the verses, which just melt into the ultramelodic chorus. Superb. Track 10 - "Looking for Fate", the opening kind of reminds me of Lindsay Buckingham and then settles into basic Schmitt pop magic. Track 2 - "Brilliance in Failure", more great lead guitar work, this is one of those songs that makes my Falkner-meets-Keene comparison sound real good. I'll mention one track out of this shuffle order - "World as Enemy", which sports the best lyrics of the bunch, on a nice pulsing mid-tempo tune, with a bonus hooky keyboard part after the chorus. The tune seems inspired by the show Survivor, and kicks ass on Destiny's Child, thank you very much.

If you're a fan of pure power pop, this is an essential release. More demos, please.

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The Dave Rave Group
Valentino's Pirates

(Bullseye)

bullseyecanada.com

I knew this record was a reissue, but when I saw the cover, with the band's name and the title in Russian, I thought it was some post-Berlin Wall joke. Au contraire - until this reissue, this disc had ONLY been released in the former Soviet Union! One often hears of this band or that band's 'lost classic' album, but one rarely hears a lost classic that is actually worthy of being called a classic. The more I listen to Valentino's Pirates, originally released in 1990, the more I think that it may have earned true classic status.

Mr. Rave was a former member of beloved Canadian rockers Teenage Head. This mature pop-rock effort was markedly different from that sound. In fact, to kind of herald the determinedly adult approach of the disc, producer Gary Pig Gold (yep, Fufkin.com's own) determined that the poignant "Father be Brave", an extremely personal meditation about Rave's terminally ill father, would be the track to start things off. This is one of a handful of tracks that are more intimate and folky. The combination of these gripping personal numbers with melt-in-your-ears perfect power pop songs is what makes this a fantastic record. While most artists today seem to have some idea that albums cannot mix deep, meaningful songs with lighter, upbeat fare, in fact, this approach yields some of the most artful albums ever released (see The Beatles, The Kinks).

The sizzle is provided on songs like "Do it all Over", with a skittish rhythm guitar that makes it sound like Any Trouble after a handful of bennies, and the towering monolithic hook of "Welcome to the Next Generation", whose spirited melody belies the cynical look at the modern age: ("where rain is poison/where sex is death"). You'll sing along anyway.
But the album centers around heartwrenching songs like "Farmer Needs Rain". It starts whisper-quiet, Rave's vocals defining vulnerability, as he uses a simple metaphor to say all that needs to be said about love and heartbreak. The tune is so haunting, and insinuates by grabbing a vibe somewhere between Roy Orbison and Glenn Campbell's "Wichita Lineman", but instead of heading for the summit like those two, the song seethes mounting tension that never really gets released. It sums up what it's like not to get over that seemingly special someone. Incredible.

On "Good News" (yep, another title that doesn't reveal the songs true intent), an ominous piano underscores another moody jaunt down the foggy back alleys of the heart. Unlike "Farmer", this song builds to a cathartic instrumental break, Ken Laing's trumpet wail revealing the truth.

Rave hits an opaque jazzy groove on "Painted Rose", in a tune that comes across like a Van Morrison nightmare. And the closer "Freedom" is a stately acoustic tune that would appeal to fans of low key XTC numbers like "Sacrificial Bonfire".
The disc comes with bonus tracks like demos and such, revealing liner notes from Fufkin writer Dawn Eden and some cool pictures. The time has finally come for Valentino's Pirates.

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RockFour
One Fantastic Day

(Rainbow Quartz)

rockfour.com

rainbowquartz.com

The second installment in the Rockfour story shows the band toughening up and decreasing the prog-rock elements of their compelling psychedelic sound. While there may not be one song as terrific as debut highlights like "Government" or "Superman", this is a more consistent disc overall, and cements Rockfour's burgeoning reputation in some circles as one of the most exciting bands in the world.

Rockfour is the band that may bridge the gap between various '60s rock and pop influences and Radiohead (when Radiohead still wrote real songs). Yes, Rockfour may spearhead a Koshercore movement that will make the world take more notice of Tel Aviv as a rock city.

The Radiohead comparison is particularly apt at the beginning of "SeatBelts", where charismatic lead vocalist Eli Lulai sings the sweet yet foreboding melody over a spartan guitar and drum accompaniment, with further embellishments encroaching as the song progresses. The band even shares a certain thematic devotion to paranoia with Thom Yorke and crew, as Lulai croons "Came uninvited/security was right on our tail".

What makes Rockfour so special is that they not only have a keen ability to write songs that are epic yet still melodic and memorable, but they execute on all levels - ace instrumentalists, wonderful harmony vocals and an ever increasing mastery over the studio as an instrument in its own right. And perhaps their isolation from the regular rock meccas gives them a niftier perspective on rock - the early Bee Gees and early Pink Floyd are really just stops on the same continuum.

Though the retro vibe is obvious, Rockfour doesn't sound like some band just showing off their record collection. So when the sweeping "Automatic Man" slows down and Baruch Ben Itzhac breaks into a twangy "Pet Sounds" guitar part, it is actually a shock to hear such an obvious nod - you really get sucked into the Rockfour world. The only other decidedly 'inspired' track is "Where the Byrds Fly", which is a breezy Rickenbacker driven tune that provides a pleasant respite from the high drama on display elsewhere.

It is so refreshing to hear a band that plays such emotional, dramatic music without sounding affected or pretentious. "Smell of Sweets" isn't just some prog knock-off, despite detailing the "soundtrack of a silent dream" - Itzhac's roaring fuzzy guitar prevents prissiness. On "President of Me", the band exudes a feel reminiscent of the original Jeff Lynne/Roy Wood Electric Light Orchestra - oh, for some strings.
As terrific as this all sounds, I sense that Rockfour is still a step or two away from really putting all the pieces together and making a true masterpiece. Until then, here's a chance to say you heard 'em before anyone else.

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The Shins
Oh, Inverted World

(Sub Pop)

subpop.com

artisdead.net/theshins

The Shins proffer an alluring blend of classic pop melodicism (Beach Boys/Left Banke/Zumpano) and slacker cool (Beachwood Sparks/Creeper Lagoon) -- pop for the goatee-and-horn-rimmed glasses set (and that's just the girls…I'm only kidding!!!!).

The album isn't low-fi, but has a certain hazy quality to it - the melodies manage to ride on top of clouds. Only a couple tunes really stick with me after repeated listens, yet the disc still warrants repeat plays - the overall sonic environment is so inviting. Leader James Mercer has a strong vocal resemblance to Carl Newman in his Zumpano days - something that hearkens back to The Turtles, way up in his range, but not strained. And the songs have melodies that force the voice to keep up.

Meanwhile, the rest of the backing does not come across in typical rock record fashion. The drumming is a variation on the Maureen Tucker vibe, but it's premised on steady tapping on the snare, with very little bottom. Likewise, the bass playing is minimal and deliberately thin. The guitars lightly jangle, with very few strong rhythm chords played throughout. When keyboards or percussion come into play, they dance about the periphery of the song, insinuating further.

"One by One All Day" is one of the best examples of the Shins' sound. The drum pattern is a constant hook, as it sounds like a shuffle looped on tape. The melody is kind of sing-song, and there is a pretty bridge that could have come off of an early Meat Puppets excursion into Southwestern acoustic stuff. The vocal is in a lower register, tossed off in a wholly appropriate way. The sci-fi keyboard squalls near the end just add to the Roswell feel of the tune.

"Girl Inform Me" is like a Beach Boys song deconstructed for a master's thesis. This is a love song, played in characteristically mid-fi weirdo style, with love song lyrics that are just a bit off, like they were written in English, translated into Swedish, translated into Korean, translated into Arabic and translated back into English: "But your lips when we speak/are the valleys and peaks/of a mountain range on fire/so let me walk these coals till you believe."
The closest the band comes to rocking is on "Girl on the Wing", and while it comes off a bit damp, in the context of the disc, it is relatively effervescent. I think that's the intention. The song has by far the most conventional structure. It can't be faulted for that, when the song has a bridge with a sublime melody perfect to couch this poetry: "I surrender all my gall in a song of modern love/remember you're the one who summoned me above any other kind."
The album also has a few acoustic strums and one tune, "Your Algebra" that sounds like something Father Kinney used to intone before "The Lord's Prayer" at Sunday mass. Yep, this is a bit different. Fans of Guided By Voices and Outrageous Cherry might also want to check this out.

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The Detroit Cobras
Life, Love and Leaving

(Sympathy For The Record Industry)

sympathyrecords.com

Cover of the year honors go out to this disc. A simple black and white shot of lead singer Rachel Nagy, singing into the old-fashioned mike, her head tilted back, her lips perfectly glossed, cigarette in hand - the model of a modern sexy soul singer. If you're a breeder boy and this picture doesn't inspire outright lust, better ask your doctor for a Viagra prescription, ASAP.

And the focus rightly is on Ms. Nagy, because she is what makes the Cobras so great. Her voice is a marvel - part R & B howler, but coated with a countryish honey and a gift of phrasing shared by fellow wonders like Dionne Warwick and k.d. lang. It's nowhere near as technically good, but it's just right for this material. Even if you didn't see the picture, the voice alone would stir the loins - it's not a feral sexual growl, but it exudes a distinctive feminine power - she feels the music and it's so infectious.

As with their 1998 debut disc, the Cobras raid rock and R & B hits of the past. The band is in lockstep with Nagy, playing with simultaneous fury and control. Kind of like a cross between a middle-tier British Invasion band, an '80 mod act and top notch session musicians. Some songs swing, some rock and some just groove in a grooverific fashion.
The album takes off lickety-split, charging into the steam rolling "Hey Sailor" which is followed by a Nagy vocal that tips the hat to Ronnie Spector (just a bit of cry in her voice) on a splendid rendition of Jackie DeShannon's "He Did It". They multi-track Nagy's vocals, so she backs herself to great effect on the Mary Wells' chestnut "Bye Bye Baby".

The top two tracks come back to back - a slinky work out of the proto-funk Ike Turner composition "Can't Miss Nothing" and then a speed-shuffle track credited to songwriter Singleton T. McCoy (great name, huh?) called "Right Around the Corner". The rest of the Cobras expertly know how to push the tempo in a more modern rock fashion, without diminishing the essential R & B goodness - probably the best at this difficult trick since San Francisco revivalists The Loved Ones.

Clocking in at just shy of 30 minutes, the album will leave you shouting for more. Let's hope it's not another three year wait for more Cobra madness.

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Ted Leo/Pharmacists
The Tyranny Of Distance

(Lookout)

lookoutrecords.com

I first encountered Ted Leo in his old band Chisel, when they opened for Velocity Girl. They played punchy, hooky tunes with bits of mod, punk and powerpop mixed together in an undefinable but winning fashion. Not sure why I never leapt all over that, but I never bought anything. A few years ago I became aware that Leo was out on his own and still failed to do anything about it. Fast forward to a couple of months ago. My favorite clerk at my favorite record store (Laurie's Planet of Sound, BTW) threw this on, and I was intrigued. I picked it up and have been wanting to write a review for about two months. The problem isn't that I don't like it - it's just that Leo is still hard to pin down.

The record starts with an incredible one-two punch that causes me to restart the disc frequently. "Biomusicology" is an amped up folk ballad, Leo emoting in a falsetto that is strongly reminiscent of Shudder To Think's Craig Wedren, without the vibrato or out-and-out weirdness, and spinning out the homilies: "come to find that loving is labor/labor's life and life's forever/or come to see that keeping's not giving/you get what you're given/you get what you deserve." The song breaks down to brief string interlude, before playing the opening synchopated guitar part with extra intensity while the cymbals splash like crazy in the background.

"Parallel or Together" then kicks in with speedy acoustic strumming and fast shuffle drumming, akin to the early Feelies and '80s British indie stuff like The Smiths and James. When Leo throws in a little melodic swoop in the midst of the monochromatic rhythm fest, it is devastating. Leo chronicles the aftermath of a break up with poetic acumen and surgical acuity: "And parallel evenings, and parallel tracks of our tears, and nights of together are where?/so I gather around me all the little pieces of song/and fit them where they belong."
These two songs are a fine introduction to an album marked by passionate performances, a compelling blend of styles and influences and some of the best lyrics written by anybody, anywhere. Not all of this hits into the red on the accessibility meter. The pick to click has to be "Timorous Me", which sounds like Leo put lyrics onto some lost Phil Lynott/Thin Lizzy composition. I mean it sounds EXACTLY like that, a nice celebratory, nostalgic folk-rock thing, Leo's voice ebullient, as he sings about a fan he met at a show: "But I watched her sing along with every word/in the prettiest voice that I never heard." And there is even a variation on the classic Lizzy dual lead guitar vibe. Awesome!

The most interesting thing about this album is that it is never really heavy or light - there is some internal balance that keeps the delicate from being twee and the rocking from going over the top. So when the guitars kick in big time on Track 9, "My Vien Ilin", the impact is tremendous. That the loudest song on the record is followed by the pretty "The Gold Finch and the Red Oak Tree" is further example of the confidence and creativity at work here. This is sheer brilliance from start to finish.

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