Scroll down for the latest releases by Kevin Tihista's Red Terror, The Waxwings, Poster Children, The Futureheads and the Thrills

Kevin Tihista's Red Terror
Wake Up Captain

(Parasol)

parasol.com

Mr. Tihista, by all accounts, has a treasure trove of tunes at his disposal, writing songs at nearly as fast a clip as Brian Wilson did back in the ‘70s, when brother Dennis would reward Brian with a hamburger for every song he completed. Wisely, rather than unleash them willy-nilly, Tihista took the time after the release of two CDs a couple of years ago (Don't Breathe A Word and Judo) to get back together with producer Ellis Clark (of Chicago psych-rockers Epicycle) and hone this batch of songs.

The effort has paid off in a sumptuous, albeit haunting, collection of tender melodicism (tempered by a bit of rocking) that casts a net that could ensnare fans of both Elliot Smith and Harry Nilsson. Not only is a great deal of attention paid to each track, in terms of both instrumentation and arrangement, but this is album is sequenced in a manner that practically demands you play it from start to end. A few tracks leap out immediately, and others join them as favorites after multiple plays.

One reason for this is that Tihista has improved his lyric writing in a key area. He's never going to be a wordsmith on par with Cole Porter or Elvis Costello. But often the most eloquent lyrics are not the most florid or clever, but the most simple and direct. Explicit phrasing of basic sentiments combined with a hook, strengthens the hook. On a quite a few tunes, Tihista nails this concept.

Granted, perhaps the catchiest among the catchy is somewhat of a novelty. "Yummy" stands out both for its distinctive music track, which is laid back R & B/disco (a la George McRae's "Rock Your Baby"), and the humorous spin in the lyrics: "Yummy, yummy, yummy/I've got drugs in my tummy." Thankfully, Tihista's facility with the style makes this an excellent track. The keyboard line coming out of the chorus (shades of Norman Connors Band or some other ‘70s soul act) is worth the price of admission alone. And Tihista's normal understated vocal makes the lyrics more effective, rather than jokey.
And the humor is appreciated, since this album is essentially a musical monument to low self-esteem. On "Family Curse", Tihista's economic lyrics describe an outsider who can't fit in. Clark layers on synthesized strings over the foreboding pop, as Tihista chronicles his problems: "Yeah, I know I'm no fun/just ask the guys in the chess club." The chorus is a tempered release, the guitars kicking in, but the insistent keyboard line from the verse never disappearing.

Things are even worse, from the standpoint of the protagonist, on the piano piece "Freakshow", which comes off like typical singer-songwriter stuff spiked with the acidic tones of Roger Waters. Rarely has the sense of being defeated sounded so relatively jocular. A bit more humor surfaces throughout ("who put the drugs in my cocaine?"), but the essence of this song is the chorus: "Oh, I just haven't turned out as I planned/get away as fast as you can/cause here I go again." The tension between the bright music and dark thoughts is disquieting yet appealing.

Throughout the proceedings, Tihista uses his quiet voice to his advantage, while he and Clark conjure some swell soundscapes for the loneliness and angst. "Oh" is a textbook of how layering and adding instruments can turn a good song into a spectacular. At its heart, the song is a simple guitar strum, plain old folky pop with a Lennon-ish cast. Add in some Britpop piano, strings, and haunting backing vocals, and things become magical. Some songs are augmented with horns, such as "O.K." and "Ride". On "Ride", the majestic horns allow the song to start quiet and build things to a grand scale. It's wonderful. The happier "O.K.' benefits from the brass, as Tihista whispers sweet somethings, the horn part augments the pleasant romantic sentiments.

I'm not sure what to make of "It's Over", another song where Tihista exploits the happy music/sad lyrics dynamic. Granted, most of the song is devoted to his obsessive appreciation for his lady. However, it is quite possible that this lady may not really know him. I'll leave that for fellow listeners to decide. Tihista discovers a melody and rhythm combo that is simply classic ‘60s pop music, and he's not afraid to let it carry the song. This song keenly illustrates his development. Though the folks he sings about have no confidence, he has it in spades, and he knows how to get the most out of every musical idea.

I won't even contemplate if he can continue to improve at this rate. Tihista has now shown that he is the real deal.

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The Waxwings
Let's Make Our Descent

(Rainbow Quartz)

rainbowquartz.com

It is quite possible that this Detroit band will never equal their stunning debut album, Low To The Ground. There is certainly no shame in that. On their third disc, The Waxwings recover from a second album that fell prey to some sophomore slump cliches (particularly a lot less Grade-A material) and terribly misconceived production, and do a great job of truly establishing their identity. For as good as their first album was, the pristine harmonies and swirling rock on some songs was not fully reflective of their live sound, which is more earthy and rocking.

I must tip my hat to Chicago scribe Rick Reger, who recently hit the nail on the head (wow, two cliches in one sentence already...) -- The Waxwings balance classic early Byrds and late-‘60s/early-‘70s Stones. And they do it so skillfully, making music that rocks but with a cheerful light touch that avoids any possibility of bluesy plodding.

Many of the songs mix some basic gritty rock and roll chords and rhythms with gentle melodies and wispy harmony vocals. The Waxwings do it in a way that cements their distinctive sound. "Leave Less Waiting" is an excellent example of this style. It starts with a quintessential rock and roll guitar intro, first chords and then some blues-country leads. Then the wistful vocals come in. Dean Fertita isn't a very artful singer, but he evinces a sincerity and intent that is winning. The voice cuts against the guitar business in the background (Fertita and Dominic Romano are both fine players), and the combo works so well. This is basically a groove oriented songs with bursts of melody that propel it further along. The song builds to an anxious and energetic ending. Great stuff.

On "Answer to Me", the band tilts more towards plain old rock and roll. The song builds on a pithy electric guitar part, with the drummer James Edmunds driving the simple rhythm, while the bass and lead guitar ornament around it. There's a melodic bridge that is just a bit different, in a good way, which leads into a piano pounding refrain. It's Songwriting 101 -- if you can stitch together three memorable parts into a coherent flow, you've got a good song. This is foolproof, I tells ya.

The band still can create some mellow magic. The band gets all sweet and cuddly on the acoustic "Of Late". It's a simple and charming track. "Expected of You" is as quiet as a starlit night in the mountains, with soothing harmonies and delicate acoustic guitars. The song then picks the energy up a little bit, creating an inviting mellow urgency. The guitars strum louder, lead guitars accent the rhythm, there are counterpoint harmonies and a little more of the piano. This song would have fit in very well on the band's debut.

This is a well balanced album that positions The Waxwings as not quite power pop, not quite garage rock and not quite alt-country, though strands of all those styles are woven into their sound. Considering the ups and downs that they've already had in their career, this is a particularly impressive effort, speaking well of their commitment. This is a most reassuring record, that is very enjoyable and promises many more good things to come.

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Poster Children
On The Offensive

(Hidden Agenda)

parasol.com

My biggest complaint about covers records is that they tend to be dominated by songs that we are already familiar with from oldies radio or classic rock stations. I would like to think that cools artists are influenced by more than just big hits. I figure there had to be some idiosyncratic songs that provided some degree of inspiration.

Well, on that count, I'm already down with this EP from these Champaign, Illinois stalwarts, as there is nary a classic rock tune on here. Even better, the band picked songs with political themes, to make a clarion call for people to get out and vote for change. And, as the songs make bloody obvious, a change at in who will be residing in the White House. The Children are roughly my age and obviously were listening to the same records in college, right before the band started putting out records. Let me tell you, they have excellent taste in music. (Which means, by inference, that I have excellent taste in music, though I didn't write that with the purpose of implying it).

But do they pull it off? Five out of six times, and even the one they don't nail isn't too far off. Might as well deal with that now. Adapting the percolating electro-groove of Heaven 17's "We Don't Need This Fascist Groove Thing" to a more conventional rock band arrangement isn't easy. I figure that the Children do it about as well as anyone could, but they can't quite translate the bounce of the rhythm of the original, and thus song just doesn't quite adapt.

This isn't a problem anywhere else on the collection. My current fave is the band's take on Fear's "Let's Have a War". First, it's simply a great selection -- I wore the grooves out of my Repo Man soundtrack back in the day, and this song is one of the reasons why. Perfect Lee Ving sarcasm with room for nifty guitar hooks. This song allows current PC drummer Matt Fruscia a chance to really show off what a pounding he can administer. If the drumming is working, this song fails. No need for rearranging, these guys just play the fuck out of the song.

The opener "Clampdown" is just another reminder of the greatness of The Clash, generally, and Joe Strummer, in particular. More bands should be covering The Clash, dammit. The strongest dose of melody is provided on "Divide and Conquer", a quintessential Bob Mould number. While the Huskers weren't an overtly political band, this song's lyrics fit perfectly with the others here. It is also interesting to hear another drummer play a Husker Du song, because Grant Hart was so unique. This is a nice variation on the Hart style.

Rick Valentin and Rose Marshack have always had a great vocal blend, and it shows up on the cover of X's "New World". The legendary Billy Zoom guitar line sounds good here, and Marshack tops John Doe's bass line with her own creation. You can't go wrong with this one.

The other ultra cool selection is XTC's "Complicated Game". Andy Partridge has penned more blatant political numbers, but again, this is so apt for an EP which uses some songs from the past to comment on what's going on now. The song is uses a simple rhythm and basic chords, and then just builds and builds, and the Children play with a great deal of inspiration. And Rick gets to unveil that screaming thing he has done so well since back in the days of "If You See Kay". I sincerely hope that they consider incorporating this into their live set. Of all the songs here, it fits the best with basic Poster Children sound, though I don't think they've ever written a song quite like it.

What a great way to make a statement. It's just a shame they stopped at six songs. They are welcome to do a part two any time they feel like.

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The Futureheads
The Futureheads

(679)

679recordings.com

With their debut, The Futureheads join Franz Ferdinand as a 2004 post-punk inspired band that gets it. By that, I mean that The Futureheads don't just see the past as an excuse for an academic exercise in reviving the past. Instead, The Futureheads come up with their own take on the jagged energetic sounds of late-‘70s bands like XTC, with the music fitting their tales of young adulthood. While they don't have any big statements, the sentiments they sing of are relevant to the world around them.

Smack dab in the middle of the album are two songs that perfectly encapsulate this feel. There's the busy "The City Is Here For You to Use". With one guitarist playing a Dave Gregory type part, while the other pounds on some chords, the song moves from minimalist Wire to skewed ska to football chant to Gang Of Four shouting, while the band just marvels at all the opportunities available to you...if you can afford them. The next song is the pithy "First Day", with singer Barry Hyde playing the role of a co-worker showing the ropes to a rookie. As the song moves on it gets faster and faster, as it's noted that after all of the bells and whistles starting at the new gig, things go down hill from there. After all, there are expectations. Wise beyond their years.

Yet there are other aspects that show the band's true age. "Stupid and Shallow" is simply snotty putdown rock. Why not? Immaturity is grown out of gradually. Of course, I should be too old to sing along with it, but I...just...can't...help...it. On the other hand, "Decent Days and Nights" is polite and optimistic. It is particularly reminiscent of The Jam. It's almost like a prequel to that band's brilliant "Going Underground". Instead of bitter cynicism, this is what the view is like from someone young enough to have hope. Not loads of hope, after all, they're only decent days possibly ahead, if you can figure out what the hell is going on. Cynicism isn't that far away, actually.

The amount of energy this band creates is truly impressive. At times, they match the power of The aforementioned Jam at their peak, hitting with the force of a bullet train. Moreover, the rhythm section (Jaff on bass and Dave Hyde on drums) is simply a revelation, rumbling one minutes, rubbery and bouncy the next. Throw in great two guitar interplay and well deployed harmonies, that at times are quite complex, and this band demands attention.

They put this power to great use. "Hounds of Love" is a standout track, in part because it so clearly shows that The Futureheads aren't just imitating their post-punk influences. Though I think other tracks show that there is plenty of substance here, this tune is the best example of how much heart there is in this album. The offbeat harmony vocal arrangement that begins the song, melded with another Jam-like chord progression, builds to a melodic guitar barrage that takes the song into inspiring anthem territory. This is the only song that takes on such a large scale, and it's an inspiration. The passion on display is timeless.

Just yesterday, I threw this album in the Discman, and yet again discovered more sonic nuggets. This is edgy pop that is crammed full of sonic nuggets. Fiery and subtle at the same time, Futureheads are pure excitement, so there's no excuse for you not to check them out.

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The Thrills
Let's Bottle Bohemia

(Virgin)

virginrecords.com

Hey! It's more gorgeous wide-screen California rock from these eager young Irishmen. There's no doubt that The Thrills have an instantly appealing sound. There's lead vocalist Conor Deasy, with an extremely appealing voice that is strongly reminiscent of Steve Forbert. There is the classic sound of pianos and organs augmenting the stately music. One imagines The Thrills can pull a crescendo out of a hat whenever they want to. This does not mean the music is overblown, as if the band has a dose of humility that keeps it from going overboard musically.

For all these good qualities, The Thrills have done very little to improve their dreadful lyrics. The only thing worse than a band with nothing to say, is a band that pretends to have something to say, yet a quick study reveals that they are naked and empty. The lyrics here are a mix of impenetrable and pure groanersville. It's as if they feel their sumptuous dense arrangements must be matched by knotted tangles of words.

OK, I'm probably exaggerating a little bit. Still, when you title a song "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?", you're already a bit behind the eight ball, no matter how many lush strings and R & B rhythms you can marry to your Teenage Fanclub quality melodies. It's such a shame that such a splendid tune is not combined with inspiring lyrics. Instead, I only have a vague idea what the hell this is about. Yeah, he's going to the city, he wants to stay out tonight, he wants info on Corey Haim. And...so fucking what?

Don't interpret this as some irrational hatred of The Thrills. It's more of a constant frustration. They have some excellent tunes. My favorite is "Found My Rosebud". This is one of the songs which shows how successfully they have gone from paying homage to their influences to getting closer to equaling them. This song is a series of builds and turns, with a slight Beach Boys influence -- they definitely have learned how a subtle offbeat chord change can be more effective than a more conventional sequence. Earthy acoustic guitars mix with more strings and some dramatic piano in a song with numerous ‘wow' moments.

Another bit of R & B pops up on "The Irish Keep Gate Crashing", which sports a nice Motown bass line with drummer Ben Carrigan playing a bouncy beat. Here, the melody varies from sunshiney to contemplative. The lead guitar part that plays after the chorus really sticks in the head. Again, I have no idea what the point of this song is -- something about "lust will only take us so far." I'm sufficiently dazzled that I'll live without knowing.

Let me beat on this dead horse one more time. Here's an excerpt from "Faded Beauty Queens": "Down by the river/I found a little town/down by the river/where all the lovers go/all the lovers go/all the lovers go/making teenage boys feel/like a Christmas tree/ogling eyes, ogling eyes/I know you dread the day/when it's [unintelligible] the other way." This is pap. I'm sure that The Thrills have thoughts and feelings that are direct and specific, concerns and hopes that they could address and set to music. Instead, they are content to write what they think are meaningful lyrics. There's a level of disconnect which doesn't jibe with music that is otherwise so passionate.

And that's another thing -- I can't fault The Thrills for their commitment to music. Though they aren't really a rocking band, they play with energy and engagement. They certainly believe in their material. I just can't believe anything they sing (one exception -- "Saturday Night" actually has some relatively sharp and clever lyrics -- "Is this what they call love/on a Saturday night?" is pretty good). Though some chastise Beach Boys lovers for the less than stellar lyrics on many Brian Wilson compositions, I would argue that the simplicity of many of the lyrics is A-OK -- the basic words fit the emotional cast of the music perfectly, each enhancing the other. The idea is conveyed. That's what songs are supposed to do. The songs here don't work at that level.

The Thrills are like a well made movie with a ludicrous ending. You can give them props for so many things they do well, but in the end, it just doesn't add up. The good news is that they are young and can get better. I'll keep following them, but for now, this disc will stay on the shelf for a while.

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