Music
Reviews
Message Board
Scroll
down for Greg Johnson
Taxiride
Imaginate
(Sire)
www.taxiride.com.au
Released: April 24, 2000
Solving the boy band problem: okay, here's your current dilemma. Your
boyfriend/girlfriend/son/daughter absolutely loves boy-band music and
you are beside yourself. Not to come off as a musical snob, but you point
out that these gents are manufactured groups who don't write their own
songs and may not be very talented (be careful when The Monkees come up
as a refutation of your alleged musical superiority). It's stagecraft
more than music, you insist, even though you keep quiet the fact that
you found yourself humming a popular boy band song one morning in the
shower. Up till now, you had no choice but to agree to disagree on the
music of Backstreet this and O-Town that and Mr. Timberlake and his N'Sync
cronies. But lo and behold, from the land down under comes a happy solution.
I give you the four lads who comprise the group Taxiride, and their initial CD effort Imaginate. While this CD was released over a year ago, it remains a relative musical secret in this hemisphere. Unlike many of the distant North American species (Orlandoacus Ridiculosis), all four of Taxiride's "boys" write their own music and are multi-instrumentalists. Sure, there are four-part harmonies like those other guys, only this is a different animal, there's something more extra guitar parts, or even the occasional sitar (yes, I kid you not). It's like some mad Aussie scientist took a boy band and crossbred them with CSN&Y and Simon & Garfunkel. The results are as pleasant and sunny as a summer's day.
Imaginate has pop hooks to keep you humming and trite lyrics that won't tax your mind when heard at the beach (hey, sometimes you just need a simple love song or ten). It's not quite "boy-band music" as you know it but there's enough common ground so that everyone winds up happy.
Favorite tracks are hard to choose, since the many voices and stylistic variations present a wide spectrum. "Can You Feel" is a wonderful opener that actually trades off a "Last Train to Clarksville" riff, if you want to apply irony. "Get Set" takes that aforementioned sitar and moves it into a nice percussive rhythm that seems to suggest Moroccan pop. "Everywhere You Go" sounds more like straightforward teen pop, while "72 Hour Daze" and "Nothing In This World" probably are the tracks most like other Boy-Band songs only again, the strong writing and musicianship propel them beyond that. "Rocketship" has harmonies that evoke musical memories of Earth Wind & Fire, "Rachael" sounds like it could be a Kenny Loggins song and "Back Again" could be a Dan Fogelberg or CSNY acoustic guitar song with 4-part harmonies.
What's clear is that these guys have talent enough for more than one band, but manage to be contained as one unit. Twelve strong songs populate the grooves of Imaginate, and word is that Taxiride are back in the studio recording what will be a second release for later this year. So if you've been having boy-band problems, or even if you just want some good light summer pop music, check out the harmonic solution of Taxiride.
__________________________________________________
Greg
Johnson
Sea Breeze Motel
(EMI)
Release Date: April, 2000
One of the best things about not always following the musical masses is when you discover someone special. It's great to come upon a new find, even better to share your discovery with friends and have them come back to thank you.
In the past few years, it happened to me several times. Lo and behold, lightning has struck again. The good news now is I get to share it with you. If you don't already know him, my latest discovery is New Zealand's own Greg Johnson. His most recent release (his fifth CD) is an instant classic called Sea Breeze Motel. This talented singer/songwriter/keyboardist/trumpeter offers up a collection of 13 wonderful songs that should get heavy rotation in your CD player this summer, and beyond that, in your head.
From the catchy Wurlitzer opening of "Beautiful Storm," you are off and running on a fun musical journey. Lyrics that speak of the storm/love and its destructive results work well to convey reluctant optimism that "the sun will once more rise." "Girl I Knew" takes us on a hangover's reminisce, with unexpectedly mellow chorus shifting and memorable female backing vocals, while "No Angel Her" is a minor-chorded lament about a waitress that stays with you in unexpected ways.
"Lazy Susan" spins off Brian Wilson-like organ strains into more descriptive intelligent pop, and there's a Mark Cohn "Walking In Memphis" riff to his "Love Is The Underdog," while "Hibiscus Song" is almost cinematic in its tale of the smells of a missing woman. "Cut to the Chase" takes a cheery upbeat pop song and makes it a wry characterization of the modern obsessive who has no time to wait for anything.
Honestly, there's not a bad song in the lot. Musically, the songs have lovely touches that set them apart a children's chorus opening "The Meter Is Running" or wonderful mandolin on my favorite track "Ballgowns and Smalltowns" which tells a great story of an outcast weird girl from a rural town who moves to the dance of the big city. His backing "Motel Band" provides a perfect complement with drums, bass, guitars, mandolin, balalaika and whatever is needed.
He isn't easily categorized in terms of referencing other artists Greg Johnson and his music are pretty much their own story. He writes little vignettes suffused with pop energy and real emotions that benefit from mature songwriting and nice Ian Morris production. This collection is destined to become a favorite and perhaps it will bring him long-overdue recognition in this hemisphere. Such miracles do happen now and again. When you recommend Sea Breeze Motel to others, and they come back and thank you (while they recommend it further), we can set this exciting process in motion.
__________________________________________________
To reach any other page on Fufkin.com, read the home page for the appropriate link and click on it. You can also search the site by typing in the name of the band, recording or name of the Fufkin writer that you are looking for 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
__________________________________________________
Top Ten | Whatever | Links | Contact Us | Join E-List | Home
