Scroll down for review of the latest from Elvis Costello, Ultimate Fakebook, The Ray Mason Band, Eric Lichter and the Trouble Dolls

The Contrast
Mystery #1

(Rainbow Quartz)

U.S. Release Date: May 7, 2002

Original Release Date: January, 2000

www.rainbowquartz.com

The Contrast offers up a lot with this ambitious first major release (only now getting North American distribution, two years after its original U.K. debut) Mystery #1. The best way to describe the proceedings is this: Tom Verlaine meets Tom Petty, infused with the lyrical anger of a younger Elvis Costello or Joe Jackson - oh, and there's plenty of jangly Rickenbackers as well.

If that sounds good to you, read on. The Contrast basically is the name adopted by creative force David Reid, who writes the songs, sings them, plays guitars and often bass as well. Rounding out the Peterborough trio are James Crossley on drums and Chris Corney lending bass and backup vocal support on a majority of the tracks.

Andy Hawkins (Midget) knows a thing or two about powerful pop/rock and ably handles production, engineering and mixing on these fourteen songs. While much succeeds here, not everything does - but the large volume of choice more than makes up for it (there's a healthy 47:40 of music here).

Me, I'm a sucker for both jangly Ricks and musical tales of woe. The jangle really shines most on three superb tracks. "She's Been Here Before" (the U.K. single) is an infectious jaunt of a pop song and much to this listener's delight, sports layers of guitar sounds. "Turn Off The Sun" is yet another guitar-driven pop gem, with a deceptive upbeat sound that runs counter to the antisocial lyrics: "I don't want to see the sky 'cause there's nothing I care about / nothing that makes me cry / but I've got a crazy feeling / I've been lying to myself all along."

"Perfect Disguise" (the CD opener) completes this pop-gem trilogy, and who can find fault with such lines as "You pulled my world apart / you made an art of screwing up everything". While those three songs might be reason enough to like this album, there's much more to recommend.

The title song "Mystery #1" is an interesting study in obsessive paranoia within the context of a failed relationship, echoed by powerful guitar lines. "Short Term Memory" is a battle between vocals and guitars to describe another failed love: "There are too many letters in the bags under your eyes."

"57" is my favorite of the pained failed relationship songs here. More of a ballad, the vocals really convey the anguish of trying to figure things out, the shoulda woulda couldas of what went before and drinking to forget: "It's been 57 hours since I lost you / right now I miss you so much my head will explode."

"Bad Dreams" also manages to capture the existential angst of being stuck without direction, offering the easy excuse of the plaintive cry: "Bad Dreams Come True."

"You Never Listen" is another catchy one, trading off angry energy with familiar sounds from the past. "Mad Professor" serves up a slower tempo tale of the sad sack professor (e.g. I'm the mad professor of late night bars or of bad ideas) who screws up in spite of his education.

Similarly, the slower pace of "Independance" shows that Reid and company can change the pace and still succeed - there's plenty of space between the drum beats and the vocals here, and it works well in the context of this oblique examination of the difficulties encountered as an independent band. However "Publicity Stunts" seems to follow a similar formula (perhaps with a little more of a Tom Petty sound) - and as such, takes away from the strength of the previous song (one or the other would have been better served without the other).

Guitars drive the tune "Remember," which seems very much like some vaguely recalled song from the late 1970s or early 1980s, familiar yet not distinctive. "Falldown" is fueled by energy, but this repetitive song really doesn't distinguish itself as anything unique. The simple arrangement of the closer "Friend For A Day" is a sweet quiet consolation, telling this friend: "Don't be sad / we still have Paris."

Reid shows a lot of promise, mixing many shrewd influences from the past into a wonderful collection of guitar-driven power pop with more hits than misses. This polished performance sounds anything but a debut. He knows his pop, can write a catchy chorus, and has the ability to create guitar hooks that grab you. His lyrics are wry and bleak and often smart and surprising (and yes, words are included in this package that also has some very nice design by Sharon Reid).

Mystery #1 is a good CD made better by the fact that it is one very impressive initial effort. Polish, energy and attitude combine with subtle touches that make it work even after many listens. Hearing it made me eager to know more about The Contrast, and made me want to hear more. As such, the delayed distribution that only brings this music stateside now is a mixed blessing. While this music is new to North America, Europe and Australia, it is two years old. Apparently Rich Mackman of The Vow has joined The Contrast and David Reid and company's new lineup has just finished their follow-up release. A single entitled "Cant' Stand The Light" from that new CD should be released in the U.K. this summer and I can't wait to hear it.

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Elvis Costello
When I Was Cruel

(Island)

U.S. Release Date: April 23, 2002

Contending with hype is always the difficult purview of the music consumer. Should one buy into the prevailing word put out by the record label and publicity reps? When Elvis Costello's new one When I Was Cruel was released this April, the buzz being bantered about was that it was a solid return to the old days, a new rock n' roll album from the world's favorite formerly angry young man.

Elvis is older now; wry has replaced angry but the guiding intelligence remains a driving force, a musical smirk from within. Leading what he considers a charmed existence, he continues to field opportunities to work with others in a wide realm of musical styles.

Costello has become the musical equivalent of the U.S.S. Enterprise, seemingly on his own special mission to explore every nook and cranny in the entire musical galaxy. He has ventured into jazz, country and classical forays, appearing with such disparate acts as George Jones, Paul Carrack, The Jazz Passengers, The Chieftains, The Charles Mingus Orchestra, Lucinda Williams, Tony Bennett, Bill Frisell and Paul McCartney.

Other collaborations captured in the studio include The Juliet Letters with The Brodsky Quartet, Painted From Memory with Burt Bacharach and most recently Anne Sofie von Otter's For The Stars. While never embarrassing himself with this extreme bounty of stylistic variety, there was a genuine sense that perhaps he was spreading himself too thin. At one time it seemed everyone on the planet would get to sleep with Madonna - similarly, now the prevailing wisdom was that, with patience and time, you too would get to work with Elvis Costello.

Not counting collaborative efforts then, this would be Costello's first solo studio effort in nearly seven years (1996's All This Useless Beauty) and as such, the hype machine was out in force - sounding the clarion call so we would know this was a very special treat, a new "loud" album from the acerbic raspy-voiced one, a long-awaited return to form.

So is When I Was Cruel in point of fact a "return to form" as billed? If you're expecting the kind of loud rock that peppered his first releases way back in the late 1970s, then the answer is no. This is not, as someone had told me, songs in the style of Trust or even Brutal Youth the last album that bore similar claims of a "return to form".

Here's the audio verite, folks: this year's model will never again be This Year's Model for a number of reasons, the biggest being Elvis Costello's reluctance to do the same thing twice. Costello admits "After singing so many ballads in the last few years, it was time for a rowdy rhythm record" but goes on to explain, "We used a highly skilled team of musicians to ensure that we did not accidentally make a record that had been previously released."

This is tongue-in-cheek, but the underlying message is not: he has no desire to re-create the past, per se. Further, he is not the same man he once was. All this musical exploration and collaboration has made Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus a very different creative entity, a better singer for one, and time and experience has transformed his perspective as well (as it has for each and every one of us). Elvis as angry young man lives on as recorded digitally (and on the numerous re-releases that force us impassioned acolytes to buy the same records every three years or so), but he is someone else on When I Was Cruel.

The good news, however, is that this is a very good album. It features an ample 15 new compositions that often challenge and delight. Costello wrote the songs on an old Silvertone electric with a little 15-watt amplifier, using a simplistic "kid's beatbox with big orange buttons" to get him to new places rhythmically. The results feature a healthy helping of distorted tremolo guitar, and production values that are relatively muddy/noisy at times (production attributed to The Imposter - Costello with Ciaran Cahill, Leo Pearson and Kieran Lynch), not too far a stretch from the Mitchell Froom & Tchad Blake productions of yore.

My personal concern going in for a first listen was the absence of longtime Attractions bassist Bruce Thomas. While old friends Pete Thomas and Steve Nieve were on-hand to accompany on drums and keyboards respectively, Davey Faragher was the new backbeat in town. Even a cursory listen showed me such fears were unfounded. While Faragher (Jann Arden, Cracker, Boxing Gandhis and more) has his roots in R&B, he is more than adept at filling his predecessor's shoes. Some of his work here is (dare I say it) the best bass EC has ever had.

"45" opens the proceedings promisingly, a simple arrangement that could be an older brother to some of the songs on *Get Happy*, the stuttering crunch of guitar leading drums and lyrics rife with triple entendre. "45" becomes a year for victory at the end of war, a type of shellac and vinyl record, and also an age of reflection (he was 45 when he wrote this). It's an homage to the magic of music, and even gives a nod to how we had to try and figure out just what he was singing on records past (don't worry folks, lyrics are included here): "Bass and treble heal every hurt / There's a rebel in a nylon shirt / But the words are a mystery, I've heard / 'Til you turn it down to 33 and 1/3."

"Spooky Girlfriend" was written with Destiny's Child in mind (not really such a stretch, though the connotations associated with the title might preclude the likelihood of such a cover). The muddy percussion is courtesy of the DR-202 mentioned earlier, and Faragher weighs in with some nice bass chords in this tale of a star-maker's depraved notions of what he wants from a girl. The older Costello is on top of his lyrical game here, as the big talker meets his match: "I want to paint you with glitter and with dirt / Picture you with innocence and hurt / The shutter closes / Exposes the shot / She says "Are you looking up my skirt?" / When you say "No" / She says "Why not?"

The likely single "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)" is a far-catchier cousin of "Tokyo Storm Warning", bouncing along on a strong sliding bassline by Faragher and some fun organ work by Steve Nieve. The chorus is the hook here, and the metaphor-ridden lyrics invite further thought.

The sprawling epic "When I Was Cruel No. 2" is an Elvis Costello cut-and-paste concoction that covers seven minutes. He plays with sounds here, lounge piano chords backing spaghetti western guitar a la Angelo Badalamenti, and a running sample from Italian singer Mina repeating hypnotically throughout. It's a story of a wedding (familiar territory for Costello, e.g., the song "Imperial Bedroom") full of comments and innuendo, but the master of wordplay is in fine form: "Not quite aside, they snide, "She's number four" / "There's number three just by the door" / Those in the know don't even flatter her, they go one better / "She was selling speedboats in a tradeshow when he met her."

The years have not dulled Costello's love of words, and his lyrics reflect that (even when citing an Abba reference). Check out this little description of said wedding attire: "In eau-de-nil and pale carnation creation / A satin sash and velvet elation."

"Soul For Hire" is a lawyer's acid self-examination of his "whoring in the practice of the law", as Elvis again mixes in unusual scraping shovel percussion against a bluesy ballad sung in a vocal style similar to that employed on many of The Juliet Letters.

This is a man torn by a job that runs counter to his nature: "Hang my head and shut my eyes / I can't see justice twisted / I can see every evil men do and desire / Got to be more than just a soul for hire".

Costello tries his ambitious hand at a type of Middle-Eastern musical influence with his love song "15 Petals". A horn section (Ku-Umba Frank Lacy, Curtis Fowlkes, Jay Rodriguez, Roy Nathanson) propels this quirky song ahead (along with Nieve's Hammond organ bits), though later in the song the trumpet outbreaks call to mind the Nelson Riddle arrangements in the old Batman television show. Maybe it's just me, but word balloons of "Biff","Pow" and "Kerplunk" still pop into my head when I hear it.

"Tart" is one of the prettiest songs Elvis Costello has written. Hearing Elvis Costello pronounce the word asphalt as "ash-felt" alone more than justifies the purchase of this new CD. But if you require more than that, just listen to Davey Faragher's masterful bass work or the exquisite grand piano work by Steve Nieve here. This song lets Costello use his vocals to mirror the seductive exploration of bitter cravings.

"Dust 2..." and "…Dust" are musical bookends separated, a contemplation of life (and death) itself springing from thoughts of mere dust. "Dissolve" is a noise-track exploring the multiple meanings of the title.

"Alibi" is the other long track here (just under seven minutes), allowing Costello a large canvas on which to paint his various alibis and platitudes (the inventory is impressive and many are amusing). Again he captures the feelings so well: "But if I've done something wrong there's no "ifs and buts" / 'Cos I love you just as much as I hate your guts".

"Daddy Can I Turn This?" is another upbeat number, this one looking at smothering relationships with a jaundiced eye, as EC takes out the Rickenbacker and Telecaster and sounds a little bit like his younger self.

"My Little Blue Window" is a lyrical invitation to excitement and musically hearkens back to an earlier time (somewhere in the realm of *King of America* or *Blood And Chocolate*) and even reminds one a bit of "Blue Chair".

"Episode of Blonde" is a torrent of lyrics captured in a pseudo-tango, telling tale enough for several short stories worth from a scandalmonger's point of view. "Radio Silence" closes the CD, a musical relative of "Night Rally" that tells how we're held hostage at the hands of talk radio, a sad waste of too much choice and resulting lack of distinctions.

Age has not dulled the rapier's edges; there is comfort in knowing Costello maintains his ability to be caustic and wry. Perhaps this album is more musical kin to Blood and Chocolate than any of the others, but even that can be a stretch.

Another criticism I have is the under-employment of Steve Nieve. I know this is about Elvis Costello, but my point is this: If you have such a fine musician at your disposal, why not employ his talents to your own advantage? Nieve has a very distinctive piano style, and aside from elements in the songs "Tart" and "Episode of Blonde", we really only get utilitarian organ/piano/pianet accompaniment - pleasant, but not truly distinctive as Nieve.

Think Jackson Browne rejecting David Lindley's distinctive slide guitar work (okay, perhaps that's not a very good example). I suppose the days when Nieve was allowed free reign to contribute to the overall sound (circa Imperial Bedroom) pre-date the emergence of Costello as more of an independent performer. But given that Costello's major talents are critically lauded and that his place as a singer/songwriter legend in musical history is secure, I think he gracefully can allow more of Nieve's contributions back into the mix without losing his own importance.

One can only listen with awe at the sheer breadth of musical range that his career thus far has covered. For Elvis Costello, it's all just part of the deal: move ahead from project to project. He's currently touring in support of When I Was Cruel, working on a motion picture project with Neil LaBute, will appear in an upcoming episode of The Simpsons and soon will debut his first full orchestral score.

Perhaps he should be a little less concerned with "difference for difference's sake." But with all he's done (and continues to do), it's good to know that Elvis Costello still can take his "little hands of concrete" and put out a nice guitar-based record. It's not the old "loud" Elvis for sure (beware the hype!), but the rhythmic and lyrical twists of this year's model still make for one very good CD that reveals more with each repeated listen.

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Ultimate Fakebook
Open Up And Say Awesome

(Initial Records)

Release Date: April 16, 2002

www.ultimatefakebook.com

Three is the key, a magic trinity of band members (3) and number of albums released (again 3) converging in a powerful sonic force that makes Open Up And Say Awesome the kind of summer record you want to crank up while driving somewhere fast.

These are tunes fueled by hormonal urges and the wounds of disappointment, the kind of music that makes you remember back to the blush of youth and those hurts and relationships: it was the best of times and also the worst. Ultimate Fakebook has gotten even tighter on this, their third release, though perhaps they have opted for a little less stylistic variety than previously.

For those unfamiliar with this power trio out of Manhattan, Kansas, think Green Day meets Weezer in a sonically impressive way. Coming from metal roots, UFB resists easy categorization, claiming membership in the disparate worlds of punk, power pop, emo, nerd pop and Brit-pop. Still, their music sounds familiar enough.

For a trio, these lads are able to wrest a very full sound out of their latest collection of harder-edged teen anthems. Guitarist Bill McShane gives us a little darker tinge to his lyrics compared with his last go-round, serving up a dozen new tracks of frustration, observation and amplification. His vocals convey credible angst, backed by occasional harmonies, but the real feat is the kind of fullness achieved by McShane's guitars, Nick Colby's bass and the energetic drumming of Eric Melin.

In 2000, Ultimate Fakebook released the critically lauded This Will Be Laughing Week, a strong album that offered tantalizing hints of different musical territory. The touches of piano in "A Million Hearts", the psychedelic metal feel of "Perfect Hair", and the unplugged amiable jaunt that was the title song were refreshing departures from the standard anguished power rock cuts.

That was then, back when Epic had hopes of the public buying into Ultimate Fakebook as the next Blink-182. The major label success never really materialized, through no lack of talent or energy on the part of the group. The trio tours relentlessly, but even with the live exposure the sales numbers did not pan out and so the group again finds itself back again on an independent label (Initial).

The good news is that they seem no different, no more embittered from their major label experience, and certainly no worse for their tribulations. Credit Ed Rose for some of that. Rose, who produced the previous ones, produces the new album as well. Rose again captures the sonic magic that is Ultimate Fakebook and not much has changed. Bill McShane continues to write lyrics that might be a little too clever for a mass market more excited by the off-color language of those less talented. On Open Up And Say Awesome, the trio seems to concentrate on tightening up what they see as their best bet stylistically, the power guitar driven teen anthems of love and relationships, which lends itself well to the upcoming summer months. While it may be a step forward, it's not a large step.

On this third CD, it's almost as if the creative reins have been drawn in a bit. While the dozen tracks offered here are plenty fine, there's not as much diversity displayed as the last time around, and perhaps that's a calculated move to please the biggest part of their young audience. Fans of the quirky stuff will have to wait and see if there's anything coming down the line; right now it's just good fun rocking music of the first order, in similar fashion as Treble Charger or DumDums or Jimmy Eat World.

This is music that could fit well into most any teen soundtrack (again, perhaps this is another hope for the group). It's big on beat and again, impresses with what is achieved with just a trio. There are hooks galore, but it takes many listens to get the subtleties within this collection. This less adventurous collection features strong songwriting and serves up a full 42 minutes of rock.

With a concentration on harder driving songs, the results prove a bit same-sounding if you try to take it all in at one listen. These songs fare better taken one at a time rather than collectively, and that allows you the chance to really savor the spectacular drumming of Melin, and how much sound McShane and Colby get out their guitars.

The CD opens with the surprisingly darker strains of "Wrestling Leap Year", a tirade of orders and complaints against a lover's power struggle, and a musical sign that Ultimate Fakebook doesn't always do things the way other bands do.

"The Scheme To Listen No More" sounds the more logical opener, a mere 1:35 of powerful catchiness, with nice harmonies backing up its tale of the boy who broke free from a bad relationship: "Just a wish and a wink and now he's busting out like someone else entire". Similarly, "Before You Leave" is another caffeinated edgy rocker that clocks in under the three-minute mark and features a guest guitar solo by Stephen Egerton (of All).

"Inside Me, Inside You" vies for best track on the CD, working off a great guitar riff that supports the rally cry to kick down the castle walls of all those pretty faces. This is the epitome of power through music and belief, an outsider's anthem to greatness yet to come, and catchy in the ways of the best pop traditions.

"Forever Forever" is a sweet song of reassurance that employs harmonies and a soft middle bridge amid its sonic guitars and plaintive vocals, and even features some keyboards courtesy of James Dewees (from The Get Up Kids).

"When I'm With You, I'm OK" is sort of an updated Cheap Trick single for the new millennium, another outsider viewpoint proclaiming, "When I'm with you I'm okay, my skies are blue every day". "Girl, Here's Another Lie" shows McShane's softer side, a story of willful deception to hide from the fact that he'll be leaving soon. This one really begs for a movie soundtrack placement.

"Combat Fatigue" employs nice arrangements (and keyboards again from Dewees) in a softer ballad that examines a couple's relationship approaching a mutual end, while getting tired of the fighting. "Valentines" discusses the charming awkwardness of trying to screw up the courage to make the approach and then win one over. "Red Elbows" is the closest thing to that quirky stuff from their previous release, a slower tempo ballad of a song that explores indecision.

"Goddamn Dance Craze" serves up tongue-in-cheek advice of dance as cure-all for a generation, an invitation to the kind of fever pitch known to Beatles' audiences: "Who cares if it's all been done darlin', Tonight just feeling dumb's good enough". Similar ideas are explored on the CD's final track "Popscotch Party Rock", wherein McShane gets to explore his inner Brian May.

This is radio and soundtrack friendly rock with a sonic edge that grows on you with repeated listens. Ultimate Fakebook deserve more exposure than they've gotten, especially because their considerable talents compare favorably to those who do get the media coverage. Whether you are in your teens, barely out of them, or fondly remember them, Open Up And Say Awesome is party time for a younger generation rocking out. The good news is that the price of admission is only the cost of a CD - this summer, we're all invited.

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Ray Mason Band
Three Dollar Man

(Captivating Records)

U.S. Release Date: April 23, 2002

www.raymason.com

Imagine NRBQ being fronted by Neil Young and you've got yourself a good idea of the sort of musical fun The Ray Mason Band delivers. This eclectic band has been together and touring for some twenty odd years (but who's counting), releasing "official" albums since 1994 (not counting the six unofficial cassette releases between 1983-1990) and yet shamefully they still remain a somewhat guarded secret to the general public. Perhaps Three Dollar Man can help to change that somewhat.

Somerville MA's Ray Mason and his signature 1965 Silvertone head a quartet that includes guitarist Tom Shea, bassist Stephen Desaulniers and drummer Frank Marsh. For this CD, a fifth in the person of Jim Weeks contributes keyboards, dobro and some acoustic guitar as well.

Averaging over 140 shows a year, The Ray Mason Band has opened for a veritable list of musical all-stars including The Band, NRBQ, Marshall Crenshaw, Graham Parker, Robbie Fulks, Yo La Tengo, They Might Be Giants, Steve Forbert, Nils Lofgren, Chris Whitley, Nils Lofgren, Freedy Johnston, Joan Osborne, Warren Zevon, Alejandro Escovedo, Joan Jett, Blue Mountain, The Bottle Rockets, Junior Brown and others too numerous to mention here.

On this, his seventh official release (again, who's counting), Mason puts together a very winning collection with a bunch of bouncy songs that veer from bar rock to jangle pop to alt country and even some hints of jazz. Honestly, there are no bad songs here - but purists might take issue with the short length of the overall CD (the ten songs here clock in at a mere 27:03).

A little taste of good-time Brit pop can be found in the bouncy opener "Blessing The Girl" and its guitar hook. Here is Mason at his simple best, never taking himself too seriously and able to translate that into a good time musically. His lyrics relate: "I feel self-conscious every night / Hide the mirror, lose that fight / dark streaks you know who / draw the curtain on my petting zoo / I'm just blessing my girl to send her off to ruin Ohio."

Just when I thought that Anton Barbeau's song to a table was novel, Mason proves me wrong. His upbeat "Footrest" is an ode to more than just furniture, a friend who brought him on holiday: "Footrest so true, Footrest I'm always on you / Footrest, now I'm so taken and there's a card that I gotta send."

The title track lets the group shift into new clothes as a jazzy soulful combo, courtesy of some fine organ work by Weeks. Again the vocals recall Neil Young, this time doing a wistful scolding of an ex-lover about her new squeeze: "You're making a bet on the three dollar man, and you don't even know his name / You've been getting all set for this three dollar man while listening to Coltrane."

It's back to good times with the tremendously catchy "Reverb And A Zip Code" with a nice organ riff and hot stepping bass to convey that it's all you need in life (five numbers and a sound). Yet perhaps the most infectious tune here is "Newsboy's Toss," which strives to put relationships into perspective, reminding us among other things that is it's a lonely world and that miracles pass us by like the newsboy's toss: "Some people spend years trying to find, some people spend years searching for, some people spend years trying to find what we're throwing away."

The eerie atmospheric "Ear For Rain" talks about a clueless man who is missing both his thumbs, yet blessed with the unusual singular aptitude of having an "ear for rain."

The sense of humor is back in play with "I've Got A Good Dentist," a homage to the rock masochist returning from the road to the pleasures of his favorite D.D.S.: "Say what you want about me / say what you will about that drill / no gas or Novocain / extractions they give me a thrill."

"You'll Never Play Here Again" is a countrified two-step lament of a frustrated club owner who lays down the law to a no-draw, only-trouble act. "Sid Fargus" is the musical story of the valiant ex-garment district shyster who sells what he can when he can.

"Someone I Can't Get Over" is a wonderful different flavor for Mason and company, something more in the realm of Steely Dan or solo Walter Becker. Again, there is a jazzy feel bubbling beneath, as we hear about true longing: "Honesty so painfully/ with telling eyes, all lies aside / You're someone I can't get over / but you're someone I can't get."

This is a great collection of catchy and unpretentious fun rock from a veteran who knows how to leave you wanting more. The Ray Mason Band plays hard, plays often and plays well - and Three Dollar Man captures that happy spirit. Ray Mason just keeps getting better; here's hoping soon that also translates into better known.

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Dolly Varden
Forgiven Now

(Undertow Music)

Release Date: March 26, 2002

www.dollyvarden.com

If emotional honesty is your true measure of how good a CD is, then I urge you to check out the outstanding and resilient strains offered by Chicago's Dolly Varden on their fourth and latest release Forgiven Now. This is a gem of an album that features strong songwriting that really captures moods and emotions; anyone putting in the time to really listen here will be more than rewarded - Dolly Varden have outdone themselves.

Since 1995, this quintet quietly has been forging roots music that mixes rock and pop and folk and country in a manner that is heavy on the heartfelt and light on the clichéd. Now that Whiskeytown and Dashboard Confessional and Blue Mountain and their protégés have sparked a veritable alt-country revival, one wonders if perhaps it is time for Dolly Varden to get their rightful acclaim with a larger audience.

Named after a colorful species of hard-to-catch trout, Dolly Varden is fronted by the talented husband and wife team of Stephen Dawson and Diane Christiansen, who seem to know plenty about what goes on in the minds of lovers. Fellow musicians Mark Balletto on guitar, Michael Bradburn on bass and Matt Thobe on drums round out the DV team (this lineup has remained steady for a full seven years and counting - a rare feat in this modern world of revolving musical personnel). Added into the mix this time around is some phenomenal pedal steel work by notable Nashville session man Al Perkins (Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris and everyone else you can think of).

Once again, DV has turned to producing wunderkind Brad Jones, who had produced their previous effort, 2000's Dumbest Magnets. Jones serves each song well; he gets his trademark clean production across here with vocals up front and just the right spare mix of supporting instrumentation.

What's rare and special about Dolly Varden first off is the quality of the vocals - both male and female. Dawson has a wonderful voice, as does Christiansen - and what's more, they sound great together (with a real warmth and chemistry that recalls the harmonies of Emmylou and Gram way back when). However, the real magic is in the songwriting - these are eleven songs that grab you and reward the careful listener.

In a smooth, effortless way, Dawson manages to capture the essence of pleasant roots rock time and again. His wistful "Surrounded By The Sound" (co-written with Thobe) opens the CD in defense of stubbornly being left alone to drown in the sound of loud music. This is a man eager to hide in a "coward's parade" with his own half-baked theories: "You say you have a penny for my thoughts / I'd pay 100 dollars to just keep my mouth shut."

These are not your run-of-the-mill love songs. In "Trying To Live Up" we get the tale of a lovable lighthearted drunk raised on trouble and blame being pulled from a car wreck in the rain. It's more than a catchy melody - it's a poignant story captured well in simple informative phrases.

The title track discusses the theme of forgiveness, harmful words and thoughts and curses all forgiven now, shadows from a distant past. Let me mention how well the band plays together - the tendency is to overlook the music because it serves the vocals so well.

The lovely voice of Diane Christiansen and some dreamy pedal steel guitar make "The Lotus Hour" an ethereal delight. This Chistiansen/Balletto collaboration talks about a special time when troubles evaporate: "We are refugees from all the plans we made / and all catastrophes / this is the lotus hour / we are refugees slowly floating home / weightless and free."

Dawson's strong voice follows in "Overwhelming" in a song about overwhelming chance and overwhelming grace and coming into one's own that forges a disarmingly gentle poetry. Check out this description of a visitation: "So Jesus came without warning / right over your bed and hovered like a flower / in the coldest hour of the morning / wiping your lips clean / dusting off your good dreams."

"Wish I Were Here" is a beautiful ballad of simple wishes/commands that would make things better. Alas, in the end Christiansen's unadorned voice knows that reality is elsewhere: "Wish I were here to see things moving into place / wish I were here / the light reflecting off your face / wish I were here."

In "There's A Magic" we get a bona fide two-stepper (a la George Jones/Tammy Wynette) complete with Al Perkins' pedal steel accompaniment and a real taste of the wonderful warmth and chemistry within these husband/wife harmonies (making us believe in the magic entirely).

The emotional honesty I mentioned earlier really hits home in "Time For Me To Leave." This amazing Dawson song is the story of a woman finally discovering the courage to leave a bad situation: "Wipe that grin off your face / there's something I gotta say and it's taken everything I got to come here and say it / you can punch me in the mouth / you can curse my name out loud / but you won't ever get me to regret it / I've been keeping my mouth shut / I've been folding my hands up/ I have stood by you like no one can believe / but I think the time has come for me to leave."

"Disappear" is sort of a flipside companion to "Time For Me To Leave." In this song, the urging (as I hear it) is to flee a relationship that has led to a loss of dignity and strength: "If you had a brain in your head this is what you'd do / you would drop everything and you'd run just as far as your legs would carry you / there really is nothing for you here / you'd be wise if you would just disappear."

Perhaps the most interesting song here is the Christiansen composition "1000 Men Like Cigarettes," wherein a droll loneliness compares the habit of promiscuity to smoking: "1000 men like cigarettes / put out side to side / I only meant to quit it long enough to catch my stride."

The CD closes with the slow jazzy soul of "Meant To Be," a pensive recounting of the past and luck and friendship and how the years rush by, sung by Dawson quietly in a way that captures emotions perfectly. It's a truly beautiful song.
Not content to end things quietly, there's a bonus song attached to the last track - so keep your CD spinning. This song, likely called "Almost Made It" is an upbeat track that will have you dancing in the aisles.

This full band effort all about leaving resentments behind and moving on is well written, well produced and well performed. Dolly Varden offers grace through songs in a way that's not found in most music today. The lyrics present spare poetry with enough open space for any listener to find places to jump in and identify. Moments are captured with emotional honesty in difficult situations, perfected through vocal nuance.

All of this and some fine music makes Forgiven Now a rare and genuine treat that should hold up well in years to come. Discover the thoughtful insights and melodic beauty that make up the music of Dolly Varden - and be sure to spread the word to others.

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Eric Lichter
Palm Wine Sunday Blue

(Hidden Agenda/Parasol)

U.S. Release Date: April 16, 2002

It's always nice to find a soft-spoken CD that gets your attention with quirky details, e.g., unusual instrumentation, unexpected hooks, and pleasant melodies that win you over with repeated listens. Such is the case with this charming solo effort from Green Pajamas band member Eric Lichter.

Palm Wine Sunday Blue immediately grabs you with the opening track "Wildly Polite" which employs a Japanese koto, along with background voice noises and delicate guitars and some nice production choices by Lichter and band-mate Jeff Kelly. The hooks are plentiful and the poetic lyrics obscure enough to keep one guessing: "It's over by the wall / it's underneath the stairs / It's hanging in the dust motes in the air / It's burning in the fire / a flaming arborette / coming through the soft frost of your breath /
She's waving wildly polite / never mind the crazy moves at midnight / never mind the hungry ghost in her eyes, oh yeah, she's waving wildly polite."

Kelly is back with keyboards on the next track, "Lavender Swing," a song that pleads for a woman (the girl on the lavender swing) to take control in gaining back her life: "Don't change a thing / there's a way to hurt him / I suggest you hurt him." This is lightly psychedelic folk-rock done well.

"Palm Wine Sunday Blue" adds cello to the mix in a more somber melody (Kelly contributes a lovely Robert Fripp-type electric guitar solo). Much of this is evocative music, wherein the words contribute another layer to the overall mood, and their exact meaning isn't so important.

Fan adoration takes a precious turn in the sweet "Hayley Mills," homage to the former Disney teen film heartthrob. Lichter employs synth-strings in a nice chamber-like arrangement in this lyrical contemplation of how several romantic meetings might go: "God how I miss her sad funny British lips and her ladyfinger twister in the air / God, just one kiss from that double dutch God-nymph with the scent of chestnut whim in her hair."

Those who saw Eric Lichter as nothing more than a minor sideman since he joined Seattle's Green Pajamas will be very pleasantly surprised at the bounty of talent he displays here. While playing second (or third) fiddle to Jeff Kelly and Joe Ross since 1997, this CD shows he has the goods to stand on his own. The songs in general are more upbeat and perhaps a little more accessible than the majority of Green Pajamas songs.

Eric Lichter's music career began as drummer in a neo-pyschedelic band called The Life, in Seattle in the mid-1980s. They released one album and a later single, then went their own ways in the new decade. When The Green Pajamas (who shared a record label with The Life) reunited in 1993 (they had been inactive since 1989), Lichter signed on as keyboardist and second guitarist in place of original member Steve Lawrence. Four years later, GP put out their first album in ages. Lichter contributed some songs to that CD, 1997's Strung Behind The Sun and continued to place two or three songs on each of the next three CDs as well (All Clues Lead To Megan's Bed, Seven Fathoms Down and Falling* and last year's The Caroler's Song. But nothing really indicated the kind of strong songwriting in evidence here.

Palm Wine Sunday Blue offers a quirky personal side revealed, with all sorts of intriguing musical textures. Of course, there are heavy influences present from his work with Green Pajamas as well, the use of unconventional instruments and techniques to create a sort of surreal aura (with the various contributions from Jeff Kelly really being first rate). Recorded over a period of several years (with help from friends like Kelly and Laura Weller), half of these songs were captured at home on Lichter's 8-track machine, the other half at a small studio up the road.

Perhaps my favorite tune here is the rambling folk/rock of "Papa Quayle," wherein Lichter does his early Bob Dylan/Band routine on the verses, cramming in plenty of words. The song features nice guitar work from Jimm McIver and fun "treated piano" and bass from Casey Allen (Lichter handles drums).

"Bag of Rice" is a delicate and haunting ballad of a song, all about some enchanting woman and the damages she may bring. "Cloth Of Time" is a gentle reminisce in two-part harmony with Jeff Kelly, featuring a sort of music-box solo. The second part harmony on "Mist Maureen" is by Laura Weller. Another soft gem is "Homely Ghost," a great arrangement of voice (sounding very John Sebastian-like here), piano and weather (you feel the wind and waves crashing…honest).

"Dumbox" is a catchy upbeat song using a full band, this one about facing one's fears and getting away from clowns and freaks. "Singled Out" is another full-band song, featuring some nice violin from Paul Charles Jenson.

"Broomstones" is a melancholic reflection on some hard work (with Weller's backing vocals): "With strong eyes, with strong hands, with strong ropes / with strong back /a red house on broomstones."

These are songs that surprise and delight in a pleasantly surreal way. Listen to it once and a few songs might catch your fancy, listen to it several times and that number should grow. This is fine songwriting and performance from a talent that heretofore hasn't really shown very much of himself. Fans of Green Pajamas will love this release, but so should many others - it's often the quiet and quirky voices that deliver the best messages. The charms of Eric Lichter's Palm Wine Sunday Blue deserve to be heard.

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The Trouble Dolls
I Don't Know Anything At All

(La La La Unlimited Records)

Release Date: June 2002

www.troubledolls.net

Three songs that will have you wanting more is what you get on this EP from The Trouble Dolls, the band that lives by the command "thou shalt not write a song longer than three minutes."

"I Don't Know Anything At All" is a charming upbeat song with great vocals by Cheri Leone telling of the existential angst of dealing with a tough situation: "I stay at home alone at night / I stay up waiting for your call / I'm nearly blinded by your light / and I don't see anything at all / And I would try but I don't know what for anymore."

The second number here "7:05"(House Mix) is a little less polished, a bit more tinny and punk/garage-sounding, but you can dance to it. The vocals compete against the guitars, but the tune is catchy and (in my opinion) might fare better with a full band treatment.

The third track is a newer version of the old Trouble Dolls' staple "Something Blue Amazed Me." I love this slower tempo ballad/lament (with Matty doing a nice psychedelic solo mid-song), particularly because the words are cryptic and intriguing (as any good song should be). Cheri sings in her lovely voice: "Something blue amazed me like corn on fire / Something blue amazed me, a clear day in Southern California / Now my fingers know the shape of my skin / my feet in water," offering only the dictum "Marry young and make it up as you go" by way of explanation.

If I Don't Know Anything At All leaves you wanting more (it should) but you can't wait until later this year, try checking out the Tony Daniel independent film American Bohemian. The Trouble Dolls did the score for the film, wherein Matty and Cheri test the limits of method acting with their cameo appearance as musicians who smoke and wear silly clothes.

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