Yehuda Poliker - Ashes & Dust

Name: Yehuda Poliker

Album: Ashes & Dust

Year: 1988

Style: Hebrew/Jewish Traditional, Mediterranean

Similar Bands: Theodore Bikel, Gruff Rhys

"One-Word" Review: Bleak-wind-echo-klezmer-rock

Based Out Of: Kiryat Haim, Israel

 Ashes & Dust - Cover, Liner & Tape

Ashes & Dust - Liner Notes & Tape

Ashes & Dust (1988)

1. Efer Vavak (Ashes & Dust) 4:31
2. Chalon Layam Hatichon (A Window to the Mediterranean) 5:36
3. Kshetigdal (When You Grow Up) 4:18
4. Shir Acharey Hageshem (Song After the Rain) 4:06
5. Prachim Baruach (Flowers in the Wind) 4:31
6. Hatachana Haktana Treblinka (Last Station Treblinka) 5:12 /
7. Yalel 2:27
8. Radio Ramalla 5:14
9. Ahva Horeget (Love Kills) 5:02
10. Mikan Vad Bichlal (From Now On) 5:22
11. Kol Meertz Haruach (Voice from the Land of the Wind) 5:43
12. Biglal (Because) 4:49

Album Rating (1-10): 4.0

Members & Other Bands:

Yehudad Poliker - Vox, Guitar,

Ya'akov Gilad -

Unknownness: I have never heard of this artist. But I found this tape in a clearance section of a library cast off book & music store, and I was on a hunt for more Eastern European, Klezmer music. I found this bleak looking tape, and decided to give it a try. With a production date of 1988, I really have no idea what to expect.

  

Album Review:  I was unaware that this was an Israeli pop album about the holocaust, as Wikipedai has pointed out. Yehuda’s father escaped from Auschwitz, so I can only imagine this has some second-hand story telling and spirit, and ultimately lead up to the bio-pic Because of that War a few years later. The album is all in hebrew, so I’ll not be able to understand the lyrics except by the emotion evoked.

Efer Vavak (Ashes & Dust) feels like an Italian folk song as it starts out with what sounds like an accordion and strumming guitar. Once the singing begins, the Yiddish theme emerges, and the result is an emotional, powerful ballad.
Chalon Layam Hatichon (A Window to the Mediterranean) is a darker, more sinister song at the beginning, with a gloomy hum stalking in the background. But the singing has a much more positive and hopeful approach. The transition/bridge between verse and the chorus has a nice hook in its build. There is a very earthy, and new age feel to the song as well, with the way the guitars echo and there is a breezy like chime in the background with a similar echo effect.
Kshetigdal (When You Grow Up) initially feels like theme music from a Dragon Warrior game when the warrior is tired, but in a safe and familiar place. Comfort and wisdom note the song’s character. The music is not a solid straight line, it is jagged and its flourishes are start/stop. Only the chorus glides by effortlessly.
Shir Acharey Hageshem (Song After the Rain) has a little bit of a western / Blaze of Glory feel to it, mainly thanks to the twangy guitar, and percussive march in the background. The chorus is repetitive in lyric, but it rolls the lyrics over the same melody over three keys, and is enjoyable in the anticipation and delivery feel.
Prachim Baruach (Flowers in the Wind) begins in a new age fashion too, but one that is bleak and sinister. The echoing bell/chimes effect is entrancing, and sometimes off-key. I like the atmosphere the song creates. The song also has loud booming bass drums that are sporadic, but when they hit, remind me of something big, like Genesis or something. An electric guitar wallows in pain and adds the perfect anger/frustration to the songs already confused emotion.
Hatachana Haktana Treblinka (Last Station Treblinka) begins with strumming guitars faint in the background, and an oscillating hum. This is the song that reminds me a lot of Gruff Rhys (from Super Furry Animals) live performance, were he begins instruments one at a time, and the lyrics over top are mostly spoken or echoing chants rather than sung. The song builds, and a steady drum beat starts around 2:15 in. There are controlled metal screeches that come and go, perhaps mimicking trains passing.

Yalel seems to pick up with the twisting metal sounds from the previous side/song, and progresses like a Middle Eastern religious chant with a circular buzz in the background.
Radio Ramalla continues the Middle Eastern sound, and reminds me a little of Faith No More’s Wood peckers from Mars in the very beginning. The song is more rocking than the other songs that felt more folky and traditional. There is a rock drum beat, and the song’s pace is quicker and surer. The chorus is catchy and besides FNM, it also feels like the rock/Mid-Eastern blend that Firewater or Gogol Bordello are popular for (and to a lesser degree, System of a Down, but I hate even mentioning them).
Ahva Horeget (Love Kills) continues with the hard rock/ Eastern European style of music. This song reminds me of a mix of Ween’s Stallion part 5 & I Can’t Put My Finger on It. It is a soaring, driving, near-disco song with the violin-sounding strings. Suddenly out of nowhere about 4 min in, the singer just shouts for seemingly no reason, except for perhaps the song’s climactic point. It ends in an electric fury and an echoing of guitar.
Mikan Vad Bichlal (From Now On) is another wind swept song-scape, with acoustic guitar leading the way, echoing as the entire album has before it. It is somewhat sad and solemn song once the vocals begin. It grows in confidence, and gets a little aggressive in its optimism, backed by the familiar echoing chime/bells effect. The song continuously feels like it is just starting out, building to something grand, but it never really unleashes the anticipated delivery. And with a whoosh effect, the song ends.
Kol Meertz Haruach (Voice from the Land of the Wind) continues the echoing wind effect, and backs it up with somber violin/string composition. This too starts out sad and beaten down. The vocals grow louder and it is loud calling out/chant/shout, with a yearning emotion. And like a whisper or a gale, it quietly fades away.
Biglal (Because) starts with spoken vocals with massive echo. The music begins with a sinister, almost industrial stripped down drum and guitar rhythm. The vocals continue to be spoken, not sung, and the song drives on, growing more intense with a Middle Eastern buzz in the background.

Overall, the album has a few select catchy & memorable hooks here and there. On a whole, it is depressing, which I believe was mostly the concept of design, with the topic being such a horrific tragedy as the holocaust. There are a few instances where the rock and traditional moments blend together flawlessly, but there is even more dead space and tedious construction to make it grow better on repeat listens.

Stand Out Track: Radio Ramalla

Links:

Wikipedia

IMDB Because of That War 

Israel Music

Dartmout Jewish Sounds Archive

Allmusic

Magic Bullets - s/t

Name:  Magic Bullets

Album(s): s/t
Years: 2010
Style:  Indie, New Wave
Similar Bands:  Morrissey, XTC, English Beat, Stellastar, Big Country
"One-Word" Review:  Tropical Jangley 80’ British Wave
Based Out Of:  San Francisco

 Self Titled: Front & Back

Self Titled: Inner Artwork, Tray & CD

Magic Bullets (2010)

1. A Day Not So Far Off 3:44
2. They Wrote A Song About You 2:45
3. Pretend & Descend 3:47
4. Lying Around 3:28
5. Young Shoulders 2:11
6. Red Room 2:49 /
7. On Top Of the World 2:45
8. A Name Sits Heaviest on My Heart 2:49
9. Millions of People Running in Circles 2:38
10. China Beach 3:25
11. Sigh the Day Away 4:11

Album Rating (1-10):  8.5

Members & Other Bands:  
Jack Shirley – Recording

Philip Benson – Vox (The Cosmos)

Corey Cunningham – Guitar (The Cosmos, Dominant Legs)

Matthew Kallman – Organ, Piano (Girls)

Danny Sullivan – Drums (Screeching Weasel, Queers, Riverdales, Groovie Ghoulies, The Plus Ones, Beulah, The Red Verse)

Nathan Sweatt – Badd (Dominant Legs)

David Bornfriend – Inner Photo

Rob Knight – Cover photo

Unknownness:  I had never heard of this band. I picked it up for free at work, as a cast off from the radio station. I liked the dark, minimalist cover photo of flowers at night, and simple wavy font song title text on the back. Seems simple, but deep, and overall, dark. I imagine, based on the artwork and since it is from 2010, it will be some dark, hipsterry emo crap.

Album Review:

“A Day Not So Far Off” starts with some chaotic feed back, and launches into a jangley guitar speed pop song.  The vocals remind me a lot of many british new wave bands, as well as Stellastar or Dogs Die in Hot Cars with a little less depth. The song cruises along, slightly disjointed, but ultimately smooth thanks to the vocals, which are even a bit Morrissey-like. The song feels a little disjointed, and overall a little sloppily organized, but it is a fun and catchy song.

“They Wrote A Song About You” has a 2-1 back beat, and the very, very Morrissey-like vocals begin to croon over the soft, jangely pop song. A piano in the background adds to the lightness, which make it a nice shoegazing style song.

“Pretend & Descend” starts with a steady, bouncing bass beat, coupled with an ethereal, haunting keyboard effect. The steady drums drive the song along, and jangle guitar is added a bit later. The vocals are sharper then Morrissey here, actually a little like Andy Partridge in his ballady reserve. This song, too is a little loopy and repetitive.

“Lying Around” the instrumental dance breakdown of the previous song leads naturally into a bouncy and fun followup song, here. The vocals are much more emotionally delivered, which reminds me more of Stellastar. The song has a fun melody to follow, up and down, strained and calm. It reminds me of the style of singing from Kevin Rowland of Dexy’s, without the depth of voice. The jangley guitar the repeates through out the entire song forms a very catchy hook that the song builds right up from and around. 

“Young Shoulders” presents the piano and more Morrissey vocals in the forefront, which is later replaced by the jangley guitar. The two take turns driving the song, underneath the monotone and smooth low deep vocals. All these songs rely a little too much on the chorus only, as the verse feels very truncated.

“Red Room” brings us back to the emotional vocals from Lying Around. This go around they are double layered, giving an echoey chorus feel that transitions into an early Andy Partridge style on occasion. The song is not a fast song or a ballad, falling somewhere in a driving, but meandering pace.

“On Top Of the World” feels like a carribbean, inslander slightly reggae groove of the jangle guitar and bass mixed. It reminds me a bit of English Beat. The nasally foe-English accent comes through in this light-ska jam. The overall atmosphere in this song is very joyful and contentedly happy, as the title would merit.

“A Name Sits Heaviest on My Heart” reminds me in title, and monotone vocals of Noah and the Whale. The drums really drive the song, but the vocals seem to take their time, and slow the song down, which kind of reminds me of how Smokey Robinson sings over his faster paced Motown hits. There is a little burst of emotion near the end, and there are dual layered vocals that do not overlap, which seem to suggest that there are two singers, at least they want to show two styles of monotone and emotion for the same singer.

“Millions of People Running in Circles” starts with a catchy jangely hook, reminding me of the Smiths, with a little less smoothness in the vocals. The bass beat follows up the pace of the hook, as does a frantically played keyboard just underneath the surface. The layering and pace of this song are very enjoyable and just off matched enough that make it interesting and give it depth. The instrumental breakdown strips the song down, and then builds it back up, marked by the drums.

“China Beach” is a slower and smooth song, with quiet vocals. It really just assimilates itself into whatever environment you are in as background music. 

“Sigh the Day Away” brings the album to an end with another island influenced slow happy reggae / English Beat style song with soaring brit-like vocals as has been par for the album. The jangley hook is very short and repetitive, and the bass really carries the song with a near-Jackson Five beat.

Stand Out Track:  Lying Around

Links:

 Website

Myspace

Facebook

Last FM

Allmusic

Mon Amie Records

Twitter

Danny Sullivan Wiki

 

Maggi, Pierce & E.J. - Black* Gold~

Name:  Maggi, Pierce And E.J.

Album(s): Black*, Gold~
Years: 1997*, 2004~
Style:  Eclectic Folk-Rock* Country in a variety of forms~
Similar Bands:  Indigo Girls, Ben Folds Five, Blind Melon* Jayhawks, Victoria Williams~
"One-Word" Review:  Patchouli-pop*~
Based Out Of:  Philadelphia, PA

 

*Black Album: Cover, CD & Back

 

*Black Album: Lyrics, Inner CD Tray

 

~Gold: Cover, Back & CD

 ~Gold: Liner Notes & Inner CD Tray

Black (1997)

1. Sweeter 3:57
2. Caliphornia 2:45
3. (Not Really) 1:01
4. Happy 4:22
5. Smyle 5:24
6. Nashville 3:12
7. Scared of a Word 3:17
8. Roadkill (Texas) 4:48
9. I Can See You 4:13
10. 10 1:34
11. Mine 3:16
12. Clones in a  New Town 1:11
13. Slip 4:21
14. hidden track Happy remix: 3:43 

Gold (2004)

1. Flame 3:00
2. Back 4:32
3. Jaded 3:23
4. Mr. Moon 5:01
5. Coffee Song 2:20
6. Visit Me 4:44
7. Fate Train 5:10/
8. Memphis 4:23
9. In Your Hand 4:25
10. Kiss Me 2:15
11. Dear Grandfather 3:25
12. Dagger 5:03
13. Porch 3:33
14. Track 14 Porch Reprise 2:35

Album Rating (1-10):  *6.0

~5.0

Members & Other Bands:  

Andy Kravitz – Drums, Percussion, Producer, Engineer, Mix, Mastered*

Maggi – Vox, Guitar,  Drums, Kazoo, Producer, Layout*~ Conga, Sandpaper, Co-Engineer~

Pierce – Vox, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Kazoo, Drums, Producer, Layout*~Tambourine, Harmonica, Wood Saw, Engineer~

E.J. – Vox, Bass, Piano, Organ,  Drums, Mandolin, Kazoo, Producer, Layout*~ Wurlitzer, Hammer&Nail, Co-Engineer~

Gret Gentile – Oboe*~Vox~
Raymond – Steamer*
Sean Tyson – Turntables
J.R. Ricciardi – Drill, Asst. Engineer*

John Mettam – Drums, Comga*

Eric Bazillian – Piano (Evil Seed, Baby Grand, Hooters, Joan Osborne)

Adam Glickman – Engineered, Mixed*

Rev. Geoffrey S. Simpson – Photograph*Vox~

Owl – Layout*

Maria Billbrough – Layout*

Ben Wisch – Mix~

Andrew Mendelson – Mastering ~

Ken Smeltz – Trumpet~

Tuba Dan – Tuba, Accordion, Vox~

Gene - Sax (The Skanatras)~

Stephanie Winters – Cello~ (The Nudes, Richie Havens)

Ry Ry – Telephone, Vox~

Jordoni – Percussion, Vox~

Pokie – Vox~
Simon Maurer – Violin~ (Gabriel Chamber Ensemble)

Jordan – Broom, Camera~

MaryLee – Vox~

Sue – Vox~

Stephen The Saw Guy Christoff – Singing Saw~

Ekendra Dasa – Harmonium~

Gabriel Deadwyler – Tabla~

Dave Johnson- Engineer~

John Baldwin – Asst~

Isaac Robbins – CD Design~

Unknownness:  I picked up the Gold album awhile long time ago, but I do not remember why. A few years later, I picked up another one, but only because of name recognition of the first album, which I do not know why I purchased. I like the uniform idea of the same layout, but different colors for their albums, especially since they are 7 years apart. That is commitment to a form. It looks like it will be folksy, with a twist on eccentric sounds and an overall dorky approach. There is most likely an element of fun & silliness that I can appreciate, and not take too seriously, even if there are many small but diverse bits to these songs that make up the albums.

Album Review:

*“Sweeter” has a bit of a heavy electric guitar and prog repetitive feel to the song, with a bit of a folksy Breeders feel vocally.

“Caliphornia” Sounds a little Ben Folds Five-y. Lots of harmonies and sweet lush smooth melodies backed with a bouncy piano.

“(Not Really)” is a short acoustic folky female sung & strummed song-thought, not fleshed out into a full song.

“Happy” is more electronic with a drum machine loop. The vocals are a bit rushed to match the driving drum loop. The electric guitar parades boldly throughout the song, while the acoustic guitar grounds the song in its folky roots. The message of the song is emphasized by the music which is rushed, but there is an underlying anxious anger trying to get out of the situation/relationship that is making the singer not very happy.

“Smyle” starts with a very hippy, jammy, rocking (physically rocking back and forth, not rock music) folk melody. Part Indigo Girls and joined with a little Sarah Mclachlan, and a tenor harmonic chorus. The song becomes meandering a little in the psychedelic repetitive circle in the middle breakdown. Just reminds me stereotypically of Lilith Fair.

“Nashville” is a rocking song, with some crooning electric guitars and a general “90’s alternative” feel. Overlaid with delicate female vocals that grow stronger as it approaches the chorus, the song treads on Ani Difranco territory in sound. Halfway through the tempo and style changes to a rushed electro-country feel. It quickly reverts back to an electric guitar twittering song layered with a bouncy then romantic piano at its core.

“Scared of a Word” sounds like a lyrically silly They Might Be Giants demo covered by Ben Folds with the jubilee of bouncing piano, ending in off key notes. The campy sound of the song is benefitted by harmonized chorus of all three voices together. The instrumental is a quick lesson in electric power pop, which just oozes hooks. The end of the song spins chaotically out of control with vocals and effects sprouting out in all directions like fireworks until the very ending brings it back together with a hushed finish.

“Roadkill (Texas)” starts slowly, like a ballad with just acoustic guitar chords strumming along. The delicate female vocals return, painting a precious picture of a folky dry field of wildflowers. With a minute to go, the quiet song build up instrumental steam and crashes through the song, like a strong wind through the metaphoric field. The song quietly concludes back to where it began, the wind dying down.

“I Can See You” is a countrified harmonic power pop song with a countdown bass hook to accent every phrase.

“10” is a folk-pop-punk song. It goes across fast and catchy, but the production is so stripped down from the acoustic guitar. But it is a fun counting, rollicking song, including bouncy piano in the background a couple of times.

“Mine” feels like a psychedelic pop song. It has an off/three-step marching cadence, and the harmonies are slightly askew, like when songs are double tracked with a slight deviation in timing to give a song depth.  The song ends with a bit of a classical, or renaissance feel.

“Clones in a New Town” is a disjointed start stop fun song that just flows as if it has always been there. It sounds so simple in production that you cannot think how the melody could have been any different. There are a couple of odd breaks, and the song is way to short, and should have really been fleshed out more to be a great single

“Slip” is metal from a folksy stand point. The loud & heavy electric guitars give way to a shoegazing female heavy harmonized chorus. This is a bold combination of two or three popular song styles from the 90’s. And it shows. There is one lyric that reminds me of a song that’s killing me because I can’t put my finger on it…”What are you thinking of” sung softly a couple of times before it crashes back into the song is about the lyric I’m thinking (Air Supply: “All Out Of Love”). This song then grabs the classic rock guitar reigns and rides it for a while before ending with an abrupt cut off.

“hidden track” Happy remix begins quickly, and is a fastish pace, sorta dance remix version of the previous song “Happy.”

~“Flame” reminds me of a light and fluttery Frente song without the hugely dynamic and cutesy voice Angie Hart possesses. It kinda reminds me of the Three’s Company theme.  This song could be sung elegantly as chamber music in an old Victorian house, or a bubbly yet reserved soloist in a smoky nightclub. It also has the pleasant guitar strumming sound of Frente, but adds a trumpet to the mix. It is a nice calm song with a quiet tick-tock rhythm and a polite fade out.

“Back” features a down scale melody bolstered by a harmonica, and fey male vocals that are as smooth as they are content. The song has an alt-country feel, based on the harmonies and the harmonica. The chorus is bold and energetic, like later period Ben Folds, but it feels like it is missing creativity, replacing it with polish and a generic production.

“Jaded” is a retro bootleggers flapper of a song, with all the mystery and speakeasy romance that you could imagine in a nightclub of the 30’s. The vocals are again smooth male, with a scatting Louie Armstrong type in the background. Layered underneath is a female chorus further adding to the mystique of the song.

“Mr. Moon” is a jazzy pop song, smooth, yet feels like it is missing passion. There is record scratching in the background that actually adds to the 90’s theme (even if it was recorded in 2003) of blending genres like jazz fusion and DJ scratching. The raspy male vocals that underline the song and become more focal at the end remind me of Tricky.

“Coffee Song” is another jazzy beatnick tune with a heavy bass beat, shakers, and jazzy sax. The playful and eccentric vocals play off each other very well, and the end result offers is a smooth coffeehouse open mic vibe. It is complete with a stereotypical jazzy slide of an ending.

“Visit Me” is a quiet, light yet moody wishful song. It is a daydream of longing, produced very minimally with acoustic guitar and a little mandolin. The emotion takes off a little in the chorus, with a harmonized section accenting one or two phrases. A violin is added, bringing more longing and sadness with its pity cry.

“Fate Train” starts the authentic honky-tonk country music section. The happy go lucky hick accented male lead with the sharp-yet-whiny female accompaniment stereotypically craft a knee-slappin’ square dance ball. The momentum, as described by the title is driving and chugs along like a train. The middle of the song is an identity meltdown, where the straightforward country gives way to electric wha-wha guitars, and the song seems to fall apart. But it is picked up with a clicking, repetitive train influenced rhythmic beat, and gospel background. The song starts over with the chorus, and kicks back into steam powered locomotion and powers through to the wobbly end.

“Memphis” fades up with a finger plucking, train engine start, as if it is still in transition from the previous song. Then it slows down to an upbeat version of Ween’s country song “Fluffy.”  It feels like a dopey song, that borrows from a lot of other country music songs.

“In Your Hand” goes back to the classic and simple folksy, hippy new age style better represented by the opening track. Mystical and organic, and feels like an early renaissance inspired folk song.

”Kiss Me” dances around with acoustic guitar and perhaps mandolin in the background. It follows the light and ethereal folk feel. It’s entirely stripped down to the place that it feels like they have recorded a track of empty space to act as an instrument, perhaps with a little wind. It is a very sleepy song.

“Dear Grandfather” is an honest, organic and matter of fact tribute to a grandfather that has passed away. The male vocals sing a melody of positive reflection and memories that are all grand yet simple and meaningful. It has the catchiest melody of the album, and is such a refreshing song that it captures the perfect amount of respectful gratitude in mourning. It is a proud, happy sounding song, that played for the right people would create waterfalls of tears if you imbed yourself in the story and memories.

“Dagger” is yet another quiet, stripped down folksy song, this time, set in the glow of early morning waking up. Quiet and simple congas are in the background, and the half-asleep vocals glide across the melody as uneasy as the first morning steps. The hippie circle jam picks up with it’s crazy arm flapping and mud-dance spinning around as the beat and rhythm intensify and get more psychedelic. Then the song goes back to relaxing and comes down from the brief high in mirroring the sleepy & quiet start

“Porch” is more of a country story song that feels like it was sung down in the swampy, permanently sticky summer south. It is still sparse musically, but the melody is a bit more singer songwritery. This song specifically reminds me of the Victoria Williams Sweet Relief album.
“Track 14” possesses no title on the CD, but I’d assume it would be called Porch Reprise, as it is simply a fade in of the band continuing the melody in a jug band style, before it breaks into an acapella chorus repetition, ending with a harmonica continuing the melody, while irritating the hell out of what sounds like a dog, who kinda sings along with the harmonica Porch melody. Kinda.

Stand Out Track: *Caliphornia

~Dear Grandfather

Links:

Website

Myspace

Facebook

Last FM

Sonic Bids

Allmusic

Acoustic Music

Agitpop - Open Season

Name:  Agitpop
Album(s): Open Season
Years: 1988
Style:  Garage Punk, Alternative
Similar Bands:  Dead Milkmen, Pavement, Early Soul Asylum
"One-Word" Review:  Aggressive Jangle Pop
Based Out Of:   Poughkeepsie, NJ

 Open Season - Cover & Record

Open Season - Back & Record

Open Season (1988)

1. Straight Through to Nashville2:57
2. It Won’t be Long Now 2:49
3. Getting Up to Go Down 3:17
4. Top of the Stairs 2:25
5. Three Boys and Space 2:31
6. Memory-Go-Round 3:48 /
7. Kick Back the Hands 1:53
8. Stagnant 3:12
9. Out to Pasture 2:25
10. Without a Trace 2:28
11. Girl but Not A Friend 2:30
12. Inventor 2:32

Album Rating (1-10):  8.0

Members & Other Bands:  

Mark LaFalce – Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Vox

John deVries – Vox, Guitar, Clarinet, Various other instruments

Rick Crescini – Bass, Glockenspiel, Melodica
Albert Garzon - Producer, Piano
David Cook - Engineer
Harvey Sorgen -  Asst. Engineer, percussion
August Henrich - Photography
S. Millman - Harmonica

Unknownness:  I’ve never heard of this band, but the name alone denotes a certain trait I find in bands I like. I get the sense, from the name, that this is going to be pop music that is agitated. In other words, neurotic, angular pop music, which is what I strive to find. However, the cover gives the impression of a cold, jangle pop band with shoegazing / tedious music. It is stark, with organic, non crisp lines which suggest free-flowing music. If the cover were geometric, with cutting lines and angular shapes, the imagery would mesh with the band name, and I’m sure it would be a 9 or 10 rated album.

Album Review:

“Straight Through to Nashville” Begins with a bit of melodic jangle pop without much angular anticipated chord structure. The vocals are a bit rough, shouty, like Earlier David Pirner in Soul Asylum. A few guitar angles come in the bridge that is entirely too short-lived, because the preface a plodding, droning repetitive chorus. There is a harmonica added, theoretically, because the song references going to Nashville (by train?), but it seems a little out of place.

“It Won’t be Long Now” starts off like it can’t start off. Broken chords and repetitive, skipping like hooks make you feel like banging your head against a wall- in a good way. The melody of the verse seems to be disjoined from the music, as it is much catchier. The song eventually either finds its mark, or is persistent enough to force it’s melodic idea down your throat, and the song becomes a steady head nodding song with a lot of seemingly needless guitar work going on in the background.
"Getting Up to Go Down” has a nice steady pace to it. The guitars create a nice driving space for the vocals to glide up and down in their aggressive speak-singing. There is a nice adolescent aggression in the tone. The guitar hook that repeats over makes me think of “A Whole Lotta Love.” This is a fun, yet angry song, with some nice “broken notes” in the process.

“Top of the Stairs” begins with a folksy janglepop melody that reminds me of Dead Milkmen a lot, between the melody, instrumental production and vocal style. It is a downright campfire sing along with nasally not-quite-sung lead vocals.

“Three Boys and Space” begins with a wood block and bell pipe percussion. The vocals are more like a chant than anything else. This kind of feels like a stripped down Man Man demo before all the hoots and odd instruments are placed over top.

“Memory-Go-Round” starts off as a jangle pop melodic song. But then the chaos takes over, fuzzy production takes over and the simple melody is buried under a façade of anger chords. It is angular, one note chord, like, Gang Of Four, but there is more warmth here. The wood block and carnival strong man mallet bell are featured odd instrumentations in a couple of sections. But they share the stage in separate sections with the featured artist; the fuzzed out electric guitar.

“Kick Back the Hands” starts with a Violent Femmes-esq jazzy psycho jam freak out, which transitions into an offbeat tempo driving poppy song. Still, it comes in a bit punk with the aggressive vocals.

“Stagnant” has guitar feedback as the first sign of aggression, followed by a building gang of four like guitar chords and sparse yet driving drum beat. The vocals are quiet at the start, but the feeling that something is building continues to grow through out the song. Rather than explode into an ultra catchy & satisfying release, the song, instead, as true to the name, stays stagnant and resides in that ever building limbo without a foreseeable delivery. And it ends like a top teeters over from losing the momentum that kept it up.

“Out to Pasture” is a nice, fast, guitar paced aggressive pop song. The melody sways side to side in the verse. The bridge is an aggressive build that climaxes in a simple release, without a proper hook. The end of the song fades out with angular, disjointed chords played on top of each other.

“Without a Trace” has a weird synthetic cow effect repeating like an alarm over the song, which is somewhat distracting to the anthemic anger-ballad playing in the background. This song features a transition of the song winding/ breaking down, only to wake up and put itself back together. It feels like a work of art more than a straightforward song.

“Girl but Not A Friend” replaces the synth cow with a cowbell as the foreground, scene stealing, attention grabber. The song itself is another solid paced, driving pop song. The melody of the song, at times, reminds me of Soul Asylum’s song “Spinning;” especially when the chorus in the background joins repeating the lead vocals.

“Inventor” kicks off in true punk style with a fast driving drums and loud, aggressive guitars. It tires itself out after 30 seconds, and relaxes with a third speed drum beat, an array of triangle/bell sounds and a vocal style that was stolen and improved upon by pavement. The end of the song is a sloppy drum breakdown, followed by an album ending bold, Beatles “Day in the Life” like piano chord, as if to say, this has been our Sgt. Pepper.

Stand Out Track: Getting Up to Go Down

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Makoto - Nside

Name:  Makoto
Album(s): Nside
Years: 1985
Style: Fusion, Jazz –Funk, R&B
Similar Bands:  Billy Ocean, Deniece Williams, Chaka Khan, Teena Marie, Kenny G
"One-Word" Review:  Smooth, Dated, Non-threatening Miami Vice
Based Out Of:  Japan & California

 

Nside - Cover & Record

Nside - Back & Record

Nside (1985)

1. Nside 3:45
2. Rich Man, Poor Man 4:29
3. Day In Day Out 3:48
4. Tokio Dream 4:05
5. Fragile Handle With Care 4:25/
6. Mind Reader 4:37
7. I Don’t Know (instrum.) 4:57
8. Wings (instrum.) 4:55
9. Yin & Yang (instrum.) 6:20

 Album Rating (1-10): 4.5

Members & Other Bands:
Billy “Shoes” Johnson – Drummer (Maze & Frankie Beverly, MFSB, Billy Paul, John Lee Hooker, Peaches & Herb)

Phillip Woo – Keys (Maze & Frankie Beverly, Roy Ayers, )

Kav DeLuxe – Art Direction

Zand Gee – Art Direction, Design, Photography
Mary Ann Dibs - Design
Akira Kurosaki - Cover Art "Camouflage World 8"

Hiroyuki Shido – Bass

Makoto Horiuchi – Guitar, Producer

Peter Fujii – Guitar (Pharoah Sanders, LJ Reynolds)

June Kuramoto – Koto

Bernie Grundman – Mastering

Steve Williams – Mixing, Engineer, Recording

John Santos – Percussion

Brian Fessenden – Photography

Larry Schneider – Sax, Flute, Reeds

Claytoven Richardson – Vox

Portia Griffin - Vox
George Abe - Yokobue & Shakuhachi
Siedah Garrett - Vox
Michael Andre Ortega - Synth Programming
Jim Suhy - Simmons Drum Programming
Dale Ervinham - Engineering
Keith Seppanen - Engineering
Craig Burbridge - Engineering
John Chung - Business Manager
Gordon W. Chew - Stylist
Elanor Marie Chew - Make up
Quincy Jones - Sensei

Unknownness:  I’ve never heard of this band, but from the art deco design on the front, I’m guessing I’m not going to like it too much. Too pastel and I’ve never been a fan of the design. And the picture of the “band” on the back reminds me of something of the smooth jazz nature. Not sure why I picked this record up…only one way to find out what it is really like.

Album Review:

“Nside” begins with what sounds like a synth drum intro, and the song kicks in with an over produced 80’s smooth synth feel. The female vocals are very dated to the 80’s r&b style. The song is still somewhat catchy, despite it’s too clean style. The female vocals give it a real emotional edge that balances the xylophone and other electronic elements in the background. The chorus is a vocal chorus of female voices with a bit of call and response.

“Rich Man, Poor Man” keeps the stereotypical 80’s smooth pop style going with clean, non-threatening instrumentation, and a smooth r&b male vocal, reminding me of Billy Ocean. There are some hooks in the song, but the production is so bland that nothing really stands out.  Having the music on feels like background, incidental music. I cannot believe there are actually real instruments used here. Everything has that squiggly wah-wah effect that synthesizers place on music to give it an accent, which, novel for the time, just comes off as extremely dated.

“Day In Day Out” is a mystical dream sequenced song. A drum loop and tubular bell keyboard setting plod along behind the much more interesting female r&b vocals. Even the flute solo sounds completely produced, like all white stucco on a frame of a house, or like the fake TV’s and VCRs you’d see at IKEA.

“Tokio Dream” has some sort of picked instrument in the beginning, and swirling synth effects, that give a vague impression of Japanese culture. It feels like what the music for Sonic the Hedgehog would have sounded like if it were made 10 years earlier. It is mostly an instrumental, with the only voices a female chorus of the song title. Again the electronic wavering notes accent nearly every line of music. The music could continue forever, with minimal changes, and the song eventually fades out.

“Fragile Handle With Care” is a soft R&B ballad-duet. This is a slow dance at a middle school dance. Or a music video with lots of smoke, people in robes, and candelabras. It kind of reminds me of a slower, less catchy, adult contemporary version of the New Kids on the Block’s “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever).” 

“Mind Reader” begins with more techno and almost industrial effects. Then the effects are minimized and the song becomes is a funky, overproduced pop song. It still feels like it is missing one big element that would make the song really catch and become interesting. But it just careens along a steady non-threatening path. Again, underneath the song could be some good hooks and ideas, but it feels like it is supposed to be a 3-D image, which has been, instead, flattened to 2-D.

“I Don’t Know” is the first time I can recall hearing synthesized electric guitars. The song is very progressive, with many slight pauses and time changes in the keys, slap bass and guitar sounds. It a very weird ironic  song, where the parts that are supposed to be bombastic and powerful are rendered down to meet the minimum energy as if to not stir the pot. An electric guitar then picks up and wails along in an interesting solo, which leads right back to the meandering prog song, which is really driven along by the bass line. Overall, it feels like a musical intro to some tabloid show or something from FOX news.

“Wings” is a much more calming, pool side lay-about, but the background “guitar” melody is so very familiar (later I figured that it is “Oveture” from Bjork’s movie Dancer in the Dark [at :36]). It never rises about gentle monotony. A smooth sax comes in about half way, further dating the song, and solidifying it as smooth jazz. This could be theme music to run-of-the-mill sit-coms from the late 70’s.

“Yin & Yang” is a new agey organic bell/guitar strumming sound, also included is a harp.  This could be on the echoes radio show on XPN. The main melody is driven by what sounds to me like a steel drum effect. The song continues to build in one of the early sections, going above and beyond where you would expect it to stop. Then it transitions into Cosby Show smooth, but energetic jazz fusion. The song employs its name sake by balancing smooth calm sections against the smooth energetic sections. This ends the album at an entirely different place than where it began. It is almost like these last three tracks were from a different album than the first 6. And it is not just because of the lacking of vocals, it is something about the production and prog/jazz feel of the latter three. The composition of the first 6 are also more pop-song oriented.

Stand Out Track: Nside

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Christian Lunch - Unreliable Sources

Name: Christian Lunch
Album(s): Unreliable Sources
Years: 1990
 Style: Industrial, Dark-wave, Political
Similar Bands: Devo, Borghesia
"One-Word" Review: Indust-Pop
Based Out Of: Oakland, CA

 

Unreliable Sources - Cover, Insert, Lyric Sheet & Record

 Unreliable Sources - Back, Lyric Sheet, Record

Unreliable Sources (1990)

1. Lynch Me 4:16
2. The Big Wind 4:47
3. Neighbourhood Watch 3:53 /
4. Drug Squad (American Version) 7:41 

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Christian Gregory Ingle (The Witch Trials)
John Beeby - Feedback, Solos, Rhythm Guitar (Live Report, Strange Cargo)
Les Davison - Solos, Rhythm Guitar (positively)
Jonas Bruce - Synth, Bass (Jack Bruce)
Blast! - voices solos, rhythm guitar
J. Pearce Carlin - Floortrader & Cartoon Voices
Luxa/Pan - Remix (Ministry, Lead Into Gold)
Jello Biafra - Production coordination (Dead Kennedys, Witch Trials)

Unknownness: I’ve never heard of this band. I was convinced this was an ironic name of a hardcore, punk band, especially with the cross in place of the “t.” I discovered after a bit of research that this is just a guy’s stage name. In either case, I’m interested to see what this sounds like, knowing the catalogue of artists on Alternative Tentacles; I’m assuming it is political and angry in nature, especially with 3 of the 4 song titles.

Album Review:
“Lynch Me” begins with a bouncy pop beat with a bit of a dark undertone. Then wailing guitars are overlayed. The vocals begin, and sound isolated, but new wave mechanical and bouncy, something like Devo. The whole sound feels like one big cold soviet machine working together, with the wailing electric guitar bringing chaos to the set. The chorus is repetitive, but catchy and driving.
 “The Big Wind” has big industrial drums underscoring electric guitar screeching and an auctioneer spewing numbers. That fades out, and a bouncy synth rhythm follows up with a monotone cold vocal. The music kicks in, and the song drives forward. The electronic guitar sticks out like a sore thumb, not melding to the industrial techno beat. The auctioneer comes back for the middle instrumental section. And it comes back at the end to finish off the side and give the chaotic and ridiculous view of materialism & the stock market. Sandwiched between is a fun driving section of chorus repetition.
“Neighbourhood Watch” is very quick to change. It starts with a drum beat, adds a stoned-like vocal saying “hey”, then skips transition right into an electric guitar wail. And an industrial drum beat and dark bass are added giving the cold feel again. The message is a political/satirical look at how a neighbor goes crazy with all the normals in his neighborhood, and retaliates with a machine gun. There are lots of voiceovers with some juvenilely violent themes.

“Drug Squad” has electronic industrial traits, like steady solo drum beats, backwards skipping, but with a bit of a vocal rap. The whole song is very stripped down, and sounds like a serious, dark wave version of the Dead Milkmen’s “You’ll Dance To Anything.” It feels very long, meandering and drawn out for no real benefit. It is the same under produced, hook-less raps joined together with yelling of the song title. There are some added synth keyboard sounds added toward the end, (that sound like Mos Eisley Star Wars aliens) but they do not help the already interest-lost song.

Stand Out Track: Lynch Me 

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NIck Gilder - Frequency

Name: Nick Gilder
Album(s): Frequency
Year: 1979
Style: Glam, Power Pop
Similar Bands: Bowie, ELO, Big Star, Cheap Trick, Bad Finger, Jellyfish, Journey
"One-Word" Review: Catchy-As-Hell Build and Deliver Glam-Pop
Based Out Of: Vancouver, Canada

 Frequency - Cover & Record

Frequency - Back & Record

Frequency (1979)

1. (You Really) Rock Me 2:45
2. Time After Time 4:21
3. Metro Jets 4:05
4. Electric Love 3:10
5. The Brightest Star 3:35/
6. Watcher of the Night 3:41
7. Worlds Collide 4:54
8. Hold on Me Tonight 6:02
9. Into The 80’s  2:53

Album Rating (1-10): 9.5

Members & Other Bands:
Nick Gilder – Vox (Sweeny Todd)
Peter Coleman - Producer
James McCulloch - Composer, Guitars
Jamie Herndon - Keys, Synth, Guitars, Backing Vox
Eric Nelson - Bass, Backing Vox
Craig Krampf - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vox
Doug Svchwarts - Asst. Engineer
Lloyd Segal - Management
Barry Samuels - Management
Rod Dyer - Art Direction & Design
Mike Haggerty - Photography
CD Taylor - Photography

Unknownness: I’ve never heard of this band. But it looks sorta new wave, with the out of focus fuzzy TV screen, with the hint of a long haired man on the set. The cool colors of the TVs on the back also create the illusion of a power pop looking band, but the fuzzy TVs, aside from the album title of frequency seem to note lo-fi sound. I’m interested to see if this is a raw, sound exploration or if it really is power pop.

“(You Really) Rock Me” kicks off with a rowdy guitar hook, and gets even crazier hooky. Then the awesome vocals begin over a bouncy Elvis Costello style organ. Each different section of the song is catchier than the first. Then the chorus comes in, tying in the electric guitars with the super catchy and rollicking power pop of the verse & bridge. This formula weaves its way through, and this ends up sounding like a first rate track by the likes of Jellyfish. My version of the song skips, but it is still an amazing song, ending with a Queen like harmony of chanting the title.
“Time After Time” slows down a little, and is steeped in glam, with a whiny, stretched vocal. Backing synth is a swirling prog sound. The bridge is bold, and comes back with a harmonized chant. Then the chorus is the median between the verse and bold bridge. These are perfectly crafted pop songs. Production is top notch, and the sections are short, repetitive but so diverse that they are constantly interesting. They just keep chugging along and never let down. The synth in the back, now I’m getting a Cars feel, just pops in and out of the sound spotlight, adding more depth and another interesting aspect to listen out for.
“Metro Jets” begins slow, with what sounds like a Moog. The vocals are smooth and yet feminine. The teaser bridge shows a bit of boldness and strutting. The true bridge comes back, building to an anticipated catchy climax. And the chorus delivers with power and strength. The whining guitar in the background screams glam, and is utilized excellently here, and has to be borrowed from by the likes of Suede. This is such a great song that has the focus of building to a promised delivery of an excellent hook.
“Electric Love” begins with Bowie like vocals, if he’d be covering the Cars. It is paired with a great guitar sound that is tinny, yet hollow, but in a good way. The bridge is short, but powerfully fast, which slides right into the chorus that would fit right into a Fast Times at Ridgemont High love scene. After the instrumental, it is unsure if the chorus will come in powerful or smooth, but he chooses smooth and consistently builds in emotion.
“The Brightest Star” starts with a bluesy drum and bass, which quickly morphs into a power ballad with surprising fitting synth and whining guitar. Again, the bridge builds wonderfully into the chorus, which is a angelic choir overlaid with stepping and strutting confident vocals. Each section is so short, that the changes happen rapidly, and they are constantly interesting. The breakdown after the chorus reminds me of guitar from Big Star. And the vocals may or may not sound a bit like Rush here.

“Watcher of the Night” creaks onto the record with a motor growing louder and then chugging guitar and drums give the power pop nature of the song, with Cars “Just What I Needed” like two note guitar crunches. The main vocals are high and feminine as they have been, and a masculine chorus backs up. The chorus is fun, and reminds me a bit of journey, with out the note holding so much. There is a section of synthesized vocals filling in a verse. And the stop starting of the bridge pauses the song, creating the perfect atmosphere of the chorus delivery. Sure it is the same song writing trick, but it works every time. In this one, they even added synthesized horns in the background. Naturally, from the lyrics, I am reminded of Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by the Night.”
“Worlds Collide” comes into play with a solid drum intro. Guitars back it up, and the song is a sneering pop song, with a bit of a metal edge. It runs verse, false bridge (which kicks the song up an octave), verse, and true bridge, and then chorus. The lyrics are a little cheesy…“don’t keep secrets, make our worlds collide” but they are delivered passionately, and with an amazing confidence. The instrumental veers from the synth diddlings into an acoustic and all guitar section presentation of the same melody done with strings. There are also some great accenting piano key rolls.
“Hold on Me Tonight” begins with a gong. Then a ballady guitar hook, and a solid driving drum beat is laid down. Then, 37 second in, is perhaps the best guitar hook ever created. My version of the song skips, unfortunately. The band knows the guitar hook IS the chorus, as the crafted the song’s verse and bridge to lead up to the instrumental guitar chorus. The rest of the song is brilliantly sparse to showcase the hook. The bridge has a Bee-Gees like chorus of backing harmonies. Even after the short instrumental (without THE hook) the verse builds slowly up to the teaser bridge, which repeats rather than lets loose into the “chorus.” Then the last minute and a half is the hook layered over with arena chants, and a double guitar version of the hook with a higher octave guitar runs through. Then a synthesizer is added over top, even driving the hook further. Goddamn if they don’t abuse the hook. But the production rides it out into a fade.
“Into The 80’s” is dated, yes, but it is optimistic of what is to come, and is the most electronic of the songs. It reminds me a little of the Who’s 80’s period of disputed catalog. It is also a reflection of the past. The musical interludes feature angelic chants. There is no real chorus to this song, so it falls somewhat flat, but it is still a good bouncy song. It is short, and feels like it could have been longer, but they ran out of room. Anyway, I’m going back to that guitar hook/chorus.

Stand Out Track: (You Really) Rock Me, Metro Jets, Hold On Me Tonight

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