(the) Judybats - Native Son

Name: The Judybats
Album: Native Son
Year: 1990
Style: Adult Alternative
Similar Bands: Ocean Blue, Pixies, Game Theory, Gin Blossoms, Cocteau Twins,
"One-Word" Review: New-Age Gothic Pop
Based Out Of: Knoxville, TN

Native Son - Cover, Notes & Tape
Native Son - Liner Notes & Tape

Native Son(1990)

1. Native Son 3:18
2. Daylight 3:18
3. Convalescing in Spain 4:07
4. Don't Drop the Baby 3:41
5. She Lives (in a time of her own) 4:05
6. Incognito 3:02/
7. In Like with You 4:04
8. Woman in the Garden 3:59
9. Waiting for the Rain 4:07
10. Counting Sheep 3:25
11. Perfumed Lies 3:43
12. Wanted Man 4:45

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

Jeff Heiskell - Vox (Heiskell)

Tim Stutz - Bass, Vox (High Signs)

Peggy Hambright - Keys, Strings, Vox, Design, Illustration

Greg Calbi - Mastering

Terry Casper - Drums, Design

David Cook -Engineer

Richard Gottehrer - Production

Chris Laidlaw - Mixing Asst.

Jeffrey Lesser - Producing, Engineering

Jeff Lippay - Asst. Engineer

Johnny Sughrue - Guitar, Vox, Photograhy

Ed Winters - Guitar

Unknown-ness: I know I’ve heard of these guys before I bought this tape, but have never really listened to the tape and don’t know how they sound at all. I’m sure I saw, read about or heard them in some alternative magazine, on W-DRE, 120 Minutes or post modern PST. I also like the artwork on the front of the tape. It reminds me a little of Edward Gorey, and that coupled with the italicized album title make me think that this will be a musically complex/dense adult-alternative album with a gothic tone.

Album Review: It seems that the band was plagued with label disagreements and unhappiness that lead to the demise of the band. Included in the allegations was that the label rudely asked Peggy to lose weight for the image of the band.

“Native Son” begins with bass, and a comfortable melody that reminds me of the Pixies. The male lead and female backing vocals are harmonized together and double layered in the (at the time) popular fuzzy and not quite solid way that prevents you from putting your finger on the actual voice, or how many there are. There are a slew of guitar effects that are used to create depth in the sound.
“Daylight” flows from the acoustic/electric guitar beginning. Like a singer songwriter demo, and perhaps a little like the Gin Blossoms, but not in an extremely terrible way. The vocals are cleaner and stronger, yet still layered and grouped with a chorus in the background. The speed of the singing in some verse sections reminds me of the quick pace that XTC uses on occasion.
“Convalescing in Spain” begins with a harpsichord sounding guitar, and a wha-wha bass. The song then changes gears and becomes an energetic driving pop song like the Bongos/Cucumbers Hoboken early 80’s scene. The vocals possess over- accentuated nasally syllables in each line ending accent. It kind of reminds me of Presidents of the United States. The song’s tempo changed throughout the song and piano is incorporated when things slow down.
“Don't Drop the Baby” is a slightly gothic (thanks to the bass and synth) melody that floats on by via a crystalline breeze. Musically the soundscape they are trying to meet is a pop version of the Cocteau Twins. The song is anthemic.
“She Lives (in a time of her own)” also used the echoing vocals, which are delivered with a powerful prog-storytelling style. The synthesizer keys buried in the background and are less new age, but it still feels meandering and the whole song feels overly complex.
“Incognito” starts with a liquid crystal guitar, medieval and minstrel in the way it is used behind and to accent the vocal melody. This is the quiet lighter raising ballad…or perhaps oversized candle and dream catcher raising ballad.

“In Like with You” begins with more watery sounding happy pop guitar. It has a nice build to the chorus, and the bridge increases the anticipation, and it does deliver well, however, it is not a very long delivery, and the cycle begins again. The instrumental brings us back to the new age mystical trance. This could be a very different song, if it were recorded with a faster punk production, which is very possible, given the progression of the sections.
“Woman in the Garden” is not quite a ballad, but definitely not a pop song. It is a slithering wispy gothic prog song. The song is pretty boring in its stale beauty.
“Waiting for the Rain” is more poppy and fun, but it employs this keyboard effect that sounds like an electric cat whining. It is part bell, and part liquid, but all annoying when the note is held and wavers. There is a chugging guitar in the background that sounds like The Police, and the vocals are fluid and possess a great melody. Then there is the angelic chorus at the end that is followed up with Christmas like synth bells. And the song ends with that terrible effect.
“Counting Sheep” has a fun late-Clash like rhythm to it in short verse sections, but it also uses more cheesy 80’s sounding effects that push it into the realms of new age than pop. And anything fun or catchy is replaced and sucked out with the choices of synth effects.
“Perfumed Lies” features a terrible synth steel drum. The song is nice, uplifting and refreshing: just pleasant. It is not complicated or deep, and ends up feeling a little like a late period English Beat song. This song would do good being sung by Morrissey.
“Wanted Man” begins with echoing anthemic chugging guitar…oh and some new age whistling to suck the life out. Then, for no good reason it added a synth violin that is played at jilting moments. But the song itself is good, driving pop.

The album has promise and the songs could be really good and catchy, if it were not bogged down in the style and odd appeal of the synth effects they decide to use & enhance the songs. Really, the little effects are too distracting and they take away more than add.

Stand-Out Track: Native Son

Links:

Wikipedia

Allmusic

Heiskell

myspace

fan page

Heiskell myspace

Trouserpress

Copacetic Zine

Last FM

Jr. Gone Wild - Less Art, More Pop!

Name: Jr. Gone Wild
Album: Less Art, More Pop!
Year: 1986
Style: College Radio Pop
Similar Bands: Bongos, Cucumbers, Rembrants, REM
"One-word" Review: jangle-alt-pop
Based Out Of: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Less Art, More Pop! - Cover & Liner Notes

Less Art, More Pop! - Back & Liner Notes

Less Art, More Pop! - Record

Less Art, More Pop! (1986)

1. It Never Changes 1:18
2. Heather on a Bad Day 3:55
3. Goodness 1:31
4. Cosmos 3:08
5. Hey Paula 2:45
6. She'll Never Know 2:38
7. God is not My Father 4:13 /
8. Old Blue 2:57
9. Slept All Afternoon 2:29
10. Tragedy in E 3:08
11. I Fell Dumb 2:47
12. Day of the First Snow 3:53
13. Fine Scotch 4:22
14. Why I Hate the 60's 3:38

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

Mike McDonald - Vox, Guitar , Harmonica (Malibu Kens, Jerry Jery & the Sons of Rhythm Orch.)

David Lawson - Vox, Guitar

Dave "Dove" Brown - Bass, Vox, Mix Supervision

Ed Dobek - Drums, Vox
Russel Jessum - Fiddle
The Horns of Plenty - Plenty of Horns

JGW - Producer
Shawn Stern - Producer
Thom Wilson - Mixed
Brett Guervits - Engineer
Dave Mockford - Engineer
John Oparyk - Engineer
Dennis Lenarduzzi (Mosaic Design Group) - Design
Kent Sponage - Back Photo
Ken Hansen (Graphic Edge) - Album Cover Lithography
Reuben Kinkade - Management

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. And from the band’s name and the stupid cover art of adding Popeye arms to the Venus de Milo, I probably would have never picked up the album. But I went with this only because of the title: Less Art, More Pop! If that holds true, music wise, this could be a great find. That defines one of my favorite types of music: simple artless pop music. The font and band picture on the back is a turn off too, as they appear to be a dreary homemade 80’s college rock, post new wave act. I expect this to be very lo-fi.

Album Review: This Canadian band had had many personnel changes, and has seen over 30 members float in and out of the line up. Apparently K.D. Lang was even a member at one time.

“It Never Changes” begins with basic college jangle pop...I’m thinking of that damn friends song, with its echoing chorus of kinda monotone vocals, and REM bouncy guitar & rhythm section. It feels like a nice intro song for the album, though.
“Heather on a Bad Day” starts with a watery guitar sound, but it is still bouncy in a boring sort of way. The vocals sound a bit distorted, as if the volume is turned up a little loud (it might be my recording of it from the record, too). But the chorus of the song is very good. It is catchy and progresses with a feeling of contentment. It is one of those little hooks that could loop for ever without becoming boring. There are enough little twists to the melody to keep it interesting. And this song uses most of the twists toward the end of the song. I particularly like the psychedelic guitar that is added after and during the chorus.
“Goodness” is a quick and bouncy pop song. It is a jangley college radio pop song, complete with lyric-less chorus of na-na-na-na’s. it is a complete song, but it feels like it should have gone on for a bit longer
“Cosmos” is the first instance where I could see the idea of punk being used for the band…but the production of the guitars is too happily distorted to be considered punk, really. It is about as punk as REM’s “It’s The End of the World As We Know It.” But the bass is bouncy like a good punk song, and the drums are steady adding to the genre. Even the guitar solo helps, but the na na na’s here take away from the punk idea as does the guitar’s sound in the beginning. I just can’t call it punk. Its barely even country, as most descriptions claim them to be.
“Hey Paula” is a folky camp fire ballad that is jazzed up with a quickened drum beat. The vocals are weak and wavering, a little dreary emo in there too.
“She'll Never Know” could be a Indigo Girls song as it begins, thanks to the momentum of the song, and the distinct two harmonizing vocals, male, rather than female however. But it turns into a sort of barn dance, while keeping the Indigo Girls style in the verse. The guitars are jangely and the bass and drums drive the song along.
“God is not My Father” begins with some electric near-metal wha-whaing guitar work, and it continues to be used in little bursts throughout the song. I can’t make out if this is a religious song or not. I think it is pro-spiritual, but anti-uniform religion. This kinda feels like a Brian Ritchie song when your going though the Violent Femmes catalogue.

“Old Blue” begins with low vocals of an audience hooting and hollering. Then a sort of bar room bluesy guitar riff and an energy that comes off as superficial and fake.
“Slept All Afternoon” begins with harmonica and a hoe-down style. It actually feels like the song from the TH show” Vacant Lot’s “Slept On His Arms Last Night” but not as catchy. And not just because they both share the word Slept. It feels like a less complicated Wilco song.
“Tragedy in E” rocks out with more of the fast paced bar room rocking guitar. The song’s tempo is fast passed and sung with a steady attack and rolling melody. A couple of the note inflections remind me of Weird Al. The electric guitar parallels the vocals throughout the song, taking a section at the end to solo and finish out the song.
“I Fell Dumb’s” verse has a similar melody to the Heather on a bad day. But the chorus is slower and not as catchy. There are some interesting alternate takes on the melody here too, and they incorporate a few different sections to change it up a bit before it goes back into the original melody. Over all, a good song, and a good length.
“Day of the First Snow” begins with a Who’s Pinball Wizard powerful guitar strum and a chugging guitar section that sounds like it would fit in with today’s math rock/prog style. Then the song begins and the vocals direct the song into a different direction toward melodic pop. The vocals are strong but not overbearing full of energy and passion. It kinda feels like a Game Theory song. A new section of the song is introduced around 1.50 & the song starts over with the dual guitars from the song’s intro. This is a very good, solid and complex song, just not quite as catchy as the hook from “Heather on a Bad Day.”
“Fine Scotch” begins slow with some Eric Clapton boring guitar styling, and it picks up the pace as the guitar quickens into a metal/electric sound, and the song launches into a steady, driving pop song. All the while, the metal guitar is playing muted in the background like it is performing in front of a mirror, and only allowed out on the musical breaks. The chorus feels very familiar, as it is current, and could be recorded today. The electric guitar in the background really detracts from the great melody of the song.
“Why I Hate the 60's” is a bouncy, care free folk song. It feels like it would have fit better on the A side. It is all jangly pop and fast but polite singing. There is the electric guitar added, but it doesn’t hinder the sunny disposition the song sets up and delivers. There is a fake fade out around 2:45 and the song comes back in for 45 seconds of the friendly guitar solo.

Stand-Out Track: Heather on a Bad Day

Links:

wikipedia

allmusic

Jr Gone Wild

last FM

Exclaim.ca

NME page

Ground Zero - Pink

Name: Ground Zero
Album: Pink
Year: 1985
Style: Hard-Core, Punk
Similar Bands: Dead Milkmen, King Missle, Early Dismemberment Plan, Early NOFX
"One-Word" Review: Silly-Proto-Alternative/Grunge
Based Out Of: Minneapolis, MN

Pink - Cover & Promo sheet
Pink - Back & Record

Pink (1985)

1. Will You Please 1:24
   
2. South 2:27
   
3. Just a Criminal 1:59
   
4. Company 3:47
   
5. The 11th Hour of the Skippy Peanut Cluster 1:31
   
6. Revenge of the Blimp 2:14/
7. Pink2:54
8. Patriot 3:46
   
9. One Half Hour / The Legendary Rose 5:26
   

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

Bob Mould - Producer, Engineer (Husker Du)

Steve Fjelstad - Producer, Engineer

Taras Ostroushko - Guitar Vox (Henry, Terry Eason)

Jamie Ronnei - Bass

Dave Evenhouse - Drums (Million Megaton Explosion, Wahinis)

Val Sutpher - Cover Art & graphic Design

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band, and I don’t know exactly why I got it. The cover art is a bit juvenile, with rats working at construction. The image, name and album title don’t seem to be connected at all except that the font is pink. But I am familiar with Dutch East India Trading co a little, and that is something familiar I can take assurance from. Also I like how the back is set up, it is very indie, with the band images in the middle and the lyrics right there too. The back says Bob Mould produced and engineered it, so that lends it self, along with the recording year of 1985, to being a competent record.

Album Review: “Will You Please” has a metal guitar pulsate in the beginning that after a couple of measures is picked up with the driving bass and drum beat. The vocals are basically spoken, and fast at that, and it reminds me very much of the Dead Milkmen. It is about riding a skateboard, and it places the singer’s identity of a mo-hawked punk into the song.
“South” again, has the vocals that are more spoken than sung over the music that comes in little sections that are split by tempo changes. It is fast in general, but it is fun and upbeat, rather than angry and aggressive. The guitar is nearly prog in its cruising up and down the musical scales.
“Just a Criminal” is a story song about a person put in jail, who should only be thought of as a criminal. And the storyline is dripping with sarcasm. It ends quite abruptly, but it follows the whole heavy punk/metal edge.
“Company” begins with a metal guitar base, but then quickly switched to a bouncy pop number, reminiscent of the Violent Femmes in the music. But it quickly changes to Screaming Trees or Dinosaur Jr when the guitars enter back on.
“The 11th Hour of the Skippy Peanut Cluster” is a fast thrash song with vocals spoken over it like slam poetry. It is like free-form jazz with beat poetry...but the jazz is speed metal, and the poetry is nonsense silliness. They clash with each other perfectly, creating more art than song.
“Revenge of the Blimp” takes off after bit of silence. It speeds through fast so the kids can slam and mosh together. But the vocals are laid over top, sounding a bit like Weird Al / early Dismemberment Plan. Yes. Early Dis. Plan is a good comparison. But it is not nearly as good. At the end of the song, the singer has a bit of mouth foaming ranting, but he settles down for the ending.

“Pink” finds the singer using a higher end singing style. The complexly crafted song changes behind the vocals, begging them to change with it, alas, no vocals are layered over the most complex changes. But where they do meet up, the vocals still seem teetering off key. They are wimpy and trembling, probably exactly how the band designed them. This is the most song of the songs, and it really pre-dates but would fit in perfectly with what was to come from Seattle 4-5 a few years later.
“Patriot” is a country folk-metal song. It is designed with simple chord changes, and the thumping bass and drum beats drive it on faster, leaving the true folk aesthetic behind. I could see the kids at the show doing a tongue-in-cheek square dancing hoe-down that would quickly transition into spinning their “partners” around and letting go into the crowd, thanks to centrifugal force.
“One Half Hour / The Legendary Rose” begins with a competent drum beat and electric guitar wailing, but overlapped, they throw each other off, and they seem very off beat. But they soon sync up around 45 seconds and continue to grow faster through out the musical intro. Around 1:15 they gain musical harmony and play out the rest of the intro, occasionally falling into a chaotic spiral, but it digs itself out with meandering scales and a solid drum beat. The bass helps out, but is really covered over by the drums. Around 2:45, the vocals, a story reading really, begins as the music pauses. The reading continues as the music pounds and pulses through the background. At 3:45, the vocals stop and the song changes direction to a silly speed punk/metal song. The vocals strip any hard core image that they might have by sounding like a zany Weird Al. The song ends with sound effects from the guitars and sporadic notes played without any real cohesion. And somewhere, for seemingly no good reason the album ends.

Stand Out Track: Will You Please

Links:

Kill From The Heart

Flex!
Andrew Earles

Discogs

Cactus - Restrictions

Name: Cactus
Album: Restrictions
Year: 1971
Style: Southern Bluesy Rock
Similar Bands: Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, CSNY, Black Crows, Blind Melon, 70's Kinks,
"One-Word" Review: Lame-Musician's-Musicians-Jammy-Rock
Based Out Of: Long Island, NY

Restrictions - Cover & Record

Restrictions - Back & Record

Restrictions (1971)

1. Restrictions 6:17
2. Token Chokin' 3:07
3. Guiltless Glider 8:45 /
4. Evil 3:14
5. Alaska 3:38
6. Sweet Sixteen 3:21
7. Bag Drag 5:11
8. Mean Night In Cleveland 2:10

Album Rating (1-10): 4.5

Members & Other Bands:
Carmine Appice - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vox (Vanilla Fudge, Beck Bogert & Appice, Rod Stewart Band, King Kobra, Pearl)
Tim Bogert - Bass, Backing Vox (Chessmen, Pigeons, Vanilla Fudge, Beck Bogert & Appice, Pieces, Boxer)
Rusty Day - Lead Vox, Harmonica, Percussion (Amboy Dukes)
Jim McCarty - Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar (Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels, Buddy Miles Express, Rockets)
Ron LeeJack - Slide Guitar
Albhy Galuten - Piano
Eddie Kramer - Recording Engineer
Dave Palmer - Recording Engineer, Mixing
Gene Paul - Recording Engineer
Ronnie Albert - Recording Engineer
Carl Richardson - Recording Engineer
Geoffrey Haslam - Mixing, Producer
Patrick D'Angelo - Cover Painting & Design
Jeff Mayer - Liner Photo

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys, but when I saw the simple name and the interesting surrealism artwork, I wanted to give it a shot. Would it be wacky prog, or catchy new wave? From the hippie appearance on the back cover, I am assuming it will be more of a light 70’s rock feel. The packaging is in bad shape, but I do like the cover; especially the phallic cactus bursting out of the ground…nice touch, Cactus.

Album Review: I’ve looked around about this band a bit and discovered that they were greatly compared as the American Led Zeppelin and/or a choice fall back band for Dead fans. Either case, the band was created as a supergroup, where the rhythm section of Vanilla Fudge was trying to attract Jeff Beck, who could not make it due to an auto accident, and Rod Stewart, who also faded as a candidate due to the accident. All in all, I’d say this has the prospect of being funky, jammy, and for my tastes, somewhat boring.

“Restrictions” begins with drums, then electric guitar soon to follow, blasting off then retreating quickly for the quiet vocal introduction. Then the song finds its bluesy southern rock groove, and reminds me a lot of the Black Crows. Vocally, the singer could be trying to capture the raspiness of Jimmy Page, and the guitar solo whines and rocks out. But the heart of the song is the bluesy backing vocals and bar room atmosphere. Around 3:30, the song breaks from its driving force for a Blind Melon like quiet breakdown. The song then returns for few minutes of meandering jamming before it fades out with the repeating backing chorus.“Token Chokin'” is another southern song, this one more swampy and dripping than before. It’s played in the Kinks 70’s jug band style, but without the hooks and catchiness the Kinks have. I hear a bit of the Rolling Stones in the vocals here too. Parts of the song are really good, like the build up that doesn’t slink back into the boring chorus, but picks up and carries the pace and momentum a while longer. Unfortunately, my record was badly scratched and I cannot play this entire song…only about 2:20 through. But I got the idea.
“Guiltless Glider” is a long 8:30+ song that begins with a slinky, marching bass line. The drums come in for support, and the lead guitar wails and croons as it travels its own way. By the first minute, they’ve developed a nice hook. But the echoing vocals make this feel like a dirty 90’s hair/alternative band. I’m thinking of an Ugly Kid Joe ballad, or something. The vintage 70’s hair band metal chimes in at about 3 minutes with the Page (but a little more contained) like vocals and the commanding guitar backing him up. The guitars, drums and bass all get to play together in the middle of the song for the instrumental breakdown, which fills the space very nicely. The interplay is interesting and never dull as it builds until it seems to loose all energy. The drums take over for a true-solo, giving the rest a rest. Then after the instruments come back for a short prog-like section, the original bass line picks up again to finish out the song with a fade.

“Evil” feels like Led Zep, repeating powerful guitar sections broken up with drum fills and raspy angry-like vocals. This is the typical atmosphere you might picture if a gospel church turned over and worshipped the other imaginary side. It is like an evil gospel, so I can see why metal music is often equated with satanic ritual…that is what the music and vocals suggest. The music is good, it continuously builds and rotates around, where it could go on in its riff forever.“Alaska” sounds like the opposite of what you would imagine for Alaska…it is full of harmonica and gives off the air of a hot southern summer porch jug band stomp. It is bluesy, but the vocals are all about Alaskan things, so it ends up trying to juxtapose the two areas together, but the bluesy south wins out over the vocal context of penguins and snow shoes. “Sweet Sixteen’s” first couple of notes remind me terribly of the Matchbox 20 song “Smooth.” But it quickly turns into a driving guitar powered southern metal song. And I’m ashamed I even thought about that song in the first place, but that does not mean I like the song. It had a loud and abrasive electric guitar instrumental section. The song ends very abruptly“Bad Drag” took me back to watching Dazed and Confused. I’m reminded at first of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” but the song is tamer than that, and by far more funky. Perhaps a bit Psychedelic, like Iron Butterfly. The screaming agony of how bad the drag is seems out of place a bit, and is definitely over the top. The song ends with people talking.
“Bad Night In Cleveland” ends the album with a quiet fade in and does not begin until around 25 seconds. It is a bluesy ballad, and gives the image of one guy out on his front porch playing the guitar and complaining about the weather, his dog, or wife. Or in this case, a bad night in Cleveland, I guess. It is mostly instrumental, and it adds the harmonica at the end. It is sad and toe tapping depressing, but it is the blues, so it’s how it is supposed to be.

Stand Out Track: Token Chokin' (skips)

Links:
allmusic
Wikipedia
Cactus Webpage
myspace
Columbus Dispatch Newspaper
Star Online
Tim Bogert
Carmine Appice

The (Liverpool) Beats - The Merseyside Sound

Name: Beats (some blogs say this is The Liverpool Beats or Billy Pepper & the Pepperpots)
Album: The Merseyside Sound
Year: 1964
Style: Beatles, Surf, Oldies
Similar Bands: Beatles, Buggs, Beach Boys
"One-Word" Review: not-the-Beatles? you-don't-say.
Based Out Of: Liverpool, England? / New Jersey?

Merseyside Sound - Cover & Record
Merseyside Sound - Back & Record

Merseyside Sound(1964)

1. I Want to Hold Your Hand 2:28
2. This Is What I Mean 3:09
3. Tell Me I'm The One 2:39
4. Joshua 2:20
5. Maybe I Will 2:27 /
6. I Saw Her Standing There 3:01
7. Seems To Me 2:06
8. Got to Get Another Girl 2:52
9. Your Kind of Love 2:00
10. There I Go 2:40
    

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

Bill Shepherd (Pepper) ?
Jimmy Fraser ?

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys specifically, but all signs point to a generic Beatles rip off, if they do not have any credit of their own. And to my knowledge, they don’t, but I don’t know much about the genre of music surrounding the Beatles. Just from the cover, they are obviously trying to gain fans and sales from the now iconic imagery the Beatles used. This is an odd record, where there is no back or bio about the band at all: just ads for other records.

Album Review: After doing a little research, I discovered a whole bunch of things, but nothing concrete, thanks to the fact that there is no info printed on the packaging. Understand that with the legions of Beatles fans comes mass speculation and rumors about other rip-off bands from the era. Some of the theories suggest that this record is from a Liverpool based band called the Liverpool Beats. Others suggest that this is actually a record featuring Billy Shepherd of Billy Pepper and the Pepper Pots. Some advise that this is an American Beatles-stylized version produced out of a garage in NJ. Some say that Lou Reed is in one of the pictures on the cover, but not necessarily in the band. Some say that this album was repackaged and reproduced with the same track listing 3+ different times with 3+ different versions of the cover. And it has a large span of critics that say anything from “It ain’t that bad” to “this is horrible.”

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” is a cover of the Beatles poplar song. As if it were a reference/map key to the entire album, it says “Ok, you know this song, and here is what we do with it. Interpret the rest of the album with that comparison” It begins musically comparable. But the vocals are quite different. In their own right they are a little more brash, and “ghetto” not as smooth or English as the Beatles. It has the same back beat, and well, there is no need really describing the song. It is good, and they don’t ruin it, but it is not quite the same. I could see how people might think (and that it might be true) that these guys were not English.
“This Is What I Mean” kind of sounds like Alan Partridge purposely mauling a Beatles style song. The song is pleasant and has all the characteristics of the Liverpool sound: jangley guitar, near-surf percussion/bass beats. But the vocals are more aggressive than what the Beatles offer.
“Tell Me I'm The One” issues the typical theme of the era’s songs: questioning love, and the beats are all upbeat, happy and jolly. But the song is one dimentional, and does not have the passion that made the Beatles famous.
“Joshua” is a near-psychedelic version of “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho.” But they dropped out many of the catchy melodies from the traditional folk song, and left it a flat mess. And the melodies that they add/change don’t seem complimentary to the song, or even their rendition of it.
“Maybe I Will” features some Ohh-wop-doo-wop back ground fillers, which don’t really fit in very well. But the verse’s melody is fun to follow along with. This borders between slow dance ballad and poppy dance hit...I’m not sure what the kids would be doing to this song out on the dance floor

“I Saw Her Standing There” is also a cover of the Beatles popular hit. The song doesn’t get past the first verse, and his voice breaks. The harmonizing on the held note of “miiiiiiiine” seems to falter from fatigue. The song itself is obviously fun, bouncy and good, and they don’t necessarily butcher it, so it is a descent cover. The vocals (aside from the initial crack) are strong and aid the song in its optimistic tone.
“Seems To Me” is more along the lines of a slow Beach Boys ballad, with surf-inspired Oooo-weeee-ooos and the overall oceanic musical production.
“Got to Get Another Girl” is a fun original with tempo changes and breaks and a rollicking melody. It is a continuously building song with quick deliveries in its musical flow. This is probably the best original song the have on this record so far.
“Your Kind of Love” sounds like it lacks the energy and confidence it would need to be a hit. The nasally held notes never launch into the next verse as powerfully as they could.
“There I Go” seems like it will start out slow, but it picks up into a gently head nodding song. There are a few places where they let the music play out without vocals, but not much, most of these songs are steady sung tunes. This too feels like a beach/surf number, mostly because of the harmonized, multiple layered lead vocal echoes like it is sung in a cave.

Stand Out Track: I Want To Hold Your Hand

Links:

Revolution 9 forum chain

Allmusic

Frank's Vinyl Museum

Amazon...different version

Myspace Forum...American band?

Jo Jo Zep - Screaming Targets~, Cha*

Name: Jo Jo Zep (and the Falcons)
Albums: Screaming Targets~, Cha*
Years: 1979~,1983*
Style: Rock~, New Wave~, Disco* Synth*
Similar Bands: Men At Work~, Dire Straits~, Planets~, Police~, Elvis Costello~, Tom Petty~, Bruce Springstein~, Tears For Fears*, Dr Buzzard's Savannah Band*, Kid Creole*
"One-Word" Review: Ska-Wave-Rock~ Synth-Disco-Jazz*
Based Out Of: Melbourne, Australia

Screaming Targets - Cover & Sleeve
Screaming Targets - Back & Sleeve

Cha - Cover & Sleeve

Cha - Back & Sleeve

Records

Screaming Targets (1979)~

1. Hit & Run 4:40
   
2. Don't Wanna Come Down 3:31
   
3. Katschara 4:18
   
4. Only the Lonely Hearted 2:44
   
5. So Young 3:19/
6. Close to the Bone 4:20
   
7. Shape I'm In 3:32
   
8. Trials & Tribulations 4:46
   
9. Thin Line 3:22
   
10. Openhearted 4:08
    

Cha (1983)*

1. Losing Game 4:12
   
2. Walk On By 3:52
   
3. King Kong 4:01
   
4. Taxi Mary 4:15
   
5. Flexible 1:59/
6. Sherrie 3:54
   
7. Man is Just a Boy 4:13
   
8. Spirit of the Land 4:27
   
9. Competition 4:20
   
10. Slave for Love 4:20
    
11. Can't Decide 3:54
    

Album Ratings (1-10): 6.5~, 5.5*

Members & Other Bands:

John Power - Bass, Vox~
Joe Camilleri - Vox, Sax, Guitar~*Clarinet, Organ, Producer, Art Direction*
Gary Young - Drums, Percussion~
Wilbur Wilde - Sax, Vox~
Jeff Burstin - Guitar~*Mandolin*
Tony Faehse - Guitar, Vox~
Peter Solley - Producer~*Keys*
Ian McKenzie - Engineer~
Steve Brown - Remix Engineer~
Ian McCausland - Cover Art & Design~
Greg Noakes - Photography~
Michael Gudinski - Exec Producer~
Michael Roberts - Exec. Producer~Art Direction, Direction*
Simon Gyllies - Bass*
Jane Clifton - Vox*
Eddie Rayner - Keys, Producer*
Graham Fraser - Engineer*
Jim Barton - Engineer*
John Powter - Art & Design*
Tom Sikora - Photography*
Loud & Clear Management - Direction*

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of these guys. I bought these two albums in two different occasions, Cha after Screaming Targets. I bought the first one because of the interesting name, year and the cover art. I liked how the shield to the helmet was all white, like a sticker had been placed over the top of it. And I bought the second record because it was so different from what I remembered about the first album, but I still liked the odd-ball name. As for the style of music, I could only hope for a strong new wave/rock style since it was from 1979,a nd the second one, I thought it might be a little more Jazzy thanks tot he name Cha as well as the minimal artistic figures on the cover. It seemed less frantic and more grown up.

Album Reviews: More recently, I was at a friend’s house and I saw that he had an Elvis Costello poster framed and mounted, and accompanying Elvis on this particular tour was the name Jo Jo Zep. So by that, I figure they possessed some sort of fame at that point, whatever year the poster was from.

~“Hit & Run” has a start stop quickened reggae beat with electric slide guitar, and somewhat Men at Work / Reggae vocals too. It is bright and sunny, and has a female chorus Ooo-Oooing in the background. The quickened, fast sung chorus is very catchy and makes you want to move. The sax is used sparingly, but to a very efficient level in the instrumental. There is even an organ sneaked in there toward the end of the song, adding to the female choir to be some thing like gospel. The short, repetitive guitar hook is played over and over again for the last 1.5 minutes of the song through to the fade out.
“Don't Wanna Come Down” starts as a darker, back alley song. But as soon as the intro fades out, the bouncy pace is picked up, and the reggae guitar is used a little, but the storyteller lyrics take center stage. It also reminds me of a couple of the A’s songs. It was a very popular style for the late 70’s; that hard rock bordering on new wave story-song.
“Katschara” is a jazzy sax and bass beat inspired number. It then turns into slinky reggae, but leans more toward the hard rock side than reggae: like a faster “Watching the Detectives.”
“Only the Lonely Hearted” is a fun bouncy pop number. It reminds me of a J Geils Band number, just lacking the pub blues feel. But the instrumental breakdown brings the sax and rollicking piano and it feels a bit more like a pub song. The only difference is the vocals are more of relaxed, and mumbled more than sung, so they lack the passion of bar blues.
“So Young” is another happy, bouncy, reggae borrowed track. Even the electric guitar plays quick notes that create a rollercoaster, rather than extended whammy notes. It has that Middle America feel to it, similar to John C. Mellencamp (who is my dictionary definition example of that style, so I mention him all the time). The end of the song becomes very repetitions, almost to the point where you’d just wish it would end already.

~“Close to the Bone” is a dark and shady, alley way track with its intro. Once the vocals start, his singing reminds me of Elvis again. The verse is sung sort of like an upbeat lullaby, and the chorus gains a bold aggression and confidence, which carries over into the instrumental sections, which are where the strongest guitar and heaviest emotions flow.
“Shape I'm In” is a straightforward ska song, with jagged, rhythm guitar and catchy sax interplay. But the vocals strip the ska vibe off and leave a dull, generic reggae tune. When the sax and brass come back in for the instrumental, the song becomes instantly interesting again. This feels like a mid concert song thrown in to please the spacing hippie jammers out, as it could be prolonged for quite a while on the jam-based riff.
“Trials & Tribulations” brings us back to the mid-America light rock song. Here more than before, his voice finishes out the verse with the same twist that Jimi Hendrix used quite often. It feels like the Tom Petty song “Don’t Do Me Like That.” This is the first time that the Sax is used poorly, where it makes the song feel like a smooth jazz, easy listening single.
“Thin Line” picks up the pop pace with a Graham Parker style number: upbeat and quick paced. And it is a bit like Rick Springfield too. The end gets sporadically chaotic as style is replaced by bombastic cowbell and the song peters out at the end with sax.
“Openhearted” combines the light jazz sound with the reggae rhythm guitar. The chorus has a team of vocals giving power and promise to the theme of kindness and open mindedness. His feels like dancehall reggae stripped down by a non-Jamaican band. It is a pleasant, sunny reminder that brings us back to where we started from on the album. It does tend to go on though, after it wears out its welcome, not enough changes with the groove to keep it interesting. They add hooting and hollering behind the basic groove, but it does not breathe new life into the track

*“Losing Game” feels more synthesized and colder than the Screaming Targets. The vocals are weak and Tears For Fears inspired. It is an odd sound, partially R&B, part light synth pop. The vocals are similar to Smokey Robinson’s higher ranges. The bass sounds like a thick piece of rubber being strummed while stretched and disfigured. This is a light adult contemporary pop song.
“Walk On By” is a chilling synthetic Howard Jones type song. This sounds like a song that is just asking to be remixed into a popular dance track. The vocals are like a mixed up R&B singer, completely different from Screaming Targets. The music feels like it is missing some very important elements, as it is very sparse…which does add to the chilling aspect.
“King Kong” is a bouncy synth bass driven song. The synth sax (at least it all sounds synth) brings a bit of disco jazz, like Dr. Buzzard’s Savannah Band. The vocals remind me again of Tears for Fears in their falsetto reaching range. There are female dual vocals that sing out the chorus.
“Taxi Mary” is reportedly, their most popular song. It could only be described as synthetic conga disco. Perhaps I’m just trying to hear good into this, but I can almost hear a little bit of English Beat’s later stuff in his vocals, as well as Yaz. But a more accurate comparison could be made to Kid Creole.
“Flexible” starts out with an Asian sounding lute, and sexy but sad slow sax. Around the first minute it picks up a bit with standard piano sound, and diverges from the formerly Tom Waits sounding ballad. But before it can go anywhere, it ends with a fade, as the trumpet becomes masculine

*“Sherrie” adds a bit of big band Dancehall to the synth disco style that permeates from this record. But I actually kinda like this song, perhaps it reminds me of the Kid Creole song “Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy,” that I liked. The bass is fun and driving, and the swirling synth effects that are set deep in the background are enjoyable. And the jazzy dance music that is on the surface is not over bearing and simply enjoyable too. There are some melody changes that keep the main song interesting through out. But the over all drum and bass driving force keep the song fresh, awake and alive.
“Man is Just a Boy” finally finds the blend of synth and dance that is neither too much of either aspect to be annoying. The bass line is a progressive beat the bounces up and down the frets (keys) and the band embraces New Wave synth and it even feels a little disjointed like an XTC song, just played with different instruments.
“Spirit of the Land” begins with a synth organ and liquid bass effects. It is a bit slower, and falls into a generic reggae vibe. It reminds me of a Santogold song, actually, but is slower and it never reaches that place where it feels like it will become the song I’m thinking about.
“Competition” goes back to the falsetto singing from the first side of this record. It is more of a cold R&B groove, rather than the disco tracks the album seemed to be heading toward. It is also close to Bronski Beat when listening to the vocals. The female and male vocal parts in this song make it seem very theatrical.
“Slave for Love” begins with percussive wood block effects. The synth keyboard and deep lounge vocals make it feel like a poorly done parody of a James Bond Theme. The vocals sound forced and never gain the confidence as the song literally waltzes along. It is almost as if the singer is on the brink of yawning.
“Can't Decide” is a departure of style from this album and much more closely mimics the old style. The guitar rings prominently throughout, and the singing is rough and nasally. It feels like a last minute decision to give the audience what they might have been expecting from the band’s history…like “at least there is this song.” There are virtually no synth effects applied to the instruments (except perhaps the drums might be a machine).

Stand Out Tracks: Hit & Run~

Sherrie*

Links:

Wikipedia

Allmusic

Howlspace

Stat Biography

XPN Blog

Last FM

rate your music

Haack, Bruce - The Electric Lucifer

Name: Bruce Haack
Album: The Electric Lucifer
Year: 1970
Style: Electronic Psychedelic
Similar Bands: Doors, Ghostwriters, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Ben, Ween, Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo
"One-Word" Review: Psychedelic-Techno-Sermon
Based Out Of: Alberta, Canada

The Electric Lucifer - Cover & Sheet

The Electric Lucifer - Back & Lyrics
The Electric Lucifer - Record

The Electric Lucifer (1970)

1. Electric To Me Turn 1:50
2. The World (Narration) 0:30
3. Cherubic Hymn 2:20
4. Program Me 4:39
5. War 3:45
6. National Anthem to the Moon 2:38
7. Chant of the Unborn 1:22/
8. Incantation 3:15
9. Angel Child 1:01
10. Word Game 3:48
11. Song of the Death Machine 3:00
12. Super Nova 5:22
13. Requiem 3:21

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

Bruce Haack - Creation, Synth, Narration, Vox, Bass Moog, (Miss Nelson & Bruce)

Gary Dersarkissian - Vox

Farad - Synth, Vox

Peter Granet - Engineer

Chris Kachulis - Vox, Inner Drawing

Andrew Kazdin - Programming

Arthur Kendy - Engineering, Stereo Effects

Ray Moore - Engineering

Leroy Parkins - Producing

Jon St. John - Vox

Tony Taylor - Vox
William H. Englander - Manager
Isadore Seltzer - Cover Art
Karenlee Grant - Back Cover Design

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of Bruce Haack, but at first sight of this record, I assumed it was a religious album. But I read a little on the back, and it talked about the instrumentation he’s used for the album. I liked the quote on the top “Electricity becomes sound” so I wanted to see what this would be like. I don’t really know what to expect, since I have a predetermined idea that it will be churchy, but it is made with Moog and is more rock oriented. I am expecting lots of odd quirky sounds and some great bombastic pieces, as the fight between heaven and hell is usually quite a stereotypically explosive story.

Album Review: I’ve heard that Bruce Haack is responsible for lots of techno pioneering in the field of electronic music. I’ve also read that he has had alenghty career with commercials and children’s oriented music both before and after this record, so that will be great insight to this music.

“Electric To Me Turn” begins the album with electronic chirping and a carnival organ atmosphere. Vocals are vocoded and sound like many hip hop albums will use today, I’m thinking Chromeo. It’s very good, as it sounds like a combination of carnival pop and garage psych. It reminds me a bit of the Ghostwriters, but that’s probably just because the similar electronics they use
“The World (Narration)” is just buzzing noises played out behind a sullen narrator speaking about the devil and begins the storyline for this genre album
“Cherubic Hymn” has Doors-like smooth, bold and confident harmonic vocals, mixed over swirling electronics and a quiet bouncy bass electro-groove.
“Program Me” is a layered and looping psych with lots of ringing guitars and echoing effects that could become very trippy on the right drugs. Or so I could imagine. This is the first real song in the concept of a child asking to be told, or programmed (since this is very computer/electronic). The song ends with an organ that sounds like it belongs in a church’s ritual procession.
“War” is a marching drum beat, reminding me of Violent Femmes “Machine” It then quickly changes pace and sprints ahead in a fast scampering electronic note section. And it switched off with different paced sections. Some are quite fast, some are plodding, and some are just happy and merry in their happy carnival atmosphere. Then the song takes a dark turn around 2:15, and it feels like a soldier lost on the battle field with no place to go. Just wandering peaks and valleys of sonic topography, fulfilled by the electronic bells.
“National Anthem to the Moon” is a great title, and I want to like the song very much. It is a psych song with vocals, and the music consists of a bubbling vocoded repetition of the lead psych vocals, along with a constant ringing that just barely fills in the background. This really reminds me of the simple, bare bones style of the artist Ben (whom is from Jersey, and I only discovered because Dean Ween has worked with him).
“Chant of the Unborn” is an electronic woodwind song, mixed with jangly metallic spring effects, for a sort of southern rock stomp of a song. It is short, but it is a pleasant bit of controlled ritual mayhem.

“Incantation” is a dark psych campfire cult chant. Not only are the usual electronic bouncing effects mixed down low in the back, but a mouth harp takes center stage and echoes the vocal melodies as they are sung and after. The musical breaks consist of a pleasant royal sounding electronic horn section. This has a sort of Native American ritual dance feel to it.
“Angel Child” is a short, lovely sung lounge piece mixed with renaissance ridiculousness of lyrical themes. Two voices over lap singing in the round, and it sounds like something comically over exaggerated for the theater.
“Word Game” gets us back to the bubbling and jazzy electronic noises that were prevalent on the first side. The vocals are computer vocoded phrases, and are not sung at all. The fantastic moog bass effect bounces around dancing the song along where you barely notice the dull sounding vocals uttering words of some supposed importance.
“Song of the Death Machine” starts with a futuristic breaking crystal sound, and then there is a chorus of vocals singing along to a basic melody similar to “Oh My Darling Clementine.” Of course the song is warped with twinkling electronic effects and dizzying swooping spring sounds. Later in the song, the vocals get distorted with static and fuzz, like the station is being tuned out of reception.
“Super Nova” begins with winds whistling over the sound-scape, like the effects science shows would give to imagery of solar flares. Buzzing and random electronic effects swirl around fading in and out in loudness like on a wobbly spiral. Vocals whisper (quite a loud whisper, actually) over the music that pips and waves in the background. The music in the background is a little minstrel-like, just played through a moog. But the swirling hum (near middle eastern sounding) is the main effect in the song, and really focused any attention from any other part of the song. The end of the song creates a musical strobe light effect where the static sounds quickly pulse in and out as they fade.
“Requiem” aptly ends the album with a groovy psychedelic freak out. It is like the end credits dance-a-thon as the entire cast comes out on stage to bow for the audience. Swirling effects compliment and create the visual interpretation of long hair twisting and waving around with beads, tassels and tinted glasses. And the song ends with a moog version of the Christmas carol NOEL.

Stand Out Track: Electric To Me Turn

Links:
Wikipedia

Allmusic

Bruce Haack.com

Haack Doc & Interview

Haack movie.com

Reviews

NNDB

Haack...king of techno IMDB

Intuitive Music Bio

Undomondo review