Washington Social Club - s/t

Name: Washington Social Club 
Album: Washington Social Club
Year: 2004
Style: Indie Rock, New Wave, Punk
Similar Bands: Walkmen, Cursive, Shins, The Jam, Strokes
"One-Word" Review: The-DC-Strokes
Based Out Of: Washington DC
Label: N/A

Washington Social Club (2004)

1. Breaking the Dawn 2:28
2. Modern Trance  4:09
3. Let the Night Begin 3:08
4. Backed to the Future 4:30
5. Dead Kid Town 2:52

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Amy Morrissey - Engineer
• Brian McTear - Producer, Engineer
• Olivia Mancini - Bass, Backing Vox (Her Majesty's Orchestra, Leland Sundries, Edie Sedgewick)
• Randy Scope - Drums (Her Majesty's Orchestra, Pree, Heavy Breathing)
• Bill Moriarty - Engineer 
• Paul Sinclair - Engineer
• Evan Featherstone - Guitar 
• Martin Royle - Lead Vox, Guitar
• Paul Hammond - Mastering
• Paul Sinclair - Mastering
• Mike Martinovich - Contact

Unknown-ness: I had heard of this band when i picked this ep up for a dollar at AKA back in the late aughts, but i really didn't know of them...I must have heard of them in the same breath as other bands I liked at the time, but never took the time to explore this purchase until now

Album Review: I imagine this is a sampler from their first record, Catching Looks, or actually, listening to the quality of the recordings, a pre album EP with most tracks ending up re-recorded on the album (except Let the Night Begin). The vocals have a snotty faux British quality with a youthful angst that is more new wave than punk, but still has an anxious spirit, trying to jump on the coattails of the Strokesy sound, or maybe they were poised to be DC's answer. On this EP, the songs sound much more raw and energetic than their smoother album counterparts. There are some vocal harmonies placed over power pop chord changes and the whole package seems would make a fun live show.

Based on their bandcamp page, they took an 11 year break between album two and a 4 rack ep in 2019, and have been holding down the name since with what appears to be the same line up. 

Stand Out Track: Modern Trance

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Pheromones (the) - Collateral Damage

Name: The Pheromones
Album: Collateral Damage
Year: 1988
Style: Comedic Pop, Novelty, Folk, Electronic
Similar Bands: Weird Al, Frank De Lima & Na Kolohe
"One-Word" Review: Embarrassing eclectic joke-songs
Based Out Of: Washington DC
Label: Skyclad

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Collateral Damage (1988)

1. Attaboy 3:08
2. Too Smart to Have Fun 2:56
3. Closet Skeleton 4:02
4. Hey Look Around You 2:37
5. Campaign '88 3:06
6. If I Were Your Prezident  3:15 /
7. Galactic Funny Farm 4:11
8. Space in the World 1:37
9. Ancient One 4:45
10. Mad Elaine 2:44
11. Come & Unite Me Tonight 3:41
12. Yuppie Drone II 3:27
13. Tiki Goes Mad 1:14

Album Rating (1-10): 3.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Jimmy (Patterson) Pheromone -Writing & Programming
• Alvis (Johnson) Pheromone - Writing & Performance
• Mary Von Klotz
• Melcor Shaazendis - Producer
• J.B. Daws - Engineer
• Hank Rand -Arrangements
• Alan Sonneman - Cover Art
• Elliott Landy - Back Photo
• New Age Graphics - Design & Graphics
• Letterforms - Typography

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but I like the pink & black color scheme, and the font of the album title gives a little of a punk/alternative vibe.

Album Review: This album is terrible. Very awkward and embarrassing style attempts with cringe-worthy lyrics and dated jests. The one stand out track "Too Smart to Have Fun" has a good melody, and is not a horrible song, and the Campaign-Prezident (ugh, the "z") suite has some interesting ideas and concepts about running & voting for a 3rd party candidate. Those two points gave the album an extra point on its rating. The synth / drum machine effects on Attaboy and Yuppie Drone are just horrendous Devo and rap style parodies respectively (although "Attaboy" has a solid They Might Be Giants worthy lyric "Here at the "department of redundancy" department). The worst Weird Al songs are leagues ahead of anything on this album. Makes a little more sense that they were on Dr. Demento.

Stand Out Track: Too Smart to Have Fun

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Cherry People - s/t

Artist: Cherry People

Album: s/t

Year: 1968

Style: Psychedelic Pop

Similar Bands: Byrds, Hullaballoo, Turtles, Archies, Association, Cowsills, Bee Gees, Monkees

One Word Review: Harmonized Style Array

Based Out Of: Washington, DC

Labels: MGM, Heritage

 

 Cherry People - Cover & Back, Record

 Cherry People - Center Fold-out, Record

Cherry People - Info

Cherry People (1968)

1. And Suddenly 2:06
2. Girl on the Subway 2:52
3. On To Something New 2:22
4. Imagination 1:54
5. My Hyde 2:39 /
6. Do Something to Me 2:13
7. Ask the Children 2:08
8. I'm the one Who Loves You 2:06
9. Don't Hang Me Up Girl 2:53
10. Light of Love 2:40

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Punky Meadows - Guitar (Bux, Angel, The English Settlers)
Chris Grimes - Guitars Vox (The English Settlers, Jimi Hendrix)
Rocky Isaac - Drums (Fallen Angels, Bux, Jimi Hendrix)
Dougy Grimes - Vox (The English Settlers)
Jan Zukowski - Bass (Nobody's Children, Nighthawks, Fabulous Hubcaps)
Ron Haffkine - Producer
Barry Oslander - Producer
Jerry Ross Productions
Jimmy Wisner - Arrangement
Joe Renzetti - Arrangement
Val Valentin - Director of Engineering
Neil Ceppos - Engineer
Bob Golden - Cover Photo
Stephan Paley - Liner and Inside Photo
Dick Smith - Art Direction

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band, but I like the weight, coloring, and psychedelic look of this boy band. Short songs, most likely bouncy, upbeat and catchy seem to be what they're going for, I'm guessing. No year on it, but I assume it is somewhere in the late 60's. Excited to see what this sounds like.

Album Review: The biggest thing that any of Cherry People did was be part of the backing band with Jimi Hendrix when he recorded five songs. This was the result of trying to get a meeting with Jerry Ross to be released from their contract in NYC after a west coast tour, and ending up blowing off steam at an open mic/jam night where Hendrix also showed up.

“And Suddenly” was their one and only hit single, which reached #44. It begins with a little Bee Gee’s sense, and perhaps a little R&B. Then after the family harmonies, it finds its groove with a light sing-song, cheerful melody. It feels a little Monkee’s-ish, too.

“Girl on the Subway” is instantly psychedelic pop. It is very thematic, with a complicated barrage of harmonized parts and layers. It is happy and polite and very non-threatening. The trumpet takes center stage when the song reaches the instrumental break.As the song winds down, the trumpet takes over, and steals all the attention, in a somewhat jarring way.

“On To Something New” was the b-side to “Light of Love.” It harkens back to a male vocal group of the 50’s or early 60’s, with swirling harps and strings and a lofty soaring harmony. This song was made to appeal to the parents of the teens they were trying to sell the record to.

“Imagination” was the B-Side to “And Suddenly.” It too is a quiet, delicate vocal band throwback to a style that was nearly extinct. It is still theatric with flutes and sound stage flourishes and swirls.

“Mr. Hyde” was the b-side to a single. It is a more updated sound for the era, a slightly psych harmony, with a very Cowsills collaboration as the chorus kicks in. It has a bit of a marching pace, spurred on by the drumbeat.

“Do Something to Me” starts off side two with an upbeat, dancey song. It has a little bluesy vocal style, with a simple clap-along-tempo. It feels a little like a Belle & Sebastian song, with a different vocal style. There is an urgency and hunger to the vocals that feels like real emotion. This is the real star on this album, and sounds like a completely different singer/band.

“Ask the Children” is a bouncy, fun child’s-dream-like song. Lots of bubble gum pop harmonies, and it builds well into the chorus, which is just a psychedelic-vocal breakdown, not really delivering on the build.

“I'm the one Who Loves You” was a single. It has a smooth sexy glide, a little bond-theme-like. The backing vocals actually sound a little disco, well before disco was a thing.

“Don't Hang Me Up Girl” starts out seeming like a light, older style, but the pace picks up a snappy little groove, and hangs on some call and response harmonies. The song has its feet planted in the two different styles, and does a pretty good job of making it work.

“Light of Love” was a single, tapping into organ psychedelica of the time. The song is a pretty basic example of pop at the time that Herman’s Hermits or ? and the Mysterians (and the like) were making.

"Stand-Out" Track: Do Something To Me

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DJ Spooky (That Subliminal Kid) presents Haunted Battle Breaks

Name: DJ Spooky 

Album: Haunted Battle Breaks

Year: 1998

Style: Hiphop/Triphop, DJ, Electronic, Experimental

Similar Bands: Tricky, X-ecutioners, Jurassic 5, Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, Badawi, Aphex Twin

One Word Review: Haunting Collage of Steady Break Beats.

Based Out Of: Washington DC

Label: Liquid Sky Music, Home Entertainment

 Haunted Battle Breaks - Cover, Record

Haunted Battle Breaks - Back, Record

Haunted Battle Breaks (1998)

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:
Paul D'Shonne Miller (DJ Spooky / That Subliminal Kid) - Writer, Composer, Producer, Performer (the Alchemist)
Dan Yashiv - Engineer
Chris Flam - Compiler (Matthew Shipp)

Unknown-ness: I had heard of DJ Spooky, but I am not familiar with his music or style (or even that familiar with his genre). Figured I'd pick this up when I saw it in a thrift store and see if it was interesting at all.

Album Review: DJ Spooky, AKA That Subliminal Kid (name taken from the William S Burroughs book “Nova Express,” is a DC native, and has been making experimental, electronic music and spinning trip hop since 1996. As he has flown somewhat under the radar, he has worked with a great many people, is the executive editor of Origin Magazine (Art, Music, Humanitarianism, Sustainability, etc.) and is a professor of music/meditated art at the European Graduate School.

Since are no song tracks or names, I’ll be reviewing the album in full, with the style breaks where I can figure them out.

The record starts with a couple of samples scratched. Starting with vocals and flowing into a hip hop song. Then a steady drum-cymbal-woodblock hip hop beat flows steadily. My knowledge of this genre and other examples of it is depressingly low, so I’ll just equate this to a Beastie Boys rhythm for about 3 min.
The beat and rhythm becomes funkier, pulsing jazz horn, akin to James Brown. The beat is skipped and scratched rhythmically, and other funky “Fatboy Slim” effects are thrown over top, like a swirling Doppler effect, and bucket drum beats.
The “third” section begins with another vocal sample scratching, followed by repeating eerie space effects. A skipping bass heavy drumbeat stutters and hobbles along in tip-hop style.
Part four begins with scrabbling, paper crunching effects that birth a muddled, back skipping drum beat.

The next shift begins with some eerie horror movie atmospheric notes, and after a bit of skip-scratching, bombards the listener with an energetic, in your face, skittering drum beat.  It ends with an Atari-like bomb-drop trill.

Section six is slow moving at first, sounding like static electricity focused through a zoob-tube. The sound grows and fades, and halts suddenly,

Shifting to what could be called a war-scape. A windy echoing void is filled with artillery fire, non-steady percussion and chimes that fade in and out on repeat.

More vocal and song samples begin the next track, with “We Gonna Get Ya” followed by voices, some with a beat, followed by a flat siren. Chaotic samples feed in one after another, with popping bubbles filling the space along with screams, quotes, footfalls and other war-oriented effects. Basically, the track comes off like channel surfing, but has a unifying, underlying meaning. This is basically an audio collage. Crowd cheers bleeds into electronic pulses that begin phase two of the collage. There are some haunted themes, along with war, and hip hop that make up the overall soundscape.

Side B starts with gunshots, bubbles and a haunted organ. More channel surfing effects like an old modem dial-up and hip-hop lines transition to a steady, jazzy dance-hop beat with some punctuating synth breaks.

A light breezy hook, followed by a vocal quote leads into another drum and racket ball beat.

Some tape rewind effects lead to a jazzy background to accompany an olde-timey vocal, which is then supported by old-time music, like a broken down take me out to the ball game and other rewinding effects.

This short segment is then replaced by a darker drum beat, with an echoing shock-synth break effect. Second verse incorporates funky bass, various classic hip hop samples: scratches and vocal samples. It ends abruptly, and some scratching intros the next track.

More tape rewinding effects are featured, and a couple haunting vocals, which leads to a steady, haunting reggae beat. It stops abruptly

Pipe percussion comes on next, and is replaced by a jazz-heavy, high hat drum beat. Thicker bass beats are added overtop, and the song cruises along steadily.

The song shifts, and an echo-fading sad siren repeats high and low octaves, supported by a back skipping, trippy drum beat.  The beats stop for a moment, but kick back in after one combo-rep of the siren.

The last track is not too much different than the one right before it, but the production is more industrial, and the deep bass rumbling percussion bubbles along, replacing the octave shifting siren. The whole album ends with a sudden halt of all instrumentation.

Stand Out track: A-5 (or A-6?)

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(la) Belle Aurore - Revolve

Name: La Belle Aurore

Album: Revolve

Year: 2002

Style: Lo-Fi Art Rock

Similar Bands: Hail Social, Doors, Moog Cookbook, Ween, Ghostwriters

One Word Review: Wobbly Minimal Psych-Sci-Fi

Based Out Of: Washington DC

Label: Matthew Lawrence Ritenburg 

 Revolve - Cover, Liner Image, CD

Revolve - Back, Liner Notes

Revolve (2002)

1. Carbonite 1:03
2. Juice Party Fun 3:02
3. Skybird 3:07
4. Serotonin Guests 1:33
5. Time Can Ghost 3:56
6. Time, Electricity, Sincerity 0:47
7. Remember That Letter 4:37
8. Thursday Years 4:04

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands: (nothing in/on CD)

Matthew Ritenburg - Synth, Programming, Vox, ARP 2600

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. I picked up the CD thanks to it's font and color scheme on the front. The fact that it was a radio station's cd also peeked my interest (WHHS is the oldest High School Radio Station, over in Haverford, right outside of Philly). The artwork is very "nerdy" consisting of computer fonts, and science and technology ideas written inside, so that, along with the lack of band members leads me to believe it is a guy (Matthew Lawrence most likely) and his synthesizer/computer program making short songs and a couple longer ones.

Album Review: The band name translates to The Beautiful Sunrise. Label name, Matthew Ritenburg is, in fact, the main/only creative force behind this 22 minute album. 

“Carbonite” begins with a few electro pulses that fade in and drift away. They are dark, and foreboding. A light drum beat is added in the background, and faint, strained vocals, reminding me of Hail Social start about halfway through the track. It is very minimal, and other than a few other swirls, the Doppler Effect sound of a truck passing, and echoing riffs, the song ends.
“Juice Party Fun” continues with the dark vibe, with more echoing, stretched single guitar notes. Heavier guitars are overlaid, and a digital jumbled voice spews moog-like mechanical nonsense. The guitar that follows has a slight echo, like something from a house dance track. But the ultimate feel is dark, disjointed prog, math rock. Sort of like Fantomas.
“Skybird” begins with a steadier southern bluesy stomp, and wobbly vocals like a minimal Doors cover. Soaring effects, and more echoing vocal effects create a psychedelic soundscape, reminding me more of Ween, thanks to the thick, electric guitar.
“Serotonin Guests” vibrates and jitters with wobbley synth notes, and watery space ghost sounds. Everything sounds like it is either revolving endlessly, or winding down. The song ends with the electronic moog-computer vocals

“Time Can Ghost” starts with simple tones, like Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The vocals are light, and second handedly added underneath. The notes, now coming from a guitar, are layered to make an early morning, hopeful, sun rise song. The digital tones are added back in, as if a breakdown from the positivity is necessary.
“Time, Electricity, Sincerity” starts with a bunch of chaotic sounds at the same second, trying to find their footing. There is squeaky feed back, telephone line hum, and a jam-style guitar.
“Remember That Letter” starts the exact same way as Carbonite, but this song is 4x as long. Once we pass the minute market, the vocals repeat, and the song slowly slinks along, taking pauses to reboot with a little more dark wave danciness…but only for a handful of seconds. The vocals come back for a third time, but with the dancy kick drum beat. Then the song decides to throw in a slowed up sludgy guitar focused breakdown. This slowly plays itself out until the fade away at the end.
“Thursday Years” tries to find its tempo in the beginning, with a stunted drum beat and echoing, vibrating chords strummed. The jazzy bass line is barely present, but adds a little depth. Wobbling trembling sounds like a spaceship taking off are thrown in the background at varying times. The song has a similar vibe as Time Can Ghost

Stand-Out Track: Juice Party Fun

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Holy Rollers - As Is

Name: Holy Rollers

Album: As Is

Year: 1990

Style: Garage, Indie-Core, Rock/Punk

Similar Bands: Bad Religion, Fugazi, Screaming Trees, Helmet, Life Of Agony, Animal Bag

"One Word" Review: Alternative Punk Metal

Based Out Of: Washington DC

Label: Dischord

 As Is - Cover, Record, Sleeve Photo, Dischord Order Sheet

                                        As Is - Back, Record, Sleeve Lyrics, Dischord Order Sheet
As Is (1990)

1. Eleventy 3:09
2. Freedom Asking 2:27
3. Head On 2:36
4. We 2:09
5. Machine 3:08
6. Dahlia 2:45 / 
7. Opus 2:41
8. Poison Lung 2:22
9. Everlast 2:52
10. Ode to Sabine County 2:54
11. Sacred Minds 2:08
12. Johnny Greed 2:25

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Marc Lambiotte - Vox, Guitar

Joe Aronstamn - Bass, Vox (Grand Mal)

Maria Jones - Drums, Vox (Broken Siren)

Juliana Luecking - Spoken Word

Geoff Turner - Producer, Vox, Guitar, Organ
Richard Robinson - Engineer
Jeff Nelson - Graphics
Peter Hayes - Logo
K. Sayengo - Typeset
Underwood & Underwood - Front Photo
Naomi Petersen - Band Photo
James Cohrssen - Hand Photo

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. From the cover and back, I imagine some overly fuzzed out droning wall of sound music that couldn’t find a genre in the mid 90’s. This is based on the logo font, and the dual-colored bamboo forest cover and Graveyard monument band picture on the back. I know this is not popular, radio music, but 1990 was the year music changed. Just look at the 1990 MTV awards, and you will see it was the year that went out with the old, and in with the new. In any case, as a discount record bin purchase, I’m interested to hear what it contains.

Album Review: So the Holy Rollers got their start opening for Fugazi in a basement in DC somewhere, and are label mates with them and Minor Threat. They are politically charged bridge between punk and alternative rock.

“Eleventy” starts of the album with clanging metal cymbals, dark bass, and screeching guitars. Then fuzzed out guitars begin a wall of sound. The vocals are relaxed, and harmonized, as all members of the band sing. As this was before the majority of alternative music took off, it sounds like it fits in perfectly with zuxxed out rock tracks like Screaming Trees or Flowerhead. There is a musical change toward the end of the song, if only for a few seconds, where the song’s momentum speeds up, like the song is coming out of the darkness, then the bass drags it back down.

“Freedom Asking” has a fast driving guitar, followed by drums that remind me of helmet. The momentum breaks for the chorus, and it sounds a little British, like a dense version of the Posies. I could see this being a fun song to see live. This song possesses a weird hybrid between jangle pop and speed metal.

“Head On” has a funky intro with fuzzy guitars. Vocals are female, but powerful and driving in a monotone fashion (a little like Devo). It has a good prog-metal chorus of vocals for the chorus.

“We” is a driving song with unappealing vocals (to me at least). The revving guitar chords are good.

“Machine” has a watery bass hook at the start, and pounding, pressing drums that are matched by heavy guitars. There are some interesting vocals echoing in the background, but overall, the song kind of drags along. It’s just missing one element to make it really punch effectively.

“Dahlia” has whiney I don’t care vocals at the outset, that build with a melody all their own, into a head banging, metal number, reminding me of the less melodic Life Of Agony stuff. The end of the song feels unnecessarily rushed toward the end.

“Opus” begins the second side with a very watery, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin style bass that gets buried beneath metal guitars and vocals that are trying too hard, but come off a little flat. The song feels like it goes too long, then it just abruptly stops.

“Poison Lung” has a complex driving melody with a couple layers of guitars, a funky bass line, and a solid and steady drum. There is a bit of powerpop at the root of this song, in the chord changes. But again, the vocals just feel a little flat, and uninspired. The end has a very Janes Addiction wind down (before Janes was doing it), and the song is politically charged about the environment, so that’s good.

“Everlast” has loud droaning guitars played in a pop punk fashion. The vocals sound cold and aggressive, and the song really stomps forward with its head down. The chorus is a chanting hard core, call and response style. Immediately following the chorus, the music changes direction to be much more straight forward and driving. There is a big pause, and a much more metal (yet harmonized) chant starts. The song gets back to the initial head down stomp, and ends on a power chord.

“Ode to Sabine County” begins with single syllable chants, and driving metal guitars, which make up the verse. What seems to be an instrumental song then changes after two run throughs, and is becomes much more methodical and dark. This is the song that features the spoken/shouted word anger/political poem by their friend Juliana Luecking. After the line about a black man being beaten to death, the song cycles back to the initial chanting, and drives on to the end.

“Sacred Minds” again feels like a British psychedelic jangle song overlayed on metal guitars and bass. There are some good harmonies here, that get lost in the heavy instrumentation.

“Johnny Greed” is folksy with an acoustic guitar and cymbal tambourine percussion. This feels like a hippie demo of what is in their minds before they add all the heavy shit. This is like stage one, before a song like Sacred Mind and Freedom Asking is a hybrid, then there is the rest of the album. The song kicks it into a higher gear with the chorus of shouting, with feedback and distortion layered underneath as if to give prove to their metal cred.

Stand Out Track: Freedom Asking

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Face Dancer - This World

Artist: Face Dancer
Album: This World
Year: 1979
Style: Rock / Prog / Power Pop
Similar Bands: Yes, Bad Company, Cheap Trick, Queen, Journey, Black Crows, J. Geils
"One-Word" Review: Bar Room Rock
Based Out Of: Washington DC
Label: EMI, Capitol

This World - Cover & Sleeve

This World - Back & Sleeve (autographed!)
This World - Record

This World (1979)

1. Red Shoes 2:30
2. Can't Stand Still 2:37
3. Change 3:39
4. If I Could Kiss You 3:22
5. The Sphinx 3:31 /
6. Cry Baby 4:59
7. Heart's At Home 2:48
8. Hard To Please 2:46
9. Time Bomb 3:20
10. When You Said 2:38

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Carey Kress - Vox (Hi-Fi)

Scott McGinn - Bass, Keys, Vox (Growing Up Different, The Sleepwalkers, Fidders)

Billy Trainor - Drums (Growing Up Different)
Jeff Adams - Guitar (Starkey Drive)
David Utter - Guitar, Vox (Fast Eddie, Fidders)
Richie Wise - Producer (Kiss), Mixer
Robert Aiss - Exec. Producer, Management
Doug Rider - Engineer, Mixer
Ron St. Germain - Engineer
Bob Merritt - Engineer
D.C. Snyder - Engineer
Joe Chiccarelli - Engineer
Ira Leslie - Asst. Engineer
Mike Beiriger - Asst. Engineer
Linda Corbin - Asst. Engineer
Sherry Klein - Asst. Engineer
Mitch Gibson - Asst. Engineer
Ken Perry - Mastering
Roy Kohara - Art Direction
Art Sims - Design
Ron Slenzak - Cover Photo
Jim McCrary - Group Photp
Daniel Catherine -Color Effects

Unknown-ness: I never heard of these guys, but the definite prog cover...a metaphoric flat earth, trapped in a Superman-like 2-d jail hovering in space over a digital longitude and latitide earth (presumablly), amde it interesting. As most music from 1979, it can be quite the suprise package, of good rock hidden beneath packaging nightmares, but I have a feeling this is going to be an arena, AOR, rock record. Dreams of a sell-out stadium, but only half-filling a club seems to be the idea i'm drawing.

Album Review: Apparently these guys were local favorites in the Baltimore/Washington DC area, and have even recently (10 yrs recently) performed successful reunion shows. But they were your basic rock/prog/guitar rock band with catchy layered songs and no record company push to make them big. The kind of band that seems to have been a dime-a-dozen back in the late 70's. Oh, and the name comes from the Dune universe. Totally Prog.

“Red Shoes” is a powerful introduction to the band. It is full of swagger and a bar room rock band feel. It contains confidence, and a chorus of shouts mixed in with the smooth vocals for the verse. Its like a jangely Black Crows or J. Geils Band. The end of the song features a long and meandering guitar solo.
“Can't Stand Still” is full of 70’s power rock. This is a little more dark and lurky than the opening track. The guitar solo is used in the middle of the song, and feels much more a part of the song this way. The build into the chorus is catchy, if anything, a little too short.
“Change” begins with an organ, sounding slightly carnival in nature. And the song picks up with the style and creeks into a slow groove. The vocals remind me of Queen here. It feels like it is building toward something more powerful. When the power does come, it is still with the same slow groove, not a change of pace like I was hoping for. Until we get to the 2:10 mark, the song takes off and feels like Queen still, but covering a Twisted Sister song. And it stays rocking out to the end.
“If I Could Kiss You” notes their power-ballad. It has strong power pop hooks, and emits a confident tempo. It feels like a Journey song: something I suspected they would eventually get around to sounding like, but finally, here it is.
“The Sphinx” returns to the dirty & gritty bar band sound. It just sounds sleazy. Even the chorus, which features a nice harmonized group effort, reeks of spandex and hair. The guitar has the same tone and quality as the iconic “Money For Nothing” guitar. A lead guitar solo wraps the song and the side up nicely.

“Cry Baby” was the favorite track from a couple of fan reviews I read. It begins with a section that sounds like royalty entrance music. Then the bass line comes in and the tone drastically changes to be darker. The instrumentation seems simpler in this song. The bass carries a nice and fun groove through out the song. And the synth brings back the royal treatment. It is a clash of two styles, and it is meshed well together. It is a little drawn out with the guitar and extended repetition of the chorus, but it too finishes well.
“Heart's At Home” is another ballad-type. It is begins quiet and the vocals are sung over faint guitars. Then it kicks in a little with drums, and over all, the feel of the song is sadness.
“Hard To Please” immediately sounds like another song I can’t quite place right now, but the melody is racing through my head…wait…it’s a Phil Collins song…”That’s All”…actually a Genesis song. This song has the same sound to the background, it is just executed a little differently. Actually, “That’s All” is a few years after this, so perhaps it was stolen that way. I cannot review this; because I just keep thinking that it’s gonna break into the more familiar melody. But over all, it feels like it breaks style for the band/album a little.
“Time Bomb” blends right into the end of the previous song, and this song starts as only vocals and bass. The vocals have a bit of augmentation on them, where they ring out in reverb in the back. Then the chorus hits in duplication, and it feels like a straight forward head-banging metal track. The guitar in the instrumental section is really fun, and feels video-gamey. The back and forth rhythm really stands apart and is a shining moment on this album. They could just stick with the simple head banging stomp, but they change and do more with the melody and that is a fun and great thing. And at the end I just got a slap in the face that the bass line reminds me of Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop.”
“When You Said” sounds like a Bee-Gee’s pre-disco post 60’s ballad. It is quiet, whispy and poppy. It is a nice orchestral, mood softening closing song.

Stand Out Track: Time Bomb 

Links:
allmusic
official website
Myspace
Facebook
Rate Your Music
MD Party Message Board
The Fidders
Ear Candy mag Interview
Schlockmania Blog
Balti Style Mag

The Hard Tomorrows - 5 Songs

Name: The Hard Tomorrows
Album: 5 Songs
Year: 2004
Style: Emo Rock
Similar Bands: Muse, Ours, New Radicals, Radiohead
"One Word" Review: fake-caring-radio-falsetto
Based Out Of: Washington, DC
Label: self released

5 Songs - A cover, Liner Notes & Back

5 Songs - Covers & CD

5 Songs (2004)

1. Put Yourself Out 3:39
2. Jaywalker 3:22
3. Dear Mary 3:05
4. I Never Write Anyone 2:45
5. Stay Cool / Take Down 7:40

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

Rob Pierangeli - Guitar, Vox (the Glaciers)

Rishi Chakrabarty - Guitars, Harmonium

Mike Tasevoli - Drums

Paul Michel - Bass, Keys, Vox

Steve Cooper - Mix, Producer

Kyle Downes - Engineered, Producer

Alan Douches - Mastered

Sarah Claxton - Photographs

Becky Schmidt - Illustrations/Design

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. But I found this in a CD bin at a pawn shop out in Las Vegas, and got this for the simple, cool, bright, colorful yet dark artwork. This is just a 5 (6) song ep, but I love the bare bones layout and 3 alternate covers. The presentation sets the musical expectation to be high on the creative, witty and deep scale, so I hope the music holds up.

Album Review: So far I like this short CD, all of the songs are near or under three and a half minutes, assuming the last “hidden” track song has dead space. The EP begins with “Put Yourself Out.” Jangley guitars, echoey organ and a light drum beat start off the song. The vocals sound like they have a slight distortion added, and they are sung with controlled emotion. I can’t place who the vocals sound like, but they sound like a mish-mosh of many radio-alternative songs: part Eels and part New Radicals. It is a catchy song, but does not stand out an incredible amount. “Jaywalker” is next, and has a quietly-fuzzed shredding guitar over two notes. The fuzz is dropped and the vocals sore ala Muse or Ours. These songs really bring out the emo aspect of their music, the lead guitar is dark and brooding, and their slightly start/stop guitar work try to squeeze them into the Franz Ferdinand type rock, but it just doesn’t hold up that well. “Dear Mary” begins with a religious choir of cooing vocals. Then the guitars and drums pick up, in a complex and interesting melody, similar to the Sugarplastics. The band relies heavily on the twangy guitar and deep bass combination. The vocals are subdued, but they have the ability to soar at any second. The song unfortunately picks up with a different musical arrangement, and the vocals do become emotional, the music does not follow the transition. “I Never Write Anyone” is a loud rocking song, with plenty of drive and note-held vocals. But this is also a very noisy track, and the music suffers, except when it breaks free in support of the vocals. “Stay Cool” is the final track, but I read that it is 7+ minutes because there is a hidden mostly instrumental track following. This song is a quiet, Radiohead-ish ballad. It flows like a sea shanty waltz. The vocals are haunting, and are enhanced by echoing vocals layered deep down in the track. A buzzing period around 2:30is followed by a pick up in energy and emotion. After its climax, it settles back down before it ends at 4:05. But then, at 6 minutes, the bonus track entitled “Take Down” (thanks to Better Propaghanda’s website) begins with fuzz guitars and buzzing chords. Some emo yells are the only vocals on this wailing guitarist centerpiece. And like the quick burst that it is, it ends just as suddenly.

Stand-Out Track: Put Yourself Out

Links:

Becschmidt - artwork

Allmusic

Myspace

DC Live Review 2/23/06

Exitfare

Better Propaghanda

Underrated Blog

CD Baby

Smudge of Ashen Fluff
BYT.com

On Tap

Walter Egan - Fundamental Roll

Name: Walter Egan
Album: Fundamental Roll
Year: 1977
Style: Country Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Foghat, Dave Edmunds, J Geils Band, ZZ Top
"One-Word" Review: small-town-country-bar-band
Based Out Of: Jamacia, NY / D.C.
Label: Columbia, CBS

Fundamental Roll - Cover & Sleeve Picture
Fundamental Roll - Back & Sleeve Notes
Fundamental Roll - Record

Fundamental Roll (1977)

1. Only The Lucky 3:00
2. Won't You Say You Will 4:09
3. Waitin' 3:43
4. Feel So Good 4:30
5. Yes I Guess I Am 4:12/
6. When I Get My Wheels 3:06
7. Where's The Party 3:07
8. She's So Tough 3:28
9. Tunnel O' Love 3:51
10. I'd Rather Have Fun 3:39
11. Surfin' & Drivin' 3:17

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

Walter Egan - Music & Lyrics, Vox, Guitar, Producer (Spirit)

John Ware - Drums

John Sell - Bass

Bill Coumo - Keys

Lindsey Buckingham - Guitar, Vox, Producer (Fleetwood Mac)

Stevie Nicks - Vox, Producer (Fleetwood Mac)

Gary Rowles - Guitar

Dennis Mansfield - Drums

Dean Torrence - Vox

Duane Scott -Producer, Engineer

Tori Swenson - Asst Engineer

Greg Lewerke - Direction

David Krebs - Direction

Steve Leber - Direction

Ria Lewerke - Art Direction, Album Design

Moshe Brakha - Photograhy

Jim Goble - Asst Photography

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of Walter Egan. As for why I bought it, I saw that he was a potentially good singer/songwriter, and the date was good, 1977. I did not particularly notice the pedophiliac back cover until later, so I cannot admit to that having anything to do with my purchase. I guess I was just expecting him to be the front man to some more famous group before he went solo here.

Album Review: The album begins with “Only the Lucky,” a dual vocal overlaid smooth pop number. It has a nice dancey beat, but the production falls on the lighter side of pop-rock. Even the lead electric guitar seems subdued. “Won’t You Say You Will” follows up with a slower stumbling rhythm and an odd sounding synthesized effect. Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham back up in vocals here, and they do give the slow, near-country song some depth. “Waitin’” begins as a funky bass/guitar groove. The song somewhat abandons that theme for a more southern bluesy journey with a country-electric guitar. There is a long instrumental ending, even though the song is only 3:45 long. “Feel So Good” slowly fades in the stomp bass and country guitar, as well as the Fleetwood backing vocals. The chorus is more rock-pop, but the song is basically another middle-American rock-pop number. “Yes I Guess I Am” starts out with vocals only of Egan singing and Nicks Ooo-ing. I could see the imagery in the song’s chorus and instrumental break as an electric guitar being rocked out on in a wind tunnel, as if the power of rock was creating the tornado of force. But in the song’s reality, no such force is even close to being created.

“When I Get My Wheels” starts off with a great pop-rock base. Start stopping vocals and guitar licks pace the song out, so that when the chorus is fluid, it is enjoyed and much anticipated. It lacks the country production, which is a very good thing for this pop song. Nicks adds to the song too, backing up the chorus. “Where’s the Party” feels like a bluesy, small town bar jam, slipping into country with the guitars once in a while. “She’s So Tough” is more of the same small-town bar & country rock. It is a slow, lazy paced rock song. “Tunnel O’ Love” is a down and dirty, slinking rock number. It is kinda repetitive and boring. “I’d Rather Have Fun” begins, and it feels like it is going to launch into “Slow Ride” by Foghat. It has that same road weary traveling tempo. “Surfin’ & Drivin’” is the final song, and it starts off with a engine revving, and a lazy, tranquil guitar. It then picks up with jammy rhythm and haphazardly played guitar. It ends the album with an abrupt guitar stop and the engine taking off for the distance.

The best two track lead off both sides to the album, they are the least country tinged songs.

Stand Out Track: When I Get My Wheels

Links:

Walter Egan - Allmusic

Walter Egan - Wikipedia

Walter Egan - Myspace

Walter Egan & Walternative Band - Myspace

Walter Egan - Official Site

Walter Egan - Fan Site

Charlie & The Pep Boys - Daddy's Girl

Name: Charlie & The Pep Boys
Album: Daddy's Girl
Year: 1976
Style: Southern/Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Rolling Stones, Mooney Suzuki, J Geils Band
"One-Word"Review: Dirty 70's Rock
Based Out Of: Washington DC?
Label: A&M

Daddy's Girl - Cover & Record
Daddy's Girl - Back & Record

Daddy's Girl (1976)

1. Daddy's Girl - 3:21
2. Right as Rain - 3:16
3. Still Thiniing About You 4:07
4. Seven Come Eleven 3:58
5. Give Me More 3:29/
6. Give Her Up 3:27
7. Walk Out 4:04
8. Dispair 3:07
9. Lara 3:16
10. The Storm Has Passed 4:22

Album Rating (1-10):
6.5

Members & Other Bands:
Alan Adkins - Guitar
Bobby Manriquez - Guitar
Charles Woods Pearson - Vocals
Craig Ryan - Trumpet
Lefty Potomac - Keys, Backing Vox
Michael Shear - Sax
Michael Zack - Drums
Michael Stern - Guitar
Rolf Hanson - Bass
Nils Lofgren - Producer
Art Linson - Exec Producer
Gart St. Clair - Backing Vox
Bob Dawson - Engineer
Roland Young - Art Direction
Junie Osaki - Design
John Cabalka - Design
Steve Silverstein - Photo Front
Flag Studios - Photo Back

Unknown-ness: I had never heard of these guys. From the cover, I wanted to buy the album. It looks extremely low budget, like a juvenile inside joke that just comes off zany or wacky to those who aren’t in the know. But there is an energy in the choice of imagery in the cover. The filthy old man smirk with ice cream for the inflatable doll, is properly titled, (and doubles as the album title) DADDY’S GIRL. But the back imagery shows an all-business rock band, in leather jackets and long hair, and they leave all the joking on the cover, showing that there are (literally) two sides to the band.

Album Review: The first song “Daddy’s Girl” shows the band trying to sound like the Rolling Stones, especially in the vocal style. The exception is that they add a saxophone to their rock and roll style. It is an energetic first track, where you can almost see the high leg kicks and over exaggerated emotional expressions. A drum lick and spacey guitar effect start off Right as Rain. This follows suit as another rocking song, but it lacks the energy in the title track. Even its whining guitar solo cannot pick up the flatness and lack of energy of the vocals. “Still Thinking About You” has a light island-feel. It is easy listening 70’s rock, more Air Supply than the Stones. “Seven Come Eleven” features the sax again prominently in the beginning. Then the song bounces into a strong pop song through its guitar hook, and light Jagger-esq vocals. Unfortunately the Sax makes the song too light jazzy for my taste and ruins the otherwise good song. “Give Me More” is back to the southern bluesy rock formula in the first two tracks with wailing guitars, and a tinkling piano.

“Give Her Up” starts Side B with a dirty pub rock-pop song. But the song blossoms into a good pop song with the repetitive title, and fun melody. “Walk Out” is a choppy song, the musical pieces don’t feel like they fit together completely at first, but they come together in something of a psychedelic bridge into the chorus. “Despair” starts off with a near dance groove, but the guitars come in mimicking a steel drum, creating the island sound again. The song remains bouncy, but the vocals accent comes off somewhat silly. It is a very upbeat song for a depressing subject like despair. “Lara” is not the typical about-a-girl-ballad that most albums from the 70’s aimed for. It has more character, and depth than a sad story of longing for an unattainable girl. This song poses the storyteller as being comfortable, because he is actually with Lara. “The Storm Has Passed” is a swaying, waltzing paced song. This is the slow-dance ballad on the album, full of soul and gospel style vocals and a church organ. This is a Gospel Blues Ballad.

Stand-Out Track:
Daddy's Girl

Links:
Charlie & The Pep Boys - allmusic
Charlie & The Pep Boys - A&M music
Charlie & The Pep Boys - MSN Music
Charlie & The Pep Boys - Diamente Music
Charlie & The Pep Boys - A&M Discussion Topic