Category: music review

hard and easy

Great Big Sea shares some of their favorites from the vast collection of traditional tunes from Newfoundland.


by Great Big Sea

My review of Great Big Sea’s album The Hard and the Easy has been published on Blogcritics. Originally, I was supposed to be reviewing their live CD/DVD that came out last fall, but the publicist sent me that one instead. Unfortunately, that was last November and in the mean time I had misplaced it. Recently retrieved, I sat down this evening and wrote the review. It’s a good album of traditional songs — highly recommended for folk fans.

Newfoundland-based folk trio Great Big Sea (Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett, and Séan McCann) have been performing together for nearly fifteen years, and in that time they have recorded eight albums that feature a mix of original compositions and traditional songs from the Newfoundland area. The variety of oral and musical cultures that make up modern Newfoundland is a source for thousands of songs, and for their ninth album, The Hard and the Easy, the band decided to display some of the gems.

In addition to the exquisite recording and production work fans have come to expect from the group, the album includes a DVD that features each of the songs introduced by a member of the band and then performed in a casual setting, either on the back deck of a house, or in a living room party with friends and family.

americana

This fine compilation from Putumayo provides the listener with a little taste of everything that is defined as Americana music.


by Various Artists

My review of Putumayo Presents: Americana is available over at Blogcritics. It’s a great little compilation, as one might expect coming from Putumayo, and the perfect sampler modern Americana music.

Modern Americana music has its roots in the wide variety of musical styles from the cultures that make up the population of the United States. While it originally came from the Scottish and Irish music of the people who settled in Appalachia, over time other styles have been incorporated into the umbrella descriptor Americana music. For many, the definition of Americana music is fluid and often depends on the tradition from which the listener approaches it.


uh huh her

Leisha Hailey and Camila Grey have formed a new band together, and it’s definitely one to watch.

My review of Leisha Hailey and Camila Grey’s new band Uh Huh Her is up on Blogcritics.org. I received the EP I See Red in yesterday’s mail, and I was so excited about it that I immediately stuck it in the player. Some of you might recognize Leisha Hailey as a member of The L Word cast, and a few others might know her as one half of 90s folk/pop duo The Murmurs. My sister was the one who turned me on to The Murmurs — it was one of those rare occasions when our musical interests overlapped.

It is clear that Hailey and Grey know what they are doing and where they want this band to go. The two are approaching the collaboration from different perspectives and backgrounds, which can sometimes spell disaster, but if this EP is any indication, the combination will prove to be a successful one.

splish splash

Few musicians are able to create the atmosphere of a summer album. Glaser is one of them.


by Gabby Glaser

My slightly late review of Gabby Glaser’s solo album Gimme Splash is up on Blogcritics. I (heart) Luscious Jackson, so when I saw this come across the list for review, I immediately snagged it. Sort of makes up for missing the chance to review Jill Cunnif’s album earlier this year.

…taken as a whole, it is the perfect album for kicking back in your lawn chair while soaking up the summer sun. Few musicians are able to pull off what it takes to create that atmosphere. Glaser happens to be one of them.


music from Ghana

My review of a great album of highlife and Afrobeat music has been published on Blogcritics. It has been a lot of fun to listen to over the past couple of weeks. Sitting in a chair in front of a computer, the average person will burn about 1.6 calories per hour. However, if highlife music … Continue reading “music from Ghana”

My review of a great album of highlife and Afrobeat music has been published on Blogcritics. It has been a lot of fun to listen to over the past couple of weeks.

Sitting in a chair in front of a computer, the average person will burn about 1.6 calories per hour. However, if highlife music is playing in the background, I expect that number would be much higher. It is impossible to sit still when listening to this music. I find myself constantly tapping a foot, bopping my head, or swaying my torso along with the steady dance beats.

pilgrimage

Simple and luscious acoustic pop from Scotland.


by Amy Duncan

Imagine yourself lying in a sunny, comfortable place, with the window is open just enough to let a fragrant breeze flow through. There are no people sounds, just distant nature and the quiet of the wind. As your mind and body float in a half-asleep/half-awake state, everything seems just about perfect. This is the space and time that I am sent to when I listen to Amy Duncan's EP Pilgrimage.

Duncan is a classically trained double bassist who has lent her talents to a variety of artists in Scotland, including the now defunct band Swelling Meg. She has since stepped away from classical music and decided to focus on her songwriting, as well as piano and acoustic guitar skills. When she recorded Pilgrimage, she didn't intend for it to be distributed beyond her Edinburgh gigs, but San Francisco indie record label Plain Recordings (The Flaming Lips, My Bloody Valentine) discovered it on MySpace and picked it up.

The EP is a collection of eight tracks that tend to blur together in my mind, but in a good way. There are a few lines and hooks that stand out in particular, such as the doubled vocals in "Walk Away" ("be true to yourself, and everything will be right") or the tumbling fall of notes that cycle through "The Only Sound." Duncan's voice blends or contrasts perfectly with whichever instrument she chooses, guitar or piano. The song arrangements highlight the rich tones in her voice, regardless of the register in which she is singing.

Pilgrimage is simple and luscious acoustic pop that will be well received by shoegazers and folkies alike. Duncan is working on a full album, so when the thirty-five minutes of bliss ends, comfort yourself by playing it again and dreaming of the next collection of tunes.

originally published on Blogcritics

not so unusual

This is a solid collection of modern pop tunes that are worth giving a chance.


by Stacy Clark

Stacy Clark is a young singer/songwriter originally from Buffalo, New York, and now residing in Orange County, California. In the past two years, she has won several regional music awards and received attention from MTV and the Vans Warped Tour. What's surprising is that most of this attention has come from her four song EP, Unusual. Although she has a full album on the way, and her first recording from 2002, she seems to be doing quite well with such a small representation of her potential.

Frankly, I'm not surprised. Unusual is on par with the synth pop that has been generating underground hits in recent years (think Rachael Yamagata or The Postal Service). The title track, with its shimmery electronics and crystal clear vocals, lays the groundwork for the three that follow. The slower and more introspective "You Make It Worse" is a sudden shift from the danceable "Unusual," but it contains the lush arrangements that bring these four songs together. "Never" starts off like the preceding track, but it has a much harder element in the chorus, and the lyrics are of the "dammit, that weasel left me for another woman" variety. "Say What You Want" goes back to the shimmery electronics of "Unusual," but without the dance beat element.

Unusual is a fine collection of modern pop tunes. It doesn't stand out with any particular uniqueness, or make any dramatic statements, but it's a solid choice for something good to listen to. I expect that with time and experience, Clark will have more to say in her lyrics, but even if she doesn't, I'll be happy to continue to listen to the tunes.

originally published on Blogcritics

by ebb & by flow

The long awaited return of a fantastic Pacific Northwest singer/songwriter.

Years ago, I had a show called the Estrogen Nation that was broadcasted from a college radio station. I played all sorts of music from all over, with the only criteria being that it had to feature women as the lead musicians. In 2000, I attended the Folk Alliance conference in Cleveland, hoping to discover new artists to play on the radio, and that was where I first heard Alice Di Micele. I wandered into her showcase room by accident early on, and the music made me come back as often as I could throughout the rest of the weekend. I have been a fan ever since.

Di Micele has a voice that can command any room with the power and presence of it. She mainly sings in the lower registers, but her voice can soar high as well without losing any of its strength. She writes acoustic music with a jazz/rock/funk/blues soul to it that is seductively addictive. For the past five years, fans have had to make do with her seven album catalog while she took a break from writing, recording, and performing. Thankfully, the wait is over. by ebb & by flow was released recently, and it is evident that the intervening years have not diminished her musical prowess one bit.

photo of Alice Di Micele by David ShermanOne of my favorite tracks is the first one, entitled "Mexico." The music and lyrics are uplifting with a hint of calypso. In contrast, the track the follows ("Conjuring") is a slow waltz, and the lyrics are introspective. It contains this gem of a line, "time with a lover is time well worth spending when two hearts are feeling the same." These two songs are different in style and intent, and like the rest of the album, they hold the listener's attention with their unique strengths. It could be the hook, it could be the groove, or it could be the lyrics. Regardless, every tune on this album has something that says, "Listen. Absorb. Enjoy."

As one might expect from an album entitled by ebb & by flow, most of the songs reference water in some way or another. "Made Out of Water" is a toe-tapping gospel for naturalists that features some spine-tingling harmonies. Be sure to listen to the end of that one on headphones sometime. The titular line appears in "Made Out of Water," as well as the groovalicious tune "The Way Your Heart Pounds."

Even the old hymn "Wayfaring Stranger" includes a water reference in the chorus (the Jordan River). Unfortunately, it's also my least favorite song on the album. I first learned "Wayfaring Stranger" from singing The Sacred Harp version, and I prefer the more traditional arrangement. Di Micele sounds amazing in her jazzy/bluesy arrangement of the song, and it will probably appeal more to those who aren't as fond of old hymn singing as I am.

Normally, album fatigue sets in towards the final few tracks, but not on by ebb & by flow. The final song is "The Cottonwoods," and while it is mellower and sparser than the other songs, it maintains the energy and intensity that the album began with. In a way, it acts as a hook that causes the listener to unconsciously hit the play button again in a feeble attempt to make the album continue on. It's only a mild disappointment to realize that the music has ended, because it takes just a few easy clicks to start it back up again from the beginning.

Alice Di Micele is back on the scene, and music fans should sit up and listen if they know what's good for them.

also published at Blogcritics.org

Continue reading “by ebb & by flow”

three score and ten

Folk and traditional music fans will appreciate the intimacy of this live recording.


by Peggy Seeger

Peggy Seeger is not as well known in the United States as her more famous musical brothers Pete and Mike. Folk music fans and feminists likely recognize one of her most famous songs, "I'm Gonna Be an Engineer," but for the most part, Seeger remains under the radar of the general listening public, and it is our loss.

She approaches traditional folk music in a way that many do not, treating it with reverence, but also unafraid to have a bit of fun. Her own contributions are numerous. 149 of her best songs were collected together and published in The Peggy Seeger Songbook – Warts and All: Forty Years of Songwriting, and she has continued to write more songs since the book's 1998 publication.

Continue reading “three score and ten”

michelle mangione

Acoustic music fans take note: this album should be in your CD collection.

I have this theory that drummers who become acoustic singer/songwriters have more rhythmically interesting songs than many of their contemporaries. Michelle Mangione is another in my short but growing list of drummer-turned-guitarists that exemplify my theory.

Along with drums and guitar (steel string and nylon), Mangione plays the piano and organ, and she plays them well. Listening to Life Beneath the Sun, one would never know that it is an independent recording with only a handful of studio performers besides Mangione. The classical guitar instrumental "Interlude" shows off her chops on that instrument, just in case you hadn't figured it out by then.

Musically, she reminds me of Melissa Etheridge, but without the corporate rock sheen that has coated Etheridge's career. publicity photo of Michelle MangioneLyrically, she has a lot to say in her songs. The album contains excellent instrumentation, as mentioned before, however the production is done in such a way to emphasize the vocals — a hallmark of singer/songwriter albums. Very little obscures the message and poetry Mangione is trying to convey with the songs on Life Beneath the Sun.

"America the Blue" examines some of the hypocrisy practiced by Americans who revere and support our warriors until they come home. The topic is approached from the side and not a direct confrontation. "I met a hero at my doorstep / He only did what he had to do / He surely had found the American dream come true / He reached out for a nickel with his right hand / Another long, cold lonely night and / He never felt so red white and blue…" Even the poppy, head-bopping music doesn't convey any sort of preachiness. The song is particularly poignant given the reports of conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

The chorus of "Prisoner of War" is one that regularly plays on repeat in my mental jukebox. "Are you ready to release me / I am ready to be freed / You know I can't escape this feeling anymore / And if time is all it takes me / I will loosen up these chains / Just enough to make my getaway / And I won't be your prisoner of war…" I can't say I have ever been in a relationship where I have felt that sentiment, but I do like the imagery of the lyrics and the musical hook. Plus, the song incorporates one of my favorite unusual acoustic pop instruments: the accordion.

One of my complaints about singer/songwriters is that so many write songs that have a lot of "I" and "you" in them. Mangione is no different, but as a friend pointed out to me recently, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes writers need to have a period of introspection, or it could be that is where their talent lies. In this case, Mangione is able to convey all of her I's and you's in an interesting and mostly universal way, which is more than I can say for some writers.

Other stand-out songs on the album include "Anything Better," "I've Become," and "Man With a Gun." The album on a whole is a solid mix of toe-tappers and songs that make you go "hmmm…," and a few do both. Overall, I am pleased with Life Beneath the Sun. The production is well done, the songwriting is solid, and the musicians are on their game — good indicators of an album with some staying power.

Life Beneath the Sun is available from CDBaby and iTunes.

Also published on Blogcritics.org.

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