Chucky
Danger “Colours” SoCan
Youthful Nova Scotians
mesh recycled blues rock and 70’s siren guitar riffs with
gleaming pop harmonies for one of the most fun releases
of ‘06. Terrific but simple hook-laden rockers like “Sweet
Symphony” and “Shades of Gray” counter-point deftly with
sanguine and sweet ballads like the chiming “Shining Stars”.
Throw in the lilting and chunky folk-rock shuffle of “Beautiful
Mistake”. Familiar, propulsive, energetic; this should
be on every kid’s IPod soundtrack – this Canadian quartet
have a bright future.
Guggenheim
Grotto “Waltzing Alone” UFO
A breakout record from these Irish archivist poets. Murky and brooding; lovely
and rocking, in a steady, mid-tempo way. There is an autumnal chiaroscuro and
resignation throughout, and even when the numbers rock a bit, it is highly
personal and lovelorn in its impact. Low key fingerpicked acoustic guitars
with buzzing fuzz guitars churning beneath. Silky harmony vocals with penetrating
and off kilter, but affecting lyrics. Under the radar, and released in Europe
in late 2005.
Josh
Ritter “The Animal Years” V2
The head of the class
in young singer –songwriters. Ritter has matured fast, and
his image-rich, poetic story-songs are instant cross-generational
classics. Mining the diverse influences of silent movie westerns,
rural campfires, and world wars, this is diverse and “Wolves”
clicks along on bedrock driving piano, while “Monster Ballads”
conjures a late night semi-conscious desert dreamscape of
reverby radio. “Thin Blue Flame” is a mind-expanding self-indulgent
wonder, and “Best of the Best” and “Good Man” ring with Ritter’s
trademark near self-doubt and yet upbeat personal affirmation.
A wonder of songcraft and melody.
Persephone’s
Bees “Notes from the Underworld” CBS
In the ‘tween and teen
pop sweepstakes, the P’s Bees come on with a crunching guitar
attack and body-slamming drive, then sugar coat the contents
with fluffy, cheesy keyboards, and Angelina Moysov’s chirpy
sweet vocals. This debut is a raucous, peppy, and grave-digging
exercise in mining everything from Beatles to the 60’s one
hit wonders Looking Glass. Every riff is borrowed and reconstituted
into a frothy, happy mix, surf guitars chiming on the Russian
vocal “Muzika Dlya Fil’ma” and the cunning and peppy Razr
phone advert “Nice Day”. Innocent dance fun.
Wailin’
Jennys “Firecracker” Red House
Angel-voiced Canadian
Chanteuse folksters transcend girl group cuteness with subtly
nuanced album of stellar writing and folk-soul playing. Lovely,
searing and spine tingling harmonies with stark, clever and
resonant compositions. Nikki Mehta, Ruth Moody and Annabelle
Chvostek have combined for a lush and rootsy sonic palette.
Something gets under your skin with these ambient yet surrounding
compositions.
The
Weepies “Say I Am You” Nettwerk/EMI
Steve Tannen and Deb
Talan have toiled in anonymity over the course of two independent
releases before signing to Nettwerk. This subtle, sneaky
sweet album is enriched by the guy-girl harmonies of T & T. Their voices merge in a sad-sweet way, low and heartbreaking. The songs are
short, to the point love songs, aching ballads and somber
lullabies. Underappreciated and pop bliss.
Dar
Williams “My Better Self” Razor & Tie
One of the strongest
and most plangent voices in the female singer/songwriting
circles. Beautiful and solid production enhances, not overpowers,
her lithe, yet muscular vocal delivery. A crack folk rocking
backing band gives real thrust to Neil Young’s “Everyone
Knows this is Nowhere”. “My Enemy” and ‘My Better Self’ are
her strong personal statements to date.’ Throw in the odd
cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” and the menu is
complete. Strong writing about family heritage, political
disillusionment and one-on-one relationships that ring true.
Mindy
Smith “Long Island Shores Vanguard
One of the most pure
country folk voices to emerge in years, Smith is a country
songwriter, and a minstrel of her native Long Island rural
and family heritage and power packed novellas of relationships.
The production is polished without being saccharine or smarmy,
and her poetic delivery and crystalline voice are arresting.
Grandadbob
“Garden of Happiness” Southern Fried
The most unexpected and
convoluted amalgam of pop, folk and beatbox this year. “Come
with Me” is without doubt the catchiest pop confection of
the year. Skipping from sugar-coated pop with dancing synthesizers,
to burnished acoustic guitar rhythms, it is the most eclectic
and odd release, dicing up sugary female vocals, bleeping
synth lines, symphonic horn charts, dripping strings and
dissonant rants. Yeah….it’s that good.
Rhett
Miller “The Believer” Verve Forecast
Unleashing his more pop
side on this folk-rock gem, The Olds 97 leader shows that
he has the chops for 3-minute odes to heartbreak and redemption,
as well as buoyant and acidic ballads “I Believe She’s Lying”.
This is hard-charging roots rock and quick strummed gems.
“Help Me Suzanne” is a classic chiming acoustic rocker.
Jackie
Greene “American Myth” Verve Forecast
Another vastly underrated
“new Dylan”, Greene’s second album is ragged and burly and
tender and a roots rocking gem. He does the Grateful Dead
justice and hammers and wails with some Exile On Main Street
Stone’s swagger. His imagery is perversely vivid and insanely
personal. He gets better and better.
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Dave
Leonatti is a Springfield architect, free-lance writer and self-professed
music nut. He is in his 12th year writing music and performing
arts
reviews for the State Journal Register, and in his 9th year as
a Program Host at WUIS, starting with his original program Sunday
Nightsounds in the late 1980's.
