Redcast – S/T EP / 2007 Self / 5 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/redcast / This Oregon band teases fans with only five tracks on their self-titled EP. The disc’s opening salvo is “Besides Myselfâ€, a track which links together the style of early sixties pop with a contemporary brand of alternative rock. The linkage of these two styles seems odd at first, but Redcast are able to make this union work.…
Russ Glenn – A Brand New Earth / 2007 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.russglenn.com / If my math is right, this is Glenn’s fifth recording. Glenn started out with “Starshell†and “Evergoldâ€, took the next step up for 2003’s “Unlessâ€, and continued to refine and innovate on 2006’s “Little Birdâ€. In much the same way, Glenn has continued to evolve his unique brand of funk soul, and rock. The…
John Amen – Ridiculous Empire / 2007 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/johnamen / After seeing the front of the cover of “Ridiculous Empireâ€, I was expecting something related to punk, something angry, and something that looked to change things. I was right, but on the last count. The style of music that John Amen plays on his “Ridiculous Empire†plays on the protest music of the sixties. “Harbingers and…
Audiocrash – Time Sensitive Material / 2008 Dirty Garage / 10 Tracks / http://www.audiocrashmusic.com / “My Fault†begins with little more than a guitar softly strumming. The vocals come in soon after, with a sound that blends equal parts current Bon Jovi and Geddy Lee. The style of music that Audiocrash plays is a very time-tested brand of rock music, ultimately current but playing heavily on the classic rock genre.…
Kassin+2 – Furismo / 2008 Luaka Bop / 17 Tracks / http://www.luakabop.com / This is the third album by the +2s (each member of this trio has had an album named after them), and it becomes obvious that the act is hitting on all cylinders. Where we live in a period of song titles that have little to do with the song themselves, the opening salvo (“Tranquiloâ€) perfectly matches the…
The Dodos – Visiter / 2008 Frenchkiss / 14 Tracks / http://www.dodosmusic.net / http://www.frenchkissrecords.com / The Dodos were formally known as Dodo Bird, and signed to Frenchkiss Records a few months ago. “Visiter†is their first album for Frenchkiss, and the disc starts off with “Walkingâ€. “Walking†has a folk backdrop to the instrumentation, while the vocals take a slightly different tack in their alternative grounding. The linking of the…
V/A – 2008 Grammy Nominees / 2008 Hip-O / 21 Tracks / http://www.grammy.com / Â This compilation CD covers a wide set of genres and styles of music, and as one can probably guess, consists of those tracks that have been nominated for a Grammy. It is also easy to assume that individuals have heard most of these tracks a number of times; this CD looks to capture what were the…
OST: Juno / 2008 Rhino / 19 Tracks / http://www.foxsearchlight.com/juno / Juno was one of the most highly rated new movies on any movie-specific web site, and one of the major reasons why individuals were so into the movie was the fact that the music fit so well. This soundtrack, released by Rhino, captures all of the music in the movie, and expands the compositions from the clips played in…
Eric Sardinas – Eric Sardinas & Big Motor / 2008 Favored Nations / 11 Tracks / http://www.ericsardinas.com / I know that I had not heard of Favored Nations before picking up the latest Eric Sardinas album. Apparently, Steve Vai owns Favored Nations. This album is Sardinas’ fourth and first since 2003’s “Black Pearlsâ€. Sardinas’s style is very dependent on eir influences; individuals can immediately hear the work of individuals like…
Linda Eder – Greatest Hits / 2008 Rhino / 15 Tracks / http://www.lindaeder.com / http://www.rhino.com / Linda Eder is only 47, and at this point in eir career, has 11 different albums of material. Sure, there are Christmas albums and the Greatest Hits album in the mix, but one has to marvel at the sheer amount of music that Eder has created over the years. However, I know I was…
Linda Eder – Greatest Hits / 2008 Rhino / 15 Tracks / http://www.lindaeder.com / http://www.rhino.com / Linda Eder is only 47, and at this point in eir career, has 11 different albums of material. Sure, there are Christmas albums and the Greatest Hits album in the mix, but one has to marvel at the sheer amount of music that Eder has created over the years. However, I know I was…
Al Jarreau – Love Songs / 2008 Rhino / 14 Tracks / http://www.aljarreau.com / http://www.rhino.com / Al Jarreau has been around for a long period of time. While individuals that are in to contemporary music may remember eir duet with Paris Bennett during the 5th season of American Idol, Jarreau made a name for eirself through eir 1981 hit “We’re in this Love Together†as well as being a major…
William Hart Strecker – Smoke and Clouds / 2008 WHS / 13 Tracks / http://www.williamhartstrecker.com / Strecker’s “Smoke and Clouds†is the third foray into Americana music by this individual, who was previously known for touring with individuals as diverse as Dizzy Gillespie, George Duke, and Mariah Carey. If eir contributions to the works and live shows of those individuals has not rang a bell, Strecker is also well known…
Demeanor – Shoulders Full of Nazis / 2008 Mayday Mayday Records / 5 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/demeanorgrind Franklin Kentucky’s Demeanor brings a lot to the table. The two piece toured the country for nearly a year under the moniker Meandmyfriendcoty before changing their name to Demeanor and releasing “Shoulders Full of Nazis†on Mayday Mayday Records. My only complaint with “Shoulders full of Nazis†is that there isn’t more for me…
Chili Jackson – S/T / 2007 Conscious / 3 Tracks / http://www.consciousrecordsmusic.com / The soulful, slow style of rock that Chili Jackson plays does not have an easy set of influences to decipher. The style of music that Jackson opens up this self-titled disc, during “Whyâ€, is something that individuals have heard before but cannot pin down. The track is catchy and even sounds a little on the happy side…
Steve Lieberman – Shake The Missile Base / 2007 Self / 22 Tracks / http://www.gangstarabbi.com / Despite the fact that I already know most of the ongs that Lieberman puts on eir “cover†albums, I rather prefer the albums that have a large amount of unique material on them. This gives me more of a sense of what Lieberman wants to do with music, rather than having eir constrained by…
Steve Lieberman – Last of the Jewish Pirates / 2007 Self / 24 Tracks / http://www.gangstarabbi.com / Steve Lieberman has been cutting albums, one per year or more, for quite a while now. “Last of the Jewish Pirates†is the one of the latest albums from Lieberman, and ey places eir own spin on the tracks that have been the most influential in the creation of Lieberman’s own sound. This…
Teedo – You Are My Girl / 2007 ICBM / 4 Tracks / http://www.teedomusic.com / “You Are My Girl†is an EP that sets the stage for the band’s upcoming full length, which should be out before the end of 2008. The title track blends together a very “China Girlâ€-era Bowie with a set of instruments that call together a rich array of influences. These influences include early nineties alternative…
Lil Devious – You Control Me / 2007 Gung Ho / 5 Tracks / http://www.lildevious.com / http://www.gung-horecordings.com / This is the latest single from Lil’ Devious, Mark Baker and Gary Little, called “You Control Meâ€. “You Control Me†starts with little more than a back and forth drum beat, taking a good half minute before adding a little bit of atmospheric elements to the mix. The inclusion of synthesizer lines…
Diane Schuur – Some Other Time / 2008 Concord / 13 Tracks / http://www.dianeschuur.com / http://www.concordmusicgroup.com / Diane Schuur hit it big when Stan Getz had eir sing “Amazing Grace†at the 1979 version of the Monterey Jazz Festival. Schuuz was invited back in 1988 and 1991, but by that time, eir career had started to take off. To say that Schuur has a voluminous discography would be an understatement;…