Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews

THE GREAT AFFAIRS – Happy Ender EP

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The previous album from Murfreesboro, TN’s The Great Affairs (2010’s ‘Ricky Took The Wheels’) wasn’t a cast iron classic, but featured some great rootsy pop/rock tunes nonetheless.  During the first half of 2011, Great Affairs frontman Denny Smith turned his time towards other projects, including work his other band fORMER.   In between recording sessions for a fORMER LP, Smith and co recorded a handful of acoustic based numbers, which are presented on this EP.  While Smith is quick to point out this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of The Great Affairs forever, ‘Happy Endings’ is designed to provide a little closure for the first part of their career.

Whereas ‘Wheels’ showcased a mix of acoustic works and upbeat rock sounds from The Great Affairs’ repertoire, this EP is mellow – it’s six numbers concentrating more on the band’s acoustic rock and alt-country elements.  And since the previous full-length’s strongest parts were often its most laid-back, this release really shows the guys on top form.

‘Sick For Love’ sets the mood for most of the EP with its twin acoustic guitar framework.  Although it’s the solid rhythmic qualities providing the song’s main thrust, the featured solo (also acoustic based) has a timeless air.  These elements, when mixed with Smith’s slightly raspy voice, make this number comparable to The Faces in a rather melancholy mood.  ‘If I Know You’ doesn’t do much to change that said mood – but in honesty, it doesn’t need to.  There’s more of a harmony vocal than before (one which, perhaps, could have been a bit stronger), but the unfussy, Connells-esque arrangement is decent enough. ‘Stay Pretty’ features some top-notch slide acoustic/dobro work, while Matt Andersen’s basslines provide some great musical flourishes.  As is often the case, you’ll have heard similar stuff from various other Americana/acoustic bands, but even so, The Great Affairs more than hold their own here.  The superb arrangement makes it ‘Happy Ender’s best number – and it’s up against some strong competition.

For those looking for something with a more instant chorus, ‘Wild One’ is a track which more than supplies.  With a very memorable hook and vocal harmonies, this number would already be a strong one, but the addition of some electric guitar leads (very much in the country rock mould) really round out the sound.  It’s a shame the vocal seems to have been subjected to autotuning (purely for effect) on a couple of lines, but not to an extent it would spoil an otherwise great track. ‘See The Stars’ features another good mix of acoustic and electric guitar work, this time the electric leads come with a subtle ringing quality.  Musically, it’s great and should please all but the most stubborn fans of this kind of roots rock.  The songwriting doesn’t grab instantly, though, but a few plays in the pleasing melodies on the chorus start to stand out.  In contrast, ‘Bird on a Wire’ is definitely the EP’s rockiest number, since the acoustics are joined by an electric lead throughout.  Patrick Miller’s work is often sympathetic to the softer qualities of the music – his leads occasionally no more than punctuation – but by the track’s end, he can’t hold it in any longer.  During this rock-out moment, the band cut loose a little and Miller turns in a solo which would befit The Black Crowes, The Quireboys and their ilk.  It’s missing the good-time pub-rock piano, but even so, it’s a great number which sounds like it would work well within a live setting.

And so, after two full-length releases, these six songs close the door on the first part of a career.  If you liked ‘Ricky Took The Wheels’, chances are, you’ll really like ‘Happy Ender’.  If this is goodbye – at least for now – those who are likely to miss The Great Affairs have been given a superb parting gift.

 

June 2011

INCUBUS – If Not Now, When?

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Incubus’s fifth full length release ‘Light Grenades’ is often considered sub-par compared to the band’s previous releases.  True, it doesn’t always have the all-round sophistication of which Incubus are often capable, but it has a sense of energy within the songs.  That’s more than can be said for 2011’s ‘If Not Now, When?’, an album so underwhelming it may as well be audio wallpaper.  Its radio friendly sounds are as flat as the monochrome sleeve art.  As for the title, it almost sums up the feeling of actually waiting for Incubus to do something interesting.   Brandon Boyd puts in heartfelt (but ultimately very samey) vocal performances throughout, but the rest of the band do so little with the musical arrangements, half the time you have to ask if there’s a real band present here at all.  The album is approximately halfway through before a guitar puts in a proper appearance.  75% of the material sounds like Boyd has given some studio engineers a bunch of vocal tracks and asked them to create some musical backdrops.  Most of the songs are completely one-paced with no real peaks, and as a result, nothing here maintains interest for very long.

The sense of doubt regarding this album creeps in quickly, since the disc begins with a pedestrian tune which sounds like it ought to be the mellow number closing the first half.  With a rigid drum pattern, the title cut opens the disc with something more akin to Coldplay or Snow Patrol than Incubus.  The lyrics appear to have a religious bent (which doesn’t help the enjoyment especially); and after a minute or so, nothing’s different: the drum maintains its original click-track style, some bass and keyboards flesh out the sound and the song strolls along never really hitting anything resembling a climax.  ‘Promises, Promises’ is slightly better thanks to the presence of a piano, but is still best described as middling alt-pop music.

‘Friends and Lovers’ may boast the sound of a kettle drum, but it’s punctuating an arrangement which is incredibly bland.  Once again, Boyd’s vocal is fine, but the rest of the band kind of tinker sheepishly with their instruments barely making the smallest of rumbles.  By the time Ben Kinney’s bass even becomes audible, he’s just hitting the odd note to help accompany Boyd on the quietest of moments.  ‘Tomorrow’s Food’ doesn’t really rise above new-age plinky-plunkiness.  It could be said that Mike Einzinger’s finger-picked guitar is well played, but after a couple of minutes it gets boring – all style and no substance.  The instrumental jam which makes up the second half of ‘Company of Wolves’ provides a little light at the end of the tunnel, but even then Incubus sound relatively unenthused.  With its acoustic roots, ‘Isadore’ is okay as far as it goes, in as much that Boyd is vocally strong and the band are tight enough, but it’s still half a world away from more traditional Incubus.  Due to it’s general lack of anything resembling a chorus, though, this is just another number which can be forgotten almost as soon as it’s finished.  The band takes the full acoustic route with the short ‘Defiance’, which has an intro which calls to mind a couple of Led Zeppelin’s gentler numbers.  Like most of ‘If Not Now, When?’, it never quite reaches its full potential, but at least it’s short…

It’s only really with ‘Switchblade’s funk edge things improve noticeably, since here, Incubus actually sound like a real band again.  The drumming has a nice offbeat style, the bass lines actually have a presence and the guitar riffs bring a slightly edgy tone.  Despite a huge step in the right direction, it’s still far from classic Incubus, since in truth, a few years earlier, this would have been considered filler.  Despite a reasonable riff a which hits relatively hard coupled with a great vocal, the single release ‘Adolescents’ still a sense of “could try harder”.  There’s the feeling of a ‘Make Yourself’ leftover surrounding this track, but at least the band sound like a band pulling together once again, and not just a bunch of guys backing Boyd’s vocals and lyrics.  Even Einzinger gets an opportunity to play a fairly upfront guitar solo.  It’s a shame they couldn’t have found a better chorus, but at least they sound like they’re actually interested in what they’re doing.

It’s hard to believe we waited almost five years for Incubus to return and this is all we get.  Two half decent songs?  Representing the sound of “alternative” music which sounds like it was written with the shopping mall in mind, ‘If Not Now, When?’ is a seriously dull record.  The idea of a band wanting to record something more commercial is fine, but this release is severely lacking in anything which grabs the attention.  ‘Switchblade’ aside, there’s barely a hint of ‘Nice To Know You’ or ‘Anna Molly’ here, let alone the crunchiness ‘Privilege’ or the brilliant funkiness of ‘The Warmth’.  It has far more in common with Brandon Boyd’s alt-pop solo release ‘The Wild Trapeze’ than anything released under the Incubus name previously.  If you want the Brandon Boyd show, then fine, but there’s so more to Incubus than that…or at least there used to be.

According to Boyd, the band “recorded these songs at the same time as writing them…a process [they]’ve never done before”.  In which case, maybe it’s a process they shouldn’t try again in the future.  Maybe spending some time actually analysing the material after it was written could have given the band a bit more perspective; perhaps they could have looked at these songs and realised how lacking most of them are.

July 2011

JUDAS PRIEST – Sad Wings Of Destiny

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Judas Priest’s debut album, 1974’s ‘Rocka Rolla’ hints at a potentially very talented band, but is ultimately let down by some plodding arrangements and somewhat leaden production values.  Everything about Priest’s second album, ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’ (issued by Gull Records in 1976) is in a completely different league, right down to the fantastic album artwork (‘Fallen Angels’ painted by Patrick Woodroffe).

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FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE – Sky Full Of Holes

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I first encountered Fountains of Wayne back in the late 90s, since I had a friend who was a fan of their 1996 self-titled debut.  In the summer of 1997 I saw the band at the Reading Festival, though I must confess, they didn’t make a lasting impression.  I all but forgot about them over the following years, until sometime in 2003 when ‘Stacy’s Mom’ became a hit in the UK.  As a piece of fairly throwaway power pop, it was a fantastic single. It’s parent album ‘Welcome Interstate Managers’ featured some other great tunes too, and 2007’s ‘Traffic and Weather’ was potentially even better.  I just wish I could remember more about seeing Fountains of Wayne live a decade earlier…

If you approach Fountains of Wayne’s 2011 release ‘Sky Full of Holes’ expecting to hear lots of similarly structured power pop as featured on those earlier discs you may be in for a surprise, since huge chunks of the album are devoted to the band’s more downbeat, less immediate qualities.

The acoustic rhythm which provides the base for ‘A Summer Place’ is complimented by a decent bassline from Adam Schelsinger. While the tune is pleasant enough, the vocal has a nasal quality which can be slightly irritating, especially on a few of the longer notes.  It’s not the best of opening tracks… ‘Richie and Ruben’ follows with a mid-paced pop/rock outing, which again has a heavy bias towards acoustic work.  A piano accompaniment rounds out the sound, but despite the presence of a kitschy keyboard and handclaps, there’s something very much missing here…there’s no memorable hook. The chorus – if you could call it that – sounds like a pre-chorus; just as you’re expecting things to break into something bigger, you get left hanging.  Two songs in and ‘Sky Full of Holes’ sounds like it could be a massive disappointment…

And then the bouncy piano line which cuts through the heart of ‘Acela’ appears.  Coupled with a very Beatles styled vocal, it would be tempting to call this McCartney-esque, but there’s something more to it than that.  As the track progresses with some great interplay between the piano and a solid drum arrangement (courtesy of Brian Young), that other element soon becomes apparent:  this has a feel which isn’t too far removed from Crowded House’s rockier moments – and that’s something which is often welcome.  Everything’s nice and tight and although the song still doesn’t quite hit that “instant gratification” button, the band certainly sound more energized here.  And when ‘Someone’s Gonna Break Your Heart’ follows, brimming with harmony vocals, a decent chorus and an occasional stabbing piano, there’s a feeling of a band hitting their stride.  ‘A Dip In The Ocean’ is another upbeat piece of brilliance, allowing Young to showcase his hi-hat work which keeps things buoyant throughout.  The guitars chime in a classic Big Star fashion and the gang vocals really give things a full sound.  In short, this track is a piece of power pop genius.  These three songs definitely make up for any shortcomings on those earlier numbers.

Elsewhere, the album is understated and rather more mature in sound. ‘A Road Song’ reinstates those acoustics, but brings in a new element – in this case, a subtly used steel guitar.  This acoustic sound, harmony vocals and a slight country air push Fountains of Wayne into a musical world somewhere between Jackson Browne, The Thorns and early Wilco.  While it’s not especially likely you’ve bought a FOW album to experience Americana styles, the band sound relaxed and natural in this particular musical vein.  So much so, they follow this up with the similar-ish sounding ‘Workingman’s Hands’ which keeps in the harmonies and acoustics, but eschews some of that steel guitar for a gently played slide and occasional piano flourish.  ‘Hate to See You Like This’ makes no attempt at breaking any relatively downbeat vibes.  A steady backbeat on the drums gives the number a brooding atmosphere, while acoustic and electric rhythm guitars punctuated by clanging piano chords provide the main tune.  Vocally, the harmonies give things a lift, and eventually, this well-constructed number sounds not unlike something which could have been written by Scott Janovitz and his Boston outfit The Russians.

Naturally, some of you will be approaching this album looking for a sing-along opportunity a la ‘Stacy’s Mom’ and if it’s only with ‘Radio Bar’ (track 11 of 13) that ‘Sky Full of Holes’ comes close to that.  With the addition of a trumpet and glockenspiel, Fountains of Wayne launch into a tune that’s brazenly poppy.  The verses are catchy enough, with the whole band sounding really tight, but it’s the chorus which hits.  And it hits like brick.  Combining a simple refrain of ‘whoah-oh-oh-oh!’ with a trumpet which recalls The Boo Radleys’ ‘Wake Up Boo!’, this song will stick in your head for weeks…and that’s a promise.  The album winds down in a downbeat way with a semi-acoustic waltz (‘Firelight Waltz’) and ‘Cemetery Guns’, a number which combines acoustic guitars, strings and military drum-rolls. Neither track is as good as either ‘Road Song’ or ‘Workingman’s Hands’ – and as such isn’t likely to get you too excited – but even so the arranging is spot-on.

‘Sky Full of Holes’ isn’t as easy to get into as ‘Traffic and Weather’, but that’s not to say it’s inferior in the main; it’s just a bit…different.  Fountains of Wayne’s fifth studio album often has more of a singer-songwriter style than the full-on power pop which filled more of their previous outings.  No matter what the style, though, it’s hard to find fault with most of the arrangements.  Hopefully, this slight shift in musical approach will go some way to shaking off those Weezer comparisons Fountains of Wayne often get lumbered with.  And quite frankly, even during its weaker moments, this album features material that is far better written (and arranged) than almost anything Rivers Cuomo is likely to commit to plastic ever again.  Ever.

July 2011

THE TIN CAN .44s – The Speak Easy EP

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The first thing you’ll notice about The Tin Can .44s is that they really don’t sound like a band from the London borough of Islington.  Bands don’t always need to be from a specific location to end up with a specific sound, though; Def Leppard have a hugely Americanized approach for a band which was formed in Sheffield and the overlooked Steamboat Band often sounded a lot like The Black Crowes for a bunch of lads from the Midlands.  No…above any kind of authenticity, it’s the songs which really count – and it’s a shame this London quartet don’t appear to have any.

This debut EP features blues arrangements which are so ramshackle there are times when the four musicians don’t even appear to be playing the same number. Combine that with a lead vocalist who mumbles and drawls – ultimately becoming somewhat irritating in the process – and you have a release that’s hard to get through in one sitting, despite a short running time of just over twenty minutes.

The opening guitar riff of ‘Bad Craziness’ is delivered with a busy style which has a hint of retro cool.  And then it’s drowned out by a harmonica.  Joseph Strouzer’s harp playing is pretty good, but it quickly becomes obvious he’s in a completely different key to the rest of band.  Once the song moves into the opening verse, everything is so sloppy it’s painful.  Even though it seems like a near impossibility, once Phil Overton begins singing, things get even uglier.  Imagine four guys in a rehearsal space bashing out a funky blues riff, with the bassist desperately trying to hold things together as the lead guitar and harp fly off in tuneless abandon (possibly playing two completely different songs) and you get the general idea. ‘Three Coats’ contains some half-decent bluesy runs on the guitar, but as before, the final arrangement is a more than little messy.  Musically, it sounds like an incomplete jam – a band warming up for something better.  They never really find their groove, even with a relatively simple arrangement. Meanwhile, Overton’s vocals amble through with a very unnatural sneer.  A few of the louder lead guitar parts have a good feel and occasionally a good tone, but that’s really not enough to carry the whole number.  Opening with slide guitar accompanied by subtle blues harp, ‘The Picket’ shows a little promise.  Rumbling drums and an occasional bass chip into the arrangement and Overton’s vocals have an almost spoken quality. There’s more of an atmosphere building here than on the previous numbers.  This disappears once the band opts for a more upfront approach; the vocals settle back into their not especially tuneful traits and the band cruise through what’s best described as a workmanlike arrangement.  The featured guitar solo is ugly – like a Grateful Dead freakout without any of the talent – and just as you think things are about to build to a more interesting climax, its back to the blues stylings featured in the intro.  All in all, it’s nothing too special.

‘After The Show’ has a twelve bar blues at its core and features a dominant harmonica.  Most musicians can manage this kind of straight up boogie reasonably enough, and while that’s also true of The Tin Can .44s, somehow they still fail to create anything listenable.  Overton’s vocal has the charm of someone’s dad taking over the mic to sing karaoke at a wedding and the rest of the band muddle through in a very pedestrian manner.  ‘Now They Know’ begins life as a lounge arrangement, with the guitars noodling almost aimlessly, while Joe Strouzer’s blues harp accompanies with a whimper, lacking any sense of style or purpose.  A slightly off-key vocal weaves in an out of what could only be described as a horrible, shoddy mess.  Things improve for the second half, once The Tin Can .44s settle into a more standard blues groove.  Aaron Berk’s drum sound could do with far more of a punch, but at least here he manages to keep time here as the band rumble through the next couple of minutes.  Listening to The Tin Can .44s hammer out their blues rhythms, it’s soon obvious that bassist Juju Adams is the only member of the band carrying any consistent talent.  Although relatively low in the mix, his playing is solid.  He really ought to think about taking his talents elsewhere…

‘The Speak Easy EP’ sounds like four guys who just aren’t musically ready for a recording career of any kind; it’s the work of a band which sounds like they’re performing at an open mic night.  Most of their arrangements are – quite frankly – an absolute mess. featuring precious little which is memorable even in the short term. Their music lacks the bite required to pull in the garage rock crowd, yet their wannabe bluesy leanings just aren’t sharp enough to be of any interest to any actual blues fans…and in terms of capturing a bigger market, that’s not so good.

 

July 2011