Category Archives: singer songwriter

ERIC SCHACKNE – Hammers & Strings EP

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Singer/songwriter/pianist Eric Schackne often showcases a gift for accessible upbeat arrangements topped off with a strong melody and hook.  With that in mind It is interesting, therefore, that on his second EP, ‘Hammers & Strings’, Schackne chooses not to play his strongest card straight out.

‘Well Dressed Future’ begins the release in a surprising fashion, with Schackne singing over some simply played electric piano chords.  As the track progresses, the vocals build, slowly adding harmonies until eventually Schackne’s voice is multi-tracked to offer something rather complex sounding.  Despite the brilliant use of multi-layering and a busy piano break approximately midway, the soft nature of this track makes it sound as if it would better suited to closing the EP as opposed to opening.  It’s with ‘This Classic Romance’ Schackne cuts loose and gives listeners the real deal – a brilliantly arranged piece of rock which shows the true depth of his musical talents.  The guitars crunch in a melodic fashion; the drums lay down a jaunty rhythm while Schackne’s multi-tracked voice has unexpected hints of Shades Apart’s Keith V.  Underneath it all, clanking piano chords hold everything together – not always as audible as they could have been, but they briefly break loose for the occasional flourish midway and again toward the end.

‘Art Can Change The World’ finds Scheckne moving away from the piano (at first), fronting a stomping arrangement which largely centres around acoustic riffs.  By the midpoint, the electric elements kick in and, naturally, underneath everything, Scheckne returns to his comfort zone and adds plenty of bar-room styled piano.  Individually, these elements could have sounded a little messy, but thanks to good songwriting, it’s all quite rousing and fun.   The softer ‘Miss Me Now’ (an uncredited seventh track), is incredibly strong with a mix of ringing guitars and pianos delivered in a way which is wholly reminiscent of John Ondrasik and his Five For Fighting project.  Here, the perfect blend of soft rock guitar chops and a pure pop hook makes for great listening; a great example of a blossoming talent.

The EPs best track ‘Loud and Clear’ is another very well balanced offering, once again allowing the guitar and piano parts almost equal space within the arrangement.  The vocals come fast – wordy, but never ridiculously so – and during the quietest moments, the rumbling pianos tip the hat to other more familiar sounding piano rock practitioners.  Schackne’s song writing may not be as cutting as Ben Folds or as emo-centric as that of Jack’s Mannequin, but he brings more than enough charm to the table here to win you over on his own terms.

After ‘Well Dressed Future’s slow-ish opening, ‘Hammers & Strings’ features material with potential to  grab the listener right from the off…material which, on occasion, makes the creation of radio friendly tunes and hooks sound relatively easy.  If you’ve ever had a soft spot for Five For Fighting, Jack’s Mannequin et al, chances are, you’ll find tunes with appeal here.

April 2012

M. WARD – Hold Time

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M Ward began releasing albums in 1999 and slowly gained a devoted core of fans, but he only started to receive regular media attention approximately ten years in to his career.  This was helped no end by his collaboration with Zooey Deschanel, resulting in the gorgeous (and timeless) ‘She & Him, Volume One’. ‘Hold Time’ is Ward’s sixth solo album and its collection of folk-pop nuggets – sometimes a little rough around the edges with their home-recorded feel – gives fans a record which sounds exactly like they’d expect from the outset.

The opening track ‘For Beginners’ offers sparse acoustic work and doesn’t really get things moving too quickly, though it is very traditional Ward with its 60s influenced shuffle.  Vocally, Ward adopts a trusty, softly delivered tone and its arrival sounds like an old friend even from the very first listen. From soft beginnings, ‘Never Had Nobody Like You’ offers something a little more upbeat. With a great deal of homeliness, the tune would be one of the album’s most memorable based on melodies alone, but the addition of Zooey Deschanel on harmony vocals just makes it unmissable.  As you may expect, the combination of retro pop/folk, Zooey and a generally sunny vibe makes this track sound like it belongs with the other She & Him sessions.  Zooey makes a second appearance on a mid-paced cover of Buddy Holly’s ‘Rave On’, which is fun, yet inessential.  While Matt & Zooey’s covers are always meticulously performed, it’s much preferable to hear them tackling their self-written material, whether separately or together.

‘One Hundred Years’ features some pleasant finger-picked guitar and a musical sparseness which almost makes the main tune non-existent; even Ward’s vocal is delivered with a fragility which is more obvious than usual. The end result is an album highlight, a track that’s so twee it’s almost impossible to listen to it without smiling.  ‘Jailbird’ is home to an unassuming, yet somehow truly memorable tune – the acoustic elements topped by layers of mellotron for a slighty dirgy retro-cool.  Long term fans will recognise this pair of numbers as Ward at his finest – and while breaking no obvious new ground, he still manages to provide maximum listening enjoyment.

The title track focuses on droning sounds and a troubled vocal. Whilst the end result sounds very like Mercury Rev on a downer, it also recalls a darkness present in the mid-late 60s work of Brian Wilson.  It’s so musically heavy (in tone as opposed to any actual noisiness) that it’s almost left entirely to Ward to carry the piece vocally.  An oddity among a collection of softer material, it certainly sticks out – but not necessarily always in a good way.  Wilson also provides an influence clearly present in the very upbeat ‘To Save Me’.  Stabbing pianos recall old time rock ‘n’ roll, while mandolins bring in Ward’s strong folk influences.  These musical flourishes wouldn’t normally make anyone thing of The Beach Boys, but a wordless “do do do” backing vocal (delivered by Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle) is a dead ringer for ‘Do It Again’.  Also providing respite from the album’s introspective nature, ‘Stars of Leo’ features a lovely optimistic tone, another charming vocal and an almost timeless pop appeal. Its staccato guitar parts and simple drumming provide a great base for Ward to build upon.  With some great elements including electric piano, tubualar bells and kettle drums, the piece eventually reaches an epic climax.  Near perfection, the only thing which would have improved it would have been a vocal part from Deschanel, but by that climax, there’s barely any room for any more additions…

The chick-a-boom of ‘Fisher of Men’ and a duet with Lucinda Williams on a cover of Don Gibson’s ‘Oh Lonesome Me’ explore a love for old country; while the former is unobtrusive but fairly breezy and the latter full of self-pity (in a way that only old-school country can provide without sounding like parody), both tracks suit the overall mood of the record perfectly.  While it could be said ‘Outro (aka I’m a Fool To Want You)’ attempts to bring the album something markedly different with its instrumental moodiness, it’s best described as filler material.   Yes, Ward’s easily distinguiahable, echoed and retro guitar is impeccably played, but it ambles for almost four minutes before bringing the disc to a downbeat close.  It’s a track which, after one or two spins, you’ll likely skip in favour of hearing the likes of ‘Nobody Like You’, ‘For Beginners’ or ‘Fisher of Men’ an extra couple of times.

‘Hold Time’ may not feel as well-rounded as its immediate predecessor (2006’s ‘Post War’), due to the inclusion of a couple of covers, but that’s not to say it’s inferior.  It just could possibly be more slow-burning and introspective, if that’s possible.   If you’ve followed M Ward’s career from early on, you’ll almost certainly own ‘Hold Time’ by now and have picked out a few cast-iron favourites of your own. As for everyone else, if you like Giant Sand and other alt-country/folk stuff with lo-fi qualities, you may want to give this a listen. It’s hard to imagine Ward is ever going to break through to mainstream superstardom (even with the help of She & Him), but this album makes his place as one of the alt-folk scene’s heroes ever more unshakable.

January 2010/March 2012

DAVID MYHR – Soundshine

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david myhrAs one half of the Swedish pop duo The Merrymakers, David Myhr has already made his mark on the world of power pop, but with his first solo album, 2012’s ‘Soundshine’ he ups the ante to a level that few other musicians working within a similar genre could ever hope to reach.

From the opening bars of ‘Never Mine’, with a barrage of stabbing pianos, this is the work of a man firing on all cylinders, not even allowing the listener the luxury of a warm-up intro.  The rumpty-tumpty pianos suggest Myhr has a strong love for McCartney, while the rest of the arrangement is deceptively complex with a gorgeous wandering bassline and plenty of multi-layered vocals.  You want the almost obligatory Brian Wilson-esque Christmas bells?  You’ve got those too, as well as a very seventies guitar break – all two bars worth! – which brings yet another seventies influence via some old fashioned string bending. A very strong opening, certainly, but ‘Soundshine’ has even better tunes in store.

‘Looking For a Life’ moves things along at a far brisker pace, as Myhr offers a number which packs a hefty (but still mightily tuneful) punch.  The ringing guitars, slightly accented voice, plunky musical hook and mildly distracting keyboards are hugely reminiscent of other Swedes The Wannadies at their most commercial.  If you’ve ever had a soft spot for their ‘Be A Girl’ release from the early 90s, enjoyment here comes firmly guaranteed. ‘Loveblind’ is a ridiculously sunny piece of pop where Myhr’s crisp lead vocal sounds fantastic over even more bouncing and stabbing pianos.  Shameless handclaps and slightly fuzzed up guitars flesh out an already superb arrangement – one which could only be described as a mini masterclass in pop song writing.  With hooks a plenty and an absolutely immaculate performance from all concerned, fans of classic pop are going to love this track from the very first listen.

‘Don’t Say No’ begins well with an optimistic lyrical quality, while musically, occasional bells and a very familiar drum line recall Phil Spector’s wall of sound recordings.  Just as you’re expecting things to pick up, Myhr does not disappoint: a breezy chorus brings a classic sounding key-change and a simplicity which ensures instant enjoyment.  A choir of backing voices and subtle saxes may hint at the classic seventies pop of Three Dog Night, but an increased use of guitar toward the song’s climax has a much more modern edge, more in keeping with Jellyfish and their critically acclaimed 90s revivalism of similar styles of pop/rock.

Other upbeat tracks of note include ‘Got You Where He Wanted’ which makes great use of brass in a very Boo Radleys style while using harmony vocals to drive home some a simple hook (with the subtlety of a sledgehammer) and ‘I Love The Feeling’, a exquisite track pulling together previous McCartney-esque strolling rhythms – this time with heavy usage of electric piano – and even more brass.  While the basic elements of these tracks don’t break any particularly new ground from the previously discussed numbers, as you’d expect, it all comes together in a way which creates absolutely perfect AM radio pop.

Although David Myhr is at his strongest when it comes to upbeat and sunny pop, it seems only fitting to mention ‘Soundshine’s only introspective number. ‘The One’ presents an aching vocal over a string section, which is very Beatles inspired.  In three and a half minutes, Myhr gets to show off more of his vocal range than usual.  The relatively minimalist approach provides a sharp contrast with most of Myhr’s other work. If there’s a minor complaint, it tends to break the album’s overall momentum a little; in isolation, however, it’s another piece of music which sounds very pleasing to the ear.

An album worthy of filing next to the Jellyfish records, The Silver Seas ‘Chateau Revenge!‘ and Farrah’s self-titled release, ‘Soundshine’ does exactly what it claims – twelve pieces of great sounding pop which mostly act as a welcome ray of sunshine.  Quite frankly, if you don’t raise a smile and feel somehow attached to this album by the end of the first track, you just don’t appreciate classic sounding pop music…and probably never have.

March 2012

JOSHUA KETCHMARK – The Bittersweet EP

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Singer-songwriter Joshua Ketchmark won a cult audience with his 2008 release ‘List of Regrets’.  Following that release, there was a relatively long gap before he returned with his second full-length ‘Karus Cruentus’.  For his third release, Ketchmark opted to try something a little different: rather than leave things too long and wait until the next full record was ready to go, he decided that his next works should be split into a series of EP releases.  In a world where physical CD sales are on the downturn and people are picking and choosing selected tracks for their portable music devices, releasing a few tracks at a time certainly seems like a good idea.

The first of these EPs, ‘The Bittersweet’ – released in the first quarter of 2012 – features four top class tunes.   The opening number ‘Covered In Roses’ is a superb piece of adult pop/rock which showcases a fair amount of Ketchmark’s talent.  The guitars ring clearly throughout, and the mid-paced riffs offer something of an atmosphere that could be best described as vaguely U2-ish.  Ketchmark’s relatively soft vocal is full of emotion while never overstretching itself and this already makes good listening.  By the time the chorus chimes in, things improve farther; it’s immediately obvious that Mr Ketchmark not only knows how to write and arrange a great tune, he also understands what makes a great radio hook.  Combined with those reverbed guitars on show throughout, the hook has track has a really classic sound, using its late 80s/early 90s influences to create something quite rousing.  ‘All These Eyes’ has a similar huge rock/pop feel at its core, though with one big difference: the U2-styled guitar parts are gone; in their place, some solid acoustic work backed by a fairly weighty sounding drum part.  The chorus beefs things up to some rather safe-sounding, radio-friendly soft rock, which although could never described as edgy is well-played and superbly produced.  Overall, another good example of the kind of rock/pop Ketchmark does so well.  [If you like either of these tracks, be sure to check out Dom Liberati’s album too].

The other two songs change the mood a great deal.  ‘The Take’ presents something more in an alternative rock vein, but retains a shiny commercial edge.  With a choppy riff, Ketchmark adopts a sound which borrows elements from Jimmy Eat World and American Hi-Fi, melding the punchy elements with another great pop chorus.  Across four minutes, his band sounds sharp as he delivers a vocal which has a slight sneer which suits the piece well.  Like most of the 2011 release by New Jersey outfit Readymade Breakup, this is hugely radio friendly and ought to appeal to a great many fans of the poppiest end of alt-rock music. ‘Cigarettes & Wine’ leaves things on a gentle, somewhat downbeat note.  Over a piano base, Ketchmark’s emotive vocal sounds great once again.  However, as good as his vocal may be, it’s not as great as the sound of his backing band: the bass is hugely warm, the steady drum beat has a huge presence and the harmony vocals add depth without being overdone or sounding showy, while a selection of keyboards flesh things out farther with string sounds.  Better still, the occasional moments of acoustic lead guitar have a great presence.  The end result here is not only testament to Ketchmark’s skill as a writer/musician, but also Denny Smith’s production which is absolutely spot on.

With such a feel-good punchiness, ‘The Take’ would be enough to warrant checking this out, but since it’s joined by three almost equally good numbers ‘The Bittersweet’ presents a great exercise in quality over quantity.  With no obvious weak elements, this is a highly recommended listen.

March 2012

RIDDLE THE SPHINX – Professional Pretender

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Riddle The Sphinx, a Los Angeles piano-based trio, have been given various press accolades for their previous works, with words like “enchanting” often used.  Listening to their 2012 full length ‘Professional Pretender’, it’s hard not to argue that their piano/bass/percussion combination – topped with sweeping twin harmonies from the band’s two female voices – has a certain enchanting quality.  They have also been praised for their originality.  Here, such claims are rather more grand, since if you’ve heard the first two or three albums by Tori Amos, some of the structures from RTS’s work will be more than familiar.  That’s not saying these songs don’t have a huge appeal, since ‘Professional Pretender’s material is still well arranged and superbly played, but to claim any huge amount of originality within this trio’s chosen musical field would be a stretch.

Opening with some severely bouncy pianos – the like which would adorn a typical upbeat Ben Folds composition – in ‘Hey You’, the album starts incredibly strongly.  Don’t look for anything too deep, though: the piano lines may bring a touch of Folds’s goodness, but lyrically Riddle The Sphinx lack that sneering and occasionally spiteful edge which adorns most of Folds’s best outings.  Vocally, there’s a similar breezy approach, and it’s one which suits the musical backdrop greatly.  There are harmony vocals to thicken the already intricate arrangement out farther, but unlike Sharks Took The Rest – for example – these aren’t quite as in your face as you might expect. The chorus itself could be considered throwaway, since relies heavily of the repetition of “hey you”; however, due to the complex nature of the overall arrangement, RTS pulls off such lyrical simplicity thus creating an opening number which suggests further listening would be time well spent.

Still pushing the piano and vocal to the fore, comparisons with a couple of Tori Amos’s earlier compositions cannot be avoided during the title cut.  That’s not to say there’s any direct lifting going on – none at all – but the stabbing pianos and slightly off-kilter time signature, coupled with a selection of reverbed guitars, makes the overall affair sound as if it may fit rather well among choice material from Amos’s ‘Boys For Pele’ period.  As with ‘Hey You’, Christiane Cargill Kinney’s lead voice commands attention with its effortless and breathy delivery.  ‘Master Plan’ brings elements of both tracks together, as Christiane’s voice adopts a sweeping majesty across sparse verses, before the rest of the band chime in for a bigger, somewhat quirkier chorus.  The instant likeability of ‘Hey You’ appears somewhat distant here, and perhaps more could be made of the upbeat chorus, but the blanding of voices with staccato guitar lines provides interesting results.   Also interesting, ‘One Man Band’ has a main structure based around a waltzing time signature played on the piano, while the percussion teeters upon Eastern themes, tinkering with sounds that are almost tabla-like, punctuated by a heavier use of cymbals than most of the other tracks.  As with RTS’s best numbers, though, it’s the harmonies between Kinney and Burgundy Morgan which hold the attention throughout.

As with any piano-based work, there are softer tracks where the sweeping keys are presented in a solitary manner.  On ‘I See You In Everyone’, Riddle The Sphinx are strong in such a stark arrangement.  While the piano is smooth – it’s gentle approach more than reminiscent of a Sarah McLachlan ballad or half of Tori Amos’s ‘Under the Pink’ – it’s the vocal harmonies which, again, have the strongest presence.  It may seem that Tori Amos provides a quick get out when deconstructing RTS’s sound, but occasionally it’s just inescapable: ‘Keep On Walking’ – as great as it may be – appears to shamelessly borrow most of its musical inspiration from Amos’s own ‘Cornflake Girl’ and ‘Happy Phantom’.  There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, and RTS sound like they’re having a great time (as you will listening, if this kind of thing is your bag).  If the band is going to be inspired, it makes sense to be inspired by one of the best piano-based artists working in a similar field…

Overall, ‘Professional Pretender’ is home to eleven well-crafted songs.  RTS don’t always mask their influences as much as they perhaps could, but it doesn’t make what they do any less enjoyable (although some of your more hardcore Tori Amos fans may argue…)  The arrangements are mostly spot on and the harmonies are glossy and especially tight. If you have a liking for piano based pop with a quasi-orchestral feel it’s an album which ought to appeal, especially if you’re able to enjoy at face value and not analyse it too deeply.

February/March 2012