Heath Andrews Reviews

An Eclectic Assortment of Reviews.

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EP Review - Light Over There - The Journey

Light Over There is a dynamic, country/pop hybrid duo, spanning the Atlantic Ocean and two different cultures. Aileen Henderson is an Irish singer/songwriter while Rex Haberman is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist with the two of them sharing an interest in American country music. Their 2016 EP The Journey, is their second release and successfully carries on the musical chemistry that the two established on the record prior, even if it’s not quite as strong as it could be.

The EP opens with the lovely uptempo ballad, “Time.” An acoustic rhythm powers the song alongside crisp drumming and Henderson’s amazingly sweet voice. Complimenting her dulcet tones is the serene cry of the pedal steel guitar, an instrument that very firmly establishes the country tone of the piece. Henderson’s voice helps keep some pop elements alive however, given that she doesn’t completely carry herself into the stereotypical country “twang.” Pushing the song from the good to great category are the rich harmonies during the chorus, warm backing keyboards, and a guitar solo that is equal parts aggressive and soothing.  

“Do Love Right” follows and immediately picks up the pace. The rhythm track is much brisker with consistently strong drumming and fairly rapid fills. Haberman does some of the lead vocals and this is where the record falters. Haberman has a much more limited range and expression than Henderson. This tone actually provides a great harmony, but when he’s not blending with her voice, the flaws in his stand out more. The rest of “Do Love Right” is wonderfully strong, sporting another fantastic guitar solo and a catchy melody; Haberman should’ve just stuck to the backing vocals.

“Leads Me To Bell Plaine” may be the EP’s strongest piece. The keyboards blend in with the pedal steel in tremendous fashion. This, along with the quick pace and country rock tones makes for a song capable of a great, extended jam. It is the longest track featured here and the way that it rollicks along makes it seem like it’s shorter than it is. The chorus is a tour de force for Henderson’s voice, powering the song’s emotion and bouncy nature.

The next piece, “While We’re Still Young” has a softer sound, established with an acoustic guitar base and a larger focus on the keyboards. The drums are also lighter, establishing a nice little shuffle as opposed to the more powerful snare hits on the previous songs. The songwriting shines here in both the music and the lyric, as the sentiment of the piece is able to come through more strongly with this softer arrangement.

Haberman takes on some more of the lead vocals with “Catch You When You Fall.” Overall the song is catchy, but once again it loses something in the shared vocal duties. The track itself is well written to serve as a duet but the lack of a compelling second vocalist to work with Henderson doesn’t help things. During the chorus, when the two are singing together, the mixing is a delight to listen to.

The Journey concludes with what might be the best song that Fleetwood Mac never wrote, “Off Track.” Henderson sounds like a combination of Stevie Nicks and Emmylou Harris, straddling the line between pop and country in exemplary fashion. The backing vocals are very poppy in the best sense of the word, nailing down a relentless hook that is every bit as engaging as the lead.  It’s a fantastic combination of everything that Light Over There does so well, the pop and country, the spot on arrangement, everything is performed and polished to perfection.

 For the most part, The Journey plays to the strengths of Light Over There, showcasing much of what makes them such a powerfully dynamic duo. A couple of the songs could be executed better but they don’t detract too much from the EP overall. Aileen Henderson and Rex Haberman have forged a remarkably strong working relationship with each other that has now produced two solid EP’s. The blending of their two styles is lovely, especially in how they’ve come together across continents with a shared appreciation for the country music that they love and perform so well.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

Review by: Heath Andrews

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Album Review - Lost Souls on Broadway - Anthems For The Fallen

Lost Souls On Broadway is the musical brainchild of singer/songwriter and guitarist Mark Sarro. Though he’s been making music for the better part of two decades, 2016 holds the release of his first album under the Lost Souls name, Anthems For The Fallen.  By and large, the fourteen tracks on this release draw inspiration from the alternative rock scene of the early ‘90s. The arrangements can be compared to the layered guitars and harmonies of Alice In Chains combined with the straightforward rocking of Stone Temple Pilots. Unlike these bands though that had commanding lead vocalists to deliver their songs, Sarro’s voice is a weakness of the band, one that can hinder the listener’s ability to enjoy the music.

Sarro is most similar to Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins in the distinct tonal quality his voice has.  Unlike Corgan’s alt-rock contemporaries like Layne Staley or Chris Cornell who had lower, throatier voices, Corgan was higher and slightly nasal. Sarro is similar to that, but unlike Corgan, has problems staying on key. Much of the time he sings flat, and his efforts to harmonize turn into muddled affairs that detract from the overall potential of the songs.

Take for example, the track “Pieces.” The alt-rock feel is strongly established right off the bat thanks to the combination of a powerful rhythm guitar with a snarling lead played over the top. The rhythm section is compelling with the thumping bass and powerful drums blasting away. When Sarro sings, a lot of that power is taken away because he sounds so far off from where he should be. Even though he lacks the power and emotion needed to convey his songs, it could be remedied to an extent if he were at least singing consistently on key.

“Best Day” is the worst things get in this regard. When Sarro sings, the word “life” he draws it out over multiple syllables and sounds forced, strained, and flat again. Outside of that it would’ve been a great song. The lyric is thoughtful and biting with a determination on how the singer is going to live his life. It’s just very difficult to take the lyric seriously, or enjoy the driving percussion track and guitars when the vocals are that poorly performed.

When Sarro isn’t singing so much as he is going through the lyric, Lost Souls On Broadway sounds considerably better. “Fallen Ground” makes itself stand out as there’s less melody to the lyric. During this time you can more easily appreciate the strong riff that forms the backbone of the piece and also builds up to a brief but powerful guitar solo.  

A couple of the tracks really benefit from the addition of keyboards. “Open Eyes” starts with a gentler acoustic guitar, backed with soft, atmospheric keys. It’s a sound that Lost Souls On Broadway actively pull off in effective fashion since despite the shift in tone, they still manage to incorporate some of their biting, driving sound into the rhythm guitar. The title track is another that benefits from the keys, adding a wonderfully melodious tone to the harder drums and guitar. They’re not overbearing either; just present enough to provide some accompaniment.

The struggle of listening to Anthems of the Fallen is that for everything a song does well, it’s undone through singing. “Breakaway” blasts off right from the get-go with a hard mix of guitars and bass, “Together (In My Arms)” features some staggering basswork in its own right, and “Cutting The Fool” also relentlessly rocks from the opening second, to its closing. Alas, Sarro just doesn’t have the voice to make the songs work. You can hear how the harmonies want to draw from Alice In Chains, you can tell that Sarro wants to channel the emotion of Staley and Weiland, but none of that works.

There is a strong batch of songs tucked away on Anthems For The Fallen but they’re not sung by the right person. Lost Souls On Broadway has a very strong songwriter, conceptualist, and guitarist in frontman Mark Sarro, but they need another singer. It’s evident that Sarro writes from a genuine, personal place, but he doesn’t have the voice to bring his writing to life.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (out of 5)

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Album Review - Shehzad Bhanji - Never Say Goodbye

It’s taken over a year of studio time and a lifetime of learning, experience, and growing, but 2016 finally holds the release of Shehzad Bhanji’s debut album, Never Say Goodbye.  Though Bhanji doesn’t like to label his sound as being inspired by any particular artists, since everyone he’s listened to has impacted him in some way, comparisons could be drawn to guitarists like Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, and Joe Satriani. Never Say Goodbye is a completely instrumental album and due to the technical finesse that goes into the playing, it will appeal more to guitar aficionados than casual music fans.

Bhanji opens the record with the title track.  The song begins with a gentle atmosphere which transitions into a dull roar of a guitar tone. A simple rhythm section backs Bhanji’s guitar which at times sounds far more forceful than the backing instrumentation.  There are a lot of sonic effects at play, from distortion, to reverb, to the tone of the guitar itself.  Things are at their best though when the drums come crashing in, the feel of the song shifts, and everything comes together in powerful fashion

This is something that bolsters the album’s penultimate track, “You And Me.” The snare drum is much louder from the start and the bassline is more complex and louder in the mix than other songs.  There’s an arresting intensity in the arrangement and Bhanji’s tremendous lead work matches it perfectly.  Every reverberating snarl is scintillating.  The closing track that follows it, “Wanna See You Again” isn’t as hard hitting as its predecessor, but it’s still powerful and has some strongly melodic keyboard backing as well.

As strong as these pieces are, there are some missteps along the way. “Rockin Blues” may have a fairly typical blues rhythm section, but Bhanji’s intensely distorted and cacophonous playing does not sync up with it.  The longer the song goes on the more grating it becomes.  It sounds like mildly controlled chaos on the fretboard that just doesn’t contrast well with such a mundane bass and drum backing.

“Coming Home” sounds like a tremendously missed opportunity.  It opens with a beautifully serene, ethereal sound, different than anything the rest of the album presents.  Before long though it becomes clear that this is actually the backing foundation to a louder, snarling guitar performance that matches the tone of several of the other tracks presented here.  A piece like “To Stars And The Moon” is wonderfully memorable because of its sitar like guitar sound and hypnotic atmosphere. “Coming Home” could’ve achieved something similar but opts instead to become something more akin to the other songs.

Despite the flaws there’s still far more good here than mediocre.  “Can’t Stop The Moment” is an almost more conventional riff rocker that hits like a musical sledgehammer, while “Together Forever” has a deeper, almost guttural sound, backed by complex drum fills and a pleasant keyboard part. There’s no questioning Bhanji’s abilities to play and even more than that his talent for conjuring up different sounds and styles.  He doesn’t just do it from song to song either, there are times where he uses distinctly different sounds within the same song.

Going back to the title track, the guitar textures that open the song are completely different than what the listener will hear through the course of the six minute piece, including the end of it. Additionally, the use of distortion as a layer to the music, along with the speed at which Bhanji plays, is reminiscent of the late, great, Sonny Sharrock.  Unlike Gilmour or Clapton who are bluesier and more subdued, Bhanji is wilder and more unpredictable, as was Sharrock.

Never Say Goodbye is a very impressive work that is far and away consistently daring.  Sometimes it’s a little too daring for its own good, but then it will make up for that by hitting back with another compelling instrumental.  Shehzad Bhanji is a stellar musician and Never Say Goodbye is a testament to his skill.  It may be a bit much for casual music listeners, but it’s not so experimental as to be inaccessible to people.  Overall, Bhanji would’ve been hard pressed to create a more dynamic and distinctive debut.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

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Album Review - Rescue A Family - Binocular

The London based synthpop duo, Rescue A Family, consists of vocalist and lyricist, Lil Ashton and producer, instrumentalist, Ed Lawrence.  Though this particularly genre of music is seeing a revival in recent years since its ‘80s heyday, the brand of synthpop these two carry the banner for is pretty far removed from modern acts like La Roux, Ellie Goulding, or Icona Pop.  If you took the darker side of Depeche Mode and Gary Numan, and mixed in a healthy dose of Euryhtmics, you’d get an idea of what Rescue A Family sounds like.  Their 2015 debut album Binocular is an interesting experiment in that it takes five songs and then presents five remixes of those songs.  While the album does do a commendable job of showcasing what this duo is capable of, and provides a couple of awesome songs, some of the remixes disappoint while other studio tracks sound too overproduced.

The album begins with “Breathless” and immediately you get to hear the kind of dark wave side of synthpop that Rescue A Family does so well.  Lawrence lays down a foundation of a deep, pulsing synth and a strong, syncopated percussion loop.  In stark contrast to this are Lil Ashton’s higher, softer vocals.  Calling them soft isn’t entirely representative of them though, considering they are strong enough to soar over the multiple layers of synths that end up coming into the mix.  It’s a quickly paced number that could probably do without the highest range of synth lines, but it’s still very compelling in playing off the difference between the vocals and music.  The “Castle Mix” version cuts out many of the synths and replaces them primarily with a more piano like keyboard, something which ultimately brings out the vocal performance more.  The forceful percussion loop is also toned down and even as it picks up a bit as the song continues, it’s still not as strong as it was before.  When this is taken in combination with the gentler, ominous synths that remain, the song takes on a much different atmosphere.  

The next piece, “Judgment” is even more arrestingly dark and chilling than its predecessor.  It rolls along with an emotional anger, mostly highlighted by Ashton’s repeated cry of “Those f***ing morons always get it wrong.”  Since the lyric has such bite to it, it’s a shame to hear that diminished to an extent by the extensive vocal effects.  Though some of the processing works with the musical theme, there are times where it’s a touch overdone.  The second version, the “Bryan Zentz Remix” completely works against everything the original take did so well.  This remix extends the song out from its under three minute runtime to over seven.  The time is padded out by repetitive drum loops, the reiteration of the “…always get it wrong” lyric, and a bass synth line that sounds somewhat similar to the one used on the Laid Back classic, “White Horse.”  While the remix might be suited to being played in a dance club, it lacks that vicious energy of the original and pales in comparison to it.

“Anywhere” is the first piece to not be as dark, even though it could hardly be described as bright and sunny.  It does however, feature some synth hooks and could be described as slightly funky.  Overproduction takes hold midway through and the mix becomes very crowded, drowning out the vocal almost completely.  The Malcolm Carson version doesn’t have this, but the arrangement on that take makes the entire track sound rather repetitive.

The final two songs and their accompanying remixes are much lighter in nature, adding some needed levity to the record.  “Dominoes” is easily the poppiest of the bunch.  The simple beat and synths compliment Ashton’s voice instead of intentionally clash with it, and during the chorus they work together especially well to form a very strong hook.  As is fitting for the poppiest piece, the alternate version is the “Pop Mix” where the vocals are brought even more to the front of the arrangement, and the synths are not nearly as densely arranged.  Here is where we really get to hear just how sweet and compelling Ashton’s singing can be.

“Silence” on the other hand is densely arranged and it’s fascinating hearing the different tones that are used to great effect.  The earlier dark bass synth line isn’t here, but there are a lot of vocal layers and production that don’t need to be; there’s more than enough interplay with the various synth lines to delight the ears.  The “Electric Acoustic Mix” is by far more electric than acoustic, even though a piano tone is used to play up the latter.  It’s also one of the better mixes;  changing things up enough to be interesting while leaving what makes the original version so effective, intact.

Rescue A Family put forward an interesting concept with Binocular but it would be stronger with more original pieces and some of the remixes dropped.  Additionally, while a large chunk of the production is solid, sometimes Lawrence does too much when the concept of “less is more” should apply.  Binocular is the type of record that is strictly for ardent synthpop fans who enjoy the darker side of the genre.  For them, this is a mostly solid introduction to Rescue A Family, even if it’s a bit short of content due to its dueling mix nature.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5) Review by: Heath Andrews

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Album Review - Ferit Odman - Dameronia With Strings

Jazz drummer and producer Ferit Odman has put together a uniquely inspired project with his 2015 album, Dameronia With Strings.  The “Dameronia” in the title refers to the late jazz composer and arranger, Tadd Dameron.  In the liner notes for this album, it’s noted that Dameron may not be very well known today despite his contributions to the jazz genre.  This release is a strong testament to the composer’s skills as Odman and his band do a tremendous job of bringing these pieces of music to life.  If you like jazz, you’ll love this album, and if you weren’t familiar with Tadd Dameron before this record, you’ll admire him thanks to it.

Odman’s band is primarily a four piece outfit, with him on drums, Terell Stafford on trumpet, pianist Danny Grissett, and bassist Peter Washington.  As you may have expected however from the title of the album, there are strings involved in the arrangements as well.  Odman accentuates the group with a string sextet made up of violins, cellos, and a viola.  The sextet is employed in various ways, sometimes just contributing to the atmosphere, other times they’re more actively involved in the melody, and occasionally there will be room for a single string instrument to come to the forefront.

The album opens with “On a Misty Night.”  As the title would suggest, the sound of the track is soft and atmospheric.  Odman’s drumming is brisk with a lot of quick fills, but is actually fairly quiet for how rapid it is.  The melody is carried by the trumpet but the upright bass playing is vital to moving the song forward.  Grissett’s piano is incredibly strong, something that becomes quite clear when it’s given an extended chance to shine in the limelight.  As for the strings, this is one of the cases where they lend themselves to the atmosphere.  The piece would be incredible without them, but their addition adds an astounding amount of mood to it.

“If You Could See Me Now” follows this with Odman continuing his soft drum technique; notice the gentle snare work.  Washington’s bass is a standout in this environment, stepping up for a solo that is almost as emotionally moving as the strings are.  One of the ways this is accentuated is by the piano becoming sparser in the mix while the bass comes up front.  The trumpet playing of Stafford is captivating and evocative.

The following piece, “Just Plain Talkin’” features one of the moments where the strings not only become more prominent in the music, but also take a turn at briefly soloing.  The overall sound is livelier here, featuring a lot of great interplay between the drums, piano, and bass.  We also get to hear Odman perform a bit of a solo, but that’s just a teaser for what’s to come later on the album.  “Look, Stop & Listen” is a phenomenal number and an incredible testament to Odman’s skill as a drummer.  The entire song is centered on the drums as it carries the listener through different soundscapes.  There will be an extended drum part, then the piano will come in, Odman will take command again, transition to another melody, and continue to push the listener along.  It’s amazingly captivating for all six plus minutes of it.

The string sextet comes into its own on a couple of the later tracks, “You’re a Joy,” and “Our Delight.”  The former is another soft piece with the subdued trumpet allowing the strings to be a larger presence in the song.  Even after they wind down to give way to the bass and piano, they come back in for the end of the track to combine with the quartet in serene fashion.  The latter cut has the sextet playing in a pluckier manner and steering the song’s opening.  It later undergoes a tempo shift and features another riveting piano part from Grissett.

The remaining songs are no less noteworthy, as “Smooth As The Wind” has a beautifully gentle fanfare while “Soultrane” is one of the more gorgeous pieces on the record.  There’s really no shortage of excellence anywhere here, with each number being just as good as the others in their own way.  Much of the credit for this goes to Ferit Odman, his quartet, and the string sextet, but then again, part of the reason for the project was to demonstrate how talented a composer Tadd Dameron was.  Bearing this in mind, credit too should be given to the late composer for making such timeless music.  Dameronia With Strings is a jazz masterwork that all the musicians involved in its making should be proud of; not only for their performances but for how wonderful a tribute it is to Tadd Dameron.

Rating 5: Stars (out of 5)

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Album Review - Nicholas Wells - Stumbling Forward

Nicholas Wells has an unquestionable degree of talent. His skills on the piano are formidable, he’s a very smooth vocalist, knows how to craft a compelling melody, and can pull on the heartstrings with lyrics as easily as he can with lush arrangements.  His 2015 album, Stumbling Forward showcases him doing these things across eleven tracks, none of which could be considered weak in any way.  Wells follows in the footsteps of other piano based pop artists like Ben Folds, Five for Fighting, and Sara Bareilles. If you’re a fan of these artists then you’re virtually guaranteed to enjoy what Wells accomplishes on this release, but if you’re not, Stumbling Forward can sound like something you’ve already heard before.

There’s a kind of formula at work on this record, which can be either good or bad depending on how well you receive it.  The entire album relies heavily on Wells’ implementation of his voice, piano, and string arrangements to maximize the emotion of his songwriting but still largely maintain a poppy, mid-tempo beat.  There’s not a lot of deviation from this.  The good part about this is that it’s all done so impeccably, consistently well that if you really enjoy any one song on the album then you can rejoice in knowing that the other ten songs will be just as stellar to you.  If you’re not that into it though, you’ll find the record to be well performed, but predictable and bland.

Take the title track for instance, which is also the lead-off song on the album; once he starts singing you can instantly hear how pleasantly soothing and strong Wells’ vocals are and how he marries that quite beautifully to the piano melody he lays down.  Mixed in is a gentle acoustic guitar and as the song continues, a great layer of backing vocals, increased instrumentation, strings, and a crisp drum beat to keep the track moving.  All of this is done with a staggering amount of polish, precision, and passion.  Wells emotes wonderfully in a synergy that forms between his voice and the musical arrangement.

The following track, “Another Beautiful Girl” is slightly poppier, but the elements that were in play in the former track are still fully in play here.  There’s the snappy percussion, backing vocals, happy piano, and in this case, a bit of organ backing that accentuates the emotion similarly to how the strings do on other songs.  This precedes “A Dream In My Pocket,” which is initially a littler sparser with its arrangement, but soon builds up into the lush sound you’d expect.  Of note here though is how the strings carry a bit more of the melody during the second verse and the snarling lead guitar towards the finale.  

There’s a little more variation towards the middle of the album as “The Midnight Hours” has a softer, more melancholy tone to it than the tracks that came before it.  There’s a very simple, repeated guitar line that helps carry the song forward, allowing for the piano to maintain a heavier atmosphere and work in tandem with the equally heavy lyric.  Contrast this with the quicker, peppier, “Empty Coffee Cups.”  Wells plays a faster melody, sometimes quite softly, and allows for his voice to occupy more of the song’s “space.”  This is further helped by the reduced drumming that takes place during the verses.

Some of these traits carry on into the next song, “Here In My Heart.”  Again, the arrangement is less full, placing more focus on Wells’ vocalizing and the power of individual piano notes. The percussion remains subdued but the strings return to accentuate the emotion of the lyrics, which as the title may suggest, does revolve around the place someone has within the singer’s heart.

The record does go back into some melancholy places again, notably on “A Million Miles From Anywhere” and the final track, “The Hardest.”  The latter has the strings occupy a lower sounding tone that pushes some of the melancholy feelings to the forefront.  But the piano does this too as it opens with a somber tone that Wells’ voice echoes.  The former tune is not as consistently downbeat given that there are moments where the drums are more driving, and the strings, while still emotive, aren’t as darkly sad.

Stumbling Forward doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but then again it doesn’t have to in order to appeal to and please fans of this piano based pop.  It would have to do much more in order to court more casual fans, but that still doesn’t detract from the quality of the performances Nicholas Wells puts down on every track.  A little more variety in the formula certainly wouldn’t have hurt but consistency is a nice thing to have and Stumbling Forward is very much consistent in doing what it does remarkably well.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5) Review by: Heath Andrews

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EP Review - Alia Lorae - Rumors

Alia Lorae is as much a performance artist as she is a singer, songwriter, and producer. Her 2015 EP Rumors is very much indicative of this, as of the five songs here all of them have a completely different presence, energy, and life.  Strong comparisons can be made to Kate Bush, a notion that Lorae herself is aware of.  She very much captures the spirit of Bush’s experimental pop thanks to her vocal range, power, and unique delivery.  But Lorae also differentiates herself by employing unique electro-pop arrangements and performing more melodic, spoken, pieces about social perceptions of people.

The opening piece, which is also the title track of the EP, is an example of this aforementioned style. It’s a challenging piece with lyrics that are primarily spoken over a catchy synth line.  The repeated lyric of “Rumors are worth, absolutely nothing” forms the backbone of the vocal melody as well as the theme of the track.  Lorae speaks in conversational snippets where she states things that you might hear people gossiping about; from the mundane to the absolutely inflammatory. While it does effectively convey its message and by proxy Lorae’s talents as a songwriter, it’s an odd piece to lead off with considering it doesn’t do anything to demonstrate her singing abilities.

“Sick Girls” follows suit in many ways as the verses are all done in a kind of lite-rap, with some brief singing during the chorus. The lyric makes a statement about sexual liberation and the perception of women expressing their sexuality.  The portions that are actually sung hint at the vocal prowess Lorae has, but the track is still primarily a blending of hip-hop and electro pop written specifically to challenge the listener and their social views.

“1 Slip, No Money” is the first piece to really show the Kate Bush influence in Lorae’s music.  From the opening notes it’s clear that her delivery and style owes a lot to Bush, and it’s positively refreshing to hear such a fascinating performance.  The musical accompaniment is simple but effective; the keyboard churns out a basic melody that allows Lorae to sing without much getting in the way of her dynamic voice.    

Just as it states in the title, “Creepy Lyli” is indeed, creepy.  The keyboards take on an eerie, chiming tone as Lorae moans, wails, and whispers.  It’s more upbeat than the previous track and also much more haunting.  Lorae uses her expansive vocal range to sing different parts in different voices, and further advances the song’s unsettling air.  This is one of the better examples of her finding a balance between Lorae the vocalist, and Lorae the performance artist.  It’s captivating listening to the various singing voices she uses but the way she implements them to paint a portrait of an odd, creepy, girl is equally beguiling.

The EP’s closing track, “My Poison,” continues the trend of the previous two numbers by taking full advantage of Lorae’s voice, delivery, and cadence.  As sweet as she sounds, there’s an obvious darkness to the words; something helped along by the dark synth backing track.  It’s effectively a trance/techno kind of arrangement turned into a three minute pop song with high, soaring vocals.  It’s also a fantastic way of closing out the record by clearly defining Lorae’s style and her capabilities as an artist.  Even though the Kate Bush comparisons are evident, the electro-pop environment in which Lorae’s music resides is radically different than anything Bush did on even her most experimental albums of the ‘80s.  Recognizing this is important as when you combine it with the more spoken pieces that open up the EP, it fully reveals all that Lorae is capable of, and how distinctly different she is in the musical landscape of 2015.

If there’s one fault with Rumors it’s that the first two tracks stand in such contrast to the latter three, that it’s difficult to find an audience that would be receptive to both of them.  It’s an absolutely brilliant record, but it’s also not the kind of music you can just casually recommend as the listener will have no idea quite what they’re in for.  Alia Lorae pushes boundaries lyrically as well as sonically, very much akin to the way a performance artist would try to do on stage.  So even though the music isn’t quite experimental, it fulfills many of the ideals and properties that a strong, experimental project would.  If that sounds like something you’d like to hear then you’re in for a treat filled, wild ride.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5) Review by: Heath Andrews

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EP Review - Jacob Davich - Self-titled

Jacob Davich has a lot of admiration and respect for the singer-songwriters of the 1970’s.  With guitar in hand he’d spent years enjoying and emulating their songs, eventually cultivating his own style.  His self-titled 2015 EP displays five of his original songs, produced and polished to perfection.  Each of them does accurately recapture some of that decades old magic, which is great for those looking to hear that, but is also going to make it sound a bit too familiar for others.

For example, James Taylor has a younger brother named Livingston Taylor who had a couple minor hits on the Billboard Top 40. If you heard one of them, “First Time Love,” without knowing who it was by; you’d swear it was James Taylor.  The trouble for Livingston is that his music just ends up sounding like more of the same. Davich avoids this by having developed a style that’s more akin to James Taylor meets Jackson Browne.  Davich has Taylor’s guitar style and vocal sound but without a hushed, mellow delivery.  From the Browne side of things, Davich displays more of his vocal power and larger arrangements, though without Browne’s legendary word play.

The first of the five tracks, “Don’t Run, Don’t Hide” opens with light acoustic guitar and Davich’s lovely vocals.  As you’ll hear, he has similar vocal qualities to Taylor, but his pacing is brisker and his voice itself is more forceful.  After the first verse a simple yet effective drum track comes in while the bass that accompanies it is surprisingly good. Filling out the arrangement is the inclusion of a backing organ track.  It all comes together nicely with Davich himself being the distinct, memorable part of the song.

Changing things up, “Call My Name” opens with a piano instead of acoustic guitar, though that later comes in to help establish the rhythm and melody.  The drum track here is lighter with a tambourine being prominently used to help maintain a softer percussion sound.  There is a small degree of lead guitar in the form of some deep resonate chords; it’s not a constant feature of the song but it certainly does contribute to the atmosphere.  Once again the true draw to the song is Davich’s enchanting vocal performance.

“Hold On” returns to the acoustic guitar being the instrumental center point but alters the formula of the prior two songs by introducing a backing vocalist.  The female vocalist who accompanies Davich compliments him nicely but is also vital just for the sake of providing some variation to the arrangements.  To that effect, “Hold On” is also noteworthy for the quick picking that Davich performs on the guitar, revealing some of his dexterity and skill beyond simple chord structures.

The piano comes back into prominence in the penultimate piece, “How You Gonna Tell Me,” a very well written song about finding out your former love has moved on to someone else.  Though it starts simply with the piano and bass, the drums give it a lively kick and maintain the energy to the finish.  We’re also treated to a guitar solo which is decidedly quaint, but is effective enough to fit the mood of the song.  Davich does a wonderful job of channeling emotion through the lyric and his voice itself, making this one of the EP’s stronger pieces.

The title of the strongest goes to the record’s closer, “I Shall Be Released.”  The title hints at it and there is indeed a spiritual theme that runs through this track.  It’s the most dynamic arrangement of the five songs, including solid drumming, strong piano, the return of the organ, and a choir like backing vocal towards the close of the piece.  Another, more energetic guitar solo is also injected into the close of the song, punctuating a surprisingly deep build-up that this number goes through.  It’s a stellar way to close out the EP and does more to distance Davich’s sound from other singer-songwriters than the other song’s do.

That’s the only real problem with Jacob Davich’s self-titled EP; it doesn’t do a tremendous amount to stand out from the classics it was inspired by.  It does fit alongside them very nicely, but in doing so it becomes less distinct of an entity.  Fortunately, because of Davich’s vocal style and arrangements being different enough to establish his own identity, he doesn’t fall into the Livingston Taylor trap of sounding too much like another artist.  Jacob Davich is still a solid EP no matter which way you listen to it and it does the singer-songwriter legacy quite proud.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

[heathandrewsreviews]

Album Review - Dead Rock West - It’s Everly Time!

Few groups or people understand the timelessness of certain songs like the California duo, Dead Rock West.  Their 2015 album It’s Everly Time! features them covering fifteen songs that Phil and Don Everly made popular back in the 1950’s and 60’s.  Though this release shares the same name as one of The Everly Brothers records, the track listing is different, pulling from various parts of The Everly’s career.  The penchant for harmony is shared between both duos, but Dead Rock West manages to toughen up the arrangements on the upbeat numbers, add more emotion to the softer ones, and ultimately construct one of the most beautifully fitting tributes imaginable to a legendary American musical duo.

Dead Rock West is made up of vocalists Frank Lee Drennen and Cindy Wasserman.  They’ve been performing together for over ten years and that time spent together shows.  Each of them are incredible singers in their own right, but the combination of their voices is exquisite.  Considering how renowned The Everly Brothers were for their harmonies, any attempt at covering their material would fall flat without a vocal synergy.  Wasserman and Drennen have no issues at all on this front; they hit every note and channel every bit of emotion inherent in the songs they chose to include.

“Leave My Girl Alone” opens the album strongly by being one of the more energetic Everly songs Wasserman and Drennen could’ve selected.  The drums are powerful but have a raw kind of sound to them, emulating the unpolished production of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.  The jangling guitars that power the backing track are positively serene while the bassline is surprisingly deep and intricate.

Going into the softer side of The Everly Brothers catalog, “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)” follows up with a simpler arrangement.  The song revolves around the vocal harmonies of Wasserman and Drennen backed by an acoustic rhythm guitar and an occasionally chiming lead played by Cars guitarist, Elliot Easton.  Naturally, the strongest part of the song though is hearing the emotion within the vocals.  This is also what makes the following number, “(Why Am I) Chained To A Memory” so powerful.  That however is helped along by the piano and organ backing, leading to a tearful affair.

The record picks back up with a stunning version of “It Only Costs A Dime.”  The rhythm section is back in force here, working in strong tandem with the ringing guitars and well placed piano.  One of the later songs, “Gone Gone Gone” always has a prominent piano part, helping give the tune a bit of a rockabilly feel.  Beyond this though the drums are absolutely rollicking, the guitar lines and energetic, and the lyrics flow quick and easily.

To give credit where credit is due to the musicianship on the album, “The Price Of Love” needs to be highlighted.  Of course Wasserman and Drennen sing their hearts out, but the band is on fire here.  The piece opens with a blast of harmonica and crisp drumming.  As it moves along the guitar parts grow more intricate and the drum fills continue to grow in intensity.  Eventually the track turns into a brief jam session where the bass really picks up, the harmonica comes back in, and you quickly realize that Dead Rock West has added something to timeless music that makes it their own while still paying tribute to the original.

Another element Dead Rock West adds to the recordings is a male/female dynamic that was obviously missing from The Everly Brother’s versions.  Songs like “Let It Be Me” and “Like Strangers” have a greater emotional weight when they’re not being sung by brothers.  Not that there has to be a romantic connection between the singers, but The Everly’s were singing from a joined perspective whereas Dead Rock West present the lyric from a perspective of two people singing to each other.

The aforementioned “The Price of Love” is followed by another energetic Americana rocker, “I Used to Love You.”  Similar to the earlier piece, “Leave My Girl Alone,” the percussion has a raw strength to it, the guitars have a great jangling tone, and the way Wasserman’s voice ascends during the chorus to fulfill the high harmony is enthralling.  This track’s appearance near the end of the album goes a long way towards maintaining the overall energy of the record, especially as it ends on the beautifully string infused but somber, “Let It Be Me.” (The deluxe version of the album however has two bonus tracks, “Problems” and “(You’ve Got) The Power of Love.”)

It’s Everly Time! is an exceptional cover album that also does a wonderful job of showcasing the talents of Frank Lee Drennen and Cindy Wasserman.  The quality of their singing voices is the kind of stellar that would compel you to buy a recording of them singing the phone book if they ever chose to release one.  Fortunately we get this incredible collection that can rock just as well as it can make you want to tear up.  Dead Rock West have outdone themselves and the music world, and the legacy of The Everly Brothers is all the better for it.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

[heathandrewsreviews]

Album Review - Jeff Oster - Next

Jeff Oster’s Next is either exactly the album you’re looking for, or not at all the one you want to hear.  Across twelve instrumental songs, Oster lays down some of the smoothest trumpet sounds you’re ever likely to hear.  But Oster doesn’t play things strictly by the book in that this isn’t just a smooth jazz album; it has a lot of ambiance elements to it which make it almost fall into a new age sound from time to time.  Certainly there are some who are going to find this kind of album boring, due to its large emphasis on atmosphere and mood, but it does these things so extremely well that it’s a mandatory listen for fans of the genre.

The title track opens the album with a strong bassline and the aforementioned, smooth tones of the trumpet.  The percussion track is kept simple to start as are the keyboards which function to set a dark, late night kind of setting.  Legendary guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers contributes guitar to the track, and it’s interesting to hear him play in a more subdued fashion.  He does a wonderful job in maintaining the mood while simultaneously spicing up the track.  As the song continues it builds up in sound, allowing the drums to perform some tight fills while Oster’s trumpet cries away.

“Night Train to Sofia” continues this mood but tones down the drums and ups the ante on the bass.  Almost like a continuation from “Next,” the late night vibe is present and accentuated by the combination of the trumpet and keyboards.  There is a bit of a vocal track in the form of a small choir like effect that once again contributes more to the atmosphere than it does the actual melody of the song.  The bass really makes it all memorable though, with the slap effects giving a small dose of funk to the mix.

In an example of how Oster can make a song develop, “Gardens of Varanasi” spends its first half like the songs that precede it, but past halfway, it drastically changes.  Suddenly the trumpet becomes a bit louder, the keyboards go from atmospheric backing to playing a piano melody, and a simple percussion track comes in to give it all a bit more momentum and kick.  It’s enough to give the song its own identity without breaking away from the general mood of the album.

One of the more intriguing song choices is the inclusion of a cover of the popular Bonnie Raitt classic, “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”  Oster is able to accomplish with his trumpet what Raitt was able to accomplish with lyrics and voice.  Even without knowing the words to the song, you can sense the longing, pain, and heartache within Oster’s performance.  The backing keyboards help establish the somber tone, but this is one of the instances where Oster steps out of the background atmosphere, into the forefront, and gives a performance that goes well beyond the ambient, new age tones of the other tracks.

In similar fashion, “On Mother’s Day” is another beautifully constructed piece that goes more towards the ambience side of things, but with a great deal of emotion.  Along with the trumpet, softly played guitar permeates the piece.  It’s a shorter number, but it does a lot in under three minutes to shift the tone of the album slightly and evoke different emotions.  This is something the closing track, “And We Dance” does, but over a longer period of time.  Acoustic guitar features prominently in both of them, and the way it interacts with Oster’s trumpet is remarkably serene.

During the second half of Next, Oster embraces a bit more energy in his music, starting with the fantastic, “Avenue D.”  Along with some string sounds we get the chiming of keyboards, a rattling percussion track, and awesome bass playing.  The drums pick up fantastically, giving a stellar jazz performance while the trumpet continues to alternate between being atmospheric and carrying the melody; ultimately the song is worth listening to for the rhythm section alone.

Finally of note is the penultimate number, “Heroes.”  Unique to this track alone is the saxophone stylings of Jeff Taboloff.  This is easily the most energetic song here with strong, synthesized percussion in the opening, piano like keyboards, and a gorgeous trumpet soundscape.  In the song’s second half, the sax comes into its own, laying things on so smoothly it’s goosebump inducing.  But the real greatness of the song lays in the synergy between the sax and trumpet; two talents combining to make something bigger than the both of them.

Ambience isn’t a thrilling genre of music, but Jeff Oster almost makes it that way.  This is, without exaggeration, one of the best records of jazz ambience you’re ever likely to hear.  The trumpet that holds Next together creates atmosphere, mood, and melody in exquisite fashion.  If this album doesn’t make you a fan of smooth, quiet, jazz; nothing ever will.  And to those lucky ones who do embrace that genre of music, congratulations, you’ve reached musical nirvana.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5) Review by: Heath Andrews

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Album Review - Kai Altair - Dreamwalker

Kai Altair is more than just a singer and a songwriter, she’s a performance artist. Her stage shows are said to incorporate elements of belly dance, spirituality, dreams, mermaids, fire-breathing, world music, electronica, and tribal cultures, amongst others. By all accounts, it seems like an absolutely marvelous sight to behold if you have the opportunity to see it.  But Altair is also a singer and a songwriter with 2015’s Dreamwalker being her debut.  In many ways it feels like it could be a soundtrack or extension of what her live shows entail. Dreamwalker is very much a uniquely creative entity and for that reason, needs to be approached from a certain perspective.

Dreamwalker is like a concept album; there are recurring themes both musically and lyrically.  From the musical angle, all the songs feature a mixture of dance/electronica sounds along with tribal percussion and instrumentation. Lyrically the album draws upon nature and the relationship between it and humanity in ways that are both spiritual and physical. As with many concept albums, certain songs exist more for the sake of furthering and maintaining the record’s sound as opposed to being something that would be released as a radio single or played in a club.

The album bounces between softer, atmospheric pieces like “Draw Down The Moon” and “Mama Ocean” with more energetic dance inspired numbers like the fittingly titled “Shadow Dance” and “The Calling.” If this were a different album it could be criticized as not knowing what it wants to be, but Altair obviously has a definitive plan for this record.  What it ends up being is something between an ambiance piece and a dance album.  Remember those Pure Moods CDs from the mid 90’s? Well imagine if they were more energetic and done by one artist who could sing her heart out. That’s what Dreamwalker basically is.

It starts off with the aforementioned “Draw Down The Moon” which is largely a mood setting piece, rich in imagery and sound, but not very exciting. Then again, it’s not supposed to be riveting, it’s setting the stage for what’s about to come; that being “Shadow Dance.” This piece is much more energetic, heavy on the percussion and thumping dance beat. The vocals are rich, multi-layered, and are propelled by the tight synth lines that run underneath them.

“Mama Ocean” returns to the atmospheric sounds with a song that’s not so much lyrically deep as it is an ode to the power of the ocean and water. It has a primal kind of aura around it, appreciating water and life at its natural state. This then segues into the most ornate song thus far on the record, “Change.” More of the electronic elements come into play, mixing the heavy percussion with more upfront synths and the inclusion of strings, guitar, and more keyboard layers.  It all comes together around Altair’s voice which is impassioned, and invigorating.

There’s a return to the ambiance with “Ancient Future” but then a startling and welcome turn to the raucous and bombastic “Big Cat.” Altair channels animalistic nature in her voice and music, snarling and singing to the sound of pounding drums. If there was to be a single from the album, it may very well be this, but even then it works more within the context of the album overall rather than it does on its own.

From there Dreamwalker continues to dance to its own beat, trading off between those two very different sounds.  By the time the record wraps up with its ballad like closer, “Curiosity,” complete with finely textured strings; it feels like the listener’s been taken for a ride on a bizarrely fascinating, yet completely relatable trip.  By sticking to themes that are shared by all of humanity, Altair is able to craft this odyssey in grandiose form without being so “out there” or cerebral that it goes over people’s heads.

Dreamwalker does what it wants to do extremely well. It’s not going to be for everybody though because it very much is what it is and makes no excuses or apologies for it. If the ideas of Kai Altair’s musical and lyrical themes appeal to you in some way then you definitely need to listen to this album. If it sounds like it’s not something you’d be interested in, then you probably won’t be able to get into it; even though you wouldn’t be able to deny Altair’s passion or powerfully melodic voice.  Ultimately, if Altair was looking to taker her vision and art to a strictly audio format with Dreamwalker, then she absolutely succeeded in doing so.  If you want to share in that experience, this is an exemplary record.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

[heathandrewsreviews]

EP Review - Well Known Strangers - Found

Founded in September of 2014, the sextet of Well-Known Strangers wasted little to no time in terms of getting themselves into a position to write, perform, and record. Less than a year later their debut EP, Found was released, showcasing the band’s talent and fantastically lush sound across four tracks. At the very core is the songwriting duo of Joe Adamek and Betsy Ade.  Thanks to Ade’s remarkably powerful voice and the tremendously well played and arranged music from the rest of the band, Well-Known Strangers possess a staggering sound that’s put to great use on their EP.

Along with Adamek on guitar and vocalist Ade, are drummer Roger Gower, cellist Sacia Jerome, guitarist Jon Wolf, and bassist/guitarist John Kulas. The bevy of guitars on its own would be enough to create a profound wall of sound but the addition of strings pushes the music into a positively sublime realm. Ade’s voice has a touch of country twang to it but the music itself borrows from country, folk, and indie rock. The result is an interesting mix that sounds unique to them.

For example, the opening track, “Alligned” sports a churning guitar sound that fills the space in the music and gives the entire piece a great deal of edge. The deep tones of the cello are what pushes the folk sound, and naturally the vocals in addition to some of the guitar tones promote the country style. Still, with that sonic force it’s not a far cry to compare this piece to a song like “The World I Know” by Collective Soul albeit with a more country tone as opposed to rock.  A comparison made even more apt by the use of strings in both songs.

Then the next track, “Take You There” increases the rock quotient a good deal by bringing in a ringing, chiming guitar tone, backed by a brisk, pumping, drum performance from Gower.  Once again, Ade sings with a power and richness that is virtually unparalleled in this hybrid genre and it makes for a compelling listen. The cello is still a vitally important part of this arrangement as when it comes into the mix it instantly brings with it that resonant depth of sound that only it can carry.

“Release Me” changes things up by starting off with a much softer mood that relies on the voice and strings to set the atmosphere. After a little while a simple but effective drum track comes in and it only continues to pick up from there; more vocal harmonies, more guitars, more strings, and more energy. It feels relatively short at three minutes long, in part because it accomplishes so much in that time. The relentless build and intensity sounds absolutely phenomenal. Ade’s voice is almost indescribable in how perfectly it fits this style while simultaneously making it come together in staggering fashion. 

Finally, there’s “Another Sun” which stands in stark contrast to the other three songs.  This number is less densely arranged and gives the vocal performance more room to breathe, so to say.  Because there’s less guitars outside of the chorus, and because the drum track is more subdued, Ade’s voice takes center stage with the harmonies and counterpoint not too far behind. Take the last thirty seconds or so of the song for example: during this time the lead vocals, counterpoint, cello, and lead guitar have a synergistic quality that is mesmerizingly beautiful.

That’s Found in a nut-shell, mesmerizingly beautiful. Being only four songs long, the EP can’t really afford to miss a beat, and it doesn’t. Well-Known Strangers have tapped into something that isn’t really heard in music today. You’d be hard pressed to find a voice as compelling as Betsy Ade’s and even then it would be difficult to find someone who could write for it as well as Joe Adamek. The band pulls from several genres but because all the members of the group are so talented, their music is instantly accessible and interesting. This isn’t a must own record for fans of certain genres, it’s a must own for fans of music.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

[heathandrewsreviews]

Album Reivew -S.J. Tucker - Stolen Season

Stolen Season is very much a genre piece.  This 2015 release from S.J. Tucker steeps itself heavily in the waters of Mississippi delta blues.  Tucker’s personality shows up by injecting elements of jazz and mysticism into the arrangements and lyrics respectively, but it’s still tied to that southern style of singing out heartache.  By adhering so strongly to that nature, Stolen Season is very much a slow, low-key, and moody affair; Tucker’s vocal style is soft yet expressive, and many of the arrangements are devised around this.  The end result is that S.J. Tucker has created something that will be beloved by enthusiasts for this brand of music, but others will find to be a bit monotonous.

What S.J. Tucker does here is bring a highly consistent level of performance and quality to each of the eleven songs.  These performances revolve around creating atmospheres that have a lot in common but have subtle variations in how the instrumentation mixes things up.  There are actually only a few select instruments that feature prominently, rhythm guitar, keyboard, violin, and simple percussion.  For example, the opening track, “Black Swan Blues,” plays out around a deep but simple guitar riff, a soft drum track, and the occasional blasts of multiple guitars crashing down upon the chorus.  Most of the song’s power is contained within Tucker’s vocal and the layering of voices that repeat “Black swan tore the temple down.”  It does quite a lot with comparatively little; something that is more easily heard than it is written about.

Compare this to the album’s other fairly upbeat track, “Little Bird.”  It’s nowhere near as dark as the aforementioned piece, something that reflects in the lyric and guitar tone.  There’s also a lively sense of energy, and while not as lively as it could be, still gives the song a legitimate kick.  Tucker’s voice doesn’t display range so much as it does passion, and it serves the piece well in how it carries the melody.  Once again though, the overall arrangement is very simple, and eschews any solos or extended playing.

Aside from Tucker’s voice, the largest player in shaping the atmospheres comes in the form of the cello.  “Dream of Mississippi” is a prime example of this.  The remarkable thing that she does though is significantly downplays the presence of the cello in the mix.  As deep, powerful, and resonate as the cello is capable of being, it’s volume and power are downplayed but still unmistakably intertwined with the majesty of the piece.  It’s this kind of musicality that isn’t necessarily exciting to the average listener, but is fantastic to those who thrive on small details.  The only time the cello really comes into prominence is on “Girl Into Devil (I Belong to Me)” where the building up of it becomes something beautiful and along with the evocative vocals, creates the album’s best song.

Jazz was mentioned as a genre that gets blended into the mix, and “Sultry Summer Night” is the first track that really displays it.  Along with the standard guitar work from Tucker we’re also treated to her scat singing to the backing of a light keyboard arrangement, complete with some organ work.  This is also where the soft percussion really plays into this tone; it feels like the kind of beat someone would lay down at a late night lounge.

If the album has one fault, it’s that the slow pacing of it doesn’t mesh well with the longer tracks.  The title track is over seven and a half minutes long, but could easily be less than that and still be an effective and tighter song.  The djembe is an inspired choice for the percussion and once again the cello is very effective in generating a great atmosphere, but it’s not quite enough to make all seven plus minutes of the song compelling.  A similar criticism can be levied against “Temptress,” though it doesn’t suffer as much thanks to the more powerful rhythm section, complete with an upright bass, an instrument that once again brings out the jazzier qualities of Tucker’s songwriting.

For the genre that it resides in, Stolen Season is pretty strong.  It’s not energetic in the sense of being full of vigor, but it is infused with a different type of energy; one that’s simultaneously magical, sultry, emotional, and vivid.  It’s definitely praise worthy for what it sets out to do in recapturing the spirit of Mississippi delta blues, but its methodical and quiet nature makes it hard to recommend outside of that.  So if S.J. Tucker’s journey down south sounds interesting to you, you’ll likely adore it given that it does this genre well and it does this genre proud.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)

[heathandrewsreviews]

Album Review - Foam Ropes - Self-Titled

Foam Ropes is the name of Derek Nicoletto’s latest musical project, and also the name of the 2015 album that it churned out.  Nicoletto empowers Foam Ropes with the one-two combination of his voice as a singer, and his voice as a songwriter. These two traits help the project really stand out, especially when combined with the powerful instrumentation that backs the album and its nine tracks.  By and large, Nicoletto succeeds in developing an experience as opposed to just an album through deep and varied songwriting, coupled with stirring performances.

Foam Ropes begins with “Truth in Fables,” where that deep songwriting shows itself instantly.  An electric guitar riff comes in on one stereo channel while Nicoletto’s voice comes in on the other.  The lyrics are enigmatic at first, “Obey a fox/Brothers cave in on themselves “You’ll find me out/If you grieve my loneliness, I will turn.” They later become less of a mystery, revealing details about the singer and his inability to accept kindness from others.  As much as the song rocks, it’s given a slightly melancholic tone, courtesy of the violin.

“Telescope” is the album’s centerpiece as it receives two iterations; the first being a lovely, brisk, piece of emotion laden soft rock, whereas the second is a reprise that strips the song down to keyboards and voice.  Both versions succeed in demonstrating Nicoletto’s knack for wordplay and imagery. Saying one version is better than the other isn’t really possible given how each song plays to the senses of the listener. The atmospheres they conjure are different enough, but at the same time are similar in how they center on the interplay between the instruments and the singing.

As exceptionally strong as Nicoletto’s voice is, there are two occasions where it either doesn’t fit with the song, or he doesn’t use it to the best of his abilities. The first is on the hard hitting, “Potion Me Well.”  According to Nicoletto, it’s a piece about a soon to be executed murderer, relishing his moment, as he fully believes to be rewarded in the afterlife and returned to continue his work.  Now granted, the vocals do sound fairly manic, fitting for the point of view being portrayed, but they’re far too high and shrill. The way his voice escalates on the line, “Any last requests?” with that final word being dragged out and into the stratosphere is terribly grating.  Otherwise, it’s a powerful rocker of a piece with a wonderful grinding guitar riff and blasting drums.

On the opposite end of the performance spectrum, Nicoletto’s interpretation and performance of Fleetwood Mac’s “You Make Loving Fun” is rather underwhelming. Given that the song was written by Christie McVie about her affair with the band’s lighting director, you can’t fault Nicoletto for not mustering up the same level of emotion as McVie did. But the problem is that he fails to muster up any emotion at all, which is very unusual considering how openly emotional his voice is any other time. However, the instrumental work is really strong; the bass and drums are appropriately forceful and the guitar work is surprisingly faithful to Lindsey Buckingham’s. Foam Ropes manages to nail down that wonderfully stinging guitar tone with an impressive flair.

This is not to say that Foam Ropes is unable to play to Nicoletto’s more eccentric deliveries.  In fact they’re utilized with great effect on other songs.  For example, “On Celery Road” takes a harder type of arrangement, similar in some respects to “Potion Me Well,” but the delivery of the lyric isn’t over the top.  There’s still a manic quality to the track, but it’s far more controlled and therefore, far more listenable and entertaining.

The variety continues on past this as there’s also songs like “Birches” and “Bad Apples” which play out with unique arrangements.  “Birches” is more acoustic in nature and explores the feelings resulting from a dissolved marriage.  Images of solitude and nature are brought up along with themes of separation and isolation, such as when the lyric describes three individuals trying to exist, “Me,” “You,” and “God.”  And the stark arrangement does quite a bit to further those feelings of solitude.   “Bad Apples” meanwhile goes for a ¾ time signature and has an almost waltz-y kind of quality to it, though given the lyric’s references to toxicity, it’s hardly meant to be danceable.  In that respect, like a bad apple it may look appealing on the surface, yet reveal something poisonous deeper within.

Foam Ropes is a delightfully complex album that takes quite a few chances in putting itself out there in order to be a unique, musical experience.  It stumbles twice, but makes up for it in the long run by being varied in the paths it takes, but consistent in how well it takes them.  Needless to say by this point, Derek Nicoletto is a highly talented songwriter and performer with fearlessness to explore where his music can go.  If this album is any indication of that, Foam Ropes is going to be able to go far.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

[heathandrewsreviews]

EP Review - Light Over There - Self-Titled

Cutting right to the quick of it, Light Over There’s self-titled EP is brilliant. There’s no getting around it; every one of the five songs here is impressively written and performed to the point where they are just as wonderful a showcase of talent, as they are enjoyable to listen to. Released in 2015, Light Over There is a transatlantic effort by Minnesotan singer/songwriter Rex Haberman and Irish vocalist, Aileen Henderson.  Henderson was raised on American country music while Haberman’s Americana style has seen success in his own group, War Poets.  Together with a group of talented session musicians, Haberman and Henderson’s collection dazzles with their remarkable musical prowess.

The EP starts off with arguably the best of the five songs; “Where Memories Live.”  The lyric is an emotionally trying one, dealing with the concepts of dementia and the effects it has on the lives of those around someone suffering from the syndrome.  Despite this, the melody and vocals are pretty lively.  You can hear the country influences in Henderson’s voice though she doesn’t go into the full out “twang” if you will, of the more traditional country sound.  Instead, Henderson steers more towards the country-tinged Americana genre, which is where the musicianship lays as well.  Drummer John Richardson puts down a wonderfully crisp performance that bristles with energetic fills.  The layering of guitars helps enhance the emotion of the lyric during the verses and also gives the piece a bit of a harder edge thanks to the powerful solo that the track builds up to.  All in all, it’s an exemplary way to introduce the EP to the listener.

“She Cries To You” directly follows it with a harder sound, relying on heavier guitars and drums to propel its melody.  Surprisingly, Henderson’s sweet voice is able to mesh fine with this louder volume, producing a strong blend of hard and sweet.  Credit here has to be given to Haberman, this style of music is something he did very effectively with his work in War Poets, and he carries that over to this project with an equal if not greater amount of success.  It also speaks well to Henderson’s talent as a vocalist, that even when completely removed from the country genre, she’s still able to adapt to the music and provide a stellar performance.

Returning to a more lyrically driven piece and sporting a softer arrangement, “I Ain’t That Bad” sees Haberman contributing some harmony and counterpoint vocals to Henderson’s lead. They sing of life’s troubles and blessings, and how thanks to the latter, things may not really be so bad in the long run.  The guitars have a wonderful ringing jangle to them, and their more acoustic nature accentuate the qualities of the vocals.  The rhythm section is still as brisk as ever and there’s even a brief guitar solo thrown in for good measure, but the shift in tone is still evident and very much complimentary to the song’s subject matter.

“Solitude Gratitude” continues on in the vein of the track that precedes it.  The drumming is especially noteworthy in its bounciness and along with the keyboard backing, help craft a kind of pop/rock feel.  Henderson’s vocals bring in that Americana feel though, ensuring that while the song is a unique entity, it’s not too far removed from the style of the rest of the EP.  Compared to the first three songs, it’s also about a minute shorter, giving it a livelier pace while also sporting another wonderful guitar solo.

Light Over There closes with “The Mountain Song.”  It’s well suited for its position on the record considering that it includes so many of the elements that worked so effectively on the four songs that preceded it.  The rhythm section is once again on fire with the bass chugging along forcefully.  Once again a great guitar solo is included and all of it comes together to accentuate the lyric about overcoming obstacles and adversity in life.  Naturally, Henderson uses her sweet voice to great effect, effectively tying a bow around the gift that is this song, and the EP overall.

When you consider that the two main songwriters/creative forces behind Light Over There have never met in person and assembled this album from parts recorded on both sides of the Atlantic, it’s even more astonishing how incredibly cohesive, tight, and orchestrated this self-titled EP is.  Aileen Henderson has an impeccable singing voice for this genre just as Rex Haberman has a strong songwriting voice for it.  The fact that they were able to cross paths is a blessing to them and for the music loving populace.  Light Over There is an absolute gem of a record.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

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Album Review - Michele McLaughlin - Undercurrent

Artist: Michele McLaughlin Album: Undercurrent Review by: Heath Andrews

Evocative. If there’s one word to summarize Michele McLaughlin’s instrumental album Undercurrent, it’s evocative.  Spanning thirteen tracks, this solo piano recording is an impressive display of skill for her as a pianist as well as a songwriter.  McLaughlin keeps her songs focused and allows them to build in tone and color without delving into improvisation or extended tangents that would detract from the overall melody.  Most of all, each one of the songs here has the ability to strike the listener in their emotional center and draw out feelings that can make for an experience that is unique to them.

First and foremost, Undercurrent is very much exactly what it’s meant to be, a rich, solo piano record that falls in the neo-classical genre.  If you’re looking for something with more depth than that, you’re not going to find it here.  However, if you are looking for a powerful piano instrumental album, you’ll be incredibly satisfied with what’s here.  McLaughlin makes things sound effortlessly beautiful with how she weaves in and between various emotions and sensations

The album kicks off with “11,000 Miles,” a fitting introduction to the style of songwriting McLaughlin utilizes through most of the record.  From a simple start, the track builds rather rapidly, taking full advantage of the right hand side of the piano.  Much of what she plays ascends in majestic fashion while the left hand accompaniment keeps a basic structure in play.  True to the title, it does sound as if a long adventure is on the way, but the upbeat tone gives the sense that it will be a pleasant one.

When it comes to staying true to its name, the title track is a particularly brilliant example of this.  “Undercurrent” sounds tranquil at first but the second half of it picks up in a powerful way.  It’s not unexpected that the transition occurs, as just like an undercurrent, hints of it are there.  Finally it grabs hold and pulls you under, taking you wherever it chooses to go.  Unlike “11,000” Miles” however, the tone is darker, cemented by the resoundingly low chords that come crashing through.

“Full of Love” is another especially noteworthy piece for how it changes.  The first half of the song opens with a tender sound and some high notes that ultimately come together to form a familiar sounding melody; not familiar in that it sounds like something else, but in that you can sense where things are going.  The second half plays this all much faster.  If you look at it from the love angle it’s as if the heart is beating faster and faster and is thusly reflected in the performance.

In terms of showcasing her talents as an instrumentalist there’s a fun little addition that McLaughlin presents on a few of the songs, particularly on “Melody in Motion.”  It wastes very little time in going from a low key affair to something a bit more intricate, with part of that coming from the use of ornamentation.  The little flourishes she throws in are charmingly wonderful and also help emphasize the classical inspiration behind her compositions.

Because of the evocative nature of the pieces, it doesn’t quite do them justice to describe them in words.  When you have an album closer such as “Synesthesia” that is so rich, dynamic, and intense, it just needs to be listened to in order to appreciate.  It’s particularly fitting when it comes to that track considering what synesthesia is; a neurological phenomenon that causes people to experience one sensory input and have it automatically trigger an unrelated secondary one.  For example, some people may see a word yet associate it with a certain color, or associate certain sounds with a color.  But while this is unintentional in synesthesia, Undercurrent is meant to be evocative.

Michele McLaughlin’s Undercurrent is a profoundly entertaining album and artistically brilliant recording.  The structured nature of the pieces makes it very accessible while the depth of tones and the emotions they bring to the service give it a surprising level of complexity.  It’s because of this that ardent fans of instrumental piano work should eat this album right up, and anyone who’s interested in the genre but not too familiar with it, will find this to be a fantastic entry point.

Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5) Review by: Heath Andrews

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Album Review - Live Hart - Honesty

The sound of Live Hart is a highly polished blend of acoustic singer-songwriter, pop, R&B, and soul.  This eclectic melding of genres is handled impeccably well on her 2014 debut release, Honesty.  Live Hart’s voice as a songwriter is consistently strong, allowing her to weave short narratives about life and love together with some fantastic arrangements.  The only potential weak link is Live Hart’s actual voice as a vocalist which sometimes struggles to effectively find notes when pushed out of her comfort zone.  The extent to which this impacts her songs will vary from person to person, depending on whether or not someone likes her voice, but for the most part Honesty is a very well-crafted and enjoyable record.

Live Hart kicks off her work with “I’m Gone;” a track which is not only solid in its own right, but also serves as a good indicator of the sound of the album in general.  The guitar that begins the track has a distinctly picked, classical style to it and becomes mixed with the smooth kind of production and textures that were so prominent in ‘90s R&B and soul.  Surprisingly, the song also sports a pronounced bass line that leans towards the softer and slower side of funk.  You can hear where the aforementioned vocals can struggle a bit, but the strength of the performances around that make up for it to a large extent.

Much of that musical feel carries over to the next track, “New Day” as it maintains a similarly powerful bass line and a great blending of electric lead and acoustic rhythm guitar.  Much of the song’s melody thrives off of the use of extensive backing vocals, all of which are laid down with an intricate level of depth and precision.  At its heart however, the song is built around a propulsive rhythm guitar and its strong foundations like that which allow for a song to build up the way this does.

“Take Me” is the first time that Live Hart really opens herself up lyrically and produces a wonderfully penned song that speaks to a desire to go to a place that is free from judgment, expectations, and pressure; a place where people can live and embrace life itself with their own unique flair.  The track’s quieter verses use their lighter, poppier tones to set this mood, but the chorus really picks things up and injects the song with a catchy hook that doubles as the song’s narrative center.  This is where Live Hart comes alive musically and emotionally for one of the album’s more memorable moments.

The record takes a turn for the milder side with the following cut “Please Don’t Say It’s Over.”  Even though the bass and percussion is still a large part of the mix, the inclusion of piano and keyboards give the track a calmer atmosphere, even during the lively and energetic bridge.  This is followed by an even sharper change in direction as “We Can Change The World” is a heavily reggae influenced track, as evidenced by the tight groove, organ sounds, and percussion.  Despite its complete shift in genre the song actually works surprisingly well, which is a testament to Live Hart’s talents and those of her backing musicians.

“Lala” meanwhile goes in the completely opposite direction and goes straight to the heart of the singer-songwriter style with a beautifully sensitive and blissful piece about the contentment and security of true love.  Unlike the other tracks which incorporate the acoustic guitar as part of something larger, the central driving force here is that acoustic rhythm.  Live Hart doesn’t sing out of her ranger here either, sounding absolutely lovely in conveying the sentiment within her writing.

The rest of the album’s second half is filled with some fairly remarkable pieces.  “This Is Me” brings back the strong electric guitar parts to bookend the cut, with the closing solo in particular being wonderfully powerful.  The drum track is also noteworthy for its crisp fills and the atmosphere in general is captivatingly energetic. That energy holds true leading into “What Is Love” which brings back a lot of the R&B textures with some legitimately funky lead guitar to boot. “Summer Love” is another distinct track, particularly noteworthy for its heavier keyboard, drum, and bass tracks, helping it to sound like a neo-80’s revival piece that Bruno Mars pulls off so well.  And it all culminates with the rapping, pop hooks, and stirring guitar parts that make up the final song, “Release.”

Honesty is honestly, a very solid record.  It effortlessly changes and mixes genres in an entertaining fashion, it showcases Live Hart’s talents as a songwriter to a wonderful degree, and it maintains a lovely sense of energy and passion from start to finish.  Vocal quibbles aside, if you can get past some of the shakier aspects of Live Hart’s singing, you’re in for a remarkable treat.  There is legitimately no real weak track here; and that’s not something that can be said for many albums at all.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

Review by: Heath Andrews

Official Website: http://www.livehartonline.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Live-Hart/71658356167

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LiveOneTelevision