Monthly Archives: July 2010

CD Review: Jon Mullane “Shift”

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Jon Mullane is a Canadian rocker who’s new album “Shift” is a throwback to power pop artists of the ’80s. Like Rick Springfield, but with a little more of Enuff Znuff attitude. Jon works with Pete Lesperance on guitar, and co-writer and producer Creighton Doane (Harum Scarum) gives the sound a professional gloss. The album is full of consistent driving melodic rock tunes, opening with the workman effort “Make Your Move,” which smolders similar to ZZ Top; it’s full cowbell, overdubbed guitars, and Jon’s breathy vocal. Continue reading →

PIGSHIT: Michael Mazzarella and his Soda Pop Gramophone

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Late one morning the man was awoken, quite suddenly, by what seemed to be a blistering “crack!” somewhere above. Far, far over his head; past the settling moon, across the rising sun, through even the storm clouds, which seemed to forever drift directly behind his each and every waking thought.

“Who is it?” were the first, purest words heard out of his mouth that day. “Is somebody there? Anywhere?”

Detecting little other than his own breath in response, he unknotted the sheets and rolled out across the floor. Creeping nervously towards the only door in sight, he ran through his mind what now could possibly be on its way, before darkness settled in again that night. What questions, trials, and/or follies were to be foisted upon him again this day? A trip? A phone call? An errand put off from months ago? Continue reading →

Conversations in astrobiology: Discovering (the unknown sides of) Au Revoir Simone

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Au Revoir Simone hit the stage at Montreal’s La Sala Rossa on July 15th with songs from their latest record, “Still Night, Still Light”. The girls played a stellar show, performing such fan favorites as “Shadows”, “All or Nothing”, “Sad Song”, and “Anywhere You Looked” to a sold-out crowd. Consisting of Heather D’Angelo, Annie Hart, and Erika Forster, Au Revoir Simone play in a style derivative of dream pop (think Mercury Rev meets Bat For Lashes) that has garnished them street cred in Canada, America, Europe, and Japan (where they headlined their own tour in 2009.) The all-girl keyboard trio are embarking on a European escapade shortly, with August dates scheduled in Paris, Zurich, Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen.

I arrived early and waited for the girls to pull over on St. Laurent Boulevard after a long drive from Toronto’s dreaded 401. Their van looked as if it had come right out of the ’70s; painted stale yellow, but with plenty of room to accommodate the gear. Sala Rossa was a fitting venue for their psychedelic sound with its red lights and gothic chandeliers. The girls have come a long way from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, working on collaborative projects with David Lynch and sharing the stage with the likes of AIR, Camera Obscura, and Ladytron, among other notable acts. Continue reading →

CD Review: Blitzen Trapper “Destroyer of the Void”

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After a painfully spastic effort in Wild Mountain Nation, it seemed as though Blitzen Trapper had wrangled its broad stylistic inclinations under one banner on 2008’s Furr. Sacrificing ambition and diversity for immediacy and cohesion wasn’t of calamitous critical consequence (triple score) as the album garnered praise across the board. Apparently, it mattered to the Portland outfit nonetheless. A lot.

They shoot for the stratosphere from the start on Destroyer Of The Void with a theatrical title track that doesn’t absorb their influences, but inflates them to incalculable levels of absurdity. Prog flourishes have become titanic gaudy arrangements, Eric Earley’s inoffensive voice has become a mincing emulator, and the group invests such drive in this dubious opener that there’s little fuel left to carry the record to the finish line — this comprises its foremost flaw: the monolithic first track doesn’t simply flounder as a single strike, it also exhausts the sextet’s supply of spirit and verve. Continue reading →

Andrew W.K. proves he’s the ultimate authority on partying hard, talks Vans Warped Tour, and shares his love for Canada

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“Rockstars” have never been known for their humility. Rather, the trend has always appeared to be that the more fame an artist achieves, the less accommodating they become. Especially if they’re truly talented and musically gifted. Apparently Andrew W.K. never got that memo.

I caught up with the ultimate spokesman for partying hard when the Vans Warped Tour stopped in Montreal and was immediately surprised by the organization and smoothness of all things related to Andrew W.K. As most musicians “forgot” about their interview times, Andrew showed up only about a minute late to his 1:30 p.m. press time and immediately launched into interviews, before heading off to a three hour meet-and-greet extravaganza with his fans. The multi-instrumentalist, who can rock a piano as if he were Beethoven’s prodigy, is not only know for his solid music, but also for his live shows, which are packed with unrivaled energy and good times.

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CD Review: The City Streets “The Jazz Age”

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When I texted a friend of mine to ask  if she had ever heard of The City Streets she replied, “Haha, I listened to them once by accident while searching for The Streets.”  I love being exposed to new acts that come all the way from the Prairies and sing about the tragedies that befall individuals in modern urban spaces, but let’s face it: we have all heard songs about drinking away your sorrows, driving around, and complaining about bourgeois tragedies. Dingy “punk rock bars” are not about “teenage war.” Read the Manifesto. Punk is supposed to be political. See the Dead Kennedys.

When F. Scott Fitzgerald coined the phrase “The Jazz Age” in the roaring twenties, he wasn’t referring to what these guys have in mind. The City Streets are a young band that vacillate freely between the genres of post-punk revival, indie, and emo without an established aesthetic. Their sound is more Vans Warped Tour than Osheaga. Continue reading →

Mean Creek doing nicely for themselves: Chris Keene talks Boston, Bill Hicks, Converse, and cover art

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Mean Creek is Boston’s best band, and you don’t need to take my word for it—the readers of the Boston Phoenix agree. With two acclaimed albums under their belt and a reputation for riveting live performances, the title is certainly well-earned. Having just released a new 7″, The Comedian [a worthy follow-up to the cthonic intensity and lofty melancholia of their last offering, The Sky (or the Underground)], Mean Creek is preparing to play shows next month in New York, New England, and Pennsylvania. Before hitting the road, frontman Chris Keene was kind enough to field a few questions on the meaning of it all.

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This Model-T Just Keeps On Rocking

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T-Model Ford – The Ladies Man
Alive Records

While the blues revival of the ’80′s and ’90′s has waned considerably thanks to touring costs, the age of the artists and a handful of other factors, there is a plethora of blues releases coming out on a regular basis. Whether it’s because the blues speaks to all facets of life like a universal language or if the form is easily understood is unknown. Hell, it could be because three chords are easier to play than five so let’s get a band together and bash out some jams etc. etc. No one will ever know for sure. What I do know is few blues releases stand out like the albums by T-Model Ford. Though the blues is a “truth-telling” sort of music if you get my meaning, Ford tells the truth like no other and when one listens to Ford’s music, one gets the sense Ford has some sort of life lesson to hand down and you better pay attention because if you miss it, you’ll be sorry. At least, that’s the impression I get when listening to his albums.

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Garage-Tested, Owner-Approved Rock and Roll

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Scott Morgan – Self Titled
Alive Records

You can’t help but love this! Michigan garage rock legend Scott Morgan emerges with a new album nearly fifty years after forming his first band! Not only that, but aside from appearances on other bands’ records, the occasional single and scattered band projects, this marks Morgan’s first album under his own name! While not a happening on par with a new XTC album, let’s say, Morgan has always been a card-carrying flag-waver for all that is special and right about primal rock and roll and for him to produce a full album on a label with such a great rep as Alive at this point in his career is astounding. I mean, at the age when most rockers either decide to hang it up or just coast by doing “stunt” albums with others songs and high-priced guest stars and “high concepts” Morgan has put out an album doing what he has always done best – high octane garage rock with a little psyche, a little pop and a whole lotta R&B and soul. This could be the beginning of a new stage in his career, and what a career it has already been!

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Small Town Talk, Big Deal Album

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Bobby Charles – Timeless
Rice and Gravy Records

One of the true enigmas of rock and roll music has his posthumous album released on his own label, a label with an uncertain future I am guessing, so you may have to spend a little time hunting this release down. Please do, though (and quickly as I am not sure how long it will be in print) as it is one of the mostg poignant musical statements I have heard in quite a while. There no secret Charles was hurting while making this final disc, and perhaps he knew it would be his last musical statement, one can never tell. What one can tell, however, is that no matter how much he was hurting, how much the pretty much constant health problems over the past decade or so were wearing him down, Charles kept his humor and his sense of humanty intact. It’s in his songs, the little homespun homilies and the musical parables he recorded pretty much through his career and scattered on his much-too-infrequent albums. And what a career!

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