Rose of Jericho, These City Lights

Although I am not a fan of American Idol, I can see the attraction.  It is a demonstration of great skill and perseverance.  Most difficult to me, looking in as a viewer, though is watching incredibly talented people trying desperately to squeeze their own personal genre into the maze of twists and turns thought up by some self proclaimed witty producer.  But alas, I digress.  In the spirit of squeezing talent into a void of simplicity, meet Rose of Jericho and their second album “These City Lights.”   Behind the powerful poppy songstress, Andrea Russie, lies a sad blankness that is the sound of a generic and lightweight ’90s power riff rock band.  Somewhere between Christian rock’s sadder moments and Guitar Hero before they acquire any rights, the meat of the Rose of Jericho, the band, is a purely a vessel to disguise what is a great pop vocal voice in a Lita Ford mask.  The band is not completely to blame though.  There are hopes here of being a true “rocker” whatever that means. Perhaps there were once hopes of be Evanescence, but the stale backdrop can’t quite pull the Gothic pain out of the soft and gentle suburban rocktress that is actually beaming through the speakers.  “These City Lights,” the title track says it all.  Its optimistic, its sultry and its well done all without a lick of power ballad monotony.  I can only hope that the Rose of Jericho does as its name sake and arises well from the gloom of their present state.

Review By: W. R. Eilers

Rating:

Russ Glenn, Brand New World

When I first popped in Russ Glenn’s, A Brand New Earth, I was willing to give it a chance.  Sure it sounds like your average frat boy with a guitar tearing up the scene at the local college bookstore, but hey we have all sat around the fire singing along to Jack Johnson riffs.  It is a hard album to sell though.  Unlike the John Mayers and Ben Harpers of the world, Russ Glenn is choppy and mechanical.  Unfortunately, his rigidity spills over into his voice that is too dramatic, too vibrating, too intended.  Like watching your girlfriend taking an acting class, however, I still secretly cheered Russ on.  His chords are solid.   His enthusiasm is commendable.  This, of course, was before the tragedy of this album, Russ Glenn’s cover of Jane Says.   Albeit a bold move, I have to say it was not a wise choice.  Singing a song about a prostitute like its a summer camp jamboree is just distasteful.  This tragedy is then followed by yet another cover.  This time he takes on the prince of 60s East Village heroine angst, Lou Reed and his classic Sweet Jane and again plants it cheerfully into the weekend retreat’s sound system.  Please understand paying tribute through a cover is always a honoring gesture, but disregarding the painful truths behind the lyrics and the music with hand holding bellows is just a not right.  Already struggling, Russ Glenn managed to do what few camp fire rockers have been able to do, distinguish themselves from the crowd, much to the dismay of this listener, and he did it in two songs.
 
Review By: W. R. Eilers

Rating:

One World, Share The Love

Despite the tranquil and harmonious name, the new album by One World, Share the Love, sadly does not inspire me to do the same.  As is often the case in the eclectic catch all genre known as “world beat,” One World’s attempts to show the vast gambit of their influences by giving too little of a lot of different forms. 

The result is a mediocre blend of Latin folk, Latin Rock and Latin Soul, all while strangely  not exercising their obvious Latin muscles quite enough.  One World fails to bridge the different hues and create subtle intersections that are one fluid concept.  The genre combination plays more like a piled up sampler and less like a medley. 

Smooth rock intros break hard into bluesy grit in an awkward jerk that is hard to settle into.  For example, the song “Orale” opens with a Santana like riff and abruptly twists into a “Latin Soul” as the raspy vocals of the lead singer hover above chanty and gimmicky chorus, all upon a backdrop of mamba rhythms.   Nothing quite relates to the other, like looking at off white curtains against an eggshell wall.  However, each segment is too distinct and out of touch with the other.  The problem lies in the lack of cohesion.  It is quite obvious that the members of One Love are talented.  They show great diversity in their abilities and understanding of their inspirations.  But like fusion cooking gone awry, this album simply fails to grab your attention.  Those songs that have a fluid consistency, like the title track, Share the Love, simply fall away dull and unappealing. I feel like these guys have so much more to offer, but with every new listen, I find myself getting more and more turned off.  If One World was playing at your local Taste of Our Town weekend festival, you might stop and give a listen, but you will find yourself moving quickly onto the local wooden puppets and home crafted doilies with a second thought. Simply put, this album would be a good present for that meat and potatoes in-law who needs to spice up their Michael Bolton morning commute with something mildly soothing and equally as forgettable.  

Review By: W. R. Eilers  

Rating:

Nick Motil, Everything’s Alright

On his new album, “Everything’s Alright,” Nick Motil sings, “The sun is always shining where I come from.” But where is that? According to his myspace page, he was born playing at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Restaurant on the Sunset Strip in Las Vegas, just a few years ago.

Some hints to his identity come through the music on his latest album, “Everything’s Alright.” His melodies are guitar-based and painstakingly simple. His lyrics circle vivid images, creating movies in the mind of the listener, beside declarations of love and heartbreak. At times, it sounds like he wrote down what he’s said in phone conversations, or letters never sent. He doesn’t push it when he sings. His voice drawls like shoes across gravel. He might as well be sitting on the front porch of a family farm, playing for the sun as it sets in the sky.

Nick Motil is a country boy.

Apparently, he doesn’t know this yet. He lists his influences as Paul Simon and David Gray, two artists that share only the occasional penchant for acoustic songwriting. That’s where the similarities end. Motil misses the originality of songwriting and eclectic feast of genres that is Simon’s career, as well as the Euro-influences of Gray.

“Everything’s Alright” is an album of Americana. It’s filled with brilliant country tunes. It’s melodic and clever, a great Sunday afternoon record. As a lyricist, Motil likes to play word games. As a songwriter, he favors classic chord progressions. His originality comes through in the down-home comfort he exudes, and his ability to sing candidly. He opens the song “Butterflies” with the line: “I probably should’ve kissed you.” He’s singing to the ladies in the crowd, but earnestly.

Currently, Nick Motil is the highest booked act on U.S. College Circuit. If he fessed up to the country and western appeal of his music, he could headline arenas.

Review By Anney E. J. Ryan

[Rating 3/5]

Jimmy Reeves, The Axe and the Tree

Do not confuse Jimmy Reeves with the Texan country crooner from the fifties and sixties. This Jimmy Reeves is a gypsy. He calls everywhere home. Reeves grew up a military kid, traveling across the country. However, in his new album, “The Axe and the Tree,” he sounds very grounded, like someone who’s made a home for himself in his own head.

“The Axe and the Tree” references the story of Noah and the Flood, the moment when Noah decided to start building his ark, despite the warnings and laughter of skeptics. Reeves appreciates this kind of blind faith. It’s proven to serve him well. “The Axe and the Tree” is an album that floats, constructed of rich materials and similar mad inspiration.

The whole album bleeds blue. It reminds you of the nineties, back when you could spend weekend nights sitting in the back of a smoky dark café. Snippets of the music are too beautiful for the coffee house; however, Reeves has the tendency of a singer-songwriter to overplay melodies instead of moving on. This could be due to his appreciation of the blues. Reeves attempts this same kind of form, but through songs that sound more like pop ballads.

All artists make choices, and Reeves chooses to be more avante garde than the typical singer-songwriter. At times, his words don’t match his melodies. His music is lush, swaths of piano and guitar that unfold and wrap around you, while his words thunk and clatter. Without the words, this album would make perfect movie music. To do that, however, would rob the world of Reeves’ voice, a voice that should be heard. It’s not cultivated or polished; it’s just good. Much like John Lennon or Paul Simon, Reeves has a natural, unassuming solid voice. So few singers sound so down-to-earth today.

Review By Anney E. J. Ryan

[Rating 2/5]

Daniel Joseph, Daniel Joseph

Daniel Joseph sounds like Texas. His new self-titled album features songs with twinges of country swirled into classic bar rock. The music rides on simple, no-BS melodies, and gives you the feeling that Joseph rides alone—as a lone star, perhaps.

For the first half of the album, Joseph is backed by a band. On the second half, he offers acoustic versions of the same songs, showing that he can hang as a soulful singer songwriter as well. Then it’s easier to hear the subtle changes, the way his vocal melodies ribbon in and out of the chord progressions that show the care that went into crafting each song. In this way, the album is perfect for blasting on the open road, or quietly at home in the evening.

Some artists self title their albums because they can’t think of a good one. For Joseph, no other title could fit so well. The album is a memoir, a collection of his musical influences from birth to present, and what he’s learned by being a lifelong musician in the world. A lot has happened in the meantime. Joseph grew up in Texas, and started making music with his uncle and mother as young as five. He played in the bands Element and Modern Day Relief, popular on the local Fort Worth bar and club scene.

As he says, “The kind of music I’m making today was a part of me long before I started Element,” referencing John Mellencamp and Tom Petty. Mellencamp comes through more obviously than Petty. Rather than storytelling in his songs, Joseph carries in each song a specific lesson. It’s easy to imagine he’s a father telling his son about the life lessons that he’s learned, what’s made him a man. He sings of the beauty of patience, becoming one’s own hero, and living in the now. That’s where the influences end. Listen to the album—it’s all Joseph, a collection of who he is in song.

Review By Anney E. J. Ryan

Rating:

KENNETH VASOLI NEW BAND CREATION - PERSON L

Person L, the new band from The Starting Line’s lead singer/songwriter Kenneth Vasoli, will release its debut album, Initial, on August 5th via Vasoli’s own imprint, Human Interest.

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SCARLETT COVERS THE CURE

We know that actress Scarlett Johansson likes to sing, after all, she just released her first album, a collection of Tom Waits covers. Now, the beautiful star is showing what she can do live through an iTunes Live Session EP. You can check it out at the digital download site now. The five-song set also features her take on The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry.” Johansson is engaged to actor Ryan Reynolds.

BLUES TRAVELER GOT SOME NEW TUNES

Blues Traveler are back. The band will release a new album next month called North Hollywood Shootout. This latest effort has even more of singer John Popper’s stamp on it, as the group let him work more on the record’s melodies. He said, “The main thing that we wanted to emphasize on this record was melody, and I think that aspect of it turned out very well… The guys took a real risk in trusting me to run with that.” North Hollywood Shootout comes out on August 26th.

NAS HEADLINES A TOUR

Nas’ summer has just gotten a bit busier. In addition to his performances on the Rock The Bells 2008 International Festival Series, he will be headlining a tour in support of his untitled ninth studio album. The Jones Experience will feature Nas, along with special guests Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica and DJ Green Lantern. The crew will be performing in small clubs across North America. But Nas says don’t let the size of the clubs fool you, it’s “a big show in an intimate venue.” The 21-date tour kicks off Tuesday in Montreal and wraps up Labor Day weekend in Minneapolis.

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