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Weekly Reviews For December 4, 2005

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As We Speak – Lost In The Station

"Poetic Indie Rock with an eclectic rhythm section." That's how the San Diego group of four, As We Speak, describes their recent body of work. The band has been together a year and half and has managed to write fourteen songs, sign with Shake Recordings (an independent record label based in Seattle), and release their debut album titled "Lost in the Station."

Now they're not as different or interesting as they would like to think they are, being firmly in thrall to the big sounding but empty hearted so-called rock that pollutes our airwaves. But I'm not here to damn them with faint praise, as they do have enough life and character about them to make it worthwhile having a second listen.

Some of the songs have strong dynamics and interesting stories to tell, and when they let the songs breathe and the character shine though, you can tell there's talent at work here. Now, if they can forget about the ghastly Attractions like arrangements of some of their material and concentrate on forging their own identity, they could be ones to watch.

They're young and hopefully can take heart from an encouraging beginning.

Kontiki – New Horizons


Hmm, it's all a bit too satisfied with itself in places. Shades of REM abound throughout this debut release from the Leamington/Northampton five-piece outfit.

However, there are some absolute gems with the seventies west coast feel of "Unamazed" being the finest example, dripping with country rock feel and harmony vocals in a Comsic Rough Riders manner. The songs work best when they retain an organic fell which is why instrumental "Snowstorm" leaves me cold. Ah, sometimes I'm, too funny for my own good.

"Cowgirl Heart" is another goodie, which verges on psychobilly without getting too out of hand and "Looking At The Tide" goes all dancy goth on you. In their schizophrenic delirium they sometimes shoot off into acid rock territory before landing firmly back on planet dull.

There's an extremely talented band in here, who just need to find out who they want to be. Then the world could be there's for the taking.

The Jazz Room - Vocal Jazz

This is part of Groove Uniteds five CD "Jazz Room", which divides up into Latin Jazz, Classic Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Jazz Sampler and Smooth Jazz, making it all the easier for the buyer to delve into their preferred sphere. This CD, "Vocal Jazz" showcases Wade O. Brown, Delihla, Brandy Callahan, Lisa Miranda and Michelle Brown.

Although they are presented on the same CD, they actually take very different approaches to their jazz. Wade O. Brown has a crack at the Leon Russell tune, "This Masquerade" which was popularised by George Benson and doesn't come out too badly, but it's a towering song to take on. Delihla sings “Love Me Baby”, a slow lovelorn song which really shines. Brandy Callahan goes back to the days when scat ruled the jazz world on “Teach Me Tonight” and easily holds her own. A tremendous performance.

“Sunny Gets Blue” is sung by Lisa Miranda who leans towards the fifties lounge jazz idiom. Fortunately she has a strong and individual voice which is highlighted perfectly by the soft shuffling backdrop. Delihla steps up for a 2nd song, and it's the classic “Nature Boy”. A brave song to take on when the Nat King Cole version is definitive. Brandy Callahan then returns for the George and Ira Gershwin song “Embraceable You”. Probably my favourite song on the album, this is a sultry delight.

There are a couple of songs that don't come off with “Oh Great Lord” by Delihla and “You Don't Know What Love Is” falling into that category. The former is a lacklustre song and the latter fails to come out of the shadow of the Chet Baker version. Dehihla also ends up on the end ogf another poor song with “Precious Love”. A shame as she has a great voice.

“Summertime” is next. Get it wrong and jazz fans will mock. Brandy Callahan doesn't quite make it her own, but it's a commendable effort. “Crazy He Calls Me” finishes things off. Another song done a hundred times but Michelle Brown does well on her sole turn here.

An interesting sample of the music groove United has on offer with at least half a dozen songs you'll return to.

Allene Rohrer – Synergism

The first time I played this I hated it. Thoroughly. But I'm a professional and I always give things a second chance. Second time around some of the melodies took hold and on the third listening I finally acclimatised to Allenes distinctive voice.

A seasoned performer on the San Francisco Bay Area music scene, this is the debut CD from Allene. She also performs with Mistress, a 4-part harmony, acoustic quartet, featuring Julia Bordenaro, Barbara Griesau and Zeitgeist lauded T. Hallenbeck.

Once you tune into the rhythm, there's a haunting quality to a lot of the songs which are augemented by some tremendous performances, especially from the guitar and voice of John Fonseca. The highlight of the show is “Danger” where the basic folk-rock template gets jazzed up and downhomed. It takes a while but it's well worth getting to grips with this CD.

The Trevor Finlay Band - Show Me What U Got

Ah, blues rock, the sound of my soul. That's me over there in the honky tonk with an ugly dog at my feet, a whisky in my left hand and a good looking woman in my right. And the bar band sounds just like this.

The Canadian Trevor Finlay Band have put together a tremendous set of original songs and a couple of choice covers. Of the originals it's “Mr Bad Timing” and “Let's Just get Drunk” that relate the story of my life with grinding blues riffs and hard vocals. Adopting the trio format of the best blues combos, keeping it tight, Trevor excels on guitars and vocals with Barry Buse and Mark Rehder laying down the backbeat that white boy blues needs.

There isn't a single song here that gets skipped over, a rare thing when 30 or so new CDs drop on my doormat every week. They are then carefully laundered by my manservant before being brought to me in the master bedroom where a hand picked selection of teenage temptresses take turns at putting CDs in the CD player, plying me with drink and engaging in pillow fights.

The two cover version couldn't be further apart with a remake of the Gene Vincent tune "Be Bop A Lula" not straying far from the dirty rockabilly shuffle of the original whereas the closing song, a cover of the Prince song “Kiss” thankfully reclaims it from the singing hoover, Tom Jones and brings it back as a driving acoustic blues.

The best blues album I've heard this year? Oh, yes.

Eurythmics - I've Got A Life

For 1 minute and twenty seconds this looks like it's going to turn into one of those dreadful, mawkish ballads the over forties churn out when their musical muse has long departed.Then all of a sudden, it turns into a lithe, electronic funkfest which shows just how good a singer Annie Lennox always was and still is. After their last (dreadful) reunion I never saw this coming.

A splendid surprise even if the dreadful remix of "Sweet Dreams" nearly undoes the good work.

Anastacia - Pieces Of A Dream

Anastacia continues on her quest to change from funky dance diva into melancholic rock siren with another track from the Glen Ballard conveyor belt.

Now she actually could sing the telephone directory and make it sound good but does herself no favours with formulaic songs like these. But there is a Greatest Hits to promote which includes the much better "Everything Burns", where it seemed like she was going to pull off the transformation.

Now don't get me wrong, I'd much rather hear Anastacia sing this than most of the dreadful pap put there that female singers are foisted into recording. I just wonder if there are storms in paradise. After all, the record company has seen fit to put one of the most heinous remixes of all time on this release with a 'Club Megamix' of her hits.

The worst mix of all time, it has surely been put together as a special project for the tone deaf. And it's so out of place when Anastacia has being going for the moody and magnificent approach of late.