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Weekly Reviews For October 2, 2005

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I am Managing Editor at Metal4Life

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San Francisco Blue - Hurting for People

A lovely warm 'alt country' opener, the title track is co-composed by the legendary Skip Spence whose 'Oar' album remains one of the finest of its ilk. Brian Fowler's mandolin playing is brilliant throughout especially in the extended solo on 'Bitter Cherry'. Bob Harvey writes most of the songs sometimes in collaboration with others. Harvey was in an early incarnation of Jefferson Airplane while Brian Fowler produced the most enjoyable 'Folk Art' CD with his band Jones Avenue a couple of years back. In fact his song 'Third World War' is reprised here. 'Hurting for People' has a very spontaneous feel to it- what you hear is what you get and Harvey's vocal style is not to be missed!

It's his harmonica that leads the way on 'Listen to the Voice', a fine song with a serious message while the 7 minute rendition of 'Walking The Dog' is a lot of fun. Check it out!

Reviewed by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist

Aluminium Babe - Everything 2 Me


What the hell is this! A Casio keyboard and little girl vocals! Didn't I kill Bis in the great indie genocide I sneaked through when everyone was at the Millennium celebrations.

But then the bandits sneak in the DJ Downfall remix, and it's absolutely fabulous. Imagine Shampoo (remember them, big in Japan, Uh-oh here comes trouble etc) recording with Gary Numan (remember him - ugly, blue hair, sung about cars and fannied around in a private jet) then blagging down huge quantities of gak in a dark and dingy club.

Frankly I feel quite dirrrrty (in a Scots accent) and soiled, but in a rather naughty, pleasurable fashion. Yes, I'm a bad boy, and don't you know it. What's that you say, coming to a town near me soon - where did I put that overcoat with the poachers pockets. Cue my favourite Starfighters track ever!

I'm not sure if you can buy the CD as the label website goes on about one of those new fangled download thingies, so if you understand technology, follow the link.

B-sides a bit tasty too!

Pat Collins Quartet - In The Moment

Is there a jazz album from Canada that Mike Murley doesn't play on? Because here's another one, this time with bass player Pat Collins as bandleader.

Pat Collins himself has played on more than 50 records over the years and has performed with the likes of scar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie and Diana Krall amongst others, but this recording sees him stepping up to the plate for the first time as leader.

Concentrating on his won material, as he does, serves him well, as too may jazz musicians these days are content to serve up pallid versions of classic material, but this allows him and the listener the opportunity to try something fresh without preconceptions.

As is often the case, the solos of saxophonist Mike Murley are an absolute revelation. But guitarist Reg Schwager, drummer Barry Elmes and Collins himself are no slouches with the latter providing some fine solos of his own. This is a more mainstream offering than some others I've heard recently and it actually enhanced the listening experience as it was nice to come home to some familiar cadences. Highly recommended.

Bill Mays, Neil Swainson & Terry Clarke - Bick's Bag

Bill Mays is another jazz man who has played with the best, including some heady fusion gigs with Tom Scott's L.A. Express and Frank Zappa.

At one point he ended up in Los Angeles, playing studio sessions on Hollywood film scores and accompanying such top singers as Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra. But he was drawn back to the world he loved and headed for the jazz capital of the world - New York.

This Cd sees him joined by bassist Neil Swainson (the favoured bass player for George Shearing) and drummer Terry Clarke. Recorded live at the Montreal Bistro and Jazz Club this offers up s alittle something for everyone, delivered with precision, feeling and fervour. The hard driving "Hallucinations" is my favourite, but the entire performance is dotted with gems including the delicate "Laura" and the funky title track.

If you want to hear top musicians, stretching out and enjoying themselves, then this is the place to be.

Simon Fisk Trio - Intent

Bass / piano / drums - it doesn't get much more minimal than that, yet the moods prtrayed on this CD are wide ranging and full of depth.

Across an array of eleven self-composed and lenghty (7 of the 11 tracks clock in at seven minutes plus), bassist Simon Fisk, painist Chris Gestrin and drummer Tom Foster have put together one of the finest modern jazz sets I've heard in a long while.

The music can be hard driving and challenging, and there's an undercurrent of melancholia to a lot of the material. Some of the lesser tracks like 'A Better Day' don;t live up to detailed investigation, but when the musicians lock into a pattern as they do on most of this album, it's a treat to listen to.

Just check out 'Live In The Ideal', 'No Obligation' or 'Everything As It Will' to hear a masterclass in musicians exploring their genre and each other.

The Shuffle Demons - Greatest Hits

Of course, greatest hits is a bit of a misnomer, as the Shuffle Demons were hardly chart botherers, even in their native Canada.

But what you do get is 17 tracks from the 4 albums they released between 1986 and 1993, namely 'Streetniks', 'Bop Rap', 'What do You Want' and 'Extra Crispy'. And an exhilirating set of material it is too.

The Shuffle Demons were a law unto themselves incorporating jazz, bop rap, poetry and performance art into their shows. Obviously, some of that is lost in an audio only environment, but when they blast, they blast. For me, it's the earliest material that shines brightest with the 'Streetniks' material absolutely outstanding, especially 'Gabis Gimi Suit'.

Of special interest to Canadian readers will be the inclusion of the 'Hockey Night In Canada Theme', originally on their 'Bop Rap' album, a record that maintained the standards of the 'Streetniks', with '12 Beers My Dear', a jazzy country lament that most men will relate to!

By the time the nineties arrived, they seemed to be struggling a bit, and 93s 'Extra Crispy' material had started to lose the early lustre. However, the demons had a charm all of their own, and this is a more than worthy collection for Galactic fans with a sense of humour.

Smith / Liebman / Esen / Jackson - Flashpoint

All star projects sometimes have a habit of going horribly, horribly wrong, resulting in embarrassment for the musicians and empty wallets and hearts for the punters. But here's one such project that went terribly, terribly right.

Steve Smith once drummed for Journey, and now leads his own fusion outfit, Vital Information. Saxophonist Dave Liebman toured and recorded with Elvin Jones & Miles Davis before becoming a bandleader in his won right. Keyboard player Aydin Esen has worked with Pat Metherny and legendary bassist Anthony Jackson has worked with, well, everyone. From Buddy Rich to Steely Dan and back again.

The primary composers are Liebman and Esen, and it's unapologetically, out and out fusion, the way it used to be. My own preference is for the Liebman material with 'Like John' an answer piece to Coltranes 'Like Sonny' and 'The gentle Warrior', a soulful, melancholic tribute to the late Bob Berg, the delights of delights.

But that is not to take away from the other material which is of a uniformly high standard, or the performances, which are straight from the top drawer. Music this good doesn't come around very often, so make sure you don't miss out.

The Hazey Janes - After All / Find A Way

What is it with Scottish bands and Big Star? It seems like every other band has an overwhelming urge to write jangly pop songs drenched with harmonies. Not that I'm complaining, not with my passion for harmony vocals.

Strangely, the Hazey Janes hail from Dundee not Glasgow, so I can't make my usual barbed comments about Teenage Fanclub, so I wil lrestrict myself to some qualified praise instead. Lead track 'After All' is pleasant enough upbeat soft rock song which goes in one ear and out the other in a pleasant enough manner, but without leaving much of an imprint.

However, 'Find A Way' is an absolute peach. A slow, country lament where the voice of Alice Marra and Andrew Mitchell entwine in a delightful fashion, this is the kind of song that should get them noticed. Allied to a top notch, sympathetic production and fine performances by all - the lineup is completed by Liam Brennan and Matthew Marra - that one song is enough to get you looking for more. Only available as a download doodah.