Reviews

Weekly Reviews For April 30, 2006

Review Index

I am Managing Editor at Metal4Life

I also contribute reviews to getreadytorock

I am also featured reviewer at spacerock.co.uk

I was Editor & reviewer at MetalUK.

New Reviews

Niacin - Organik

I remember when I was a boy and first discovered fusion. It was a joyous time and I spent many, many hours plugged into a set of headphones while Billy Cobham, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and their ilk spun away on well played vinyl.

And although Niacin don't quite trigger the same aural overload (well I did lose my virginity quite some time ago) they do a sterling show at evoking many of the same sensory pleasures. That's not surprising given that percussion is taken care of by Dennis Chambers, formerly of Parliament/Funkadelic and Santana. On keyboards it's the magic fingers of Chick Corea and Andy Summers alumni John Novello. And topping things off, or rather bottoming things off, it's Mr Billy Sheehan on bass.

It's a hard driving, uncompromising set of original instrumentals (bar the solitary cover, "King Kong" by Frank Zappa). Best of the bunch are the bass driven "Blistering" which is exactly that and the choppy, start/stop quasi orchestral "Hair Of The Dog".

Three maestros at the top of their game, it doesn't get much better.

Freshlyground - Nomvula


Spring has sprung (sort of), the pallid Norther sun is trying to sneak through the clouds, and the braver daffodils are trying to force their way above ground. So what better time to introduce you to the sprightly South African adult pop of Freshlyground, despite my antipathy to anything coffee related.

A seven piece band hailing from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe their debut album "Jika Jika" broke them on to the South African stage and if there's any justice this second album should get their name known internationally.

Liberals keep banging on about our multicultural society, which is nothing of the sort, and usually means they've been to Morocco on holiday and have a Filipino maid, so when you hear something that really does blur cultural boundaries it's actually quite startling.

Not that there's anything musically shocking here. Rather, Freshlyground have a smooth and polished sound, full of sunny vibes and rhythms. Switching seamlessly between English and Xhosa vocals, it's a testament to the power of the music that you stay with it the whole way through.

Highlights are many, but "Manyana" and the South African #1 hit "Doo Be Doo" come out tops. Fresh, invigorating and hopeful.

Of course it's not all spiritual as the yearning duet "Just One Night" avers, but is you're still a believer this is a faith affirming set of songs.

Hey Negrita - Can't Walk Away

Hey Negrita got a lot of critical plaudits for last years debut "We Are Catfish" and now face the unenviable taks of trying to follow it up. But they must have the bottle for it, as the London based Americana outfit recently undertook a coals to Newcastle trip to the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas.

And I'm sure they were patted on the head like a slightly simple relative and told 'well done', while the big boys went back to playing hardball. You see, they're good, but they're not great, as were The Rockingbirds in their time, and much good it did them.

In fact, life might have been better for Hey Negrita if they hadn't allied themselves to the overrated ghost of Gram Parsons and just got on with trying to write some great songs. for whilst lead track "Can't Walk Away" us just alright, B-side "Lust And Bones" is very good indeed. Even the odd Lemon Jelly remix of "Losing You" is a winner going all Mercury Rev on your ass. I'd also like to give respect to ehoever decided on the replica vinyl ceedee - we like them round our way.

Skippy & The Bellbottoms - What Happened To Turn Signals?

In with a shout for the worst band name ever, SKippy & The Bellbottoms are working in the same milieu as latter day WIlco and My Morning Jacket. You know, the whole left field, acoustic ambient, introspective modern folk thing.

Essentially a one man band built around the songwriting talents of Jeff Maynard, this is an enjoyable st of late night, headphones on, confessionals. Rarely rising above a whisper, it's the sound of leaves blowing across the street, more Howe Gelb than anything else.

Former / current indie rocker (he also plays in Next To Never), Jeff says that he didn't want to sing really loud anymore, and he's certainly managed that. There's a delicacy and fragility to his performance that is quite affecting. Mind you, after 11 tracks I really needed a blast of rock and / or roll to recover!

With some carefully added sound effects - running water, birdsong etc - fleshing out the spartan sound, there's only one clunker here. Programme out "Stay Home, Brother" and you'll be fine. Enjoy, and don't forget the mysterious track 12.

Tunsi - Special Delivery

We don't get much in the way of rap through the letterbox here at Zeitgeist Towers. I'd hate to think it was due to my poor white trash status. Because that would be wrong.

Anyway, Oakland, CA based Tunis has put together a rather splendid EP with the lead track "Special Delivery" particularly fine with its dense, electronic backing and staccato rap. Of the other tracks the Eazy E styled, piano driven "Shock Pain" runs it a close second.

Considerably better than most mainstream rap, Tunsi is trying to to look for fresh sounding beats, which makes for a very pleasant change.

Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - Rise Up With Fists!!

Rilo Kiley singer goes solo-ish and ends up sounding like a bit like an olde worlde Rilo Kiley. For tis a very old fashioned country tune, more Pure Prairie League than Parsons. Which is a good thing.

The harmonies are delightful and as harmony vocals are one of my all time favourite musical thingies, it makes me slightly less miserable for three minutes or so. Which is as good as it gets.

B-side, "Paradise" is considerably less essential but as both tunes are bedecked with some nice lyrical twists and turns it makes for a rather splendid single.