Reviews

Weekly Reviews For January 21, 2007

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

Cushh - Do It 2 Me

Now much as the UKs answer to the Black Eye Peas sounds like a good idea on the surface, let me assure you it's not. And a quick shufty at the sleeve certainly belies their Sarf London origins. I certainly wouldn't recommend walking down Streatham High Street looking like that. Or at all.

Oh yes, the record. Is actually rather good, infectious in the extreme, but not in an ointment kind of way. Until you get to the smutty versioh and realise that the hip hop chap wants to be peed on. And that's just wrong. Don't ever speak to me with that potty mouth.

And if that is THE Stevie Lange credited with vocal production and additional vox, I hope you kept plenty of Limara to hand! Dirty mind aside, a top notch pop tune that just needs the chorus ramped up a bit. The 'Wicked Mix' is probably the one to watch out for.

Belinda Carlisle - Voila


The French aren't good at many things. Well that's not quite true - they've got a handle on running away, poor personal hygiene, hairy women and bad food. But they certainly can't rawk. Doesn't go with the general air of despondance. Which is why they are very good at writing torch songs. So would you if you'd been born French.

But if you'd asked me who would be next to release an album of them, Belinda Carlisle would have been pretty far down the list. And if you'd told me Brian Eno would be playing keyboards I would have said "pah!" to your face. Oh, yeah, and Natacha Atlas will join in on half the songs - "pah! pah!". But it's all true.

I'm not entirely sure what the point is for, despite what Ms Carlisle thinks, these are well known songs to those with more than an emteevee knowledge of music. But the backing is excellent, she seems to have an empathy with the songs and there a handful of risks taken with the arrangements to make it more than vanity karaoke. Especially the discofied "La Vie En Rose". The limited edition bungs in a four song English language EP for your listening pleasure.

And a pleasure it was. Key tracks - "Ne Me Quitte Pas" and "Jezebel".

Roger Tarry - Last Time I Was There

Bittersweet songs with a touch of country, some of Roger Tarry's material also bears a striking resemblance to Nick Drake especially on the shuffling beat of 'Driving Song' embellished by some beautiful cello from Alison Gillies. Indeed Roger has appeared on a 'Songs of Nick Drake' tour with Keith James and will also cover an as yet undisclosed Drake song for a forthcoming film. His debut EP attracted the attention of Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq and one of his songs was used on TV. A 'gossamer touch' is an absolutely apt description as Roger's music is so light, sometimes barely a whisper that you feel it could float away- it certainly creates a peaceful atmosphere with some perfectly understated backing by a rhythm section and occasional piano. Part of 'Little Bird' resembles 'Here Comes The Sun' while the guitar arpeggios on 'Weight' and the finger picking on 'Walk With Me' are redolent of Nick Drake (again), an impression strengthened by cello which is used liberally throughout this record. 'So Much Time' is an achingly beautiful slow paced ballad with some lovely harmonies while on 'Today' (and elsewhere) Jeff Tweedy and his excellent Wilco comes to mind. At times the music is so laid back it's almost horizontal but hey, who's complaining- chill out and enjoy!

'Last Time I Was There' is released on Pink Hedgehog in the UK and Dandyland in Germany.

(Reviewed by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist)

Norah Jones - Thinking About You

And so here come Norah, back from her side ventures, returning to that slo-mo, sex on a stick, late night vibe that so entranced millions of people a few years back. And it is still good.

To be honest, with more than 30 million records sold worldwide, it`s safe to say that Ms Jones really won't care what I think. But her jazz lite is still a delight and this, the first single from third album 'Not Too Late' will keep her fans very happy. It's a slow, bluesy, brass enhanced number that could easily have fitted onto her earlier releases. And, sometimes, there's a lot to be said, about just doing what you do and making people happy.

The Steve Wilson Band - Sideshows and Fairytales

I really enjoyed Steve's last album Steppin' It Up A Notch' especially 'Hold On' which was an absolute stunner of a song. Well, similarly I feel the best material on this album is where the band stretches out a bit. For example, on the 5:38 of 'Wrap You Up' with its passing resemblance to The Band's 'Whispering Pines' and neat little guitar break from Jonny Burden. The 6 minute long 'Hide' is a very moving and soulful offering that has that stamp of class on it with Lemon Otter's piano and harmony vocals and some propulsive drumming from Ady Milward contributing hugely to its success. Another case in point is the Brian Wilsonish 5:35 of 'Grind', a defiant song in the face of adversity that simmers along. But the band also makes its mark in shorter songs like the funky salutory tale 'Don't Forget The Bottom (When You're Getting To The Top)' with some heart warming sax from Clive Ashley. Also 'Can I Be You' has an early Beatles feel with Steve on harmonica and some nice 'ooh la las' from Lemon, definitely one of my favourite songs on the album. The slow ballad 'Wave Goodbye' is distinguished by Robbie McIntosh's nylon guitar playing, vocal harmonies from Lemon and Jess Upton and a blast of tenor sax from Clive near the end. 'Everything's Out of Tune' is a slow blues on which Steve's Hammond underpins the song well and Jonny Burden and Robbie McIntosh provide the guitars with Robbie taking a tasteful solo. 12 string guitars take the album out on the Byrds like 'Sting In Her Tail', a strong closer with the vocal harmonies working well once again.

The music of Steve Wilson continues to impress and 'Sideshows and Fairytales' is a triumph of soul and pop with a touch of venom in the lyrics and outstanding musical and vocal contributions from the band. Recommended.

(Reviewed by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist)

Hayseed Dixie - Monster Mash

You have to question the value of a comedy band doing cover version of comedy records. It just seems to be a step too far. And so it is, with this lamentable attempt at, one presumes, irony. Unless they really think that Bobby Picket and the Crypt-Kickers were serious the first time round.

So, this is a worthless release. The original was vaguely amusing, but this is beyond redemption. Although, their version of the Ted Nugent classic, "Cat Scratch Fever", which reappears here, remains worthy of repeated listening.

Things Found In Sharks - Splinters E.P.

Now here's a band so desperate to be indie scenesters, that you can almost taste it.

Every single facet of white boy indie is explored from the scuzzy Dinosaur Jr guitars of "So Hard So Far" to the Athens, GA. jingle jangle of "Splinters".

Students across the land will clasp this to their Morrisey influenced pot bellies. The rest of will move along now, nothing to see here.

Ruf Records Anthology 12 Years Where The Blues Crosses Over (CD + DVD)

A lavish book style compilation of Ruf artists: Walter Trout/ Jeff Healey, Ian Parker, Canned Heat et al, the most stunning part of which (apart from Thomas Ruf's enlightening history of the label- utter dedication!) is the DVD featuring blues supergroup Blues Caravan, Sue Foley's stunning extended version of 'Absolution', Bernard Allison's wonderfully comprehensive take on his Dad's Bad Love' with scintillating exchanges between guitar and organ, Omar & The Howlers hilarious boogie stomp 'Monkey Land', another amazingly charismatic lady guitarist Ana Popovic, Ian Parker's moving blues ballad 'Awake At Night', Walter Trout (of course!) with 'Work No More, the DVD concluding with a previously unreleased 1994 video clip of the original 'Bad Love' performed by Luther Allison.

Then there's the CD opening with Trout/ Healey firing on all cylinders on 'Workin' Overtime' from Walter's successful collaboration with artists he's admired and respected over the years (Walter Trout and Friends- 'Full Circle' which enjoyed 15 weeks on the Billboard chart and was the subject of a BBC Radio Maida Vale In Concert special). Sue Foley continues to grow as an artist and the title track from her last album 'New Used Car' features here. Candye Kane's no holds barred raunchy Texas blues follows then the formidable Ian Parker with the moving 'It Hurts A Man' from 2005's 'Whilst The Wind'. 'White Crosses' is the choice from Omar and the Holwer's 2004 album 'Boogie Man' with no less than Terry Bozzio in the drum stool. The quality is maintained throughout 13 tracks, a fitting celebration of 12 years of highs and lows for Thomas Ruf and all associated with his marvellous label. Ana Popovic and Aynsley Lister rub shoulders with blues boogie veterans Canned Head (Ruf has an extensive catalogue of unreleased material from the early days and work of the surviving band members) and it's fitting that Luther Allison concludes the compilation with a 6:30 rendition of 'Put You Money Where Your Mouth Is' (It's easy to say where Bernard, also on the CD with 'Live Together' gets it from!)

Compiled personally by Thomas Ruf with a free DVD thrown in there is really no excuse not to check out this tastefully package digipak. Highly recommended!

(Reviewed by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist)