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Weekly Reviews For June 27, 2006

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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.

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Nadra - Truth-Jesus Christ

If you're going to praise the lord then you may as well do it with a set of modern r'n'b gospel rather than the dusty old dirges the Presbyterians get up to round my way. This is largely a collaboration between vocalist Nadra and producer / musician Brian Toval with the latter solely responsible for the music. And when he bumps into a good melody as on "So Much Love" amongst others, then it's a pleasure to listen to.

On the flipside some of the percussion lacks impact leaving some of the material sounding a bit flat. However when everything works it out as on the outstanding "The Blood Of Jesus" you can almost understand the joy of others.

Earnest Walker Jr - Variations On A Groove


It's what passes for summer up here in the frozen North and what better time to listen to a collection of funky instrumental acid jazz. I was delighted to see Mr Walker mention early Earth, Wind & fire and the Ohio Players in his sleeve notices as I've always rejoiced in their unique fusions of soul, jazz and funk, something this album also explores.

This is pretty much a delight from beginning to end as Earnest and his saxophone blow up a storm on a set of predominately new material, although there are a handful of other peoples songs here including an easy ride through the delights of The Isley Brothers "Between The Sheets". But its when the tempo gets raised that things really get hot with "P-Cola Bounce" the highlight.

3 Sisters - Village

I got rather excited there, thinking that the unlamented US sitcom stars had decided to form a band. Instead I was treated to a funky set of jazz instrumentals from the prolific Barry Romberg, a man who obviously has no need for sleep such is his prolific output, alongside Chris Tarry, Daryl Jahnke and Geoff Young.

As a fan of Rombergs percussion and Youngs guitar there was a fair chance I was going to enjoy this, and I was right. Across a sparkling set of originals which tinker on the edges of fusion there is some splendid work to sit back and marvel at, with the album closing 8 monutes of "Furthest Realm" the fairest of them all.

Sadly, not these Three Sisters

Troy Lukkarila - Unsafe Structure

I'm reasonably sure I told Troy to go away and leave me alone. Hang on while I check, talk amongst yourselves.................. right, shush, what I said about "Every Day Is Garbage Day" was 'A salutary reminder of why Zeitgeist operates from the anonymity of a PO Box. After all, you wouldn't want Troy to come chapping at your door, with this headless dogs, kiddie porn, used tampons.'

But no, he had to go and send me another one. I tried hiding it, burning it, exorcising it, all to no avail. Eventually, like Jason Vorheer, it resurfaced, replete with the scariest picture of a man and a cat outside of "Animal Farm" (and I'm talking about the German version, not the Orwell one!).

It's the usual countrified beefheartian rhythmic tales of spousal abuse, indecent exposure, breasts, virginity and hobbits. It should be illegal, straitjacketed and it's all your won fault if you choose to ignore my sage advice.

Plans & Apologies - Tree Dee Pee EP

You can't go wrong with handclaps, "bum-bums" and searching for the meaning of life. Especially in the same song, which is why Plans & Apologies are considerably more interesting than most of the indie no-marks currently infecting the youth of the land with their fey excuses for the rawk!

Of course their quest to be different means it can all go horribly wrong. Witness "Nabbo". But by then you've already had the Hard-Fi meets the Flaming Lips for a conversation about Dantes Inferno smothered in tea tree oil madness of "Eggbound Mulebone" and are about to meet the badoof clunky alt-funk of "Everyone's Song", and you can forgive them. Bonkers, but in splendid stylee.

Insout - Acoustic Privacy


As befits an album called "Acoustic Privacy" there's no death metal grunts or keening bagpipes to be found here. Instead you get four extremely talented musicians laying down some some original blissed out jazz grooves. And I sit here watching the sun set with my headphones on, it's just right.

Claudio Allia, Riccardo Samperi, Paul Werica and Alberto Amato comprise Insout, and you won't be at all surprised to learn that they are an Italian jazz combo, with Allia and Samperi taking care of the compositions. As a guitar man, it's the delicate work of Samperi that excites me (gently).

I would tell you that the dark, oppressive string laden "Coelecanthus" is the highlight of an excellent set, but that would involve me typing "Coelecanthus", something I have now done twice. Just go listen!