Tag Archives: Rock

On Tour: Henry’s Funeral Shoe

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In support of their debut release Everything’s For Sale, Henry’s Funeral Shoe takes to the road in their native Wales.

MP3 | Henry’s Funeral Shoe

April 4 Cardiff Mavis (Clay Statues) Birthday
April 10 Cardiff Promised Land
April 12 Live Tracks in Session BBC Radio – Adam Walton Show
April 18 Aberdare Cwmaman Institud
April 30 Cardiff Barfly
May 2 Porthmadog Gwyl Porthmadog Festival
May 3 Swansea Uplands Tavern
May 23 Abergafenny Welsh Perry and Cider Festival
May 24 Abergafenny Welsh Perry and Cider Festival
June 27 Newport T.J’s

Henry’s Funeral Shoe: Everything’s For Sale

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henrysfuneralshoe_everythingsforsaleHeavy two-man guitar-and-drums blues-rock

The minimalist blues formula brought back to popular prominence by the White Stripes, has been equally effective for guitar-and-drums duos like the Black Keys, Two Gallants and Soledad Brothers, and bass-free groups like Black Diamond Heavies and Radio Moscow. The Welsh duo Henry’s Funeral Shoe, featuring Aled Clifford on electric guitar and vocals and his younger brother Brennig on drums, debut with heavy blues-rock originals that drift briefly into psychedelic jamming. Aled’s twanging low strings and Brennig’s heavy kick drum and tom-toms fill up the rhythmic and tonal space made by the lack of a bass player. There are shades of Peter Green in the guitar playing, and the sparse vocals have the rough-and-ready force of guttural blues shouters such as the proto-rock ‘n’ roller Big Joe Turner, the edgy electric bluesmen Johnny Winter, early metal howlers like Paranoid-era Ozzy Osbourne, and growling alley dwellers like Tom Waits. The elder Clifford writes lyrics populated with phrases rather than stories or characters, matching the duo’s instrumental style by adding verbal catch-lines to the riff-heavy music. These tunes are sure to be even more arresting when assaulting sweaty bodies on a darkened, beer-soaked dance floor. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

MP3 | Henry’s Funeral Shoe
Henry’s Funeral Shoe’s MySpace Page

OST: Gonks Go Beat / I’ve Gotta Horse

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ost_gonkshorseGems sparkle on obscure mid-60s UK film soundtracks

Gonks Go Beat and I’ve Gotta Horse were low budget British musical films released in 1965, with soundtrack albums even more obscure than the celluloid from which they sprang. A DVD of Gonks Go Beat turned up in 2007, and the film’s soundtrack now appears on this two-fer CD. For better or worse, an official DVD of the companion I’ve Gotta Horse is still to be produced. Both films were intended as cheapy cash-ins, with Gonks the more successful in corralling artists such as Lulu, Graham Bond and the Nashville Teens to provide some mid-60s relevancy.

I’ve Gotta Horse, on the other hand, was a vehicle for pop star Billy Fury, and the purpose-written songs are in league with Elvis’ lesser film works (“Do the Clam,” anyone?). As the liner notes explain, this was the “alternative to change in 1965.” In addition to thematic songs expressing Fury’s love of animals, there are string-laden ballads, offensively inoffensive harmonies from The Bachelors, and stagey show tunes “Do the Old Soft Shoe,” “Dressed Up For a Man” and “Problems.” This may be fun for the whole family, perhaps even passable filler at a variety show, but it’s hardly the sound of ’65. The album’s one rock ‘n’ roll tune is the Gamblers’ garage-blues “I Cried All Night,” which sounds remarkably out of place amidst the rest of the soundtrack.

In contrast, Gonks Go Beat splits its time between rock and ballads, much as the film’s story line pits the inhabitants of Beat Land against those of Ballad Isle, with a Romeo and Juliet subplot that weaves in elements of The Wizard of Oz and It’s a Wonderful Life. The soft pop of Ballad Isle is mostly forgettable, but even the softies manage the excellent country-tinged folk of Elaine and Derek’s “Broken Pieces.” Better are the soundtrack’s opening salvo of Lulu’s go-go “Choc Ice” and Graham Bond’s blues-drenched “Harmonica.” The Titan Studio Orchestra offers up a galloping guitar-and-sax instrumental, and a quartet of skinsmen compete in the epic “Drum Battle.” Lulu returns for the soulful “The Only One” and the Nashville Teens show they had more than “Tobacco Road” with the rave up “Poor Boy.”

The film’s ballads play better on film (where the colorful sets and pretty faces provide distraction), but the pop, rock and blues cuts from Gonks are simply terrific on CD. Kieron Tyler’s liner notes provide a short history of British pop cinema, suggesting these films were sadly within the tradition and that A Hard Days Night was the artistic aberration. Gonks Go Beat is not as unwatchable as reviews suggest, and the opportunity to see Lulu, Graham Bond and The Nashville Teens (and their vintage instruments and amplifiers) is worth a rental. This soundtrack two-fer (mono for Gonks, stereo for Horse) is a must-buy for the handful of superb tunes from Gonks and the charmingly banal tunes by Billy Fury. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

RPM Records’ Home Page

Chris Darrow: Chris Darrow / Under My Own Disguise

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chrisdarrow_undermyowndisguiseCalifornia country-rock pioneer’s mid-70s solo LPs

Given Darrow’s musical pedigree, it’s a wonder his name and these two early-70s solo albums aren’t better known. In the 1960s he put together the California bluegrass group, Dry City Scat Band, was a founding member of the eclectic psychedelic band Kaleidoscope, spent a few years in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, toured behind Linda Ronstadt and did studio work for James Taylor, John Fahey, Leonard Cohen and others. In the early ‘70s he signed with United Artists and recorded this pair of albums, the self-titled Chris Darrow in 1973 and Under My Own Disguise the following year. The latter was previously reissued on CD on the Taxim label, and the pair was previously issued as a two-fer by BGO. This deluxe reissue is remastered from scratch, offering each album on individual CDs and on individual 180-gram vinyl LPs, all housed in gatefold covers and sporting a 48-page 12” x 12” photo and liner note book.

Chris Darrow models itself after the breadth of Kaleidoscope, but without the overt psychedelia. Darrow’s songs cover rambling Allman Brothers styled country-rock, reggae rhythms crossed with New Orleans’ fiddles, a hot-picked double mandolin instrumental, piano-based ballads, old-timey country, Celtic fiddles, close harmony and Stonesy blues. He mixes originals with traditional tunes (“Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”) and selected covers (Hoagy Carmichael’s “Hong Kong Blues” and Cy Coben’s country bluegrass “A Good Woman’s Love”). The original “Faded Love” is sung to a mandolin and flute arrangement that’s distinctly Japanese, and the closing “That’s What It’s Like to Be Alone” is given a chamber pop arrangement replete with harpsichord. Darrow’s “We’re Living on $15 a week,” with its upbeat depression-era optimism is sadly applicable amid the ruins of today’s world economy.

Under My Own Disguise follows a similarly varied course, but more tightly bunched around country sounds, including fiddle-led Zydeco, steel guitar ballads, Allman-styled rock, dusty gospel soul, acoustic rags, blues, and the sort of pop-country-rock hybrid that Gram Parsons termed “cosmic American music.” The album’s featured cover is a Hot Club styled country-jazz take on the Ink Spots’ “Java Jive.” Darrow has an appealingly unfinished voice – tuneful, but unpolished. He’s mixed especially low into the instrumentation on Under My Own Disguise, giving the impression of an introvert more comfortable as a sideman than a leader. No matter, as his melodies and musical textures carry a great deal of emotion. Thirty-five years on, these tracks sound fresh and contemporary, and offer up hidden nuggets of California country. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

MP3 | Take Good Care of Yourself
Chris Darrow’s MySpace Page

chrisdarrow_boxset

The Morning Benders: Grain of Salt

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morningbenders_grainofsaltBroken-hearted A-side and new sounds on B’s

Berkeley’s Morning Benders have been busy boys. They released their first full-length album, Talking Through Tin Cans, this past May to well-deserved media buzz, in July they offered up a free set of homemade cover songs via their blog, and also dropped live sets via iTunes, LimeWire and Daytrotter. Their choice of covers revealed front-line influences of Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, the Velvet Underground, Smiths, and Cardigans, but also background nods to Roy Orbison, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, and tin-pan alley by way of Ricky Nelson.

Their latest EP, Grain of Salt, opens with Chris Chu warbling in a trebly double-tracked vocal about his perpetually broken heart. Luckily for ‘Benders fans he’s a resilient romantic. The EP’s B-sides include the moody ‘50s-influenced ballad “A Song (Don’t Think So Hard),” the acoustic folk “Morning Fog,” and the terrific Brian Wilson styled “Your Dark Side.” Amazon and iTunes both provide a bonus reworking of the title track that extends the group’s exploration of mid-period Beach Boys. This is nice placeholder while the band works on their forthcoming Big Echo CD. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

MP3 | Your Dark Side
Morning Benders’ MySpace Page
Morning Benders’ Home Page

Randy Weeks: Going My Way

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randyweeks_goingmywayCatchy Americana and pop from former Lonesome Stranger

Randy Weeks initially came to the public’s attention as co-leader of the twangy West Coast roots-rock group Lonesome Strangers. Their 1986 debut, Lonesome Pine, was produced by Pete Anderson, and the group played local clubs and road gigs with Dwight Yoakam, Dave Alvin and others of the Los Angeles roots-rock scene. They issued a second album in 1988, separated a few years later, and regrouped in 1997 for a one-off reunion album. Weeks subsequently embarked on a solo career that retains the group’s country-rock roots, but with more expansive and quirky explorations into pop, blue-eyed soul and southern flavors.

Singing alone, Weeks can deliver the deadpan style of Lou Reed by way of Ric Ocasek, such as with the opening “I Couldn’t Make It.” The spoken passages of “Going My Way” split the jazz-inspired style of Mark Knopfler and the quirkier readings of Northwest folkie Jim Page. But half-sung isn’t Weeks’ only speed, as the remainder of the album includes melodic country rock, blue-eyed soul and even some New Orleans grooves. Having relocated from Los Angeles to Austin, TX, Weeks was able to attract Will Sexton as producer, and pick up players that include guitarist Tony Gilkyson and drummer Rick Richards, resulting in an album of rootsy pop that brings to mind Ben Vaughn’s recent work with The Desert Classic.

Weeks writes catchy songs about love, but not always love songs. Sunny dedication and intimate secrets are balanced by mistreating mates, communication breakdowns, and relationships past their expiration date. He also writes clever tunes such as the insomnious “Little Bit of Sleep,” and the dispassionately remembered assignations of “Going My Way” Weeks offer up an Americana sequel to the Nails’ “88 Lines About 44 Women.” Touches of organ, fiddle, steel and accordion augment the core guitar, bass and drums, but even with this overt country-rock lineup, Weeks’ tuneful melodies and straight rhythms winningly make this as much pop as alt.country. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

MP3 | A Lot to Talk About
Randy Weeks’ Home Page
Randy Weeks’ MySpace Page

On Tour: The Hot Toddies

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Oakland, California’s Hot Toddies hit the road to Southern California in March and the United Kingdom in April. Check out their version of Santa Baby, and visit their MySpace page for a bigger helping of their catchy pop.

California
March 11 San Francisco The Rickshaw Stop
March 19 Fresno Audie’s Olympic Tavern
March 20 Los Angeles Knitting Factory
March 21 San Diego Radio Room
March 27 San Francisco Red Devil Lounge

United Kingdom
April 2 Brighton Latest Bar (formerly Joogleberry)
April 3 London The Lexington
April 4 Portsmouth Edge of the Wedge
April 5 Exeter The Phoenix
April 6 Bristol Mother’s Ruin
April 7 Liverpool Bar Fresa
April 8 Preston Mad Ferret
April 9 Oxford The Cellar
April 10 Peterborough The Met Lounge

California
April 24 San Jose Nickel City Arcade

The Runaways: Live in Japan

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runaways_liveinjapanLive album shows just how this 1970s all-girl band could rock

After two albums for Mercury that produced mixed artistic results and few commercial gains, this Los Angeles quintet took their act to Japan and found itself welcomed as stars. Though the tour was reported to be very rough on all five members (and bassist Jackie Fox quit the band before the tour’s final show), this live recording shows just what they were capable of. Freed from the daily abuse of Kim Fowley’s svengali-like machinations and pumped up by adoring Japanese fans, the quintet unleashed their full rock ‘n’ roll spirit. Signature originals, “Queens of Noise,” “California Paradise,” “Neon Angels on the Road to Ruin” and “American Nights” finally became the teen anthems they were written to be, and covers of The Troggs’ “Wild Thing” and Lou Reed’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll” rock harder than their studio counterparts. Originally released in Japan, and subsequently in Canada, this was a collector’s item for nearly thirty years before seeing CD reissue.

As on their studio albums, Sandy West proved herself the motor of the band’s muscular rock. In contrast to their studio recordings, the bass and rhythm guitars push the band with plenty of bottom end, and Lita Ford’s lead guitar is more powerful for its restraint. Cherie Currie and Joan Jett are both in fine voice throughout, with Currie really acquitting herself as a true rock singer – albeit still a theatrical one. Those who saw the original Runaways quintet live know just how they were shortchanged by Fowley’s jailbait marketing and the anemic, sludgy sound of their studio albums. Playing live, even as Currie strutted the stage in her corset and fishnets the group never failed to rock. There are a few bum notes and miscues here and there, but this live album is proof that the Runaways were a lot more rock band than Kim Fowley initially envisioned or ever really wanted to admit. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

The Runaways’ Home Page

Outrageous Cherry: Universal Malcontents

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outrageouscherry_universalmalcontentsUltra-catchy Detroit pop that pines for ‘70s UK sounds

This Detroit band’s been kicking around since the mid-90s, minting a string of albums that span mid-60s garage, bubblegum and California pop, 60s/70s/80s British Invasion, and moody modern fuzz rock, all written thick with catchy melodic hooks. In the same way that the Flamin’ Groovies expanded upon the sounds of the ‘60s, Outrageous Cherry expands on the same base with added waypoints that include the autumnal melancholy of Badfinger, Marmalade and The Association , the glam-cool space-age jokiness of Bowie, Jobriath, Sparks and Slade, revivalists like the Barracudas and Flying Color, and dashes of bubblegum’s bright highlights and psych’s production touches. Several of the tracks, such as “This Song Belongs to Everyone,” have the homebrew heart that was so prevalent on indie power-pop singles on the late 70s. Fans of Shoes, Stars in the Sky, Denny Ward, the Neighborhoods, Heats, Moberlys, Punts, Zippers and the entire Bomp Records catalog will be reminded of the first time you slapped their wax onto the turntable.

The band’s ninth full-length offers up superbly crafted slices of pop-rock that are ready for radio of an earlier time, an era lamented in the aptly titled “It’s Not Rock ‘n’ Roll (And I Don’t Like It).” College DJ’s all over the world must surely be lining this up as the third part of a triptych that opens with Stones’ “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll” and Rubinoos’ “Rock ‘n’ Roll is Dead.” Disappointment bred of a decade in the music business also threads through the lost-love song “This Song Belongs to Everyone,” and a general farewell to youth is painted as metaphorical dusk in “Feels Like Shadows.” The band stretches out to eight-minutes for the psychedelic guitar jam “Outsider,” and closes with a realization that fealty to the past may only retard one’s step into the future. There’s irony to be found in retro melodies accompanying lyrics like “you never bring me nothing new” or “your memories won’t make you wise / your memories are a thin disguise,” but with melodies as good as the originals, who really cares? [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

MP3 | It’s Not Rock ‘n’ Roll (And I Don’t Like It)
Outrageous Cherry’s MySpace Page

The Runaways: Queens of Noise

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runaways_queensofnoiseRockin’ sophomore release from legendary all-girl ‘70s group

The Runaways second album is a more solid rock album than their self-titled debut, but it also has a more rushed and thrown-together feeling. The Runaways’ erstwhile lead singer, Cherie Currie, was already sharing microphone time with the group’s musical leader, Joan Jett. The album’s title track went to Jett, and with her songwriting adding muscle to the song list, her fingerprints were all over the album. Currie was a compelling vocalist, able to sing both ballads and up-tempo numbers, but she was more theater than rock, and placing tunes like “I Like Playin’ With Fire” and “California Paradise” back-to-back made the band sound schizophrenic. Currie would exit the band after a tour of Japan, and the seeds of her solo career can be heard in the highly produced vocal pop of “Midnight Music.” It’s a good track, but at odds with its segue from Joan Jett’s “Take It or Leave It.”

Earle Mankey’s produced the album at Brothers’ Studio, but any delicacy the Beach Boys achieved within those walls was quickly discarded. The CD transfer retains the original album’s muddiness, which is how it sounded on vinyl in 1978. This is a sledgehammer recording, with Jett and Ford’s guitars growling alongside the meaty, propulsive drumming of Sandy West. Though Jett later proved herself best suited for pop stardom, West’s time-keeping (which lead guitarist Lita Ford occasionally seemed unable to keep pace with) has always been overlooked as the band’s rock-steady core. The title track continued to capture the milieu of the mid-70s Los Angeles, but “Hollywood” seems forced and only a year into the band’s tenure, their teenage spark was clearly being doused by the poor treatment from the band’s minders.

The album’s only real misstep is the 7-minute blues guitar showcase, “Johnny Guitar,” which was filler then, and remains filler today. Cherry Red’s CD reissue rounds up the original ten tracks without bonuses. The insert unfolds into a poster that includes a fan essay, liner notes by Michael Heatley, a note from label founder Iain McNay, photos and song lyrics. It took Cherry Red many years to gain license to reissue these albums, and they’re just the sort of thing to drop from print without notice, only to turn up on eBay for $50. So if you think you want them, get them while you can! [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]