CD Reviews

Grace Potter sings soulful blues with a touch of pop

Tuesday, 11 January 2011 12:08 Richard Amery

I fell in love with the pride of Vermont, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, years ago after seeing them open for Govt. Mule in Bozeman.
I was impressed, not only by the beaming smile, magnificent voice and boundless energy coming from this pint sized beauty, Grace Potter, but her prowess on the B3 Hammond organ. And there’s nothing hotter than a woman who wields a Flying V and plays it like a pro.

Her backing band were pretty hot players too. And I fell in love with a woman who introduced her best song of the set, which she introduced as her “sex swing song.”
So needless to say, I grabbed the two CDs of hers that were available, unfortunately the song wasn’t on any of the CDs.

Nonetheless, I was impressed with the gritty organ powered blues of 2006’s Something in the Water, but not so much with the more pop feel of the follow-up “This is Somewhere,” so I had to scoop up her new self titled CD. And yes it has the “sex swing song,” the sexy, bluesy groove of “Paris (Ooh La La)” she even played it on David Letterman back in December.

So that makes the CD immediately enjoyable.
Even better, it splits the difference between the gritty soulful blues of “Something In The Water,” and the pop of “This Is Somewhere.”
The new CD has plenty of Potter’s pretty organ playing, which was missed on “This is Somewhere”, a little funk, a touch of blues a little of the gospel featured on ‘Something In The Water,” and is pretty much all awesome.
Her voice features elements of Tina Turner’s soul, Gretchen Wilson’s twang and Cyndi Lauper style ’80s pop.
There are a lot of highlights on the CD. ‘Paris (Ooh la la) ’ of course, and the R and B of ‘Hot Summer Night,’ not only heats up chilly winter nights, but takes you back to the best of ’60s soul as does ‘That Phone.’
‘Money,’ is definitely not Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’, it has its own funky groove and ‘Goodbye Kiss,’ even has a touch of reggae.
All in all, Grace Potter makes a long awaited return with a new CD that shows off her sexy, sultry, seductive and beautiful voice, her band’s musical chops and covers several different genres. It’s good to have her back.

— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

CD: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Band: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Genre: blues/rock/ soul
Record Label: Hollywood Records
{jcomments on}

The Jezabels lay down mournful pop music tapestry on Dark Storm

Thursday, 30 December 2010 20:13 Richard Amery

You may remember a hypnotic show from Sydney, Australia based art rock, indie pop band the Jezabels at the Slice, Nov. 2.
Since releasing their second EP ‘She’s So Hard,’ in 2009, they spent much of this year playing with people like Tegan and Sara, Katie Noonan and Josh Pike and have released their new EP ‘Dark Storm,’ the third in a trilogy of EPs that began in early 2009 with ’The Man Is Dead.’ ‘Hurt Me the lead single from ‘She’s So Hard,’ and the follow up ‘Easy To Love,’ received heavy radio rotation and they are hoping for the same from this EP.

The new EP is keyboard heavy, ambient pop music powered by keyboardist Heather Shannon playing some mournful piano melodies and powerhouse vocalist Hayley Mary who sounds like a more brooding Kate Bush mixed into a blender with Blondie and No Doubt, except more haunting, wavering and ambient. Guitarist Sam Lockwood adds more ambient sounds while drummer Nik Kaloper holds it all together.

The EP is a fun, thought provoking listen.
And Mary’s voice is addictive, especially her cute yelp on ‘ Sahara Mahala.’

She carries some impressive melodies, though the five tracks all tend to blend together in one giant 23 odd minute ambient majestic, musical tapestry. I like the last track “She’s So Hard’ the best with it’s cascading cymbal crashes and the lyric “It think self pity is a state of mind,” leaps out at me, while in the other songs, the melodies come across as more important than the lyrics.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

CD: Dark Storm
Band: The Jezebels
Genre: pop
Record Label: Waterfront Records

{jcomments on}

Ruth Purves Smith paints dark musical portraits

Thursday, 30 December 2010 19:33 Richard Amery

Three Hills based country/ folk singer Ruth Purves Smith and the 581 sure know how to paint a sad picture.

Their new CD ‘Out In the Storm’ features a variety of touching, heart-wrenching and dark stories.
‘Ride Around,’ about a troubled family living out in their car paints a sad portrait and ‘Godzilla,’ is a disturbing picture of an abusive husband/ father.
Musically, there are layers of banjo and mandolin plus well placed guitar solos.
Her debut CD is undeniably a country CD, but it has a dark and serious rock edge as well as catchy pop overtones to it. Purves Smith, who used to be in the band Rodeo-A-Go-Go has an appealing voice, which is hard to find comparisons for.
There also a spoken word element to the CD on the intro, ’Shine The Light,’ and ‘Just a Thought.’
One of the many highlights of the CD, ‘Out In The Storm Part One,’ has a ’80s pop Midnight Oil feel, while telling an interesting story about a couple running from the police.
I also like ‘New Light,’ which has a psychedelic guitar solo relegated to the background.
‘Pack it Up And Go,’ is a pretty traveling song with a beautiful melody and arpeggiated guitar riff, which takes on a rock edge to aptly bring the CD to a close.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

CD: Out In the Storm
Band: Ruth Purves Smith and the 581
Genre: Country-pop
Record label: indie

Shred Kelly is fun for ski bums and folk fans alike

Wednesday, 29 December 2010 11:48 Richard Amery

Fernie based roots / bluegrass group Shred Kelly will take your breath away.
I haven’t been this impressed with a roots group since I first heard the Duhks (formerly Scrüj MacDuhk.)

Their infectious, toe-tapping live energy is captured perfectly on their new CD ‘Goodbye July,’ within the first few bars of the title track which features frenetic claw-hammer banjo from lead vocalist Tim Newton (who also plays ukulele, guitar and lap steel) that immediately hypnotizes the listener and yet makes them want to move.

The band sets down an intense and addictive groove throughout, which would make them right at home playing around a campfire or a folk festival drum circle.

The CD sounds like a group of friends gathering around a ski lodge after a long day on the slopes, hoisting a few pints and maybe smoking a little something, whipping out their guitars, mandolins, harmonicas, anything handy, and just jamming the night away. Between them, the five band members play an impressive array of instruments from accordion and xylophone, keyboards to ukulele.

There are a lot of highlights on the CD from the slacker anthem ‘I Hate Work,’ to the eerie ‘Ghost Inside My Head.’ which features haunting vocal harmonies from Sage McBride who also sings almost jazzy lead vocals on ‘Disillusioned,’ which also features a psychedelic guitar solo and that unstoppable banjo.

The banjo also makes the epic ‘Tornado Alley,’ which has another unstoppable beat. While the recording quality isn’t the best as the vocals are relegated to the background, the CD definitely captures their talent. So Shred Kelly’s CD is an endlessly fun listen for ski bums and folk music lovers alike.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat editor

CD: Goodbye July
Band: Shred Kelly
Genre: folk
Record Label: none

{jcomments on}

Leeroy Stagger shows maturity and range on ‘Little Victories’

Thursday, 23 December 2010 18:25 Richard Amery

Leeroy Stagger shows more maturity as a songwriter on his latest CD,‘Little Victories,’ to be released in Canada, Feb. 5.
Throughout the CD he sounds road wearied — an articulate observer of the quirks and quandaries he’s seen driving the long, twisted and sometimes lonely road of life.

On the first track, he plaintively sings ‘Everyone’s on Drugs,’ but shows his range on this CD from softer, more tender, introspective observations like ‘Long Way Home,’ to uptempo rockers.

There are some incredibly catchy numbers on the is CD as well as Stagger’s earnest vocals and gritty storytelling.

‘Sit Around the House,’ has some slide guitar, a catchy melody and a lilting rhythm accompanied by descriptive stream of consciousness lyrics which make it immediately awesome and addictive.

‘Waste of A Wedding’ is another upbeat rocker that stands out on the CD, with a solid beat and big guitar sound. It is followed a by a weirder, sadder, piano powered number on ’Poor Little Rock Star.’ which is one of a couple songs, including ‘Good Times,’ where he sounds surprisingly like John Lennon.