Kevin Mathews:
March,
2005

So Much Music, So Little Time

Is it March already? Time flies and all that jazz. The New Year has brought about a schedule crunch with the many priorities one has. And the music continues to stream in steadily and surely. Everyday it seems I am discovering new artists and music on the Internet, I'm sure it can be pretty bewildering and overwhelming for those of you seriously besotted with this rock 'n' roll thing. Let me make it easier for you to decide what's really worth pursuing this year…

Blurb-O-Rama Strikes First!

[DARYL] Ohio (Idol)
Well, we've had the punk rock concept album with Green Day's American Idiot, so why not an indie rock song cycle? Ohio chronicles [DARYL] leader Dylan Silver's personal experiences during his formative years. So obviously, there are songs here about girls, dreams and fears, and more girls… Nice touches with the occasional horns and flutes which brings Ohio a notch above your typical indie rock fare. www.darylmusic.com

Various Artists Substitution Mass Confusion - A Tribute to the Cars (Not Lame)
Never liked the Cars, to be frank. Always felt that they personified the worst aspects of the so-called 'new wave'. But here is an album of Cars songs dedicated as a mark of respect by artists I *do* admire. Jason Falkner, Butch Walker, Owsley, Bleu, Chris Von Sneidern, Gigolo Aunts, Doug Powell and Jon Auer. Hmmm. And it's even released by one of my favorite labels - Bruce Brodeen's Not Lame! Time for a Cars revaluation? Based on the evidence of this fine album, just maybe. www.notlame.com

The Shamus Twins S/t (Self released)
Tight musicianship, irresistible hooks & magical rock-pop vibes threaten to overwhelm the unsuspecting listener on this sleeper of an album. This power trio delivers the full gamut of 70s rock styles - from the powerpop of the Raspberries & Badfinger to the post-punk of The Police, Talking Heads & Gang of Four. www.shamustwins.com

David Kitt Square 1 (Warner Music)
All right, so this was released in 2003 and has been sitting in my "To Review" stack seemingly forever but hey, better late than never, eh? And any album that opens with a heartfelt rendition of Big Star's "I'm In Love With A Girl" - with the birds chirping in the background - is just fine with me. Big in his native Dublin, Kitt marries his bare-boned Nick Drake jazz folk affectation with modern beats with great aplomb. File next to your Jeff Buckley, Coldplay and Keane albums. www.davidkitt.com

Andy Creeggan Andiwork II (Bongo Beat)
Six years in the making, Andiwork II is the labor of love of one Andy Creeggan, who until 1995, was a member of the much better known Barenaked Ladies. In truth, it is a quirky release for the fairly eclectic Canadian label, Bongo Beat. By and large, jazzy with pieces you might expect on a movie soundtrack, it may not be easy of a rock 'n' roll crowd to fully appreciate. Fact is, *Andiwork II* is probably too esoteric for most rock 'n' pop tastes. Fans of eccentric music need only apply. www.brotherscreeggan.com

Stina Nordenstam The World Is Saved (V2)
How in the world am I supposed to get through this capsule review without mentioning Bjork? Oops! Too late. And it doesn't help that I am not a fan of the Icelandic pixie. To be fair, upon closer inspection, Nordenstam's style and approach is more Rickie Lee Jones than Bjork (there, did it again!), meaning there are enough pop moments within the techno-jazz hybrids that Nordenstam churns out, to keep one from falling asleep. Only just though. www.stinanordenstam.com

Frog Holler The High, High's and the Low. Low's EP (Zobird)
Sweet hoedown music - keep those cowboy boots high stepping! Nothing quite like authentic country music beating with a rock 'n' roll heart. Building on the legacy of Gram Parsons and Gene Clark, this latest EP from Philly's own home boys, gives ample cause to believe that roots rock continues to be viable expression for modern souls. www.frogholler.com

Yellow Swans Bring the Neon Swans Home (Narnack)
This is hard on the ears and definitely on the heart. Yellow Swans eschew basic musical notions like tunes and lyrics and really this five-tracker is a sonic assault on the senses. Industrial electronica is probably the best description available and really, you've got to be true fan to appreciate something this inaccessible. www.jyrk.com/yellowswans

The Akibas Tree of Loving Soul (Lovely Aichan)
Country-folk rock from the English countryside is what the Akibas deliver with its sophomore album. Bordering on pleasing, easy listening fare, there is not much to get overly excited about here. The songs are competent in their own way, and there are certainly great moments in tracks like "Hard Times Again" and "Season of Love" with good emphasis on the keyboards but somehow you cannot help feeling that the Akibas are capable of much more. www.theakibas.co.uk

Hjortur Chandni (Around the Corner)
Ambient electronic music from Denmark by an artist who grew up in Iceland and lived with Bjork for one year when they were children (3-4 years old). Seriously. What about the music? Great background stuff - soothing, the kind you might find on glossy TV commercials. www.hjortur.dk

Bebel Gilberto Bebel (Ziriguiboom/Crammed Discs)
Daughter of Joao Gilberto - the creator of bossa nova - Bebel Gilberto has been nominated for a Grammy and on the frontlines of Brazilian pop music in 2004. Obviously, you cannot escape the influence of bossa nova in modern music (acid jazz, chill out, anyone?) and for the purists, this collection of genuinely cool sounds is a boon. www.crammed.be

Marshall Artz Here Now (Self released)
Featuring Kevin Artz and Brad Marshall (geddit!), this collection of sixteen acoustic folk songs highlights the gifts and abilities of these excellent singers-songwriters-guitarists. Fans of the 70s singer-songwriter movement will positively thrill to the charm and robust vibe of Marshall Artz. www.marshallartz.net

The Crossroads Band Crossroads (Self released)
You think maybe the Crossroads Band play the blues? Duh?! Not being glib about this, but you know what you're getting with the Crossroads Band, solid R&B-inflected blues rock in the vein of Stevie Ray and Robert Cray. Sure, it's been done before but that's irrelevant when the evocation is this good. www.crossrdsband.com

And there's so much more from where that came from, believe me. Same time, same place… keep on rocking!

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