Kevin
Mathews:
November/December,
2005
So Much Music, So
Little Time
Did you know that progressive metal stalwarts
Dream Theater are performing in Singapore in the New Year?
When I mentioned this to someone, he remarked that he was
too "old" for that kind of music - and he's 35!
Now, let me get this right - how can anyone be too "old"
for music that is largely based on the progressive rock movement
of the 70s? If anything, he's too young! Which got me thinking
about how rock music and age always seems to be unnaturally
linked. And why should it be? After half a century of rock
music, there is really no reason for anyone to express these
sentiments with the cycles that music movements go through
ever so often, everything old is new again and again and again
and…well, you get the idea, here's a whole bunch of "new"
rock music that will hopefully illustrate my point.
Blurb-O-Rama: The Continuing Story…
The Dammitheads The Heart
of the Matador (Hey! Low Sound)
www.ourdamnwebsite.com
Here's a high compliment for the Dammitheads - are they the
American Super Furry Animals? I mean, really, this album is
a virtual buffet of delectable pop-rock (mostly 70s-derived)
that is never anything but the personal art of David Tomaloff
and Steve Hawkins. And so you will detect the influences of
The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, T-Rex, Elvis Costello, XTC
and Gang of Four easily and love it all to death. Tomaloff's
affected anglophile larynx doesn't hurt the proceedings either.
This is a great album.
Jadecroon Silence Manitou
(Rhythm Barrel) www.jadecroon.com
Finnish band Jadecroon point to Weezer as a key factor in
their genesis. I suppose it's a good launching pad. To be
fair, this debut EP does possess some of the geeky crunch
that so epitomises Cuomo and gang but there are enough definitive
moments (the inspiring "Kenny May" and the insistent
"The Way They Do") to suggest that Jadecroon may
have more in their creative locker.
The Myriad You Can't Trust
A Ladder (Floodgate) www.floodgaterecords.com
Ah…fragile, almost whispered vocals married to guitar
pyrotechnics. Did U2 invent emo? The Myriad knows how to touch
the heart and ignite the passion of the soul with earnest
lyrics and driving yet atmospheric music. Sound familiar?
Can Coldplay comparisons be far behind? No wonder there is
a WEA logo on the promo! Probably performing at a stadium
near you soon.
Julius Curcio Julius Curcio
(NotCD) www.notcd.com
There is a likable, folky Beatlesque vibe that permeates this
5-track (demo?) promo with tracks like the catchy "American
Pie" coming across like CSN produced by the Beastie Boys!
But Curcio is not a one-trick pony, although the acoustic
guitar figures prominently throughout as it is the strength
of his melodies that suggests that given greater resources
(and funding, no doubt), a song like "American Pie"
might garner national attention.
Latterman No Matter Where
We Go…! (Deep Elm)
Be warned, for contained within the inner sleeve of this album
is a longish diatribe against the ills of patriarchy that
is prevalent in modern culture. Which presumably you can take
or leave. Heh. Musically, Latterman (geddit?) takes no prisoners
with their strident hardcore punk and in that respect, it
comes out blazing firing on all cylinders. Just don't read
the CD sleeve (especially "Dear Boys") if you're
easily offended…
Brother 2 Brother Looking For Texas
(Self released) www.brother2brother.com
…which I suppose is good way to segue into the faithful
blues rock of Brother 2 Brother. Walking in the footsteps
of fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughn, B2B exists to play it as
it is with honky-tonk and R&B thrown it for authentic
measure. Which is just great for those late nights when you
wanna put your feet after a hard day's work and enjoy the
blues. And songs like "It Wasn't Me" and "The
Power To Drive The Blues Away" will certainly do the
job. Every time.
Portal Element (Self-released)
www.portalband.com
Like Dream Theater, the music of Canadian quartet Portal has
its roots in progressive rock although Portal's particular
take on prog is more closely aligned to bands like Tools and
industrial artists like Filter, VAST and Nine Inch Nails.
The underpinning may be electronic and cold at times, but
there are enough melodic devices beneath the steely veneer
that may interest pop-rock fans as well.
White Noise of the Big Bang
Magnet March (Self-released)
www.wnoise.com
Well, it certainly is white noise, if you know what I mean.
This 3-track EP is a fair sampler of White Noise of the Big
Bang's unrelenting hardcore punk guitar assault and but for
a relatively steady melodic focus would be a highly tedious
experience. Apparently this EP is the first time the band
has recorded in a real studio and yes, it shows. But the songs
have enough potential to warrant closer inspection.
Aroarah - Aroarah
(January Music) www.aroarah.com
Press release mentions quite a few hard rock influences -
Rush, System of A Down, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and even
Led Zeppelin. You might argue that the prominent sound on
this 4-track EP is that of emo, with a harder than usual edge
and should probably be filed next to Evanescence CDs. The
tunes are not particularly memorable but will no doubt appeal
to the skateboard generation. Does very little for me personally
but as debut efforts go, it's pretty solid.
Great Lake Swimmers Bodies
and Minds (Misra) www.misrarecords.com
Lover-ly. Ontario based outfit Great Lake Swimmers believe
in keeping things spare so that musical nuances and poignant
lyrics can have the maximum effect. Certainly, the ghost of
Nick Drake haunts the music here which by the same token,
expresses an affinity for the work of Mark (American Music
Club) Eitzel and Mark (Red House Painters) Kozelek. Atmospheric
and folky, Bodies and Minds is perfect for those half-asleep
misty mornings. Take a deep breath…
So back to that Dream Theater gig in January
and wondering how I could score a couple of comp tickets.
Maybe invite my "too old for that" friend along.
Sigh.
So I shall leave you with the strains of "Funeral For
A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" the Elton John classic as
covered by those Berkeley grads on the A Change of Seasons
album. "The roses in the window box are tilted to one
side…."
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