The music of June Shellene can best be described as a massage for the ears, and the mind. Relaxing, calming, and smooth, it has the power to wash away the every day troubles that weigh us down.  June’s album Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends is a culmination of June’s impressive musical experience that spans decades.  From the soothing opening notes of the first song to the quiet ending of the last, Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends is an album that will delight jazz aficionados and blues lovers alike.  The album opens with the title track where the listener is treated to June’s extraordinary piano playing.  It is light and performed with the skill of someone who is clearly very comfortable at the keys.  June’s voice is strong and commands respect while still retaining a softness.  The rhythm of this piece is graceful and the composition is simplistic and pleasing.  “Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends” is the perfect way to begin the album.

“Not Good Enough Blues” is up tempo with a bluesy vibe.  This piece is exceptional and June’s vocals are spot on.  The lyrics carry a slightly tongue-in-cheek humor to them and June’s delivery is excellent, showing a fantastic understanding of the way blues should sound, which notes to emphasize and which to soften.  The musicianship on this piece is fantastic as well, especially the guitar work.  “The Craziest Game” takes the album down a whole new path with an unexpected Spanish flair, boasting her diversity of style.  June’s vocals during this track are strong and she hits the high notes with perfection.  This song is an all around winner, perfectly engineered, and performed with brilliance.

After the dramatic ending of “The Craziest Game,” the soft and slow beginning of “Make A Little Time For Love” is haunting and thought provoking.  The lyrics are masterful and deal with the beginning of the end of a relationship, for no other reason than people are too busy to make time for love.  A lesson everyone should take to heart, June delivers it with angelic vocals and an overall feel of 1920’s jazz, complete with a crowded, smoky room, a sexy songstress in a slinky black gown, and a lightly tinkling piano.  Exceedingly well done, “Make A Little Time For Love” is perhaps Shellene’s signature song.

“One City Block” is more story than song, one that carries a slightly sinister undertone.  This track is full of imagery as June takes us through the city, describing in detail what she sees.  The most visual of all the tracks yet, “One City Block” is written more for the mind’s eye than the ears, and is the most lyrically sound piece on the album yet.  “Lincoln Avenue” is a track with attitude and the saxophone playing is extraordinary.  June’s voice is silky and smooth, the very epitome of jazz singing.  Every note is clear and thoughtful.  “Stone Cold Sober” slows it down so the listener can fully feel that it is a lyrically compelling masterpiece about the blossoming of a new love, and then the inevitable comedown from the high.  It’s full of beautiful sadness, with a melancholy mood and excellent instrumentation throughout.

Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends continues with fluid and light piano work on “Just In Case,” a track that would be the perfect addition to a movie soundtrack.  The sound quality is stellar and this is another perfectly produced piece with clarity of sound and clean notes throughout.  “Tattoo” shakes things up with a country flair and foot tapping rhythms.  Clearly, June Shellene is able to branch out into other genres besides jazz and blues, and this track is a fun one.  Lively, upbeat, with lyrics that are humorous without losing focus, “Tattoo” is an unexpected surprise that will delight lovers of country and rockabilly.  “Crazy Sue” brings the rhythm of the album back home, with slow tinkling piano under June’s haunting voice lamenting the plight of a woman named Sue.  Sue is crazy.  One of the saddest melodies on the album, this piece will make listeners think and feel.  June’s voice carries emotion and sincerity and the cello playing is a brilliant touch that brings the sadness of this song home.

“Polar Bear Blues” offers sad humor and imagery regarding the plight of polar bears stuck in zoos.  Another thought provoking piece, June makes listeners contemplate the life of polar bears in captivity and perhaps how they feel having nothing to do and nowhere to go.  The trombone playing is a nice touch and adds the flair that is needed in this slow, sad number.  June picks it back up with “We Won’t Let It Bring Us Down,” a much needed lift.  The sadness of the preceding two tracks fades as the jazzy New Orleans vibe of this piece digs in.  One of the most instrumentally sound tracks on the album, this piece has blaring trumpets, trombones, clarinets, and the best collaboration between the musicians yet.  Upbeat, uplifting, lively and loud, this track is by far the best example of the talent and diversity of June Shellene and her band of exceptional musicians.

The album ends with “Before The Fall”, and is the perfect way to close Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends.  By now, the listener is familiar and comfortable with June’s voice and her fantastic piano playing, not to mention her extraordinary lyrics and the way her music can bring forth emotions and memories.  “Before The Fall” is a short, sweet track that embodies the June Shellene experience.  Her music is played with confidence, talent, and the remarkable surety of one who has been doing something she loves dearly for many years.  It is evident that June Shellene’s passion is music and she has done an outstanding job channeling this in her album Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends.

Review by Rhonda Readence

Reviews, Rhonda Readence June Shellene, Wait 'til Midnight Ends

Composer, writer and musician extraordinaire Adam Hardcastle hails from the great land of Oz, although he has done his share of traveling.  His album Stille is a culmination of his experiences while traveling in his native Australia and abroad.  This six-track, 36-minute journey into the heart of Adam’s creativity is not your conventional album.  The songs on Stille were taken from film soundtracks and musical theater that Adam has worked on while in Adelaide, and the reason they were put together into this album is a romantic one.  While on one of his journeys, Adam got stuck in a train station in Taize, near Lyon France, and he had nothing to listen to.  In his silent desperation, he vowed to create an album of songs for moments such as these.  The result of that experience is the album Stille, an eccentric and artistic effort that belies conventional music and creates a sensation of memories in motion; a sensation of reliving experiences as they happened.  As Adam states in his wonderfully packaged album, “I once thought of home in terms of geographical location – but have come to realize over time that home is truly found in the quiet stillness of memory.”  That is a brilliant notion that should not be taken lightly.

Adam Hardcastle makes it evident with this album that creativity is diverse, memories are alive and life is meant to be lived and experienced to the best of our capabilities.  Stille opens with “Summer Afternoon” and listeners may get chills as the ocean washes away their troubles.  The piece begins with a sound clip of the ocean that was recorded from beneath the Brighton Jetty in Adelaide, and music and lyrics that were written when Adam was still in high school.  It is a simple song with thought provoking lyrics and guitar work that is sweetly sad.  An overall melancholy tune, this track highlights the soft despair that humanity sometimes feels, perhaps while resting beneath a jetty and reflecting on the past.  The song is not intricate in the least, which allows the listener to appreciate Adam’s vocals and the rhythm of his guitar.  Beautifully written and hauntingly performed, “Summer Afternoon” is the perfect compliment to memories that are perhaps a bit dusty and should be examined again, with the ocean as the perfect soothing companion.

“The Sky’s the Same” has a tribal flavor to it, with a rustic drum beat and ritualistic chanting.  Adam begins to sing over this rhythm and this track is haunting.  The sound effects are eccentrically chaotic and the overall effect of this piece is one of organized cacophony.  It’s well composed, well performed, and completely unique.  There has not been a song written that can even remotely be compared to this one and Adam proves once again that he is as original as they come.  “Of Truth and Anguish” begins with a slow bass line and then the vocals kick in and the listener can get a much greater appreciation for the strength of Adam’s voice.  An extremely mellow and melancholy piece, “Of Truth and Anguish” is lyrically compelling. Reading the lyrics, one gets the idea that they were originally a letter to someone and have since become a symbol of so much that is wrong with society.  The cello is a wonderful touch, as is the theremin, and this piece is endearing because it is rather simplistic in its composition and yet perhaps more complex than any of the preceding tracks on Stille.  This track has deep meaning and Adam’s vocals are delivered with heartfelt sincerity and passion.

“The Stoning” is more of a story than a song, one that deals with the human condition of judging others and doling out punishment for what is perceived to be a crime.  This too is a piece with deep meaning as it brings to mind ancient rituals and rites.  The melodic chanting makes one think of old callous priests in dark robes, walking down dimly lit aisles full of secrets and sorrow.  The sound of this track is exquisite, most particularly the cello, and Adam’s vocals are once again strong and consistent.  The track ends with a hauntingly slow drumbeat that lulls the listener into a false sense of calm before “Masse” begins, which shatters that sense of calm completely.  Another piece of controlled cacophony, “Masse” is full of tribal chanting, whispered vocals, and effects that defy explanation.  Adam doesn’t sing this song as he has the previous tracks, but rather he whispers the lyrics in an intense way that gives this piece a feeling of tension and intricacy.  Despite the whispered vocals, the sound is not lost and everything going on in the background is heard clearly as well.  Exceptionally engineered, “Masse” is one of the more eccentric pieces on the album and also one of the most endearing.

Stille closes with “Dazed,” which starts off with some beautiful piano work, coupled nicely with the guitar.  Adam’s voice is once more strong and confident in this piece and the effects he uses to create something of an echoing sound is a brilliant touch.  This track is perhaps the saddest and the most hauntingly melancholy one on the album, but it is also the track that is the most conventional in terms of your average, every day music.  Don’t get confused, though.  It is not conventional in the least.  It is still wholly unique in the Adam Hardcastle style, with a sound that never has been, nor ever will be, replicated.  The album Stille cannot be classified into any specific genre, nor does it sound like anything that has been done in the world of music.  It is the brainchild of Adam Hardcastle and his travels around the world.  It is the sound of memories.  It is the soundtrack to the thoughts, ideas, and artistic compulsion of a man who has spent much time searching for himself and his home, and then coming to realize that the search is over.  Everything he ever needed or wanted was right there in his own head and in his heart.  Stille is truly more than just an album compiled from various pieces of music.  It is also a work of art and creativity that cannot be duplicated by anyone.  And in that, it is extraordinary.

Review by Rhonda Readence

Reviews, Rhonda Readence Adam Hardcastle, Stille

The country music genre has changed drastically over time, from its origins in blues to the arena rock of today.  The instruments, sound, and tone have evolved with the size of the stage.  What has remained the same amidst all this change is the subject matter.  Country music still revolves around loss, heartache, pain, and drowning it all in alcohol.  On her 2010 album, Liars, Cheats, & Fools, Leyla Fences valiantly attempts to recapture the more traditional country sound while remaining relevant in today’s country landscape.

The most immediately striking quality to Fences’ music is the use of traditional country instruments, namely the fiddle and steel guitar deftly handled by Milo Deering, with Mitchell Smithey joining on a couple tracks.  The rest of the sound is rooted in guitars from Jerry Matheny, piano/keyboards by Brad Neher, and drums/percussion and bass from Billy Freeman and Kerry Huckaba.  To all of their credit, every arrangement is solid.  All of the album’s 13 tracks are polished and well-played, successfully carrying a pop-music charm without losing its moorings in a traditional country sound.

The blending of styles is further accentuated by Fences’ voice.  Her tone and inflection while singing (or dropping the occasional “sinkspeak” interlude) is definitively Southern, celebrating her native Texan roots.  There’s also a lively energy to her voice, much more akin to pop music.  If it weren’t for the traditional arrangements, she would be more pop/country than she is country/pop, and that difference is quite large. While Fences’ voice is very pleasant, her range sounds limited, and her passionate lyrics sound restrained or stifled by her voice at times.  However, she makes up in delivery what she lacks in range.

Fences’ greatest asset is her ability to write a lyric.  Though primarily about the subjects mentioned in the album’s title, Fences’ songs have an undercurrent of female empowerment.  The best example of her depth as a songwriter is on the album’s second track, “This Close”.  The singer presents her vulnerability as she openly discusses the strong temptation to return to her significant other after all that he has done to her.  By the time the song closes, she determines that she’s not going to go back, and she continues to drive away from the literal and figurative crossroads where she sat.  At her best, Fences channels songwriters like Mary Chapin Carpenter, whose “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” is one of the more prominent pieces to feature feminist themes in country music.  At her worst, Fences lyrics are still a step above average thanks to the unique perspective she lends to her songs.

The one thing that really brings Liars, Cheats, & Fools down is the lack of substantial hooks.  Even after repeated listens, none of the songs really stick with a strong, memorable hook that should be present considering the pop elements to her voice and song pacing.  At some point, the songs seem to blend into each other to the point where the listener could easily lose track of where they are on the album.  As nice as it is to have a consistent toe-tapper of a record, there needs to be more variety present to add a level of distinction to her otherwise, well constructed songs.

Though Liars, Cheats, & Fools has some weaknesses, it also showcases Leyla’s wonderful strengths.  Fences’ has assembled a very good band of musicians, she’s a wonderful lyricist, and she has a pleasant voice.  For a debut album, she could’ve done much worse than this.  The very fact that the album deserves a spin or two through a country fan’s CD player, despite the lack of any truly memorable songs, speaks volumes about Fences’ strengths.  If she can keep her lyrical edge and bolster her songs with some irresistible hooks, Leyla Fences could easily ascend the ranks of country and feminist artists alike.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Leyla Fences, Liars Cheats & Fools

When you combine some L7 with a bit of Concrete Blonde, Mazzy Star and Courtney Love, and then add a good healthy dose of the Natural Born Killers vibe, you can almost get an idea of what Belle Phoenix sounds like.  However, you must then add the imagery of vampires wearing cowboy hats, incredibly sexy half-clad women dancing with six shooters, and life being lived at warp speed in The Strange.  Once you combine all of these ingredients, only then do you get a decent idea of what Belle Phoenix brings to the table.  Her music is sexy, vampiric, bold, sultry, rockin’; the list could continue.  Combining genres such as punk, rockabilly, pseudo-surf, goth and genuine rock ‘n’ roll, Belle Phoenix absolutely brings forth her best with the album Nine Lives.

It kicks off with “Old Crow Misery,” a snappy number that has a definitive country flavor, but it’s a twisted country, the kind that beings of the night would like.  There is an undertone of menace, something dark amidst the foot tapping rhythm and the energetic feel of this track.  The guitar work is exceptional and this piece is a great way to introduce the masses to Belle’s voice.  It’s well engineered and the clapping in the background adds an essential essence to this song.  The harmonizing is nicely done too, and “Old Crow Misery” has indeed captured the attention.

“Dancing All the Time” should have been part of the Natural Born Killers movie soundtrack, without question.  There is also a bit of The Cure influence to this piece and Phoenix does a brilliant job of creating something wholly unique and nearly evil while still maintaining a jaded innocence.  Belle’s wolf howls are what complete this piece and fans of the macabre will simply adore this song.  “N.Y.C” is a lyrically compelling song, bringing to mind grey skies and dark Winter.  There is a sense of despair in this song, a sense of being lost.  The musicianship is exceptional and Belle’s voice takes on new dimensions as she sings in a lower key and makes mere words seem like living things filled with fire and sexuality and daring.

“Dead Inside” begins with a punch, then becomes spectral with its child-like repetition of “I’m dead inside, I’m dead inside, What did you say, What, what did you say?” This is a twisted fairy tale for adults.  The vocals are what carry this piece.  They are haunting and seem to bring forth a sense of longing for something that we’re not even sure we want or need.  The refrain is reminiscent of the band The Sins of Thy Beloved, with its darkly melodic sound and Belle’s vocals hitting the high notes so beautifully.  The album continues with “The Devils Son.”  It’s got attitude and pure sex appeal.  The engineering and production of this track is perfection and there is quite a lot to take in here, but it all blends smoothly and each note and instrument is heard clearly without being overbearing.

Phoenix then changes it up a bit with “Gypsy,” which has more of a rock vibe to it, although it still carries that darkly sexual and nearly evil essence.  The lyrics are provoking, the sound is stellar, and the musicianship is phenomenal.  The listener truly gets a much better appreciation for the talent of this band while listening to this track.  This is a trance dance song, for sure.  Being taken into another place for a short while, a place where you can dance if you want, you can run if you want, you can sing if you want.  “Gypsy” is more than just a song.  It seems to embody the very essence of life itself.

“Dance With Me” slows it down a bit, taking a moment to reflect and show that they can play slow haunting music just as beautifully as they can play fast haunting music.  Belle’s vocals are reminiscent of Mazzy Star at times and the simplicity of this track is what makes it so enchanting.  The lyrics are heartfelt and the instrumentation is very basic.  The piano work is the perfect addition and there is a dreamy quality to this piece that makes listeners want to sway along to the rhythm, perhaps while holding a candle in hand.  Fire is the perfect companion to this song, as it seems to evoke emotions that are fierce and melancholy at the same time.  “Dance With Me” ends peacefully and the album begins to roll effortlessly to its close with “Soul Killer,” which also would have been an ideal song for the Natural Born Killers soundtrack.  Belle sings “You don’t understand, do you?  You just play your little game in the land of destruction… Soul killers, soul killers.” The lyrics are emotionally provocative and can really make one think about life and where it might or might not be going.  This is one of the deeper tracks on the album and it is performed wonderfully.

The album Nine Lives encompasses a vast array of styles that have been blended into the perfect concoction that will be sure to leave a delectable taste on any music lover’s palate.  The album has attitude and it’s sexy and it’s dark and it’s seductive and melodic.  Belle Phoenix has created something that so many artists strive for, and she has done it with a seeming effortlessness.  The album has a natural feel to it, as if Belle simply woke up one day and just let out all the thoughts and ideas that were in her head at the time.  The musicianship is fantastic throughout, Belle’s voice is divine, and the engineering and production is flawless.  9 Lives is a must-have album for anyone with any musical sense at all.

Review by Rhonda Readence

Reviews, Rhonda Readence Belle Phoenix, Nine Lives

With soulful vocals, June Shellene impresses on her latest release, Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends.  No newcomer to the music scene, Shellene’s first album The Lost Art of Love won two achievement awards from Billboard Magazine. A powerful vocalist, Shellene satisfies the listener as she blends jazz, blues and soul on Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends.

Self-produced with bassist Jim Cox, this 13-track album combines delicate piano, fitting percussion and soulful saxophone features throughout. Despite the talented musical accompaniment, it is Shellene’s powerful vocals that leave the greatest impact. Her singing style blends well with the music, soaring at the perfect moment and fading to a whisper when she sees fit. Having been featured in David Mamet’s film, House of Games, and taught piano and voice at the Old Town School, pianist and singer-songwriter Shellene, continues to display her passion for music on her latest LP. Whether she’s singing about things she wishes life would present her on “Not Good Enough Blues” or belting out her emotions in between horn features on “We Won’t Let It Bring Us Down,” Shellene’s talent is undeniable.

Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends begins with the six-minute long title track. A glimpse of what’s to come on the remaining 12 songs, Shellene’s voice accentuates the piano, bowed bass and percussion accompaniment. The seductive “Craziest Game” brings to mind Rosemary Clooney’s infamous “Mambo Italiano.” With upbeat percussion and a European vibe that transports the listener back in time, it is a song easily enjoyed on repeat. This standout track combines accordion, bass and percussion alongside Shellene’s pitch-perfect singing.

Though the piano is the chief instrument heard on most of the album, additional saxophone and horn interludes add diversity. “Lincoln Avenue” showcases Shellene’s sultry singing style combined with soulful saxophone accompaniment while “We Won’t Let It Bring Us Down” switches gears with a slow story-like introduction with trumpet and clarinet features.

“Tattoo” is a refreshing change from previous songs on Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends. Not a complete escape from her jazz roots, the track embodies an intriguing rustic country vibe. While previous songs could easily be envisioned in a jazz club, “Tattoo” has a telling southern influence that brings to mind soul music championed in Memphis. Next, “Crazy Sue” further diversifies Shellene’s music. With beautiful cello accompaniment, the emotion-filled song tells the tale of a woman lost and alone. With soft piano and wavering cello, the slower music accentuates the story within the song.

A voice beyond compare, Shellene’s latest release embodies a timeless quality that brings to mind numerous jazz greats before her. Wait ‘Til Midnight Ends is an album that no doubt will stand the test of time. Continuously evoking emotion throughout each track, one can hear her passion for music on each song and only wonder at the power her next album will evoke.

Review by Annie Reuter

Annie Reuter, Reviews June Shellene, Wait 'til Midnight Ends

Derek Alyre Boudreau, who records under the name Alyre, has created a highly emotional CD with the songs found on Fetterman Ave. Most of these songs express desperation over romantic issues. In Alyre’s musical world, there is no such thing as an average, uneventful day. Instead, lovers walk on the edge where happiness or misery might be just one false footstep away.

The title track, the most structurally adventurous piece on the album, begins with a musical figure that hearkens back to the progressive rock era. But before long, it switches to a guitar riff that sounds a whole lot like Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit”, albeit without all the driving grunge feedback. Alyre is an effective singer, but Katrina is even more of a pleasure to listen to. She reaches for similar emotional pressure points, but her singing is just naturally prettier.

Alyre plays guitar, bass and drums on this release. And while he is a passable player with each of these instruments, he also doesn’t particularly excel at any of them. For instance, when he takes a guitar solo on “You’re Not Alone”, you may find yourself wishing for a little more fiery fretwork in order to give the track that extra oomph it needs. Instead, Alyre plays a rather pedestrian acoustic guitar solo on it. There are no standout bass lines on any of these songs, and while he may not be Keith Moon on the drums, he never plays anything to embarrass himself.

Alyre also produced this CD, along with Vivian Scaturro and Rich Krostek, and it sounds excellent throughout. There is crispness in the instrumentation that makes every instrument, and nearly every note, stand out. Diehard rockers might think it a little too clean sounding, but it would be better to frame this as a pop offering, with extra rock edge, rather than the other way around. It’s also worth noting that each track flows into the next, without a silence break between songs.

Lyrically, this disc comes off a little too much like a one trick pony. Alyre has obviously been hurt in a relationship, and that pain comes through on each and every track. If listeners have recently experienced that same sort of heartbreak, Fetterman Ave is a feast. But for those not now or recently embroiled in post breakup blues, all these we-done-us-wrong songs may be a little much. Derek’s spirituality shows through most clearly during the folk-ish “Back Home”, which is sung with Alyre’s regular female vocal partner, Katrina. Lyrically, it appears to be Alyre’s appeal for an angel to come down to Earth and help him. Katrina plays the role of the angel on it. This song, with its acoustic guitar part, is one of the least rock & roll cuts on the album.

Fetterman Ave is good, but it would have been better if Alyre had had the benefit of a few more musical collaborators. Nevertheless, a little professional musical spark goes a long way in brightening good recordings, and had there been a few instrumental ringers, these songs would have really come alive. One might also like to see Alyre widen his lyrical palette a tad the next time out. A speck of humor here, or a touch of a third person perspective there, would have given this disc some much-needed lyrical variety. With that said, however, Alyre is a talented artist, with a bright future.

Review by Dan MacIntosh

Dan MacIntosh, Reviews Alyre, Fetterman Ave

The term “jam band” is insufficient in describing what Sokoband is all about.  It’s a term that carries a certain crunchiness, evoking images of tie-dyed shirt-wearing festival attendees traveling across the country to see their favorite ensemble play.  This is not to say that Sokoband isn’t worthy of such devotion.  Playing together since 1990, this Charlottesville, Virginia-based trio has fine-tuned their ability to not just perform compositions, but to play within them as well.  Their skill for improvisation allows them to color outside the lines of selections without straying too far from a song’s original theme.

Michael Sokolowski serves as the band’s pianist and main composer while Houston Ross holds down bass and guitar duties.  Percussionist Nir Z rounds out the trio on the drums, making for a tight-knit harmonic core.  A pair of tracks on the band’s self-titled album focuses solely on the threesome:  “Lullaby for E” and “Half Sleep.”  The former is a tranquil and touching instrumental while the latter finds them meandering over a locked groove.  It is within “Half Sleep” that you can hear Sokolowski and Ross dance around the song’s main pattern through their performances while Nir Z provides the rhythmic foundation.

A collection of guest artists appear throughout the album, lending superb musicianship to their respective cuts and lifting Sokolowski’s compositions beyond the confines of piano/bass/drums arrangements.  “Jiriki” makes this immediately apparent, as each musician in turn converses within a Latin rock framework.  Sokolowski’s piano accents atop Nir Z’s highly expressive drumming is one of the highlights of this selection.  “Jiriki” is the only song on this album to feature vocals and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have Dave Matthews singing the lyrics.  His appearance is brief, but very effective, and by the end of the song his voice has become another instrument offering its own perspective on the conversation.

This is not the first time that Sokoband has crossed paths with the Dave Matthews Band.  In fact, several members of the band appeared on their 1997 debut album, In November Sunlight. The entire contents of that album are revisited for Sokoband’s latest and  saxophonist LeRoi Moore absolutely shines on “In November Sunlight.”  His solo is reflective to the point where it tugs at your heart; emotion pours out of every note he plays.  Moore switches from soprano sax to tenor on “And Yet Your Smile,” giving him a robust and romantic tone for this smooth jazz number.  On the flip side of things, “Energy Changed” is the sonic about face of the album, a power quartet featuring blistering guitar work from Mike Colley.  Co-written by Sokolowski and Colley, it is easily one of the strongest collective performances on the album, a shining example of jazz/rock fusion at its finest.

Sokoband explore a range of moods on this album and master them all through exceptional musicianship and the full-bodied compositions of Michael Sokolowski.  Hopefully the Dave Matthews Band connection will garner more interest for this ensemble, but make no mistake…this trio clearly stands on its own merit.  That which the Charlottesville live music scene has birthed will not stay secret for very long.

Review by Jason Randall Smith

Jason Randall Smith, Reviews Sokoband

Little information is available as of yet on this bright young group entering the Contemporary Christian Music scene out of Chicago.  The black and white photography design and layout of Fue’s debut EP Hallelujah was done by background vocalist Abi Rutzky.  The quintet is standing grouped together in an open semi-circle in unassuming poses in the woods – an appropriate stance of simplicity and humility.  As for the band’s name, Fue, it is unlikely that it comes from the past tense form of the Spanish word meaning “to be”.  Based on the band’s innovative musicality, it would rather make more sense for Fue to be named after the Japanese word for flute.  An unadorned shoot of bamboo was made to produce a wide array of lovely and haunting sounds by the ancient Japanese who used these as spiritual tools.

These small clues may offer an inkling of insight into the true nature of the band.  Composed of the three May brothers and two Rutzky sisters, Fue is an artistic powerhouse.  The trio of songs on Hallelujah are hymns of praise presented as a formidable group effort.  Joanna Rutzky is the principle songwriter and vocalist.  Her crystalline vocals resemble a finely polished Barlow Girl but the comparison ends there as the May brothers prove to be a highly talented and excellent back up ensemble.  Aaron May triumphs on drums in “Faithful” with his playing liberating the song from its mellow beginnings and charging into the second chorus.  Adding to his full sound is a nice string arrangement undoubtedly buffed up by producer Jaben Pennell.  Joanna adds a delicate touch on the keyboard in the fade out of the coda.

“Abide in Love” features excellent vocal blending between Joanna and Abi.  Like the opening song, “Abide in Love” has its hills and valleys in musical excitement.  The soft, rich opening of the song is but a memory when the heavy Arabian-tinged, string-laden bridge pulses over clean angst driven guitars.  Then, just as before, the music slowly melts back into the placidness from hence it came.

Tim May on guitars and his brother Ryan on bass get a chance to jam out with Aaron on the title track.  The boys’ heavy rock sound creates an electrifying backdrop for Joanna’s lovely vocals.  She never has to push or strain her voice but rather relies on the instrumentation to convey a sense of spine-tingling excitement.  Three songs is more than enough to appreciate that a new modern sound is taking shape with Fue, but it is not nearly enough to be sated.  As the band continues to play together and mature as musicians and songwriters, undeniably Fue will gain notoriety and a loyal fan base.

Review by Kelly O’Neil

Kelly O'Neil, Reviews Fue, Hallelujah

Australian artist Adam Hardcastle’s 6-track EP Stille is a combination of folk and new age hymns encased by solemn and religious vocal inflections.  Its sleepy pace is complemented with a minimalist approach to instrumentation across the entire album.  This could be simultaneously charming and exciting, but in the case of Stille, it is intriguing, yet boring at times.

In the opening track, “Dazed,” Adam’s soothing but distraught tenor is like a cry for help down a dark hole.  The song drags on towards the end, clocking the end at 11:28.  It is the longest but perhaps most interesting track on Stille.  The hypnotic guitar progressions and creepy whistling towards the end of “Dazed” is like a funeral march passing through.  “Masse” follows with its flurry of disturbing whispers and baritone moans, sounding like something out of Middle Earth.  It is reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s 1969 psychedelic experiment Ummagumma where the artists recorded all sorts of noises and mysterious messages.  “The Stoning” also has Pink Floyd-esque echoes, specifically in the vocals.  The song plays out like a scene out of a movie.  Adam’s raw and heart-felt storytelling channels the sorrow and desperation of Roger Waters and the lyrics are poignant in both language and drama. “I hear a man was stoned to death. I hear he drew his dying breath.  Drew his last sweet sticky breath.  Dropped down at their final swing…” “The Sky’s The Same” has a tribal undulating rhythm accompanied by the banging of a singular bongo throughout.  The backing vocal chants fuel the religious overtones of the song.  There is an overall sense of doom in this song, as well as throughout Stille.

According to the artist, Stille is a compilation of music written for theater and soundtracks while he spent time in Adelaide, Australia.  The tracks flow best when heard in the official track order, but the subject matter varies widely from song to song and gives the impression of being a collage of singles rather than a cohesive album.  Although the songs are extremely imaginative in sound and effect, they are not necessarily for commercial consumption.  The eclectic and new age sounds might be more fit for documentaries or short films.

The record is more a meditative collage of sound than actual “songs” in the traditional verse-chorus-bridge format.  When the songs are not sleepy, they are boring.  “Summer Afternoon”’s linear chord progression gets repetitive after awhile.  The philosophical expressions could have been more pronounced through a further exploration of melody and dynamics.  Fans of experimental folk and new age music might be intrigued and may want to explore Adam Hardcastle’s inner sanctum.  For those who are looking for more progressive folk music, look elsewhere.

Review by Mike Morgan

Michael Morgan, Reviews Adam Hardcastle, Stille

Adam Hardcastle’s latest release, Stille, is a minimalist’s holiday in desolation row.  The music is lugubrious; sometimes it’s like notes are being felt out as he goes, impromptu, as though wielding large ambient weapons, honing industrial percussion with an abyss of slow bass.  The feeling is of strange introspective to the point of isolation.

On “Dazed” Hardcastle manages to muster up the emotional range to give us a few tender moments of vulnerability, like Thom York of Radiohead, but it is evident he is struggling with the tone and pitch on occasion.  The countertenor is mostly consistent, giving us a sort of eerie divination of the apocalypse sort of feel.  Ghostly falsetto feels haunting, but the trembling voice borders more on weakness then those transcendent moments.  The whistling is cool, if a bit X-files-ish.  The ominous tone is there but it’s dated and been done before.  Adam is very talented, but this album often sounds like raw live cuts instead of a studio production.  More consistent note resolution, less sliding and tightly focused breath support over time could make Hardcastle quite incredible, but this is more college act quality then stadium tour style.  That can be a very good thing for a growing artist, and it is entirely possible that we may one day look back on these quirks and find them to be simply smaller evolutionary articulations of a greater career.

The low creeping manner of Adam’s music is reminiscent of Nick Cave, but not as well developed.  “The Stoning” reminds one most of Cave’s dark removed perspective, but the lyrics just don’t deliver the same depth for all their attempts.  The song comes off as contrived, even though the gradual pathological lie the character tells is an intriguing example of eroding perspective. Despite this, the transitions from “I think I may have killed a man” to “I think I almost stoned a man” to “I may well be a witness” and finally “I hear a man was stoned to death” are well written, if labored over, and indeed quite clever insights.  As if he desires the cool aesthetic of Tom Waits and simultaneously the edginess of Trent Reznor, it sounds as though he is on the way to finding his voice but it is not quite there yet.

Most of the percussion is good. One loop in particular in “The Sky’s the Same” sounds like a paper jam in a dot-matrix printer. However, the bass lines are uninspired with less energy then Portishead and no progressive interesting changes.  Hardcastle’s limited range means that each song pretty much sounds the same. The drum and bass loops deserve more variation.  A little dynamic adjustment here, a bit of glitching the beats, some key changes, and perhaps a few more drums fills and dynamic riffs would really help the songs have a more full sound. From a minimalist mindset, though, the album is very well crafted, without much flash or bang.

Perhaps the shouting of outside forces has cornered the artist.  In his favor, Hardcastle is trying to do something nearly impossible: communicate solitude to an audience in a public setting, and one has to admire that sort of tenacity.  Most crowds don‘t have the patience for this sort of music, but it appeals greatly to the minds of producers and remix artists a like for layers of pastiche in electronica.  This makes Adam more of an artist’s artist then a musician for just any old venue.  In the right niche, he has lots of potential, especially with brilliant back-up musicians and touring alongside other charismatic inspirations.

Stille is a wonderful artistic endeavor as an indie experiment, attempting to salvage truth and honor of some sort from desolation. However, how much treasure can be found in these cynical musings on humanity will vary by each listener.  Adam Hardcastle is a good poet to watch, but still requires vocal refinement to be a true great. Stille is worth a listen, but quality issues make it tough to recommend to anything but niche audiences.

Review by Julian Gorman

Julian Gorman, Reviews Adam Hardcastle, Stille