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

Despite recording Action Park & The Indian Summer entirely by himself, Michael Brawer wanted to use a band name to represent the multi-instrumental rock that he was recording.  From this, The Essex Lights was born, and the music world is a better place because of it.  The Essex Lights’ 2010 EP is a phenomenal recording of five songs that deftly combines catchy hooks with funky bass lines and driving, bluesy guitars.  The tracks are nearly perfect, and are so exquisitely made that it’s hard to believe one person has invented so much, even with the wonders of multi-tracking.

The lead track, “Those Kind of Eyes”, gives off a blues feeling with its pulsating organ  keyboards and guitar tone akin to Robert Cray.  Underneath it all is a bass line that borders on funk backed with a fairly standard but well performed drum track.  Brawer rattles off lyrics about two lovers trying to forget the world in each other’s presence and warmth.  “Well it’s hard to be a cynic/laying in the afterglow“.  Brawer sings it with conviction.  About four and a half minutes into the track, a wonderfully placed horn comes in to add to the dynamic.  A minute later, Brawer begins to solo and the whole song smolders with intensity.

The following track, “Postcards From Rio”, has a slightly exotic atmosphere made from the light percussion, varied guitar styles, and harmonica.  Brawer sings about trying to take his mind off a damaged relationship, despite everything reminding him of his partner.  In a bit of sly, self-deprecating humor, Brawer mentions that his love loves Bob Dylan, and though he’s not as good as him, he leaves a part of his heart in these songs when he sings them.  Once again, as the song builds, more and more instruments are thrown in to build to a fantastic ending.

At the center of the EP, and deservedly so, is the masterpiece “A Song For Ella Mae”.  Named for a guitar he purchased, every little nuance of this song is dripping with excellence.  The main riff is played low enough that the funk bassline, the propulsive rhythm guitar, the immensely catchy chorus can all be heard perfectly.  Brawer isn’t an excellent vocalist, but he uses his voice excellently.  The way he picks up his tone as he crashes into the chorus is one of the main hooks of the song.  This song alone is easily worth the price of the EP.

The ballad of the EP, “Hang In There, Kiddo”, is not the strongest song here, but that’s mostly based on Brawer’s voice.  As previously mentioned, Brawer is not an excellent vocalist.  Because rock ballads are oft reliant on vocal power, this song doesn’t quite work as well as the others.  Fortunately, the acoustic bass and synthesized strings and keyboards all make for a beautifully arranged song that is just as well written as the tracks before it.

Finally, “Curve” revisits the sound of “Those Kind of Eyes” to round out the album.  While both songs feature similar arrangements, “Curve” has some stronger soloing, a more pronounced bass rhythm, and a bit more of an experimental rock sound at parts where Brawer plays around with some guitar effects.  It closes out the album in the best way possible, by bringing it back to the beginning .  In a way it’s symbolically fitting; it would seem The Essex Lights never go out.  They just continue to shine.

Action Park & The Indian Summer is astonishingly good.  What it lacks in quantity is makes up for in quality of songwriting and musicianship.  As an added bonus, most of the songs are around the five to six minute mark and only continue to sound better the longer they go on.  Michael Brawer has proven himself to be very talented as a musician and a songwriter.  With any good fortune, The Essex Lights will be producing a full-length album with the same love, care, and expertise that this EP was crafted with.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Action Park & the Indian Summer, The Essex Lights

Sometimes in the interest of crossover appeal or artistic tastes, musical artists blend different genres together, creating unique musical styles and sounds.  Wild By Nature, Iona Leigh’s third album, eschews this principle and aims straight for a new-age sound with some mild Celtic themes thrown in.  Wild By Nature is the product of Leigh’s voice and songwriting along with Medwyn Goodall’s production and multi-instrumentation.  The resulting combination is entirely pleasant, and well suited for the new-age genre, but comes up short as an album on the whole.

The strongest asset here is Leigh’s voice.  Intensely beautiful, Leigh sounds as emotional and soaring as Sarah McLachlan but with a slightly lower timber, more akin to Annie Lennox, though it varies a bit from song to song.  The quality of her voice is well suited for her lyrics which are either poetically inspired, or straight-up adapted poetry.  The opening track, “Nature’s Lament”, is an adapted form of the William Wordsworth poem, perhaps most notable for it’s repeated line of “What man has made of man.”

Leigh’s original works don’t deviate very far from the poems she draws inspiration from.  On “Here and Now” Leigh sings, “Daisy chains and passing trains/Moving onward towards a new home/Winter breeze and icy trees/In the woods where I like to roam.“  Her embrace of nature and spirituality is similar to John Denver, except Leigh’s lyrics embrace a deeper connection between the two, such as “Prayer for Trees” where she sings, “You are so needed/You give us life to breathe/You are so healing/You help us when we grieve“.

Producer Medwyn Goodall, is also largely responsible for the sound of the album, as he plays all the instruments on it.  Goodall’s work in the field of new-age music is exhaustive as both a musician and producer.  Leigh could not have found a more experienced person to work with, though his sharp focus in the new-age genre may have been a liability as well as a benefit.  Much of Wild By Nature sounds similar from song to song.  Even though Goodall plays a variety of different instruments, there’s that same light percussion, gentle piano, lightly picked guitar that defines the genre from track to track.

In addition to the production, the length of the songs is an issue.  As good as any song may be, if it runs too long without significant development, the length hinders the song itself.  Three of the tracks border on or exceed the seven-minute mark while others consistently hit around the five to six minute range.  Goodall’s arrangements have a degree of build to them, but not enough to capture the listener’s attention for this long.  Further, Leigh’s lyrics can feel preachy when repeated over and over, and they often feel like they’re just filling time in very lengthy arrangements.  At this point, the concept of “less is more” should take hold and the songs be trimmed down.

If the length of the songs were reduced to the three to four minute mark then the qualms of the similar sounding arrangements and the overwhelming new-age feel would be trivial.  There would be less chance for the songs to sound like they were bleeding in from one to another, and Leigh’s songwriting would sound more concise and focused.

All things considered, Wild By Nature is a beautifully performed album by a stellar vocalist and equally stellar producer.  Iona Leigh could easily become a household name with her breathtaking voice if her songs receive greater structure and focus.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Iona Leigh, Wild by Nature

The mysterious trio of Cam, Cookie, and Boz form the equally mysterious electronic dance band, Omega and the Aspirin.  Their 2010 self-titled debut album is quite aptly named, not just because it’s synonymous with the band, but because this could easily be divine medicine for fans of the genre.  That said, if you’re not a fan of dance music, you also may need an aspirin after listening to the album and its heavy basslines, pulsing percussion, and lengthy run time for nine tracks.  Whether you enjoy electronic dance or not, it’s hard to deny that the arrangements done by Cam are very well done.  Cam’s also responsible for vocal duties, while Cookie handles the “live twists” and piano, with Boz handling keyboards and bass.  The first two songs, “Sweet as Sugar” and “Jaffa” quickly show the skills this trio possesses in terms of arranging and creating an almost instantaneously feeling of being in a club.  A lot of this is due to the futuristic sounding keyboards that are well placed throughout these two songs.  It’s easy for such a powerful sound to dominate the track, but Cam wisely relegates these keyboard effects to certain segments of the songs.

If only Cam were as talented a vocalist as he was an arranger, the album would be considerably better as it continued on.  Cam’s vocals on “Sweet as Sugar” are barely audible, so it’s hard to judge them there, but on later songs like “Critical Mind” and “Envy Free Reaction” they are occasionally cringe-worthy.  Surprisingly, they work quite well on the album’s third track, “Co-Define”.  Incidentally, this is also the strongest song on the album.  The atmosphere combines quite well with Cam’s rather soothing vocals to craft a beautiful song that is the closest thing to a single that can be found here.  If any of the tracks here had the chance to crossover from the club to the radio, this is it.

Omega and the Aspirin deserve a great deal of credit for some of the experimenting they do on this record.  The fourth song, “Ponyo”, is a lengthy instrumental piece that the bulk of which seems too subdued to be danceable.  However, the song actually features a good deal of progression, changing in tone from one piece to another.  Though the group cites bands such as Daft Punk and Orbital as having a kind of similar sound, “Ponyo” sounds more in line with the experimental ambiance music of Brian Eno.  The gentler nature and experimentation of this track does stifle the flow of the album in general, but taken out of the context of the other songs, it shows a talent Omega and the Aspirin possess that is atypical of other such groups.

Coincidentally, (or perhaps not) the following track, “We Must Arm” is also very reminiscent of Eno’s work.  The song, which heavily samples a Winston Churchill address to the United States, sounds like it could’ve been an outtake from the legendary 1981 Brian Eno & David Byrne album, My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts.  It would be shocking if none of the members of this trio had listened to this album at any point because the similarities are startling.  The use of Churchill’s lines being played over a light dance beat makes a profound statement as he repeats, “Is this a call to arms?” in time to the beat.  Had this song been released 30 years ago it would’ve been mind-blowingly innovative, today it is still remarkably experimental as it harkens back to the work pioneered by Eno & Byrne.

The last four songs of Omega and the Aspirin are not nearly as strong as what’s found on the first half of the album.  Though the sonics and arrangements are still there, Cam’s vocals bring the songs down a bit and even though Cookie and Boz are still playing the arrangement very well, the songs just tend to be not as interesting.  They also have the unfortunate effect of blending into one another, a problem that may be easily rectified by playing the album out of sequence.  Either way the songs aren’t bad by any means; “Critical Mind” is pretty infectious and doesn’t over stay its welcome, but they lack the punch of the album’s first half.

Omega and the Aspirin are not going to win over anyone who aren’t fans of electronica or dance music already.  This self-titled effort is heavily symbolic of the genre itself even though it breaks from the mold a bit with its sonic experimentation.  Even then, the experimenting breaks the momentum despite showing a unique talent. Regardless, the experimentation is unique to few enough tracks that the rest of the album can be enjoyed otherwise, while diversifying the listening experience enough to make the album a bit more engaging for other listeners.  Ultimately, if you’re a fan of the genre, you can consider this album to be a required listen, but if you’re not, there’s not going to be enough substance here to convert you.

Review by Heath Webster

Heath Andrews, Reviews Cameron Ailiff, Omega and the Aspirin

Stephen Lee cites musical powerhouses such as Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, and Prince as influences to his sound, and truthfully his voice is every bit as soulful and pleasant as the legends he admires.  On his 2010 single, “Online”, Lee combines his beautiful voice with the sounds of technologically polished R&B that incorporates digitized self-harmony effects and thumping beats.  The song even has a great build with the final repetition of the chorus building up to some fantastic vocalizing, keyboard effects, and a small choir of overdubbed vocals.  Regrettably, Lee’s talent for singing and the great arrangement don’t help the song fully rise above its lackluster lyric.

Lee’s lyric is an understandable cry of frustration over the growth of social networking sites and the substitute they’ve become for actual, physical, social interaction.  Though the meaning is particularly relevant to year of 2010, as time goes by it will become less so.  Parts of the song are already dated as Lee sings of MySpace and instant messenger, the former of which may not be around past 2010 and the later of which has gone past its prime.  The chorus contains no less than four technological mentions, “Connect on MySpace/Friend you on Facebook/I guess I’ll text you/Watch you on YouTube.”

The growth of technology makes lyrics like this date very poorly very quickly; for example, the 1996 Rush album Test For Echo features the song “Virtuality” with lyrics including “Net boy, net girls/Send your impulse ’round the world/Put your message in a modem/And throw it in the Cyber Sea.“  Though still maintaining an element of truth, the lyrics have not dated well and sound antiquated by today’s standards.  Ultimately, the same thing will happen to Lee’s lyric as technology quickly evolves and the social networking fad beings to taper off.

Beyond the technological roll call, the rest of the lyrics are fairly basic. The first verse’s rhyme scheme is predictable and some of the rhymes even halfhearted as Lee ends the lines with face, date, communicate, and way.  Lee tries to convey a very timely message, but does it in a way that will not stand the test of time.  In his defense though, if Rush, one of the most successful bands of all-time can’t craft a decent lyric in the same vein, then Lee is in good company.

The saving grace of Stephen Lee’s “Online” is that outside the lyric, everything works well.  The beat and arrangement is danceable and goes above and beyond by featuring a musical build.  Lee’s greatest asset, his beautiful voice, is at the very least featured in fine form.  The last minute of the song is the best part as Lee soulfully croons and lets his voice explore its range and power.  It’s just unfortunate that his beautiful voice is used to sing a woefully weak lyric.  Still, there is enough talent elsewhere in the song to make it a mostly enjoyable listen.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Online, Stephen Lee

Traditional country music was to white musicians as the blues were to black musicians.  Each based off of simple musical structures and lyrical concepts of heartache and loss, blues and country were effective forums and outlets for the pain of life delivered in a form that allowed others to sympathize.  Somewhere along the line, country music evolved into a form of mass-market arena rock that has become hugely popular throughout America.  Billy Cross & The High Bridge Band don’t draw any influence from Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, etc.  Rather, they harken back to Merle Haggard, Stonewall Jackson, and Waylon Jennings.  The result isn’t flashy, it’s not polished, it’s not even happy; it’s country in its essence.

Billy Cross has an aged, gravelly voice that sounds perfect for the lyrics that he convincingly delivers.  None of the songs are revolutionary in what they bring to the table; most of them are about heartache and loss, two of them about drinking.  The lead-off track, “Maybe I Can Let You Go Again” showcases what the album as a whole is going to be like.  Cross sings about the desire to interact with his former lover again, for maybe if he were to see her, hold her hand, exchange pleasantries, he could finally get her out of his mind.  It’s almost painful (emotionally) to hear Cross bemoan his state and plead hopelessly for that reconnection, showing just how effective his voice is for this song.

As important as Cross’s voice is to making the music compelling to the listener, so too is Robert Hall’s backing musicianship.  From the drum tracks on up, no instrument stands out or features more prominently than another.  The percussion is kept very simple with just basic rhythms and shuffles played throughout.  Hall’s keyboards are also kept simple and largely subdued, playing more for atmosphere and tone than anything else.  The only instrument that comes through the mix is the guitar, where all the little licks and flourishes blend in to support Cross’s storytelling whilst still being discernibly enjoyable.

Like the best of country vocalists, Cross is able to carry a range of emotions with a limited vocal range.  Just as the sorrow in “Maybe I Can Let You Go Again” is pushed to the forefront of the music, the anger and sincerity in a song like “Conscience” is apparent as well.  Cross writes a song here that communicates two different emotions very well, his hope that his former lover will be well and his hopeful anger that her conscience will bother her for the things she’s done.  This lyrical dichotomy is about as complex as the songwriting gets, and unfortunately the album doesn’t peak quite as highly as this song again.

As mentioned before, two of the songs deal with alcohol and the potential abuse of it, “Thanks to the Bottle” and “Brand New Friend”.  The former is an interesting song that showcases a narrator who either deliberately blames alcohol for the destruction of the things he loves, or is in a state of denial and takes out his own shortcomings by blaming the drink.  Either way it’s a subject common to country music and a wonderful change of pace from the glorification alcohol receives in current country music.  The latter of the alcohol songs, “Brand New Friend”, is a bit more invigorating of a song in that the lyric is more commonplace; following a break-up, a man goes from having a woman to having drinks.

The ability to make a lyric people can relate to, along with Cross’s voice, are The High Bridge Band’s greatest assets.  Because the music is kept simple, it becomes reliant upon Cross to carry the songs, which he does well.  The traditional sound though is very bleak and at times, depressing; again, country is very similar to the blues.  The sound of I Don’t Want To is going to isolate it to a niche market of consumers who like that old country music. But this is not a hackneyed attempt at recapturing the spirit of yester-year, this is the heart of that music, beating anew.

Somewhere around the middle of their album, Billy Cross and the High Bridge Band perform “Breakin’ Loose”, even though this isn’t the strongest song of the album, it’s the most fitting in a way.  I Don’t Want To sounds reserved, but its return to the roots of country is very daring.  Cross and Hall obviously love the music their playing despite how much the genre has changed over time.  Though it may not sound like they’re breaking loose with such a quaint collection of songs, any diehard country fan who pines for the days of Hank Williams, Marty Robbins, and outlaw country, will find a deep breath of fresh air with this release.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Billy Cross and the High Bridge Band, I Don't Want To

Lynn Adler & Lindy Hearne have made a huge step toward bringing folk music back into the spotlight this decade.  Their 2009 album To The Heart is beautiful, tranquil, and sublimely pleasant to listen to.  The stars are clearly Adler & Hearne as their voices are strong when solo, and stronger when in duet.  Adler’s voice is angelic in its tone and delivery while Hearne has a voice akin to the late John Stewart (formerly of the Kingston Trio and later as a solo artist).  It possesses a world-weary tone that speaks from age and experience.

Unlike the aforementioned Kingston Trio and their folk ilk, Adler & Hearne are assisted by a team of musicians that bring an almost orchestral feeling to many of the songs.  Included on the album are Byron House and Dave Pomeroy on bass, Rob Ickes on the dobro, Michael Johnson on classical guitar, Andy Leftwich on fiddle, viola, mandolin and mandola, as well as Ken Lewis on percussion.  Leftwich in particular stands out as a stellar performer since his various string-based instruments draw out much of the beauty contained within Adler & Hearne’s works.

To The Heart’s opening track, “My East Texas Piney Woods Home,” is an exceptional selection to lead the album.  The title is fairly indicative of the lyrics as Adler & Hearne sing of a beautifully rustic setting that they can call their own.  The loving sincerity in their voices lends a wonderful genuine feeling to the music; it feels very personal, as if they’ve chosen to share this piece of their lives with the listener.  Really, this is one of the album’s biggest strengths.  The themes of love, nature, and God run deep through the songs, like the duo had taken a page out of the John Denver songbook.  And like Denver, their love of these topics is positively radiant.

Lyrically, Adler & Hearne successfully tread the thin line between being passionate and being “preachy.”  Even the best of songwriters can come across too strongly when their passions for nature and spirituality are expressed.  But even on the more pointed tracks, like the Adler sung “A Hundred Years From Now” and Hearne’s “A Celebrated One,” the themes never overpower the music itself.  Then again, this is almost an expectation considering the strength of the wordplay earlier in the album.  “Lookin’ For A Bridge” is a powerfully written lyric with the refrain, “I’m lookin’ for a bridge to get me over you.“  Just that line itself is so well done that it sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the songs, and they pass it.

Despite the overall gentle tempo and sound of the album, there are two distinct “toe-tappers” to be found.  The earlier mentioned “A Hundred Years From Now” manages to work up a groove that’s a bit of an unexpected treat.  And with a title like “Hollerin’ The Hills,” it may be expected for that song to be more up-tempo, and it certainly is.  There are not enough of those moments to consider the album folk/rock, but they show Adler & Hearne would be capable of it if they ever chose to go that route.

Another particularly striking song is the Hearne driven, “Give Me The Pieces.”  The quality of Hearne’s voice is what makes this song such a pleasant experience.  Granted, there’s music being played, but Hearne’s storytelling of a child who turns to his father to pick up the pieces of a broken toy, bicycle, and much later his own life, is enchanting and emotional.  What Adler vocally contributes in harmony and beauty, Hearne contributes in power and presence.  The two make a fantastic pairing in all respects, though it’s the vocal blending that shines the most.  Producer Rick Clark obviously picked up on this and wisely allows it to be upfront in the mixing.

Albums this solid do not get made often enough.  Fans of folk, singer-songwriter, and light country music really should listen to this to experience some gorgeous songs.  Comparisons can be made to some of the previously mentioned artists as well as James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, and Peter, Paul & Mary, but none of them really do justice to this pairing.  The music created on To The Heart feels like a slice of life taken directly from Adler & Hearne, and offered up to enjoy and experience.  Offers this sincere and entertaining should not be turned down.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Adler & Hearne, To the Heart

Andrew Gravel is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the very talented band, The Gravel Project.  Primarily a quartet, the group mostly consists of the aforementioned Gravel, Zach Jagentenfl on bass, Tom Major on drums, and Paul Wolstencroff on the Hammond B3.  Their ability on their respective instruments is the key factor in making their 2010 album, More Ways Than One, so enjoyable.  It takes until the third song, the jazz instrumental, “Arugula Politics” to fully realize just how good this band is, but once realized, the impression lasts until the album’s end.

The lead-off track, “Dollar Bill” is a kind of standard blues-rock fare, with lyrics that flirt with being a touch too “preachy” in their discussion of the recession of  ‘08 and ‘09.  The following track, “Too Many Drivers” follows the oft-heard rock/blues theme of comparing women and cars.  Despite some of the obvious lines, the song is a good piece of fun with a fantastic tone and some great musical backing.  “Arugula Politics” is where the band takes off; gone are the lyrics and in their place, Dann Friedman laying down some fantastic saxophone.  The other immediate stand-out is Major’s drumming.  To go from playing the kind of standard 4/4 blues rhythm to a more complex jazz beat isn’t the easiest of transitions, but he nails it.  It’s on this song as well that Jordan Gravel substitutes on the Hammond and his interplay with Friedman is fantastic.

Andrew Gravel’s ability as a guitarist features more on the bluesy songs towards the album’s second half.  “Lost” is a positively enthralling song, likely the best on the album.  While Gravel can effectively carry any lyric he sings, his lyrics aren’t the most impressive, though the band certainly makes up for this in energy and performance ability. On “Lost” though, Gravel’s imagery contained within the first verse, “I walked along an empty road/about 3 days ago/shadows seem to follow me/reflected off the snow” followed by the sighting of a “blood-stained sky” is picture-perfect.  Gravel accompanies this with stellar riffing and soloing.

The reggae influenced track, “Feeling Good”, further showcases the talents of the band, especially highlighting Jagentenfl as a funky bassist.  More over, it’s also a convincing reggae song though at this point in the album, it’s little surprise that The Gravel Project can pull this genre off with such ease.  Their knack for arranging songs is one of their stronger suits, whether it be with something original like “Feeling Good” or the cover they do of The Beatles’ “I’ll Cry Instead”.  Though a seemingly random choice of a Beatles song from A Hard Day’s Night, the original country like sound carries over well with this fresh blues/rock arrangement Gravel gives it.

The only true misstep of a song of the album’s nine tracks is the roughly two minute instrumental, “Mindstream” which serves as a lead-in to “Lost”.  As previously mentioned, “Lost” is a fantastic song, but “Mindstream” is really lackluster.  “Lost” doesn’t need any kind of lead-in, and it would’ve been better for the album to have another true song rather than a weak instrumental.  But again, this is the only real forgettable song.  Even the uniquely, sparsely arranged “My Baby” is compelling with its loving lyrics and reliance on voice and two guitars (electric and bass).

The album closes on a similar note to where it started.  “Blues for LA” is another straight ahead but fantastic blues rocker akin to “Lost”.  It’s fortunate The Gravel Project chose this as their closer as it serves as a reminder of just what kind of band this is for the most part.  As capable as they are as jazz musicians, reggae or funk rockers, they are, at core, a blues band with a high degree of talent.  The lack of a consistent sound hinders the cohesiveness of More Ways Than One as an artistic piece.  But there’s also too much musical ability featured here to not find enjoyment in it.   So though it may not be perfect from a structural standpoint, it’s still a welcome addition to any blues or rock fan’s catalog.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews More Ways Than One, The Gravel Project

Calling your album, Sparks Are Going to Fly may be a bit presumptuous, but in the case of MHB’s debut effort, it’s a warning.  Sparks do indeed fly throughout this entire album as a result of the combined efforts of this fantastic band.  Though vocalist/guitarist/song-writer, Matthew Henry Baron is the band’s namesake, everyone in the band contributes such great performances, and it’s hard to imagine this album being as strong without any of them.  Working with Baron are bassist James T. Bromley, drummers Michael Whalen and Rob Van Dahl, Eric Koppa and Steve Kelly on horns, and Daryl Coutts on keyboards/organ.  The rhythm section is spectacular, with Whalen and Van Dahl really pushing the songs forward and Bromley is something remarkable in his own right.  The bass lines that Bromley plays have elements of funk and rock blended together so well that it would function as decent percussion if there weren’t any drums.  Though the horn section and keyboards aren’t as much the backbone of the band’s sound, they’re the flourish to the signature and establish the fantastic sound of MHB.

If you get the feeling you’ve heard MHB before, but can’t quite put your finger on it, it’s because you have heard them before in some way, shape, or form.  There’s little elements that pop up from so many different bands, Los Lobos, Rusted Root, Robert Cray, Huey Lewis, Van Halen…the list goes on.  At times, Baron’s voice sounds snarling and unrestrained like on “Someone Like You” where he channels David Lee Roth.  Baron’s electrifying lead guitar is played fantastically and his solos are equally breathtaking.  The album’s rousing closing track, “Here You Go” sounds reminiscent of Robert Cray combined with bass work ripped from a Red Hot Chili Pepper’s album.  Coutts is the other factor that changes the sound up quite a bit; the keyboard and organ fills are like that of Sean Hopper from Huey Lewis & The News in terms of their tone and atmosphere.

Lyrically, Baron’s constructed some fantastically smooth songs with bite and wit.  In “I Better” he rips through the line, “baby see, what’s been going on/I got the eyes of the devil, the wits of James Bond“. Most of the lyrics fly by at a rapidity that is similar in delivery to Red Hot Chili Peppers.  As the words fly by, the subjects they cover aren’t deep, or intensely insightful, but they are well suited for the music that supports them, and now and again a particular nice line will pop up like on “Here You Go” or most of “Blanket Of Leather”.

One of the most unexpected elements here is the degree of musical layering that Baron is able to  his songs.  “Into The Light” is an intensely driving song that builds on itself the further along it goes.  The build, which climaxes in the horn section joining in with female backing vocals, is reminiscent of the Talking Heads song “The Great Curve”.  Even though the production is completely different, the way “Into The Light” culminates is similarly spectacular and results in an extremely satisfying listen.

Sparks Are Going to Fly’s track list even sounds like a live set in some respects.  The album begins with a three shot salvo of “Someone Like You”, “I Better”, and “Get On”, slows down a bit with “Blanket Of Leather” and then builds to its middle and closes just as strongly as it opens.  It’s quite clear that Baron is leading a band that knows its way around the recording studio, and the live stage.  To make a debut album this strong is borderline staggering.  The sheer amount of energy could make it enjoyable on that alone, but these guys are on fire for every track.

MHB’s first outing into albums is a spectacular one.  There are few albums that don’t need much of a recommendation besides simply, “Get it”, and this is one of them.  Even without really crossing genres, Sparks Are Going to Fly sounds like it does and takes it a step further by fully convincing the listener that this album is every genre for nearly every listener.  The only problem they face is trying to follow this up with something that sets the bar equally as high as it is now.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews MHB, Sparks Are Going To Fly

Guitarist and singer/songwriter Grady Crumpler, drummer Bill Eagen, and a host of various session players form the Shady Cats.  Their 2006 debut album, Love Callin’, is an impressive collection of primarily pop/rock songs with a few other genres thrown in to boot.  The songs, all written by Crumpler, have been cherry-picked by three different producers to be put onto the album.  The result of this is a slightly mixed bag.  Crumpler’s writing both lyrically and musically steers itself into a pop/rock/country vein, not so much the harder edged rock or even calypso sound that pops up on the album’s second half.

Despite some of the misses that occur on Love Callin’, when all the pieces of a song come together and coalesce, the end result is fantastic, so much so that they easily trump the shortcomings.  It’s hard to fault an artist for wanting to branch out and try different things, but it’s evident when songs fully click and when they don’t on here.  The perfect example is the song, “I Want Independence”, a jarring attempt at a rock song about breaking away from some sort of overbearing relationship.  The music and main guitar riff sound angry, but Crumpler’s vocals and lyrics do not.  Such a mismatch kills the song.

The problems with a song like that is magnified by there being two absolutely wonderful songs preceding and following it. “Lines” is possibly Crumpler’s best performance on the album all around. He rolls through a lyric about being on the road with the titular lines referring to the “lines on the road and on the mirror/hurry up and stop spinning your wheels/cuz the vision isn’t getting any clearer.”  The music is firmly rooted in a Rascal Flatts form of country, though perhaps a more accurate comparison could be made to the Bon Jovi song, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”  The guitar parts are spectacular, played in part by Mike Krause, from the riff to the solo that just grips the bridge and throws the song into its climax.  When the track “Take Me” comes on, Crumpler’s rock-edge is far better honed. The lyrics are once again sleek and catchy,  “stealing kisses on the sly/no one else could catch my eye”, the riff powerful, and the vocal performance perfectly suited for the song.

Avid music listeners can catch hints of inspiration from other bands sprinkled amongst the album.  The closing song, “Desperation” bristles with a Tom Petty vibe and is a wonderful note to end on.  Then there’s “All The Way”, the previously mentioned calypso themed track that sounds like a strange combination of Santana and Haircut 100.  For that matter, the title track has a hook and chorus very similar to that of “Love Plus One”, the sole hit from Haircut 100.  In the case of the former song, it really doesn’t work with the sound of the album.  The latter song, however, is a wonderful start to the CD with a gnarling guitar riff and punchy hooks.  Even on the tracks that don’t fully work, the musicianship is strong, and special credit should be given to drummer Bill Eagen for a consistently amazing job from start to finish.  Crumpler too is a great guitarist but sometimes his writing is a bit too ambitious for what his style is.

That being said, when Crumpler is a bit more distant in a song that isn’t quite his style, things can still work. In the first half of the album, two songs come up with similarly kind of dark lyrics about losing one’s self to their darker emotions. The first is “Lost Myself”, the second, “In The Moment”.  On “Lost Myself”, there’s certainly a catchy feeling to it, but the subject matter of the lyrics is rather misplaced amongst the catchy vocal harmonies and overall tone.  “In The Moment” differs tremendously in that music producer Don Dixon (early R.E.M. most notably) sings the lead vocal.  His voice carries the darkness necessary to push the meaning of the song, and it’s absolutely thrilling to listen to.

The Shady Cats have put together some amazingly strong songs on Love Callin’ and the strength of these songs almost entirely overshadow some of the album’s weaker moments.  Given some more consistent songwriting and perhaps one consistent producer, it’s easy to envision this group putting out a fantastically stout collection of pop/rock/country songs.  But for now, Crumpler has written an album of a good half-dozen wonderful pieces of music that make all of the eleven featured, more than worth while.

Review by Heath Andrews

Heath Andrews, Reviews Love Callin', Shady Cats