Alaskan singer/songwriter Sjofn’s debut album, Secret, currently available through UK’s Parallax Sounds, showcases her skill at song crafting. Her simple guitar strumming or drone-like picking and clear little-girl voice set the tone for this album. The title cut, “Secret,” and “Let Me Be” are naked tracks with just Sjofn’s voice and her solo guitar work.

Most of the songs are equally naked and somewhat simplistic, but Sjofn is able to complete a thought and deliver that with skill. “Work Song,” with its banjo, washtub bass, and Paul Monsarrat’s clarinet is an odd combination. But it is characteristic of the creative risks Sjofn is taking with this album. The addition of Paul Monsarrat’s clarinet on “Hey Ho,” “Vagabond,” and “Ordinary Girl,” in particular, is a musical leap, without dropping into jugband or klezmer. It’s an unexpected touch that slips the work into something other than standard folk or Americana and well into Sjofn’s own creation.

Besides’s Monsarrat’s clarinet, he also plays banjo, tin whistle, and washtub bass. Christina Brown also assists on washtub bass, Leif Ericson adds fiddle, and Jesse Gunn plays electric guitar and fatcat strings. Their skills are most noticeable in “Preacher’s Son,” where Sjofn’s guitar and vocals are enhanced by the addition of Leif Ericson’s mournful fiddle.

But it is in “Missouri,” a breakup song, where the full band’s talents shine. This is only one of two tracks on the album that have backup vocals. It also has more production that any of the others, including Monsarrat’s clarinet but also two guitars, an electric guitar, and also shaker and a few licks from a hand drum. Very nicely done. So Sjofn can create multi-layered arrangements. She just chooses not to most of the time.

Sjofn does experiment. There are two cuts on the CD that I would simply call theater pieces. Married People” begins with a monolog by Sjofn and ends with one line repeatedly sung. It’s very brief. The last track on the album, “Ahh” tells a story though sounds such as walking out of the rain, wolves,  a door opening and closing, a heartbeat, glass breaking, a scream, a shot, then a rewind. What follows is a mix of sounds that don’t seem to have much to do with the first group of noises. But it’s very intriguing.

All of the seventeen songs on this album are very short. In fact, the whole album is only 44 minutes long. There are no long instrumentals or elaborate poetic rants. But what is there is interesting to listen to and that’s saying a lot. Instead of mimicking a lot of the fluff that’s on disc, Sjofn has chosen to use a simpler vehicle and let her songs, her voice, and unusual instrumental choices carry her work. It’s really a bold idea. It’s no wonder then that Sjofn has been in demand at folk festivals all over the globe. It will be interesting to see what else she will pull out of her bag of tricks in future albums.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Secret, Sjofn

Ria, Mike Grutka’s third CD, offers a glimpse into the writing life of this Saratoga Springs NY singer/songwriter. The twelve songs on this album, all Grutka originals, range from love songs to rock ballads about ambition to songs that chronicle self-discovery.

Though the CD indicates that Grutka tours with a band consisting of Josh Radigan, Greg Nash, Mike Steiner, and Steve Barmash, there are no band credits on the liner notes. From the quality of the backup, however, it appears Grutka used digital and electronic sources combined with his guitar. He has recorded and produced everything himself and even does his own vocal backup. This has allowed Grutka the freedom and the responsibility to create a sound that represents his unique musical intention. There’s no one else to praise or blame about this album. It rests on Grutka’s merits alone.

The songs are radio friendly, though often lyrically obscure. It is mainly the way Grutka has arranged and produced each song that has created a listenable sound. It falls flat, however, in “The Sea” where the vocals are obscured by the synthesized melody, the loud drum track, and even the electric guitar, which may or may not be digital. It’s a shame because the song really tries to say something. Unfortunately, the lyrics themselves are disjointed and don’t complete the thought the song is aiming for.

This is a problem with a lot of songwriters/poets. There is an assumption that if you put pleasant sounding words together, they will make some spiritual or intellectual sense. The title track, “Lifetime (Ria),” which happens to end this CD, is just that, a string of words and phrases to a beat. Oddly, it works in a haunting sort of way, yet still the meaning is deeply buried.

Grutka, however, can write a seminal thought as “Goodbye” attests. It’s a simple song that has a heart-tugging melody, superbly delivered by Grutka’s vocal style. The production is restrained, though there is a lot going on for the ear to hear. It is mainly the simplicity of the vocals and the guitar that make the song stand out. Very nicely done.

“Actress” is another gem on this album. It’s upbeat, yet with an inner melancholy woven into the lyrics. “Everything” also is another peppy tune with darker undertones. Here, again, Grutka uses a lot of single line phrases that aren’t necessarily completed thoughts, but for some reason, they work. It’s as if the mind completes the gestalt of the thought in spite of the sparse lyric. In contrast, “Same Thing” has a Beatlesque feel while it points to a sort of spinning, non-movement of a life.

Ria starts slow but hits its stride in the middle. Despite its lack of lyrical polish, the album works, mostly because it creates a mood that is infectious. It will be interesting to see what Mike Grutka does with his next album, which is waiting in the wings for release.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Mike Grutka, Ria

Earl J Rivard III and his father, Earl J Rivard Jr, have a rare father/son relationship, working as songwriting partners. They have been writing and performing together since Earl III was 12, though he was singing long before that. Today, Earl Jr makes rare appearances on stage with his son, preferring to manage his son’s career, whose talent for performance, he says, “has ended up far outstripping my own.”

Though father-child collaboration has been successful with other talents such as Arlo Guthrie and his son and daughter, this musical team is quite unique. Earl III has been blind since he was four months old when a drunk driver cost him his sight and left him partially paralyzed on his left side. His love of music and his ability to sing seemed to be the universe’s compensation for his physical losses. He could memorize songs easily and render them back with musical accuracy even when he was barely able to sit in a high chair. He became a sieve for song lyrics and melodies and today boasts a repertoire of five hundred cover songs.

His motivation to play the guitar in spite of his physical limitations spurred him to strengthen his arm. He has since developed a unique, sophisticated guitar style to accompany his vocals, whether performing alone as Earl J, Troubadour or in several local bands, including Earl J and The Minor 7th or playing bass with The Highway Robbers or the Butter Band. Earl III, whose mother is from Argentina, spent his teens there, participating with locals in guitarreadas, where musicians pass a guitar around among themselves and share songs. These live song-sharing sessions can be the best places to learn new techniques and songs, and also to test out new material. For Earl III they were essential for his growing talent.

But it is his voice that is his strength. Able to write and sing in English, Spanish, and Italian, Earl III delivers his songs with a full rich voice that can be romantically lyrical or powerfully rocking. Earl III’s current CD, Underground Railroad, presents two original songs written and sung in Spanish. “Magdalena” was written by Earl Jr. and “Vuélvete”, which means “return to” or “go back”, was a collaboration between father and son.

It is songs such as these that comprise the meat of Underground Railroad, romantic offerings that stir the heart. Earl J Rivard III not only sings and does his own backup vocals, but he also plays acoustic rhythm guitar, congas, shaker, and tambourine. He and BZ Lewis, who sat in on a few tracks, collaborates on the string and flute arrangements. Supporting these songs are fellow musicians Lance Riley on drums, Mike Wynar on lead guitar, Max Cowan on keys, and Dave Lionelli, founder of the Butter Band, on bass.

“Till I Met You” is a romantic ballad by Earl Jr. that has lovely piano support by Timothy Drury.  “The Sun Finally Rose,” a father/son collaboration boasts BZ Lewis’s second lead guitar that is a sweet addition to this track. “This Time Around,” a rock and roll ballad about finding love for a second time, shows Earl III’s vocal versatility. His “Lady, Sweet Lady,” in contrast, is almost a period ballad that could have been written at the same time as “Barbara Allen.” It would make a great cut for movie soundtrack. But Earl III’s “Yours Eternally” that offers a lifelong pledge to a woman could become an all time much-requested wedding song. It is once more sweetly supported by Timothy Drury’s piano.

In contrast, there are two songs about love growing cold. “Coldest Place,” with Mike Wynar’s delicate lead guitar, is a chilling look at dying love. That theme is echoed in “Sometimes Love”, rendered as an acoustic pop ballad, but here it is more of a cautionary tale about what can happen if love isn’t tended properly.

The four other cuts on the album are odd contributions. “Nobody Knows” is a tune about wayward youth and is quite well done. Their “Unfinished Songs,” however, is purely self-indulgent. Songs like this aren’t really of interest to most listeners.

But the question mark about this album is the CD’s title and its beginning and ending tracks.  “Underground Railroad” is a song about unfair immigration laws that is a bit of collaborative writing between father and son. The first cut is the full version and the last cut is an edited radio version. It is clear that the songwriters feel strongly about this issue and what they have to say about it deserves to be heard. But the placement, first and last, and calling the album the same name implies that there will be more songs about this issue or others that might be underground in some way. It would have served them better to either release this one song as a single or wait until they had four or five more to do an EP of social commentary songs, a there is a growing listenership for that.

Still, Underground Railroad is a testament to the writing skills of this father/son team and showcases Earl J Rivard’s powerful and versatile voice, a fresh new talent.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

Australian band Brillig’s debut CD, The Red Coats, is a refreshing, eclectic mix of acoustic styles that has been termed alt folk. Ironically, the band has been part of the European goth scene, due in part to the darker themes within their original songs and perhaps because they wear black—including a top hat. Here in the US, however, this band would not even be considered part of that genre—and in fact aren’t exactly alt folk, either, though folk ballads have been recorded about murders, drownings, and sunken ships for centuries.

Brillig is part of a new wave of acoustic and rock musicians (e.g. Cloud Cult, Rock Plaza Central) who are crafting songs that explore deeper—and, yes, darker—themes, using whatever instrumentation is at hand. For many of their songs, the banjo could be replaced with a distorted guitar or even a bouzouki, and the feel of the song would be different—as also would its placement within a genre.

The heart of Brillig is principal songwriters Matt Swayne and Elizabeth Reid. This duo also performs as Brillig in some circumstances and even will expand to a three piece or a full four piece band when they bring in Denni Meredith on bass and Ben Mackin on drums. Swayne and Reid share lead vocal duties, backing each other vocally as the song demands. They also are skilled multi-instrumentalists. Swayne plays guitar, banjo, and harmonica, while Reid adds viola, autoharp, piano accordion, and ukulele. Each choice, though, is made with deliberateness, fully supporting the work.

The initial cut, “Death at Sea,” sets the tone for the album. It is a gloomy tale of a ship lost at sea, done up with banjo, autoharp, accordion, bass, and Swayne’s vocals, but it is more than just a sea shanty. The title track, “The Red Coats,” is a sad tale of jealousy that doesn’t end with the death of one of two good friends but leads to a feud between two families.

“Bird from the Ashes” is an alt-rock tune with bass, banjo, drums, and a touch of autoharp that shine behind Reid’s crystal voice. This is one song that could be nudged into other genres by replacing the banjo. But here, it becomes uniquely Brillig.

The album is filled with many other gems. “Springtime in Kyoto,” another acoustic rock tune whose vocals are well supported by drums and guitar is enhanced by Reid’s viola, which is bowed as well as plucked. The plucked viola in the latter part of the track sounds much like a Japanese koto.

“Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder,” though bearing a clever pun in the title, is a dark look at the use of absinthe as a drug and how it was prepared. It mixes spoken word with accordion, drums, and guitar over Swayne’s vocals. Interestingly, the ban on absinthe has been lifted in the US recently because the amount of the controlled substance has been reduced and regulated. It is claimed to be no more than the alcohol within the drink.

All twelve songs on the album are written by Swayne and Reid, except for “Phantom’s Theme,” which was written by Paul Williams for his 1974 release, Phantom of the Paradise. It is redressed in autoharp, drums, and guitar and Swayne’s perceptive vocals.

The best cut of the lot, though, is “The Old Captain.” It is a beautiful tribute to a dead sea captain that is recorded as if it were being sung in a tavern-like setting. Accordion, guitar, and drums support Reid’s lovely voice. The rendering comes across as a Russian cabaret song where one just might have heard that song in a time long ago.

Brillig, like the Lewis Carroll poem, “The Jaberwocky,” from which it takes its name, may appear to be indecipherable. But unlike the mystery within that famous poem, Brillig is fathomable, though the listener may need to dive deep to sound them out.  Their unique blend of instruments and vocals and their choice of material mark Brillig as an emerging band to watch.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Brillig, The Red Coats

Looking much like a rockabilly performer, singer/songwriter Grady Crumpler with his band Shady Cats, delivers great alt pop/rock in his tightly constructed debut album, Love Callin’. The eleven songs here had been languishing in their original demo recordings until Crumpler brought in three producers who whipped these bar-friendly tunes into radio-friendly masterworks. Though it is common in hip-hop circles to use more than one producer, it is rare in rock or pop. But here, Crumpler showed genius in doing so.

John Custer produced the first three tracks, one somewhere in the middle, and the last cut. Dick Hodgin produced three songs that are sprinkled around the central song: “All the Way,” “Take Me,” and “You Got a Way.” John Plymale, who produced Squirrel Nut Zippers and Meat Puppets (some very different material from each other and Crumpler’s Shady Cats work), also does three: “Lines,” “Till the Rains Comes,” and “In the Moment.” Though shaped by three very different hands, the album has a cohesiveness that brings out the best in Crumpler’s songs and his vocals, as well as the skills of the Shady Cats musicians.

Long time bandmate, Bill Eagen offers support on drums on all cuts in the album. He and Crumpler are the two consistent threads here with a sprinkling of other musicians who lend support. Crumpler himself lays out guitar, sitar, synth, and even takes a stint behind a Hammond B-3 and a Fender Rhodes. There is a whole stable of bass players on this work and a number of other instrumentalists.

The title track, “Love Callin’,” is also the initial track, which breaks with standard album track placement. This is usually the track that will get the most airplay. The title cut is usually left for the third slot, which here is a rock love song, “She Kisses Me with Her Eyes,” where Crumpler adds a tasty bit of guitar blaze along with John Wade’s bass.  “Love Callin’,” though, sets the tone of the album, generating a high energy rock ballad that is reminiscent of G B Leighton’s rendering of “Love For Sale”. It is supported by Derek Arnold on bass and producer John Custer himself, adding guitar synth to this mix.

Custer continues that on the second cut, “Lost Myself.” Here Crumpler backs himself on vocals with John Wade again on bass.

John Plymale’s first producer offering on Love Callin’ is “In the Moment,” which showcases guest Don Dixon on lead vocals. Dixon is a noted producer himself who spearheaded the jangle pop movement of the 1980s. His vocals add a raw edge to Crumpler’s more polished voice, even on background vocals. This cut also showcases Crumpler’s versatility with many instruments. Here he not only plays guitar but shows his chops on organ. Both add zest to Wade’s bass.

Another guest vocalist, Phil Spence, handles lead on “Take Me.” Rob Clay takes up bass duties here and is assisted by Chad Barger on the Hammond B-3 and Jason Schmidt on percussion. Again, Crumpler adds backup vocals and guitar.

Dick Hodgin’s production of  “You Got Away” and “Take Me” have a more rocking drive than some of the other tracks. But his work with “All the Way” instills a classic Beatles meets island music rendering. Clay, Barger, and Schmidt once again return to support Crumpler here.

“Till the Rain Comes” once more showcases Crumpler on many instruments. Eagan and Clay back him up. Plymale, here, couches Crumpler’s vocals in a distorted verse, a la Beatles’ “I Am the Walrus”.

Stuck in the middle of all this is “Lines,” the only southern rock number of the lot. It’s a really different look at trucking. Mike Krause adds some sweet guitar work to Clay’s bass and Wes Lachot’s Hammond B-3.

The album ends with “Desperation,” a piano-driven vocal piece that is pure moody rock about infidelity from a woman’s point of view. Jon Heames adds bass to Darren Mitchell’s piano work and Crumpler’s guitar and Eagen’s drums. It’s sort of a downer to the rest of the work contained on the CD, but it is an exquisite song that reveals the depth of Crumpler’s ability to write a great song. This one and “Lines” are exceptional pieces of songwriting.

Love Callin’ shows listeners just the tip of what Crumpler’s songwriting and performing vision is. Hopefully, Grady Crumpler and Shady Cats will offer us much more in the future.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Love Callin', Shady Cats

It is common for composers to title their work Opus and number them in sequence according to their creation. But the title of jazz violinist Andrei Matorin’s debut work, Opus, marks a great work and a most profound labor of love.  The eight-song album is a complex blend of romantic jazz balladry, be-bop, and some very remarkable touches that are pure Matorin.

Andrei Matorin came to the US from Brazil when he was five years old and almost immediately started his classical violin education. That eventually led him to studies in Italy and Switzerland, and most surprisingly into jazz where he continued to excel. He was the first violinist to complete the Jazz Certificate Program of New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School in Boston (and did so in half of the time most students did with departmental honors). When the Berklee College of Music came courting him, he plunged headlong into his studies, earning a degree in Jazz Composition and Performance. Today, he teaches private lessons and performs in a number of small combos in the Boston and New York area, something he has been doings since he was 15.

With his technical background and the freedom of jazz composition and improv, he has crafted a deliciously inviting jazz album. In order to bring out the strengths of his work, Matorin brought in three equally adept musicians to help him present these eight songs. Israeli-born Dan Pugach, also a Berklee grad, handles drums with inventiveness and delicate touch, and Luques Curtis shows his bass chops here. Curtis, who originally had a background in piano and percussion, switched to bass and never looked back. His skills enhanced Brian Lynch’s Grammy winning CD Simpatico. Then there is Takeshi Ohbayashi who has been playing classical piano since was two. Like many young performers, though, he was lured by another instrument. In his case it was the trumpet when he was 12.

At the heart of Opus, however, is Matorin’s violin that sometimes sweeps the listener away to other realms as in “One Last Song.” Here Ohbayashi’s piano is a pleasant undertone, carrying its own distinct melody while Matorin soars above it in its own dreamy, moody way.  Sometimes it weeps and then growls in a counterpoint statement as in “Coming Home.” And sometimes it almost drops into gypsy violin as in “Trancoso.”

Though Andrei Matorin composed and produced the album, it is not self-indulgent. All eight tracks are complex works that were not created solely to showcase Matorin’s violin. He has crafted every piece and every track to produce the effect he wanted, allowing each of his fellow musicians to shine.

For example, “Hymn No. 1” is a tight brisk piece, allowing all of the players to bring their skills to the front. Curtis’ bass runs are a lively backdrop to Ohbayashi’s intricate piano. All the while, Pugach’s delicate drum work keeps the whole musical train on the track while he adds embellishments that aren’t based on ego or upstaging. Pugach knows his instrument and elicits nuances from it that some drummers, given the opportunity for solo work as in this cut, would have just beat the hell out of his skins. Instead, Pugach coaxes variety from his drumkit. There is also a sweet conversation between Matorin and Pugach that is a delight.

The last track, “Sunday Blues,” is a tip of the hat to vintage blues and jazz. Here two masters let their best chops out as they explore the melody lines Matorin has set forth. Curtis’ bass is intricate and proves that an upright bass can be a solo instrument, and Matorin’s bluesy violin is just sexy.

Andrei Matorin’s Opus is a masterwork that jazz enthusiasts will enjoy for its intricacies. And for jazz listeners, it will be a CD that will be in their permanent playlists. Very highly recommended.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Andrei Matorin, Opus

When a solo artist attempts to write, perform, arrange, produce, engineer, and mix and master a debut album, the work often is less than professional and lacks cohesiveness. And, it usually sounds as if it were done with somebody’s basement equipment. There are just too many roles involved and too little perspective for a single person to do without help. Dairenn Lombard’s debut release, Eye of the Storm, however, is a grand exception. Playing keyboards and guitar and handling all of the vocals, including backups, Lombard has created a pop/rock collection of original songs, recorded as Starfire, that are well produced and arranged, without being overindulgent. Lombard has added just enough embellishment to enhance the songs. He doesn’t dip into keyboard effects or synthesizer work too often, selecting drum tracks that actually work or a brief sax solo that is just a couple of measures long.

The first five songs on the album are pop ballads done with keyboards, letting his strong vocals and lyrics come through. It is reminiscent of Elton John and Billy Joel, selling a love song via piano.  The last four selections feature Lombard’s guitar with his keyboards. These are more rockers, but they still have a very pop feel. The guitar work is good, but it isn’t the main focus of these songs. It acts as an anchor for the rock anthem effect he is going for.

Though Lombard is a skilled musician, it is his lyrics and vocals that carry this album. The nine songs in Eye of the Storm were written over a decade ago, but still have a contemporary feel. Lombard does, however, tip his retro hat to the 80s. Eight of the songs are about finding that one true love and deal with all of the obstacles that interfere with being together. Lombard’s vocals are strong, especially his backup harmonies. Sometimes those are hard to synch up, but his are spot on and add depth to the work.

The last song and title cut, “Eye of the Storm,” is a grand instrumental that showcases Lombard’s non-vocal skills. He pulls out all of his bells and whistles on keyboards, but only introduces the guitar midway, adding a lovely spice to the mix. It is an arresting melody that will stay with the listener long after the album is done. It is the finest track on the album and could easily be licensed for movies or television.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Eye of the Storm, Starfire

The Chicago four-piece band, halfwaynorth, has dubbed itself “the best opening band in America.” It’s a humbling title for an emerging band. Most bands would be dreaming big rock star dreams, complete with limos and nubile groupies, but not these guys. Though being the best at anything is a good thing, seeing themselves as just an opening band, even the best opening band in the country, paints the members as not ego-inflated, but very realistic and driven. It also positions the band so that it can take the next leap, which it did recently, headlining a show to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Halfwaynorth’s recent three-song EP, Ghost Shuffle, is a departure from their previous album, The Breakup?, which was more of an acoustic rock CD. Though the lyrics are still thoughtful and angst-ridden, the feel of Ghost Shuffle is definitely more electric rock and roll. The track, “Powerlines,” does echo that earlier work with its blend of matchbox twenty radio-friendly pop/rock and the intense Eddie Vedder-like wail that guitarists Jason Abraham produces on his vocals. “Back to the Uhh,” in contrast, is grounded in a more electric sound. The full switched-on effect is evident in “I Call Your Name.”

Hearing Abraham’s vocals and the band’s musical style, however, call up images of fresh-faced pop/rock idols like John Mayer. The members of halfwaynorth look more like the tech-heads that people take their computers to for debugging or maybe members of a punk garage band. This once more speaks to the humility of halfwaynorth. It’s all about the music.

But it is clear that halfwaynorth’s acoustic roots inform the way this EP has been produced. The lyrics of the songs are foremost in each of these tracks, not the instrumentation, which is not flashy but strongly-based in technical skill and passion. Abraham is amply supported by Joe Shields on guitars, Eugene Limb on bass, and Chris Darby on drums. Though, for example, there is some sweet guitar soloing at the end of “I Call Your Name,” that isn’t the experience that band wants fans to take away with them. It is the songs, the whole feel of them. They have catchy hooks and memorable choruses, and something to say–about relationships, purpose, life. “Powerlines,” in particular, is a poetic image-laden work with many layers that most listeners will miss unless they sit with the track for awhile. Only then does the richness of the work of come through.

If halfwaynorth got out of Chicago and brought their work to a wider audience, they might be the twenty-first century’s new Pearl Jam. There certainly isn’t anything halfway about this band.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Ghost Shuffle, halfwaynorth

Dada Veda’s second album, Love Is the Best, is a most unexpected offering. Its eleven songs reflect Dada Veda’s message of self awareness, peace, and love. Finding that on an album by a trained yoga monk is not at all surprising.  Dada Veda is a member of Ananda Marga, a global spiritual and social service organization founded by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, whose mission is to bring self-realization and service to human beings all over the globe. Dada Veda’s monastic name is Acarya Vedaprajinananda Avadhuta, and the honorific “Dada” that he uses in the much shortened form of his name means “respected elder brother.”

Born in New York City, Dada Veda hitchhiked to California in search of enlightenment during the Summer of Love (1967-1969) phenomenon. There he discovered yoga and was exposed to bhajans or devotional songs and kirtan, the mantra chanting most people associate with some forms of Eastern meditation, including yoga. He began playing guitar and singing as he led chanting sessions, even before he was trained as a monk.

Less than a decade ago, Dada Veda starting writing songs. His first CD, Brighter Than the Sun, combined the spiritual with social justice and ecological issues, and sent him on tours throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. That recording introduced an unexpected element that also marks his sophomore CD, Love Is the Best. That element is a definite country influence that a fan dubbed as Country and Eastern Music. However, neither of these albums has the sophistication that fiddle player Tim Carbone has often called on in his work with Railroad Earth or his former band, the Dharma Bums.

Produced and arranged by Ryan Sam, Love Is the Best also has rock, pop, and country gospel influences. Dada Veda, who plays guitar and handles the lead vocals, is supported by Diipak who played the violin. The other instrumentation comes from Ryan Sam himself playing bass, piano, electric and acoustic guitars, and drums, as well as adding background vocals.

The result is startling, especially when looking at Dada Veda’s photo on the album. Listeners just don’t expect to hear that voice and that music coming from his face, which looks venerable and wise in its full beard and orange turban and robes. Though Eastern musical and spiritual influences have pervaded mainstream music since the Beatles, there are many new North American groups who are writing original music with Eastern chanted lines or instrumentation, such as Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits from Washington DC or Bhadra Collective from Toronto. These groups, though, sound very Eastern.

Dada Veda, however, is about as American as you can get, right down to his John Sebastian meets Sister Hazel delivery. That combined with his spiritual content make this CD unexpected. That may have been the intention. The very nature of the two musical ideas—Eastern and Western—is programmed to shake up ingrained minds. Once listeners get past the shock of the two divergent concepts, they may be more open to Dada Veda’s lyrics.

Love Is the Best is happy music. The songs are all upbeat and have melodic choruses that will leave listeners humming long after the CD is ended. And the messages of love, brotherhood, and even vegetarianism are worthwhile. But make no mistake, the songs are not subtle or cleverly poetic. They are forthright and carry listeners along with their positive messages. These are teaching songs that are meant to inspire and get people thinking about spiritual matters. Or to put it in another context, they are similar to church camp songs, only with more expanded themes.

That said, it is the more country gospel rooted songs that are the strongest. The first track, “We Are Never Alone or Helpless,” is straight out of the old-time camp meeting, with a bass and drumbeat, and a chorus similar to “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” The third track, “Liberate Your Mind,” also has a familiar chorus, sounding like “Accentuate the Positive” and then dips into the sweet gospel harmony. It also has a slick electric guitar break in the middle. The vegetarian song, “A Better Deal,” also sounds familiar like a cut from the Broadway play, Big River. It is enhanced by the tasteful violin that is a mix of classical and country fiddling. That work is countered with tablas and piano that sound odd together at first but soon melt into an enjoyable mix.

The other strengths of this album are in the last two cuts, “Good Old Kirtan” and “Kirtan Remix.” The first is a traditional kirtan or chant using the phrase, “Baba Nam Kevalam,” which means “Love is all there is.” It starts with voices and adds a strummed guitar with synthesizer overtones and synth tablas. These droning sounds add to the chanting, but it is an odd mix of organic elements (voices and guitar) and electronic elements that sometimes fight each other. The “Kirtan Remix,” with only a vocal, is a synthed-up version that could be called a “switched-on kirtan.” It actually works, even for some listeners and meditation practitioners who find electronic elements distracting during a chant.

And then there is the doo-wop tune, “Open My Heart.” It is just fun. The title cut, “Love Is the Best,” however, is not as strong as others in the CD making it a curious choice for an album name.

Dada Veda’s Love Is the Best is a most unusual excursion into Eastern spiritual thought. Because of the mix of ideas and musical styles, perhaps the CD should have been called, Open My Mind.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Dada Veda, Love is the Best

Gabe Hizer’s musical career has come full circle. A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Hizer took a detour, earning a law degree and practicing law for 25 years. Then two years ago, he packed his cats, a trunk load of instruments, and some recording equipment and headed for Mexico. There he wrote and recorded, eventually heading for Nashville where he pulled in musicians and engaged Neilson Hubbard to produce a debut CD, Persistence of Memory.

Like a lot that is coming out of Nashville lately, the album is not country, not even uptown commercial country/pop. There is a definite Americana feel about the 12 songs on the disc, but it leans more toward rock and pop. Hizer, who plays acoustic and resonator guitar on the album, wrote all of the songs, except for “I Will Be There for You,” which he co-wrote with David Walker.

The instrumentation on the album is first rate, which is a complement to Hizer’s own skill and to some great musicians coming out of Nashville. Hizer has added expected layers of drums, electric guitar, piano and organ, bass, and even Kenny Hutson’s pedal steel and T.J. Klay’s harmonica on a tune or two. But it is the inclusion of strings that sets his work apart from standard Nashville fare. And it is not fiddles, but violin, viola, and cello. There is even a touch of vibes and glockenspiel. Not every song has these embellishments, but they are used on certain tracks to good effect.

Hizer’s vocals are strong for the most part, often with an echo of Jim Croce. However, there are some rough spots in delivery. There is a slight strain on the falsetto on “Time to Say Goodbye,” but it works with the emotional tone of the piece.  Unfortunately, the vocal work on “Falling Down” is an odd mix, including some rough falsetto that drops to a bass note in an odd place. That is really a shame since the song has something to say.

There are only two country-type tunes on the album. “I Will Be There for You” is a lovely sentimental tune that Clint Black would be lucky to record. “The Ballad of Joey and the Bottle of Booze,” though having a country feel, is more reminiscent of Loudon Wainwright than Kenny Chesney.

The latter part of the CD has some flat-out winners. The showpiece of this album is the gospel/roadhouse tune, “Searching Outside of My Soul.” T.J. Klay’s harmonica is more country blues than Chicago or Delta blues. But here everything works well, especially Hizer’s vocals that are straightforward and midrange.

Equally, “Let Me Fall on You,” a warm tune about a strong relationship, is near perfect. Hizer’s delivery is spot on, and Margaret Coleman offers tight background vocals that underline the relationship Hizer is writing about. The song echoes G. B. Leighton’s “Wings Working Overtime,” though I think Leighton’s is the stronger of the two—but then he’s been in this business for about as long as Hizer was a lawyer. That experience shows.

Then there’s “Some Things Never Change,” a truly polished gem. This tender song of an aging loved one is moving but not maudlin. It is a tune that could have come from a Broadway show, not one that was bigger than life or pretentious, but one with heart such as Big River. In fact, this song tends to generate the feel of Roger Miller’s “Worlds Apart” from that musical.

The writing is equally strong, capturing the loneliness of independence, hurtful partings, lost love, and old memories. Gabe Hizer’s Persistence of Memory is a strong debut for an artist who has something to say and can say it well. Time will smooth out the rough spots, making this artist certainly one to watch.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Gabe Hizer, Persistence of Memory