Husband and wife duo Adrienne and Dustin Cottrell, also known as Tortoise And Hair, hail from Marietta, Georgia and have been charming audiences in the Southeast United States for a decade now.  The Cottrells studied together at Florida State University.  Each are classically trained musicians with a shared love of some of the great singer/songwriters of Rock N Roll era (Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch, etc.)  Tortoise And Hair uses a distinctive sense of melody, witty and insightful lyrics, and their own special chemistry to open ears, minds and hearts on their self-produced debut album Front Row Seat.

Front Row Seat does display a certain distinct chemistry, but its duplicity is fetching.  For all the chemistry on the album, it really is more like listen to two distinct artists’ solo albums on shuffle.  Adrienne Cottrell leans more toward a folk or easy listening sound, relying on the deft imagery in the lyrics and her angelic voice to entrance a crowd.  Dustin Cottrell is a closet rock n roller.  He plays along well on the more folk-oriented material, but you can hear the enthusiasm in his guitar on the more rock and blues sounding songs.  When the Cottrells sing together, however, there is no doubt they are together, as their voices intertwine and blend as if caramelized together by the music.

Front Row Seat opens with “Traveling Song”, a paean to finding home in the midst of love no matter where you might be.  The arrangement is a sweet maritime Celtic ballad and Adrienne Cottrell pays epic tribute with her voice.  Dustin Cottrell takes over on “Faultline ‘09”, an edgy bit of urban folk with a touch of blues.  The song is as catchy as anything you might hear.  “Watching The World Fall Apart” is a mellow shell for a blend of voyeurism and schadenfreude that may be an indictment of financial collapse of 2008 and those who brought it about.  “Watching The World Fall Apart” is sublimely tuneful and holds a wealth of finely meted our bitterness in its grasp.

“Confessor” explores misplaced faith and the inherent need of even those who claim no faith to be absolved of their guilt.  The song is a passive-yet-powerful story about one lost soul who keeps running to another in times of doubt, only to return when his well of certainty runs out.  Adrienne Cottrell is out front on this one, a convincing and vaguely chilling story song that will stick with you.  “Big Picture” is self-explanatory, a song that attempts to put life’s little problems into perspective.  Dustin Cottrell takes the lead with extensive harmonies from Adrienne.  “Voice Of The Wind” is perhaps the most unusual track on the disc, built from a martial beat, an ethereal arrangement and a whirling collection of guitar riffs.  “No One Else In The World” recalls a simpler time and focuses on self-fulfillment.  It’s not a flashy tune but flat-out great songwriting.

“Forever Yours” is a powerful love song with perspective.  Adrienne Cottrell ruminates on the changes that life brings yet returns to the one constant in her life: love.  “Forever Yours” is likely to wind up on mix-tapes, dedication lines and any other method people can use to dedicate songs to one another.  “Lady Midnight” is far and away the best songwriting on the disc; a wonderfully poetic representation of the doubts that strike us all in the hours between dusk and dawn.  Adrienne Cottrell uses powerful imagery, vulnerability and an amazing voice to paint a picture that is many times greater than the sum of its parts.  The song and performance are utterly brilliant.  On “Limbo”, Tortoise And Hair explore the existential angst and self-doubt that accompany one of the many transitions from youth to adulthood.  Dustin Cottrell is out front this time in a tune that sounds a bit like mid-1970’s Billy Joel.  “For Once In My Life” has an easy piano/jazz feel.  It’s a song about escaping all of your bonds for a little while; just being able to be, and is probably a daydream most concoct from time to time.  Tortoise And Hair close with “Just Another Road”, a plain and plaintive closer that hides s quiet sense of hope that will grab you.

As a listener I was quickly drawn into the inner life of Tortoise And Hair.  Like many of the troubadours before them, this duo breaks down barriers with honesty, intelligence and wit, all wrapped in tremendous melodies and supple arrangements.  Front Row Seat does feel like two distinct artists at times, but even where this dichotomy exists, the sense of chemistry between the two never fades.  Adrienne Cottrell writes and interprets brilliantly, and Dustin Cottrell brings an edgy sense to the duo that seems initially out of place but quickly melds itself seamlessly into the sound.  Tortoise And Hair are a duo not to be missed.

Review by Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Front Row Seat, Tortoise and Hair

Boston’s Lauren Bateman infuses real life pain, suffering and healing into her debut album, I’ve Been Waiting.  A chronicle of the heartaches of adulthood, I’ve Been Waiting explores the loss of love, loved ones and dreams before turning the corner into a new tomorrow.  Bateman’s voice is strongly reminiscent of Stevie Nicks; a bit heavy at times, but always engaging.  Bateman recorded I’ve Been Waiting under the guiding hand of Andy Bauer (Turnt Out Media), incorporating songs she’s written over the last seven years.

I’ve Been Waiting opens with the title track, a catchy, three-chord affair about finding yourself within the light of love.  It’s a solid pop tune and a strong introduction for Bateman, whose Stevie Nicks-like alto makes her instantly distinctive.  Bateman adds a bit of Country flavor on “Beautiful Face”.  It’s a fairly stereotypical love song, but Bateman’s warm alto fills the sum to bursting, even pushing a bit too hard at times.  “Civil Again” laments the after-effects of a relationship gone wrong.  The song is mournful and a bit heavy, getting bogged down in both its own emotional weight and the weight of Bateman’s voice.  Some of the same emotional and vocal weight invades “Everything’s Okay” as well.  Here the weight is a bit disturbing, as this song carries a very positive message, and Bateman’s voice would seem to juxtapose a distinct lack of belief in the lyrics.  The song drags and becomes something of a difficult listen.

On “I Gave”, Bateman explores a one-sided relationship from the other side of the relationship veil.  It is edgy, with a great mass of roiling emotion expressed in the instrumentation in the verses.  Bateman offers a more positive feel in the chorus, but the sound remains too top-heavy.  One of the highlights of the album is “Guardian Angel”.  Written for an aunt who died of pancreatic cancer, “Guardian Angel” is an uplifting and loving ode to someone whose flame faltered too soon.  Violin and cello carry the emotion of the song from the depths of sorrow to celebration of life renewed.  Bateman is at her vocal best here.

With “Linger”, Bateman dissects a long-distant relationship after it has fallen apart.  The emotional honesty comes from Bateman writing what she knows, the song growing for the end of her first serious relationship.  Bateman’s presentation is poetic but avoids falling into the trite categorically.  Bateman also manages to keep her voice lighter here.  “Happy Every After” reflects the yen for a fairy tale relationship that comes true.  Bateman shows off her upper register, and her tone suffers in the upper notes at times, but the effort is solid.  I’ve Been Waiting closes with the best songwriting and performance on the album on “Burning Bridges”.  “Burning Bridges” is about dealing with loss in its various forms.  At the end of the day, however, Bateman turns to face the sun, setting aside the pain and suffering and looking for a way to live again.  Bateman brings out the nuance in her voice, blending wonderfully with the acoustic guitar and cello.

I’ve Been Waiting is a collection of highs and lows musically.  Lauren Bateman writes from her own life, lending distinctive authenticity to the emotions and ideas expressed.  Some of the material works better than others, but in general the songwriting and performances are solid.  Bateman’s voice will grab attention for good or ill.  The vocal proximity to Stevie Nicks will engender comparisons for as longer as Bateman sings publicly, but the heavy quality of her voice is always going to be there.  If Bateman gets a solid feel for how much is too much she’s going to do just fine.  I’ve Been Waiting is a solid introduction to Lauren Bateman, worth spending a little time on.

Review by Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell I've Been Waiting, Lauren Bateman

Michael Lee hails from the fertile ground of Longwick, England.  Among the many crops cultivated there over the years is an impressive instrumental and songwriting talent has just begun to show itself on Lee’s solo debut, Face Forward.  Lee previously gigged under the band name Soul Capture, but thought to emphasize his solo efforts and persona more.  The result is a sonically pleasing album with more instrumental meat than your typical pop fare.  Lee draws on the British tradition of high melody, ranging from folk-based rock & roll to progressive compositions with a few ballads thrown in for good measure.

Face Forward opens with “Land of Change”, a pleasant if slightly innocuous opener that’s more significant for the introduction of Lee’s gorgeous upper range and his subtly intricate guitar work.  Lee gathers momentum with “Trust”, a catchy and upbeat tune that downplays the vocal line without giving up any energy.  Lee’s guitar work would seem to gather inspiration from sources such as Andy Summers, Ray Phiri and Mark Knopfler, making it all sound easy in the process.  There’s even a bit of King Crimson in some of the later passages in the song.  “Despite” gives us a closer listen to Lee’s lower vocal register, which isn’t as enjoyable as the upper.  Here Lee sounds congested or constricted in the throat.  The melody, however, is interesting, with a highly artistic, almost baroque feel.  Progressive inclinations make themselves known in the guitar line.

Lee brings out great interplay between guitar and piano in “Tired”, almost as if a spirited conversation is occurring between the two.  “Tired” is about reaching out in a relationship where one person is simply not paying attention, making the instrumental work a distinct parallel for the story line.  Add in some gorgeous vocal harmonies and a melancholy timbre and you have quite the listening experience.  “Mystery of Life” might be the most fetching song on Face Forward, the sort of quiet but resolute ballad that could be a keynote song in a musical.  Lee keeps things simple here, letting the uncomplicated beauty of the melody lead the way.  “Youth” finds Lee lamenting the loss thereof, engaging again in the practice of trying to parallel the story in the instrumental arrangement.  It starts out sounding somewhat simplistic with a lot of energy, becoming more complex and full of shadows as the song progresses, accented by Eric Johnson-like guitar licks.

“In The Picture” plays like an overdone 1980’s ballad.  The mood is again melancholy, as the subject is an unsettled relationship with two suitors, but you can almost hear Lou Gramm tackling this song in his waning days with Foreigner.  “Distant Future” is one of those songs that seems destined to end on mix-tapes made by love struck teenagers (and none too few adults).  Lee eschews cliché, putting aside sappy declarations for a simple statement in song that will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt the blush and flutter of new love.  On “Never Enough Time”, Lee steps forward with a tune that sounds like it might have come out of a Pearl Jam recording session.  Lee softens the edges but cuts an intriguing path with distinctive minor key harmonies and complex, flowery guitar work.  The positive message involved doesn’t hurt a bit, either.  Face Forward opens with a purposeful piano part, drawing in drums that add an incessant, urgent feel to the song.  This isn’t baroque pop, but it badly wants to be.  Strings, bass and guitar add support, but Lee’s piano is the star here, telling an epic tale in just over five minutes that will be like a cup of manna for prog rock fans.  Face Forward winds down dusk with “That Day”, a piano-based tune featuring some of the most starkly intriguing vocals on the album.  Lee performs a virtual duet through much of the song, at times creating differentials that are worthy of a shiver or two down the spine.

Sometimes you can see it coming.  Something about the album cover or the track list tips you off that an album will be special.  Other times, it’s a somewhat non-descript guy on a relatively normal seeming album cover.  There’s nothing in the track list or press kit that really gives you a clue.  Then you press play, and the artist takes over your life for forty-five minutes to an hour.  It’s that way with Michael Lee.  This unassuming Longwick guy spins tales in instrumental packages so intriguing you can’t help but drop what you’re doing and give him your full attention.  Face Forward might not turn out to be Lee’s perfect moment, but he dances with the concept so you’ll root for him to get there.  And you’ll keep coming back.

Review by Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Face Forward, Michael Lee

Herndon, Virginia’s Anthony Giamichael takes to the stage under the name Man Called Noon.  He has been compared stylistically to folks such as Springsteen, Tom Petty, Weezer, BoDeans and Soul Asylum, although Man Called Noon is rawer than any of them.  Striving to tell stories as well as creating intriguing melodies and arrangements, Man Called Noon comes across as a highly personal and emotive singer on his debut album, Broke And Beaten Down.

Man Called Noon opens with “Burn And Grow”, a catchy, Lo-Fi anthem about wanting more for yourself out of life.  An affable melody with buzzing guitars and a compact, Brit-Rock feel set a great pace here.  “Dance Off” is a strong arrangement that’s catchy, but gets dragged down by an uncommitted sounding vocal line.  “Living My Obsession” is catchy and danceable; a song about a serial killer that may border on creepy for some listeners.  The vocals are a bit off from the song itself, but the disjointed feel this creates works very well with the subject matter in question.  “Dying For My Passion” is something of a sequel, with the brother of a victim of the serial killer in “Living My Obsession” seeking and getting revenge.   The song starts out highly promising, with just Giamichael and acoustic guitar on opening, but breaks down into a repetitious fugue at the end.

Man Called Noon sounded seriously like Everclear on Cotton.  The vocal line is a bit whiney, but works otherwise with the album.  The best songwriting and performance on the CD is “Broken Man”.  “Broken Man” has a raw, fun feel.  The rum-pot folk/pop arrangement carries a blues sensibility.  Man Called Noon winds down with “The Lonesome Gods” and settles on “Another Ghost”; a simplistic and repetitive tidbit that serves as a buffer for the untitled hidden track.

Man Called Noon succeeds because Anthony Giamichael is fearless as a songwriter.  He’s unafraid to tackle unusual subjects or perspectives in his songs.  This sort of risk taking can lead to stupendous failure, and sometimes, raving success.  I’m not sure if Giamichael has honed his craft as a songwriter enough yet to capture that big moment, but he’s on the right path.  Broke And Beaten Down shows flashes of brilliance, a lot of solid songwriting and a dog or two, but on balance it’s a great start that should lead to bigger and better things down the road.  Giamichael’s voice is enigmatic and may rub some the wrong way, but in much the same fashion that Neil Young and Bob Dylan have over the years (I wouldn’t say it’s held either of them back).  Man Called Moon might just have quite the future in front of them.

Review by Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Broke and Beaten Down, Man Called Noon

Rodeo, California’s Oktayne has a plan.  Not one for simply thriving on a dance beat, Oktayne raps and rhymes about whatever is on his mind, whether it’s dreams of being a rap star, social issues, having fun and partying or even bringing a little Barry White smooth to his rhymes.  Born in 1987, Oktayne has deep respect for the history of hip-hop, with influences including Ice-T, 2PAC, Jay-Z and Nas. Oktayne’s debut album, Self Explanations, was released in 2008, and continues a slow-but-steady build in internet buzz.

Self-Explanations opens with What I Am, a declaration of self in song that’s fairly stereotypical for Hip-Hop/Rap.  The rhymes here are strong but Oktayne doesn’t really offer much that’s new or interesting.  Hat Game is a bit perplexing.  I had a hard time figuring out whether Oktayne is praising the trend of wearing/collecting different team hats or making fun of it.  On one hand there’s a fair amount of sports knowledge and love expressed by the song, but there’s also a tendency in the song to change teams like the wind depending on whose winning.  I Am Tayne is a much better intro song that the opening track.  Oktayne gives you a look at who he is and why.  Unlike a lot of popular rap artists who might decry the world for their own betterment, Oktayne gives the impression that he lives for the music itself.

Oktayne takes some time to praise the fairer sex on I Wanna Be High.  Barry White smiles benevolently on this song as someone finally figures out how to bring the slow jam vibe to a rap song and does it right.  Oktayne is a student of Hip-Hop as well as a performer, and pays tribute to its Soul and Funk roots on California Soul.  Oktayne distinguishes himself in the Rap world with Neva; a gooey love song that says all the right things about love, commitment and family.  It’s a positive image that is often left aside in popular rap.  Sexademic, however, could have been written by Luke Campbell himself.  Fans of old 2 Live Crew material will love it.

Juicii shares mic time on Till The Sun Up; an entertaining if highly charged song about sex.  I guess it’s no good being a rap star if you can’t brag about your prowess a little.  Sosa The Champ sits in on Hold It Down, a great danceable song with real commercial possibilities.  Sex appeal and dancing come together on Fast To The Ground, where it’s all about the booty.  This should score big for Oktayne on the club scene.  There’s real potential here.  The dance-oriented material continues on Leaving With Me, although this tune is a bit more bland.  Oktayne gives listeners a tour inside his mind with The Dreamer, a song about striving for what you want; growing up and taking responsibility for your own destiny.  It’s a hungry song; a positive message from someone who perhaps hasn’t gotten where he wants to be yet but is certainly on the right path.

Oktayne scores major points on See You Again, a touching tribute to his aunt and uncle.  See You Again is extremely well written, having a strong narrative that illuminates his loved ones quite well; it’s very apparent how strongly he feels and yet done without sounding cliché.  Oktayne closes out Self-Explanations by calling his own generation out for their lack of direction and seriousness on Focus.  He reaffirms his own drive to succeed and calls on others to take their lives in their hands.  This is one of the more energetic performances Oktayne gives on the CD and is my personal favorite.

Oktayne scores big with Self-Explanations.  I thought the dance/club material was the weakest on the disc and yet still scores decent marks for quality while providing some of the most marketable songs on the disc.  Oktayne is profane at times, but poetically say; he’s got a lot to say.  While the delivery might not always sit well with all listeners, there’s always a dash of good humor in Oktayne’s voice that makes even the most difficult of messages go down easier.  Self-Explanations has flashes of the poetry of 2PAC, a pop sensibility that Kanye would be proud of, an occasional killer lyrical instinct in the vein of Ice-T and a whole lot of Will Smith’s good guy machismo all wrapped up together.   Oktayne has a great start here, and he’s only going to get better.

Reviewed By Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Oktayne, Self Explanations

True Avante Garde music is anachronistic and unpalatable to those who do not get it.  20th Century modern classical music is full of examples of these musical splatter paintings.  The style has carved out a small niche among music fans that enjoy melodic and cognitive dissonance in their music but has for the most part not made much of a dent in the popular music scene.  Bands who have attempted to draw the spirit of “neo-classical” music into the popular realm have generally met with unkindly fates ranging from minimal record sales to forced breakups.  It’s a brave band that trolls these waters, and Illinois’ Random Touch is such a band.

Random Touch has its roots in the 1970’s collaborations between high school mates Christopher Brown and James Day.  Scott Hamill (guitar) entered the picture in 1978, and camera/video artist Matthew Ebbin came along in 1998.  Random Touch has always integrated video into their creation process, and has never shied away from any sort of sound or sensation to aid in the birth of their music.  Get ready, as Random Touch’s ninth release, A Box And A Word, takes you across the Rubicon into a land of smashed landscapes and sonic malfeasance.  Batten down the hatches, your ears will never be the same. 

I will stick by the high-minded description of Random Touch’s music as musical splatter paintings as the collaborations are recorded chaos.  Random Touch in general performs and records spontaneously without revisiting or dubbing recordings.  Song structure is for the birds here; instead band members offer up musical thoughts on a stream of consciousness basis.  The end effect varies from mildly amusing musical contradictions to downright painful junctions of sounds that should never occur.  The highlights here are more in terms of level of interest than beauty.

Tripping So Fancy is the ultimate musical splatter painting.  It’s a musograph of cognitive and emotional dissonance that is highly disturbing.  On The Way is space age music played by a grunge band directed by John Tesh inside of a House of Mirrors.  It’s incoherent and disturbed and draws the listener like a bad auto accident draws drive-by gawkers.  Opera Of Vaudeville is perhaps the most unique vision on A Box And A Word.  It takes two alternative musical realities of sound and superimposes them on one another.  Opera Of Vaudeville is almost coherent at times and disturbingly schizophonic throughout.

Be sure to check out Steady Flux (Dear X), which is likely the closest thing to coherent musical composition on the album.  My personal favorite was Climbing The Tower, which can be best described as Salvador Dali’s Nightmare Closet come to life.  Also notable was Changeable Weather: a conglomeration of classically themed piano, coffee house/beat poetry drumming and cheesy 1980’s new age meditation music.  Changeable weather becomes a meltdown of musical structure and coherent thought into a morass of disconnected thoughts or impressions.

A Box And A Word is like Schrödinger’s Cat for the listener.  You can’t know whether it will be alive or dead for you unless you give it a listen.  It has tremendous potential in either direction depending on your own musical tastes.  It is not an angry collection of aural tools like you might hear from a Nine Inch Nails; rather Random Touch is a nearly dispassionate provocateur using all media at hand to disturb and contrast your inner peace.  Like looking into the mirror in the dark, you don’t know what part of you will be reflected until you open your eyes (or ears).  It’s either a work of genius or pure madness.  I’ll leave it you do decide which.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Reviewed By Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell A Box and A Word, Random Touch

Victory Of The Spirit is a series of electronic virtual reality orchestra and chorale performances.  It is unusual to hear electronic music used to create new classical compositions, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is something of the wave of the future.  The compositional style ranges from overly simplistic to complex Stavinsky-esque orchestral movements.  Beziat seems to have a strong feel for the chorale pieces in particular.  While there are no words in these “sung” parts, they are among the most beautiful and enriching songs on Victory Of The Spirit.
 
After a short introduction entitled The Forces, Victory Of The Spirit moves into Crossroads.  Lilting orchestration and strong themes lift this piece on air; it comes off sounding like something that belongs in a historical epic movie (think Braveheart).  The Yearning Of The Soul is the first choral piece on the CD.  It has a distinctly baroque sound and is hauntingly beautiful.  Inner Work is a sonata for violin and piano and amounts to a musical light snack.  Entertaining but not deep, it makes for a nice transition piece.
 
I would recommend The First Steps as a key piece on Victory Of The Spirit.  The song combines aggressive orchestration and chorale parts in conjunction with huge themes and unusual song construction.  This is the sort of composition a music theory class would have a ball with.  From the high of First Steps we move on to Dance Of Eternity, where the theme becomes confused or muddled at times.  This piece sounds like it started out as a great musical idea but never quite came to fruition.
 
Desert And Hope is another composition of note:  Dark and resilient, it’s a coming home of sorrows mixed with the stirring of hope.  This piece is particularly moving and could be the sort of composition that would translate well to a real live orchestra.  The Decision returns to the European choral tradition and serves as an appetizer to Perseverance.  Perseverance is perhaps the keynote recording on Victory Of The Spirit.  Igor Stravinsky’s spirit dances through Perseverance as a musical mentor and catalyst.
 
Moving on to The Coronation, Beziat sends an interesting message.  This Coronation is a celebration of necessity rather than of joy.  The structure and energy of this piece could be interpreted as an intensely political comment by a cynical mind.  We are given respite from this mechanical optimism by Spirit Of Freedom, which instills a distinct image of daylight breaking over the mountaintop and slanting into the long dark valley the inhabitants of our musical story have resided in.
 
Unfortunately, Beziat leaves us on a less than definitive note.  Deliverance seems to be a confused closing.  The thematic makeup doesn’t exactly belie the title, but fails to fully support it.  Deliverance is an enigmatic answer to an un-posed question that fails to shake the shade of ambivalence. 
 
Marc Beziat has created an epic album full of some amazing and beautiful moments and a couple of songs that never quite actualized.  The pulp that makes up the middle ground is solid compositionally and enjoyable to listen to.  Hearing Victory Of The Spirit has left this writer wanting to hear Beziat’s compositions performed by a full orchestra.  My guess is that some things would need to be filled out or re-imagined to work in a concert hall, but on the whole Beziat’s creation stands as solid work.  Bravo.
 
Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)
 
You can learn more about Marc Beziat at www.marcbeziat.net.  You can purchase a copy of Victory Of The Spirit at www.cdbaby.com/cd/marcbeziat. 

Reviewed By Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Marc Beziat, Victory of the Spirit

Meet The Catillacs, an Americana trio from La Center, Washington.  Consisting of Richie Bean (Vocals, guitar), Susan Costa (drums) and George Burton (bass), The Catillacs are like a Super group born of the Portland music scene.  Originally conceived as a rockabilly outfit, the Catillacs quickly realized that this genre limited them too much and branched out to include a full array of American roots music.  In August of 2008 The Catillacs released their debut CD, Meow Mix, described as a “mixed bag” of sounds and styles including blues, country, folk, rock and rockabilly.

Meow Mix opens with Boogaloo, a Commitments style R&B jam.  Boogaloo sounds like a perennial concert favorite, the sort of song that really gets a set moving.  Bean is in fine voice here, and the interplay of Costa and Burton set a tight framework for Bean’s classic guitar work.  Soul Survivors has a Moody Blues feel to it, with lush acoustic guitar based music.  Queen Of Denial is a southern-fried country rock tune that calls out someone living a lie (or a series of them).  It’s a great tune, very well written.  The song does stretch Bean’s vocals beyond what sounds comfortable for him at times however.

Ain’t No Middle Ground opens with an interesting and unique acoustic guitar monologue that resolves into a remorseful country ballad.  Deep Blue Sea starts from a delicious blues guitar hook and becomes an upbeat and lively blues rocker.  The blues/rock material seems to be where The Catillacs excel the most, perhaps because this material seems the best fit for vocalist Bean.  Whatever the reason, I found myself anxiously anticipating the blues tunes on Meow Mix.

Deep Blue Sea and Love Bank are pretty ballads but really exposes the idiosyncrasies in Bean’s voice.  As much as I like his voice on the blues and rock songs, the ballads can be a tough listen on the higher notes.  The easiest way to describe these moments is to liken him to Neil Young.  Bean is a good singer, and a great singer on the write material, but his tone on slower, higher passages can be a difficult listen.  True Love Figurine moves clearly back to the blues sound that Bean and The Catillacs do so well.  This tune has a bass line and boogie spirit that will mow you down if you don’t get away.  Bean’s guitar-work here is filthy good and worth the price of the disc in its own right.

Me & The Devil Blues (Robert Johnson) is probably the best pure rock tune here, sounding like a cross between Chuck Berry and Creedence Clearwater Revival.  This is blues influenced Rock N Roll at its best.  On In The Fall Bean ends up truly sounding a bit like Neil Young.  This song works in the context of Bean’s sound and the distinct musical arrangement of the song.  My personal favorite on Meow Mix is the Surf guitar antics of Hoodoo Laveaux.  Dick Dale takes his hat off to The Catillacs on this one.  The album  closes out with Headlights, a Doors-sounding story song about a lost soul.

The Catillacs serve up a classic plate of Americana with Meow Mix.  They are a tight, well-wound trio jumping the fences between rock, blues and country.  Vocally, Bean it outstanding on the blues tunes.  His sound does seem to become less even as he moves to the higher parts of his vocal register.  This works on some songs and not so much on others.  On the whole a very strong debut.  Meow Mix is a fun and diverse listen, the aural picture of a band finding its feet and embarking on their great adventure.  When they click they’re unstoppable.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Catillacs at www.thecatillacs.com or www.myspace.com/thecatillacs.  You can purchase a copy of Meow Mix at www.cdbaby.com/catillacs, or you can download tracks at iTunes.  The Catillacs will be touring in 2009.  Get your requests in now!

Reviewed By Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Meow Mix, Richie Bean, The Catillacs

Growing up in Osaka, Japan, Tomoko fell in love with American Soul Music.  She credits Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life for changing her life; bringing out the desire in her to be a soul singer.  Despite cynicism from family, Tomoko packed up and moved to New York City.  That decision has led to the recordings and release of Organically Afro Asiatic, Tomoko’s debut EP.  Produced by JAMBA, Tomoko has created a set of songs steeped in classic 1970’s soul with a modern edge. 

Organically Afro Asiatic opens with Mercy Joy And The City, a tribute to the heart of New York residents.  The first thing that strikes you about Tomoko is the smoothness and beauty of her voice.  Tomoko could sing the phone book and people would line up to listen.  Mercy Joy And The City takes this striking voice and sets it against a classic NYC Soul vibe, creating a potential commercial hit.  Love Me is an in your face come on song set to a bossa nova beat.  Tomoko melts more than a few speaker/headphone wires on this tune with a steaming, sultry sensuality that is almost palpable.

The big potential hit here is Geisha Girl, a classic soul side complete with Tower Of Power style horns.  Geisha Girl is a smoking hot declaration of independence from stereotypes of Asian-American performers.  Tomoko is in your face here, but with intelligence and perhaps even just a touch of wit.  She eschews the American style of toughness based in bravado for a classic honesty based in real toughness.  The results are a breathtaking instant soul classic that is bound to break radio boundaries and offer many licensing opportunities.  Promise is another song with real commercial viability, offering sweetness in the form of a fairly standard pop ballad.

Should I heads straight for the disco floor, in an S.O.S. band style groove.  Tomoko is at her vocal best here, easily transitioning between vocal registers with a sense of grace and beauty that’s often missing in pop music.  The album ends with Hold On, a meandering soul ballad with a hopeful message and a heavenly melody.

Tomoko is the real deal.  She will benefit from her look and status as an Asian woman in American pop culture, but to lay any potential success for Tomoko at the feat of such things is to do her a disservice.  Tomoko is a first-class vocal talent.  Working with JAMBA, she has created a debut that is soulful, sexy, and sweet; a surefire hit.  There are at least two songs here with major commercial potential, and don’t be surprised if you hear Tomoko on TV and movie soundtracks in the next year or two.  Her versatility performing everything from Soul to Jazz and even Opera means there are a lot of layers to Tomoko we haven’t even seen yet.  Tomoko has the potential to be an international star.  Organically Afro Asiatic is a great start.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tomoko at www.myspace.com/tomokomusic or www.tomokomusic.com.  You can purchase a copy of Organically Afro Asiatic at www.cdbaby.com/cd/tomokotunes. 

Reviewed By Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Organically Afro Asiatic, Tomoko

Linda Kay Burk is a singer/songwriter from Rocklin, California who writes uplifting and calming songs for children.  When not writing songs she is active in various programs working with and serving youth.  Burk released her third album, Sunshine Is Love in January of 2009, entitled Sunshine Is Love.  It’s eleven songs of sweet and mellow children’s songs sure to strike a chord with parents as well.

Sunshine Is Love opens with Butterfly, Land On Me, a song of discovery and wonder seen through a child’s eyes.  Heaven Is All Around Me isn’t so much a religious song, as you might imagine, but a metaphor for being surrounded by love and beauty.  The arrangement includes piano, acoustic guitar, strings and woodwinds.  It has a daydream-like quality to it and sounds like something you might hear in a 1970’s Disney movie.  Sunshine Is Love continues in the children’s/folk vein in which Burk primarily writes.  Its an extremely pleasant melody and a positive message.  This song could almost be a child’s prayer.  Moms out there will want to catch Just Like You.  Get the tissues ready for this one. 

One of the true highlights of the album is She Planted The Seeds; a parable and tribute of sorts to motherhood.  In the same vein, I Have A Little Child In Me is sweet, but at times lyrically awkward.  Dancing In The Clouds is a sweet song that again sounds like it might have been from an old Disney film.  Sleepytime Bear is an ode to a child’s favorite nighttime companion.  Written with the cadence of a lullaby, Sleepytime Bear is touching and gentle.  The album closes out with instrumental versions of Sleepytime Bear and Sunshine Is Love, where the melody is played by woodwinds.

Linda Kay Burk provides us with an old fashioned children’s album in Sunshine Is Love.  This is mellow, feel good stuff that will appeal to some parents and children, particularly those of gentle disposition.  Musically, Linda Kay Burk is extremely talented, writing musical arrangements that could be use in motion pictures.  As a whole it’s a solid children’s album, but right or wrong its way out of tune with popular culture.  Children who have been exposed to the modern culture scions like Disney and even Thinkbright or PBS will find this un-engaging.  Families who eschew television and pop culture interference in their children’s lives will likely find Sunshine Is Love is charming and sweet.  Through it all, Linda Kay Burk has created a gentle and kind children’s album whose sweetness and grace is insistent.  It’s just a question of finding an audience who will listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Linda Kay Burk at www.songsofsingingbird.com.  You can purchase a copy of Sunshine Is Love at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lindakayburk3

Reviewed By Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Linda Kay Burk, Sunshine Is Love