I Have a Bomb! “What Happened Here”

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Phil

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, I Have A Bomb! (otherwise known as IHAB!) is comprised of Adam Reynolds on vocals, Sam Lovsey on rhythm guitar, Tom Williams on lead guitar, John Hopkins on bass and Zach Sloger on drums.  The leading track on the album What Happened Here? is haunting and sobering.  With excellent sound effects and commentary of a very real threat, the opening track catches the attention and brings with it a sense of foreboding.  From the beginning, listeners will understand that IHAB! is perhaps more than music.  They have something to say.

There are definite influences of early Ozzy Osbourne in this album, particularly with the vocals.  The track “Take The Shot” could be Ozzy himself singing, albeit a very much younger and more put together Ozzy.  The instrumentation on the album is skilled and decisive.  The guitar work on each song is killer, most particularly on “Entropy” as well as “Salvation.”  The instrumentation on the album is exceptionally solid throughout, with the guitar work clearly leading the way, both rhythm and lead.  Excellent instrumentation and musicianship is evident from start to finish on this album and it is clear we’ve got some skilled artists here.

The vocals are delivered with confidence, although sometimes pitchy.  The track “Holy Hand” is well-composed with excellent lyrics, but the slower tempo seems to not suit Reynolds’ voice as well as some of the more up-tempo pieces.  It is a very distinctive voice that will not be easily confused with other voices.  The high notes seem to be a bit of a problem throughout mainly because Reynolds sings with a deeper pitched voice.  When he goes for the high notes, he seems to be straining just a bit, which accounts for some of the pitchy vocals.

On the track “Who Am I,” listeners will get a good sense of the creativity this collective possesses during the intro.  It’s very fluid and smooth.  The song overall is heavy, like much of the album, and rockers will be in absolute bliss, with devil horns flying, while jamming this piece.  With excellent rhythm changes, intelligent lyrics and strong vocals, this is one of the more solid tracks on the album.  “Chaotic Melody” starts off this way as well, but before long the vocals seem to take over and drown out the rest of the track.  Some attention may be needed with regards to engineering and mixing on this album.  The vocals are very forward.  In fact, everything is very forward.  It’s a full assault on the senses, and perhaps this is the desired effect, but listeners may be overwhelmed by the overbearing vocals and exceedingly loud guitars.  On the lighter side, the melody of this piece is chaotic, and beautifully so.  IHAB! understands the rhythms of the music they are making and they have very little difficulty setting tones and changing tempos.

What Happened Here? contains some excellent pieces of music such as “Cataclysm,” with its heavy rhythm and general sense of bad assery.  Another track that will capture the attention is “Innocence and Vigilance,” which contains some well-written and intelligent vocals.  Other tracks, like “Pandora” and “Entropy,” are hit and miss with the vocals, but overall, the flow of the album is very good, the instrumentation is well above average, and this hard-rocking group of gentlemen who call themselves I Have A Bomb! have the makings of what could be a powerhouse of hard rock for generations to come.

Review by Rhonda Readence
Rating:  3 stars (out of 5)

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I Have a Bomb! “What Happened Here”

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Phil

Aesthetically, I Have A Bomb treads in punk territory.  Without hearing the music, listeners could form an opinion based on face value.  There’s a questionable, unwieldy name, a cartoonish-yet-edgy album cover, and a fervent social stance, all fair indicators of punk dalliance.  But upon first listen to the St. Louis band’s debut album, What Happened Here, it becomes abundantly clear that punk is but one of many influences that drive their sound.  Portions of the album are reminiscent of modern “pop-punk” and metal bands, but the prevailing sound is decidedly more metal and old school.  There’s a prog-rock tinge to dynamic, epic songs like “Pandora” and “Salvation” that brings to mind adventurous acts like Porcupine Tree, TOOL, and System of a Down.  Other tracks have a churning, thrashy element that smacks of Metallica and Testament.  The punk colors shine through in bruising, lyrically charged tunes like “Take the Shot” and “Chaotic Melody,” which bring to mind Bad Religion, Fugazi, and Minor Threat.  Even Soundgarden and Pearl Jam have a dab of color in the band’s sonic palette, exhibited in particularly swirling selections such as “Entropy.”
The band takes a big conceptual bite with the opening track, a collage of atmospheric guitars and nuclear dread called “Countdown.”  It’s an interesting and thought-provoking piece, but also somewhat ham-handed, an immediate banner statement of a band striving greatly to attach meaning to their work.  The album’s first proper blast of music, though, is encouraging.  “Take the Shot” is a gloriously riffy chunk of molten radio metal with a message.  Exactly what that message is, other than the requisite “bad things are happening” worldview, is often difficult to discern.  Guitarists Sam Lovsey and Tom Williams build an impenetrable wall of guitar on nearly every track.  As the album moves through more gargantuan guitar creations, like the schizophrenic tempos in “Innocence and Vigilance” and the dense grind of “Holy Hands,” front man Adam Reynolds doesn’t get any more legible.  To say that he sounds a bit like Ozzy Osbourne at times is both a credit to his inspiration and an indicator of his enunciation.  The listener knows that Reynolds is raving and railing against injustice, war, corruption, abuse, and the like, but understanding every word is difficult.  More likely, they’ll get an intermittent sampling of Reynolds’ thoughts: a “break a wall” here, some life affirming stuff there, a dose of desperation around the bend. The impact of the songs is lessened, since the singing conveys as much information as a spotty cell phone call, where the recipient gets the gist of the sentiment but not the ever-important details.  Fist-pumping rockers “Who Am I” and “Chaotic Melody” beg to be singalongs, but are probably better suited for air guitar devotees since the lyrics are foggy.

Even if the band were to get their point across, it would take them a while to get there.  The Pink Floydian introductions of “Salvation” and “Countdown” add more time to a lengthy experience, though the skippable, vocally atrocious “Cataclysm” will shave a few minutes off of the listen.  Apropos of nothing, and in stark contrast to the furrowed vibe of the previous eleven tracks, a perfectly fun version of “I Got My Mind Set on You” rounds out the album.  In the context of the album, the song probably should have been trimmed in the interest of cohesion and brevity.  But it is also one of the album’s livelier moments and a needed palate cleanser after 54 minutes of pummeling prog-metal.  I Have A Bomb have the means to make a real impact in the music world, but they’re going to have to speak more clearly next time.

Review by Bryan Rodgers
Rating:  3 stars (out of 5)

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Baby Brother “Strange Things”

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Phil

Rock and roll has taken on many facets by incorporating pop tinged lovey-doveyness to heavily instrumental jazz and classical infused progressive sounds, but originally rock and roll was about being loud and having a good time.  There were no hidden agendas.  The lively quartet Baby Brother does an excellent job capturing this raucous energy in the album Strange Things.  These simple high-octane songs fit snuggly into two to three and a half minute long slots and cover a variety of topics, none of which are heavily political, anti-establishment or anything controversial.  This Brooklyn-based band plays to have a good time.

From the opening track “Texas” the loud, crunchy overdriven guitar harkens back to old school British Invasion bands like The Who, Rolling Stones and The Kinks that were bursting with vibrant youthful attitude.  Kentucky-bred vocalist Jeremy Beazlie has an endearing voice that is not too harsh but packs a punch as he quickly speak-sings over the loud guitar.  “Abuse” infuses the same punk-like wall of sound with Beazlie nicely adding a touch of melodic dignity to his screaming vocals with the descending scalar passages.  The bridge incorporates the fun audience fist-pumping participation of shouting, “Hey!  Hey!  Hey!”

On a lighter note, “Go For It” features more acoustic guitar accompanied by heavy bass strumming courtesy of Washington state native Ben Longwell.  The uplifting chorus is catchy with Beazlie chanting, “Go for it, go for it / You got what it takes to succeed.”  This mantra is answered by a chorus of kazoos.  The acoustic opening of the title track has Beazlie singing in a very loose style but he blends exceptionally well with the background vocals and his enunciation never suffers.

The minimalist beginning of “Sad Kid” soon segues into a classic sounding rock ditty from the 1960’s with familiar chord changes, Lennon-esque vocal turns at the end of phrases and perfectly timed driving drum fills thanks to Ian Hardie, also from Washington.  “Till the Phone Died” is an excellent walking tempo blues number that ironically takes this celebrated song style and extols about a modern dilemma.  This take on the blues laments about trying to reconcile with the girl until the battery runs out in your cell phone.  Brilliant.  Texas-bred guitarist Vincent Vitek wraps up the piece nicely with his electric solo in the coda.

“Long List” has the most interesting melody of any tune on Strange Things despite the fact that song sounds like it was recorded in an underground basement.  Beazlie’s vocals falter a bit with his falsetto in “Crisis Issis” where he strays a bit from the center of pitch and his low singing on the folksy-bluesy “David” finds him wallowing in a mire as he sludges through each note.  His band mates help support the song and move it along so it is not a complete disaster.

On the creative side, “Lived on a Farm” is a nonsensical sing-a-long with a trippy ending and “Ghost Train Robbers” tells a strange, grotesque story lead by Longwell and Hardie providing the rolling beat of a train thundering down the tracks.  Wrapping up Strange Things is “Rodeo Song.”  This upbeat crowd pleaser is a humorous mash up of punk and country with lots of cussing.  Beazlie rips through the tune like a less poetic Jim Morrison, confidentially singing and not over emphasizing any of the offensive lyrics, just letting them fly by.  He even has a stint of unintelligible rambling babble just like the late Doors front man before the song ends.

Baby Brother gives the listener a good time with a fresh dose of rock and roll and is most likely best enjoyed with a cold one and no early morning obligations.

Review by Kelly O’Neil
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

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Baby Brother “Strange Things”

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Phil

The newest rock capital of the world now resides in Brooklyn, New York. Though there are tons of bands in the area, (think Seattle in the early 90s) an act really has to work hard for their name in the heavily populated scene. Meet Baby Brother, a group that mixes rock, country, punk, blues and alt-country all into one; an indie musical mutt if you will. This is not your typical Brooklyn act.

Kicking off the record is “Texas,” a song that is both obnoxious and fun at the same time. Singer Jeremy Beazlie’s voice is reminiscent of Ryan Adams when he makes those nitty gritty rock records with a touch of punk. The guitars pounce on the song with a bit of static fuzz bringing up the rear. We’re already off to a good start. “Abuse,” can only be described in one word. Intense. Beazlie’s vocals are fantastic to say the least and he screams, somehow melodically, throughout the song. Members Vincent Vitek, Ben Longwell, and Ian Hardie accompany his voice flawlessly making a great match.

“Go For It,” is when the kazoos come in. That’s right, kazoos. Even though that might seem odd, it works. Not since the Spinto Band used the instrument on their debut has it sounded so good. This is the perfect indie song that will have the listener out of their seat and dancing in no time. It’s catchy and puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the tracks to live up to. “Strange Things,” takes it down a notch by introducing an acoustic guitar into the record as the main focus.  Beazlie’s voice is harmonious with the lone instrument as a soft background vocal joins. The song picks up early on to a driving set of guitars, bass and drums.

“Sad Kid,” brings a bit of pop punk into the record but in the best way possible. It’s catchy and also has a bit of old rock and roll flair to it. One of the things that Baby Brother does best is blend various genres perfectly without missing a beat. This is a true gift and the band is making great use of it. “Til the Phone Died,” tells the story of heartbroken lovers falling asleep on the phone mid-conversation. While for some bands that means the song would become completely sappy, this is not the case for Baby Brother. They really seem to stick to their guns and play the game their way. They’re in it to win it and that is what will make them rise to the top.

“Explode,” and “Long List,” lock guitars and vocals with such intense force. “So I tell you a story,” sings Beazlie a brief moment before launching into more musical perfection. The solo is short but sweet and gets the point across. Baby Brother doesn’t want to bore you to death. They know who they want to target and it will make them a household name soon enough. “Crisis Isis,” is heavy on the distortion pedal but the rest of the song will make you overlook that fact. Beazlie’s voice is sugary sweet even when the band is trying to be harsh. Oddly enough that works, and it works well.

“Lived on a Farm,” infuses blues with indie, an interesting mix at first to say the least. This track sounds a bit different in tone than the rest of the songs on the album but it still continues to work into the piece as a whole in unison. The lyrics are slightly corny but not too much to take away from the song itself. “David,” brings out the true country side of the band. Between these two songs, they tend to stray away from Strange Things a slight bit, although they make for good closing songs to the album. The same could be said for the next track “Ghost Train Robbers.” “Rodeo Song,” closes out record with full on punk-meets-rockabilly attitude, which is a pleasant and very unexpected surprise. What genres doesn’t Baby Brother touch upon?

Strange Things is a brilliant piece of work that will make Baby Brother stand out amongst the rest in the competitive Brooklyn scene. They have heart, soul and a whole lot of talent and drive that will see them through to the top. This is only the beginning. Meet your new favorite indie band. You are going to be hearing a lot about them in the months to come. Trust us.

Review by Melissa Nastasi
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

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Michael Ray “Piano Blues”

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Phil

West Coast-based pianist Michael Ray has been performing with sibling drummer Stephen since they were 10 and 7 years old, respectively. Together, they’ve played more than 2,300 concerts together. That deeply ingrained sense of musical brotherhood, almost like the two are finishing each other’s sentences, plays out on the idiosyncratic, cool-rocking single “Piano Blues.”

Michael opens the song with gospel-tinged piano run, playing over the top of a loping, idiosyncratic rhythm from Stephen. It’s a beat that strongly recalls the jazz funerals that parade through the slanted downtown streets of New Orleans, and it defines the record.  See, as “Piano Blues” moves forward, the keyboard performance can recall Oscar Peterson, with its muscular definition and urgent runs. Then, as Michael begins to comp with one hand and circle and cry with the other, there’s a bluesy complexity that points toward Horace Silver. Except that neither played in front of the complex cacophony of Stephen’s drumming. Taken together, it’s all perhaps most reminiscent of Blues Hall of Famer Henry Roeland Byrd, the New Orleans piano genius who took the stage name Professor Longhair. Both Michael Ray and Byrd share a quirk-filled musical sensibility, one that brings in a dizzying array of influences and then lets the song take its own sometimes bumpy, always intriguing course. Stephen, too, recalls Byrd’s galloping sides; in particular “Tipitina,” which featured an intricate, though similarly soulful rhumba beat from Earl Palmer.

Part of what promises to be the brothers’ sixth album together, “Piano Blues” then moves into a slowly swaying signature. From this tender moment, sad but resolute, Michael then concludes with a stirring blues-inflected run. That brings the song to a close in a more conventional manner, as the rhythm comes to a crashing halt, yet it still underscores the broader talents that these brothers possess.

If this song is any indication, their forthcoming release promises to be a sweeping, offbeat joy.

Review by Nick DeRiso
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

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Danny Kean “Danny Kean”

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Phil

When Danny Kean was born blind, the doctor told his parents blind children often play great piano.  Whether the doctor had numbers to back up his supposition or he just lucked out in this case, Danny Kean became an accomplished keyboard player.  Releasing his first album at 18 and touring Europe at 19, Kean has had the opportunity to play with a number of outstanding artists including Sam “Bluzman” Taylor and Maxine Brown.

With his latest release Danny Kean, he has put together Don Celenza on guitars, Phil Bloom on drums, Larry Ross on bass, John “Butch” Poveromo on percussion, Gerald Rampersad on saxophone and James “Ajax” Baynard on trumpet.  Kean is credited with Lead and backing vocals, keyboards and tambourine but his touch is found on every track in some way in post-production.  Kean lists his influences as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis and others and without even reading that information you would be well aware of what created the music in his head.

The album opens with the Commodores inspired guitar lick of “Crazy Days,” and the funkadelic begins.  Singing of the old crazy days and how they are here again fits the mood as Kean channels back to the days of 70’s R&B with a funky edge.  He shows off his skills on the piano, before Celenza offers up a tasty guitar break.  Adding a rock and roll flavor to the continuing funk beat being laid down by the rhythm section.  On “Lover For Hire,” Kean mixes a deep thick moog bass underneath some scratching sounds and then entertains with a flowing vocal line enhanced by the harmony overdubs. The song certainly owes as much to the club scene today as it does the same club scenes of the 70’s, and Kean does a special job to bring them together.

“Get With First,” is a tip of the hat to the George Benson rhythmic jazz sounds of the 80’s.  Throughout the album there is liberal use of the synth harmonica, and it works well in the break credited to Doug Maxwell.  There is a strong flavor of Edgar Winter’s White Trash on the song “Sinner’s Heart.”  Kean even croons in a similar Texas drawl as Winter, which is grand for a boy from New York to accomplish.  The song might even remind you of the Winter song “Dying To Live” which is a good thing indeed as that song was well constructed and had fantastic harmony lines.  Kean accomplishes the same with “Sinner’s Heart.”

Songs like “Infatuated” make you understand how Kean was able to win the opportunity to perform at amateur night at the Apollo Theater in New York and won three nights in a row.  The smooth melody of the song under Keans soulful vocals enhanced by the jazzy guitar sounds turn this song into a light jazz, R&B format radio hit.  Kean shows the blues chops that allowed him to perform with the likes of Bryan Lee on the song “Tired.” There is the New Orleans jazz-blues influence Lee is so famous for on this song and Kean shows his blues vocal chops on both the lead and harmony vocals.

On “Master Of Destiny” Kean asks the question “where do we go when it’s over, where do we go when we die, who is the master of destiny?” Some heavy questions to ask, and Kean wants his answer even asking God to call him on the phone.  There is a real message to the song, but over multiple listens it seemed like the weakest song on the album.  Whereas you can feel Kean’s deep emotions on many of the other songs, this is one that comes across as weak and thin.  Closing out the album is the gospel-like “Heaven Help Us All,” and is the only song on the album not credited to Kean, but rather to Ronald Miller.  Kean shares some more piano with us on this song, something he seems to do far to infrequently throughout the album.

Overall Danny Kean has put together a collection of rhythm and blues and soul music with the sound updated in places and left in it’s original construction in others.  He should be proud of his accomplishment as this one is chock full of some listenable music.

Review by Vinny “Bond” Marini
Rating:  4 Stars (out of 5)

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Fue “Sweet Obsession”

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Phil

The thing that keeps most die-hard music lovers going is that search for the next best thing or the stunning diamond in the rough. Head into one of the few remaining independent record stores and that’s just what you’ll typically find: men and women in a High Fidelity setting, killing time by searching through the racks, listening to this album and that, arguing the merits of their favorites with the same if not more passion than they share for their very family. And when they find that diamond? You’ll know it for sure.

Well, get ready to see the fireworks because this humble reviewer has been fortunate enough to stumble upon a quality gem in a sea of imposters. Fue is the group and Sweet Obsession is the album. Hailing from the Chicago area, Fue came together as a collective of friends leading worship at a local church. Soon they moved from worship covers to crafting their own songs, pulling together their talents to create a compelling alt rock vibe that falls on the ear like sweet rain on a summer night. Their name is “an alternate spelling of its homonym “few” and comes from Matthew 9:37 where Jesus is telling of the great multitudes who are waiting to hear the Good News.  “We want to be among those counted worthy to help bring in the harvest that is ripe and waiting.”

With lead singer Joanna Rutzky taking care of the keyboard work, Tim May ably steps into electric and guitar duties while offering up some vocals as well as Ryan May and Aaron May manage bass and drums, respectively. But, with due respect to all the players, it’s Rutzky who takes Fue to the next level. And while she contributes songwriting on five of the record’s six tracks and conjures up some compelling keys, it’s the artist’s voice that stands strong. Recalling elements that range from Nichole Nordeman to Evanescence’s Amy Lee, Rutzky is the glue that keeps this ship together.

And what a ship it is. “Delight in You,” the album’s intro track, opens with strong piano and a bouncy vibe that brings a Keith Green feel into the 21st century. Rutzky’s vocal drives things while the drums and throbbing keys push the song forward with upward lyrics. Follower “My Deliverer” is a Scripture-centered lyric that features some killer vocal harmonies and a cool transitional segue during the bridge before stepping things up a notch and finishing strong. Tim May also offers up some solid guitar licks to keep this one rolling.

“Sweet Obsession” brings a unique lyric along, intoning that “Your love is a drug/Always craving more of You,” and challenging some more conservative notions of worship while opening with a hymnodic piano intro and a richness akin to a song like “My Immortal.” Tim May steps into the lead vocal seat for “Anything” for a shift in the lineup with mixed results. Opening with a glee club harmony, the song moves forward along indie singer/songwriter pathways with decent textures. Yet, compared to the rest of the tracks, this one lacks the gravity of the rest of the short album.

The last two tracks save the best for last. The simplistically titled “God is Good” is anything but a simplistic track, with touches of Rita Springer making their way into Rutzky’s voice and a vibe that would fit seamlessly into a Jesus Culture set. It’s a moody jam that takes its time getting somewhere and the ride is well worth it. Likewise, album closer “The Storm” continues the moody worship set with minor chord shifts and upward focused lyrics that seek to put the spotlight on the Creator. With all the pieces coming together in the best way possible, including the addition of some killer string work, one can only imagine what this song comes across like in a live set. It’s definitely concert-worthy.

Fue is the real deal. With maturity far beyond their years, this rising collection of artists has created one of the better indie records this reviewer has heard in some time. For Fue, the only way to go is up and they better hold on. Their star is definitely on the rise.

Review by Andrew Greenhalgh
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

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Oldzkool “The Ray Renzi Project”

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Phil

Fronted by singer/songwriter/guitarist Ray Renzi, and consisting of his friends and family, OLDZKOOL displays an appreciation for a good number of musical genres, and an ability to play them.  Through the course of their 2011 album, The Ray Renzi Project, the group briefly dabbles in 60′s pop, calypso, jazz, surf, and some straight-up rock & roll.  The music is greatly bolstered by the work of lead guitarist, Rick Nielsen.  Though this is not the guitarist from Cheap Trick of the same name, the Nielsen performing here is still an incredibly talented guitarist and gives the ten songs here a fantastic sound.  The only real flaw present is the sometimes-corny songwriting that Renzi falls prey to, mostly by too heavily relying on name-checking other songs.

In the opening line of the album’s first track, “As Simple As,” Renzi sings, “We fell in love to, ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand,’ ‘Love Me Do,’ and ‘I Wanna Be Your Man…’” As he continues to sing about a love that is so completely comfortable, obvious and loving, the lyrics still remain on the side of being trite.  Vocally, Renzi is able to deliver his song well; he doesn’t have the greatest singing voice, but he uses it to good effect on every note.  The biggest draw to the song is Nielsen’s intense playing in a style very much like that of Dire Straits guitarist, Mark Knopfler.

The next track, “How Strong My Love Is,” begins with a thundering drum roll and a gritty guitar riff.  The rest of the song rolls along at a brisk pace and makes room for a three stage guitar solo; easily one of the album’s high points.  Bass player, Lou Renzi plays a key roll in the song too by not only keeping the quick rhythm, but adding in some flourishes which creep out of the backing music and provide an extra bit of “oomph.”

The strongest bass performance though is on the appropriately named jazz piece, “Jazzette.”  Being only two minutes in length, there’s not a lot of room for improvisation, but it’s a tight little jam, which showcases the group’s ability to play in the genre.  Dave Maher contributes the saxophone work and the solo is short but sweet.  The backing percussion is very light, relying heavily on light cymbal playing.  This allows the bass to become a more powerful rhythm instrument and it sounds fantastic as it chugs along.  The album’s other instrumental is a surf piece, not surprisingly called, “Surfette.”  At about half the length of its sister track, it provides even less room for jamming though the guitar tones are just what you’d expect from a surf inspired piece.  It may not be the strongest number to end the album on, but it’s still an interesting track to hear OLDZKOOL perform.

The middle of the album has a few songs that suffer from the same kind of trite songwriting that bogs down the opener.  On “A Cold Margarita,” Renzi references Alan Jackson and a few Jimmy Buffet songs, and returns to mentioning “Margaritaville” on the later track, “Flanagan’s Shannon View.”  On “So Alone Tonight,” Renzi’s voice takes on a Roy Orbison tone and works in the titles of songs like, “Cryin’,” “Lonely Teardrops,” and “Tears On My Pillow.”  The songs are all used within the singer’s story as he contemplates how these old songs seem like they could have been written for his current heartache.  As nice an idea as it is, the theme of making reference to these other songs wears itself thin, making the lyrics seem more familar at the expense of originality.

Despite the lyrical issues, the songs themselves still sound wonderful.  Renzi and the rest of OLDZKOOL obviously know their way around their instruments.  Take the song “Come On Over” for instance; the song has a tremendously addictive beat, strong backing vocals, a simple yet effective keyboard refrain, crisp drum fills, a saxophone solo and a country flavored lead guitar that makes the piece sound distinct amongst the others on the disc.  It’s due to these stellar performances that the band can take on so many different genres and still make the album sound cohesive.

Quibbles over the lyrics aside, most of The Ray Renzi Project is so completely fun and enjoyable; it’s hard not to get hooked in by the energy and solid performances.  OLDZKOOL contains an awful lot of talent in their roster of musicians, to the point where they can seemingly play anything, and play it well.  It may be the references to other songs that gives the album a sense of being very familiar, or it more likely is the result of a group of people who love music and know how to carry that love through their instruments, and play it for others.

Review by Heath Andrews
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

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Oldzkool “The Ray Renzi Project”

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Phil

The five Renzi siblings, along with their musical friends, have put together a fine album that celebrates the decade when popular music was revolutionized over fifty years ago.  Having been fans of music from the 1960s lead of course by the influential Beatles, the Renzi’s having been playing together ever since.  As the decade progressed, music became more daring, experimental and elevated different genres to popularity if only for a brief stint.  The Ray Renzi Project offers a sampling of the lighter, feel good type tunes that take the listener back to a simpler time.

“I Don’t Know Why” is a safe andante number with steady block chords and pleasantly predictable vocal harmonies reminiscent of the early 1960s.  Just as the Merseybeat gave way to slightly heavier music with more edge, the electric guitar solo in the bridge adds a dash of suppressed excitement to this otherwise safe sounding tune.  The opening track “As Simple As” captures the essence of Oldzkool’s musical influences by making lyrical references to many Beatles songs.  The call and response with the background vocals and underlying “ahs” add nice depth to this straightforward tune that elegantly plays out like a soft breeze on a summer day.  The Renzi’s and friends, helmed by producers Ray Renzi and Rick Nielsen, have ensured that all the instrumental tones and vocal harmonies are pristine.

Moving forward into the latter part of the 1960s, guitarists used more overdrive on their instruments.  The up-tempo “How Strong My Love Is” displays this sound that was popular with early Eric Clapton and Syd Barrett sans any effects pedals.  The style of playing however is definitely more George Harrison where the guitarist has developed a catchy little riff and then repeats it over and over again throughout the song and strategically modulates it without missing a beat.

Also popular sprinkled throughout the 1960s was more schmaltzy music for the older crowd that catapulted non-rock stars Frank Sinatra and Mason Williams to the top of the charts.  “Love Will Find Its Way” fits more into this category with its easy swaying tempo and lovey-dovey lyrics.  With more orchestration this song could easily be performed on a Broadway stage.  Musicals remained popular throughout the decade as did movie soundtracks that were gaining notoriety.  Oldzkool inserts its first of two instrumentals of the album with “Jazzette,” a delightful little cool jazz number featuring Dave Maher on saxophone.  He shares an enjoyable dialogue with the guitar accompanied by Lou “Bunky” Renzi on a keen walking bass and George Correia lightly tapping the drums.  No complaints if this happy interlude in a major key lasted longer than the two minutes allotted.  In keeping with the big band type sound, “Come On Over” opens with a swanky piano.  The toe-tapping beat and echo on the voice gives this tune a retro type feel, similar to the popularity of Grease and Happy Days that harkened back to earlier times.  There is also a slight hint of a Jersey shore sound to this number.

Speaking of the beach and rounding out The Ray Renzi Project are some island flavored Jimmy Buffett style tunes.  “Flanagan’s Shannon View” is less overt about a local margarita bar with references to the song titles “Sweet Caroline” and “Pretty Woman.”  For the true parrot heads though, “A Cold Margarita” is a tribute to Buffett with direct name dropping of himself, Alan Jackson and their infamous hit “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”  There are also a few lyrics snippets from the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” and of course the tune is laced with synthesized steel drums courtesy of Rick Haworth.  Closing out the album is the other instrumental, a direct rip off of the classic Surfaris beach music titan “Wipe Out,” the original tune “Surfette.”

The Ray Renzi Project is a fun project of clean, happy music that truly captures the essence of many of the 1960s sounds.  Excellent job throughout from the songwriting, playing, mixing and instrumentation.

Review by Kelly O’Neil
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

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Oldzkool “The Ray Renzi Project”

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Phil

In an age of genre hyphens, there are acts out there that blend so many styles they make the word genre practically obsolete.  Rhode Island’s Oldzkool is one such act, blending jazz, rock, blues, country, R&B, Celtic, folk and more than a little Jimmy Buffet into an ever shifting musical patois that is as unpredictable as it is appealing.  All of this is evident on Oldzkool’s album The Ray Renzi Project, a solidly appealing conglomeration of anything and everything you ever could have wanted out of the pop music era.

The Ray Renzi Project opens with “As Simple As,” a catchy, straightforward rocker with Americana and blues in its ancestry.  It’s philosophical and mellow song of love with a philosophical bent, supported by some impressive guitar fills.  “How Strong Is My Love” is a straight-ahead rockin’ blues tune that is more entertaining musically than lyrically.  Renzi and his band have an ear for catchy blues/roots based rock n roll, with nods to both Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton for style.  “Love Will Find It’s Way” is a 1960′s-style pop ballad with a memorable melody and a classic feel.  The song may sound a bit bland up against the material that precedes it, but is refreshing in its melodicism and pure pop sensibility.

Renzi channels Jimmy Buffett on “A Cold Margarita” while working in references to artists such as Buffett, Alan Jackson and Bertie Higgins, amongst others.  It’s a bit of kitschy fun that’s part tribute and part parody, but very well played.  “Jazzette” is a brief instrumental diversion that makes the most of saxophone and guitar in a convincing jazz turn.  It’s a solid change of pace that highlights the range and depth of the band.  “Come On Over” is 1950′s rock/R&B with a walking bass line.  Catchy and enjoyable, the song features some of the best vocal work on the album, both in the lead and in harmonies.  “I Don’t Know Why” moves forward into the mid-1960′s with a roots-rocker built on a post-Beatles melodicism and a catchy beat.

Renzi goes for the heart on the Orbison-esque “So Alone Tonight,” a song of sadness underscored by the mournful steel guitar that fills space between vocal lines.  Beautiful in its dark emotion and shading, the song is a time-machine moment that will bring you back to the days when artists such as Orbison were regulars on the Billboard charts.  “Flanagan’s Shannon View” is a dose of pure Irish-Caribbean stew, a Jimmy Buffett-style number played with country instrumentation and deep Celtic influences, it’s certainly an aural experience you won’t forget.  It’s actually not bad, although so many steps off the beaten path it might be something of an acquired taste.  Oldzkool goes out in a blaze of surf guitar, on the Dick Dale-styled “Surfette.”  It’s a solid, guitar-led instrumental rant that is so out of flow with the album it belongs.

Oldzkool has but one focus on The Ray Renzi Project, crafting original tunes inspired by some of the great artists and styles of the 1950′s, 1960′s and early 1970′s.  The band is very competent, with Renzi solid on vocals and guitar, and the rest of the crew backing him note-for-note through an extremely varied set of songs and styles. Oldzkool is the ultimate cover band playing songs you’ve never heard before, but which sound suspiciously familiar the first time you listen.  This is done with an amiable presence that shines through even from the recording studio; a carefree attitude that could only be born of the golden age of rock n roll.

Review by Wildy Haskell
Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

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