Review: Buffalo Killers - s/t

Label: Alive Natural Sound Records

Released: 2006

Formed out of the ashes their previous band, Thee Shams, which was limited to some extent by its love of the Stones, the Gabbard brothers find a much more expansive, heavier sound with Buffalo Killers. They dip generously into the heavy psychedelia of Cream and Hendrix and alternate that with a dose of the Allman Brothers' southern soul. Just a dash of the Beatles adds a hint of pop accessibility without tempering the heaviness or groove.

Buffalo Killers' debut is not about technical prowess (even though they're good players), but about free and wild expression. The rhythms aren't complex, the riffs aren't flashy and the vocals aren't dynamic. Whether playing heavy psych or garagey soul, the band as a whole shuns the pristine in favor of digging down and unleashing a power that pushes rather than punches. The whole is in fact greater than the sum of its parts.

Rating: 7/10

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Review: The Flairs - Shut Up and Drive

Label: Bad Reputation

Released: November 2007 in Europe (June 13, 2006 in North America)

The Flairs play a brand of hard rock that falls somewhere between glam and punk. Shut Up and Drive is a peppy album of chunky rhythms and snotty vocals that seldom lets up. Aside from a 3/4 female line-up, it's nothing out of the ordinary. The music falls somewhere between the Donnas and the Pandoras, but lacks the light-hearted bluster of the former and the gritty toughness of the latter. Aside from their cover of Skid Row's "18 & Life," they are entirely listenable even if uninspiring. However, the cover is poor enough to drag the whole album down a notch. It does nothing aside from regurgitate the original only without the ability to sell its contrived nature as reality. There is nothing difficult about the Flairs and once the album is playing, there's no reason to turn it off. The trouble is there's nothing compelling to come back for another listen.

Rating: 5/10

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Review: White Noise Supremacists - Shadows

Label: I Eat Souls Records

Released: 2006

A clever name like the White Noise Supremacists could be a blessing or a curse. If the name's that clever, how clever must the music be just to live up to it? While the name may be the best thing they've done thus far, their off-kilter rhythms and subtle melodies shouldn't be dismissed.

Their sound is rather thin, seemingly by design. Over the first three tracks, the music changes just under the conscious radar, ranging from the noise pop of My Bloody Valentine to the controlled chaos of Husker Du, all the while picking up the subtleties of the Smiths' melodies. This makes for an interesting listen and leaves the verdict out as to whether this versatility is their strength or just the result of an effort to find their voice. Starting off the second half, "Glare" lends credence to the latter explanation. There's nothing wrong with it other than the fact that it's indie singer-songwriter sound has been done too many times already. Just when WNS made me doubt though, they finish the EP up with two rather subdued rock songs whose light airy, emotive vocals are vaguely reminiscent of the Cranberries. These two tracks move around a lot more, rather than ending just where they started as the first half tracks do. "If You Go," the last of these two and the album's closer, struggles to take off as the end draws near, but their restraint creates tension that makes for their finest moment on the EP. The greatest promise of all is WNS's good sense of pop music which always seems so baffling, because it is almost pure art and not be understood so much as enjoyed.

Ultimately, Shadows asks more questions about the band than it answers, but based on its early subtlety and its late pop mastery, there's good reason for positive speculation about what's coming next.

Rating: 6/10

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Review: St Phillip's Escalator - Endless Trip

Label: Living Eye

Released: 2006

Being a revivalist is a difficult task. How do you stay true to the past yet make it relevant in the present? The simple answer is...you rock! St Phillip's Escalator does just that.

There is no question where the heart of this Rochester, NY trio lies. St Phillip's Escalator brings 60s garage rock to you in a way that's authentic and fresh at the same time. From start to finish, Endless Trip is a nonstop assault of fuzzy guitars, loose rhythms and ghost-of-Keith-Moon drumming that captures both the naivety of the 60s and the headlong dash into losing its virginity. This is no small achievement for a band with 40 years of history and analysis between itself and those halcyon days they're recapturing. They take the sweet pop sense of the British Invasion on dark walk through the psychedelic blues.

Produced and engineered by Chesterfield Kings Andy Babiak and Greg Prevost, who know a thing or two about the garage rock revival, helps St Phillip's Escalator create the most vivid picture of the past since Redd Kross recorded Teen Babes from Monsanto. With neo-garage bands popping up everywhere over the last few years, St Phillip's Escalator is one of the few that present the format undistilled. Endless Trip isn't just a snapshot though. It's more like a time machine.

Rating: 8/10

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Review: Wooly Mammoth - The Temporary Nature

Label: Underdogma Records

Released: November 28, 2006

With a name like Wooly Mammoth, this band has a lot to live up to. They either have to live up to the name literally as the heaviest of the heavy or ironically as light and fluffy pop. Few will be displeased that they opt for the former even if they don't fully live up to that heaviness.

While I was expecting Wooly Mammoth to take on the extremes of the stoner/doom sub-genre with extended drone jams in the mold of Sleep, they're a much more straightforward band. Like most stoner bands, they have a strong affinity for 70s hard rock, Black Sabbath in particular, and they stay truer to that with heavy riffs and songs that actually move along at a decent clip rather than the experimentalism of their more extreme peers. Occasionally, they drift more into the realm of grunge (a la Louder Than Love-era Soundgarden) which shows that they're rooted more in rock than far out theories. The Temporary Nature does stretch out at times and manages to walk that line between cutting loose and coming unglued, showing it to be both wild and disciplined at the same time.

Wooly Mammoth isn't the band that pushes the limits of heavy music, but without bands that are somewhat grounded, it makes pushing a moot point. On The Temporary Nature, they take heed of the challenges from those who do push without forcing those challenges all at once upon unsuspecting listeners.

Rating: 7/10

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Review: Brazzaville - East L.A. Breeze

Label: Vendlus Records

Released: 2006

Brazzaville is the project of David Brown, saxophonist for and longtime friend of Beck. The band is known for layering lyrics about the world's forgotten souls -- the lost and lonely, the whores and addicts, the killers and the soon-to-be dead -- in sultry musical canvases that conjure images of South American beaches and salty, sun-warmed skin. They are arguably the greatest unknown band of the past decade, and every serious music lover should check them out.

With that said, East L.A. Breeze is Brazzaville's worst album. This is a shame, because they've changed and, in some ways, grown for the better.

East L.A. Breeze starts out incredibly strong. Brady Lynch's string bass and Josep Terrecabras' percussion set up a quiet rhythm on "Peach Tree" that hints at something both sensual and dark; Naomi Webman's violin rolls in like a lazy, late afternoon storm; and Brown's plain but compelling voice slides into gentle observations about mortality, loss, and lifetimes of loneliness.

But it goes down from there. The second song, a reworking of Russian rock band KINO's "Star Called Sun," is dragged down by clichéd soft-rock beats, cheesy keyboard swells, and a syncopated guitar that lacks any emotion whatsoever. It's frustrating, because it's so easy to hear what could have been... the lyrics and the vocal melody are wonderful, the simple chord progression lends itself to the kind of haunting arrangements that Brazzaville does so well, and the band is talented and emotional. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is dominated by generic rock performances, dull drum machines, and lackluster arrangements. There are a few gems scattered throughout, but even some of those -- like the forlorn ode to past mistakes, "Madalena" -- are a bit flat and lifeless compared to the music Brown is capable of creating.

The lyrics on East L.A. Breeze are among the best that Brown has ever written. Brown understands desperation and loneliness, and he has a sense of his own mortality; not that death has ever been far away from Brazzaville's music, but it feels more inevitable this time around. The desolate victims of globalization aren't here this time, but the muted character studies abound. As always, Brown does a wonderful job of not only portraying the untouchable members of society, but respecting them and even loving them.

Brown's intentions to push his musical boundaries are noble, but the road to mediocrity is paved with good intentions. East L.A. Breeze is a good enough album that any Brazzaville fan should own it. If you want to hear Brown's vision at its finest, however, you're better off with Rouge on Pockmarked Cheeks.

(For what it's worth, it hurts me to write a less-than-glowing review about Brazzaville, because I've been a fan for years. David Brown has been an influence on my writing about Baltimore, and I strive to learn from his ability to see the beauty in what most people find hideous.)

Rating: 6/10

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Review: Overlord - Ticker Symbols

Label: Storm Tower Records

Released: September 5, 2006

Awhile back, I wrote a review of Overlord's music from their MySpace page. Recently, I was contacted by George Pasles, who it seems pretty much is Overlord, who asked me to check out the CD since the tracks on MySpace were demos that he posts periodically to keep the page fresh. Knowing that and hearing Ticker Symbols put a lot in perspective.

Unlike the raw tracks from MySpace, the album is carefully crafted and downright irresistible. It draws on happy, jangly pop from both the 60s and the 80s and creates something very near to perfect in its own realm. This isn't an album where any single element stands out. Vocals, guitar, rhythms, none of these stand up on their own, yet together they fall so perfectly into place that it's mind-boggling. This is the stuff for which you can't take lessons. You either have it or you don't and Overlord has it.

The drums are minimalist; the bass lines sometimes simple, sometimes elaborate; the guitar, clean and ringing, never overdriven. The vocals are the key though. Their sweet harmonies conjure up visions of the Moody Blues or Herman's Hermits' big hit, "I'm Into Something Good." But this isn't a 60s revival. Overlord also shows an affection for the 80s guitar pop of the Church, REM and, most importantly, the Smiths as well newer elements of pop that have developed over the last decade or so.

The Smiths turn out to be both a musical and spiritual guide to Overlord. Not only does Ticker Symbols interpret the Smiths ability to make hauntingly upbeat guitar pop, it also runs with the Smiths' clever idea of matching such pop bliss with sadness. However, Overlord is far less maudlin than Morrissey and that makes the effect more subtle and in a sense more conflicting.

In a sense they bridge the gap between the 60s and 80s and make it all current with a touch of ambient electronics, used sparingly. In addition, the album vaguely dabbles at times in psychedelia, punk, even country. These almost unnoticeable forays are bigger than they seem in the scheme of things. They keep it interesting without even seeming different.

A term that would often be used with a band like Overlord is "pop sensibility." It usually refers to an uncanny ability to incorporate hooks into the music. It doesn't quite apply to Overlord though. Theirs is more of a pop consciousness or pop being. Ticker Symbols doesn't merely understand how to use hooks, hooks are its very essence. Like the groom on the album cover, you might feel like you've been left at the altar, but the cake still tastes great.

Rating: 8/10

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Check out my review of the album cover at Whole Lotta Album Covers.

Review: Rachael Cantu - Run All Night

Label: Q Division Records

Released: February 7, 2006

A number of years ago, I bought a 7" from a band I'd never heard on a whim. The band was okay, but the thing that stayed with me was the voice. It was rich and mature, yet young and optimistic. It was beautiful. The band was Quite Satellite and that voice was Rachael Cantu. I got in touch with her and she hooked me up with a CD-R of some stuff she recorded after that with Robb MacLean of Limbeck. I bought Limbeck's first album just because she sang backup on it. Then it seemed like not much was going on and, while I still listen to those songs, I lost touch with her career. So, while I was perhaps early to appreciate her talent, I'm late in hearing Run All Night. About four years have passed since I'd heard anything new from her and in that time some things have changed and some have stayed the same.

Rachael Cantu still plays low-key, indie, singer-songwriter material. Therefore, the instrumentation is still sparse, but more polished. The music on its own is generally good, though nothing jumps out immediately, but a closer listen shows that there's more variety. Her voice is still the focus, but it's changed a little.

The album doesn't quite get off on the best foot. The opening track, "Hear My Laughter" lacks even subtle elements of interest. But the flat start is misleading. The upbeat, but not too upbeat, "Saturday" easily gets past the false start of the opener. It's not immediately apparent, because she's so subtle over most of the album, but there's a lot going on beneath the surface. Sometimes, Cantu sticks to her old folky, voice-and-a-guitar ways, but at others she dabbles in a variety of genres. They rise subtly from the album's basic form. She's soulful on "Sweat & Bones." There's jazz in her voice on the dark title track which closes the album. She really hits stride in the middle with "Blood Laughs," whose ambient drone proves the best backdrop for her voice; "This Breath Won't Hold," with an evocative jazz feel to her vocals over the indie/folk guitar; and "My First War," whose strings ebb and flow and which hints at her younger voice.

Run All Night is certainly a more mature recording than Cantu has made in the past, but there's both an up and down side to that maturity. The songs are better written and the arrangements help bring out her voice which is every bit as beautiful, but is missing the youthful optimism that made it even more striking in the past. The songs have long had a sadness that permeates them, but the optimism always added a yearning that this album is missing.

Rating: 6/10

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Review: Ox - American Lo Fi

Label: Weewerk

Released: October 17, 2006

You know it's a fine album when a band pulls off a cover of a song like "Surrender" and it's not even the album's best track. Ox offers up this indie alt-country should-be classic that weaves its way from rock to country and back with a few detours along the way, all held together with low-key ambling rhythms and subtle ambience.

Most of American Lo Fi doesn't stray too far from center, making it a perfect fit for the rural emo of roots-influenced indie rock, but there are a few tracks that help it beat its peers by at least a nose. They turn their cover of Cheap Trick's classic entirely into their own rural take on the suburban theme without losing its essence, but that's not even the best it has to offer. With its old-time folk style, "1913" is as genuine as it would have been had it been written by a copper miner himself. "Marta's Song," with it's peculiar female lead vocal and vaudeville appeal turns oddly both dark and hopeful as a haunting rendition of "Merry Xmas (War is Over)" drops in as a background vocal. "Awkward Beauty" is a self-fulfilling prophesy for the album's closer, a vibrato-soaked, quirky bit of blues. The album's real gem though is "Sugar Cane." It's here that the albums hooks meet its soul in scratchy, beautiful and sublime vocal harmonies.

American Lo Fi is equal parts Neil Young, Gram Parsons and Death Cab for Cutie all adding up an album that's slightly better than its peers, in a genre where those peers set a pretty high standard. That standard isn't reached by any kind of superficial perfection, but by the very heart of the music itself and American Lo Fi has that heart cut deep into its grooves.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Landonband - Defying the Stereotype

Label: self-released (available at CD Baby

Released: 2006

Defying the Stereotype is a bit of a misnomer for this album. Perhaps Confused About the Stereotype or Lost in the Stereotype would be more appropriate. It's certainly not "stereotype" that I object to, but "defying," because this record defies nothing.

From the opening track, Landonband spends their time genre-hopping. True, there has been some great albums that have done the same, but every one of those albums found its own voice as it explored a broad musical palette. Landonband's voice is smothered to the point that it's questionable if they even have one.

"Only 20" sounds like a hard rock Spice Girls. They try to capture the funk rock of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on "Hush," but its groove is derailed by the stiff performance. "Angry" is an average alt rock song, except it's about 10 or so years too late. "Coming Out in the Wash" tries to mix in a bit of punk edge, but the result is stifled rather than wild. "Amazon" might have come off alright had it not devolved into a generic ballad. "Dirty Virgin" tries to break out and sound loose, but the problem is that it tries too hard. After the cliched intro to "Free at Last," none of its references to cloves, burned CDs or Sonic Youth should be a surprise. (I do have to wonder if they've actually listened to Sonic Youth though. If they did, they certainly didn't get it.) Speaking of cliches, was that actually a J Lo reference in "Wind-Up Monkey?" That was as painfully unoriginal as anything on the album.

A couple songs aren't total disasters: "The First to Come in Last" let's the facade of over-production down just enough to get a glimpse of Landon Dunning's potential as a vocalist. Likewise, "Ms. Jones" is loose enough to have a genuine edge, even if it isn't a particularly interesting song.

This album has a few fatal flaws. First, the production is overwrought. Rather than enhancing the band's sound and helping them find themselves, it buries them in digital effects. Twenty years ago, there was an excuse to get caught up in this kind of production, but now it just sounds cheap.

Second, the band has no synergy. Landon's a pretty good rock singer, but she almost never cuts loose. She has a good voice and she should trust it. The band itself is as entirely competent as it is soulless. They sound like they're playing everything from sheet music. If they want to be a good band rather than just a collection of good players, they need to drop all of the electronics and learn to feed off of each other. If they strip away all of the nonsense, they may be able to play together rather than simply playing at the same time. A looser band would likely allow Landon more latitude to really use her voice. As it stands, the band is entirely competent to play and entirely incompetent to rock.

Last, the songs are mediocre at best. With this repertoire, they'll be relegated to being a very good bar band at best. Part of the problem is that Landon wrote the songs with the producer rather than the band. The other part is that these songs were designed to fit the stereotype rather than defy it.

All in all, Defying the Stereotype is a waste of time, but Landonband, or actually Landon Dunning herself, has some potential. The band as it is sounds like a group of studio musicians. Either they have to become more cohesive or Landon needs to find a band that can help her unleash her voice. She definitely needs some songwriting help, but next time it should come from someone who will push her creatively rather than trying to pigeonhole her songs for target audiences. The key to Landonband is Landon herself, but she won't really go anywhere under these circumstances. The album title is either a lie or a misconception. If it's the former, than the band needs to come clean. If it's the latter, there's little hope.

Rating: 3/10