HIGH BIAS -- August 26, 2001 -- Varnaline, Mahalia Jackson, Autoliner, David Mead, Spirit Caravan, Karen Tweed, Timo Alakotila, Alex Woodward, Del McCoury Band

Album reviews of new music by:

Autoliner: Champaign's Autoliner is like a distillation of everything good about modern rock/pop. (more)
David Mead: The young singer/songwriter makes beautifully melodic, emotionally mature pop music that won't insult your intelligence while it indulges your sweet tooth. (more)
Spirit Caravan: Spirit Caravan falls under the unfortunately-monikered umbrella called "stoner rock." That might give folks the wrong idea. (more)
Karen Tweed & Timo Alakotila: A collaboration between British accordionist Karen Tweed and Swedish pianist Timo Alakotila, May Monday underscores the similarities between Celtic folk and its Nordic counterpart. (more)
Alex Woodard: Seattle's Alex Woodard reaches for the heartstrings on Nowhere Near Here, his third CD. (more)

Plus a live concert review of the Del McCoury Band.

Aural Fixations

VARNALINE
Songs in a Northern Key (E Squared/Artemis)
After the critical success of 1998's Sweet Life, Varnaline's label Zero Hour folded, which goes a long way towards explaining the wait for Songs in a Northern Key. In the interim, as has happened before, Varnaline ceased to be a group entity per se, and became the nom de band for songwriter Anders Parker. (more)

Refreshed

MAHALIA JACKSON
Recorded Live In Europe During Her Latest Concert Tour
In Concert Easter Sunday, 1967
Sunday Morning Prayer Meeting with Mahalia Jackson (Columbia/Legacy)
Imagine this: you're seated in a fine European concert hall. The curtain opens for a gospel recital, a voice and piano affair featuring none other than Mariah Carey. It sounds like something quite far removed from Heaven, does it not? See, Mariah has the pipes, she really does, to attempt what Mahalia Jackson did on Recorded Live in Europe During Her Latest Concert Tour. Problem is, like many gifted singers today, Carey lacks subtlety, choosing to bludgeon the listener with trills and vibrato and all manner of vocal chicanery. As amazing as her voice is, she could not pull this off. (more)

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