High Bias aural fixations
November 11, 2001

THE GRIP WEEDS
Summer of a Thousand Years
(Rainbow Quartz)
The Grip Weeds obviously worship the classic rock of the 60s—echoes of the Byrds, the Who and Buffalo Springfield, not to mention the Kinks, the Beatles and the Move, are everywhere on their third album Summer of a Thousand Years. But the New Jersey quartet is no nostalgia act. They're not trying to ape the past, but build upon it. With a skilled, versatile rhythm section and an exceptionally potent combination of jangling 12-string and crunchy lead guitars, the band sets up an instantly appealing wall of sound; their smooth harmonies are a bonus. Songwriters Rick Reil and Kurt Reil generate layered, carefully crafted morsels of pop 'n' roll that nod toward their influences without copying them—they use the same box of paints but come up with different canvases. The openers "Save My Life" and "She Surrounds Me" pack the kind of one-two punch that guarantees close attention; "Changed" and "Love's Lost on You" are even better, bringing the album to a dizzy mid-point peak. The Reils' tunes are so good that a cover of Pete Townshend's Who Sell Out gem "Melancholia" fits right in without overshadowing the group's originals. If the band has a flaw, it's that they don't have any truly outstanding singers, but that's a minor complaint, as the vocals are never less than pleasant. A summer this nice should last a lot longer than a mere millennium. Michael Toland

For fans of: the Green Pajamas, Badfinger, 60s Who

DUANE JARVIS
Certified Miracle
(Slewfoot)
Though best known as a guitar-slinging sideman for notables like Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam and John Prine, Duane Jarvis has been quietly carrying on a solo career for nearly a decade. His third album Certified Miracle is the statement toward which he's been working for years, a greasy trip through the backroads of America that rocks, rolls, slides and slithers. Having worked with the creme de la creme of the Americana genre, Jarvis is a living encyclopedia of roots music, effortlessly blending country, blues and rock 'n' roll like the Rolling Stones at their peak. Though he's known as a six-string flash, Jarvis keeps his picking in the background, focusing the arrangements on his tunes and reedy vocals. He jovially gets the blues in his country with "Pocket of Coins," soulfully sends his regards with "Love Sometimes" and fills up the dance floor with the swaying expression of longing that is "Still I Long For Your Kiss" (originally recorded by co-writer Williams, thought his version is superior). As good as those tunes are, though, he's most at home rocking the house with cuts like "Intoxicate Me," "Sad Blue Year" and "My Brush is Dry." Certified Miracle is the kind of music you wish you heard coming out of that roadhouse by the side of the highway. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Chuck Prophet, Dave Alvin, the Backsliders' Throwin' Rocks At the Moon

MORTIIS
The Smell of Rain
(Earache)
Up 'til now, dark elf Mortiis (who will probably never escape the appellation "former bassist for black metal kings Emperor," despite having left the band a decade ago) has been best known for majestic, unusually melodic electronic soundscapes found on records like The Stargate and Crypt of the Wizard. After a handful of albums and side-projects in that vein, the Nordic native decided to take the obvious next step and write a collection of (gasp!) pop songs with (double gasp!) vocals. Given the musical talent and singleminded pursuit of his goals he's displayed on his previous recordings, this step is not at all tentative; indeed, it's more like a great leap forward. The Smell of Rain is crammed with hooks and danceable rhythms; Mortiis takes to conventional song structure like he was born to it. Unveiling a husky, almost sensual croon, Mortiis performs the startlingly catchy Goth pop tunes with absolute conviction, weaving in and out of the synth textures and pounding percussion with graceful skill. "Spirit in a Vacuum," "Parasite God" and "You Put a Hex on Me" hook their claws into your brain and hang there, while "Everybody Leaves" lays out the elf's soul for anyone to experience. There's nothing radical about this record, but it succeeds so well on its own terms and revels so blatantly in its sense of melody that it amounts to a radical reinvention for its creator. The Smell of Rain is sweet. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Dead Artists Syndrome, Alien Sex Fiend, Dead or Alive

16 HORSEPOWER
Hoarse
(Checkered Past)
There's no other band quite like 16 Horsepower. Lumped with the alt.country hordes, leader David Eugene Edwards uses his multi-instrumental facility, ghostly wail and Nazarene upbringing to wrestle with the demons of violence and desire, while Stephen Taylor's slashing slide, Pascal Humbert's impossibly deep-toned bass and Jean Yves-Tola's snappy drums provide a constantly roiling backdrop. Bluegrass, country, swamp rock and fire-and-brimstone gospel meet in a tension-filled caterwaul that's resulted in four utterly fascinating recordings. As good as it is in the studio, however, on stage the band is positively riveting. Hoarse is the proof. Recorded in 1998 during the tour for Low Estate, Hoarse presents a supercharged collection of the best songs from the studio albums, plus a telling trio of covers. "American Wheeze" and "Low Estate" crawl out of Edwards' bandoneon like apprehensive snakes, while the banjo-driven "Black Soul Choir" and burly "For Heaven's Sake" charge forward like tormented rhinos. "Brimstone Rock" brings all of 16HP's themes and approaches home in one dynamic, tormented number. In addition to their own stellar material, the quartet turns Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" into a spooky dirge, desperately rocks the Gun Club's "Fire Spirit" and finds common ground in Joy Division's "Day of the Lords." This engrossing, almost unbearably intense record documents more of a public exorcism than a performance, but for 16 Horsepower, that's an awesome thing. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Walk On the Water," the Gun Club

SOLARIZED
Driven
(Meteor City)
New Jerseys' Solarized plays fairly meat-and-potatoes hard rock, but don't take that as a slam. Like many a gang of underground metalheads these days, the quartet combines the energy of protopunks like the MC5 and the Stooges with the heavy riffs of 70s arena bands like Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy; add a dash of Hawkwind-like psychedelia and you have the perfect metal comfort food. Solarized is hardly innovative in this regard, but since it does the adrenalized dinosaur stomp so well, it doesn't need to be. On its second album Driven, leader James Hogan writes the kind of concrete-crushing riffs that dig right into your skull without asking, and his wry, good-day-in-hell lyrics, delivered in an outlaw growl, add to the head-noddin' fun. "Conspiracy," "Dig the Ride" and "Angel" will rev your motor , "Southbound" and "Meanspirit" will grind your gears and "World Without End" will rotate your tires. Forget notions of art and commerce; Solarized is all about simply kicking out the jams. Let 'er rip, let it ride and let it rock. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet, Unida

SOMNAMBULIST
The Paranormal Humidor
(The Laser's Edge)
Progressive rock ain't exactly a genre with legs these days, at least in the eyes of the music industry (and that includes the label-owning corporations AND the critical press), so only proven commercial winners (even if it's only in Europe and Japan) or bands with their own studios and labels release records on a consistent basis. Point being, it's been five years and a ridiculous number of personnel changes since Chattanooga-based Somnambulist put out an album. The Paranormal Humidor was worth the wait. Bandleaders Terry Clouse and Jody Park have a crazy notion that progressive rock should, well, progress. So while Somnambulist shows the influence of the prog giants who preceded it—Yes-like keyboards, a Rush-like rhythm section, Genesis-like song structures—the quintet doesn't really sound like anybody but itself. Like the best prog combos, the band is less about complexity for its own sake than about texture, intelligence and melodies that don't conform to current radio-friendly standards. Bassist Clouse and drummer Jo Whitaker set up a flexible rhythm section for keyboardist Parks and guitarist Charlie Shelton, who construct an edgy but lush web of riffs, melodies and atmospheric arrangements that sounds of a piece with prog tradition without being conventional or overly reverential. Topping it off is singer Peter Cornell (yes, he's Chris Cornell's brother), whose gravely tenor and abstract lyrics add the perfect dash of postmodern spice to the recipe. The noisy "In the Mindwarp Pavillion," "Troy Built Helen" and the epic title track lay down the kind of foundation on which classics are built. Hopefully it won't take another five years for Somnambulist to follow up such a significant accomplishment. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Yes, the Underground Railroad, Under the Sun

BILL WARE
Sir Duke
(Knitting Factory)
Bill Ware is New York's current master of the marimba and vanguardist of the vibraphone, having swung his mallets for the Jazz Passengers, Groove Collective, Steely Dan and his own ensembles. Having worked with everything from large orchestras to trios, he's comfortable in any performing situation. On Sir Duke, he strips things down to a duo of just himself and guitarist Marc Ribot for a program of Duke Ellington tunes. Ware picks standards for this set; he's obviously less interested in showing off his knowledge of Duke esoterica than in just having a good time. Which he and Ribot proceed to do. There's a relaxed, carefree spirit to their playing that's unusual in the ever-increasing seriousness of jazz recordings. Ribot in particular displays little of the brittle tension that's put his angular playing in such demand; he sounds like Joe Pass here, which is appropriate for this music. Ware himself is a marvel, a vibes virtuoso who never lets his prodigious technique get in the way of Ellington's distinctive melodies. He and Ribot kick up their figurative heels on playful renditions of "Caravan" and "Take the 'A' Train," and Ware takes advantage of his instrument's luminous sustain on the ballads "Mood Indigo" and "Solitude," the latter played solo. It's like listening in on a couple of old pros jamming in your living room. Excellent. Michael Toland [buy it]

For fans of: Milt Jackson, Gary Burton, Duke Ellington

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Rhythm Room Blues
(HighTone)
A compilation celebrating the tenth anniversary of Phoenix's venerable Rhythm Room club, this CD includes tracks recorded from 1994 to 2001. The musicians are all veterans, including Kim Wilson, RL Burnside, Nappy Brown, Sam Lay and more. Wilson opens and closes the CD with "Eyesight to the Blind" and "Five Long Years," respectively; the latter finds him airing out his deep harp chops extensively. Henry Gray rolls out the barrelhouse piano on "Henry's Houserocker" and "Sinner's Prayer" (which is tastefully executed, unlike Eric Clapton's melodramatic version from '94's From the Cradle). RL Burnside, who had just released '94's Too Bad Jim, contributes four songs. "For many blues fanatics, this smokin' quartet of previously unreleased live cuts from one of today's most celebrated bluesmen will be reason enough to own this collection," read the liner notes, and they're right. Backed only by electric guitar, Burnside marches out the hypnotic Mississippi vibe with his fresh interpretation of the Muddy Waters standard, "Rollin' and Tumblin'." "Long Haired Donkey," "Nightmare Blues" and "Goin' Down South" round out Burnside's set, and on each one he casts a spell that would have made the late Junior Kimbrough proud. The inclusion of the Burnside tracks elevates Rhythm Room Blues from a solid compilation to a blues fan's keeper. Brian Briscoe [buy it]

For fans of: Muddy Waters, Junior Kimbrough, John Lee Hooker

Copyright © 2001 High Bias