BRENDAN BENSON
Lapalco
(Startime International)
Six years after his debut One Mississippi, Brendan Benson, a musician of demi-god status among those in the know, reemerges with Lapalco. If the new CD is less whimsical and risky than its predecessor, blame the muckety-mucks at Virgin, whose "Dear Brendan" letter apparently gave him a case of self-doubt. Benson did end up with a studio in his home from the association, hence a self-produced, self-performed sophomore album.
"Tiny Spark" is an appropriate opener, a chugging rocker with thick synths that says, "An oyster can only make a pearl from a grain of sand." "Metarie," with its delicate acoustic guitar intro, has that great feel like the song is creeping up instead of announcing itself boldly. "Folk Singer" dips into a sing-song feel, with humbucker distortion and layered vox in the open.
But it's not until the final three songs that Benson sounds like he's loosening up. "Pleasure Seeker," with its weird syncopation in the opening, feels like it could be from the first CD. His is a pure pop voice; when Benson sings, "I wanna come doooooown," it's addicting as hell. "Just Like Me" is the most Beatle-esque song on Lapalco, with shimmering electric guitars and a bittersweet chord progression. "Jet Lag" is built on a simple, familiar-sounding organ backing like something from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, melded with synth.
The impression, then, is that this time Benson had good songs onto which he tacked cool bits like harmony vocals and squirrelly analog synthesizers. One Mississippi felt more like he had a bucketful of cool bits that he hammered good songs out of. So strip away the sense of abandon, and what Brendan Benson produces is more Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie than any-era Badfinger. Benson is still one of the most exciting presences in music, period, because you can sense the depth of his untapped potential. Brian Briscoe [buy it]
For fans of: Imperial Drag, Jellyfish, Big Star
NEAL CASAL
Anytime Tomorrow
(Morebarn)
Neal Casal could be considered a throwback to the 70s California singer/songwriter sound, with his countrified melodies, harmony-rich arrangements and guileless romantic lyrics. But this isn't a case of mining nostalgia—for Casal, this sound is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago. Besides, he's got the songs to back it up. Casal's sixth album Anytime Tomorrow is quite possibly his most consistent yet. You'd be hard-pressed to find more instantly appealing Americana/pop tunes than "Willow Jane," "Sweetvine" and "Lucky Stars." Not many artists could get away with lyrics like "They're all asleep/Now it's just you and me/To watch the sunrise," but, on the winsome "No One Above You," Casal does just that. Above-average words elevate the otherwise sugary "Oceanview," while the catchy "Fell On Hard Times" asks earnest questions in relation to a country's sagging fortunes and "Eddy and Diamonds" uses tough guitars to follow the tracks of a couple of small town ne'er-do-wells. The record peaks with the penultimate track "Raining Straight Down," as Casal works his way through the confusion of loneliness over an anthemic folk rock groove and the admonition "Don't let your smile go up in flames." Sonically, Jim Scott's warm production complements Casal's heartfelt tunesmithery perfectly. Anytime Tomorrow is difficult to resist and there's no good reason you should try. Michael Toland [buy it]
For fans of: Pete Droge, Jayhawks, Jackson Browne's Running On Empty
CLUB 8
Spring Came, Rain Fell
(Hidden Agenda)
Spring Came, Rain Fell is the third release from this Swedish duo with an internationally accessible sound. A cross between the currently popular dream-pop genre and a slight feel of indefinable foreignness reminiscent of late 60s trendy pop, this album is one that could easily cross country borders and age brackets. The sound created by Karolina Konstedt (vocals) and Johan Angergard (guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion, vocals) is so soft you almost have to strain to hear it. Karolina's voice is a breathy whisper, sounding like a vocal interpretation of a sex kitten in a romantic movie scene—think of a young Ann-Margaret or Bridget Bardot. There is a definite non-American/foreign feel to this whole album despite the English lyrics with perfect accent and pronunciation. The effect of this album is quite hypnotic, almost mesmerizing. It's perfect for a romantic dinner, background music for a cozy get together with friends, or something to put on just to chill out alone after a long day at work or school. All the songs are soothing, melodic and gentle. Here and there are tiny snippets of melodies you could swear you've heard somewhere before but just can't put your finger on. Most of them speak of love, teen angst, little vignettes of life and friends. "Teenage Life" perfectly captures the feel of being a mid-teen: "Teenage love, crushing every heart...A boy at 15 shy and clumsy, he feels it all...Teenage dreams, everyone's a star..." "Karen's Song" paints a portrait of the singer longing to duplicate a friend's newfound good fortune for herself: "Take me out now and show me a future that sparkles and shines." Club 8 is firmly rooted in the present with their take on current emotional situations while they take musical influences from the past and keep an eye on the future of soft pop. Judee Gould [buy it]
For fans of: St. Etienne, Astrid Gilberto, Poe
ETERNAL ELYSIUM
Share
(MeteorCity)
On its second album Share, Japan's Eternal Elysium immerses itself happily in heaviness, but doesn't do so at the expense of tunes. Drummer Rio Okuya pounds his kit unmercifully but not unmusically, bassist Toshiaki Umemura keeps the grooves flowing like heated molasses and guitarist Yukito Okazaki peels off riff after speaker-shredding riff without ever descending into mindless wanking. The power trio (that's with an emphasis on power, mind you) loves it hard and fast ("Movements and Vibes," "Feel the Beast," the angrily distorted "Machine") as well as slow and deep ("No Answer," "Schizy," the epic "Waiting for the Sun"). (Who knows what the heck's up with "Fairies Never Sleep," a four-minute track of nothing but ghostly moans and groans.) There's an unusual attention to songwriting here; many bands of this ilk would be happy to just grind out the sludge, but EE hangs it on actual tunes. Okazaki is a fine picker in the classic 70s metal sense and a forceful singer, and he knows just how to lovingly bludgeon the melodies until they cry out in ecstasy. Share the rock. Michael Toland [buy it]
For fans of: Black Sabbath, early Nebula, Deep Purple
OH MY GOD.
The Action Album!
(NoVo Arts)
It's no surprise that oh my god. frontman Billy O'Neill has a theater background. He sounds flamboyant enough for three lead singers, and that's just from the disk—lord knows what he's like on stage. His enthusiastic delivery and yelping tenor will be the things on which first-time listeners key in from the band's second record The Action Album!, but O'Neill is just part of the story. Keyboardist Iguana switches nimbly back and forth between pounding piano and tube distortion-driven organ while drummer Zack Nold forms the axis on which the others spin. O'Neill and Iguana also pen strikingly catchy songs about young love and ageless lust, which O'Neill relates with a great deal of relish. "14!" finds a nervous dad advising his daughter on her first stirrings of puberty ("And for God's sakes put on a bra—you're almost 14!"), while "Burn Burn Burn!" struggles with the fire down below. "The Weather!" and "x10!" finds the band turning the intensity down a notch or two, with O'Neill tenderly adjusting his vocals to a soulful croon. Oh my god. gets a surprising amount of variety out of its sparse setup, and its tunes are tightly constructed and melodic. You'll find plenty of action here! Michael Toland [buy it]
For fans of: Quasi, eels, Ben Folds
SCHATZI
Fifty Reasons to Explode
(Mammoth)
Austin's Schatzi lays on the big, fat guitar hooks on Fifty Reasons to Explode, the young quartet's second full-length record of punked-up power pop. Among the baker's dozen tunes is the entirety of the Death of the Alphabet EP. And a good thing, too—"Death of the Alphabet," "Sucked Into Something" and "The Spider Smells Disaster" are the most memorable tunes here, easily overshadowing most of the new songs. ("Alphabet," probably their best tune, is even repeated as a hidden track with an industrial remix.) Too many tunes turn on far-too-similar tempos and chord progressions, so much so that a trio like "Undergrowth," "Bionic Waves" and "Gladys" sounds like one big blur of a song. Of the newer numbers, only the punk/pop gem "Flush" and the hard-rocking "Trapped Inside a Sunray" make much of an impression. The band has definite talent—the songs that do stand out do so proudly. But, like so many bands of this stripe, Schatzi needs to work a bit harder on its songwriting prowess before attempting any records with more than a half-dozen songs. Michael Toland [buy it]
For fans of: Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, the Get Up Kids
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Samba Bossa Nova
(Putumayo World)
The first thing that pops into one's head when bossa nova is mentioned is the smooth, sophisticated and romantic liltings of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Garota da Ipanema." This song is so pervasive, in fact, that it is the second-most covered song of all time, after the Beatles' "Yesterday." Bossa nova's foundation lies in the vibrant street dance known as samba, but soon after "Ipanema," bossa nova became an anachronism, a reminder of doughy white guys taking three-martini lunches in smoky lounges.
The music is making a resurgence, however, most notably in Brazil itself. This compilation features the children of the original bossa nova generation, some of whom give it a contemporary flavor and others who remind us of the music's original vibrancy. It is a good introduction to this style of music, and it teaches a few musical lessons along the way.
The CD features such artists as Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum, with Jobim's son and grandson; Jairzinho Oliveira, son of singer Jair Rodrigues; Eliete Negreiros; Jorge Aragao; and the up-and-coming Rita Ribeiro. All the artists on this CD give a fresh infusion to bossa nova, especially Ribeiro. Her voice has flair, depth and smoothness that is highlighted on the track "Banho Cheiroso (Aromatic Bath)." Oooh, how fun! Moreno Veloso + 2 sing about the "Deusa do Amor (Goddess of Love)" in a rich and suave manner, though the toy piano, iron shovel and sandpaper scrapers at the end of the song don't fit well. (Lesson #1: Just because you have a toy piano does not mean you should record it.). The quartet Da Lata offers a taste of the santería religious influence in their sultry "Cores (Colors)," but the weakest song is by Oliveira, a composer who likes to mix in funk, soul and rap. "Papo do Psicólogo (Psychoanalytical Discussion)" covers the age-old question about love and why it ends, but Oliveira's presentation and voice are too weak to lift this song past the "barely interesting" stage. (Lesson #2: Just because you can write songs does NOT mean you should sing—and vice versa).
Overall, this CD does hit its intended mark, gently prodding the listener to experience this sensual world. In fact, while listening to this you should get the undeniable urge to do nothing less than mix a caipirinha, grab some cool shades and go sunbathe topless in the kids' backyard sandbox. Kelli Briscoe [buy it]
For fans of: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints, João Gilberto
