Album Reviews

CALVIN NEWBORN
New Born
(Yellow Dog)
Guitarist Calvin Newborn isn't as well-known as his pianist brother Phineas, a fate faced by many a sideman. Now in his 70s, Newborn is making up for lost time with the excellent New Born. Joined by a troop of hot young players expertly evoking a comfortable club atmosphere, Newborn's tasteful licks propel melodic compositions (all originals, except for Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and his brother's "Newborn Blues") into realms of fuzzy, irresistible jazz goodness. He even dips into straight blues on the soulful "After Hours Blues," which would make his early mentor B.B. King proud. Michael Toland [buy it]

THE PONYS
Celebration Castle
(In the Red)
Chicago's acclaimed Ponys passed under my radar with their first album, but Celebration Castle allows me to catch up to the hipsters. (Doing a lot of that these days.) Urgency seems to be the fuel in the engine here. The arrangements hack and slash at pop tunes like a child tearing into a Christmas present, and the singers sound as if every emotion is bursting out of them at once. Steve Albini's raw production compliments the often pretty melodies, though the real secret is the band's desperate attack on cuts like "Shadow Box," "Today" and the captivating "We Shot the World." These jaggedly tuneful dollops of self-expression make the admonition in the super-catchy "Get Black" sound nigh-irresistible. Michael Toland [buy it]

PATRICK PORTER
Lisha Kill
(Camera Obscura)
Recorded in a rented flat in upstate New York, Lisha Kill uses displacement to its disadvantage. The usually Denver-based songwriter Patrick Porter utilizes a pile of instruments rescued from the local Salvation Army to realize visions of jittery solitude, hidden lives and "A Wound Time Can't Erase." Porter never lets his attractive vocals and appealing melodies get lost in clutter, because there isn't any—his overdubbed performances are masterfully arranged. Like a cleaner Sparklehorse, Porter lets his psychedelic vision bring life's ephemera into the light. Michael Toland

PRETTY FLOWERS
Pretty Flowers
(Banana Seat)
Brooklyn's Pretty Flowers doesn't futz around with complicated arrangements or fancy chords on its debut EP. The co-ed trio passes vocals and hooks around in a clean and efficient manner, blasting out decidedly unfussy, petulant, rough-hewn pop songs filled with fuzzy bass, catchy chord changes and naughty thoughts. Songs called "Slut" (easily the most memorable tune here) and "Laura's Bush" are pretty solid clues about the methodology herein. Maturity will be a must in the future, but for now, saucy youth is enough. Michael Toland [buy it]

SAM
Permanent Waver
(Gush)
Samantha Grant is a new name to most, but that won't last long. Permanent Waver is a remarkably assured debut, as Grant bolsters her coolly sultry pipes with warm arrangements and some strong, hooky songwriting. There's a theme running through many of the tunes here; "Permission," "Disturb the Universe" (a "collaboration" with T.S. Eliot) and the brilliant "Motorcycle" (which twists a seeming deathwish into something more positive) argue that life is to be lived to its fullest, a message not broadcast enough these days. Some of the tunes here don't leave much of an impression, but when it's good, Permanent Waver is very good indeed. Michael Toland [buy it]

GREG TROOPER
Make It Through This World
(Sugar Hill)
Greg Trooper can sing a song like nobody's business. Backed by solid country/bluegrass musicians, Trooper's Jackson Brown-esque voice alone is enough to make this an awesome record. Make It Through This World is a melodic, soft-toned gem with poetic songs like "Don't Let It Go to Waste" and "No Higher Ground." There are also some wicked gospel and blues influences woven throughout. Instantly likable, this disc is overflowing with talent and I found it difficult to remove from my player. Lance Looper [buy it]

CHRIS TSEFALAS
I'm All Right?
(In Music We Trust)
Chris Tsefalas had a rough 2004. The release of his debut record was postponed after Chris was sidelined by tumors developing in his back. Not a tumor, five tumors. Chris made a full recovery and I'm All Right? is finally being released. The mostly wistful songs on this record are pretty smooth, helped along by some steady drum work and toe-tapping hooks. For listening pleasure, I put this record near the top of the list of recent releases. Michael Toland [buy it]

THE 22-20S
22-20s
(Heavenly/Astralwerks)
Amazing—forty years after the first British blues rock explosion, there are still young crackers with posh accents taking inspiration from the venerable American art form. Before visions of Eric Clapton-style wanking engulf you, however, you should know that the 22-20s (named for a Skip James song, but probably also an oblique reference to the members' tender ages) use the blues only as a base for their high-energy rock & roll tunes. Guitar solos are for punctuation, not overindulgence. Efficient cuts like "I'm the One," "22 Days" and "Why Don't You Do It For Me?" scratch, bite and punch with the urgency of a cornered bear, while the Dylanesque "Friends" and the C&W-inflected "Baby, You're Not in Love" add attractive wrinkles to this leather jacket. Not every song here is a gem, and the record doesn't hold a Roman candle to the quartet's blazing live show, but 22-20s builds a rock-solid foundation that will someday support an extremely impressive edifice. Michael Toland [buy it]

WOLVERINE
The Window Purpose
(Elitist/Earache)
Betcha didn't know everybody's favorite berserker mutant made records when he's not eviscerating the bad guys. OK, obviously this isn't the X-man, but the Swedish prog-metal ensemble. A full-scale reissue of the band's first limited edition release, The Window Purpose hews quite closely to the Dream Theater model of progressive metal. It's pretty impressive, if not nearly as distinctive as the band's international calling card, last year's Cold Light of Monday. Michael Toland [buy it]

VICTOR WOOTEN
Soul Circus
(Vanguard)
Victor Wooten loves the bass. This is no surprise to anyone who's followed his work with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones and his various solo projects. But just in case you hadn't figured it out yet, he's made "Bass Tribute," which rounds up a gang of low-end demons for both physical and spiritual support. Most of Soul Circus is sleek, funky R&B with strong vocals and melodies. But Wooten's ax drives every tune, whether it's a stanky instrumental cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's underrated classic "Can't Hide Love" or the great "Natives," a commentary on Native American wisdom that manages to seamlessly combine Bill Miller's traditional cries with a ridiculously rubbery groove. And the whole record is blessed by funk god Bootsy Collins. Soul Circus is the most fun you can have with four strings and a big stick. Michael Toland [buy it]