Brownbird Rudy Relic "Anti-Stereo Acoustic Holler Blues," 2007
Few certainties exist in life, but this I know:
Brownbird Rudy Relic will change how you think about
modern music, will prompt your jaw to drop in utter
incredulity, and will absolutely, positively blow your
mind. Brownbird recaptures the urgency and passion of
early- to mid-20th century American blues by
distilling their essence and infusing them with poetry
and power. He arms himself with an acoustic guitar and
low-fi recording equipment that makes his rough-edged
compositions sound like old 78s. He doesn't handcuff
himself by redoing old songs -- he takes the spirit of
the old masters and uses it to inhabit his own work.
A former punk rocker and New York City subway busker,
Brownbird's work is warm and gritty, shedding light on
racism, love and life's aches. As he says on the liner
notes: "When all the saids have been said and the
dones done, I am still that same 15-year-old punk
rocker who found Chuck Berry, fell for Chess Records,
bestowed his heart to pre-war rhythms and gave his
life over to the blues." And we benefit greatly from
his earnest hollerings. Wonderful, unique collection.
©
Fred Kraus
Emily Kurn "Things Change," 2007
With songs like several different New England singer-songwriters, she has that earthy honest style that makes them
so appealing. What separates her from the pack is a voice deep with vibrato and a delivery that always reaches the
back row. It's Americana through and through with a solid rhythm section and sideplayers including guitarist Duke
Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter) and bassist Richard Gates (Patty Larkin). It's no surprise that she covers one of
Rose Polenzani's songs (one of those aforementioned New Englanders), the well-presented "You Were Drunk," as well
as eleven of her originals including "Brown Boots, Red Coat," a heart-tugging goodbye song and "The Schmuck," a
quirky tune in a ragtime style, about a lonely guy. "No Way Around It" has a great sing along chorus underpinned
with a fun electric guitar.
©
Jamie Anderson
Diego Sandrin "A Fine Day Between Addictions," 2007
A formidable presence on the LA music scene (he co-wrote "Gone" with Lisa Marie Presley) and former member of a
popular Italian punk band (Ice and the Iced), Diego Sandrin's debut album harkens back to the days when
singer-songwriters were indeed confessional, as evidenced by the album's dedication "for all those who hold
the world in contempt -- for dreamless and locked up ones everywhere for whom pain is a way of life." Despite
the dour subjects addressed in "A Fine Day," Sandrin's plaintive melodies and quasi-orchestral arrangements are
a most uplifting blend of heartland rock and adult contemporary. The ascending chord progression of "Bad Graces"
affords a positive spin to a guy who'd either kill himself or move to California should his love remain unrequited.
Orchestral flourishes evocative of Paul Buckmaster and Gus Dudgeon's groundbreaking work with a young Elton John
abruptly stamp out the pastoral waltz verses of "My American Friends" -- yet another frightening tale of alienation.
Fear not, Sandrin often employs Cindy (no last name given) to temper his temper with lovely vocal harmonies.
Fans of the Wallflowers, Rufus Wainwright, and David Gray will likely be hooked.
©
Tom Semioli
Bobby Rush "Raw," 2006
From showboat to rowboat, Bobby Rush brings it all back down home on "Raw." If you're not convinced, the front and
back cover photographs should set you straight. His sly dog persona remains intact straight through from the opener,
"Bony Maroney," -- "she's a real skinny woman but she's well put together" to the closer, "I Got 3 Problems," --
"I got problems with my woman, my girlfriend and my wife." The latter is a stand-out slide guitar how-to, very
pleasing. His voice is direct, unadorned and fits the material to a tee. Rush's harmonica startles in its clarity
on "Glad to Get You Back" and "You Don't Love Me." "Raw" is nothing if not authentic. His audience may be sparser
and wiser -- they may chuckle rather than howl at his antics ---but they won't be disappointed by Rush as solo bluesman.
©
Steve Klingaman
Jook Bourke, "Just a Minute," 2007
Jook Bourke discovers the smooth spot where the blues
takes a load off and offers a respite from life's
travails on "Just A Minute." This pleasant, 11-song
collection (all penned by Bourke) features his
comfortable tenor, which occasionally dips into a
throaty growl. Equally adept on guitar and harmonica,
he files the rough edges off the traditional blues
genre and creates an amalgam of jazz-inflected, bluesy
tracks. The story-based lyrics revolve predominantly
around relationships and their mendings and frayings.
There are many enjoyable moments on this, his third
solo CD, following on the heels of his "My Mojo's Just
Too Weak." Though he grew up in Pittsburgh, Bourke
seems to have absorbed some of the laid-back leanings
of his present environs of Satellite Beach, Florida.
Have a favorite beverage handy.
©
Fred Kraus
Greg Gilbertson, "Limited Vocabulary," 2007
Greg Gilbertson plays six and 12-string guitars in altered tunings and composed all of the music on this disc.
Critics have compared him to Don Ross, Leo Kottke, Billy McLaughlin and Michael Hedges. For me, Gilbertson's
strongest suit is his striking and original emphasis on melody, incorporated into the percussive approach typified
by his influences. The opener, "First Light," illustrates this approach, with Gilbertson using a chorus effect to
fatten his tone. Gilbertson writes in the liner notes that "Esox Fables" reminds him of fishing for muskie, which
would have to be the most frantic fishing trip ever! "Fidelity" features a more natural tone, yet, even without
noticeable processing, Gilbertson's melody happily remains in the forefront. A bluegrass feel characterizes "Dirt
Roads," which brings to mind a 5-string banjo and fiddle trading licks. The CD closes with "At Hour's End,"
evoking a lullaby at the end of a summer day. Gilbertson is a good composer and I'm anxious to hear him experiment
with different tones, contrasting tempos, and bring other instruments into his arrangements, although his existing
strengths should serve him well regardless of the path he takes.
©
Patrick Ragains
Si Hayden, "Steel Roots," 2007
Si Hayden is a guitarist from the Midlands in the U.K., and a player of both steel string and electric guitars with
a lot of jazz influence. On this CD, "Steel Roots", he plays acoustic. Of the 12 tracks on "Steel Roots", 10 are
original compositions, and he covers Van Morrison's "Moondance" and "Folsom Prison Blues". Most of the tunes have
multiple voices at once, and the songs could be characterized as busy. A case in point: "Planet of the Grapes" has
walking bass lines, tapping, a Spanish opening arpeggio, with blazing scale work. It's hard to know where he's going
with his music; each song seems to take a direction for a brief time, then a detour takes us on some other route.
The opening track "Ellya" is a great bluesy groove, yet constant attempts to interweave single-note runs take him
out of time and lose the sense of cohesion good songs maintain. On "Moondance", we hear all his influences come
together: a funky groove, jazz chordings, some Spanish guitar flourishes, and lots of quick arpeggios. It would
have been more effective if he had chosen one stylistic flavor and developed it more fully, but Si does have some
chops. Hayden is a talented guitarist who, like a good wine, needs some time to develop into a refined taste.
©
Kirk Albrecht
Cindy Combs, "Sunny Rain," 2007
George Winston is well-known as one of the flagship artists for the Windham Hill label, which in the 1980s introduced
the world to some incredible acoustic music, not the least being Michael Hedges and Alex de Grassi. What most people
don't know about George Winston is his mission since 1985 to record a full catalog of the Hawaiian slack key guitar
masters on his own Dancing Cat label. Cindy Combs is one of those contemporary masters whom Winston sought out.
Combs recalls learning her trademark G6th (D-G-D-G-B-E) and the "C Wahine" (C-G-D-G-B-E) tunings in a six-lesson
intensive from slack key legend Keola Beamer in 1971, a year that she says "changed her life." It's apparent on
"Sunny Rain" that 30+ years of playing slack key guitar has placed her in a position to also change the lives of
the next generation of guitarists -- there is a flawless and unhurried touch in her instrumental guitarwork which
seems like a metaphor for island life itself.
©
Alan Fark
Darren Curtis Skanson - Duetos Cantabiles
Michael Veitch - Painted Heart
Peter Miller - From a Distant Shore
Max Heinegg - These Familiar Days
David Widelock - Memories of a Surprise
Christopher Smith - Gravedigger's Boy
Steve Chizmadia - It is What it Is
Shawn Harris - Temptation
Adam Hill - Four Shades of Green
Dafni - Charlie's Lonely Sunday
Olivea Watson - Way Down Deep
Megan Jean & the Klay Family Band - Autumn