Oasis finally produce ‘third great album’ with ‘Dig Out Your Soul’

Reviewed by Edward Wallace

Oasis/Dig Out Your Soul

This the Oasis album that should have come after (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? – the third great album fans have been waiting for. Closest in spirit to their debut Definitely Maybe, it’s tighter than their last two good albums Heathen Chemistry and Don’t Believe the Truth with a much better single. Hopefully it will find the appreciation Radiohead and Foo Fighters recently enjoyed. The first song “Bag It Up” has the Gallaghers taking on fear:  “Somebody tell me I’m dreaming/The freaks are coming up through the floor”/I’ve got my heebeejeebees hidden in a bag” with soaring, classic guitar and throaty vocal bravado. “The Turning” has a Kid A Radiohead beat, but sped up into an exciting rocker – the kind Radiohead may have made in a parallel universe where they took Bono’s advice to make a pop hit. Setting a theme that continues into the next song, Oasis uses imagery of Adam & Eve and the Christian Rapture. Where they began their careers declaring they wanted to “Live Forever”; here they face mortality (“I’m tired, come pick me off this merry-go-round”) but see love and living life to the fullest as the obvious answer. “Grab your guitar when the rapture takes me…will you be by my side?”

“The Shock of The Lightning” opens with an air raid, complete with plane noises and strafing machine gun drums. Vintage “Supersonic” guitar hooks explode. The chorus “Love is a time machine/Up on the silver screen” doesn’t worry about making sense because it’s too busy kickin’ arse. Returning to the mortality theme, “I’m Outta Time” is a touching Liam piano ballad on the final days of John Lennon. “If I’m to fall would you be there to applaud/Or would you hide behind them all.” It ends with powerful dialog from Lennon himself. Oasis is the one band that could pull this song off, and does.

“Get Off Your High Horse Lady” is a bluesy, hand-clapper kiss-off that fits with their last single “Lord Don’t Slow Me Down.” “Falling Down” is a shoegazer song with swirly guitars, strings and psychedelic lyrics about dreams and butterflies before turning defiant: “I try to talk to God to no avail/I said ‘If you can’t save me, then please don’t waste my time.’ “

The Chemical Brothers remix of that song (available separately) is bombastic. Had the two bands collaborated on a full album during the ’90s (The Chemical Gallagher Brothers?) matching Oasis’s rock-craft charisma with cutting-edge techno production, I think they could have created the best CD of that decade. It’s not too late. “To Be Where There’s Life” continues the psychedelia with a George Harrison-influenced sitar piece. “Ain’t Got Nothin’” (the most swaggering song Liam has written) kicks the door back in like ‘Force Of Nature’ demanding “The Truth,” with a more jangly, blues rock take from The Who. 

“Nature of Reality” returns to hippyland with shaky maracas, building into a glam rockier, reverberating update of “Helter Skelter”-era Beatles. “The nature of reality/Is pure subjective fantasy” seems to answer the question posed by the previous track. I’m amazed how well the brothers’ songs intertwine. The haunting ending “Soldier On” ends with a plodding, martial beat. A bold choice that leaves the brothers’ song personas toiling onwards – not at the promised land, but refusing to give up as though at the end of a cliff hanger movie sequel. Which of course leaves us looking forward again to the next exciting Oasis chapter.

http://www.oasisus.com

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The ‘dimly-lit confessions’ of ‘The Chorus Man’ has traces of the Screaming Trees, Joy Division

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Yves Villeneuve/The Chorus Man

The Chorus Man is a pretty cheerful title for an album that honestly should only be played with the lights out. Yves Villeneuve has a deep, raspy, blues-tinged voice that is reminiscent of Mark Lanegan, former lead singer of the Screaming Trees. Like Lanegan, Villeneuve sings from the gut, his brooding baritone rooted in some inner pain. With Villeneuve, his angst may stem from unrequited love as the slow-boiling songs
“I’m Sleeping Single in Love” and “Will She Say Hello Again” reveal. “Won’t forget your lovely face,” aches Villeneuve on “I’m Sleeping Single in Love.”

The music doesn’t shift in tone or style much as Villeneuve is locked in a fuzz-drenched groove throughout much of the CD. The distorted rocker “See River Flow (North)” is reminiscent of R.E.M.’s grungy makeover on their mid-’90s Monster album. “A Dream I Had Last Night,” consciously or not, owes a debt to Joy Division’s sinister post-punk rhythms. As you can tell from these descriptions, The Chorus Man isn’t packed with laughs; however, if you’re in the mood for dimly-lit confessions, you won’t find much better right now in the indie scene.

http://www.yvesvilleneuve.com

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Chad Kichula pays tribute to ‘Cool Hand Luke’ on Bruce Springsteen-ish EP

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Chad Kichula/World Shaker

Apparently the title cut of this three-track EP was inspired by the 1967 Paul Newman film Cool Hand Luke. Having not seen the movie since I was a child, I’m unable to identify the lyrical references to it but it might be noteworthy trivia to the enlightened. For the rest of us, its strengths lies in its Bruce Springsteen-ish rush of power acoustic riffs, electric sparks, and charging drums. It’s beefy Americana driven by Chad Kichula’s big, cocky voice. Sick of wuss rock? This is as macho as it gets without resorting to Metallica.

The two remaining tunes don’t pack the wallop of the single but they are nevertheless tasty meat-and-potatoes rock & roll. The violin-powered “Another Love” displays Kichula’s sensitive side, a pretty unplugged number that shifts to the subtle regions of Kichula’s vocals. “Gotta Hold on Me” is an upbeat number that might find a home on radio once the better cuts have run their course.

http://www.chadkichula.com

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The Tunes and Tones refreshen college rock with Strokes-like flair

Reviewed by Jack Richter

The Tunes and Tones/Apple

The Tunes and Tones have a sense of humor. They must. On the cover of Apple, the band is lying on the ground, staring intently at the record’s namesake. This is the first image a potential fan is greeted with, and perhaps in a case of irony, it suffers from a lack of tone depth.  Graphic design notwithstanding, the Tunes and Tones do express a gamut of color in the music. It’s just unfortunate that so many people are content basing their opinion on packaging.

Dressing their music with college-rock stylings a la the Strokes, the Tunes and Tones still manage to incorporate classic-rock influences.  The songs come in many different flavors, often creating an eclectic but confident sound. “Crazy Lady Yates,” for example, is delivered in a free-flowing manner reminiscent of Bob Dylan, whereas “Grease” is more redolent of the contemporary act Cake. Who said you can’t have your Cake and eat it, too? Lyrically, the band is unrestrained. Opening to applause, “Love Labels” tells a story of musicians unhindered by critics. “They said we were all folky/and that’s all we’d bring/I guess they’ll never grab our sound.” Regrettably, this is indicative of what the music industry has become. Unsurprisingly, though, the Tunes and Tones have the last say on the closing track, “Clubs are not as packed as back in the day/And all the record labels eat shit/I guess the music has lost its way.”

http://www.myspace.com/thetunesandtones

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‘American Idol’ veteran reveals broken heart on new CD

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Paul Marturano/Bucks County

Paul Marturano will perhaps be always known for his appearance on American Idol, singing his “Stalker” tune to Paula Abdul. But Marturano is surprisingly a fine pianist and a serious singer/songwriter, too. His 2007 release, Bucks County, is an emotionally involving collection of songs for the dumped. Drawing similarities with Billy Joel, Elton John, and Ben Folds, Marturano nevertheless crafts these tunes with his own seemingly heartbroken vision. The spiteful “Strings Attached” finds Marturano at the peak of his angst, yelling “You can take your love and shove it” with the wounded venom of somebody who isn’t putting up with any more shit. “Hello Again” details the ups and downs of an off-again, on-again relationship. “All You Have to Be” finds Marturano simply looking for the right girl and most likely not finding her.

Those expecting demented chuckles won’t find much of that here. Marturano is an excellent musician, though, and his piano playing can be quite cinematic, especially on “Strings Attached.” On “Me and Joe” and “The Man,” Marturano switches to Americana, complete with jangling guitars on the former. There’s more feeling on this record than anything you’ll hear on American Idol.

http://www.paulmarturano.com

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Nebraska-based rockers Garfan bring back memories of Alternative Nation

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Garfan/Family Affair

Nebraska-based modern rockers Garfan piece together parts of Alternative Nation past and present and manage to weave their obvious influences into something quite listenable. Vocalist Katie Preston is a bit of a chameleon, shifting singing styles depending on the varying directions of the band. Against a wall of guitar fuzz a la Smashing Pumpkins, Preston channels the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde on “I’ve Been Waiting,” delivering despondent lines like, “I’ve been waiting so long/For someone like you,” with palpable yearning. On “My Life,” Preston sounds eeriely similar to the late Patty Donahue of the Waitresses (“I Know What Boys Like”), offering New Wave swagger amidst the crunchy guitars. “Stand Up,” on the other hand, finds Preston in a feral mode not to far off from Blondie’s Deborah Harry (program “One Way or Another” after it).

Yes, Garfan are on the retro side but the kids probably won’t notice and certainly the grown-ups have an appetite for nostalgia that never seems to be satisfied. Certainly Garfan are an enjoyable alternative to the parade of pale-skinned emo wussies once cutting-edge radio stations are continuing to worship. The psychedelic riffs of “Deborah” and the slash-and-burn Pixies charge of “Of Course I Do” rock harder than much of what is selling at Hot Topic today.

http://www.garfan.com

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Steve Pichan’s ‘Am I Here Already?’ is ‘consistently superb’

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Steve Pichan/Am I Here Already?

I had become so fond of singer/songwriter Steve Pichan’s Am I Here Already? that actually writing about it proved to be somewhat difficult; after all, what new words could I use to praise a CD that is now so familiar to my ears? The last decade has seen artists that nobody has ever heard of, many of them musicians who once dreamed of a rock & roll life, releasing their material to the global online community. Of that constantly growing population, Pichan is among the best. Am I Here Already? is the kind of consistently superb record that can create positive competition between regional artists. In other words, it raises the bar in terms of songwriting, instrumentation, and singing. Pichan knocks this baby out of the park like Barry Bonds pounding a 100 mile-an-hour fastball.

Pichan grabs us quickly. The opening cut, “The Line (Voter’s Lament),” greets us with the same winter melancholy vibe that envelopes the pictures on the CD’s packaging. Set to twangy guitars and a shuffling beat, Pichan addresses the State of the Union, namely the confusion and lack of confidence felt by voters during the presidential election due to previous broken promises by politicians. “Tell me no lie/Tell me the truth/Tell me the things I can expect out of you,” Pichan sings, his voice carrying the weight of disillusionment. The powerful “Iron Man” is charged with images of 9/11: “Watch with unbelieving eyes/The scene as it unfolds/Bricks and steel fall from the sky.” The “Iron Man” of the title seems to represent everyday heroism, the courage that bursts from us during times of great tragedy.

Pichan’s haunting, pensive vocals are definitely in the mold of Neil Young, especially on the desolate “Mile” and “8th Day.” There isn’t a single tune here that I would throw off the island; it’s as close to perfection as it gets.

http://stevepichan.com

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Big Mountain bassist writes powerful single of peace

Reviewed by Kit Burns

The Billy David Band/”All I See Is Hate”

I am hearing a political subtext in the Billy David Band’s intriguing single, “All I See Is Hate.” Maybe it’s because of the upcoming presidential election, but “All I See Is Hate” seems to be acknowledging the hyprocrisy surrounding us, people pretending to care for others just so they could be voted into power. Written by Big Mountain bassist Lynn Copeland, “All I See Is Hate” will creep into your consciousness with its brittle acoustic guitars and brooding Days of the New-esque vocals. It has a timeless message of peace, which is sadly needed again in these violent times.

http://thebillydavidband.com

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‘Quietly pretty songs’ fill Frances Ancheta’s debut album

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Frances Ancheta/Now We’re Here

Filipino singer/songwriter Frances Ancheta may employ an acoustic guitar, but her quietly pretty songs are more coffeehouse pop than folk, which is fine with me. Given the glut of unplugged young lyricists out there, it’s not easy to encounter someone with a voice that is distinguishable from the crowd. At times Ancheta recalls Corrine Drewery of Swing Out Sister; an obscure reference, sure, but there’s no denying the similarity there, especially on “Coming Home.” “Coming Home” is also one of the tracks on the CD which may reel in indie geeks with an insatiable appetite for twee, especially those who love the sadly beautiful sentiments of the Sundays.

“School of Fish” is the most upbeat track on the album as Ancheta’s guitars have a spiky push. Much of the record, though, is rainy-day introspection, and Ancheta reveals her true influences by the perhaps unconsciously given English accents on “Hidden Song” and “Nothing Really Matters,” drawing close to the likes of Frente! and Morrissey. Ancheta offers pleasant summer afternoon listening that is an inviting respite from the noise of the underground.

http://www.myspace.com/francesancheta

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Feed the Need aim for tunefulness of the Beatles on highly melodic debut

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Feed the Need/Feed the Need

Feed the Need is a promising group of youthful musicians from New York. Unlike most other acts their age, Feed the Need look to older bands for inspiration and pretty much ignore the likes of Blink-182 and their pop-punk contemporaries. If Feed the Need can be compared to any contemporary act, it might be 311 minus the hip-hop flavas (replace the rap beats with ska and surf spice). The multi-part vocal harmonies of “Ride the Wave” suggest early R.E.M. but that might be pushing it considering how young these guys are.

“Ride the Wave” has a jazzy, laid-back groove that sets the band’s trademark style. The group continually produces highly melodic tunes throughout the CD that aim for the tunefulness of the Beatles, especially “In Flight” and “Sooner Than Later.” Two covers appear, Sugar Ray’s “Someday” and U2′s “Beautiful Day.” The Sugar Ray track is not much of a surprise; Feed the Need shares their sun-drenched island vibe although I’m not sure if the band is yet ready to reach the heights of U2 sonically yet. To the group’s credit, it’s their original material I keep returning to instead of the makeovers.

http://feedtheneedmusic.com

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