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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‘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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Singer/songwriter Tj Sherrill embodies real spirit of Seattle

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Tj Sherrill/High Horse

Seattle singer/songwriter Tj Sherrill deserves the “post-grunge” tag much more than wanna-be’s (and never-will-be’s) such as Nickelback and 3 Doors Down. The difference isn’t just about geographical location. Just because Sherrill is based in Seattle doesn’t instantly earn him street cred; after all, Candlebox, the first of the grunge poseurs, lived in the Emerald City, too (albeit transplants). In terms of his honest lyrical content and no-frills approach to music, I’d say he embodies the spirit of Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder than most of today’s husky-voiced ’90s-washed rockers.

Considering that much of Sherrill’s work is acoustically based, comparing him to the grunge ancestry of his hometown may seem a little odd. But real fans of grunge know that it wasn’t just about the distortion and feedback. Relatively quiet moments such as Nirvana’s “Polly” and Pearl Jam’s “Immortality” struck as sharp a nerve as those bands’ loudest moments. “I need you to know all my pain,” Sherrill sings on “No Where,” and his raspy, wounded voice is refreshingly real in a landscape of bogus angst. The title track opens slowly the picks up speed with its deceptively upbeat keyboards as Sherrill spits out, “A long way down from the high horse/That you call your opinion.” The acoustic guitars are tuneful but spiky, and that’s how they’ve always brewed it in Seattle.

http://www.tjsherrill.com

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Steven Palmer soothes the ears with folk, blues, and even jazz on ‘Morning Road’

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Steven Palmer/Morning Road

You feel at home listening to the music of Steven Palmer. It has a cozy, soothing quality, like the soundtrack of childhood memories, voices from the past given a ghostly spell from the years gone by. On the opening title cut, Palmer sounds like three of the most popular singer/songwriters of all time – John Denver, Dan Fogelberg, and James Taylor – in one song. His voice shifts emotions throughout the track, but the consistency of his heart never wavers. Erynn Marshall’s fiddle soars on “Going Home” as Palmer’s warm vocals are pushed to the front of the mix. I’m reminded of another acoustic icon, Gordon Lightfoot. Palmer has exquisite taste in influences if my ears are accurately pinpointing them.

Palmer is a terrific guitar player, most often aiming for cinematic prettiness as on “Educated Touch,” wherein you can savor every affectionate moment of his 12-string. Although Palmer’s foundation is in acoustic folk, he never limits himself to it, flirting with jazzy sensibilities on “I’m in Love” and the blues on “Walk On.” He covers the multiple genres so well that you can easily imagine him recording a separate album for each one. 

http://www.spmusic.ca

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‘Adapt’ expresses innermost emotions through gorgeous acoustic instrumentals

Reviewed by Kit Burns

Trace Bundy/Adapt

Trace Bundy’s art is music without words; he speaks through his acoustic guitar, letting each string express his innermost emotions. But don’t expect Adapt to be an album of dry, paint-by-numbers instrumentals. There is real passion here and true artistry as well. Bundy isn’t just playing his guitar; he is illustrating pictures with it, telling stories with every pick of the string. What tales those are depends on the power of your imagination. However, Bundy’s songs are so compelling that it doesn’t take too much effort to let the images unreel in your mind.

On “Bristlecone” and “Dueling Ninjas,” Bundy gradually builds up tempo until he is jamming with the manic energy of the possessed. I’m reminded of Dave Matthews’ most spellbinding moments. “Dueling Ninjas” is rips through the speakers with its furious twanging, and the crystalline production enables you to hear every funky chord. It is, to put it simply, utterly smoking. By the title track, Bundy starts to slow it down; nevertheless, the results are equally if not more powerful. The introspective “Stone’s Serenade” is a dazzler, a spider’s web of acoustic strings and lovelorn violin. “Patanga” continues the voyage inward, brimming with moody atmospherics. You don’t need lyrics with music this gorgeous, and even words aren’t enough to describe how pretty it all is.

http://www.tracebundy.com

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