Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.7
New Rhodes - "Songs From The Lodge"I'd been familiar with this band since early on as my cohort was buying their 7 inch singles from almost the get go. What I heard on them was simply astounding. I hate to make this reference but there is no question this band has a sound and "feel" not dis-similar to the Smiths. There is an angst and forlorne quality about the songs tied to magical and inspiring musical tides that puts them far above the ordinairy, especially when sung by the unique and impassioned voice of lead Rhode James Williams. (click for interview) Their last single, From The Beginning was just such a whirlwind of emotion and guitar strings, however, like the Smiths and so many other greats of that period I believe this bands strong suit is singles and not albums. I say that because that track is not even on here, and much of the great material from earlier EP's is not either. That makes them very coveted releases and I can't stress your aquiring them as soon as you can because when they go, they don't get repressed like an album can. As far as this goes, while it is missing choice cuts it is still a fine work in it's own right. Some nods to the past are on here like the brilliant I Wish I Was You which team up with new classics like The History Of Britain and the sublime I'm Bored Of You. This band is a major spectacle, full of promise. This album is not, but it is damn close. My advice is to watch them very closely and pounce on every offering.
Label ~ Fabtone, 12 Tracks, 2006
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10+
Daniel Saturn - "Lakehill Soccer Association"Daniel has been a good friend of ours here since early on and rightly so. He makes some of the most enjoyable pop records of this era, and this, his third album is without question the pinnacle of his efforts to date. His debut was a meander thru lo-fi Beatle-esque 60's nostalgia, and on his second he opted for a more clean, modern kind of pop sound. On this (and much like Moi Caprice) he finds a median between those two and the results are a pure delight. This isn't strikingly recorded, and it's not completely compressed, it doesn't grab you instantly nor does it cause you immediate indifference. However after a few good listens the brilliance of his songsmanship shine thru like a beacon, the sheer catchiness of the whole thing becomes infectious and you simply want to listen to it over and over and over... Few people can pen pop songs this right sounding and so apparently effortlessly. (although Daniel might say it wasn't all that easy) But it sure sounds it. This is one of those cases I can honestly say that if you don't buy this record, what the hell are you doing here? You won't find better, and even if you like classic rock, trust me, you'll like this. A LOT. Amazingly it (and all of his others) can only be purchased in our Popsicle shop. Now get to it....
Label ~ Vladivostock, 11 Tracks, 2006
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.4
Billie The Vision... - "Where The Ocean Meets My hand"Well, I can't say this one is long overdue since we all were a bit behind on this band to begin with, so actually I was a bit surprised when this showed up in the old mailbox recently. This is the third effort from the band I have been most engrossed with lately, although I must say their spell is finally wearing off. On their debut they gave us one of the most impassioned looks at relationship angst probably ever assembled, and on their second they gave a glimpse into the life of a troubled trans-sexual. (Pablo Diablo) This time? This time I think Lars was almost happy. There's the odd pine for Lilly, the occasional mention of Pablo, but mostly the album is upward looking, viewing hope and happiness for once, and touring. In fact that might be the only flaw. We can hear countless songs about failed romance and it never tires, but countless songs about what happened when you were on tour (and there are a few on here) tends to become a night of family vacation slides at your Aunt Gladys house. "My goodness, is THAT the time...!". OK, I have to bust them a little because I was so glowing in the past. (nature must find balance) Still, it's a petty complaint. A more serious one is this seems to be trying to be a guitar oriented pop album, and in so doing a lot of their signature past sound (heartfelt viola, accordion, tom toms, trumpet) is mostly missing. Change is good, loss is bad, but over all this is a nice album with some very good songs, and only one or two that I could do without. It's in the Popsicle shop now and with summer just around the corner this is one of those albums for putting the top down and enjoying the drive.
Label ~ LWPTB, 13 Tracks, 2007
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 8.7
Penelopes - "Eternal Spring" This review is long overdue. I was sent some promos by Tatsuhiko Watanabe last year who not only runs Vaudevelle Park Records in Japan but has his own band, the Penelopes. He wanted to send me a copy of their new album, but I asked for their previous as well (I like to know where a bands been to judge where it's going) as well as another band on his label, and he was kind enough to send it all. This is a little hard to define musically, as his vocals and style reminds me a little bit of Arvidson (surprisingly deep but with a japanese accent) and the music wanders from 60's styled pop songs to 70's ballads. Band hints include (as mentioned) Arvidson, the Pearly Gatecrashers and some early synth pop. His vocals can be a bit hard to catch on a lot of the recording, and the swings of musicality don't help lend it any type of cohesion. Still, it has it's moments, is mostly indie poppish and I don't know if it's a translation issue or just good thinking but the songs have some odd titles such as Mrs.Meadow Rue and Carnival Of Slight. All in all, fairly interesting.
Label ~ Vaudeville Park, 15 Tracks, 2005
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.7
Penelopes - "Summerdew Avenue"This is the latest album by this band, and it shows a lot more cohesion, and borrows a lot more styles than the last one did. The opening intro to track two 1983 sounds for all the world like the Monochrome Set and the song is quite great. In fact it becomes clear quite quickly this is a much more polished affair. While his vocals are still a bit understated they are more clear, and while first impressions might lend you to dismiss this album, repeated listenings really show it for the unexpected gem it is. The songs are inspired, with borrowed sounds at times but done with unique melodies that sound like old friends. I really tried hard to get Luke to stock this and he would not. If you make enough of an uproar I know he will. Please send all letters of protest to his Popesmokes address listed in the popsicle shop.
Label ~ Vaudeville Park, 11 Tracks, 2005
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.5
Rhythm Fantasy - "World 2003"When perusing the Penelope clips when asked to review them I aslo heard clips from this band which I liked a lot, so I asked Tatsuhiko to include this which he did. Rhythm Fantasy are a 2 girl act delving in really catchy synth pop songs as well as more mature "Portishead" type ballads. Unlike most of the stuff sung in english from japan there is not really much of a hint of any accent to give their location away. (this could be a pro or con depending if you dig the accent) In fact even on songs like Dreaming Forever where they sing part of it in Japanese it sounds like a westerner singing Japanese. I suppose I can attrubute it to the fact that their voices are so well controlled. In other words, they have talent. This is quite a nice album that I have really enjoyed (if a bit short) and again, I could not get Luke to stock it. Include this in your complaint list to him.
Label ~ Vaudeville Park, 7 Tracks, 2003
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.9
Don Lennon - "Radical" This album represents I believe the fifth long player from this dislocated Massachussets youth and I have to say he never ceases to amaze. In the past I had sort of referred to him as americas musical answer to Jerry Seinfeld, which is still true, but I also think if Rushmores Max Fisher made a record this would likely be it. This thing is not only ecclectic and all over the place (with some songs divided by him having monologues with people telling stories) nobody could have pulled this off but him. He has the sort of winsome earnestness young Max Fisher does, and he's so engrossed in his "art" he doesn't think to worry if it works or not and as a result it somehow does. Whether the funk laced A Secret Band or the casually etherial and somewhat beautiful Our Bodies nobody else would or could write songs like this, and most especially pull them off. How does this compare to his past work? Having a band with him it's a bit fuller sounding musically, and I would perhaps say it has a more general "upbeat" pop sensibility to it. A number of the songs are, well, I won't say brilliant, you can decide that, but you'll be singing them all day I guarantee that. It gets a little slow towards the end but over all this is quite a solid effort and it appears his maturity and demensia are beginning to coalesce quite nicely indeed. Ich Liebe Don.
Label ~ Martin Philip, 14 Tracks, 2006
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.5
Wolfgang - "The Wicked Truth About Loving A Man"Shortly after receiving their debut EP this, their debut long player, arrived in my box. I should note (as I forgot to iin the other review) that both of these are produced in very nice packaging, a hard card stock fashioned like a book and this one going another mile by making a parody of one of my favorite art genres, the 50's pulp novel. (although I might have liked it more had the cover been something like "Wolfgang meets Aquapussy") Anyway, having just heard them there was little in the way of surprises here, and maybe that's my biggest complaint about this one. The debut EP seemed specifically to be an introduction to this man-machine and his broken heart and I was perhaps expecting both the song layout and structure to continue this saga and it doesn't. It's just an album of songs. I can't say if others will pick up on this or not, but I think I would rather they had tailored the songs entirely from the machines perspective. He IS the master of the music after all and I had become a slave to his "impulses". Still, this is probably just a petty gripe of mine and I only took a half a star away for it. If you are a fan of the genre I can't recommend this album (and EP) more. Without question one of the most unique, interesting and danceable discs to come around in some time.
Label ~ Hypnote, 14 Tracks, 2007
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10+
Wolfgang - "Not In Love (Not True) EP" This EP was brought to my attentions recently and I am certainly glad it was. There is no fact truer than as "modern" music progresses the less original the things we get dealt will be. Been there, seen it, done it and more importantly heard it. So when this landed in my lap I was quite taken aback. Why? In many respects it's one of the most refreshing things I have heard since perhaps the Flock Of Seagulls all those 27 or however many years ago that was already. Wolfgang is futuristic electro dance music, nothing really new about that, however in this case it's all sung by a robot. Whether it's entirely computer generated or they are running a humans voice thru a synthesizer the effect is the same: Wholly engaging. It's one of those moments when you stop and wonder why nobody did it before. Perhaps they did and it just didn't work. In this case however it's pure gold, and clocking in at nearly 18 minutes gives a lot of value for an EP. While it might seem that it would be annoying listening to a Stephen Hawking-esque pop star, they have done such an excellent job making the whole thing so real and natural that you not only quickly accept it, anything else would seem quite wrong. On top of all this the songs here are all top drawer, and two of them are not on the final LP making this one of those EP's you simply need to own.
Label ~ Hypnote, 4 Tracks, 2007
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