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| What's
on Disc by Thomas Schulte |
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| JULY
2002 REVIEWS >>>>>>>>>> |
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 One
& Twenty
I Don't Remember Falling
Falling Blakhol Records
http://www.one-and-twenty.com
One & Twenty is a quartet with a funky side to their rock-n-roll.
Featured in this ensemble is the powerful, soulful voice of vocalist
Carol Thomas. Thomas, a black woman and guitarist, takes One & Twenty
down an R&B-inspired style path not usually encountered in rock
groups. Having originally started as an acoustic outfit, I Don't
Remember Falling finds the group having entirely fallen in love
with electric rock and performing the original music boldly. If
Nina Simone, with a lyric similar to Thomas, had decided to go rock
and roll, the result would have been something like One & Twenty.
(3) |
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 Luciana
Souza
Brazilian Duos
Sunnyside
http://www.sunnysidezone.com
sunnyside@attglobal.net
http://www.LucianaSouza.com
Coming out of relative obscurity, Souza achieved widespread success
with critics viewing Brazilian Duos as an exquisite jazz
album. Part of the success may be Souza's realistic and natural
recording technique. Souza opted for an in-studio live recording
capturing all performers simultaneously along with the occasionally
pops and clicks that reverberate authenticity. Of course, it is
more talent that mere technique responsible here. Foremost are Luciana's
excellent vocals and lucid phrasing that draws the listener deep
into each track. Also, her vocals must and effectively do convey
the gentle swing to tehse melodies in the absence of a percussionist.
Also, the duo settings – Souza performs with three different acoustic
guitarists – makes the songs intimate, small and personal moments.
Especially notable is Marco Pereira whose 8-string abilities enrich
the music with a wider range of tones. There is a subtle bossa nova
influence arising from her songwriter parents. (Father Walter Santos
appears on the album.) Beside hereditary, there is content here
as Souza excellent gems from Jobim, Walter Santos and more for these
duo arrangements. (4.5) |
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The
Shangri-Las
Myrmidons of Melodrama
Cherry Red Records/RPM Productions
Combing their rare debut 45, several B-sides and unforgettable LP
cuts with a 4,800-word CD booklet, Myrmidons of Melodrama
is an incredible document of this female vocal group. With songs
like "Leader of the Pack" and "Give Us Your Blessings," the girls
were controversial and at the center of the teen "death-disc" phenomenon.
With tracks like the free and jazzy "Sophisticated Boom Boom" and
"Give him a Great Big Kiss" they were on the edge of stereo experimentation.
Admittedly, there recording career contains forgettable fluff. However,
Myrmidons of Melodrama compile the crème de la crème into one important
and memorable collection. (5) |
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Dana
Cunningham
Dancing at the Gate
RockingEchoMusic
http://www.danacunningham.com
Dancing at the Gate is a beautiful and soothing instrumental
piano album of a dozen tracks. Riding a wave of satisfying extra-Christian
spirituality, Dana enhanced her academic studies of piano with apprenticeship
in healing modalities at Esalen Institute along with Swedish massage
therapy and energy work. Dana's scintillating, impressionistic pieces
like "Light on Water" and "Wild Geese (in accordance with a poem
by Mary Oliver)" cleanse the mind with massaging energy. (4)
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 Voices
on the Verge
Live in Philadelphia
Slow River/Ryko
http://www.rykodisc.com
info@rykodisc.com
http://www.voicesontheverge.com
Voices on the Verge is an indie female songwriter supergroup composed
of Beth Amsel, Rose Polenzani, Jess Klein and Erin McKeown. The
success of an initial shared engagement led to a tour and now this
album where each artist gets to lead their own songs with the others
supporting. Primarily a vocal project with understated acoustic
guitar support, Live in Philadelphia is an exquisite document
of the experience that caused one message board posted to declare,
"RUN, do not walk, to this show." In this round robin of styles
the energy is kept high and especially noticeable is the '30's folksy
style song-pop of Erin McKeown as she uses the other ladies for
boogie-woogie backing. (5) |
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V
For Vendetta
Beneath this Mask Another Mask
Mr. Lady Records
http://www.mrlady.com
V For Vendetta offers a delicate and intricate math-rock with whispy
vocals subsumed into the angular guitar sounds. Those vocals lying
just beneath the surface are Michelle Marchese, singer for this
artful duo. Along with Cara Hyde, this group offers a spectrum of
configurations: We hear them in drums and guitar, drums and bass,
guitar and bass as well as two guitar and samples modes. All cuts
but the third track feature Michelle's vocals as suitable juxtaposition
adding warming the mechanical delivery. The female duo have strong
feelings on philosophy and the politics of perception if one listens
close enough, there's a world of thought on Beneath this Mask
Another Mask. Comparison to the Spinanes is a good reference
point for this Providence, Rhode Island group that began realizing
their personal math-rock vision in 1998. While there is something
melancholy and serious about the mood of this disc, V is for Vendetta
do manage a larger-that-duo sound when they intensify their playing
and begin to recall classic prog-rock sounds. While they never come
close to a King Crimson assault, they should maintain the interest
of even zealots for that high water mark in the genre. (3.5)
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 Florence
Dore
Perfect City
Slewfoot Records
http://slewfootrecords.com
The back of this album shows Florence Dore in between shelves of
library books. This is rather fitting because she is a professor
of American literature, specializing in Faulkner. Perhaps this academic
is part of her remarkable way with words. These memorable, if often
melancholy, lyrics are showcased on an excellently engineered album
produced by guitarist Eric "Roscoe" Ambel (Steve Earle, Bottle Rockets,
Blood Oranges). The tough country rock behind her is a nice juxtaposition
to her Lucinda Williams-style falsetto. Much of that toughness comes
from the power beats of drummer Dennis Diken (The Smithereens).
(4) |
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_________________________________
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DID
YOU MISS ANY OF TOM SCHULTE'S REVIEWS?
BACK ISSUES:
1999
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AUGUST | SEPTEMBER
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2000
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MAY | JUNE
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2000 |
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_________________________________
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Outsight
brings to light non-mainstream music, film, books, art, ideas and
opinions.
Published, somewhere, monthly since July 1991. Feel free to re-print
this article.
Ratings are (1) = :(, (5) = :)
"Don't be normal, be natural!"
Visit or Join Outsight's Web ring: http://d.webring.com/hub?ring=music1432
Outsight Radio Hours Webcasts
Sundays 6pm-8pm EST @
http://www.outsight.mu
NEW MAILING ADDRESS:
Tom 'Tearaway' Schulte,
5224 Shoreline Blvd.,
Waterford, MI 48329-1670
E-mail Outsight at: outsight@usa.net
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_________________________________
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Get audiobooks through http://www.audible.com.
If you sign up, tell 'em "tearaway" sent you so I get a free book!
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