BITS AND PIECES

Heard about The World Record (www.theworldrecord.net) on the net and asked Andy Creighton to send me a copy of Guitars Forever.  This 2006 release is a stunner from the get-up-and-shake-it opener of “We’re #1” all the way through.  Creighton has a gift for simple but memorable riffs and he never stints on the hooks.  “Get Up Star” burrows its way into your skull like the Stuxnet worm.  The whole album is consistently rockin’ and hook-ridden.  Now The World Record is recording a new album and I can hardly wait.

The new Chris Alvy Band: Art Noise arrived yesterday.  The band (www.ChrisAlvyBand.com) is now a quintet with the addition of Fernando (Dreaming In Stereo) Perdomo on guitar and Ana Valenzueala on keyboards.  On first listen this is a fantastic record with major power pop chops.  Full review to follow.  Alvy says, “We literally we recorded it in less than a month…..took about 4 sessions for actually tracking.”

I learned about Todd Dillingham from Bill (The Foreign Films) Majoros.  Dillingham, a multi-instrumentalist, is what the Brits would call a “staggering oddist.”  Songcycle 2011 consists of two tracks, the 32 minute “Songcycle” and the 6 1/2 minute “Songcycle Suite.”  Todd writes:

“Songcycle 2011 was first conceived in the summer of 2010…it was always my intention to have each part blend into another.  Most of the tunes were composed and/or recorded in 2010.  The orchestrations were added at the end.  My audience has been the underground/psych/prog people who have been buying my work since my first releases in 1991 on the voiceprint label and 7 other labels.  The first pressing of the cd has sold out so it is now being repressed and also will be made available as high quality downloads in february possibly.  As far as more commercial stuff, my past work is very eclectic so many genres of music have been incorporated  but I’m mostly influenced by stuff from 1966/1979 era.  When i lived in London I did 2 Boston Tea Parties with the Bevis Frond and other acts and a few more gigs.”

Explorers Club is offering three free suites through amazon.  The suites, which incorporate such classic pop as “Hitchin’ a Ride,” “Stormy,” and “Walk On By,” are the stuff of pop dreams.  Cannot wait for this visionary band to drop their new record.  Their Freedom Wind was my number one record in ’08.

Caught Solera and Nautical Mile (www.nauticalmileband.com) last night at Fort Collins’ Mid-Town Arts Center.  Solera is an instrumental trio at present with awesome chops.  The interplay between guitarist and bassist reminded me of King Crimson.  They are looking for a singer and when they find one they’re going to be awesome.

Nautical Mile played a short but lively set featuring music from their Invisible Ink EP.  Initially singer Janaya Spins’ vocals were lost in the mix but they gradually brought her up until you could almost make out the words.  The interplay between guitarists Jacob Putnicki and James Anderson is Stones-like in its intensity.  With three dudes playing strings, you’d think at least one of them could sing harmony.  The band possesses terrific dynamics but often lacks hooks, which would involve a second or third chord.  In any case, this is a band to watch.