BLOODY RED BARON

August reviews

by Mike Baron

BLUE CARTOON:  Are You Getting On? (Aardvark)

            This Texas quintet has been producing melifluous pop rock, equal parts crunch and spaciness since the eighties.  Their wide range of influences has led them in many directions, often at the same time, but Are You Getting On exhibits a new cohesiveness–or perhaps there is simply such a wealth of material here that it wins you over.  The record is over seventy minutes and some of the latter tracks run in excess of eight.  The title track is blues-tinged starship with guitar thrusters.  Jefferson Airplane and Pink Floyd hover over much of this material in fresh ways, particularly the Floydish “Gray Horizon.”  “Only Cowboy In Timbuktu” is instantly memorable Americna that moseys off into the sunset.

            Flutes give “Pity Party” a Seatrainish feel and there is more than a touch of Jellyfish in “Dreams of You.”  “Light Age” is something out of Yes while “High Desert Suite” more than lives up to its name with a pinch of Jellyfish, Brian Auger and Crosby, Stills and Nash in the harmonies.  Good groovin’.

            Four and a half stars.

ANNY CELSI: January (Ragazza)

            A Laurel Canyon vibe hovers over Celsi’s latest, a mellow blast of gently rocking folk/rock filled with subtle hooks and elegant instrumental flourishes.  “Au Revoir” hooks you right away.  The hooks are subtle but there are a lot of them, like Velcro.  The flute on “Travelogue” summons Canned Heat’s “Goin’ Up the Country” and the folk/rock group from Bullitt.  The papa-oo-mau-mau backing chorus adds some surf.  “Ghosts In the Room” is another cornucopia of sneaky hooks with Ivan Pyzow’s George Martin-esque trumpet. 

            “Sank Without a Bubble” is sly Americana with a dash of John Denver.  You can easily hear Denver singing any of these songs but Anny sings them better. 

            Four stars.

GARY RITCHIE: Drake Near the Alley (Fancy Two/Tone)

            Ritchie hits the sweet spot on the first track and never lets up.  Drake hums and throbs like the best of Shoes or Dwight Twilley sustaining an incandescent power pop mood.  Ritchie’s got that knack for hooks that are both surprising and logical.   “Total domination from the English boys/We were glad all over they made a joyful noise,” he sings on “Hum, Sing and Repeat,” which sums up the record.  Jeff King’s guitar hovers over these songs like God’s flaming finger.  Like the Toms or classic Shoes there are no weak tracks.  Influences sometimes peak through the curtains but Ritchie’s got his own sound.

            “Woman Oh Woman” could have been a Cars hit with Ritchie’s Ocasek-like vocal.  The Yardbirds are in a “Tailspin,” with its rawer bluesy approach and King’s insistent guitar.

            Four and a half stars.

NICK PIUNTI:  13 In My Head

            13 In My Head burns like a Roman candle, brimming with songcraft, hooks, and bridges,  This is mostly Piunti and percussionist Donny Brown with assistance from friends including Andy (American Underdog) Reed and producer Geoff Michael.  Piunti has a uniquely American take on power pop with a melodic sensibility not unlike Greg Pope or Kurt Baker.  It just keeps comin’ atcha and comin’ atcha until you have no choice but to bop ’til you drop.  The tunes are sticky in the best possible way.

            “Good Thing Going” is typical of Piunti’s work with its elegant chord changes, weeping guitar and hortatory power riffing.  The hypnotic drone of “We’ll Be Together” recalls the Resonars.  Tell me “Farewell, Goodbye” didn’t come off Spilt Milk?  While not as lush as Spilt Milk, 13 beats with the same heart.

            Five stars.