NOVEMBER 2019 REVIEWS
by Mike Baron
SCOTT GAGNER: Hummingbird Heart
Intricate, multi-layered pop craft brimming with fresh chords, starting with the Tal Bachman-ish “Bella,” with its head-snapping bridge. Ballad “Baby Gets What Baby Wants” is a fully-realized sit-com premise with a great hook, reminiscent of Captain Wilberforce. Gagner is a sharp observer, as in “Other People” and “Weeping Willow.” Every one of these songs is begging to be adopted by a sit-com. The pastoral title track edges into Christopher Cross territory, but banks harder into the wind. “Two Guitars, Bass, and Drums” is wrapped in an amber glow like a Terry Redlin painting.
Elements of John Hiatt, Jackson Browne, Steven Stills, but Gagner is his own man.
THE GOTHAM ROCKETS: Blast Off (Rum Bar)
Populist rockers in the vein of John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. There will be inevitable comparisons to Springsteen due to Steve Greenfield’s sax work, but really, these guys are doing the work Springsteen should be doing had he not been sidetracked years ago into “relevance.” “Bad With Girls” explodes with ineluctable beat and soaring backing vocals “What’s Done Is Done” has the jittery rhythm of 20/20, but major chord happiness and a lethal hook. “Rip This Night” has rockabilly roots and punk energy. Four killer songs. Can’t wait for the album.
THE SHAKE UPS: Meddling Kids (Murkta)
The Shake Ups draw inspiration from a bouillabaisse of pop culture, especially children’s television and comic books. Their lyrics are filled with comic book characters and tropes, as in “Squirrels Rising” which calls out Squirrel Girl, and the minor key, dynamic title track, which is dedicated to Scooby Doo.
I would have gotten away with it if not for all you meddling kids, ah-ah-ah I would have gotten away with it if not for all your meddling You are such meddling, you are such meddling kids
“For the Honor of Grayskull:” My friends call me Adora but I’m better known as She-Ra And I have a destiny to protect Etheria Fighting oppression with my allies, all together In our darkest hour
Patrick O’Connor sings like he’s cooing to a room full of pre-schoolers. This is munchkin-voiced fraggle rock with good dynamics and harmonies. Kids will love this, and their parents might too. It certainly encourages loud singalongs in cars.
KURT BAKER COMBO: Let’s Go Wild (Wicked Cool)
Kurt Baker is an earthquake. Let’s Go Wild shakes your bones. This is the aural equivalent of sitting in an Indy car during the race. Plimsouls intensity and propulsion recall Cheap Trick and Supergrass, as on “Cheeky Stuff.” Sam Malakian’s boisterous drums light up “No Fun At All.” “Beg to Borrow” is begging for a Graham Parker cover. “Let’s Go Wild” is a bucking bronco instrumental. “Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn Ya” is more full bore Cheap Trick style, while “Yesterday Today” reminds me of Elvis Costello, but Baker is his own man with a distinctive voice. Don’t do meth, or put this on your car stereo.
MARK PREY AND THE HUNTERS: Drive
Oregon-based singer songwriter Prey is a jack of all trades and master of the guitar. Sings good too. There are really only two hunters, Prey and everything plus the rhythm Michael Armstrong. The Hunters tear through ten songs that touch on Dire Straits and Southern rock, the riff in “Bow Down To You” reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Prey’s guitar sounds a little like Stevie Ray Vaughan, a little like Duane Allman, but his mastery includes banjo on “Sad Day” and “Three Sheets to the Wind.” “Drive” is the closer, the perfect soundtrack to a midnight run. With banjo.
THE LAISSEZ FAIRS: Marigold (Rum Bar)
Minor key psychedelia in three minute bursts like reduced Shakespeare applied To Their Satanic Majesties Request, with flashes of prog rock. VEGAS? THEY LIVE IN VEGAS? Never mind. They summon shimmering misty green glades in Albion. We covered Cromm Fallon’s solo earlier, this is he and his brother John with Joe Lawless. John’s fuzz bass sings on “Phantom Stranger.” “My Thursday Girl” is Brit Pysche in the Spring tradition, with synth flute. “For You To Know” is fuzzed out and sitarish, while “Your Love Or Hate” summons the ghost of the late great Spring. (I thought I was ordering Brian Wilson’s Spring. Instead, they sent me Brit prog rock record the seventies, and you know what? It’s great!) So are the Laissez Faire! Brooding keyboards dominate “Dirty Alice Jones,” while the mini-suite “Firebyrd” dazzles with a baroque chamber music prog rock break in the middle before it returns to full gallop.
