October 2022 REVIEWS
by Mike Baron
THE SUN SAWED IN ½ – Before The Fall (Kool Kat)
Sun has been around since 1990, but like the monsters in Alien, Splice, and Life, it keeps evolving, and now it has achieved its ultimate form. Unlike the monsters, it is dazzling, beautiful, irresistible, or as Aaron Kupferburg observed, “They have out jellyfished Jellyfish.) This compilation of three digital Eps explodes with harmony on every track. Led by singer Doug Bobenhouse, harmonies radiate from every song, often with orchestration as on “Softaway,” with its vibes-like keyboards. “Sirens,” with its spy chords and Bryan Scary bones, has that vibe-like sound dancing in the upper register. Prog abounds, as on “Cat’s Away” harmonies dazzling like a bird of paradise. Stunning harmonies are mostly MIA in pop music these days, but Sun provides enough for everybody. “Call For A Good Time” recalls Magical Mystery Tour in the arrangement, and when the chorus modulates from minor to major, you swoon. You can listen to this record over and over and hear something new each time.
Tim Rose: “It was three long years of writing and arranging. I had written more than 60 songs and Doug, Ken Kase and I whittled it down to 20. I also tried a new songwriting technique I developed where I write a song and record a demo. Then for the next 5 days I gut the melody and come up with 5 totally different melodies over the chord structure. Then, pick the one that is the best. It was really interesting to see how it developed over the week into 5 totally different songs. After I chose the one with the best melody, I wrote the lyrics and finished the demo. I took the rough to our drummer and recorded him first, then laid down the guitars, keys, bass, etc. Took it down to Chicago for Doug to sing or St. Louis for Dave and Ken Kase to sing. We did a ton of backing vocals and used a number of singers including Lisa Mychols on two songs. It was a really fun project. Now, I’m putting together a new album of 12 songs that I may do as a Sun album but I want to sing most of them myself as they’re more personal. The only song I did lead vocals on Triptych was Good King of the Summer.”
JELLY FOX: Holy Moly (Kool Kat)
Jelly Fox is Nashville-based Mathew Payne Thompson, and Holy Moly is another Lockdown recording. One of the few bright spots in these lockdowns are the astonishing records released by musicians with time on their hands. Thompson’s songs have an effortless melodic flow that is simultaneously vivacious and weighty, highly addictive melodies with sixties touches, like the Henry Mancini-like flourishes on “Fade Away,” which sounds like it came from an Italian romantic comedy. That instrumental fanfare you might hear walking past the Brill Building in 1968. With its light R&B groove, “I Was So Wrong” has some Wham DNA, but Thompson’s a better writer and finds unexpected bridges and hooks. A whiff of “Spanish Harlem” emerges on “Dog Days,” gone in an instant. “Missingno” begins with a fanfare like Ed James’ “Welcome To The Show,” and has that Mancini touch. “Lavendar Day” explodes into dreamy harmonies like latter day Rascals. An astonishing debut.
AIRPORT 77s: We Realize You Have A Choice (JEM)
Some bands, like The Posies and Redd Kross, hit the ground running. Airport 77s is one of those bands, and an example of how a trio can maximize their sound to sound much bigger than they are, like Rush or Supergrass. Drummer John Kelly, guitarist Andy Sullivan, and bassist Chuck Dolan all sing, all harmonize. Sullivan’s felicitous riffing finds a distinctive groove on every song, and their stuttering vocals on “Birthday Girl” make this the best birthday song since “They Say It’s Your Birthday” and Kokomo’s “Happy Birthday.” Don’t know who sings what, but the falsetto on “The Illustrated” would do Smoky Robinson proud, and Dolan’s high-singing bass on “All Torn Up Over Tina” sticks in your head. Highly recommended.
LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: Handclaps & Tambourines (Big Stir)
More cohesive then their previous, the Librarians’ Mike Crooker and Ray Carmen harmonize on every song, sounding a lot like Teenage Fanclub, except for the minor key “Ghost Singer,” which recalls 20/20. The harmonizing approaches Hollies territory on “Last Days of Summer.” The truth in advertising title of this record emerges on several songs, such as in “When We Were Young.” This is all chiming jangle with no filler.
MARK PREY AND THE HUNTERS: Pictures In The Sky
Straight up rock with great riffing from the leader, as on “Orion Sky,” with its hyper-thyroid bassline and the lyric, “Live free and die hard.” Only four songs but they’re all home runs. “Cepheus Rex” is a proggy stomper with the bass front and center, reminiscent of Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Tarkus. “Alter (sic) Of The Kings” is a variegated rocker that veers into country rock, particularly the Eagles. They have a huge sound for a trio, plus one, singer David Brooks.
