LATE JULY REVIEWS
by Mike Baron
BEACHWOOD SPARKS: The Tarnished Gold (Sub Pop)
Beachwood Sparks’ 2000 self-titled release was the best extension of Workingman’s Dead/American Beauty type music at the time. They followed this neutron bomb with a series of duds, but now they’re back. The Tarnished Gold finds the boys once again on top of their game doing for the Dead what Explorers Club has done for the Beach Boys. The slyly languid music offers a burnished bronze glow in keeping with the title, constantly shuffling the pedal steel, banjo, guitar and mouth harp in new and surprising ways. “Forget the Song” lines up hooks and riffs like Minnesota Fats demonstrating a trick shot. “Sparks Fly Again” offers irresistible West Coast twang with a touch of Byrdsian chime. Melodic invention and pedal steel rule “Mollusk. “Water From the Well” is more sui generis combining a bracing mountain stream with slow muscular churn.
“Talk About Lonesome” is a sweet, seductive juggernaut while “Leave That Light On” references the Beach Boys in the swooning chorus. “The Orange Grass Special” offers a righteous dose of newgrass gospel and “Goodbye” offers a Bach-like coda.
Four and a half stars.
EYTAN MIRSKY: Year of the Mouse
Mirsky writes killer power pop and studio genius Jon Gordon supplies most of the instrumentals. The record has a remarkably consistent sound all the way through and you can clearly hear every word. Gordon also produced Marco Joachim’s Hidden Symphonies. “This Year’s Gonna Be Our Year” is softly charging rock and rue with hand-claps and a Dick Dale undertow. Rue rules “The Weed In Your Garden,” good bones, about unrequited love. Gordon brings a little Nashville to the guitars. “Positive Energy” is Power Pop 101 from the same school that produced the Cars and the Rubinoos. “Split In Two” is a viscerally compelling, instantly memorable song about getting it on. “I Know Victoria’s Secret” is like Bowie in subject matter and tone although you couldn’t imagine two more different singers.
“Another Walk or Two” is stompin’ Gin Blossoms that stops dead for the fateful beat of the clock before roaring back to life. “What You Don’t Want” reminded me of Broken Promise Keepers–that type of elemental but satisfying theme/chorus/bridge. “A Little Heartache” sounds like a Hank Williams song and Mirsky gives it the Williams treatment. “Growing Up” is a rueful medication and childhood that hits the bullseye.
Four and a half stars.
SIDEWALK SOCIETY: Venus, Saturn and the Crescent Moon (Grandioso)
This West Coast trio sounds larger than it is because the three principles are all lead singers and multi-instrumentalists. Their website claims the Kinks and Small Faces as influences to which I would add the Jefferson Airplane, Zombies, Spirit, Quicksilver Messenger Service and the High Dials. If psychedelic rock turns you on, prepare to tune in and drop out. The songwriting is masterful, slipping from major to minor keys with slippery abandon. The arresting “If Only” reeks of Britpop, specifically the Zombies but with echoes of more modern outfits such as the High Dials and Trolley “Nice Boys” is a sputtering, stuttering smoke snake anaconda that writhes along on Dan West’s muscular bass. That bass is in your face, as is Dan Lawrence’s masterful guitar.
“Abby Chatsworth” is more in the Spirit/Airplane vibe with a massive Kaukonen-like guitar solo. The boys even do an “East/West”-like instrumental raga with “Shadows of the Sky” that doesn’t outwear its welcome. “I Let Her Get Away” is more in the Paul Revere/Knickerbockers mode. “In Refrain” closes on a high note.
Five stars.
As always, my website is www.bloodyredbaron.net
