Kai Danzberg “Rockshow”
Germany’s wunderkind Kai Danzberg has proven to be a musician with a flair for the dramatic as he starts his fresh album “Rockshow,” with a fantasy concert motif. The title track is catchy, well written, and recalls his earlier material. But this isn’t a concept album. It’s more a collection of dynamic singles. The bouncy love song “You & Me” and “Living Room” are great examples of Kai as the impulsive romantic, bursting with optimism to the beat. Adding more horns and layered vocals and we get the dense melody of “Waiting For You,” and it’s a big highlight here. The ELO and Jellyfish influences are also still there, as “Making It Right” jumps out of the speakers with those sparkling harmonies assisted by Dana Countryman.
“Oh, Girl” is a jazz-themed torch song with assistance from Drake Bell that features solid musicianship, but it feels a little out of place. Kai has always added great ballads to his albums and “Undone” certainly is another highlight. For variety, there are funky disco beats on the dance track “Magic Night.” Overall this is a wonderful album that deserves multiple listens so check it out. Highly Recommended.
Honeywagen “Halfdog”
Its been a few years since Honeywagen’s Jamboree, but these veteran musicians from Kansas City are back showing off their Midwestern vintage rock style. Starting with “For Love” it features catchy guitar riffs, harmonies, and compelling jangling rhythm. The Rickenbacker jangle continues with the roots-influenced “Anywhere The Wind Blows.” Guitarists Mike Penner and Scott Christensen play so well off each other, it makes “All That Matters” a solid love song, and the end solo complements the melody perfectly. The tempo slows for “Running Out Of Time,” with more of country-rock feel, and and “Maybe Maybe Not” brings to mind mid-70s classic rock, like Traffic.
“On The Beach” is a simpler Beatlesque sort of tune with a descriptive lyric, but a big highlight is “All The Little Things” with a stronger melody and bigger hook – it’s my favorite track. When they don’t overthink the lyrical story (“The Waitress”) and let the band cut loose, its a much better listening experience. That said, fans of The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Grip Weeds will enjoy this band. Highly Recommended.