It’s hard to believe, but musician Will Owsley is reported to have killed himself. He was currently working as a touring guitarist for Amy Grant and had a Grammy award for his solo power pop effort “Owsley.” This was followed up by the 2003 disc, The Hard Way. It’s a real shame if he’s really gone — a talent of Will’s caliber doesn’t come along every day. Condolences to the Owsley family.
Farrah "Swings And Roundabouts"
One of my favorite bands, Farrah with their latest single, “Swings And Roundabouts” — a new self titled album coming out very soon. Don’t miss it. A review is coming, but for those in the know check it out.
Aaron Fox & the Reliables "Late Too Soon"
Aaron Fox & the Reliables started as a collaboration between Aaron Fox, guitarist and singer/songwriter, and guitarist Mike Burns. Influences here are REM, Wilco, Crowded House, and Tom Petty and the album takes off with the jangle pop of “Over Again” similar to the Gin Blossoms. “False Alarm” continues the catchy standard rock vibe and “Get Down” sounds closer to those nineties indie college bands I loved back in the day. The production and musicianship are both first class here. A real gem buried in the middle of the album is the bouncy “Too Tired For Sleep,” with a great chorus and strong guitar solo during the break. Unfortunately Fox’s vocals aren’t that distinguished and the remaining songs don’t have the hooks required to hold my attention, much less repeat listens. The Midwestern roots stylings dominate the albums second half, and a few songs drag on over five minutes. This band has a lot of potential, so I think some classic rock enthusiasts will be more forgiving than I am. A noteworthy debut.
The Greatcoats "s/t"
Texas designer David Tenczar chucked the grey corporate advertising world to form his dream band, The Greatcoats. And what a dream it is, full of authentic melodies, double tracked harmonies and catchy hooks all over his debut release. David uses vintage instruments and uptempo beats, and his voice on the a cappella chorus of “Birdsong”is impressive. The guitar strum and vocals on “Come Up and See” are almost a dead ringer for Allan Clarke of The Hollies. The reverence for classic British pop is further evidenced by the inspiring “In England.” The soaring folk pop of “Slow Me Down” is another polished gem that comes closer to Wilco or Ben Kweller with a retro fetish. “Face” is another mid-tempo song that builds along to a strong chorus and is a favorite as well. A simple guitar jangle usually starts off the song, and on “My Dear” it harkens back to those mid-70s singer-songwriter classics. The party atmosphere and descriptive “Lady Lampshade” serves as a study of David’s mastery of melody and lyric. Not a single bad song here, as the atmosphere is mostly cheerful and laid back. He excels with the intimate pop songs, and is less successful with the more commercial sounding “Stop,” but that’s a minor speed bump here, he wraps it all up with the expansive sound of “The Scarce Few.” One of the more inspired debuts this year.
Rob Laufer "The Iron Age" and "Excruciating Bliss"
Rob Laufer “The Iron Age”
Rob Laufer is an L.A. session man who’s played with Frank Black, Fiona Apple, George Martin, Johnny Cash, Shawn Colvin and others. He’s also on his fourth album (see below) but The Iron Age really propelled him into the spotlight. Laufer has an uncanny melodic nature and the opener “Starstuff” compares well with Todd Rundgren. This is followed by the stunner “Did You See Her Dance,” a near perfect pop single lead by a solid guitar riff. Laufer’s approach is also a wistful acoustic pop similar to David Mead or The Finn Brothers on “Mr. Perry.” But the impressive high energy melodies are all over tracks like “Inside Story” and “Open” in between the slower tunes, like the easy listening gem “Backseat.” The double tracked guitar melodies in “Car Crash Boyfriend” is another highlight, and the Kinks-related “In the Frame” was tailor-made for an HP commercial that previously used Davies’ “Picture Book” as the theme. A really good album by an underrated musician, who deserves more attention.
Rob Laufer “Excruciating Bliss”
On his latest disc, Laufer plays bit more somber here, with the psychedelic “Come On Sunshine” melody phasing in and out. The track “New Life” is like a Beatles-styled blues pop with a wicked bridge and one of the album highlights. The emotional exasperation comes through on the McCartney-like “Faith.” The theme of frustration reaches it’s apex on “Falling Birds,” a sensitive ballad in the Harry Nilsson mold, sung with hushed whispers. With the exception of “Mary Entertaining” much of the remaining album is decidedly downbeat. The influences here are more Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and Mark Knopfler and that’s just fine with me. There are some musical excursions here that aren’t that memorable, but the music doesn’t get stale either. “Tears of Home” is a winning example of a piano led song that is equally sad as it is compelling.