We start our November selection with the welcome return of Shake Some Action‘s “Break It Down,” it’s a slow-burning hook that sticks in your head quickly. The Thin Cherries are a Chicago band with a little more alt. rock feel, and the jangle band *repeat repeat gives a freebie that’s pretty cool with a nice beat. However, the best freebie of this month is the work of Orbis Max; as he collaborates with some of my favorite artists like Danny Wilkerson, Lannie Flowers, Ed Ryan, Lisa Mychols, and more. Adam Marsland has remixed and remastered his final album, The Owl and The Full Moon, and Beach Boys fans will want to soak that in. UK singer-songwriter John Myrtle has that retro-pop vibe with a great ballad “Get Her Off My Mind,” check out the entire LP for more. Kansas City’s Eggs on Mars serves up a smooth EP that boasts Midwestern charm and hooks, and Toronto’s Claude Kent (aka Clockwise) delivers an EP that reminds me of early Joe Jackson, full of sweet pop hooks.
Farewell, Billy Hinsche.
I am very saddened by the passing of Billy Hinsche. He was a multi-instrumentalist and solid talent who earned fame with the pop band Dino, Desi, and Billy in the 60s and later joined the Beach Boys as a session musician. I was honored to have interviewed him back in 2009.
Rest in Peace, Bill.
David Brookings and The Grip Weeds
David Brookings “Mania at the Talent Show”
David Brookings has continued to grow musically over the years, and with his latest Mania At The Talent Show, he’s still telling stories that resonate. “Hard Times” reflects on the COVID fueled era of anxiety. On “Keep It Real” he settles in with a laid-back catchy rhythm as he touches on some of his favorite Western pop culture icons growing up (Outlaw Josey Wales, Gunsmoke), and then he slows down even more on the sleepy jangling “Driving to Ojai.” The California vibe is strong with this one, as well as other tracks. And David’s humor is sharp as ever on the bouncy “Women of L.A.” about women “going to the vending machine to pick out a new face.”
Other standouts include “One of Us Is Crazy (The Other One Is Me),” “Get Off (My Mind),” and “Kill Shot.” The longer form story-song “Mania at The Talent Show” is a lively tale of catching “rock star” mania with catchy hooks that chug along. Some tunes are more atmospheric and less compelling (“Words Come Back To Haunt You” and “Hide Your Crazy”) but this doesn’t throw the album off track. Brookings is a talent that deserves to be heard. Highly Recommended.
The Grip Weeds “DiG”
For over 26 years as one of New Jersey’s finest bands, The Grip Weeds (singer/drummer Kurt Reil, his wife Kristin Pinell Reil, brother Rick Reil, and bassist Dave DeSantis) have dazzled audiences with their unique blend of psychedelic styled garage rock and power pop. In a moment of introspection, the band decided to back at what influenced their sound and pay tribute to songs they loved. This is the inspiration for DiG, and it’s no ordinary covers album.
The late sixties has always been a benchmark for the band, and they dig deep through this 2-disc set. The challenge is to improve upon the originals, and in many ways, The Grip Weeds are up for this challenge. The one-hit wonders are usually ripe for improvement and “Shape of Things To Come” (Max Frost and The Troopers), “Journey to The Center of The Mind” (The Amboy Dukes), and “Lies” (The Knickerbockers) are instrumentally superior versions. More modern songs like The Plimsouls “Lie, Beg, Borrow, and Steal” are given a retro arrangement and there are plenty of songs you’ll not be familiar with; obscurities like “The Little Black Egg” (The Nightcrawlers). Overall a great album for those who love to dig through the classic late sixties catalog. Highly Recommended.
IPO returns to NYC
It’s been a long time, but it was great to get out and see live music again. The International Pop Overthrow festival returned to New York City this past weekend at Arlene’s Grocery. A lot of familiar faces were there over the weekend; Slybooks, The John Sally Ride, Wendy Ip, Bubble, Eytan Mirsky, Meyerman, The Anderson Council, and The Grip Weeds. The crowd was really into it this year, and as always David Bash was an excellent master of ceremonies. David continues to globe-trot with his festival, heading to Boston next week. If he comes to your town don’t miss it!
Nelson Bragg and Ward White
Nelson Bragg “Gratitude Blues”
Nelson Bragg conceived his final solo LP during COVID quarantine in Burbank, CA. Being Brian Wilson‘s percussionist/vocalist for 14 years, Bragg is a perfectionist when it comes to introspective melodic pop. Starting with “Lose Yourself” it’s a terrific song that describes the need to look inward, “and play my Beach Boys songs” sounding brooding, but upbeat, and vaguely like Lindsey Buckingham. The jangling “Glorious Days” is like a sunny warm memory fleshed out, and the Beatlesque “Whitechapel Girl” is a bouncy gem with a sugary sweet chorus.
The epic Elton John/Bernie Taupin ballad “I Want Love” is richly surrounded by harmonies, and Peter Holsapple helps define “The Cool Kids,” a lovely folk song that’s dressed up in lots of thick orchestration. It’s a hallmark of Bragg that all those Brian Wilson sonic touches leak through in his own work. “Seriously Girl” opens with a Chicago-styled intro with blaring horns and then builds into a much mellower psych-pop gem. The wordless hymn of “The Dover Twins” is a pastiche of styles and the California pop of “Dreams Made Us Free” sounds like an interview of Bragg about his tenure with the band set to music. Many of the songs here are a winsome look back on his career, and nothing is held back. Not a single dud in the bunch. This kind of craftsmanship and quality of music is a rarity, we can only hope that Bragg doesn’t really stop making these types of retro-love songs. Highly recommended and added to my list of top ten albums for 2021.
Ward White “The Tender Age”
Ward White is back with a new set of songs that reward the attentive listener. His gentle Bowie-like croon is perfectly suited for a song like “Dirty Clouds” which adds elements of jazz and rock together. The next song is more atmospheric than melodic, “Easy Meat” about dark impulses, and then the solid “Let’s Don’t Die At The Spotlight” is an amusing scenario of LA traffic with some soaring vocal lines. White to me often is the musical equivalent to filmmaker David Lynch, where the sweet, sleek surfaces often reveal darkness underneath, and the title track “The Tender Age” is an excellent example.
Other tracks aren’t as compelling, with some exceptions. “Gail, Where’s Your Shoes” is a standout with its warbling guitar break, and “Wasn’t It Here” shows some much-needed guitar energy. Overall a solid effort that takes a few repeats to find a space in your brain. Check it out.
