Stephen Clair “The Small Hours”
Stephen Clair’s understated effort The Small Hours is a perfect example of an album that grows on you. The easy-going bass line of “Come Down” hides the misery of “the blues turned to gray” and the divided state of our country. But it’s not all a downer, as the catchy lead “Is This Thing On” is power pop magic with its vibrant melody. Clair’s storytelling peels back the layers of emotion below the surface, and when he goes in a jazzy direction on “Dorothy” or the dour “Marie” its poetry in the same vein as NRBQ or Ray Davies.
The bluesy jazz approach includes some humor on “Fixing To Fly” about a chicken looking for a way out of the henhouse or the bouncy percussion of “Pig In A Poke” which will get you moving. The serious timeliness of “Hurricane Coming” is contrasted by the rock-funk of “Cheap Date.” Clair remains an underrated treasure and deserves your attention.
The Palisades “Almost Night”
The Palisades were a Hawthorne, CA band that played the live music scene in the South Bay from 1982-83. They were heavily influenced by 1960’s rock and roll, and but never got signed as this was the age of synth-pop dance music. Those mullet-haired teens remained friends and recorded a few rough demos highlighted by “Let The Young Live” and “All Around The World,” which is a little like a poor man’s version of The Records or The Knack.
Thankfully the band re-recorded these tunes, and they sound much better.“Disappear Away” is a strong song about the dreams of youth, and “Lies” is classic power-pop with its strong riffs, and the melodic chorus of “ooh, girl.” Other highlights include a cover of The Turtles “Let Me Be” and the surf guitar of “Suicide Surf.” The album is packed with 27 tracks of nostalgia. Check it out.