Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems “Still Dirty”
Kris Rodgers upped his game. Kris is a talented pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and his band, The Dirty Gems are a solid crew; Tom Hall is on guitar, Ryan Halliburton on bass, and Craig Sala on drums. The band signed onto Little Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records this year. And Still Dirty starts with a funky “She Likes To Party,” which could be a lost companion to Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.” But Rodgers’ energy and melodic power are more akin to a young Elton John playing in the E-Street band. “Across the Galaxy” and “See You Again” showcase his superb vocal chops and songwriting skill.
And the band rocks away on “I’m Your Man” and gets stronger with each song, “Don’t Turn Around” has a touch of Motown DNA, and he gets jazzy on “Tortuga.” Plenty of varied influences and most of these tunes hit the mark, even a cover of Elton’s “Take Me To The Pilot” is inspired. Super highly recommended.
Wendi Dunlap “Looking For Buildings”
Wendi Dunlap has an elegant vocal that catches your ear right away on the opener “Buildings.” The album was produced by Ken Stringfellow of the Posies, and despite his recent controversy – his solid work helps Wendi shine here. The guitar jangle and heart-felt “Season of Loss” is a bittersweet rocker about the Pandemic, with a hook-filled chorus. Next, the sophisticated “Field of View” shows a depth of emotional joy seldom heard. This trifecta is hard to follow up on.
Wendi slows the tempo, and “You=Spring” is a nice slice of dream pop, and things pick up with “Wonder Whys,” another catchy gem that tries to decipher a partner’s bad behavior. However, toward the second half of the album, Wendi broods about rejection on “Don’t Throw Me Away” and “Second Heartbreak” and the hooks are missing. Still, this is a strong debut that deserves to be heard. Check it out.
