Indie Roundup August 2011

Review by Bill Kopp

From time to time I do a “review roundup” in which I take a quick look at a stack of CDs that has found its way onto my desk. Each disc is worthwhile in its own way; otherwise I wouldn’t waste your and my time. But because there’s so much other material I want to cover in depth, I’ll restrict myself to brief summary remarks about these titles. Note that most of these are indie/self-released efforts; no major label releases here. So these are almost certainly titles that would otherwise slip by unnoticed by most listeners. They deserve better.

Mark Anderson – Back From the Edge (www.markandersonrocks.com) – An uncharitable reviewer looking to land a few punches might suggest that Anderson’s stylistic genre-hopping here betrays a lack of focus. I prefer to see it as a showcase for his deft ability to craft and deliver songs in a number of idioms, doing so in a clearly heartfelt manner. There’s Mellencamp-style heartland rock, riffy and harmonic 80s-ish AOR-style rock, and even barroom-styled blues with a horn section. The liner notes explain that the songs were cut in Nashville and L.A., and attentive listeners will be able to spot which-are-which. (I like the L.A. ones a bit more.)

Golden Bloom – March to the Drums (www.goldenbloom.net) – The work of one guy (Shawn Fogel), Golden Bloom is a tuneful if idiosyncratic project. This disc is a carefully-assembled yet warm collection of songs. The melodies on tracks like the opener “In the Beginning” – a distant sonic cousin to The Kinks‘ “Waterloo Sunset” – will seem familiar even on first listen, and they’ll stick in your memory for awhile afterward. March to the Drums is a six-song EP, but with songs this good, who’s going to complain?

Ted Hovis – Let it Shine (www.tedhovis.com) – A collection of meat-and-potatoes rock, Let it Shine suggests that Hovis has ingested the influence of mainstream radio rock. “Pocketful” has echoes – especially in the guitar and drums – of U2’s work. The almost-funky “Thinking Out Loud” aims for a Red Hot Chili Peppers vibe. Hovis plays a lot of instruments, but his bass work is perhaps the most interesting among them. A bit of a chameleon, Hovis’ personal style doesn’t seem quite fully-formed yet here, but it’s a promising effort nonetheless.

The Lions – Iconoclastic (www.thelionsrockandroll.com) – A curious release, this CD is packaged as a faux-soundtrack to a nonexistent film. That’s deceiving: these are not instrumental vignettes. Overall it’s a set of chiming, breezy, earnest and straightforward songs. The infectious “Jane, I’ve Had Too Much to Drink” sounds like a cross between the Byrds and Guided by Voices. If that comparison makes you raise your eyebrows, well, good. Patience is rewarded with this one; the songs actually improve as the album unfolds.

Mars Hollow – World in Front of Me (www.marshollow.com) – I reviewed this group’s first album not long ago, and this newest one offers more of the same. I mean that in a good way. The sonic similarities to Rush have been dialed back a bit, and Mars Hollow’s own singular style is showcased more here (John Baker still sounds like Geddy Lee when he sings, though.) Melodic progressive rock with the emphases on the melodic and the rock. Lyrics are pretty emotive and expressive for the genre, too. I mean that in a good way as well. Recommended.

Oy Vey – Botanical Curiosity (www.oyveyband.com) – This is a duo, but the warm and inviting production aesthetic suggests a full band. Yes, there are plenty of sequences and synthetic instrumentation, but an organic songwriting approach with a strong sense of dynamics and melody makes this a winner. The songs hook the listener quickly and then the go someplace. That’s a quality which is often in short supply; but not here. Vague echoes of early (powerpop era) Enuff Z’nuff.

James Lee Stanley and Cliff Eberhardt – All Wood and Doors (www.allwoodanddoors.com) – This one scores serious points right off the bat for its unique concept: acoustic renderings of songs by The Doors. Extra points given for enlisting the enthusiastic aid of players including Paul Barrere (Little Feat), Laurence Juber (Wings), Timothy B. Schmidt (Eagles) and Peter Tork. Plus two guys called Densmore and Krieger. But once you get past that, the project is ultimately more impressive in its scope than its delivery. The reworkings are fine for what they are, but succeed mainly in stripping the songs of the power they once had.

Bill Toms – Memphis (www.billtoms.com) - I hear strong influences of Memphis (naturally) and New Orleans on these tracks. A bit like John Hiatt, Toms has a growling, gravelly voice and a loose, shuffling vibe to his arrangements. The feeling that the players were having fun cutting these tracks comes through loud and clear. Will Kimbrough’s sympathetic production is surely responsible for much of that. The music occupies the sweet spot between rock, soul and that catch-all term Americana.

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