Healing Sixes: Blue Jay

Blue Jay, the fourth album from Indianapolis band Healing Sixes, is a bit of a hit and miss album. From the first track to the last, Blue Jay, just isn’t the most consistent thing you’ll ever hear.

 

When I bring up consistency in this case, I’m not talking about sticking to one style throughout the album. As far as that goes, Healing Sixes know what sound they’re going for, and they stay true to a bluesy rock feel for the entire album.

 

The problem of consistency comes up in the technical aspects of Blue Jay. On some tracks, everything is spot-on. Singer Doug Henthorn’s vocals flow out smoothly, the instruments all balance each other out perfectly, and you get a solid, well-done piece of music.

 

On other tracks, though, Henthorn’s voice lacks fluidity and sounds strained, while either drums or guitar overpower the rest of what’s going on with the song...MORE

Galia Arad: Ooh La Baby

If you like such female artists as Colbie Caillat, Ingrid Michaelson and Sarah Bareilles, I guarantee you will enjoy listening to Galia Arad.

 

Galia Arad’s sophomore album, Ooh La Baby, is a delightful blend of pop and folk (she describes herself as “Bob Dylan meets Britney Spears”), and Arad packs a three-fold punch as being singer, songwriter and guitar player for the album.

 

Ooh La Baby has a strong acoustic leaning, and the simple melodies and instrumental backings are there simply to give a little support to Arad’s voice. Her vocals are beautiful, and the fact that there is minimal backing to them allows Arad’s voice to really shine.

 

The album is a concept album with all the songs revolving feelings toward a specific guy, and Arad’s voice captures this perfectly...MORE

Craig Urquhart: Within Memory

I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a sucker for good piano music. And Craig Urquhart’s album Within Memory definitely hits the spot as far as piano music goes.

 

First off, Within Memory is an album of completely pure piano. There’s no distraction from the presence of other instruments accompanying Urquhart, which allows his piano playing to really shine.

 

The songs are mellow and easy to listen to across the board, but Urquhart manages to play with styles within each track. Heavy chords are meshed with delicate high notes to create a musical contrast that’s almost haunting in how beautiful it is.

 

Not all of the songs have the heavy undertones to them, though. Several of the tracks have a very light feel and elegance to them...MORE

Gabriel the Marine: Your Friends and Loved Ones

It’s been a few months since I’ve fallen in love with an album as much as Your Friends and Loved Ones, by Long Island’s Gabriel the Marine.

 

It may be due to the fact that there are only five songs on the album, but there are zero misses on Your Friends and Loved Ones—all five tracks are absolutely excellent.

 

The vibe of Gabriel the Marine’s musical style is something along the lines of indie rock with hints of Brit-pop and jazz thrown into the mix as well. The result is an album that feels very fresh and distinct from much of what’s on the market right now.

 

Out of the five tracks, it’s split about half and half on catchy, upbeat songs, and mellow, soulful ballads, and both styles are performed brilliantly. The more upbeat songs have a very fun, youthful feel to them, while the slower songs have a definite maturity to them.

 

“The Ocean,” featuring Bob Dylan, takes on a different quality than on the rest of the album, and the passion and emotion in Dylan's voice is extremely evident...MORE

Billy Lavender: Memphis Livin

Billy Lavender’s album Memphis Livin is blues at its finest. It’s gritty and jazzy, with an equal balance of funk and fun.

On Memphis Livin, Lavender, who was born and raised in Memphis, clearly demonstrates the influence growing up in the heart of the blues scene had on his musical style.

There’s a classic quality to Memphis Livin, as well as a freshness that makes it easy to imagine swaying to the music at an outdoor venue.

A particular highlight of the album is the fact that it balances out slow songs with upbeat ones, and Lavender sounds in his element in both styles. He easily transitions from heavier, wailing guitar riffs to light melodies, depending on the type of song...MORE

Bud Summers: Eons

It’s a pretty obvious statement to say that people have a variety of tastes when it comes to music. What sounds positively heavenly to one listener may have the same effect as nails on a chalkboard to another listener. Every once in a while, though, an artist comes along who can easily appeal to listeners with all sorts of different tastes.


Bud Summers is one such artist.

The first thing one notices while listening to Eons, the sophomore effort from Summers, is the simplicity of the music. Each track is rooted in acoustic guitar, with only minimal percussion and just a touch of bass. The songs have a lightness to them, and Summers’s gentle voice fits in perfectly, creating tracks that are really just easy and enjoyable to listen to...MORE

The Britton Brothers Band: Uncertain Living

Listening to Uncertain Living, the debut album from The Britton Brothers Band, the first thought that came to mind was, “Wow. This music is classy.” It’s the type of jazz one would expect to be playing at a fancy restaurant, or an elegant event of some sort.

 

What the Britton Brothers Band presents isn’t bluesy jazz, smooth jazz, and definitely not “elevator music” jazz. Rather than having the gritty or heavier sound that those subgenres of jazz tend to have, the music on Uncertain Living has a completely pure tone, and the musicians play clearly, crisply, and tightly complementing each other.

 

While the songs do have the presence of the improvisational feel that is commonly associated with jazz the tracks on Uncertain Living also seem to be fairly structured, which only adds to the aesthetic appeal of the music. A sour note is never hit, and each instrument plays off the others flawlessly...MORE

Jean-Paul & Things to Hear: Zonk

When you go to a band’s website and right off the bat it says “A weird band,” it raises questions as to what that band’s music is really going to be like.

This is the case with Jean-Paul & Things to Hear. On their website, they call themselves “A weird band not stuck in any one genre.” Well, listening to their most recent album, Zonk, I’d say that description is false on both accounts.

The first (and title) track, “Zonk,” is a little odd, since it consists mostly of just saying “Zonk” a lot, backed with some accordion. That is, literally, the only thing about Jean-Paul & Things to Hear’s that can even remotely be considered weird. Even that, though, is an entertaining track, so weird is good. 

“Not stuck in any one genre” isn’t exactly an accurate description either. With the exception of “Zonk,” Zonk has a consistently bluesy sound to it. At times it may extend into the umbrella-term genre of “alternative,” but even then there is still a definite blues tinge to the music...MORE

Copernicus: Nothing Exists

Nothing Exists, the new (yet old) LP from Copernicus is easily one of the coolest albums I have ever heard.

 

Originally released in 1985, Nothing Exists was Copernicus’s first album, paving the way for the eleven albums that would follow. After releasing a new album in 2009, Copernicus went back to the beginning, digitally re-mastering and re-releasing Nothing Exists.

 

The album is an extremely interesting fusion of spoken word (Copernicus the vocalist started out as a spoken word artist) and progressive rock, which is simultaneously very chill and incredibly intense...MORE

 

Wide Hive Players: Players

Although it rarely receives the same attention as other, more mainstream genres of music, the jazz scene today remains alive and well. California natives Wide Hive Players are proof of this.

 

Given when it was that jazz was in its hey-day, the genre tends to have an inherent older feel to it. Listening to jazz can elicit images of being in a completely different time period.

 

With their album Players, Wide Hive Players stick to the roots of jazz while bringing a freshness and modernity to it that sets them apart from other jazz musicians.

 

In fact, the sound of Wide Hive Players is like a hybrid of traditional jazz fused together with jam-band style music...MORE

David Wahler: A Star Danced

On his sophomore album, A Star Danced, David Wahler takes us away from everyday life without ever saying a word. Wahler uses electronic keyboards to create an atmosphere that is simultaneously whimsical and mysterious, and instantly brings to mind images of floating through space.

 

However, despite the celestial ideas the album evokes, the title A Star Danced isn’t entirely accurate. It’s more as though a star…hopped.

 

Being his second album, one would have expected Wahler to try pushing things to the edge, rather than relying on melodies that are simply pretty. Or, if that were the chosen route for the album, there could definitely have been more variation put into those melodies...MORE

Songs for Your Listening Pleasure

So. It occurred to me that I have been hardcore failing at the whole 'songs of the week' business. Luckily for you, there is a whole slew of songs that I've been digging lately, so here's a nice barrage of songs that you should check out.

And just because I feel so badly about not giving you song suggestions, I'm even going to make this super easy for you and include links for you to listen to the songs. You're welcome!

Enjoy!


Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: Home (Love, love, LOVE this song! SO cute!)

Christina Perri: Jar of Hearts (Thank you 'So You Think You Can Dance' for introducing me to this one!)

Jesca Hoop: Four Dreams (Heard this song on The Current--aka the best radio station ever--and I was hooked instantly.)

The Undeserving: Something to Hope For (If you like OneRepublic, I think this will strike your fancy. Similar sound, in my opinion.)

Ryan Calhoun: Who We Are (Really pretty song, but a bit on the sad side. I tend to be drawn to that type of song. Sorry about that. Maybe that's why my best friend calls me emo?)

Barenaked Ladies: The Big Bang Theory Theme Song (I am absolutely obsessed with the show 'The Big Bang Theory.' Seriously. If you have not watched it, go do so. RIGHT. NOW!)

Joshua Radin: Sundrenched World (Another lovely but heavy one.)

Katzenjammer: A Bar in Amsterdam (Not sure which I like more...the song itself, or the music video for it. Both are faaaantastic!)


Florence & The Machine: Drumming Song (I love female singers whose voices are just naturally stellar. Eff autotune!)


Adam Lambert: If I Had You (Gotta admit...I think Adam Lambert is a fox. Seriously. And he can legit sing, too! Even better!)

Janelle Monae: Tightrope (I get to see her live next month! Yay! I've seen her perform on TV appearances and she is soooo talented.)

The Avett Brothers: Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise (Saw them live about a month ago. So. Freaking. Good. If you ever get a chance to go to one of their shows, I'd highly recommend doing so.)

Metric: Waves (One of my all-time favorite bands. First discovered them back in 2004 when they had an appearance in the movie 'Clean.' Insta-love. I've also been told I look like their singer, Emily Haines. So that's cool too.)

Sia: Soon We'll Be Found (Her hair makes me giggle, but DANG is this song gorgeous, and the video is one of the most unique I've ever seen.)

Devotchka: How It Ends (Sound familiar? If you've seen 'Little Miss Sunshine,' it's in there. Was also the song that two of my loves (Neil and Kent) from 'So You Think You Can Dance' danced to.)

Mumford and Sons: The Cave (Not even going to start about how I'm missing seeing them yet AGAIN. It's a tragic tale. Anywho, they're wonderful, so have a listen.)

The Antlers: Bear (The beginning of this song makes me smile. Reminds me of a lullaby.)

Wild Beasts: We Still Got the Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues (This song just rocks. Entrancing is a good word for it.)

Brandon Flowers: Crossfire (I've seen The Killers three times. The last time, Mr. Flowers was kind of a douche. I'm hoping he redeems himself solo. Because I really like this song.)

Tramgirl Karaoke Club ft. Maskopet: If Your Time Runs Out (Sorry I couldn't find a better video. Still a great song, though!)

Spiral Beach: Voodoo (This song is in one of my favorite movies, 'Charlie Bartlett.' EVERY time I've watched I've thought, "Wow, I like this song, wonder who sings it?" but never looked it up. Yesterday I finally did. Woot!)

H'ok. 21 songs for your listening enjoyment. I think that makes up for the 9 weeks I missed, don't you?

Hunters & Runners: Of Classic Renown

There are some albums that are good without knocking your socks off. There isn’t anything wrong with them; they’re just missing that extra oomph that would push them from a good album to a great album.

 

This is the case with Of Classic Renown, the spring release from New York City band Hunters & Runners.

 

From the outset, Of Classic Renown has what I would call a ‘comfortable’ feel. The music is played well, the vocals are good, and, overall, it’s pleasant to listen to. However, it doesn’t quite catch the listener in such a way that they’re actually invested in the listening experience.

 

Rather, listening to Of Classic Renown is an easy listen. The listener doesn’t have to pay too close attention to get the vibe of the music, nor is it music that the listener can just tune out. It’s simply enjoyable...MORE

Nnenna Freelon: Homefree

When you think back to some of the “greats” in jazz history, several of the superstars are women. Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Etta Jones—these women were, and still are, considered among the elite of the jazz world.

 

With her latest album, Homefree, Nnenna Freelon makes it clear that she’s well on her way to being regarded as in the same league as those old-school jazz queens.

 

Taken just at surface-level, Freelon has an aesthetically pleasing voice—it’s as smooth as silk, and it has a gorgeous warm tone to it. Listening deeper, one hears in Freelon the qualities that set her jazz predecessors in stone as stars.

 

When Freelon sings, she oozes the same class, confidence, and undeniable “cool factor” that characterized the leading ladies of jazz. At the same time, however, it never feels as though Freelon is trying to imitate those artists or be a throwback to an age gone by. Instead, it’s more as though she channeled the artists, and then used their inspiration to take a standard and make it her own...MORE

The Primary: Days Among Giants

When it comes to musical development, there’s a stage in the game where mixing up one’s style is a worthwhile risk, and stage where it’s not. If you are an established artist/band with a steady fan following, then a bit of change can be refreshing. If you’re just starting out, though? It’s probably best to avoid meshing styles until you’ve made it known exactly what you’re going for.

 

On their new album, Days Among Giants, Texas-based alternative band The Primary made the poor decision to try several different styles, and the result is an album that gives the impression that the band really hadn’t thought out what they wanted their sound to be.

 

Literally every song has a different style to it, from the Incubus-sounding “Get Out,” to the mellow yet heavy “Until Then,” to the psychedelic “The Trial of the Knave of Hear,” just to name a few...MORE

Brandy Lynn Confer: In the Dust

When an artist creates an album, there’s an important goal he or she has to achieve right off the bat: grabbing the listener’s attention. 

With her album In the Dust, Brandy Lynn Confer accomplishes this, but not really through any effort of her own. What catches the listener most is the striking similarity between Confer’s voice and Sheryl Crow’s. 

Confer’s voice has the same raspy, throaty quality as Crow’s, and even Confer’s tone and inflection very closely match the superstar’s. This is so evident on the first track, “Heartbreaker,” that it keeps you listening to find out if Confer’s voice really sounds that much like Crow’s, or if it just happens to be on that song....MORE

Sonya Kahn: New Beginning

It’s not often that I find myself at a loss for words, but when it comes to defining Sonya Kahn’s album New Beginning that seems to be the case.

 

There is plenty to be said about New Beginning, but as far as easily categorizing it? Almost impossible.

 

This album consists of songs that bring together 80’s-style pop-rock, classic Euro-pop, power ballads, and a sound that is suggestive of what ABBA would have sounded like were the group formed today. Despite these aspects being able to be picked out, though, none of them quite accurately describe Kahn’s music.

 

There are hints of all these styles, yet Kahn melds them into one style that is distinctly her own, and rather indefinable. To simply lump her into the genre of pop or pop-rock would be to do a grave injustice to Kahn.

 

There is a power and edge to Kahn’s music that isn’t often found with pop music, especially with female pop singers. There isn’t the slightest presence of auto-tune, just a voice that comes through the airwaves with a pure, inherent strength...MORE

Sun Domingo: Live in Montreal, Marillion Weekend 09

When it comes to live albums, artists need to be very, very careful in the execution of both the concert being recorded for the album, and the final product of the album itself.

 

From the sound quality being off—too loud, too soft, too harsh-- to the artist not realizing that the amount of talking usually done in a concert might not work well on a record, to just losing the overall vibe of the performance, there’s a lot that can go awry on live albums.

 

Luckily, Atlanta-based rock band Sun Domingo does a pretty good job of avoiding these issues on the recently released Live in Montreal, Marillion Weekend 09.

 

The trio, made up of Jason Pomar, Edgel Groves, Jr., and Nathan Lathouse, give a performance that is totally in sync the entire way through. This is easy enough to accomplish when recording in a studio, but to be consistently spot-on with each other throughout a live concert? Impressive...MORE

Songs of the Week: May 30-June 5 and June 6-12

I recently decided that, at the end of  every week, I'm going to present a list of my "Songs of the Week." They may be new discoveries, they may be revisits to older songs. Really, just whatever happened to strike my fancy that week. Since I actually kept track of what I listened to a lot over the past 2 weeks, here are two lists to get things started. Enjoy!


May 30-June 5

Portishead:The Rip (Album: Third)

Richard Walters: The Animal (Album: The Animal)


Stornoway: Zorbing (Album: Beachcomber's Windowsill)


Lissie: Everywhere I Go (Album: Why You Runnin')


Ron Pope: You're the Reason I Come Home (Album: Daylight)


June 6-12

St. Vincent: Paris is Burning (Album: Marry Me)


Stars: Fixed (Album: The Five Ghosts)


Basia Bulat: Gold Rush (Album: Heart of My Own)


Telepathe: Lights Go Down (Album: Dance Mother)


Michael Bublé: Haven't Met You Yet (Album: Crazy Love)

Who Gives a Hoot About Owl City? This Girl!

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat, shall we? Upon first listen, one may notice some similarities between Owl City and Death Cab for Cutie. After listening a bit more, though, one starts to notice more and more distinctions between the two.

So please, don't give me any of that, "Oh that Owl City guy is just trying to be Benjamin Gibbard" rubbish. Because I'll adamantly argue that he is not.

That being said, let's get down to business. What business, you ask? Owl City's live performance.

On May 5th (I promise I'm going to get better at writing about concerts closer to when they happen!), I trekked down to The Pageant in St. Louis, excited to finally see Owl City.

I say "finally" because, for me, the show had been a long time coming.

Last May, long before "Fireflies," the mega-hit that would thrust Adam Young to stardom, hit the airwaves, my ears were introduced to Owl City, courtesy of my friend Beth.

Beth was looking up concerts that were going to be taking place in Omaha (where she went to school) that fall, and told me that The Scene Aesthetic were going to be playing. We quickly decided that I would travel from St. Louis (where I went to school) to Omaha for the concert in October.

The opener for The Scene Aesthetic was to be a little band known as Owl City. I had never heard of Owl City, and Beth had only heard one or two songs-- "I listened to them on their Myspace. I think you'll like them."

So, I followed Beth's steps to Owl City's Myspace, and there heard the song "Strawberry Avalanche." I loved it, and immediately obtained Owl City's first two albums (yes, there was Owl City before Ocean Eyes). I was hooked, and and Of June and Maybe I'm Dreaming became the soundtracks of my summer. The Scene Aesthetic was forgotten about, and Beth and I began referring to the upcoming concert solely as "the Owl City show."

A couple of months went by and Ocean Eyes was released, propelling Adam Young into the spotlight. As people started taking notice of this kid who made music in his basement, I discovered that Young was a fellow Minnesotan! Just one more reason for me to like his music!

As October drew closer, neither Beth nor I became less enthusiastic about how much we wanted to see Owl City. Unfortunately, circumstances changed and it didn't work out for me to get to Omaha. Even more unfortunately, the show sold out before Beth was able to get tickets, so we ended up with neither of us able to go.

Well, as luck would have it, it turned out that Owl City was going to be in St. Louis in January. I was not going to miss out on seeing him this time! I pre-ordered tickets, and counted down the days until the concert.

Once again, fate dealt a nasty blow. The night of the concert, my boyfriend and I headed down to the St. Louis's Delmar Loop to get dinner before the show. Everything was all fine and dandy--until we walked to The Pageant.

Instead of the usual line of people outside the venue, there were clumps of people and several Pageant employees.

The concert had been canceled. Half an hour before doors were supposed to open.

We later learned that it had been canceled due to Adam Young being rushed to the hospital with kidney stones. But still, strike 2 as far as seeing Owl City was concerned.

The concert was rescheduled for May, and finally, finally, the day of the show rolled around. This time it went off without a hitch.

In the months since my initial excitement about seeing Owl City, though, I started worrying that, being so electronic/synth based, Owl City's music wouldn't translate well to the stage.

My concerns were entirely unwarranted.

Owl City put on a show that exceeded my expectations. Rather than utilizing synthesizers, Adam Young and company took a more organic approach to their performance. Young rocked the guitar, with Breanne Duren on the keyboard, and Matthew Decker on drums. Most impressive, though, were Laura Musten and Hannah Schroeder who took on the violin and cello (respectively), and looked to be having an absolute ball being on stage.

Young himself kept his energy going throughout the show, although it was obvious that all the articles referring to Young's shyness weren't kidding. He didn't talk to the audience much, and would often turn his back on the crowd and seemed to be rocking out in his own little world during his guitar solos.

Still, the atmosphere was fun, lighthearted, and positive. I've been to so many shows where the members of the band throw out the F-word every time they say anything to the crowd, so it was refreshing to be at a show that had more of an innocence to it--this included those on the floor dancing and swaying, rather than shoving and moshing.

Backed by a constant light show, Owl City's performance was as much a visual spectacle as an aural one. As for the songs played, though, I was pleasantly surprised that Young chose to go with more of the songs from Of June and Maybe I'm Dreaming than from Ocean Eyes; I thought that showed a definite appreciation for the fans who had been there since the beginning. Of course, "Fireflies" was on the set-list and, as expected, the audience went nuts with that one.

The way in which the concert exceeded my expectations, though, was in how well Owl City made the transition from their recorded music to the live performance. Playing with live instruments rather than the synth-backing gave a different sound to their music, yet Young managed not to lose the bubbly, whimsical vibe that I think has become the most defining characteristic of Owl City's music.

I'm not sure if it's because of the simultaneously upbeat and mellow tone of the music, the catchy instrumentals, or the lyrics that are both witty (if you listen closely, you will catch a ton of puns) and non-sensical but, for me, listening to Owl City has always had the effect of taking me away from the real-world for a bit, and returning me to it in an absurdly good mood. The concert had the same effect, and I walked away with a huge smile on my face.

It may not have been one of the crazier concerts I've been to, but it was a breath of fresh air to attend a show that had such a genuinely positive aura to it and delivered musically, as well. It was definitely worth the wait.

Dream Travelers: Little Red Bus

Oh Little Red Bus, where do I even begin talking about you? This album is really a musical hodge-podge. There are a lot of different styles and feelings all thrown in with each other, which can work just fine, but in Joel Straup’s case there’s no fusion between those different styles.

The first track on the album, “Corporate America,” is incredibly socio-politically driven. Now, it’s not uncommon for folk music to have that kind of message behind it. This particular track, though, feels like it would be better suited to an angry punk band than to a middle-aged folk rocker.

Next up is “The Old Man’s Barn,” the focus of which is taking responsibility for one’s own actions instead of playing the blame-game. Looking just at the instrumental backing of the song, this is one of the best songs on Little Red Bus. However, there are times when the background vocals hit a very shrill, squeaky high note that does not mesh with the rest of the song in any way whatsoever, and makes an otherwise decent track almost unlistenable...MORE

Whiskey Six

The proverbial “they” have been known to make the claim that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While that may be true in some areas of life, I’m not sure if it’s true for music.

Of course, all bands have their inspirations what they strive to be like, and that influence can be heard in their music. For the most part, though, bands generally work in the influence of their musical idols around their own style. I can’t say that’s the case for Whiskey Six.

Whiskey Six’s self-titled EP is one of those records that leaves the listener with a feeling of “been there, done that.” The band seems to be aiming for the blues-tinged, southern-hard-rock style, channeling the likes of ZZ Top but, while doing so, Whiskey Six never really finds a sound of their own. Rather than using their musical inspirations to create their own style around, Whiskey Six brought in so much outside influence that it overpowers what could have been something new and different...MORE

Glenton Davis: Are You Ready

I always think it’s interesting when an artist decides to mesh two different music styles together. What’s even more interesting is when an artist combines two styles that you wouldn’t expect to work with each other.

This is exactly what Glenton Davis does, though. Davis fuses R&B with pop, presenting a style that is soulful, while at the same time being up-tempo and danceable.

It’s an unexpected mix, but Davis pulls it off well.

On the four-track album Are You Ready, Davis manages to give a little taste of all the styles he’s incorporating. He moves from the dance track “Go Get on the Floor” to the slower “She Don’t Have to Know,” finally wrapping things up with the mellow “Dangerously in Love 2.” It’s a fluid transition between the songs, and each gives a little bit different side of Davis....MORE

There's a Reason "Shazam" is Part of Their Name...

As I sat down to write this, I said to myself, “Carly, it’s been 2 weeks since you went to Foxy Shazam’s concert. It’s been months since you first heard– and got very excited about–their new album. Why has it taken you this long to get around to finally writing something up about them?” 

Really, I think I’ve just been too overwhelmed by the awesomeness of Foxy Shazam to be able to articulate my feelings about them. But now? I’m ready to give it a go.

First off, if you’ve never heard/heard of Foxy Shazam, you’re missing out. Rarely does a band come along that has so much character in both their recorded music and in their live performances.

Foxy released their 3rd album in April (after being leaked in February), and let me tell you: this is a band that is never going to be able to be pigeon-holed into one particular genre.

On their first album, The Flamingo Trigger, Foxy Shazam had a pop-tinged metal vibe. It was fast, it was frenzied, it was like the musical equivalent of a storm of electrically charged particles whizzing around. In short, it was insanity in the best possible way.

Album number 2, Introducing, took things in a slightly different direction. Moving away from the screams of The Flamingo Trigger, Introducing introduces (heh, see what I did there?) a more piano-centric, punkish sound. And Foxy Shazam pulls it off just as effortlessly as their previous sound.

Now, with their most recent album Foxy Shazam, the boys have changed things up yet again. This time, Foxy has created an amazing blend of cabaret/piano rock glory. It’s a far cry from the frantic chaos of their first album, but, once again, it works unbelievably well. In fact, I will go so far as to say that, on this album, Foxy Shazam comes across like modern-day Queen. It. Is. Fantastic.

I have listened to Foxy Shazam dozens of times, and am more blown away by it with every listen. The entirety of the album is pure gold–there is not a bad song in the bunch. Even when Foxy Shazam puts forth a mellower song, the result still has the same energy behind it as the fast-paced, danceable songs.

And Foxy doesn’t slack in the lyrics department, either. For example, the line “Life is a bitch, but she’s totally do-able” in the song “Bye Bye Symphony,” or “For you I wear this mask, at home I tear it off ’cause I don’t need it,” in the song “Wanna Be Angel,” all about wanting to be seen a certain way by people.

Whether it’s talking about love gone wrong in “Count Me Out,” trying to fit in, or just trucking through life when it gets rough, Foxy Shazam’s lyrics are always making a point–without beating you over the head with that point.

It’s always impressive when a band manages to successfully mix up their sound, but it’s even more impressive when a band a) is constantly experimenting with their style, and b) consistently delivers an outstanding result with each new sound. Foxy Shazam keeps proving their versatility, while consistently putting out music that is fun, energy-packed, and unique from pretty much anything else out there today.

Two weeks ago, I had the long-awaited opportunity to see how well Foxy Shazam could bring their music to the stage. I had heard good things about their live shows, but I wanted to see it for myself.

To say that I was impressed is a huge understatement.

The men of Foxy Shazam were, hands down, some of the best performers I have ever seen. How can you not enjoy a show in which the keyboardist hops on top of his instrument to play it, and the lead singer jumps on top of his shoulders? In live concerts, you often get a frontman who rules the show, while the rest of the band is just sort of in the background.

Not so with Foxy Shazam.

Don’t get me wrong, lead singer/frontman Eric Nally was without a doubt the star of the show, but his bandmates did a superb job keeping pace with him. And that was with Nally jumping into the crowd several times, eating 3 LIT cigarettes, and even scaling the rafters of St. Louis venue Off Broadway.

Nally had no trouble engaging with the audience, and the crowd responded well. There was moshing, dancing, crowd surfing (my own crowd surfing experience at the show left me standing on stage, holding Nally’s hands for a brief moment), and an all around air of heart-pounding excitement. It left me bruised and exhausted, but utterly exhilarated at the same time.

And really, isn’t that the effect we all hope for a show to leave on us?

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear the word “Shazam” I associate it with two things: superheroes, and a certain sort of “wow” factor. While I’m not sure I can quite stretch the superhero idea to Foxy Shazam, the “wow” factor definitely applies to the guys of Foxy Shazam. Onstage or recorded, Foxy Shazam have an extra oomf to their music and a presence that is rarely found. They are rock stars, and it’s easy to see why “Shazam” is part of their name.

Jess Ray & The Rag Tag Army: Jess Ray & The Rag Tag Army

In case you’ve never noticed, when you rip a CD onto your computer, iTunes will list a genre for that album. With Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army, iTunes decided that the album fell under the label of “pop.” This could not be more misleading.

When you think of pop, generally the words “soulful,” “mellow” and “heartfelt” don’t really come to mind. But they are definitely words I would use to describe Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army.

Jess Ray has a voice that will hook you instantly. It’s smooth, it’s strong, it emotional. It is impossible to hear her voice and not feel a connection to the music. Ray’s vocals come across in such a way that it makes you feel as though she is singing to you specifically, and the effect is something really quite beautiful.....MORE

Barenaked Ladies: Born on a Pirate Ship

It might be due largely to the fact that my formative years occurred primarily during the '90s, and as such there's a certain nostalgic value when I now listen to the music from that decade, but I am an ardent fan of '90s music. For some reason, though, '90s music--especially '90s pop--has unfairly earned itself a pretty bad rep.

Personally, I've never understood this. Perhaps it's because there were a lot of one-hit-wonder bands during the '90s, but even that doesn't justify it, seeing as those one-hit-wonders were all sorts of fantastic. I mean, think about it. If you're somewhere in the age range of 18 to 30, chances are pretty good that, as you're perusing radio stations in search of something other than today's tween sensations (Justin Bieber, anyone?), some of the songs that most catch your attention are straight from the '90s.

Admit it. You know you leave the station where it's at when you hear Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy" or "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something.

Now, somewhere in the midst of all the artists who came along in the '90s, leaving their mark on the music world with one (maybe two) big hit, there were a few bands who managed to consistently crank out stellar single after stellar single. One such band, however, managed to never quite get the attention that their music warrants. I'm talking about the Canadian band Barenaked Ladies.

Barenaked Ladies first hit the scene back in 1992 with the release of their first album, Gordon, featuring the still hugely popular single "If I Had $1,000,000." That song set Barenaked Ladies rolling with a series of single releases that all did pretty well. Interestingly though, despite the fact that several of their albums made it into the Top 10 on the Billboard charts, most of their albums seem to have gone relatively unnoticed by the general public. Really, the only one of their albums that I recall being talked about widely was 1998's Stunt, which, I'll admit, was in fact a very good album.

That being said, though, I strongly suggest that BNL's album Born on a Pirate Ship be given another listen by the masses.

I was eight years old when Born on a Pirate Ship was released in early 1996, and I remember instantly falling in love with the song "The Old Apartment" the first time I heard it on the radio. The track was played on a consistent basis for about 6 month, and then...nothing. It just sort of fizzled out. I'm pretty sure it's been years since I've heard "The Old Apartment" even randomly played on the radio. "Shoebox," the only other single from Born on a Pirate Ship, generated some buzz when it was on an episode of Friends, but aside from that, the album garnered little attention.

To be frank, the fact that Born on a Pirate Ship went so unrecognized is a downright shame. This is an album that has a little bit of everything in it, and it's all executed amazingly. You've got a touch of folk with the track "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank," lighthearted pop with "Stomach vs. Heart" and "Call Me Calmly," an utterly heart-wrenching ballad in the form of "Break Your Heart," and a nice bit of introspection with "Same Thing." Throw in the strong vocal work of Steven Page, instrumentals that are catchy and completely unique on each song, and you've got a fusion of musical elements that make Born on a Pirate Ship a great listen the entire way through.

Where BNL's real genius lies, though, is in their lyrics, and on Born on a Pirate Ship they completely nailed that aspect of their music. The lyrics take on a serious note when necessary, but for the most part are driven by very well utilized sarcasm. They lyrics are humorous, often biting and tongue in cheek, witty, and thought provoking, even when they don't entirely seem like it on the surface.

Honestly, I have never been able to find a reason why Born on a Pirate Ship didn't receive more accolades, or why Barenaked Ladies remain (at least in my humble opinion) one of the most underrated bands in the music biz.From beginning to end, Born on a Pirate Ship is a fun, entertaining album without being cheesy or camp, and Page's voice perfectly conveys whatever emotion is called for in each song (believe me, the power and raw emotion in his voice on "Break Your Heart" has moved me to tears on more than one occasion).

As I said, Born on a Pirate Ship was released when I was 8 years old. I'm now 22, and it remains one of my most consistently listened to albums--and it's not just the sentimental value of listening to an album from my childhood that makes it such. Everything about this album is so spot-on to begin with, and yet I find something that strikes me differently, something I appreciate more, every time I listen to it; Born on a Pirate Ship gets better with every listen. Regardless of whether or not you're into '90s music, whether or not you enjoyed Barenaked Ladies at the height of their career, Born on a Pirate Ship is definitely an album worth revisiting.

Capelle: Money Now, Money How, Money When

I don’t think anyone will argue with me if I make the claim that there’s a lot of very good music out there. Every day, new artists break onto the scene, hopefully bringing something fresh to the music world. However, while a lot of the new music we’re graced with is good, not all of it has that extra something that makes it truly pop out from the rest.

Who knows what exactly defines that extra something, but whatever it is, Capelle has it.

Money Now, Money How, Money When, the debut album from British band Capelle, has everything one looks for in an album: stand-out vocals, excellent instrument playing, lyrics that grab your attention, and a perfect synchronization of those elements that results in a record that keeps the listener hanging on the entire way through...MORE

MGMT: Congratulations

My first exposure to MGMT was three years ago when they opened for Of Montreal at a show at The Pageant in St. Louis. Oracular Spectacular had been released about a month earlier, but there were still only murmurings about this band that was bringing a 60s, psychedelic feel back to music. Having seen Of Montreal before, I knew how brilliant of a live show they put on, and that whoever opened for them would have to be pretty outstanding to compare.

When MGMT took the stage, I was absolutely blown away. They brought a fresh sound and stellar stage presence, and genuinely seemed like they were having fun while they performed. I was hooked instantly. Needless to say, I was more than a little excited when I heard MGMT was working on a new album.

Well, the new record, Congratulations, was released on Tuesday and, honestly, it's a little disappointing.

What shot MGMT to fame with Oracular Spectacular was the style of their music. While reminiscent of music from the 60s, it still felt completely new; it was catchy, it was fun, it was different from most other stuff out there. With Congratulations, something got lost.

The sophomore effort from any band is always the most challenging, especially when the band started out with a strong debut. On Congratulations, it's fairly evident that MGMT was well aware that they had to make a good follow-up to Oracular Spectacular-- maybe too aware of that fact.

Congratulations has a more mature vibe to it than Oracular Spectacular, and one can understand how a band that gained its popularity thanks to catchy, danceable songs would want to make an album that portrays them as more serious musicians. However, in their attempt to do that, Congratulations ended up with an overall feel that the guys of MGMT were taking themselves too seriously when they were making the album.

There are a few standout songs, such as "Flash Delirium" and "Song for Dan Treacy," but as a whole, Congratulations falls short of the expectation listeners would have based on Oracular Spectacular. There's no doubt that MGMT consists of talented musicians, but Congratulations just feels like they were trying too hard to make sure their listeners realized what they already knew.

Congratulations isn't a terrible album, but it's not great either. Sit down, have a listen, appreciate the fact that MGMT is trying to move forward artistically-- but don't expect to have your socks knocked off.

Coheed and Cambria: Year of the Black Rainbow

If you're a fan of Coheed and Cambria, you were no doubt anxiously awaiting the release of their fifth album, Year of the Black Rainbow. On Tuesday, the highly anticipated album finally dropped in stores and hit iTunes. Of course, if you've been looking forward to the album, you already know that. What you're really waiting for is some idea of what to expect when you get around to buying (or downloading) the album.

Year of the Black Rainbow is an interesting album, particularly for those who have already established a fanship of Coheed, due to the fact that it's sort of an in-between album. What do I mean by that? Well, the album isn't entirely what we've come to expect from Coheed and Cambria, but at the same time, Year of the Black Rainbow doesn't go in an entirely different direction from what Coheed fans are used to.

In case you didn't know (or never realized), Coheed and Cambria's first four albums were highly story-based, with each album being a concept album that connected to the stories of the other albums. Year of the Black Rainbow was made as a prequel to the series of stories, yet it doesn't maintain the same story-telling feel of its predecessors. Instead, this album is more of a stand-alone, which isn't a bad thing, just different from what fans would expect.

Musically, Year of the Black Rainbow is very much the same Coheed and Cambria we've known for years, but with a few tweaks made here and there. Coheed has always had a sound that is distinctly their own--due both to their instrumental styling and singer Claudio Sanchez's easily recognizable voice--and that sound remains in Year of the Black Rainbow. However, there is a much heavier feel to this album than previous ones.

Where Coheed's prior albums had a definite catchiness factor to them, with some songs being on the verge of peppy, Year of the Black Rainbow keeps things a little darker. The extra edge actually works pretty well, except for the fact that, if listened to straight through, the songs blur together a little bit. It's as if Coheed found a new sound they liked, but didn't quite know how to proceed further with it.

Even Sanchez's voice takes a different approach on this album. Rather than getting the frequent high notes that distinguish Sanchez's voice from any other singer's, listeners get to hear his voice brought down just a few notches, and kept at a more even level. It would be impossible to completely overhaul Sanchez's characteristic vocals, but there is a change that, while subtle, is still noticeable.

While it's clear that Coheed and Cambria were trying to take things in a new direction with Year of the Black Rainbow, it does feel as though they played it safe and didn't push the envelope as far as they could have, which is unfortunate because the album ends up being left in a mild state of limbo between their older stuff and something really different.

All told though, Year of the Black Rainbow is a solid album, especially when you start to feel more familiar with the newer sound. Coheed and Cambria definitely deserve credit for trying to change things up at this point in their career, and Year of the Black Rainbow is worth the listen.

The Sojourners: The Sojourners

Do you ever find yourself just needing to listen to some straight-up feel good music? You know, the kind that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to bebop along with it as you listen? If so, The Sojourners self-titled album is a must-listen.

The Sojourners is a brilliant fusion of the sounds of southern Gospel and the blues, with a slight hint of doo-wop thrown in for good measure.

The vocals are smooth and passionate, with a joy and exuberance behind them. Listening to the strong voices of Will Sanders, Ron Small and Marcus Mosely, you can tell you are listening to artists who are genuinely enjoying what they do—the pleasure they take in their music really can be heard in their voices and the emotion they express...MORE

Jeff Callahan: Empty Swings

Jeff Callahan is a talented poet. That fact cannot be denied. However, based on what his audience gets with Empty Swings, I’m not sure the same can be said of Callahan’s musicality.

Empty Swings is a spoken word album, so rather than hearing Callahan sing his poems as lyrics, the listener gets Callahan reciting his poems as poems.

This in itself is by no means a bad thing. However, the music that accompanies the spoken word throws off the entire album.

On Empty Swings, Callahan’s poems are backed by the music of B.D. Lenz. Just as Callahan is a gifted poet, Lenz is a skilled musician. The problem is that the work of the two artists doesn’t mesh very well...MORE

Sister Loolomie: Signals

When the classic horror film The Blob hit theaters back in 1958, one of the taglines for the movie was “Run, don’t walk, from The Blob!” Now, within the context of The Blob, this line was referring to a globular alien that was eating everything in its path, but the advice applies here as well.

If you ever find yourself in even the general vicinity of anywhere that Sister Loolomie’s album Signals is being played, run away. Fast.

With Signals, I honestly can find nothing positive to say.

From beginning to end, Signals is an absolute disaster. When the first track, “No Final Decision Here,” starts out with a low, almost throbbing noise and proceeds to add in a whining akin to a dulled version of the sound made when a microphone gets too close to a speaker, a feeling of curiosity is elicited. Where is this “song” going? Nowhere good, unfortunately....MORE

Band Spotlight: Civil Twilight

On March 16th, the audience at a small St. Louis venue was treated to a fantastic show from all four bands in the night’s lineup: local band Peach, Chicago-based AM Taxi and Company of Thieves, and South African natives Civil Twilight.

Without exception, every band fully delivered, making for a show that, from beginning to end, was everything one looks for in a concert experience: fun, intimate, and completely rocking.

For Richard Wouters and brothers Andrew and Steve McKellar of Civil Twilight, this was a far cry from some of the shows the band played when they were first starting out in the U.S. “Our first tour had some of the toughest shows,” said Steve. “We were going into the world as a new band with warped expectations, and then people walked out during our set.”

And sometimes there would barely be an audience to play for at all. The band cites a show in Connecticut where only two people showed up as one of the most disheartening experiences of their career.

But at Tuesday's show, far more than two people graced the audience, with Civil Twilight being one of the main draws for the evening.

Civil Twilight was first formed back in 1996 when Andrew and Richard were in high school, and Steve was only 13. It was “one of those situations where you have a band before you can play instruments,” but the guys quickly worked out the logistics of who would play what, and two weeks later they played their first show. However, it would be a while before they played again since “we didn’t really know that bands gigged,” said Andrew.

What they did know, though, was that they wanted to make something of their music, and that staying in Cape Town, South Africa was not the way to do that. “There’s a very small South African scene, far less bands,” said Andrew. “All your hero bands live here [in the U.S.], and amazing music comes out all the time.”

In what Steve refers to as a move of “youthful ignorance,” Civil Twilight and friend Kevin Mitchell, who serves as band engineer and tour manager, packed their bags and relocated to L.A. “just to see what would happen.”

What ended up happening was years of playing around L.A., learning the business side of things, “just the way it works. You think it’s something like you go to see someone famous, they see you play, and then you just start getting played. But there are a million little things to negotiate,” said Wouters.

With the help of their manager, Michael Carney, in 2007 Civil Twilight got an album made and began touring. Their songs also went on to be featured in several TV shows, including the popular CW drama One Tree Hill.

Since then, things have really started taking off for the band. They moved to Nashville, signed with Wind-Up Records, and have spent the last two years touring, as well as re-releasing their self-titled album Civil Twilight.

From being a band that played to an audience of only two people, Civil Twilight now has a growing fan base, including “Rob, our most hard core fan,” who first saw the band play at a bar in Tennessee where “you expected zombies to come out at any time,” and has continued to follow Civil Twilight on tour. They’ve also had the ultimate rock star experience of witnessing a girl crying because she was scared to come up to them.

The surrealism of their life now doesn’t escape the members of Civil Twilight. According to Wouters, “It’s weird to think of life outside the band,” a sentiment echoed by Steve.

“It’s a really weird lifestyle. I’m not sure what extensive touring teaches you, but it’s what’s really important about what we do.”

And how does the band deal with the constant touring? With “as little communication as possible,” says Steve, as the band acknowledges that one of the most interesting parts of their life is having known each other and their tour manager since they were just kids, and now living and working together as four grownups.

To keep things balanced, “in the last two years we’ve found individual passions,” says Andrew. From writing to painting to woodworking, the members of Civil Twilight each have interests that keep them from being overwhelmed by band life, but at the same time admit that, “I can walk away from music for about ten minutes, but after that I’m always drawn back to it.”

So what’s up next for Civil Twilight?

Aside from touring, “we haven’t really been big on goals,” says Andrew, but the general consensus among the band’s members is to just stay on their current path. “As long as we can keep doing what we’re doing and experience growth, we’ll be happy,” said Wouters.

Civil Twilight hopes to headline a tour in the future, and its members would love the opportunity to someday play with Radiohead or Elbow.

In the meantime, Civil Twilight remains focused on touring, while, as Andrew puts it, also “keeping the dreams and stuff alive. It’s really important remembering those things, like the first time we ever played music.”

As for those who haven’t heard Civil Twilight’s music yet, Steve encourages you to “give it a listen. What we do, we do with love and passion as a service to you. If you like it, or don’t, please tell us.”

Check out Civil Twilight's official website at www.civiltwilightband.com