by Ray LaMontague, from Till the Sun Turns Black
From the shoe factories of New England comes a singer-songwriter who draws favorable comparisons to Otis Redding and Van Morrison. His fifth album has just been released, but this is the first single from his second album. I dig the intensity of his vocals, and the horn charts are terrific. This is music for grown-ups--thoughtful, soulful, longing.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Call Out the Military
From Living Room! by Richard X. Heyman
!988? Not a great year for music, if I recall, but it saw the LP debut of one Richard X. Heyman. Heyman is from the burbs of Jersey, and has been kicking around the music business since the late sixties. Rolling Stone raved about Living Room!, but it failed to catch on with the public.
Most of Heyman's recordings are DIY one-man band efforts, like Mike Oldfield or Todd Rundgren, and recorded in his own living room studio. I first heard him in 2002, when he came around to a local radio station to promote Basic Glee. He started as a drummer, but his songs are smart, dense, melodic slices of guitar-driven power pop. He's never had any major promotion, but his music is worth searching out. If you like this, check out his website.
!988? Not a great year for music, if I recall, but it saw the LP debut of one Richard X. Heyman. Heyman is from the burbs of Jersey, and has been kicking around the music business since the late sixties. Rolling Stone raved about Living Room!, but it failed to catch on with the public.
Most of Heyman's recordings are DIY one-man band efforts, like Mike Oldfield or Todd Rundgren, and recorded in his own living room studio. I first heard him in 2002, when he came around to a local radio station to promote Basic Glee. He started as a drummer, but his songs are smart, dense, melodic slices of guitar-driven power pop. He's never had any major promotion, but his music is worth searching out. If you like this, check out his website.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Hold On, Hold On
Neko Case, from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.
I first heard Neko Case as a featured vocalist with The New Pornographers. I was dazzled. She's also got solo albums dating back more than a decade. This is from 2005, a flawless record.
A voice as big as all outdoors, in the service of great songs. Kind of a high octane version of Cowboy Junkies. There is a great concern for wildlife in her music, but it's not always on the surface of the lyrics. Some might call them inscrutable, but like so much of my favorite music, it gives up its secrets a little at a time with repeated listening. She's the real deal.
I first heard Neko Case as a featured vocalist with The New Pornographers. I was dazzled. She's also got solo albums dating back more than a decade. This is from 2005, a flawless record.
A voice as big as all outdoors, in the service of great songs. Kind of a high octane version of Cowboy Junkies. There is a great concern for wildlife in her music, but it's not always on the surface of the lyrics. Some might call them inscrutable, but like so much of my favorite music, it gives up its secrets a little at a time with repeated listening. She's the real deal.
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