Brady Earnhart "Manalapan", 2003
Manalapan... where Brady Earnhart spent time snorkeling and the title of his second album,
a surprisingly breezy meditation on longing, love, and trying to "see back to where I
started" even when the water gets murky. Earnhart's impeccable lyrics abound with
telling details, humor, and poignant revelations. Characters emerge fully realized
("Good Night Friday Night"). Some Whitman letters inspire perhaps the best song ever
born out of a doctoral thesis. Earnhart and returning co-producer Jeff Romano work
this time with a broader palette of instruments-many, including a variety of guitars,
played by the singer -- but stay true to an underlying pop sensibility. Earnhart
understands how to use his gentle voice to bring an unlikely combination of strength
and melancholy to folk ("Arlington"), a James Taylor like anthem ("Get Right Back"),
and rock ("Hot Red Car"). Manalapan... dive in.
©
David Kleiner
Miguel de la Bastide "Siento", 2003
The renaissance of acoustic music over the last decade has extended to all
genres - classical, folk, and of course, the ubiquitous "New Age" category, made
popular by Windham Hill artists in the 1980's. But American listeners have also
begun to hear stringed poetry from lands across the Atlantic. Some of the
attempts at "Nuevo Flamenco" have tickled the ears, but failed to deliver real
flamenco duende. Echoing the power of Paco de Lucia, and the lyricism of
Vicente Amigo, Trinidadian Miguel de la Bastide has delivered a marvelous
offering of flamenco puro mixed with some Latin-inspired world beats in his
latest release "Siento". The very first track, a bulerias called "Tentacion",
draws you in with its percussive rhythm. De la Bastide recorded most of the
eight tracks with some excellent help on percussion, while dancer Carmen Romero
- his partner in the Compania Carmen Romero - provides captivating footwork on
"Andaluza". But de la bastide crosses outside the skirts of traditional
accompaniment with soprano and tenor sax on two cuts, lending a jazz feel. The
CD ends with the solo "El Santo Dia," a passionate, fiery conclusion showcasing
his fluency and virtuosity in flamenco. Miguel de la Bastide has got some
duende! For anyone interested in excellence in modern flamenco guitar, this CD
is a good place to start.
©Kirk Albrecht
Eric Elias "Solos, Duos, Trios & Quartets" 2003
The very strength of Eric Elias' music is also the weakness of "Solos, Duos, Trios and
Quartets". Elias can pen an original jazz standard to do what it's supposed to - send
the spirit soaring and connect a listener with the same emotional force that was there
when the tune took form only in the imagination of the writer. Maybe that's why Elias'
four original tunes, "The Sandman", "Rumor Has It", High Tide" and "Minoresque" blend
flush with the other jazz standards here by composers who also have that gift: Bonfa,
Gershwin, Jobim, and Rodgers and Hart. What's the weakness? There's only four of Elias' tunes.
© Alan Fark
Laurie McClain "The Trumpet Vine" 2003
No one takes me back to "back to the land" like Kate Wolf. From the country road,
the garden, the passage of time, three major chords and a relative minor or two,
she created a lovely legacy of songs. Laurie McClain puts a real pretty shine on
14 Wolf melodies in her reverential tribute "The Trumpet Vine". The strength of the
album is the exquisite acoustic sound engineered by Charlie Chadwick. I've rarely
heard guitars so sweet; McClain's voice is a delicate instrument. Highlights include
harmony from Pam Tillis on "Eyes of a Painter", fine lead from Nina Gerber (longtime
Wolf collaborator) on "Green Eyes," Bryan Sutton's mandolin on "Like a River," and
Muriel Anderson picking Pete Seeger's "Livin' in the Country" in "The Wind Blows Wild."
©
David Kleiner
Guy Buttery "When I Grow Up...", 2002
Guy Buttery is a 19 year old with scads of talent, and far-reaching musical
ideas. In the melting pot which is music, this South African guitarist has been
infused with the spirit of pioneers like Michael Hedges and Alex DeGrassi (to
name a few, which he does in the liner notes), following their trails and
branching out in his own ways. Buttery loves two-handed tapping and percussive
rhythms, yet he can slow it down and fingerpick as needed. The opening cut,
"Opening" shows a mix of techniques, while "A+E" provides hints of Andalucia in
both tone and structure. Much of what Buttery is doing with his playing is
taking a theme and running with it wherever he feels led. Sometimes it works
well; other times, it feels disjointed and mismatched. A good example is the
concluding piece, "Self Portrait", a meandering amalgam of harmonics, tapping,
and picking - like something you might play sitting around some Sunday afternoon
on the porch. That is, if you had the chops Guy Buttery does. As he learns to
harness his creativity, we'll all be hearing more of this talented young man.
©
Kirk Albrecht
Alison Kitchen "Mercy Dancing", 2003
Alison Kitchen's new CD is one of the best-sounding collections of new music I've heard in
many years. From the opening track, "It Only Takes a Minute", through the final seconds of
"Beloved Planet", "Mercy Dancing" exemplifies top-notch singing, playing, songwriting and
production values. Kitchen's Christian orientation informs most of her writing, which is
concise and lyrical, rather than wordy, as can be a problem with many songwriters who deliver
an evangelical "message". Her most apparent musical influence may be Joni Mitchell, mostly through
her use of unusual chord progressions, although her presentation is more mainstream
than most of Mitchell's work. The arrangements owe much to the singer-songwriter and
folk rock movement of the late 1960s and seventies,
several tracks recall mid-period Traffic. Kitchen's voice projects well and is strongest in
its lower register. She quavers more on higher notes, although the overall effect
is pleasing. Kitchen doesn't get in the listener's face with her spirituality,
even if it is the dominant theme in her work. This CD deserves a listen from anyone who
enjoys singer-songwriters with roots in the folk-rock vein and will attract repeated
listening from those in sympathy with Alison Kitchen's mature spiritual leanings.
©
Pat Ragains
Frank Corbi & Kevin Van Sant "Tunes from Two", 2003
"Tunes from Two" is a sweet offering from Frank Corbi, veteran saxophonist,
and guitarist Kevin Van Sant, and is the first in a series of duet albums to
be released by Van Sant. The terrain is familiar, same old standards. Yet,
there is a warmth and playfulness inherent in these recordings that
transcend the genre. Corbi quotes melodies from songs like "Bye Bye
Blackbird" and "I'm Beginning to See the Light" so often one doubts he's
aware he's doing it. He's a true pro with a tone to die for. Supposedly, Van
Sant is self-taught. Quite amazing for an individual who plays some of the
most intricate and melodic solos, all while comping and playing a walking
bass line. Well worth a listen.
© Chip O'Brien
Mark Brine "For Karrie", 2002
Mark Brine eases into the Woody/Dylan thing like a pageboy ‘do under a
leopard-skin pillbox hat. Brine’s worn and softly ragged voice leads us through his
14 thoughtful, country-based tunes on "For Karrie". A country afficionado
since the ‘60s, his collection ranges from the bluegrassy and upbeat "Baby, You
Move Me" to the pedal-steel punctuated anti-war "Once a Soldier (Always a
Hero)" to the more pop-leaning "8th Grade Romance (And They Danced)". The title
track unfolds as heartfelt ballad about a fool in love. Sewing it all together
is Linda Joseph’s able -- and markedly prominent -- fiddle/violin/viola
throughout. Brine tosses in some nice turns of phrase, like "your quicksand eyes"
and "still darkly warms my heart" while guitarist Denis Colby turns in some
tasty riffs. Unremarkable but pleasant.
©
Fred Kraus
Andy Collins "Lake St. Serenade", 2003
This is cookin', kick-butt Dixieland-inflected blues... and it sounds just as rapturous
in the Northern Hemisphere as I'm sure it does Down Under. When Andy Collins does play
guitar, it's a mean 'n clean acoustic but his greater talent is as impresario, assembling
an expert cast of musical co-conspirators on sax, trombone, dobro, fiddle, harmonica and
fervent background vocals to rival a rural Baptist Church. The bonus multimedia CD
"Pascoe River" offers a visual window through which Collins' music meets sunny outdoor
Oz in all its leisure much as Jimmy Buffet's music conjures the Florida Keys seen through
a contented tequila haze.
©
Alan Fark
Greg Meckes "Moments of Clarity", 2002
Simply put, Greg Meckes' newest album "Moments of Clarity - Part 1" celebrates the
ephemeral and the eternal at once. The fourteen pieces drawn together here are Meckes'
own compositions, a set of soft instrumentals whose elegance is both profound and highly
listenable. Even though "Moments of Clarity" has the feel of a completed project, Meckes
intends to release a second installment in the near future. What is particularly
impressive here is the mood Meckes furnishes his listener using only his guitar. Many of
the all steel-string acoustic songs have a soft, warm quality to them, a feeling of
futurity that is brought home through Meckes' passion for melody and harmonic balance.
"Starting Over", one of my favorite pieces, captures this constant movement through a set
of beautifully composed arpeggio-like gestures. As the song progresses, we are able to
sense a kind of fragility in the world that surrounds the player. We look forward to
seeing what this project will eventually look like as Meckes' music changes through time.
© Bernard Richter
Tom Yoder "The Moment the Apple Falls", 2003
Tom Yoder is just a guitar guy. He's been playing most of his life, in just
about every imaginable style, though his last two recordings have been solo
acoustic fingerstyle. Tom is a guitar teacher, and posts lessons on-line
through his website. He's dedicated to the instrument, that's for sure. "The
Moment the Apple Falls" delves into several alternate tunings. The 11 tunes on
the CD sound deceptively simple, but underlying them is some serious technical
prowess, and developed multiple voices. You can tell he knows his way around
the fingerboard. Yoder does several DADGAD tunes, giving a Celtic sound while
exploring some other options within each. Some work and some don't, revealing a
tendency to try too many things within one song, and losing the flow of the
melody for the listener. "O'Coughlin's Reel" is a good example of this
structural confusion. "Shade Mountain Rag" also begins a well-known musical
form, but in one section turns into a blues, then back again. Yoder captures
some darker moods with "Fish for Breakfast", while bringing some Kottke-esque
chordal patterns in "Keyhole". He has lots of good pieces to the puzzle on this
CD, but needs to out them together with a greater sense of unity.
©
Kirk Albrecht
"Without publicity, a terrible thing happens... nothing!"