| DIY Top 12 Picks: January/February 2007by Mare Wakefield |
|
 |
|
|
Showcasing independent songwriters who have
released an album without the backing of a label.
|
Steve Azar
Indianola
Could Steve Azar be Mississippi’s answer to Bruce Springsteen? A harder-rockin’ John Hiatt? The Delta native combines passion and energy with a country-blues vibe on Indianola, his latest release.
 Highlights include “Crowded,” in which Azar sings about the trials and tribulations of urban sprawl: “I moved out to the country but the city keeps moving in.” Electric guitars and a pounding rock drum groove drive the song while occasional banjo offers a nod to Azar’s roots.“You Don’t Know a Thing” provides more of a country feel. Jangly acoustic guitars accompany sage lyrics like “You got your life all planned out, sure looks good on paper / till your American dream smacks up against the rising cost of labor.”
Azar’s smooth vocals have just a touch of smoky—think Keith Urban meets Rod Stewart. After one visit to Indianola, you’ll want to be a permanent resident.
steveazar.com
|
Tom Catmull and the Clerics
Tom Catmull and the Clerics
Pedal steel and an easy rock beat set the tone for “Live and Die,” the opening track on this self-titled effort from Tom Catmull and the Clerics. The band manages to combine the musical style of the Allman Brothers and the poetry of Leonard Cohen as Catmull sings whimsically about small towns and “wrapping prayer flags around a rusty hangin’ line.”
Tremelo guitar and accordion join forces with mandolin and fiddle throughout the record. The bouncing “All the Good in the World” finds Catmull playfully begging his baby for one more kiss before a bluesy lead guitar takes the spotlight. The melancholy “Pull You In” mixes banjo with lyrics about a girl who “caught his eye in a dress too short for mama,” while “Hole in Her Head” will surely bring a smile as Catmull concludes that since “she loves me, she must have a hole in her head.” Fans of country-rock, folk and just plain good music will testify to these Clerics.
tomcatmull.com
|
Carrie Clark & The Lonesome Lovers
Seems So Civilized
If Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies and Merle Haggard had a baby, she would have grown up to be Carrie Clark. The Seattle-based singer-songwriter sings sweet and slow about long black coats, 10-gallon hats and women named Josephine and Adeline on Seems So Civilized. Much of the record sports a strong classic-country flavor in the style of Cash or Waylon, but with a harder edge. Lap steel and twangy electric guitars lay the groundwork for Clark’s stories about broken hearts and mysterious strangers.
Highlights include the moody “I Saw You (Hovering)” (“I saw you beginning to fall so far from grace / I saw the kindness that you wished he gave”) and the dreamy, soft acoustics of “Have You Heard Them Talking.” Clark and company have crafted songs that explore and even celebrate humanity—all the while hinting at the darkness that lurks just beneath the surface of the civilized.
carrieclark.com
|
JJ Heller
Only Love Remains
JJ Heller begins her latest offering with a question. “Are you the little girl who locks herself inside her room waiting to be rescued / Or are you the captain of war that he began to prove his merit as a man?” she asks over rhythmic acoustic guitar and mellow banjo in “Only You.” Heller’s Alison Krauss-meets-Alanis Morissette vocals go on to suggest that each listener find an individual way to shine.
Other tunes on Only Love Remains are similarly gentle and encouraging. In “Love Me” Heller promises, “I will love you for you / Not for what you have done or what you will become.” In “Thank You” she counts her blessings (among them purple skies and changing autumn leaves), and “Lullaby” soothes listeners with claims like “the love of God is evident in the miracle of you.”
With a little help from her husband, guitarist David Heller, and producer Mitch Dane, Heller pours her soft, country-tinged voice into your heart until all bitterness is gone and only love remains.
jjheller.com
|
Nathalie Nahai
Nathalie Nahai
For those of us who’ve pined for early-’90s bands like the Sundays or Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, Nathalie Nahai sounds like an answered prayer. The young British singer-songwriter offers pretty pop melodies with a light soprano that sails gracefully over chiming acoustic guitars and moody bass and drums. Electric guitar shimmers in the background, adding ambience without detracting from Nahai’s vocals.
Highlights include the existential opener “It’s Not Far” (“It’s only dark, don’t be afraid /
’cause we all slip away”), the upbeat “Here Tonight” and the anthemic “Walking Wounded” (“I won’t say that I’m lost without you, ’cause that’s not what I really mean / But when you ripped me away like a bandage, you took so much from me”). With exploratory lyrics, soaring melodies and clear vocals, Nahai stands poised to guide a whole new generation through the pain and joy of the game of life.
myspace.com/nathalienahai
|
NEeMA
Masí Cho
Middle Eastern drumming, chanting and rhythmic breathing sounds greet your ears on NEeMA’s latest release, Masí Cho. Born in Montreal of Egyptian and Lebanese descent, NEeMA lived among the Tlicho Aboriginals in Canada’s Northwest Territories, and the title of her record comes from the Tlicho phrase for “Thank you very much.”
All these multicultural influences are happily evident on Masí Cho. “Masí” is a spoken-word prayer for God to save all “beggars and healers, liars and stealers / the sick the suffering, prophets and healers.” “Break the Cycle” is an upbeat mantra for change. “The cycle of blame goes on without shame like a merry-go-round or a Monopoly game / blame, our race’s claim to fame,” sings NEeMA over a hip-hop beat and a wash of electric guitars. “Let It Go” encourages release over a guitar line that incorporates South African styles. Your ears will thank you for indulging in NEeMA’s global gumbo—they may even whisper “masí cho.”
neema.ca
|
Gregory Page
Daydreaming at Night
Imagine Neil Young composing music for 1930s-era Italian films and you’ll get an idea of Gregory Page. The San Diego–based artist’s new album is full of cinematic melodies and sweeping violins. His wavering tenor brings life to lyrics about mysterious hauntings, broken hearts and city parks in the springtime.
There’s a sparkling, music-box quality to many of the tunes as well, especially on “Goodbye Everybody,” where he mixes xylophone with ukulele. “Come in From the Cold” is another stellar track, featuring whistling and a slow swing beat. “He’s gonna huff, he’s gonna puff, he’s gonna blow the house down,” Page sings playfully.
After one listen to Daydreaming, it won’t be hard to understand how Page’s side projects could include working with artists like Jason Mraz and Jewel. There’s a comfy ambience to his music that, day or night, will certainly set the mind to dreaming.
gregorypage.com
|
Arielle Silver
Somethingprettysomethingtrue
No, it’s not a typo. The latest from Boston-based Arielle Silver melds multiple concepts into one word—an appropriate move from a songwriter who fuses clarinet with electric guitar, 7/8 drumbeats with folk melodies and angsty lyrics with snippets of Fiddler on the Roof.
Silver’s smoky alto recalls fellow rocker Patti Smith, while drummer Scott Manley’s powerful yet complex rhythms beg for comparisons to drum gods like Rush’s Neil Peart. The interplay between Silver and Manley is so locked-in, it’s not hard to believe that after finishing the record the duo hit the road indefinitely in their veggie oil-powered van.
Silver’s tough-yet-tender vocals move through the space where Lou Reed meets Chrissie Hynde, ensuring that Somethingprettysomethingtrue lives up to its name and then some.
ariellesilver.com
|
Smart Brown Handbag
Harry Larry
The Los Angeles–based trio Smart Brown Handbag has been together for over 12 years, and Harry Larry marks their 10th independent release. This experience is evident from the beginning of the record as energetic drums circle around wailing electric guitars, synths and lead singer David Steinhart’s Brit-pop vocals.
Highlights include the self-deprecating title track (“Downtown in sillouette / Yeah I know it’s me getting in the way”) and the New Order-esque “Stand Up.” The orchestrated pop of “Sour Grapes” is another sure winner. “When I hear those children sing I will moan and cringe concurrently,” croons Steinhart as drummer John Glogovac and bassist Cindy Albon lay down a spunky, marching beat.
The music of Smart Brown Handbag pushes boundaries even as it sounds vaguely familiar. They’re the Beatles’ sarcastic older brother, they’re the Smiths on a happier day, and they’re just as stylishly crisp as their namesake.
smartbrownhandbag.com
|
Spottiswoode & McMahon
S&M
The latest from New York-based duo Spottiswoode & McMahon starts like an old Bela Lugosi film soundtrack. Accordion and a chorus of moaning trace the melody of “I’ve Fallen in Love With Someone Like You Before,” a waltz which finds singer Jonathan Spottiswoode pondering why his current love bosses him around “though I’m so much older.”
The rest of the album follows suit, conjuring delightfully wacky vignettes with titles like “Mummy’s Got Strange Friends,” “I Live In Constant Fear” and “Don’t Fall In Love With Laura Ingraham.” Gypsy violin, a well-placed glockenspiel and Riley McMahon’s Spanish-style guitar accompany Spottiswoode’s Tom Waits-meets-Ray Price vocals. You may not think you’re into S&M, but we promise you will be.
spottiswoode.com
|
Jon Troast
Second Story
Wisconsin artist Jon Troast alternates between folky and funky. His smoky, David Gray–style vocals jump from sweet, spunky love songs to edgier, rhythmic explorations of life and responsibility.
Mandolin gets cozy with a honky-tonk piano on “The Most.” “Dish and the Spoon” is a playful look at the Mother Goose nursery rhyme while “Knock Down” is an intriguing cross between “House of the Rising Sun” and “Mama Told Me Not to Come.” But the real jewel of the record is “Better Love,” in which Troast warns a potential lover that he may not make the best partner. Troast’s agonized delivery of lines like “My lips don’t kiss a thing, they’re too busy singing / He waits every evening just to kiss you goodnight, it’s a better love than mine” ensure that you’ll want to give Second Story a second listen, and a third, and fourth …
jontroast.com
|
Randy Weeks
Sugarfinger
The slightly nasal tenor of Randy Weeks may remind listeners of Willie Nelson or Michael Stipe, but the music is all Weeks. Sugarfinger starts strong with a James Bond-style guitar line and dreamy layered synth on “Looking for a Good Time.” The party continues with the country-rock sounds of Weeks’ public-radio hit “Transistor Radio.” “There’s a stretch of stars shining down on you / Gonna light the way to something new,” Weeks promises over drums and organ. He slows to a mellower pace on “Goin’ to Heaven” but then kicks things back up on the bluesy rock of “I’ll Take My Candy.”
Overall, Weeks has fashioned a stellar album. The music is light and fun without being overly fluffy, and Weeks’ voice goes easy on the ears. Let Sugarfinger sweeten up your mid-winter days—we’re willing to bet you’ll be satisfied.
randyweeks.com
|
|
|
|
To Submit Your Album:
Please send CD, bio, mailing address and e-mail to:
Performing Songwriter
ATTN: DIY
2805 Azalea Place
Nashville, TN 37204
You will be contacted if your album has been chosen, so there is no need to call the office regarding this. Please be patient and continue to send us your new releases. We do listen to all submissions for DIY consideration.
Back to the Current Top 12 Picks
|
|
