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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Summer Burn: CD Reveiws
Wednesday 05 June @ 10:36:13 |
 by Paul Dickinson
Sinnerstar “Craving Aches and Bitter Lemon Hearts”
(Sinnerville Records)
Speedealer “Second Sight” (Palm Records)
Matthew “Everybody Down”
(Ryko)
Powderfinger “Odyssey Number Five”
(Universal Records)
by Paul Dickinson
Sinnerstar “Craving Aches and Bitter Lemon Hearts”
(Sinnerville Records)
A dramatic debut CD from the globe-hopping Koozie Johns. Having worked with Japanese rock band Oblivion Dust and The Tyla Electric Band, this Brit has thrown his solo band onto the rock n roll bonfire. As it crackles in the flames, more than a few sparks sparkle. Mr. Johns shoots from (and possibly at) the hip with his world weary, slightly lecherous odes to modern life. The tunes are well crafted an memorable. My favorite is the second track “Chemicals Dominate (and so do you)” If Johns is a bit heavy on the melodrama, he makes up for it by also being heavy on the guitars, with bittersweet distortion and masterful power chord changes saving the day.
Speedealer “Second Sight” (Palm Records)
After their debut release was introduced to the world via these very pages, Speedealer (then called REO Speedealer) went on to follow the dream of every metal band in America- a record deal in Los Angeles. Well, sweet mother of all feedback, these maniacs deserve it. When I saw them at the 7th Street Entry, Their sonic attack was downright felonious. Yet instead of getting 5 to 10 at the state pen, they just worked the crowd into a dangerous and frenzied state. This CD is firing on all cylinders as it roars down the highway towards sweet metal oblivion. Aggressive without being too “scary”, lead vocalist and guitarist Jeff Hirshberg dishes out his punishment to the masses in highly potent doses. “Slowly, Burning...Alive” is the tune that takes the cake and says it all. The world is full of new speed metal bands that seem to forget the drama and allegory of the 70’s and 80’s metal that has been ruining “decent” culture for years. Speedealer taps right into it, cuts it with a blizzard of ace chops and demented leads, and delivers it right into the bloodstream. Cop this CD, you’ll be up for days.
Matthew “Everybody Down”
(Ryko)
Recorded in right here in Minneapolis at Flower studios, this Chicago based power rock band puts forth a monumental effort with this release. Vocalist Brian Mc Sweeney’s smooth and crooning delivery counterpunches the brittle rock guitars and the catchy bass lines. Following the lead of Pavement, Matthew has mastered the loud / soft / tension / release strategy of songwriting. At times the crooning gets a bit overbearing, but then a great guitar hook will come along and keep things rolling, with the seamless production making it all pretty damn irresistible.
Powderfinger “Odyssey Number Five”
(Universal Records)
With a charming Australian sincerity, Powderfinger lay on their layered harmonies and deft instrumentation to brew up one hell of a compelling CD. At times they almost sound American, make that Americana, with their straight-ahead melodies, but then they go and do something so strange, so unique, that you realize that they have to be from someplace far away to be able to get away with such stunts. Most of their complexity comes straight from two sources: voice modulation and guitar insanity. It is the tune “ Like A Dog” where these forces collide to great effect. Somewhere between a blues jam and a rock anthem, it ends abruptly with the lyrical warning: “If you treat me like a dog and keep me locked in a cage, I’m not relaxed or comfortable, I’m aggravation and rage. “ Yet there is true beauty on this record as well. In “My Kind of Scene” singer Bernard Fanning manages to put so much damn heart in the simple wail “But its not my kind of scene, oh yeah”. It is one of those great rock moments where, in between the stereo speakers, you find a new explanation for the demise of the universe, or at least, a way to escape from it. Powderfinger walks their sonic tightrope with shocking ease. Their philosophical lamentations never become overdone, and the swagger of the guitars never shred through the delectate stratosphere that hangs over every track on this record. Pop smarts, quietly eccentric and demented guitar work along with ragged lyrical brilliance make this one of the finest imports of the year.
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