This songwriter has the potential to be a one-man Tin Pan Alley of sorts....I can think of several Bands and Artists that could benefit from his work. Look for this album to hit the Streets on April 2nd.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
It's Not The Weather, Unmutual, When White Was White, My Sweet Revolver, A Prayer For Ray Davies.
A solid Major Label debut with textured, sonic flavors. Look for this album to hit the streets in April. Listen for the Space Oddity-type sonic episode that follows track 11.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
I'm A Man, Pervert, Sick, Superstar, Pain, Terminal,India, Desire.
Lots of hip flavors from this New York band. At times it sounds like Leonard Cohen & Tom Waits meet Roger Waters-era Pink Floyd. At other times it sounds like Allman Brothers/Pony Boy and Theolonius Monster. This album is a must buy. Very Good...worth your bucks. Look for Red to hit the street on April 2nd.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Don't Tell God, Girl on Fire, ru4 Real?
Some real cool spoken word segments and individuated musical tone.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Dance Motherfuckers, Little Dudes, Home, Four Miles, Fossil Fuel, Jazz Freakin', For the Game
This is the REAL shit. A lot of alternative bands have strived to sound like this. This is a Must Buy for 1996. 1970 comes to you in the classic 70's mixdown...bare, raw and real. 1970 could not have come at a better time.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Free Again, Something Deep Inside, The Happy Song, The EMI Song, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Sugar Sugar-I Got The Feelin'
Roy Rogers Pointblank Records. NR Rhythm and Groove
Roy Rogers is one of the finest slide guitarists in the trade. I remember Roy opening for Stevie Ray Vaughan at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara back in 1989 and I was so blown away by how forceful his slide attack was.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Feel My Care, Shakin' Hands With The Devil, Your Mind Is On Vacation, Proud Man, Love Me Or Leave Me.
Perry's got his own voice both vocally and on the guitar. It's refreshing to hear a new artist come out of the box with his own shit, you dig? I definitely enjoyed sitting down for a listen to this one.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Fade To Blue, Boogie Blues, I'm Leaving You.
Marla's got the Nina Simone thang cookin', but she's thrown in her own special set of condiments to the batch.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Also Love You, Repertoire, City Love, Other Plans.
Killing Joke's musical vibe is so strong, it reminds me of times I've been asleep and a dream kicks in and then I realize it's a dream and begin to enjoy it much like I would a good movie. I strongly urge you to participate in the dream that is Killing Joke. Reverent, propulsive rythms create an urgent current for the bouyant lyrics to navigate a sea of dreams. Absent Friends is first rate thoughtfulness of the highest order.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Democracy, Prozac People, Aeon, Medicine Wheel, Absent Friends.
This is a band in control of the sheer power of their tone. Capitol invited me down to hear TFA at The Alligator Lounge and after two songs I knew that 1) I liked the band and 2) the sound pressure level of the two preceeding bands had impinged on my million dollar hearing...to stay to hear this great music would interfere with my future enjoyment of music. Lucky for me, I knew TFA had an album coming out and I could catch the whole story at my preferred SPL. Here's the skinny: Triplefastaction is as good live as they are on the album.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Revved Up, American City World, Cheery, Sally Tree, Superstar.
This is a big time album for Cracker. Lowery and co. have concocted an album that is a pleasant and challenging listen. I dig it! Check out the guest background vocals of Joan Osborne on Nothing To Believe In.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Nothing To Believe In, Sweet Thistle Pie, How Can I Live Without You.
Rating:
John Mooney House Of Blues Music Company. NA Against The Wall
I'm giving Mooney 5 globes because of my familiarity with his repertoire long before there was a House Of Blues in New Orleans. I'm usually very supportive of musicians I believe in as evidenced by the reviews on this bad muthafucka of a site, so I'm apologizing to JM upfront for the the half ass review simply because I don't have the product I asked for...which is coming any day now...I guess you'll have to wait for my live review of the HOB record release party to get an idea of what I think of these artists on this label which will be up on the site before I get product. The Live review should end up in the On The Town section of Music Promotions. Actually all the HOB artists deserve an apology since they are not getting the best from RATW...It's not on me, now.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Sacred Ground.
I dig the dental bleu of the jewel box packaging...you'll know what I mean when you get the album, which is good and should prove to be a lot of fun around the house this Summer. Pure is a full on hit and has the Ricky Wilson/Mosrite sound all over it.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Teeth, Hate Yourself, Pure, Cracks, Hands, Anomalocaris.
One of those cats that you can kick back and listen to while you're going about your life, off-axis to a pair of speakers and still get the point he's trying to make. Maybe that's part of what makes up Westerberg's genius is that you don't have to be totally 'Maxell Man' with his music...I mean my point is that you could probably wax your car, do yard work or some other tedious thing and not have to worry about it, since this music is getting you by.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
These Are The Days, Century, Love Untold, MamaDaddyDid, Once Around The Weekend, Trumpet Clip, Angels Walk, Good Day.
Steve Albini has surrounded Fred Schneider with some fierce backing bands for this album. I think Albini used three really tight aggro bands that serve to punctuate the lyrical messages culled from Schneider's time away from an ensemble in which he wrote collaboratively. On this album it's pretty much Just Fred doing all the talking behind the words you're hearing. Wow, man, this is not your father's Oldsmobile, if you dig what I'm saying.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Whip, Radioactive Lady Eyeball, Lick.
The kind people in the New York offices of RCA got me this copy of CRASH. Matthews continues his unique vocals on top of an instrumental sea of voices. The benefit here on this album is that Matthews gets Steve Lillywhite and Tom Lord-Alge for all the mixing on this textured album.
All the kids graduating from high school in '96 should buy this album on their way to college or what ever endeavor they're headed into. I feel like this album is going to prove valuable to them: It has a freshman year tone and vibration to it, although it is a major-label sophomore effort.
Despite all the bombast that's been selected for airplay, the song on this album that does it for me is Crash Into Me.
Internet Listening Pleasure:
Crash Into Me.
Rating:
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Doug Powell 
April 96 Releases
