Jane Fallon shines throughout Tangled In A Tree album
Jane Fallon puts a lot of grit into her fifth CD, Tangled In A Tree. Her songs are rugged adventure stories and she supports them with an almost strident vocal, edgy country twang, earthy acoustic instruments, and a rock and roll heart. Fallon has lived all around the United States, and she picked up song ideas from every area she had settled in. This life experience gives the singer-songwriter a variety of lyrical inspirations and a variety of song structures.
Retro CD Review: The Installers delivered on 2008 Live – Plus 6 recording
The Installers have had a fairly long history in Central Massachusetts. With the booming voice of singer Stephen Clarke and players who can match his power with their stomping musicianship, The Installers became well known for their engaging, high energy live shows. It makes sense that they recorded themselves in concert at The Bull Run in Shirley. Live – Plus 6, released in 2008, is a fine document of what The Installers have to offer a large function room full of blues and rock fans.
Jeff Root continues his quirky brilliance with The Pig In The Python album
Jeff Root comes up with an album of engaging, interesting, and fun rock and roll music almost yearly. The Pig In The Python CD is another offering from his fertile imagination. Root, from the Central Massachusetts area, has a sound unlike anyone else in the local music scene. His smooth, unique vocal timbre rides over his melody line with a self-restrained energy unlike anything heard before. His song ideas are over the top wholly original, never following the usual songwriting patterns. The Pig In The Python is a dynamite album due to Roots’ ability to remain wholly original. The man seems genetically incapable of following in the footsteps of others. And that’s a good thing.
Tony Savarino plays beautifully, masterfully on Guitararino album
Tony Savarino’s latest instrumental album Guitararino not only plays on his name. The musical themes here play upon many themes from many genres. Savarino is part scholar mining deep reservoirs of genre and history and part master technician, playing each genre with a depth of musical knowledge and skill. This guitarist combines his fantastic gifts to come up with something that is a lot of fun to listen to while it impresses with many fine touches and nuances. This album is the final in a trilogy that began with Guitaring and continued with Guitaresque. After listening to this current album, listeners will probably be hankering for those two recordings.
Daniel Ouellette And The Shobijin create more of their bizarre fun on Zizal! The Land Is Moving! Look Over There!
Danielle Ouellette And The Shobijin have just come up with another of their zany, electronic pop albums. Zizal! The Land Is Moving! Look Over There! is loaded with fun, perky electronic melodies and drum programming mixed with quirky vocal lines that make it an enjoyable listening experience. It also makes it refreshingly unique.
Shana Stack Band offer interesting treats, re-worked versions of old songs on Then And Now album
Shana Stack Band just released an 11 track album called Then And Now. This new album features reworked versions of their most requested songs, a couple done acoustic style, and two brand new songs. Longtime fans of Shana Stack Band get to hear all new versions of their favorite songs while new fans discovering the band through this disc will be treated to a classy country record.
NH’s Brooks Hubbard is onto something with Press Play album
Brooks Hubbard offers a fine selection of his original songs on his eight disc album Press Play. Hailing from New Hampshire’s Upper Valley, this singer-songwriter plays, guitar, banjo, mandolin, piano and drums on this recording. With bass from Justin Kimball and backing vocals from Kaylene Lemme, Hubbard showcases his unusually high level of talent in an easygoing manner that makes it all sound effortless.
Sugar Ray And The Bluetones deliver on Living Tear To Tear album
Sugar Ran And The Bluetones recently dropped their Living Tear To Tear album, and it’s loaded with the kind of harmonica driven, stomping blues we’ve all come to expect from this outfit. Sugar Ray Norcia still has that rich, thick, whiskey soaked voice that always finds a good home in Chicago blues. Guitarist Monster Mike Welch still fires off an array of electrifying, soulful, blues drenched licks like a man on a mission. Piano and Hammond organ player Anthony Geraci still serves up his emotive, right on the money keyboard magic. Bass player Michael “Mudcat” Ward still makes his bass speak to you with his dexterous ability to conjure color and tones. Drummer Neil Gouvin still adds to the meditative complexity and emotional depth of each song with just the right touch.
Amy Fairchild offers much vocal talent and songwriting finesse on self-titled fourth album
Amy Fairchild’s self-titled fourth CD is loaded with the hooky folk-pop she’s been known for since her 1994 debut in the Boston music scene. Fairchild’s brisk approach, vocalizing like a rock singer over folksy, poppy acoustic guitar, works well for her on this new album.
Lenny Solomon shines musically and lyrically on Under My Hat album
Lenny Solomon’s fourth CD Under My Hat reflects the ability of a seasoned singer-songwriter. Solomon has been at this business of words, emotions, stories, and music for a good four decades. His experience shows in how he delivers each song with no more and no less than what each needs. And in the case of Lenny Solomon, each song still has a lot going on inside of it.
