Let’s kick off the New Year with a batch of albums that came out during the second half of 2015 but were somehow lost in the shuffle. All good stuff, all worthy of mention, but there is so much music crossing my desk that inevitably I fall behind. So consider that a “catch up” column as I prepare for next month’s releases.
Chris Isaak
First Comes the Night
Vanguard Records
Few artists can evince an era better than the vintage rocker Isaak, and while his records are built more on mood than statement, they are nearly always the better for it. His first album of new material since 2009 First Comes The Night has more in common with Beyond The Sun, his 2011 tribute to Sun Records. It’s all about the vibe, mixing bits of country with boogie-woogie rock, doo-wop, and glimpses of bohemian folk, all blended into one smooth spin.
One can easily imagine Jack Kerouac lounging in a smoke filled coffee shop and listening in. Be it the piano drive of “The Way Things Really Are” or the “Dark Side of Dean Martin” “Down In Flames” this hits all the proper grooves for Isaak fans. Sure, he’s still channeling Roy Orbison, but that’s a design having served him well for over two decades and one hardly worth tampering with.
You either get Isaak or you don’t. And while there is a certain formulaic recoil to his records, it’s one that to this point has yet to grow tiresome. ****
Six Organs of Admittance
Hexadic II
I’ll admit going in that Ben Chasny, who records under the name Six Organs of Admittance, works on an intellectual level uniquely his; one I won’t pretend to fully understand.
According to Chasny he constructs his music based on randomly distributed decks of poker cards “arranged in circular patterns of six, corresponding to the notes of the guitar; the position of the cards, one to another, provide a tonal field as well as a set of notes from which to choose, indications of time and tempo, and lyrical ideas for the songs themselves.”
As to how this actually works your guess is as good as mine. What I do know is the end result is strangely intoxicating and, in contrast to its predecessor, far less aggressive and considerably more accessible.
Largely acoustic, buoyed by lovely strings, electronics and harmonium, Hexadic II, despite such song titles as “Vile Hell”, is a surprisingly palatable course. Chasny’s voice, especially when coupled with Jen Gelineau’s supple violin work, is at times gorgeous.
Much in the style of John Cage, whom Chasny clearly idolizes, the overall affect is hypnotic, intriguing and not at all what I expected. Its nine tracks are a sharp departure from what has come before, and one I hope continues. ****
Stephen Young & the Union
Eagle Fort Rumble
Ragged Company Recordings
If you were to listen to Stephen Young & the Union without the benefit of liner notes, you’d almost certainly assume them to be of Appalachian heritage, mingled with Americana folk and a bit of Southern country.
Yet here they are, hailing from the Emerald plains of Ireland, propagating a style of music whose lineal roots run deep. Certainly they offer further evidence that the divide between country music (from our side of the ocean) and folk (from theirs) has been long ago breached. The result is an impressive slice of songwriting, arranging and playing that transcends geography.
From the slow build of “Shiver” to the lyrically evocative “Duty Free 200” Young hits his mark, laying out visual imagery and visceral oomph with equal ease. Definitely worth seeking out. ****
Sarah McQuaid
Walking Into White
Water Bug Records
UK based folk revivalist Sarah McQuaid carries on the fine tradition of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span (two seminal influences) with her fourth album, a distinctive mix of Appalachian and Elizabethan ballads, jazz and more than a few tinges of pop.
Her characteristic style, based on an open tuning of her own design allows for ample exploration and sense of playfulness. However the experimental recording method itself, a mini-cassette recorder mounted on a microphone stand and later digitally enhanced, adding in levels of hiss and volume fluctuations that are distracting to the extreme.
Why this was embraced as “unique” is beyond me, resulting in an otherwise eclectic and enjoyable album rendered at times unlistenable. **
Andy Hackbarth
Panorama Motel
The breezy seven tracks EP —which according to the liner notes was written in the midst of a untidy breakup— may just be the happiest fall to pieces album of the year, wallowing not in regret and recrimination but focusing instead on the good and what might come of it.
From the introspective title track (a glorious collection of nuanced metaphors) to the acoustic pop of “Ocean” the singer keeps reassuring us (and himself) that “everything will be okay.” Not that all of “Panorama Motel” is insistent sunshine and light but even while addressing the frustration and hurt involved the singer keeps it in the affirmative. “Just breathe” he tells himself, which is good advice for us all. ***1/2
Ric Todd
Drawing Lines
Kicking off with the belting blues rock of “Red Letter” Drawing Lines quickly shifts gears to the livelier but no less weighty “Something Real.” Which pretty much sums up the charm of this five-song sampler, showcasing Todd’s skillful way with melody and his ability to keep things humming; steeped in 1980s ethos (think Elvis Costello at his most tuneful) it makes its point in fine fashion.
This is the first time I’d encountered Todd but like any fine appetizer it makes me eager for more. ****
Sarah Clanton
Self-Titled
Hope Tree Music
Sliding between folk and softer edged rock vocalist/cellist Sarah Clanton has a charming way of enticing you with a sound that is equal parts alluring and innocent.
The five-songs that make up this EP (and boy do I appreciate the EP format) were all written or co-written by Clanton, revealing an artist who understands how to construct songs that make their point without belaboring things.
Accompanied by guitarist Eric Loomis the sound is clear, precise, and easily reached. Even when tackling a subject as edgy as “12th and Murder” Clanton manages to not let things drag. “Sweet Carolina” should be an audience favor in these parts but every song here has something to offer. And that something is always worth a listen. ***1/2
Peter Case
Highway 62
Omnivore Records
On his first studio album in five years the ever dependable Case —whose catalog ranges from traditional blues, to singer/songwriter, hard as steel rocker, and everything in between— leans back to his acoustic side, taking a subdued approach that is no less lethal.
The delights are in the details, as Case explores the lower realms of our legal system (“Pelican Bay” and “All Dressed Up (For Trial”) or the growing income equality (“Water from a Stone” and “Evicted”) that threatens to tear us apart.
Backed by the ideal band for these explorations —Ben Harper on guitars, David Carpenter on bass, and D.J. Bonebrake on drums— Case and producer Shelly Gomberg give Highway 62 a deep into the night veneer that would complement the best of film-noir.
Don’t be deceived by the low decibel count. This is the artist at his best, proving yet again why he remains one of our most forceful and potent voices. ****1/2