Of Note: CD Reviews

I've heard rumor of the technically prophetic "hit machine" that record labels use to foretell the success/popularity a song might produce before shelling out the mega fortune needed to promote it. If this machine does exist, every song on Delaney Gibson's debut release, The Worst Kind of Way, would pass through with flying colors. There isn't a song on this album that lacks an industry-hungry hook, and the overall production and musicianship  is of star quality.

"I'm Alive" erupts as an emotional intro, which Gibson croons with girlish naivete and coming-of-age poeticism. Here, a background in classical music is revealed with an Alicia Keys style twist - a Mozart-like piano riff swooping through the foreground. This moving piece is accentuated by refreshing and unanticipated changes that substantiate Gibson's ability as a complex songwriter.

The title track "The Worst Kind of Way" cues up seductive similarity to Fiona Apple's "Criminal," swelling into a riveting power chorus with hair-raising motive. The essence of longing revamps into palpable form as Gibson achingly professes her desire for another with spellbinding lyricism and quaver.

Two songs stand out as particularly radio-ready: "In Your Head," which is hard to get out of your head, and "More Than Always." Although the other songs hold up to task, these two are destined to wear out the "repeat" selection on the music player. The performances are magical in their perfection, and the songs sound as if they were born out of the inner circle of Nashville's elite songwriting circuit. It's no wonder shows like "Boston Public" and MTV's "My Own" have swooped up some of Gibson's songs to add to their repertoire.

She may be a pop star on the rise in the Top 40 milieu, but she isn't one to mock for lack of songwriting or instrumental ability. Gibson writes all her music and does so with ingenious originality and creativity to delight the listener with unexpected chord transitions, unusual bridges, and a myriad tracks that include a delayed electric slide guitar, back porch-style banjo strumming, sultry piano sonnets, and harmoniously layered background vocals. She receives even more validation for being a skilled player in all of these instrumentations.

If you're a hard core indie enthusiast or folk junkie, this album may not be your cup of tea. But if you give it more than one listen, it might just become your next favorite guilty pleasure. Once exposed, Delaney Gibson could become the next Jewel of southern California.

In the accompanying press release for Five and Dime Waltz, the "Sounds Like" category describes Dime Box as "Tammy Wynette singing Gram Parsons if Roy Acuff was backing." But the proof of this hyperbole lies in the pudding - in this case, this auspicious debut CD.

The Dime Box band is the current project of Dallas native-turned-Angeleno Kristi Callan, already possessed of an impressive music resume before Dime Box strummed its first note. In the '80s, Kristi teamed up with her sister Kelly in the fondly remembered Wednesday Week, a power pop band reminiscent of the Go-Gos and the Bangles, but with a bit more of the Byrds' folk-rock jingle and jangle. Their critically acclaimed 1987 LP, What We Had, has been reissued on CD and is worth seeking out. Over the years, Kristi has collaborated with songwriter David Gray, the Wondermints (Brian Wilson's backup band), and head Kink Ray Davies' younger and feistier sibling, Dave.

For Dime Box, Callan (guitar and vocals) is joined by Edie Murphy, a classical violinist who would later learn the mandolin while studying at Los Angeles' Silverlake Conservatory of Music. Guitarist Yolande Ng is a veteran of the "cow punk" movement and has performed with alternative country rockers the Vaquetones, the Better Halfs, and the Spurs. On Five And Dime Waltz, the rhythm section is ably driven by bassist Pam Moore and percussionist Laura Ann Masura.

Early rural photographs (attributed to the Hatley and Stone families) adorn the CD back cover and provide a clue to the Dime Box sound: stories of human imperfection, triumph, failure, and eternal hope. Long before the CD release, a demo of the song "Betsy" was making the rounds among fans and Internet listeners. Making the final cut of Five and Dime Waltz, it's a lovely track resting in the arms of Murphy's inspired mandolin playing. 

The CD's title track not only speaks of past hard times but our current economic woes; "Buying day old bread/ going to keep my family fed/ ‘cause we're doing the five and dime waltz." A poignant version of Dolly Parton's "Did I Ever Cross Your Mind?" is the only cover selection of the song set. As entertaining as Dolly's over-the-top public persona may be at times, it's fun to periodically tap into the Parton song bank and be reminded what a gifted songwriter she is. It's similar to exploring the Buck Owens catalog on Capitol and realizing the old Buckaroo was responsible for much more than telling corny jokes on Hee-Haw.

Be on the lookout for Dime Box. They'll be performing at the Adams Avenue Roots and Folk Festival, April 25-26.  

www.aveburyrecords.com

Israel Bissell was a Revolutionary War figure whose 345-mile ride in 1775 alerted colonists of the invasion of the British from New England to Philadelphia. Many scholars consider his more noteworthy than Paul Revere's 19-mile trip in Boston. The band that bears his name has selected the title Disillusioned Hero for their new CD. A bit of a spoiler alert: the band's website and first song will tell the listener that this band has adopted a sound, choice of material, and general approach very similar to 1970s progressive rock giants Jethro Tull, especially such heavily acoustic discs as "Songs from the Wood" and "Heavy Horses." Singer/songwriter Chuck Preble plays flute and mandolin, and the four other members all belong to veteran jazz-fusion band Speed of Sound, and their ace expertise shows. Preble has a mannered voice that fits the band's Renaissance accents perfectly. Guitarist Mark Bacilla produced (at Tundra Digital Recording Studio in Poway), and his work on the board enables the listener to hear the metaphors in the lyrics and to feel the changes of atmosphere and scene in the songs.

"Undercover" is the opener, with quiet verses leading into an accelerated exchange between Bacilla's excellent electric guitar lines and Preble's flute, then back into the softer resolution. "Angel Wings" is fully acoustic, bringing to mind a street minstrel in the middle ages playing a lute, strings behind a flute solo midway, beautifully produced. The band pushes the beat with the rocker "Monkey Wrench." Here they again show good dynamics, slowing down just before a fluid solo by Bacilla. The song recalls Tull's best rockers and is a highlight on the disc. On "Gallery" it is back to the Renaissance, as the acoustic tune features deftly picked mandolin and flute. "City by the Bay" could be about any shoreline town anywhere, with striking images, and a few hints of a San Diego connection, like "the gritty sightseers looking for a bargain before boarding for a cruise."

Preble's writing uses imagery effectively throughout. Though all of the musicians are clearly superb, there are none of the overlong solos, elaborately arranged suites, or epic-length songs often found in progressive rock albums. The point here is a match of lyric and music, and only two of the 11 songs last over five minutes.

Israel Bissell has crafted an album that enables the listener to travel with the music to other times and places, while enjoying the ride, which is a superb accomplishment for any musical effort. 

North County jazz guitarist Peter Sprague joins vocalist Kevyn Lettau for What is Enough? and the result is one of those musical collaborations in which the familiarity and talent of the artists complement and enhance one another perfectly. Sprague's 2008 release, Peter Sprague Plays Solo was a delight that featured his virtuoso skills on acoustic arrangements of songs from classical and Brazilian to the Beatles. Lettau got her start as a vocalist on several of Sprague's earliest recordings with his Dance of the Universe band in the late ‘70s before her lengthy stint with Sergio Mendes' band. Her prolific solo career has featured Brazilian jazz (Sprague played on several of her albums, including 1995's BrazilJazz), jazz standards, originals, and covers of songs by the Police and others.

What Is Enough? brings these two talented artists full circle, with the pair as co-producers. The accompaniment is still Peter Sprague solo and acoustic, without overdubs. He is clearly a master of jazz guitar phrasing, able to combine improvised figures, rhythmic chords, and bass lines in an effortless flow. Lettau's voice is the other lead instrument here, a finely tuned organ that hits harmonics and bounces effortlessly through arpeggios several octaves apart, conveying joyous freedom or contemplative lessons with an ease rarely heard.

The disc's opener, "Heed my Call," one of several cuts on the album co-written by Lettau, has a brisk Brazilian beat, a superb guitar break by Sprague, and like several of the cuts, some carefree scat singing by Lettau. She is clearly influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, and wrote the tune "Ella" on a 1994 disc for the First Lady of Song. The title cut of the new disc features joyous, spiritually affirming lyrics, along with "Patience" and Stevie Wonder's "Have a Talk with God." The standard "Almost Like Being in Love" is given a swing treatment, with Sprague playing bass lines while Lettau scats the horn fills and first solo, until he steps in and demonstrates the ability to hold the whole song structure together while creating a filigree of angular, original scales.

Helping things on What Is Enough? is a perfect mix. The listener gets to hear plenty of each artist, but neither crowds the other. The 12 songs last an hour, giving both artists plenty of room to maneuver, but at no point does the music sound sparse.

"You Don't Know What Love Is" is a minor-scale blues that shows the range of both artists. Lettau hits some of the purest notes on the disc here, raising goose bumps while she casts a rare dark spell. The standout cut "Cantar" is a samba that brings things back into the light. Sprague's rapid picking on this composition by the two artists is augmented by Lettau's exuberant vocals, in English and Portugese. Lettau also adds Portugese flavor to the bossa nova nature allegory "Waters of March", co-written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The closer is "Heroes of the Day," probably the best of the Lettau co-originals on the disc and blending astute social observations with a jumping time beat with a Brazilian feel handled deftly by Sprague.

What Is Enough? is great music by two veteran performers, making one wish for more from these two performers in a similar setting. Maybe it isn't enough?

One can pretty much expect that an act called Zen Boy and Karma Girl will have a sly sense of humor as well as an affinity for absurdity and cheese. And you would be right. Their EP Earth vs. Zen Boy and Karma Girl is a pleasantly wacky collection of songs that takes inspiration from comic book superheroes and grade B sci-fi movies. The songs are mainly based on acoustic rhythms, supported by bass and embellished with electric guitars. Electronic effects and keyboards pop up here and there to add atmosphere. The overall sound is friendly and gentle, helped along by their decision to eschew percussion instruments. That this was not immediately apparent is a tribute to their dense arrangements. Taking center stage are layered vocal harmonies. Very rarely do Zen Boy or Karma Girl sing alone. I was reminded of Peter, Paul, and Mary on numerous occasions. That is, if they had secret alter-egos and a moral imperative to combat evil in all its forms.

After opening with a short, spacey intro called "Let's Get Ready," they launch into the zany and absurd "Earth vs. You," a song that firmly establishes their sound as well as their point of view. As I listened to each song I got the impression that the music would be very kid-friendly, because they are all bouncy major key tunes. Then I paid more attention to the lyrics. Some of the words and imagery would definitely earn a PG-13 if not an R rating. I had to replay "Clowns of Yesteryear" to make sure I heard what I thought I heard. Like most songs on the CD it has a sweet melody and light arrangement, but I would certainly raise an eyebrow or two if I heard a youngster singing along. And therein lies a cornerstone of their artistic approach: balancing inoffensive music with edgy lyrics. It takes a little getting used to, but once you get it, it's pretty entertaining. Their folksy take on the Beastie Boys' classic "Fight for Your Right to Party" is also a good example of their skewed sensibilities.

This is not to say that they don't have a serious side. "Human Error" is a slow song with a social message that's driven by a melancholy electric piano. But that somberness doesn't last because the next and final song, "Zen Boy and Karma Girl Theme Song" sounds like it could have been the B-side to "Puff the Magic Dragon." They even thoughtfully sang a line or two in Japanese! It's a humorous ending to an interesting collection of songs that should appeal to fans of folk music. Folk music from another dimension, that is!