Of Note: CD Reviews

The Bay Area has fostered yet another songster, Cyndi Harvell, who has recorded and released her latest disk, The Night Turned to Song. The CD is aimed at the younger generation, with the wanderlust of late, late adolescence and the early adulthood chore of carving out an identity for oneself, serving as the inspirations and subject matter for the lyrics of the tunes. But the disk is one that you might want to put on when your parents come over for a visit. They should like it, too.

The CD's instrumentation - drums, bass, piano, and guitar - is spare but not sparse and complements the tunes that Harvell has written or co-written. The songs all belong to the pop/rock/ county genre that goes back to the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, 10,000 Maniacs, Dire Straights, and just about any other performer or band that has built their fortunes on songs with a soft, easy rocking backbeat and an accessible chorus.

As this acre of popular music is so often tilled and harvested, a performer might have a difficult time distinguishing herself from so many others who are strumming guitars and cribbing notes from Jackson Browne and Tori Amos. Despite revisiting this well-worn territory, Harvell's songs are fresh and tuneful, each one a pleasure to listen to. She distributes memorable hooks throughout her songs, and the melodies sometimes take surprising turns that are quite beguiling.

The star of the show is Harvell's voice. One of the sweetest sopranos to come along in a while, Harvell sings with a rare, straightforward clarity. Even in some of the forte sections, there is no sense of strain or that she's reaching too far. With the ubiquitous use of Auto-Tune, it's easy to assume that even Barack Obama is using it now as he reads from his teleprompter, and that this computer program was used to fix things up on this disk. But Harvell sounds like the real deal, unpasteurized, untreated with r-BST, and able to hit those notes spot on without those recording studio gimmicks.

Among the disk's more memorable tunes is "Anywhere But Here." The song opens with, and the chorus repeats, a not often used two note half-step rise (Think of the Ri-A from West Side Story's Maria.) that so effectively sets the emotional tone for the rest of the song. The brightest, most promising number is "Life That I Would Miss," which opens the disk, a refreshing combination of riffs, melody, and a lyric that places its emphasis on the protagonist's short-lived Walter Mitty imaginings as her way of escaping the ennui of a humdrum life. If the country music stations of this nation ever decided to get away from the over wrought, over produced dreck that comes out of Nashville today, they might play "The Light" from this recording. The song has a catchy, radio friendly chorus that is missing from the airwaves these days.

A '70s vibe dominates the musical proceedings on and so it goes... No, it won't be necessary to get out the platform boots or safety pins to achieve the proper mood: Dave Humphries isn't interested in promoting the legacies of the Love Unlimited Orchestra or Johnny Rotten.

Instead, Humphries has reconnected with the part of the '70s that provided good, melodic pop, a moment in time when the musical landscape was filled with great discs by Badfinger, the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver, Blue, Stealers Wheel, and solo recordings by former Beatles (George Harrison's All Things Must Pass being one of the prime influences).

Originally from the northeastern English city of Durham (near Newcastle), Humphries has made San Diego his home since 1996. He has a true gift for composing ballads, and there are three in particular on the CD that are standouts. "Heartbroken Angel" asks the eternal question of why so much evil persists in the world; "Lose a Friend" expresses loss on a personal level; and "38 Days" is an empathetic look at the less fortunate who make their beds daily on the hard concrete of any urban area.

On a more upbeat note, the bluesy "Music in a Friend's House" extols the joys of jamming in a living room or basement. In Humphries' case, a particular jam session took on great significance, considering that one of the "friends" present was Tony Sheridan, a lead singer who was once backed by the early Beatles lineup of John, George, Paul, and drummer Pete Best. Sheridan is a legitimate British rock legend and, no doubt, quite a recounter of life in the notorious Reeperbahn district of Hamburg. Also on board for and so it goes... are multi-instrumentalist Mike Kamoo, bassist Toby Hinkle, drummer Todd Hidden, keyboardist Wolfgang Grasekamp, and  bassist Mike Chrissop. The project manager for the recording was Bart Mendoza (Shambles, True Stories, Manual Scan, and his current band of the moment).

Humphries recently embarked on a club tour of the UK to promote the CD. As part of the growing local talent releasing discs on the San Diego-based Blindspot label, Humphries will once again be performing over the county this summer. Judging by the quality of and so it goes..., he deserves a following. (www.davehumphriesmusic.com)

When an artist simply titles his album Songs, one can infer that he is either a) unimaginative or b) so comfortable with his own work that he feels it to be sufficiently descriptive. In the case of Jack Tempchin, the latter is probably the case. He is best known for his collaborations with the Eagles, having written two of their biggest hits ("Already Gone" and "Peaceful, Easy Feeling"). He shifts between styles easily, giving his songs an identifiable sound and feel that is uniquely his.

"Out in the Desert" opens the album with a relentless Johnny Cash-like rhythm that chugs along like a runaway train. The lyrics, which paint pictures of life in an American desert, are delivered with an appropriately dry and dusty vocal. The rhythms and chords vary little throughout, but the song remains interesting due to an evolving arrangement that has harmonica and backup singers appearing at various points. He continues to explore the beauty of simplicity with "Something in the Image," a song that features a haunting minor key melody over a repetitive two-chord motif, driven by steady drums and percussion.

Things take an exciting turn with "Waiting," a heavy rocking number with a drum intro similar to Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll." The song itself is Neil Young-like in its intensity and rawness. In fact, there are times when Tempchin's voice takes on a little of Young's unique delivery and nasal whine. A very abrupt change of pace occurs with "It Could Have Been You and Me," an old time jazz/pop song, complete with fiddle, accordion, and harmonica. A bit of French dialogue puts the listener squarely at a sidewalk cafe in Paris. "Ghost in the Night" makes interesting use of a vocalist as a part of the rhythm section. However, in all honesty, I found this to be a by-the-numbers Latin tune with a rather predictable chord progression and melody. I would consider it a small misstep in a very strong collection of songs.

"Box of Memories" is a melancholy story-song in the tradition of Harry Chapin that is noteworthy for the appearance of legendary viola virtuoso Novi Novog. Her clean and warm lines perfectly punctuate the bittersweet mood. Dusted off from the "Miami Vice" soundtrack, the '80s Glenn Frey hit "Smugglers Blues" is included as well. This time it's given a less polished interpretation. Its rawer and heavier sound more effectively conveys the menace in the words.

The next two songs return to the Americana style for which Tempchin is probably best known. "East of Eden" could have been an Eagles' song, as its feel is similar to that of "Peaceful, Easy Feeling." Its lightly strummed chords, soft country rhythms, and smooth harmony vocals unabashedly create that same tone. "All the Love" is a soft acoustic ballad that Eric Clapton might have written in one of his mellower, reflective periods. The arrangement is delicate and subtle, lulling the listener into a contemplative state in time for...

...The Grand Finale! "Couch Rider" is a tough-sounding cowboy rocker with a semi-spoken verse. It tells a tongue-in-cheek tale of justice through the ages, from a dusty western town to mean city streets, and, finally, to the space lanes of the galaxy. All delivered by a remote-control toting gunslinger in front of his television set. It's a very strong and humorous note to end on. I might venture to say that it's my favorite of them all. This album is an engaging romp through many musical styles that are unified by a singular voice.

Jim Hinton is a San Diego area folk singer/songwriter who has released two previous albums containing originals with a sprinkling of traditional folk songs, including 2007's Things I've Always Known. On his new CD, The Wild Rover, he has focused on a true love: Celtic folk music.

This very generous collection of 13 traditional folk tunes, two covers and one original takes the listener to the Emerald Isle for a batch of tunes that covers the entire palette of folk forms. Hinton does all of the singing and plays all of the instruments, including six and 12-string guitars, banjo, mandocello, bass, Irish bodhran drum, and others. His comfortable voice fits in just right with the rustic and intimate tunes, and the arrangements offer enough variety to keep things interesting.

Things start off with the title tune, with Hinton's voice a dark presence in the middle of a swell of 12-strings from both sides, over a pulse by the bodhran. "Come to the Bower," next, is lighter, with a lilting feel and harmonies, banjo, and harmonica. Another change of pace comes right away with "Rocky Road to Dublin," a drum-heavy jig that will start the listener tapping both feet. Hinton next sings a slow, quiet folk ballad, "Easy and Slow," with a finger-picked guitar, harmonium accents, and no percussion.

The first few cuts on the disc show the secret that makes it work. A disc of 16 Irish folk songs, lasting nearly an hour, would be a long assignment unless there were an adept mixture of pace and arrangements. Hinton keeps the listener involved by never putting two structurally similar songs very close together.

"Star of the County Down" is a spirited country folk song with banjo and, again, prominent drum beats. The humorous lyrical story of the sing-along "Finnegan's Wake" is a hoot. "King of the Faeries" has Hinton combining some inspired single-note guitar picking with a dark tale of old magic, and on "Willie of Winsbury" he sings the soft old Scottish tune with a single 12-string alone. "Kelly from Killane" is one of several patriotic Irish tunes on the disc, memorializing a soldier killed in the 1798 Rebellion, and is followed by a cover of Dominic Behan's "The Patriot Game." This is a disc highlight, unabashedly Irish, political, and it has more resonance than the older versions of the song by the Kingston Trio or Judy Collins. Next is a jig called "My Father Loves Nikita Krushchev," a cover of a Colm Gallagher tune with odd lyrics set to a melody similar to "Rocky Road to Dublin." "I Remember Erin" is a Hinton original and closes the disc with a touching, wistful farewell to the Isle.

By including some songs that are familiar but some that are more obscure, Hinton manages to create a fresh collection of traditional music. The Wild Rover succeeds in capturing the folk spirit and feeling of the Irish countryside.

Nick Z is a folk-soul troubadour who blends the sound of laid-back acoustic guitar accompaniment much like Jason Mraz with a more R&B-favored vocal style. Z is a native San Diegan and his debut disc, Live at the Red Vic, captures a performance at a San Francisco club in the summer of 2008.

The music on this disc was written by Z and Nick Marcotte, who wrote the lyrics for seven of the 11 tunes. Z's singing is soulful, mostly in the upper register, and will bring to mind a sort of unplugged version of Stevie Wonder with some moments of hip-hop style phrasing. His guitar playing and compositional-vocal style on some of the tunes recalls Jack Johnson's sleepy, beach-sand and sunglasses, slap and strum shuffles, without the reggae feel but with more vocal resonance.

"What I'm Dreaming About" is the opener, showcasing Z's strength - his voice. The tune has a soaring chorus and he hits the top end with no problem, singing behind the beat and mixing in occasional spoken lyrics. The next tune, "Late One Night," greatly resembles "Dreaming" and is about Java Joe's in Ocean Beach. "Hollywood Glance" makes an impression as a catchy melody. This tune escapes the repetitive use of jazzy minor chords with dropping bass lines for a full, major chord, R&B counterpoint. "Next Saturday" is a disappointment that illustrates why Z shouldn't write his own lyrics, a forgettable exercise in profanity about a hangover. There are multiple local points of reference in Marcotte's lexicon about "Me and Mr Nick Z," including San Diego State, Java Joe's again, along with invocation of various MCs, singers, clubs, and singing styles. Though this song is like listening to Jack Johnson rap, it is not unpleasant. "Anything You Say," about cigarettes and San Francisco's homeless, is interesting and different as an almost spoken-word verse with a catchy chorus. Next up, "Unexpected Sunshine" is the clear gem on the disc, an irresistibly catchy pop-style song that combines a great hook, upbeat lyrics, and a perfect delivery. "Inner Sunset" and "Gypsy MC Fool" are two of the four tunes for which Z wrote his own lyrics, and again he lets himself down. "Sunset" is about a "player at a party" that the listener won't care about, and while "Gypsy" has an interesting melody, it would be a better song if not about being a "wannabe gypsy MC fool." Things improve on "Nine to Five" (with Z again writing the words, doing much better). The tune works very well and is a highlight. This song is brisk, with lots of falsetto and good guitar playing. Z wraps things up with a loose jazz feel on "Here to Stay," an intriguing run-through about the Bay area.

Nick Z has a great set of pipes. His approach works quite well on most of the material here and there are some good moments on Live at the Red Vic especially for fans of soul troubadours.