Andrew Sheron is a multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, NY who refuses to be bogged down by genre constraints. What do I mean? Sheron’s nine-song debut release Travelling Time which he released with his band Everyman of Parts is an excellent example of musical diversity. I cannot label it because each song has its own distinctive flavoring. The album is like a layered dip – you scoop the concoction up with a chip and, is that guacomole?
Travelling Time, which can be streamed in full for free on Everyman of Parts’ bandcamp (click Travelling Time), features a wide gamut of influences. We move from conventional folk to funk to alternative metal to classic rock to jazzy piano. When an artist attempts to tackle so many influences in nine songs the result is usually disastrous, but Sheron and his band delicately interweave these influences back-to-back so listeners are able to follow along and enjoy the music.
The best way to review an album like this is to just get to the music. The curious bunch has already clicked on the link above and are listening to some of the songs. If you haven’t, no worries, I am going to highlight a few tracks from the album that I am enjoying on my first listen.
Before I get to this, some long-time readers of the Music Court may recognize the last name Sheron. You are not losing your mind. He is related to Daniel Sheron of Balto who we featured way back in April of 2011 (okay not really way back). You can read that post here.
Now let’s move on with the show.
We are starting with an upbeat tune called “Display Case” that infuses indie sensibilities with pure funk. I think the funky, skillful guitar is well done by Sheron. The piano, which is also played by him, carries this 60’s Hammond organ theme that I not only enjoy, but also respect. I love tangible hearing classic rock influences in modern music. The backing horns in the culminating choruses are excellent – credit to Joseph Peterson – Trombone and Marc Plotkin – Alto Saxophone as well as the horn arrangers Anne H. Goldberg and Sheron himself. This is a treat.
“Are you Cold” begins with a simple Cat Stevens’-like acoustic guitar riff. This song features Sheron’s voice which is smooth, tender, and emotional. He is clear and concise. The lyrics are able to shine through and gems like the lyric, “I wonder if she’s beautiful to me because she’s frail, and if under her distrust and pain I’ll find my holy grail,” shine. The song rises with strings and bravo to Christopher Marion – Strings & String Arrangements – the strings are perfect, especially the end. The harmony that creeps into the song before Andrew Sheron’s awesome falsetto is wonderful. The song is itself a beautiful portrayal of insecurity.
I am bouncing between tracks. This is track three on the album and, wow, a bit of a difference right. This was what I labeled alternative metal. It seriously sounds like Rage Against the Machine. And it is so unexpected. The grunginess in the vocal is actually well done. There is an interesting harmony that meshes well with the highlighted blues. There is also a wall of sound effect that the heavy guitar and drums (excellent in every song – kudos to Alex Raderman) fosters.
The last song on the album, “The End of the Rope” is my favorite. There is an obvious soberness to the sound but that does not mean that the song is downright lachrymose and depressing. No. I feel that it is more just an introduction to the neat jazzy part that you are about to experience. Wait for it. Yes, there is the piano. Sheron is a great musician. This airy solo features so many influences. There is an element of bassy grunge, acoustic folk, jazzy piano, and vocal honest. It is a perfect close to an excellent debut release.
Yesterday’s video from the “Tribute to George” got me thinking. What are among the best “supergroup” concert performances. A supergroup is the combination of a whole bunch of talented musicians. I have said this on many occasions, but the number one performance by a supergroup has got to be the one-night two-song performance by the Dirty Mac, a band put together by John Lennon for the The Rolling Stone TV special entitled “The Rolling Stones Rock N’ Roll Circus.”
Never heard of the show? The footage of the December 11 concert/show was not released until 1996. The Rolling Stones were upstaged by the Who and were never too happy about that.
The year was 1968. The crowd was adorned in yellow ponchos and colorful hats. John Lennon was there (without the Beatles – but with Yoko) and, for the first time without the Beatles – he performed. His accompanying musicians.
Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mitch Mitchell. They performed two songs. The first was a version of the Lennon penned blues hit off the White Album, “Yer Blues.” The second was a weird track called “Whole Lotta Yoko” which featured free-form improv and Yoko’s voice. Don’t worry, I’m not posting that video.
John Lennon. Eric Clapton. Keith Richards. Mitch Mitchell. Sigh. If they only would have recorded an album. The Dirty Mac (a play on Fleetwood Mac’s name) is often forgotten, but this one song is better than what most bands ever accomplish.
I just blew the dust off of the Music News category. It had developed a lot of dust, like an unread book on a mahogany bookshelf in an abandoned house. Okay. It wasn’t tangible dust, but, I really haven’t written a post about music news in a while. That stands to change on this Monday, where I do have some pieces of news to share with you all. Let’s jump right into it.
New McCartney Album:
There is so much talent in this image it's almost unhealthy. From left, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, George Martin, Paul McCartney, and Phil Collins.
Only two men in the image above are needed for this post. But, goodness, that picture was too good not to post on the blog. Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton are the two men we are talking about though.
On Feb. 7, McCartney will release his first studio album since 2007. The album, Kisses on the Bottom, is his follow-up to Memory Almost Full (which was a great album in my opinion). The album features McCartney in a more intimate, jazzy setting. Unlike Memory Almost Full which was mostly a pop album. The track listing was released and there are some reinterpretations of well-known song. Here is the track list:
01. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
02. Home (When Shadows Fall)
03. It’s Only A Paper Moon
04. More I Cannot Wish You
05. The Glory Of Love
06. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me)
07. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 08. My Valentine
09. Always
10. My Very Good Friend The Milkman
11. Bye Bye Blackbird
12. Get Yourself Another Fool
13. The Inch Worm
14. Only Our Hearts
15. Baby’s Request (Deluxe Edition)
16. My One And Only Love (Deluxe Edition)
Why is “My Valentine” bolded? Why was Eric Clapton even mentioned? Well on this new album Eric Clapton plays acoustic guitar on “My Valentine.” So what? Click on this – some footage from one of the best concerts of the 2000s.
When Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney get together good music is inevitably created. This is no different with “My Valentine” off of McCartney’s new album. Take a listen.
Eric Clapton has a style of acoustic guitar playing. It can be described as blues perfection, I guess. It is pretty near perfect. You just know it is him when you hear his flawless stylings. This song is, well, beautiful. Wow, what a surprise! Combine Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney, writers of some of the best rock love songs of the rock era, and you get something beautiful, jazzy, melodic, emotional but seemingly effortless. Clapton’s solo at the 2-minute mark is just wonderful. And McCartney’s voice is tremendous. Great release.
I hate reading news items like this. Black Sabbath’s guitarist Tony Iommi, 63, was diagnosed with the early stages of lymphoma, according to a statement on the band’s website. This comes on the heels of the announcement that the band’s original members will be writing and recording for the first time in 33 years. Just awful timing. The band is moving from Los Angeles to London in order to work with Iommi while he undergoes treatment.
We wish him all the best and hopefully he gets better soon. To sponsor a quick recovery, here is “Paranoid”
So many of our obscure classic rock posts have come from the garage thus far I think I should make a separate category profiling garage-rock bands of the mid 60s. Before the psychedelic revolution there was a large focus on the garage-rock sound (around 1963-1967). The British Invasion – specifically “beat” groups like the Rolling Stones, The Animals, and the Kinks had a large influence on these bands, as did folk-rock groups that were beginning to experiment in America. This mishmash of influences helped form famous garage-rock bands like the Kingsmen, The Count Five, The Syndicate of Sound, and the Leaves (and even the Troggs in Britain). This genre of music provided much inspiration to the future punk music movement and it also laid a foundation for the soon-to-be psychedelic movement which sparked in popularity during the years of around 1966-1970.
But – like with any popular genre – there were bands that fell through the cracks. Today we are going to take a look at the Mourning Reign, a San Jose band that formed in 1965 and broke up in 1969. This band combined the fuzz of garage rock with folk rock. They even played around with hints of psychedelic music.
The band was made up of:
Lead/Rhythm Guitarists: Johnnie Bell, Tom O’Bonsawin, Steve Canali
Rhythm Guitar/Vocals/keyboardist: Jay Garrett
Bass Guitarist Charlie Gardin
Drummer Craig Maggi — Mike Hossack (Doobie Brothers)
Lead Vocalist Beau Maggi
Let’s listen to some tracks.
The first few notes of “Satisfaction Guaranteed” scream garage rock. A fuzzy guitar and well-defined bass provide the rhythmic backing to the introduction. Everything about this song is typical garage sound – from the Jagger-like vocals (which I must say are very well done by Beau Maggi) to the choral harmony. When I first listened to this I thought that it sounded like some song – and then I quickly realized it sounds like 100-or-so songs I know and listen to. So where does it differ? The multiple-guitar solo is wonderful and atypical. This band had a surplus of guitarists and they used them to their advantage. That may be the best part of the song which otherwise is simply a solid, enjoyable garage track.
“Light Switch,” which appears on the same EP, immediately takes a 180 degree turn. It makes you perk up. The band takes from its folk-rock influences, but, more from early 60’s pop melody. The vocal harmonies are fantastic. They are tight and, wait, what was that. Is that a church bell and a plucked acoustic and an accordion. The song transforms into this odd progressive (even psychedelic) segment halfway through and this leads up to rising percussion and a Phil Spector-like wall-of-sound vocal moment briefly. This is an oddly prescient segment. The song ends on a guitars ominous twang. Absolutely the best song by The Mourning Reign and one that should be listened to by all.
Go ahead and type 2012 into google images and click search. Destruction of the Earth, perpetual darkness, that awful movie 2012 – yes everyone Happy New Year to you too. If it was up to Google images we will not make it through the year. But let’s remove ourselves from unfounded apocalyptic prophesizing and talk about something we can control – music released in 2011.
To all of the readers that have helped us eclipse the 500,000 view mark, thank you. I started writing this blog during my Junior year at Binghamton University and it has followed me into the “real world.” This blog truly means a lot to me and I appreciate everyone who reads it (even if we disagree and argue in the comments section!) I hope that I can continue to bring you fresh, interesting content in 2012 (until we all die in some fiery Earth-wide explosion of some kind).
So…moving right along for the first time in 2012, the top 10 songs of 2011 countdown went by incredibly quickly. It is always such a pleasure counting down some of the best songs of the year and I hope everyone enjoyed reading about great songs. In the vein of past countdowns, I will list the top 10 (in case you missed the countdown or want a quick reference guide) with the song and a small blurb from the article about the particular song. With that, let’s begin.
10.) “Summer Song” by Matt Duncan
What I Said: “In a way this song is a microcosm of a summer day at the beach. You ride in on the low groan of a car’s engine, are welcomed by the bright sun and sea breeze, play in the steamy orange sand and salty seawater, and then, just like that, it’s gone. But boy, it was one hell of a day – and song.”
What I Said: “This is a perfect example of vocal precision, passion, and productivity. The three P’s to a good vocal performance. She has a message, displays it well, and does so with such force and delivery that the listener is left in awe. A vocal masterstroke. I’d love to hear more like this!”
What I Said: “The song itself is also memorable. It features barbershop quartet/monk-like background singers that provide this religiously lachrymose backdrop. Darnielle sings the verse in a very observational tone, as if he is simply explaining what is going on. The call-and-response chorus is a treat. I feel as if I can imagine Darnielle singing this in some tenebrous dystopia where, I don’t know, “the heat’s about it break.” The song remains entertaining but somewhat complacent until after the two minute mark where a light shines on Darnielle and he belts out the chorus like a call to action.”
What I Said: “The song rises like a man getting out of bed with a sharp sun puncturing and reflecting off the glass. But it does take a bit of a dark turn that strays away from the happy melody. This dark turn remains for the rest of depressing song. The instrumentation serves as a bit of a contradiction to the lyric. But, when looking into this some more, I actually feel that it’s apt. The music is constant and pretty static. It is wonderfully crafted, but it does not change much. There remains the pounding percussion, same three chords, and similar harmony. I think the song represents a moment in time so well because of this constancy. And that is at least lyrically what the song was supposed to convey.”
What I Said: “Fitz and the Tantrum’s musical styling may come off as a direct homage to the sweet Motown soul and gritty Stax soul of the 1960s. The band makes use of the Motown organ, an airy, bubbly, and inviting organ that was popularized by bands like Motown’s Four Tops. But there is something else there. I believe it can best be described as 60′s R&B/soul a la Indie flavoring with drippings of 80s new wave. A tasty harmonious concoction.”
What I Said: “The first 40 seconds of the song deserve a breakdown. The very beginning of the song features a lone synth over a strung-out note. The synth in trademark M83 fashion (i.e. “Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun” off of 2005′s Before the Dawn Heals Us”) tells a story. It speaks to the listener like a passionate lyric. A low bass is added into the mixture and supports this delicate combination until the song explodes with some more heavy synth, electric drums, and a female vocalists high hum. The resulting combination is flat-out magical. There is no other way to describe it. This combination will persist in the song, both haunting and inviting.”
What I Said: “In “Someone Like You” Adele sings of a lost love and lyrically envisions this ex happy in the future with a wife that is not her and children that are not hers. The relationship with this ex lasted 18 months and Adele thought it would end in marriage – which it clearly did not. Worst of all, the ex got engaged not long after. She is clearly bothered by these thoughts and her vexation shows through her vocal performance, which can best be described as sincere with hints of consternation, preoccupation, fearfulness, and sadness. She is able to tug on these emotions effortlessly”
What I Said: “The song is carried by this creative melody and Zach Condon’s distinctive drawn-out voice that is supported by some back-up vocals in this piece. The horns are simply magical and they totally carry the song, though. That is my point of focus. And at the very end when a lone trumpet can be heard holding onto its last breath over the piano that began the song the listener is shocked to find a somewhat religious aspect to the song – a heavenly togetherness.”
What I Said: “They sing this lyric over and over again, implanting it in the listener’s head. This does two things. First, it hopefully helps achieve the main message that Foster wanted people to take from the song. The song, in his eyes, is an attempt to quell such events by encouraging families and friends to provide love, support, and friendship to children who may seem isolated or violent. The song is also witty and clever. You see, the first few times I found myself listening to the song I couldn’t quite make out the chorus. Then, one day as I was driving and listening, I found myself singing “you better run, run, run, outrun my gun” and I stopped. What did I just say? The song is a giant f*ck you to hipsters because it is a true hipster song (whatever the hell that is). It is adorned with vocal effects, strung-out keys, constant rhythm, an excellent bass, and that whistle finale. And it is utterly catchy and infectious. So you dance to the song and sing the lyric and then feel terrible for singing it. In a way this also adds to the song’s overall effect. If Foster wanted to make people even more aware to the potential dangers of lovelessness and youthful alienation, then he did a pretty good job with this song.”
“And , when Simon’s climbs the ladder and meets the Lord he can only muster up this:
Lord, is it Be Bop a Lula? Or ooh Papa Doo? Lord, Be Bop a Lula? Or ooh Papa Doo? Be Bop a Lula.
When I first heard this I laughed hysterically. There is something so wonderfully funny and truthful about this lyric. Finally, in Simon’s world, man is given the chance to talk to the creator – the being who has apparently sponsored humanity and has all of the answers one seeks. Yet the only thing the character can muster up is gibberish. A mistaken song lyric. And perhaps that’s all there is. Well at least in the realm of this song. And how refreshing the song’s melody is as well. It features a fun rhythm backed by Simon’s 12-string acoustic guitar, a neat guitar riff, some hip percussion, a sax, keys, and even an accordion. The rhythm is proficient and quite fitting. It is a pleasure to continue listening to Simon’s effortless voice over create, transforming rhythms. He is a master at what he does and his musical themes will never get old.”
The Music Court 