The Glasswerk.com album review comes at us with, “If hymns were rock music sung to worship whatever you happened to believe in then it would sound like Zak Smith. That’s not to say this music has anything to do with religion, except that it is a form of salvation for it’s creator.”

Good writing. I would also have to agree that this is pretty good stuff for a guy with a raw voice and “a bag full of good guitar hooks.” (Here Comes the Flood).

“We Bid You Goodnight” from Deep Water (2008) is somewhat like classic rock. It sort of reminds me of what The Band did with rock-and-roll a few years back, and even has some keyboard that Garth would be proud of.

As Rome Burned (2007) has been described as “an intense title for an equally heavy hitting album that sounds quasi classic rock and pretty lyrically savvy for a 24-year-old new artist from Montclair, New Jersey who fittingly names Bruce Springsteen as one of his heroes.” (Nirvanastyle.com)

Try “Under Your Possession” for a taste of this rural rock sound. Hard to believe that he’s from Montclair, New Jersey. Is that in the country?

“Traitor’s Way” is solid.

Seems we might want to listen a bit more closely to this fellow.

Zak Smith Live on MySpace

[tags]zak smith live[/tags]

It is only appropriate to call this musical effort “the wallscenery demos,” because that’s what the creators put on their Web site and their public relations material. So “the wallscenery demos” it is.

Let’s be up front about this – it’s psychedelic music on the folk level. That’s good enough for categorization. But what about the tune “wallscenery holler?” Jammin’ like this was very popular in the 60s and, with this listener, it’s still pretty good.

Contributors on the list are: mike daley, peter forbes, sheldon kelly, mike mella and james hicken (again with lower case, as used in the name). How about this list of influences: Al Tuck, Guided By Voices, Leadbelly, Neil Young, the Kinks – it goes on and on.

I love the title “pink plastic knuckle dusters.” The tune is above average for a tie-dyed, head tune too. For those who want to experience the wallpaper demos, try “way out.” It’s, well, it’s….way out.

Here’s one comment on the group, with the name incorrectly capitalized. “The Wallscenery Demos self titled release may only be 26.9 minutes long, but this is one beautifully constructed album.”

The band itself states: The wallscenery demos is a guitar driven project that dabbles in spaced-out soundtracks as well as indie folk pop. By the way, the people in this group are from various places up east, including Canada.

The Wallscenery Demos on MySpace

[tags]the wallscenery demos[/tags]

“It’s A Fine Line” from In Direct Communication has a straightforward beat, but at the same time it is a bit unusual. On first listen, this tune doesn’t knock the listener over. It’s easy listening and pop, in some ways. The beat picks up some with “Retrospectively Speaking.” But, once again, this is just quality pop.

<>As some reviewers have stated, this is good music, both entertaining and mellow. Others classify Unknown Component as folk/rock. OK, I’ll go along with that. But this ain’t Radiohead. (You are free to disagree.) In fact, this is good Saturday afternoon relaxing music.

The Unknown Component here is, of course, Keith Lynch from Iowa City. He might do some of his best work on “Into The Sun,” a song that gives us a bit more of his soul and some of the desperation and disappointment we used to hear in John Lennon’s voice. There is some of that in “Identifying Interpretation” as well.

William Fare from Cedar Rapids, who seems to keep an eye on the music scene, writes, “Still, Lynch is taking on the Big Issues at his own pace and succeeding, a luxury that these days of cheap quality recording have afforded both him and his fans.”

See if you can find Unknown Component at all the right places in Des Moines Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

Unknown Component on MySpace

[tags]unknown component[/tags]

Dance music? Maybe some of this work would qualify as danceable. However, “Otter Pops Pops Pops” doesn’t fit the bill, to my ears.

But that doesn’t mean the boys from Walnut, California don’t have a clue. They put out what has been described as “dance/math” rock, now apparently doing this with three musicians. The Web site lists six, but that is now old news, according to the remaining few. One friend and fan compared them to Minus the Bear “with minimal sophisticated time signatures and a majority of Dance beats.”

It seems this adventure (misadventure?) began in June of 2007, when a drummer, a bass player and a third musician, Raymond Markel, hooked up. Now, “Dragon Skin for Your Hand” is a daring attempt at free-form jazz. Really!! I do like the description provided by the band – Japanese classic and J-pop. Seems about right.

Apparently, the band set out with the admirable goal of producing an entire CD (12 tracks) and putting only one vocal tune on it. A guy named Dave Trautz, called “recurring keyboardist, sings that one. Suggestion: listen to the Sasquatch tune.

I am somewhat impressed by the description that includes parading around the streets of the San Gabriel Valley to “rough up kidz for their milk money.” Might as well.

Trinitron Meets the Mars People on MySpace

[tags]trinitron meets the mars people[/tags]

A rock band from Pasadena? Imagine that!!!

But wait, this isn’t just any guitar-banging, bass/drum driven rock act.

The Denouement (nice name) is “Saddest Joke” Low Tide (2008) and some of those other humor/talent types of songs.

Just kidding.  These players are, well, players. They’re college types who are music majors and the combination is priceless.

I like this explanation, from the Web site: “The Denouement congealed quietly in either 2003, 2004 or 2005.”

Sandra Emerson, staff writer for the university publication at California Polytechnic, wrote that The Denouement “rocked the house” at a benefit show on campus in February. She also noted that the group was the 2007 winner of the university’s Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association battle of the bands. Probably some good competition there!

Here’s a list of people The Denouement claims as members (with lower case matthew lee just as he appears on the Web site): Robert C. E. DeLong, matthew lee, Andrew Pledger, Keiko Ward, Malachi Ward, Samuel Ward.

Good list of influences too: Winsor McKay, Otto Messmer, Willis O’Brien, Ray Harryhausen. Who?

According to the group, the band sounds like: Gertie the Dinosaur, Felix the Cat, King Kong, Jason and the Argonauts.

In my long years of playing and listening, I have found that music majors with a sense of humor are just to damn good for their own good.

Check ‘em out.

The Denouement On MySpace

[tags]the denouement[/tags]