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January, 2001POP & ROCK REVIEWS |
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NEIL YOUNG / FRIENDS &
RELATIVES
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DOUG POWELL
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FISHER True North (Interscope)
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SPOCK’S BEARD V (Metal Blade / Radiant)
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ERIC JOHNSON & ALIEN LOVE CHILD Live And Beyond (Favored Nations)
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JEFF LARSON Room For Summer (New Surf)
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PAUL SIMON You’re The One (Warner Bros.)
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MERRIE AMSTERBURG Little Steps (Q Division / Zoe)
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NELLY FURTADO Whoa, Nelly! (Dreamworks)
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IT’S MY PARTY! Can I Get To Know You Better? (Mister Cat)
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Thirty years after the
success of his album classic After The Goldrush, Neil Young revisits
familiar turf to great avail on his new live CD. Thirty two years after he
recorded his all time classic "Cowgirl In The Sand", (from Everybody
Knows This Is Nowhere), Young revives the track as an extended 18 minute
jam session. The lead off track on his new album, "Cowgirl" pairs
Young’s fiery guitar work with a crack band including Jim Keltner (drums)
and Ben Keith (slide and steel guitars). Following his stellar
contributions to the CSN&Y ‘99 comeback album and the critical acclaim
of the reflective folk/rock flavored Silver & Gold CD, the 8
track, 65 minute Road Rock Vol. 1 shows that Young has lost none of
his ability to amaze and overwhelm an audience. Recorded in Denver’s Red
Rocks theater, Road Rock Vol. 1 is also available available as an
expanded twenty track DVD. 
It’s been several years
since Doug Powell released his power pop masterpiece Ballad Of A Tin Man on
Mercury Records. As pop fans know major label success is hard to maintain so
we should be thankful nevertheless that Not Lame Records has wisely
chosen to release the latest pop event from Powell. Like the CD booklet says
"All songs, sounds and sights by Doug Powell". Turning in a one
man band performance that is as equally worthy and amazing as the solid
catchy tunes he’s written here, Powell convinces fans once again of his
pop aptitude. The CD maintains a consistent appeal from start to finish.
Tracks like "Dear Me" and the CD closer "The Scent Of A
Rose" go far to reassure pop fans that More is clearly more than
just another good pop album, it’s a great pop album. 
One of the most promising
new bands of 2000 is Fisher featuring vocalist Kathy and
multi-instrumentalist songwriter/producer Ron Wasserman. Fisher
conjures up a full-bodied and quite original progressive pop sound,
evidently inspired by the music of Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Not too heavy,
but dreamlike and with just the right beat, True North establishes
Fisher with class and quality. Although Fisher has been featured with
select tracks in several high profile movies and TV shows, their first
full length CD obviously does the trick and puts them over the top. Kathy
and Ron are accompanied by a seasoned crew of like minded cohorts and
guest players including fine jobs by drummer Larry Ciancia and
guitarists Cush and Emerson Swinford. Recorded in L.A., True
North adds up to a most promising start from Fisher. 
Listen
to RealAudio sample: 
When it comes to renewing
the spirit of progressive rock music, there’s no better intergalactic
musical force than Spock’s Beard. From the outset the constant source of
inspiration of the Spock sound has risen from group
conceptualist/keyboardist Neal Morse and his guitar ace brother Alan
Morse. On V the brothers are ably assisted by long time members
Ryo Okumoto (keyboards), Dave Meros (bass) and drumming ace Nick
D’ Virgilio, who recently recorded with Genesis.
Possibly the group’s best album to date, V continues that spirit
of vintage progressive rock and pop that continues to be the Spock’s
trademark. After a spin or two, the centerpiece of the album is clearly
the 16:30 lead off track called "At The End Of The Day",
although V maintains a high level interest throughout the disc.
Seasoned prog fans will spot key Spock influences which tap into sound
fields first mined by U.K. heavyweights like Yes and Gentle Giant. A major
player in the music world, Spock’s Beard keeps the spirit of progressive
rock burning bright on V. 
For his first release on
the Steve Vai run Favored Nations imprint, guitar-slinger
Eric Johnson has chosen to release a recent live set with his Alien Love
Child combo. According to Johnson, "This album and band have been a
real cathartic experience for me. It’s taught me to see the big picture
and appreciate the magic that happens as it happens." The first thing
the strikes you upon listening to Live And Beyond is Johnson’s
total mastery of the fretboard, at times echoing Eric Clapton’s guitar
work on those classic live Cream albums from the late ‘60s. Anchored by
the tight rhythm section of Bill Maddox (drums) and Chris Maresh
(bass), Alien Love Child quickly settles into an entirely solid and
satisfying blues rock groove. The mostly instrumental CD adds in three
vocal numbers featuring Johnson (on "Shape I’m In") and blues
belter Malford Milligan. The vocal tracks are impressive enough,
but Johnson’s effortlessly executed and fluid guitar leads really come
to life on the album’s atmospheric instrumentals, especially the lead
off cut "Zenland" and "Rain". The guitarist adds,
"It was a lot of fun, we took things a little bit farther than normal
and broadened the sound by playing a wider selection of material. Mostly
it was about having a good time with some great music and some of my
favorite musicians." Recorded live in the guitarist’s hometown of
Austin, Texas, the 10 track CD features futuristic artwork and, perhaps
hinting at the good music to come, Johnson & Co. close out Live And
Beyond with a bonus studio track entitled "World Of
Trouble". 
So many of today’s
rising pop artists draw upon the best pop and rock music of the ‘60s and
‘70s. A good example is the latest CD from San Francisco-based pop pro
Jeff Larson. A close approximation would be to compare Larson’s sound to
pop icon Marshall Crenshaw, but with more of a West Coast Brian Wilson and
America kind of vibe. A solid singer and songwriter, Larson is no newcomer
to the pop and surf-rock scene having worked previously with John Blakeley
from instro surf-rock legends The Sandals. A first rate example of where
the catchy West Coast surf-rock and pop sound is heading in the 21st
Century, the 15-track Room For Summer features strong contributions
from Gerry Beckley (of America on backing vocals) as well as Jeff
Foskett, who is currently touring as the guitarist in Brian Wilson’s
supporting band. In addition to the top production and guitar work from
both Foskett and guitarist Hank Linderman, Room For Summer also
features fine percussion work from Denny Weston Jr. (drums). 
Ever since his days as a
chart topping singer-songwriter during the Simon & Garfunkel years,
Paul Simon has been constantly evolving his craft. Of course Simon’s
come a long way since the heady Top 40 days and hits like "Sounds Of
Silence", "Mrs. Robinson" and "Bridge Over Troubled
Waters". Now Paul Simon returns again for his first album of the new
millennium. While You’re The One might not be filled with the
immediately catchy pop tunes Simon became famous for during the mid to
late ‘60s, the album does provide a series of musical sketches about
Simon’s ongoing life story. The album also clearly reflects Simon’s
fortunate marriage to singer-songwriter Edie Brickell. In Simon’s own
words, "I don’t believe in describing my music. I think it limits
the ways in which a listener can interact with the songs. If there’s any
thematic unity to this album, it is in it’s optimism, in it’s belief
in a spiritual reality that most of us - or at least some of us - will
recognize." You’re The One spotlights strong support from
long time Simon cohorts Vincent Nguini (guitar), Bakithi Kumalo (bass)
as well as drumming great Steve Gadd. Simon’s tasty electric and
acoustic guitar work is also well recorded. You’re The One takes
a little time to get into. Some tracks like the title track and
"Old" draw you right in while others are clearly worth the time
to take some getting used to. Simon may be getting old but he’s also
getting better and his musical creativity is still timeless. 
The Rounder Records
affiliate label Zoe Records scored big time last year with their
great Jules Shear album entitled Allow Me. Now Zoe attains those
same impressive pop heights with the second solo album from Boston-based
Merrie Amsterburg. Some of the elements in Ms. Amsterburg’s
arsenal include her top songwriting and vocal skills and as an
instrumentalist she excels on 6 & 12 string electric guitars, acoustic
and baritone guitars and Indian banjo to name a few. Lending a hand here
are some fine players including Peter Linton (guitar, lap steel).
Amsterburg’s music has been described as a cross between Peter Gabriel
and Joni Mitchell, yet as a unique singer and songwriter she’s clearly
in a class of her own. Anyone who enjoyed the last Jules Shear album on
Zoe, is well advised to hear Little Steps. 
The Dreamworks Records
debut from singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado is one of the truly auspicious
pop albums of 2000. A mixture of the artist’s Portuguese heritage and
her love of R&B and hip-hop music, Whoa, Nelly! sparkles with a
solid, catchy 21st Century pop groove from start to finish. Growing up in
Vancouver, Canada, Furtado musically came of age this past year at the
tender age of 20 sharing a stage with luminaries like Chrissie Hynde and
Sarah McLaughlin on the latest Lilith Fair tour and she readily admits,
"It was like a dream. I just kept thinking, ‘What am I doing here
with all these seasoned pros?". Furtado adds, "I wanted to make
a pop album, something with the edge of the Portuguese and Brazilian music
I love, but also something happy. I liked the challenge of making
heartfelt, emotional music that’s upbeat and hopeful - like Cornershop
and Beck and Bob Marley have been able to do." Great songs and a top
performance from all the musicians on hand here are two more reasons why Whoa,
Nelly! should be the ticket to expose Ms. Furtado to the wider
audience she clearly deserves. 
Named after the famous
pre-Beatles pop song by singer Leslie Gore, the CD debut from Rochester,
N.Y.-based It’s My Party sounds like a musical time tunnel trip back to
the early ‘60s girl group sounds of The Shangrilas and others.
Essentially the brainchild of producer John Giotto, It’s My Party
spotlights the teenage singing trio of Aubrey and English twin
sisters Cara and Rhian. Recorded in mono using vintage
instruments and microphones, the CD succeeds in sounding like something
recorded nearly 40 years ago. Giotto has assembled a round of top session
guys with strings and horn players adding authentic touches. Perhaps the
album is best described by singer Cara when she adds, "Many groups
nowadays are all into depression, and rarely does a song address happiness
or hope. Here there’s a melody that still brings a smile to your
face." The CD debut from It’s My Party will surely bring a smile to
long time oldies radio fans and younger fans looking to know what the
music was like back in the early ‘60s.