MIKE OLDFIELD
on Universal Music
|
SKY
on Quantum Leap
|
RAY GILMAN
on Lightning Land Records
|
WINTER
2006
MUSIC & RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
A&M
/ UNIVERSAL - One of the all time classic rock tours was
caught forever during the Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Tour, which received the 35th anniversary royal reissue treatment
from Universal. First released as a double Lp in 1970 on A&M,
the set featured Cocker spurred on by a range of great artists including
his then producer / mentor Leon Russell. Russell is one of
the all time great rock singers and piano players but for the Mad
Dogs tour he turned the keyboards over to Chris Stainton and
instead cut loose with his Les Paul on lead and rhythm, sharing guitar
chores with the late great Jesse Ed Davis. The double CD on
A&M / UME is still worth checking out but youd be way better
off to witness A&Ms simultaneously released DVD of the entire
event. With Cocker & Co. strutting their stuff and Leon in such
rare form for the cameras, you could hardly go wrong. Word is, A&M
is actually planning an expanded DVD edition of Mad Dogs &
Englishmen Tour coming in 2006. www.universalchronicles.com
APPLESEED RECORDINGS - One of the top folk-rock labels in the
U.S., Appleseed has released albums by Roger McGuinn and tributes
to Pete Seeger. Appleseed keeps their pop standards high with the
2005 CD release of A Beach Of Shells by legendary U.K.
guitar troubadour and folk poet Al Stewart. On his 13 track
Appleseed set, Stewart receives fine production and the electric and
acoustic guitar skills from former Wings guitarist Laurence Juber.
Juber and Stewart have mellowed nicely over the years and they make
good use of their kindred spirits on the sumptuous sounding A Beach
Of Shells. Anyone who dug Stewarts 70s classics like
Year Of The Cat will find much to like here. Another
folk-rock classic, The Kennedys also had a 2005 release on
Appleseed. Still echoing their Byrds meets The Everly Brothers, Half
A Million Miles is the latest release from the husband and
wife team of Pete & Maura Kennedy, who initially met at
Buddy Hollys grave site. www.appleseedrec.com
ASTRALWERKS - Perhaps Terry Reid will be best remembered
as the guy who was forced to turn down the offer to fill the lead
vocal slot in Led Zeppelin. Not only did Reid have to turn down the
Zeppelin front man slot, but he ended up introducing Zep guitarist
Page to the bands future front man Robert Plant and drummer
John Bonham. Far from being just a footnote in the Led Zeppelin encyclopedia,
Reid is feted on a 2005 compilation on Astralwerks. A stellar showcase
for Reids amazing vocal and guitar skills, Superlungs
draws on Reids famous first two albums, released circa 69,
on Epic as well his original of No Expression, covered
by CSN&Y on their box set plus Reid originals covered by Cheap
Trick and Marianne Faithful. Despite his seemingly missed chance at
rock stardom Reid remains as upbeat as ever today adding, I
play every Monday night at this club called The Joint in Beverly Hills
with Waddy Wachtel. Robert Plant dropped by recently and we did Season
Of The Witch. People say Im the unluckiest man in rock, but
it doesnt feel like that. Come down to The Joint next time youre
in L.A. and youll see how I love what I do! www.astralwerks.com
BLUE LULA RECORDS - Having studied with both Sophocles Pappas
at age 16 and three years later with Andres Segovia, classical guitar
maestro Larry Snitzler released a CD retrospective in 2003
entitled Remembranza: Concert, Broadcast and Studio Recordings
From Washington & Paris 1966-1988. In the interesting
liner notes Snitzler speaks about the origins of the 24 tracks on
the CD, for instance finding a tape of a concert he gave in Guatemala
City in 1966 while the inset has a b&w of Snitzler meeting Segovia
also in 1966 in Spain. Musically, Snitzlers choice of classical
favorites covered includes music of Segovia, Manuel Ponce, Fernando
Sor, Erik Satie and more. Recorded over a 22 year period, the CD varies
in recording technique and quality, but like Segovia, Snitzlers
classical guitar sound reveals fresh impressions with repeated listening.
www.cdbaby.com/cd/snitzler
COCOA BUTT MUSIC - A veteran of the music biz and guitar world,
renowned L.A. session player Michael Thompson. Brooklyn born,
Long Island raised and now L.A. based, Thompson has played guitar
with Cher, Joe Cocker, Animal Logic and producer David Foster to name
just a few. With his diverse expertise as a backdrop Thompson released
a fine instrumental rock guitar album in 2005. Entitled M.T.
Speaks, the 15 track CD features a great cross-section
of fusion instrumental sounds in the spirit of guitar greats like
early Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin and even some of Mike Oldfields
more rocking harmonies The CD is a pleasant surprise and fans of guitar
rock sounds will be blown away by Thompsons classic approach
to the genre. Among the fine artists assisting Thompson are Stanley
Clarke, Vinny Coliauta, Nathan East, and newcomers
Nathaniel Morton (drums) and Sean Halley (bass). www.michaelthompson.cc
COLUMBIA / LEGACY - Those great late 60s / early 70s
albums from Santana not only had the radio hits, but they created
a new latin inspired jazz-rock instrumental sound that has not been
surpassed. In fact, guitar hero Carlos Santana continued to
refine his diverse chemistry of pop and jazz sounds on Santana
III, a sound that served as a springboard that continues till
this very day with the late 2005 Santana album, All That I Am.
The first two Santana albums had killer artwork that bordered
on pornographic and that continued with the fascinating cover of Santana
III. Hits you ask? How about the fact that the album reached #1
on Billboard and you could hardly flick an FM station without hearing
No One To Depend On the fusion-y dance groove of Everybodys
Everything. Columbia / Legacys superb sounding 2005 double
CD reissue of Santana III pairs the original nine track 71
album with four previously unreleased studio cuts with disc two mirroring
the studio set through a cleverly sequenced eleven track live set
at the Fillmore West on July 4, 1971. Relive the magic during those
magical 69-72 sounds created together by Carlos Santana, singer/organist
Gregg Rolie, jazz rock master Mike Shrieve, future fusion
guitar ace Neal Schon.
CRE-8-SOUND - Mix one part driving rock instrumental and one
part Hank Marvin inspired majesty and you come close to the new CD
by Australia-based guitarist Darrel Humphris. On The Music
Within, assisted by drummer Tim Ingram, Darrel handles
all the electric and acoustic guitars, bass and keyboards. Darrels
action packed guitar hits hard but with none of the excess associated
with heavy metal. In the spirit of the renowned West Coast guitar
rocker Gary Hoey, Darrels music quite tastefully focuses on
melody as well as style, and listener is amply rewarded with repeat
plays. www.darrel.com.au
DEV DISC - An evocative masterpiece of instrumental guitar sounds,
Working Titles is the best album yet from Boston-based
Allen Devine. Devine was quite impressive on his 2003 CD, Hmmm...and
with the 2005 release of the 18 track Working Titles he adds
yet another winner to his repertoire of instrumental music releases.
One of Devines specialty is atmospheric film music and several
of the tracks here clock in around 2 minutes and would make great
soundtrack music. Other tracks combine a synthesis of country-rock,
jazz fusion and rock. In fact Devine explores a multitude of music
genres on the varied and highly listenable Working Titles. Recording
in Boston, Devine tackles all the guitars, bass, percussion and keys
with skillful precision. www.allendevine.com
EAGLE ROCK - Centered around the heyday of Beatlemania, 1963-1966,
The Beatles: From Liverpool To San Francisco was released
on DVD in 2005 by Eagle Rock. In a hundred years, when billions of
people, ages removed the 20th century ask the questionjust who
were these Beatles all those years agothey could do far worse
than to check out this illuminating 104 minute documentary. Even without
playing a note of original Beatles music, From Liverpool To San
Francisco captures the essence of the Beatles magic as spoken
by The Fab Four themselves through vintage news footage and archival
TV interviews with the band. Of particular note is the inclusion of
the bonus section entitled Beatles Across America, which
takes a frightening look at the bible belts rabid reaction to
the taken out of context comments John Lennon allegedly made
about Christ and...well, you know it aint easy, but its
all here kids, studied warts and all. www.eaglerockent.com
GSM - Hungarian born, Hawaii based guitarist Gyula Schreiber
combines the most appealing elements of European and Island based
guitar sounds on his 2005 CD, Headway. A number
of players back up Schreiber and company on this colorful acoustic-electric
guitar-based CD of instrumental smooth jazz recorded in Honolulu.
www.cdbaby.com/cd/gyulaschreiber
GREEN COOKIE - The genre is called spag-westas
in Clint Eastwood, Hang Em High and The Good, The
Bad & The Uglyis the realm of instrumental music the
group known as The Moe Greene Specials revel in. Hank Marvin
and Ennio Morricone may be most responsible for creating the Euro-based
surf-guitar soundtrack of the 60s, but the Dutch based group
puts it all together on their self titled 2005 CD filled with a dozen
evocative guitar instrumentals. Adding to the authentic Tex-Mex vibe
the group flavor their guitar-based sound with some effective trumpet
performances. All round the world, guitar instrumental music is huge
right now with a number of spy-surf, spaghetti western and surf-rock
labels cranking out the latest sounds and fittingly, the Greece-based
Green Cookie label have a number of recent CD releases including
a great new CD from the U.S. West Coast group Insect Surfers.
Featuring guitarist Dave Arnson the band still offer definitive
sounding instrumental rock in the spirit of The Ventures and Link
Wray. Also in 2005 from Green Cookie is the latest from Greek instro
rockers The Star & Key Of The Indian Ocean entitled Vintage
Soup. www.greencookie.gr
KEV MUSIC - In his track by track liner notes for his 2005 finger
style solo acoustic guitar album, Acoustic Dreams,
guitarist Kev says a lot about his musical influences. Childhood
memories in Minnesota, his love of Spanish Flamenco and Irish folk
music as well as great acoustic guitar version of The Mountain
King, written by Edvard Grieg shape Kevs acoustic
guitar vision. One man, one guitar, Acoustic Dreams features
fine straight forward performance (no overdubs) by Kev on his Taylor
712C guitar. www.kevmusic.com
LIGHTYEAR ENTERTAINMENT - The Beatles were becoming white
hot when they ditched their first drummer, Pete Best in favor
of Ringo Starr. Such moves are the stuff of history, the whole summation
of which is recalled on a most informative 2005 DVD release on Lightyear
Entertainment. Entitled Best Of The Beatles,
the DVD is subtitled Pete Best: Mean, Moody And Magnificent.
Bests workmanlike drumming on various Beatles recordings,
live and, in the case of the fabled Decca Sessions, in the the studio
pre 61/62, remains quite interesting. Clearly Ringo Starr was
the ultimate choice to assist their rise to the top, yet as this essential
DVD points out Bests involvement with The Beatles was also crucial
to their early success. The DVD runs nearly three hours and with loads
of vintage footage gives the lowdown on just how resourceful those
lads from Liverpool really were. Balancing out the vintage stuff with
John, Paul, George and Stu is all new interviews with Best and various
sidekicks, including early Beatles / Quarrymen accomplice Ken Brown,
all who remain deservedly basking in the glow of that evergreen early
60s era known as Beatlemania. www.petebest.com
LIGHTNIN LAND RECORDS - Lead guitarist and songwriter in
Twin Cities based Gilmans Crossing, guitarist Ray Gilman
flies high with his new solo album Altitude. It aint
your attitude, its your altitude with Gilman echoing the glory
days of his 70s and 80s jazz rock heroes. The guitarist
explains, I have always wanted to do an instrumental CD. I am
influenced by artists like Jeff Beck, Weather Report, Steve Vai, Joe
Satriani, Rush, and Todd Rundgren to name a few. I try to start with
a good melody and build it from there. I really enjoyed making this
CD". A self-produced solo studio project all the way and a fine
example of the D.I.Y. spirit, Ray Gilmans sonic progressive
New Age instrumental rock takes the scenic route with some intriguing
twists and turns. www.cdbaby.com/cd/raygilman
LOVE RECORDS - Before he moved into the realm of sonic
pop on now famous Wigwam albums recorded for Virgin Records
during the mid 70s, Jim Pembroke was a truly quirky singer-songwriter.
Moving from London to Finland in 65, Pembroke made musical waves
early on with outstanding late 60s albums recorded with Blues
Section and Wigwamtwo bands he co-founded. In 1972, Pembroke
released his first solo album, Hot Thumbs ORiley (Wicked
Ivory) with his Wigwam band mates, including late,
great drummer Ronnie Österberg and soon to be rising fusion
bass ace Pekka Pohjola. Just as eccentric, in a cool way, as
early Wigwam albums like the Kim Fowley produced Tombstone Valentine
and Fairyport, Hot Thumbs / Wicked Ivory was the first
in a series of brilliant solo albums from Pembroke, who continues
in the 2000s with Wigwam. Jazzy, bluesy, progressive, and all
sort of Euro-tinged pop-rock abounds on Hot Thumbs. Kicking
off with the Zappa-esque, turn on a dime melodies of Warm Rumours,
and ending with a kind of demented epoch tribute to Pembrokes
quintessential British-ness entitled The Decline Of The House
Of Lords, Hot Thumbs remains one of the wildest, most
eclectic rock albums made anywhere in 1972. Kudos to Pembrokes
original record label, Love Records, who did a splendid job
on their 2005 Hot Thumbs CD reissue. www.lovemusic.fi
MORADA - When they started their illustrious group legacy back
in the late 60s, The Strawbs were mainly a folk-based
group. Spearheaded by singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Cousins,
The Strawbs really started rocking on their 1971 classic Grave
New World, and have, ever since maintained a very high level of
musical integrity. Blending English folk sounds with a hybrid rock
sound, Cousins really started to experiment with rock at the dawn
of the 70s following the entrance of keyboardists Rick Wakeman
and John Hawkin and the appearance of guitarist Dave Lambert,
who is one of the fine musicians on the groups 2003 album Blue
Angel. Distributed in the U.S. by the Audio Fidelity
label, Blue Angel may have been an overlooked sleeper,
but after a good listen it appears that overall the CD is a stellar
blend of the more irrefutable aspects of the bands sound with
a fresh kind of hybrid U.K folk-rock sound. Many one time group members
appear here including Dave Lambert, guitarist Brian Willoughby,
keyboardist Blue Weaver as well as both long time drummers
Richard Hudson and Rod Coombes. With his haunting
gothic folk essence, Dave Cousins is a textbook lesson in musical
creativity and his usual dominance as one of Englands greatest
singers of a generation, is enhanced on Blue Angel by occasional
back-up vocals from Mary Hopkin and Maddy Prior. Anyone
who enjoyed dynamic, rock-based Strawbs classics like Hero And
Heroine and Bursting At Seams should check out Blue
Angel. Audio Fidelity is also making available quite a few Strawbs
related titles in their U.S. catalog including their 2004 album Déja
Fou. Excellent but not quite as rockin as Blue
Angel, the CD features the same cast with John Hawken
on keyboards. Another Cousins related title worth hearing his
2002 duo album with Rick Wakeman, the 13 track Hummingbird.
www.moradamusic.com / www.strawbsweb.co.uk / www.witchwoodrecords.co.uk
MOTHERSTAR RECORDS - Borrowing from both techno and fusion, guitarist
David G. Risley puts his arsenal to the test on the first,
self-titled CD from Lip Silent Assassin. Performing all the
instruments himself, Risley has made a great sounding CD that spans
a cross-section of instrumental rock and atmospheric jazz-rock sounds.
Featuring Risley inspired in part by guitar giants like Robert Fripp
and Allan Holdsworth, Lip Silent Assassin is quite dynamic
combining just the right amount of intensity and intellect. Extra
credits for the stunning sounding production and cool cover art. www.lipsilentassassin.com
PIMA PRODUCTIONS - Classical guitar fans will enjoy the 2005 CD
from Randall Avers. Entitled Puerto Viejo: Music Of Spain,
the 13 track CD finds Avers in a solo setting, performing the
legendary music of Spains classical guitar giants. Recorded
in St. Johns Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania, the overall sound
has just the right touch of depth and echo with hardly a trace of
saturation. In other words Avers has recorded a fine sounding classical
album filled with technical wizardry and matching artistic temperament.
www.randallavers.com
QUANTUM LEAP- One band that had U.S. releases but never
really made it here were English classical art-rockers Sky.
Best known for their classical arrangements for a rock group, Sky
were blessed with two fine guitarists, world renowned classical virtuoso
John Williams and Aussie prog-rock guitar ace Kevin Peek.
Having the great Francis Monkman on keyboards, a great drummer
in Tristian Fry and bass legend Herbie Flowers in the
group only added to their greatness. The bands heyday was the
period in between their 1979 debut into the mid 80s, after Williams
left the band. With their impeccable guitar-based approach to instrumental
classical rock, Williams and Peek made a formidible guitar team. Both
can be seen in peak form on a 2005 DVD, simply called Sky.
Released on the U.K. based Quantum Leap, the expertly filmed
hour long DVD captures the group live in 1980 from a German TV show.
Featuring tracks from the first three Sky albums, the DVD is an excellent
opportunity to revisit one of Englands great unheralded classical
rock outfits. www.qleap.co.uk
RHINO / WSM - Though the original lineup of The Who
ceased to exist with the passing of both Keith Moon and John
Entwistle, both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend
continue releasing rare and live Who archival material. The 2005 Rhino
triple DVD release of Tommy And Quadrophenia Live With Special
Guests pairs a 97 live Quadrophenia with a live
Tommy filmed in 1989. The third DVD features Daltrey, Townshend
and Entwistle performing a veritable best of set as filmed live on
their 89 and 96/97 US tour. Bonus features abound on each
DVD including photo gallery, MX DVD interactive visual commentary
with Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend, The Quadrophenia
Story, deluxe 8-panel DigiPak in Slip Sleeve and booklet with
extensive liner notes. www.petetownshend.co.uk / www.rhino.com
RYKODISC - Equal parts of The Raspberries, The Nazz, Brian Wilson
and the fab four, Big Star were a little late in coming yet
by the mid 70s had managed to carve out a niche with the teenyboppers
who just missed those earlier legends. Cult status ensued over these
years, and in a stroke of luck, two original Big Star members and
two mega-talented current pop guys have retooled the Big Star sound
on a CD that contains a dozen cuts filled with rare and appealing
pop sensibilities. A legend of both 60s pop greats The Box Tops
and Big Star, Alex Chilton needs little in the way of introduction
to most pop fans and together with original Big Star drummer Jody
Stephens, the pair reunite here with pop pundits Jon Auer and
Ken Stringfellow for the 2005 CD release of Big Star
In Space. 60s pop, Stax R&B vibes and a cool
pop-Beatles nostalgia prevails over the course of a dozen pop classics.
Theres even a way cool post punk, pomp-rock guitar instrumental.
www.bigstarband.com
SPV - Few singers have the depth and vision of the great
Eric Burdon. Burdon and The Animals were one of the greatest
bands of the 1964 British Invasion. Giving both The Beatles and Stones
a run for their money back when, The Animals made great singles and
albums that have stood the test of time. On the scene for years, Burdon
isnt one to rest on his laurels and on his 2005 SPV album, Soul
Of A Man he sounds strong and true to his roots. A
great rock, blues and gospel singer, Burdon rises to the occasion
on 14 track CD that ranges from driving rock and funky boogies to
his love of the blues of Howlin Wolf and Mississippi Fred McDowell.
Commenting on his latest album, Burdon adds, Id go even
further and credit blues with a healing effect, if you study it deeply
enough. Backed by a tight bandincluding guitarists Carl
Carlton and Johnny Lee SchellBurdon reemerges with
a fine album that clearly lives up to his renowned legacy. www.spv.de
SADITES - Teaching guitar since he was 16, guitarist Jason
Sadites recently moved from his native Ontario, Canada to move
to South Florida. He has also just released a fine CD debut album,
Orbit and if theres any justice left in the guitar
world, listeners will pick up on Sadites vibrant, pulsating
guitar instrumental sound. On the surface Sadites reminds of players
like Jeff Beck, Vai and Satriani although hes still fresh and
doesnt play over heads, yet like the bigger names. Backed by
some fine players like drummer Kevin McMahon, Sadites layers
his multi-tracked guitar approach with an appealing sonic edge while
making good use of his Fender American Ash Strat with Kinman pickups.
www.sadites.com
TUNE-A-TACO SONGS - Inspired by his journeys through Europe, acoustic
guitarist Ken Baldwin has created a fine 12 track album in
the spirit of the rustic-souding instrumental guitar music of Pentangle
founder John Renbourn. Also featuring Logan Baldwin (light
percussion) and David Wilson (violin, cello, mando), the humorously
titled Bones Of Saint finds Baldwin weaving an organic
web of finger style acoustic ramblings inspired by the likes of Renbourn
and Stefan Grossman with the blues influence of Jorma Kaukonen. Baldwin
makes good us of his Taylor 814C and co-producers Jerry Williams
Martin D-41 and please, no apologies for that cool CD cover art
sending up the famous Edvard Munch anxiety painting The Scream.
www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenbaldwin
UNIVERSAL - A Mozart for the 21st Century, Mike Oldfield
released a double CD of all new material entitled Light + Shade
in 2005. Continuing on as a self-produced artist, Oldfields
constant vision is further rewarded in a sumptuous studio setting
with not too many surprises. Borrowing on pastoral themes from the
past, Oldfield summons a varied sound weaving his various guitars
with a panoply of hi-tech studio sounds that Trevor Horn would approve
of. Guitar fans will no doubt be interested in the choice of guitars
featured on the 2005 set including 1963 Fender Strat, 1990 PRS Signature,
1974 Ramirez classical and 1964 Fender Precision bass. www.mikeoldfieldlightandshade.com
VELORA RECORDINGS - The 2005 CD from Baton Rouge-based Always
The Runner, entitled An August Golf is filled with
shimmering instrumentals of guitar-based rock music. A quartet that
expertly veers between surf rock and ambient New Age guitar sounds,
Always The Runner features the guitars of Garrett Matthew Morley
and Eric Matthew Dills. A solid rock energy keeps the bands
drive right up there and gives it a solid edge that instrumental rock
guitar fans will admire. www.alwaystherunner.com
VOICEPRINT - The two albums Bill Bruford made with prog
electronic keyboard icon Dave Stewart changed the course of
rock fusion. Released in 1977 and 1978, Feels Good To Me and
its follow up One Of A Kind took jazz rock to new heights.
Complimenting the lineup was guitarist Alan Holdsworth and
bassist Jeff Berlin. It was too good to last but Bruford did
manage to pull off one his finest post-Yes band concerts with a rare
historic live show at My Fathers Place in Roslyn Long Island,
on one of the hottest days in New York history, July 12, 1979, a show
that was captured forever on the album The Bruford Tapes.
The guiding light of FM radio at that time, the crew of WLIR FM broke
the news that day of the show made radio history broadcasting the
show live to startled fans over the airwaves. As one of the fans in
the crowed that night I can tell you Bruford, Stewart, Berlin and
filling in for the AWOL Holdsworth, guitarist the unknown
John Clarke (the cat in Clarks clothes?) were more than
brilliant and they lived up to the stature this classic live album.
More amazing is that fact that the once not so great sounding sound
quality is much improved on this 2005 Voiceprint CD reissue The
Bruford Tapes, bringing a clarity to the live concert mix not
before heard. Bringing Yes to its earliest heights and doing it again
with the Stewart, Holdsworth and Berlin quartet was to be Bruford's
last major romp in the prog rock arena, but who knows what the master
of all things percussion might do next. How about an album with Mike
Pinder, Mike Oldfield and Pekka Pohjola? hmmm... www.billbruford.com
WATER - David Bowie used to do selective covers on his albums,
with one of the coolest appearing on his 71 Lp Hunky Dory.
It was on this now celebrated album that Bowie covered a Biff
Rose song called Fill Your Heart. An eclectic musical
genius in his own right, Rose is feted on this long overdue and first
ever two-fer reissue of his two 1968 Tetragrammation Records classics
The Thorn In Mrs. Rose Side and Children Of Light.
An essential reissue of two historic albums, original artwork
and all, the 24 track CD on Water features two bonus tracks
and in depth booklet. www.buyrunt.com/water.html
WRECKORDS RECORDS - One of the best bands to come out of Brooklyn
in recent memory, Closenuf released their self-titled CD debut
in 2005 on their own Wreckords imprint. Blessed with a convincing
lead singer in Anthony J. Foti, the five piece also spotlights
guitarist Ron Pitkin and keyboard player Adam Vicelich.
Musically, Foti and company revel in a hard rocking wide screen panoramic
early 60s inspired vision of a sound Phil Spector would have
approved of. The crack rhythm section of Trey Roper (drums)
and Henry McDonagh III (bass) round out the group lineup. Reminiscent
of The Cars, with a retro touch of Vanilla Fudge and Velvet Underground,
the Closenuf album is well recorded and rocks on an artful
musical level. www.closenuf.com
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