CD of the Week: The Last Goodnight

THE LAST GOODNIGHT
"POISON KISS"
(Virgin, 2007)

It's happened a few times now ... I download a free single from iTunes and I think it's okay, and it pretty-much disappears into the depths of my music library without getting a second thought from me. Then, weeks later I happen upon the CD at the store and (just barely remembering that it was an album from which I'd downloaded a free song) I casually slip on the headphones at the listening station to sample a few tracks, not expecting much -- and I end up liking what I hear so much that I buy the CD. That's what happened with The Last Goodnight.

Aside from saying that these guys' sound is kind-of a cross between Maroon 5 and Supertramp, I don't really know how to describe them. Their lively and infectious blend of rock, funk and soul is kind-of like that pleasant sting you get from your toothpaste in the morning ... only this album is better, 'cause it holds that sensation for nearly all of its 42 minutes. Whether an affecting ballad ("Return To Me"), a mellow ditty ("Good Love") or an energetic rocker ("Push Me Away"), there's really not a dud amongst the dozen tracks, so steady is the flow of slyly hooky melodies and accessible but intelligent lyrics.

Lead singer Kurtis John's voice is not the kind I usually like (a bit more raspy and less smooth in the delivery than I care for), but for some reason it totally fits -- indeed, I suspect that I wouldn't have liked the album nearly as much if there were a different voice behind the mic. That kind of unpredictable and immeasurable appeal is a big part of what keeps music interesting to me; just when I start to get bored and jaded with all the junk out there, along comes a breath of fresh air like The Last Goodnight.

Trick or Treat -- an Extra Song of the Week!!!

I'm sorry, folks, but I'm not going to have the new podcast episode ready in time, but I'll do my best to get it to you by next weekend at the latest. In the meantime, here's an extra little treat to make up for it: a bonus "Song of the Week" for the Halloween season. Enjoy ... and BOO!!

"Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive"
Men At Work
from the album "Cargo" (Columbia, 1983)

Don't be fooled by the beginning of this song ... it's not the "Weird Al" tune from last week again, it just sounds like it. In fact, that's what made me remember it as a last-minute Halloween upload. Men At Work were always somewhat whimsical, but perhaps no more so than in this delightful take on the Jekyll & Hyde story. The lyrics and the music are complete and total fun! Perhaps it's one reason why they were one-third of my "Holy Trinity" of favorite '80s artists, and why frontman Colin Hay continues to be one of my favorites today (even though he possesses less of the playfulness that the group did back then). Happy Halloween, everyone!!

Song of the Week: Nature Trail To Hell

"Nature Trail To Hell"
"Weird Al" Yankovic
from the album "In 3-D" (Scotti Bros., 1984)

There's perhaps no artist out there who was more likely to end up a one-hit wonder than "Weird Al" Yankovic. But somehow he beat the odds and not only released more than one album, but is still going strong almost 25 years later. Indeed, his career has outlasted those of quite a few of the artists whose songs he's parodied, and just last year saw the highest-charting album and single of his career.

One thing that goes unnoticed by most non-fans of Al is the fact that half of his material is original -- songs whose words and music are written solely by him. Here's one of the original tracks from his second album, and one that's perfectly suited for the Halloween season. It's about a part of American pop culture that hasn't gone out of style (at least not yet): the slasher film. This long, cartoonishly creepy movie trailer in the form of a song is great fun, complete with all the sonic staples of guts and gore ... howling wind, screaming victims, and werewolves in the distance.

One of the reasons for Al's longevity is probably the fact that he has the uncanny ability to stay plugged into what's going on in pop culture -- basically a requirement if your most well-known stunt is parodying other popular music artists. But there's also the simple fact of his talent: this may not be one of Al's better known original tunes, but for being so early in his career, it really showed that his gift for comedy music would serve him well for awhile to come.

CD of the Week: Eran James

ERAN JAMES
"TEN SONGS ABOUT LOVE"
(Heaven/Australia, 2007)

It's been suggested by at least one magazine article I've read lately that listening to music has turned into more of a passive activity than an active one, and it's certainly true ... mostly because the convenience of the MP3 era has relieved us of the torturous burden of physically getting up and putting a record on the turntable or a CD in the stereo, but also partly because we Americans have gotten into the habit of multitasking and are thus paying less attention to the music we listen to, even when it's chosen by us and piped through our own personal earphones. Well, if there's ever been an argument for devoting your undivided attention to a full album of songs, it's Eran James' new album, "Ten Songs About Love".

Could they have chosen a worse title for this album? It's misleading enough that I hesitated buying it, and I have to wonder how many other people have done the same. First of all, there aren't ten songs on the album, there are actually twelve. The song titles don't exactly lend credence to that fact: tracks 1 and 12 are honest-to-goodness, full-length songs, rather that the short "bumper" pieces that the words their titles start with ("Prelude" and "Epilogue") might imply. The other complaint I have about the album's title is, I'll admit, probably more due to my own short-sightedness -- I can't help but always think of a slow, quiet ballad when I hear the term "love song". Sure, I like a good ballad once in awhile, but I'd get bored rather quickly with a whole album full of strolling-in-the-moonlight songs.

Well, it turns out that my fears were unfounded, as the album's producers wisely livened up the proceedings with an equal share of bicycling-through-the-park-on-a-spring-afternoon songs. It makes sense: love can evoke carefree joy as much as cozy romance. Another reason I needn't have worried was the reason I was so eagerly awaiting this release in the first place: Eran's indescribably (but I'm gonna give it a try anyway) amazing voice, which has far more soul than an 18-year-old Australian white boy could possibly be expected to have. This is probably going to sound weird, but Eran has the kind of voice that I wish I could distill into a liquid and bathe in, it's so sumptuous to hear. From the soaring first single, "Touched By Love", through the Stevie-Wonder-style shuffle of "The Other Side Of Love" and the smooth jazziness of "I Still Do" (co-written by '70s blue-eyed-soul legend Daryl Hall), to the sensual sway of "We Can" and "Won't Even Try", Eran James effortlessly lifts a set of songs that would otherwise be quite ordinary to the level of Otis Redding's and Lou Rawls' best work.

Lest you think I'm overstating his vocal talents, take this into consideration: it's widely purported that a couple of years ago the late James Brown, Godfather of Soul himself, saw Eran James perform, went up to him afterward and told him, "Man, you sound blacker than me!" So, if you like classic-style soul music, or just great singing in general, you owe it to yourself to get this album. And if you don't take my word for it, take Mr. Brown's.

Song of the Week: Scared

"Scared"
A1
from the album "The A List" (Columbia/UK, 2000)

A1 were a British boyband who I originally dismissed as NSYNC wannabes ... but then, after "No Strings Attached", that's what almost all the other boybands seemed like, isn't it? Anyway, I eventually learned to appreciate this album on its own merits, especially after their third and final album, "Make It Good", which just might be their best.

When assembling your next Halloween mix CD, this track is a must-have. From the evil, echoing laugh at the beginning, to the heart-racing beat, to the frantic horror-movie-organ keyboards that bookend the tune, this one will give you goosebumps in the best way! It may be more of a love song than a ghost story, but that hardly matters.

The rest of "The A List", the group's second album, is just as much fun. It makes me wonder why all four of the A1 lads haven't gone on to greater success. All we've seen is Christian Ingebrigtsen recording one solo album in his native Norway, and Ben Adams releasing just one single before having his record contract seemingly pulled out from under him. Maybe the book is closed on A1 as a group, but I hope we haven't heard the last of its very talented members.

CD of the Week: The Click Five

THE CLICK FIVE
"MODERN MINDS AND PASTIMES"
(Atlantic, 2007)

I'm sorry, but I still think "The Click Five" is a dumb name for a band. But let me follow that up by saying that's really the only thing I don't like about this group. Their debut album, "Greetings From Imrie House", was a very good example of state-of-the-art power-pop. They were forced to find a new lead singer before starting work on their sophomore disc, but it hasn't hurt their sound one bit. In fact, I consider "Modern Minds And Pastimes" (a cool album title, by the way), to be better than its predecessor -- but that's not to say that Eric Dill's exit from the group had anything to do with it.

Along with scruffing up their appearance -- the matching suits and ties and retro haircuts were a cute nod to the Beatles, but perhaps just a bit pretentious -- The Click Five have also tousled up their sound just a bit. The catchy, tight melodies and fun lyrics are still there, but under slightly fuzzier guitars and rougher (in a good way) vocal arrangements. The boys have also broadened their sonic palette a little: along with the assortment of songs in the style that their fans are more-or-less used to -- the energetic opener "Flipside", the sweet-tart of a ballad "I'm Getting Over You", the song with the ultimate hum-along bridge ("Happy Birthday"), and the one with the raucously fun chorus ("Long Way To Go") -- they've also tried their hand at revival dance-rock ala Shiny Toy Guns ("Headlight Disco") with excellent results, and they've even done a bang-up job on an original tune that flawlessly recreates vintage '80s new wave ("Addicted To Me", probably my favorite of the album) ... definitely a big step up from their last effort, a lone cover -- albeit a good one -- of a pre-existing '80s hit.

Their name aside, The Click Five are probably destined to receive very little respect in America because they play power-pop, an inherently upbeat sub-genre of music that most Americans, for whatever reason, don't seem to like. And that's a real shame, 'cause if The Click Five continue in this direction, I'd love to be along for the ride, provided they can find enough of an audience to go along with them.

Thnairg's Podcast: Episode 2

It may be a day late, but it's here -- now with much, much less distortion in my voice! I hope y'all have been enjoying my podcast, and here's the second installment, ready for you to download for your listening pleasure...

Thnairg's Podcast: Episode 2

In this episode: I revive the "Discography" feature that was supposed to be a regular thing on my blog, but "died on the vine" after its first appearance months ago. It didn't even occur to me until after I had recorded the first episode that a podcast would be the perfect medium for such a feature ... after all, when you're trying to describe your love for a recording artist, a written blog can only do so much.

Anyway, the first honoree in my podcast version of the discography feature is Ben Lee. If you've never taken the time to sample his music, I hope you're willing to give these eighteen minutes of your time to do so. I think that some of you will come away with at least a small appreciation for his work, and maybe at least one of you out there will come to love Ben Lee as much as I do.

So, what are you waiting for? Download my latest podcast right here, and enjoy!

Song of the Week: Zavelow House

It occurred to me this morning that since Halloween is just around the corner, it'd be as good a time as any to start a Song of the Week theme leading up to the holiday. So, for the next three weeks, I'll be sharing songs with you that would feel right at home on a Halloween mix CD.


"Zavelow House"
Owsley
from the album "Owsley" (Warner Bros., 1999)

Will Owsley has served as guitarist, both live and in the studio, for artists such as Shania Twain and Amy Grant, before and since recording his solo debut album, "Owsley", in 1999. In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated albums in the world. It's packed from beginning to end with some of the most well-crafted and infectious power-pop in years.

"Zavelow House" is perhaps the catchiest on the album ... a colorful haunted-house tale full of kooky lyrics and a melody that's so fun it's -- well, scary! If you don't come away from listening to this song with a smile on your face or a bounce in your step, you may want to check yourself for a pulse ... that's right, you might be a zombie!

Owsley released a follow-up album in 2004, but seems to have focused more on his supporting work for other musicians than his solo career. Hopefully, though, we'll see another album from him sometime in the near future.

CD of the Week: Kristian Leontiou

KRISTIAN LEONTIOU
"SOME DAY SOON"
(Polydor/UK, 2004)

I happened upon this CD in the imports clearance bin on one of my last visits ever to a Tower Records. The cool cover art was the first thing that caught my eye, but I wasn't sure what to make of the artist's appearance. Buzz-cut hair, wearing a hoodie, with a piercing in his lower lip -- was this the next Eminem? Then I saw the promotional sticker on the front: "The incredible voice behind the hit single 'Story Of My Life'." The phrase "incredible voice" of course had me intrigued, so I decided to take a chance. What did I have to lose besides the measly six or eight dollars the CD cost me?

As it turns out, it was one of the better "blind" (or would that be "deaf", in this case?) purchases I've made over the years. It took a short while for the album to win me over, but now I'm seriously thinking about tracking down all the CD-singles for their B-sides ... a definite sign that I love it. The CD is something of a contradiction: the songs all sound fairly similar for the most part, but they're also distinctive -- I can recall the choruses of almost all the songs when I read their titles from the track listing. The unvarying sound of the songs isn't necessarily a bad thing ... the smooth flow from one song to another makes for a nice full-album listen, but the songs can just as easily stand on their own as singles.

The centerpiece, of course, is Kristian Leontiou's voice. Strong but also light and nimble, it's the perfect complement to the album's rich but relaxing electronic-based melodies. One review I read describes Leontiou as "a male Dido", and that's an apt description. Comparison to Daniel Powter would also be appropriate -- with a similar sound (adding piano in Powter's case), and even a vague visual resemblance, it's safe to say that anyone who loves Daniel Powter will probably love Kristian Leontiou just as much.

Song of the Week: Motor Mouth

"Motor Mouth"
Sugarbomb
from the album "Bully" (RCA, 2001)

Sugarbomb were a group from Fort Worth, Texas, who were kind-of like a cross between Fountains of Wayne and Sugar Ray -- power pop with crunchy guitars, tongues usually in their cheek, and not afraid to put a little bit of rap into their mish-mash of styles. They released one independent album, one major-label album (containing re-recordings of several tracks from the independent album), and -- as far as I can determine -- nothing since then.

This song is one of the more raucous numbers you'll find on their album "Bully", and one of the most interesting to listen to. It reminds the listener of influences ranging from The Beach Boys to Kid Rock; if you can imagine Queen and Frank Zappa getting together to cover a song by Limp Bizkit, it might sound something like this. As I've mentioned before, I normally don't like rap, but it seems a totally natural part of this song, and not the least bit annoying.

The rest of the album is just as tuneful and enjoyable, and is totally rap-free (not that it wouldn't be enjoyable if it did have rap). It's too bad there aren't more albums by these guys to enjoy.

CD of the Week: Matt White

MATT WHITE
"BEST DAYS"
(Geffen, 2007)

I'll be honest ... while listening to it the first time, I wasn't all that impressed with Matt White's full-length debut album, "Best Days". One song after another came and went without so much as a nod of the head or a tap of the toe to any of them. That is, until track 5 came along. The song, simply entitled "Love", grabbed me (as vigorously as a sweet, bouncy little song like that can), and the rest of the album never let go. Silly me, I only thought I knew what it meant to have an album "sneak up" on me until now. This one truly did.

There may not be much variety in the subject matter -- almost all the songs are about love -- but what the album lacks in that respect it makes up for in the range of sounds. There seems to be a fairly significant '70s influence on the album (the '70s funk of "Play" and the AM-radio pop of "Love"), but White manages to deftly stir his various influences together in innovative ways to come up with other excellent tracks like the straight-ahead rocker "Anybody Else" (which is very reminiscent of Maroon 5), the lovely ballads "Just What I'm Looking For" and "Miracles" (which shows how amazingly nimble his voice is), as well as a pseudo-tropical/ska hybrid in "New York Girls".

Knowing my affinity for male singer/songwriters, maybe it was inevitable that I'd like Matt White. But there are plenty of singer/songwriters that I haven't liked ... and he did manage to win me over more quickly than most others in that category. It remains to be seen if he has any staying power, but I have a feeling he'll be hanging out in my CD collection for the long haul.

The Dawn of a New Era!

Okay, get ready. Are you ready? This is a big moment for me. Remember how I mentioned last week that I was thinking about starting my own podcast? Well, I bought a microphone for my computer the very next day, and I only got as far as Sunday before I could no longer resist the itch to give it a dry run. Well, here's the result, sooner than I expected ... I now quasi-proudly present:

Thnairg's Podcast: Episode 1!!!

You can download it right here, right now! You'll notice that it's at a lower bitrate than usual -- 64Kbps ... not crystal-clear, but still clear enough that the songs sound just fine. And they're not full songs, but I do give you enough of them to get a feel for the song (and maybe you'll be intrigued enough to buy the track, or maybe even the whole album). Anyway, both the lower bitrate and the partial songs I chose to do primarily in the interest of making the finished file as small to download as possible, for those few of us who aren't fortunate enough to have a broadband internet connection just yet. The good news is that this file is nearly 18 minutes long, but is a nice tidy 8 megabytes.

But anyway, I really hope you enjoy this. It's not perfect -- a little distortion in the speaking parts which I hope will remedy itself next time with a slightly more careful positioning of the microphone. I also sound a little "stiff" in this podcast, but I think I'll "loosen up" over the subsequent installments. I think I'll just be doing this every other week for now -- better to start out slow and pick up the pace if I see fit, rather than to go crazy at first and use up too much material too fast. But I sure had a lot of fun putting this one together, so I have a feeling Thnairg's Podcast may be here to stay. So ... go ahead and listen, and feel free to tell me what you think!

By the way, just in case you missed any of the links to download the file, here's another one.