This is part two of the batch of reviews that were in danger of being lost in the ether but deserved better. Tomorrow High Bias returns to its regularly scheduled programming.
PAUL COLLINS BEAT – Ribbon of Gold (Get Hip)
Legendary guitar popster Paul Collins follows up Flying High, his strong return to action with a blatant return to his power pop glory days with the Beat. Ribbon of Gold finds the singer/songwriter still in Spain and backed by native musicians, but regardless of origin this is no-frills power pop of a high order. Collins strips back to hooks, harmonies and honest emotions, with only unobtrusive keyboards adding any frippery. “She Doesn’t Want to Hang Around With You” and “Hey DJ” snap fingers, “Flown Away” melts hearts and “I Still Want You” raises the roof as a picture-perfect show-closing anthem. Pure pop for real people.
FIRE ON FIRE – The Orchard (Young God)
Fire On Fire has the outward appearance of a bunch of friends gathering on the porch with guitars, banjos and a stray harmonium to trade tunes and sing old folk songs. Except, of course, that this is an outgrowth of experimental indie rock outfit CEREBUS SHOAL, which brings a veneer of arty calculation to the proceedings. That’s not to say that the songs aren’t good, or even that the performances aren’t heartfelt – check out “Flordinese.” But the carefully off kilter harmonies and tunings defy any pretensions to unpretentiousness, and it doesn’t help that nearly every track is too damn long, either.
FUTURE CLOUDS & RADAR – Peoria (Star Apple Kingdom)
The demise of Austin’s psych-pop wonder COTTON MATHER went largely unnoticed, but leader ROBERT HARRISON rose from the ashes with Future Clouds & Radar. After a tastefully excessive double-album debut, the eight-song Peoria might seem like a tease in comparison. But this is no collection of leftover scraps – it’s a full-blown, carefully prepared meal. Harrison really indulges his acid cracked inner child here, filling the tracks with all manner of odd cadences, intricate arrangements and spacey atmospheres. But for all the lysergic spirits haunting these grooves, the foundation is still Harrison’s beautifully melodic writing – even a dirty rocker like “Eighteen Months” invites a singalong. The ambitious Peoria challenges and befuddles, but always rewards close attention.
MV & EE WITH THE GOLDEN ROAD – Drone Trailer (DiCristina)
MATT VALENTINE (ex-*TOWER RECORDINGS*) and ERIKA ELDER are sometimes referred to as the impetus behind the so-called “freak folk” movement. I’m not sure that’s anything to be proud of, but the duo is certainly better than most of their arch contemporaries. On Drone Trailer, the pair’s songs are generally tuneful, their webs of acoustic and electric guitars are solid and the drawn-out arrangements sound like they’re played by folks genuinely disoriented. Even the shaky harmonies (more NEIL HAGERTY and JENNIFER HERRERA of ROYAL TRUX than GRAM PARSONS and EMMYLOU HARRIS) come off as unselfconscious. Not everybody appreciates this sort of thing, and your mileage may vary, but Drone Trailer is pretty good for modern acid folk.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS – What? (Ruf Mix)
In case you’ve been wondering what producer MIKE CHAPMAN has been doing since his days stewarding BLONDIE and SWEET, here’s your answer: giving L.A.’s Neighborhood Bullys a crisp, lively presence. But Chapman’s participation on their debut album What? is less the point than the band’s hooky melodies and joyful energy. Bandleader DAVEY MESHELL sings like he loves R&B but respects it enough not to try to sound like Otis Redding, and his songs add healthy doses of snotty humor to the catchy tunes. “Sux 2 B U,” “Go Back (To Drinking)” and the hilarious and exuberant “I’m Bored, Let’s Fight” boast a kick beyond the punchy singalongs. The band rocks along behind him, tight as brand new hot pants and twice as bright. The Bullys sound as excited as toddlers at a birthday party, and they want to share that buzz with us.
