CD Odyssey Disc 1561: Howard Jones

I’m in the middle of a weekend that has included gathering with friends and a rousing game of Ultimate that was in no way ruined by a little rain. Now I’m going to write a music review and then spend a quiet evening playing boardgames with my favourite person. Life is good.

Disc 1561 is…. Dream Into Action

Artist: Howard Jones

Year of Release: 1985

What’s up with the Cover? I have a vintage bathrobe that looks a lot like Howard’s jacket but unlike his, mine does not summon the spirits of the Neon Five.

Jones’ thoughtful expression shows that he’s come to realize that invoking the powers of the Five while initially gratifying, has become a curse, as they bring his dreams to life by siphoning off the energy of those closest to him.

Some people would say I’m reading an awful lot into this album cover, but some people have a lot of growing up to do.

How I Came To Know It: I knew a few of these songs as a teenager, but I didn’t like any of them. Sheila is a fan, however, and asked me to find this album for her on my CD shopping journeys, and so here it is.

How It Stacks Up: We have two Howard Jones albums, this one and 1984’s “Human’s Lib” (reviewed back at Disc 892). Of the two, I put “Dream Into Action” in at #2.

Ratings: 3 stars

I did not like Howard Jones back in 1985. The music felt artificial and directionless to me, with a metallic-sounding eighties production that was hard to swallow. However, many decades have passed since I was a lad, and having the opportunity revisit his work as an adult has been a pleasant surprise.

Those elements of Jones’ sound that I didn’t like when this was first released haven’t gone anywhere but I now see how for the most part they fit well with the overall vibe he is creating. Case in point the opening track, “Things Can Only Get Better”. This thing is thumping around with keyboard, drum machine and all manner of dubious additions, but it all works well together. I also find it mystifying how the teenage me couldn’t get behind the infectious “whoa-whoa-whoa” that serves as the intro to the chorus. If you don’t want to ‘whoa whoa whoa’ along with Jones in those moments something is seriously wrong with you.

The record’s best song (also a hit) is “No One is to Blame” which showcases something else I never noticed in the day: Howard Jones’ vocals. He sings with a light and easy power that infuses that that hollow production with emotional resonance. Here he reminded me favourably of Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy.

Both those songs were hits (the record had several) but I didn’t love all the commercially successful songs. “Look Mama” has an “aimless orchestra” feel to it where it all the various sounds had me imagining a big band where everyone was playing a different tune. “Life in One Day” has that scourge of so much mid-eighties music, the steel drum. Like the saxophone, a little steel drum goes a long way, and “Life in One Day” features a lot of steel drum. The song also has a Disney musical quality to it that felt a bit too “destined for Broadway” for my liking.

Elsewhere on the record we are treated to the frantic syncopation of “Automaton” and the overwrought “Elegy”. The former seems feckless and insincere. The latter’s mix of synth and sincerity lands in the No Man’s Land between early Enya and eighties Queen, while failing capture the magic of either.

The CD release of the album features two bonus tracks. First up is the weird pseudo-rap of “Bounce Right Back” that feels about as authentic as instant coffee.

Much better is “Like to Get To Know You Well” which was released originally the year prior as a single (and radio hit). This song has aged beautifully and while it is synth forward, there is no denying the energy of this tune, that had me wanting to eighties-dance around the room (I may have briefly succumbed to the temptation).

Overall, “Dream Into Action” is a mixed bag. It features some tracks that are true classics of eighties New Wave, but these are mixed in with overly clever songs that fall down under the weight of directionless production. On balance, I still enjoyed the experience, and must politely disagree with my overly critical teen self.

Best tracks: Things Can Only Get Better, No One is to Blame, Like to Get to Know You Well

CD Odyssey Disc 1560: Triumph

Sunday morning finds me a bit worn down and reflective. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Feeling that way on a long weekend is, well, not ideal.

A silver lining is that my latest album has energy to spare and has been giving me bursts of energy whenever I can squeeze in some listening time.

Disc 1560 is…. Thunder Seven

Artist: Triumph

Year of Release: 1984

What’s up with the Cover? A modern take on Leonardo da Vinci’s famous sketch, “The Vitruvian Man”. Here Mr. Vitruvius has been upgraded with a metal exoskeleton, or maybe he’s had his bones replaced with adamantium a la Wolverine.

He is encased in some kind of geared contraption, which is foolhardy indeed. No one enslaves Mecha-Vitruvius! I can only assume he will break out of this weak-assed bit of steampunk machinery and take his vengeance up on the world a la Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man”. But I digress…

How I Came To Know It: As a teenager I loved two singles off of this record “Spellbound” and “Follow Your Heart” even going so far as to tape them off of MTV when they aired (I used to sit watching MTV with my hand poised over the Pause/Record button of my stepfather’s kick-ass stereo to create mixed tapes of my favourite music).

However, I had mostly forgotten about Triumph until recently, when I watched “Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine”, a documentary on the band. It was a fascinating film that left me with two thoughts. First, that the members of Triumph seem like eminently decent human beings and second, that they made a lot of good music. So I set out to buy a bunch of my favourite records, starting with this one.

How It Stacks Up: I have three Triumph records. I like them all, but I’m going to put “Thunder Seven” in at #2.

Ratings: 4 stars

“Thunder Seven” is hard rock band Triumph’s seventh record (hence the title) and sees the band continuing to veer toward the eighties metal sound that was all the rage in 1984. It’s how they captured the attention of young metalheads like me who had foolishly considered their earlier music too “light”. However, while the singles have that metal flavour, a full appreciation of the record shows Triumph was still doing what they always had: mixing hard rock guitar riffs in with experimental blues-rock and even a bit of classic guitar.

“Spellbound” kicks things off with a bang, a metal tune about a femme fatale who is either a sorceress or just so pretty it feels like you’ve been bewitched. The music video goes with the former theory, as a mysterious woman in white lures a businessman into the desert where she subsumes his essence into a real-life version of the “Mr. Vetruvius” album cover.

I admit I was more than a little infatuated with the model cast as the sorceress in the video, but the song holds up just fine without the visuals. In particular, we are treated to Triumph’s greatest weapon; the amazing guitar work of Rik Emmett. Emmett is one of rock’s most underrated axemen, and here he provides not only one of my favourite guitar riffs ever, but a kick ass solo as well.

Emmett is classically trained, and as with many prior albums, he likes to show off some of that virtuoso talent with an instrumental. On “Thunder Seven” that is “Midsummer’s Daydream”. It is light-hearted, whimsical and markedly different than the hard-rocking power of “Spellbound”. If you buy a Triumph album expecting it to rock out from beginning to end, you’ll be disappointed. These guys like to experiment.

Not every experiment is a winner, however. “Time Canon” was a disappointment. I was expecting something bombastic and science fiction-y from this one, maybe even featuring some explosions or laser sounds. I failed to note the missing ‘n’ in the title. Nope, this is a musical canon. You know, like “Pachelbel’s Canon”, only with voices instead of violins. It is not nearly as good as “Pachelbel’s Canon” however, and as I’ve previously noted, features absolutely no cannons of any kind.

In addition to Emmett’s amazing guitar work, Triumph’s other great weapon are two amazing vocalists in Emmett and drummer Gil Moore. Both have high anthemic voices that were all the rage in rock music at this time. The kind of voices you want to sing along with but probably can’t keep up with. That’s OK, though, these anthems will encourage you to try and they’re so powerful that they’ll drown out the worst of your shortcomings.

This double threat is what allows for a classic like “Follow Your Heart” to hit the next level. Moore carries the majority of the tune, but Emmett steps in on the chorus to sing “Follow your heart” with Moore cutting him off early with “Living for today, forget about tomorrow”. The crossover of voices gives the song an extra boost of energy, but only works because these guys can both belt it out, and blend together beautifully when they do so.

That crossover also means every time you sing along to “Follow Your Heart” (and when this song comes on, you will be compelled to sing along) you’ll try to cut yourself off as you try to do both vocal parts. It won’t work, but that’s OK. Moore and Emmett have your back and will fill in the missing pieces. Just turn it up nice and loud.

Returning to “Thunder Seven” was like reacquainting myself with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. The time in between has given me a new appreciation for the music, and also allowed for a much deeper dive than my teenage self ever did. All around, a great experience.

Best tracks: Spellbound, Rock Out Roll On, Follow Your Heart, Midsummer’s Daydream, Stranger in a Strange Land

CD Odyssey Disc 1559: Red Tail Ring

Getting in a mid-week review with my current work schedule is not an easy feat, but I decided I was ready to move on from this next record as soon as possible.

Disc 1559 is…. Mountain Shout

Artist: Red Tail Ring

Year of Release: 2015

What’s up with the Cover? It would appear, my dear Frodo, that after encountering a cyclopean antler high in the mountains, you have panicked. And in that panic you have forgotten Uncle Bilbo’s advice and donned the Ring of Power. And as peer through the tines you see you are not alone in the shadowy world of the Ringwraith – for two creepy figures haunt the alter-dark with you. Flee this weird realm while you can, lest they spot you and play you…a FOLK TUNE!

How I Came To Know It: As I noted when I reviewed “the Heart’s Swift Foot” back at Disc 923, I learned about Red Tail Ring through an article on obscure folk music. This caused me to search out the rest of their catalogue, at which time I decided that "Mountain Shout" must also be in my collection.

Finding the CD was nigh impossible, and I eventually broke down and downloaded the digital version from Bandcamp. I then turned it into a CD, with cover and all, because I’m a middle-aged man and I like my physical media. Damn it.

How It Stacks Up: I have just two Red Tail Ring albums, and if you are following along, then you know which two. Of those two, “Mountain Shout” is not nearly as good as “The Heart’s Swift Foot” and so it is second or - in this case - last.

Ratings: 2 stars but almost 3

Sometimes you’ll find Heavy Metal enthusiasts getting excited about just how HEAVY a band is. Sometimes the heaviness ranking clouds their judgment about whether the music is any good. This is true for folk music as well, as we folk devotees go out searching for music as authentically FOLKSY as we can possibly find. Raw and real is how we like it, but like with the search for metal music, sometimes the purity of the cause gets in the way of good judgment.

Which is what led to me to “Mountain Shout” which is incredibly folksy, but beyond that one identifier, just OK. This is disappointing, and I can only assume I was still basking in the glow of “The Heart’s Swift Foot’s” 4-star brilliance when I gave it a listen. But with a bit of time and distance in the relationship, I have to conclude this record is not at that level.

Don’t get me wrong, however, because the duo of Michael Beauchamp and Laurel Premo have some serious talent. Premo on fiddle is particularly good on this record, in part because she does one of the hardest things, which is to play slow as well as she plays fast. She also plays with a lot of power. Near the end of the instrumental, “I Wish I Wish/Vamp For John” you’re convinced she’s going to saw that thing in half she’s hitting it so hard.

Both Premo and Beauchamp are masters of the banjo as well, so while these songs often didn’t generate a lot of interest, the very amateur musician in me was thrilled to just hear them wail away.

The record opens and closes strong, starting with “Pretty Polly”, an old school murder ballad of a man taking his girl for a walk in the mountains so he can murder her and drop her into a grave he dug the night before. In some versions of this song, the killer explains his reasons, but here he just stabs her, buries her and walks away. It is dark and creepy, but that’s the idea.

And for a closer, we get a lovely fiddle-forward waltz in “the Blackest Crow” that would fit nicely on a Gillian Welch record. It features the finest vocals on the record as well, aided by the timeless beauty of stanzas like this one:

“The blackest crow that ever flew would surely turn to white
If ever I prove false to you bright day will turn to night
Bright day will turn to night my love the elements will mourn
If ever I prove false to you the seas will rage and burn”

That’s some quality action right there.

Unfortunately, while the musicianship is strong throughout, I found the stark production was too stark even for me. Even that classic “every folk band does it” songs like “The Cuckoo” had me thinking of other versions in my collection (notably versions by Outlaw Social and Hem) and finding it wanting by comparison.

As for the other tracks, they aren’t terrible, but few stand out, and while I wanted to soak in the resonant wonder of all that flatpicking power, sometimes it felt a bit too much like a technical lesson, and not enough like it was telling me a story.

So while I like the record overall, I don’t see myself picking this down from the shelf when sitting just to the left is the amazing and inspiring “Heart’s Swift Foot”. And for this reason I’ll keep my electronic copy (since that’s how I bought it) but I’ll bid adieu to my burned CD and makes some much-needed space on the shelf.

Best tracks: Pretty Polly, I Wish, I Wish/Vamp For John, The Blackest Crow

CD Odyssey Disc 1558: Valley Girl Soundtrack

Tonight there is a lunar eclipse but given the current cloud cover there may no viewing it. While we wait to find out let’s have another album review, shall we?

Disc 1558 is…. Valley Girl Soundtrack

Artist: Various Artists

Year of Release: 1983 (although technically this is a 1994 compilation)

What’s up with the Cover? That eighties thing where you wore short frilly socks and high heel pumps. I think this look has aged well and is due for a comeback!

How I Came To Know It: My wife Sheila introduced me to the movie last year. It is a fun film, but Sheila also loves all the New Wave style music featured. Unfortunately, that soundtrack is very hard to get. There were copyright issues back in 1983 which prevented it ever being released, and while there are a few illegal copies of the original floating around, forget about finding one.

Enter Rhino records, who in 1994 secured the rights to most of those songs and released this 15 track edition. Even this record is very hard to find, but I was determined and when I finally saw a copy I bought it as an anniversary present. It cost me $75 US but I regret nothing! I did it for love!

How It Stacks Up: I have a LOT of soundtracks. 37 in total. Valley Girl holds up well in that crowded field. I’m going to rank it at #13, just behind “Xanadu” and just ahead of “Into the Wild”

Ratings: While soundtracks are technically compilations, I rate them anyway. Valley Girl gets three stars.

Soundtracks are best when the music has a unifying sound to it. “Saturday Night Fever” introduced the mainstream world to disco; “The Harder They Come” has Caribbean soul/reggae pulling it together. Or you can just have Queen do the whole thing (“Highlander”, “Flash Gordon”).

Valley Girl’s vibe lands in the New Wave movement of the early eighties. Like other good soundtracks that cohesive approach to song choice puts you in a certain mood, rather than feeling like you’re being marketed a bunch of random hits. The minor miracle here is the film had to cut and overdub a whole bunch of songs after failing to secure the rights to them. By having to step slightly more toward obscure artists may have even improved the soundtrack. This Rhino compilation captures all the best and heavily featured tunes from the film, although devotees will no doubt recognize some are missing.

The album’s standout song is Modern English’s classic, “I Melt With You.” I don’t recall thinking much of this song when it came out, but wow has it ever held up well. This song will have you floating in a sea of love. It feels like they actually could “stop the world and melt with you.” And while this fate may sound a bit grim taken literally, I give it bonus points for using a very old poetic device of “melting” which goes all the way back to John Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” where he says to his lover:

“So let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move”

Because back in the day when you melted something like gold if it was sufficiently pure it was known to “make no noise” and Donne is saying his love is equally pure. It felt to me that Modern English was drawing a line back to this time-honoured expression of love, capturing purity, excellence and the loss of the individual into something greater. But I digress…

The best thing this record did was introduce me to Josie Cotton. Eighties movies about high schoolers often featured a real artist as “the band” at the graduation dance, and on Valley Girl this is Josie Cotton. Cotton is rewarded with three of the songs on the soundtrack, all of which are good. She has a pop pin-up girl/eighties punk crossover thing that works both for her music and her overall vibe. She’s been making music for years since she had that brief brush with fame, and she’s still great. I’ve bought three of her records so far, and I’m on the lookout for a fourth.

Other fun tunes include Flirts’ earworm “Jukebox (Don’t Put Another Dime)” and the spacy sounds of Gary Myrick’s “She Talks in Stereo.”

It isn’t all sun and roses, of course. I love the hook in the Payola’s “Eyes of a Stranger” but the saxophone solo in the middle is an abomination. Also, the Flirts’ tell you not to put another dime in the jukebox for about a minute and half longer than is necessary.

Overall this is a great record which is a fine selection of eighties pop and New Wave and will leave you with warm and melty feelings of love.

Best tracks: Johnny Are You Queer – Josie Cotton, He Could Be The One – Josie Cotton, Love My Way – Psychadelic Furs, Jukebox (Don’t Put Another Dime) – The Flirts, She Talks in Stereo – Gary Myrick and the Figures, I Melt With You – Modern English

CD Odyssey Disc 1557: Billie Holiday

Today we get one of the CD Odyssey’s most uncommon sightings…a jazz review. Do not be alarmed, however. There is enough swing and easy listening mixed in to keep it enjoyable.

Disc 1557 is…. The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol. 4

Artist: Billie Holiday

Year of Release: 1988 but featuring music from 1937

What’s up with the Cover? Lady Day herself, clearly soaking in whatever tune she’s about to add her voice to. I’m often disappointed in what modern artists wear on stage – t-shirts, sweatshirts and old jeans you could just as well wash the car in. I wish more of them would be like Billie here, all decked out in a fancy hat, pearls and dress. Classy!

How I Came To Know It: A woman I used to date was a big fan, and Holiday made frequent appearances on her record player whenever we hung out at her place. Yes, record player. She was into records before it became a thing for the second time.

How It Stacks Up: I now have three of these “Quintessential” albums (there were a total of nine). However, none of them are true albums, so stacking up isn’t a thing. I will say of the three volumes I have (4, 5, and 9) I like this one the best. Wait – did I just inadvertently stack them up? Avert your eyes, and let’s get on with the review.

Ratings: compilation albums aren’t rated since they are not “true” albums.

It was the late eighties and Soulless Record Execs across the land huddled excitedly in wood-paneled board rooms to discuss how best to make money from the burgeoning compact disc market. They knew they could charge a lot for them, and they knew they were going to market the clean, sharp sound that they delivered. Decades of music was available to choose from, but what would rich, snobby audiophiles most want to listen to? The answer was obvious: jazz. And so enter the “Columbia Jazz Masterpieces.” And if they caught a few horny twenty-somethings like me in their dragnet as well, all the better.

The problem with “digitally remastering directly from the original analog tapes” is that your source material is still a scratchy mono record from the thirties, and nothing is going to change that. Also, in the late eighties Soulless Record Execs didn’t yet know how to make CD technology sound its best, and they were often too busy copying, pasting and hawking records to give much of a crap.

Which is all a very long and winding way to say that the production on this collection of Billie Holiday songs does not agree with me. Neither do mono recordings more generally (attention mono devotees – you are wrong. Stereo is better). Which is a damn shame because wow, was Holiday ever great.

Her voice is still famous after more than seventy years for a reason. It is an imitable combination of sweet and strong and yet full of pain. Holiday lived a short, troubled life, and it comes across in her music. Most modern renditions of classics like “How Could You?” are treated as vocal performances only; an opportunity to showcase the artist’s chops and celebrate some clever wordplay. With Billie Holiday, that playful artistry is still present, but she adds an element of storytelling that hints at the dark and troubled relationships that spawn such songs, making the experience far more engaging.

Holiday is also rightly famous for her ability slide on and off the beat, setting up unexpected phrasing that is fresh and innovative, while never feeling rushed.

A lot of these tunes make you wait a bit for that voice, with a few bars of the band playing to put you in the mood. The musicians on the record are mostly “Teddy Wilson and his orchestra” or Holiday’s own house band. Both lineups are amazing, playing a mix of jazz and swing with just the right amount of “out there, but I can still dance to it.” I’m not a jazz guy, but it is easy to love playing this skillful and it made for an enjoyable wait until Holiday grabs the mic and peels out some heartache.

This particular volume of tunes has a whole lot of very famous jazz standards (you’ll see some listed in the ‘best tracks’ below) and it is likely why I picked it over many of the other volumes that would’ve been available. However, even the tracks I was less familiar with were great, and despite the tinny, flat production the whole collection made for a fine couple of days of listening.

Best tracks: Carelessly, How Could You?, Moanin’ Low, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Mean To Me, Foolin’ Myself 

CD Odyssey Disc 1556: Brandi Carlile

Apologies for my previous review where I mistakenly labeled Clem Snide as Dori Freeman. This error has been repaired, and the individual responsible has been sacked. He was then rehired, however, as he writes all the reviews.

Disc 1556 is…. In These Silent Days

Artist: Brandi Carlile

Year of Release: 2021

What’s up with the Cover? It’s Brandi sporting her new look, which features short hair and a suit and tie. I also wear a suit and tie to work every day, although unlike Carlile I rarely break into song. When I do, I close the office door. You’re welcome, office colleagues.

How I Came To Know It: I am already an avowed Brandi Carlile fan so this was just me buying her new album when it came out.

How It Stacks Up: I now have six Brandi Carlile albums (see ‘avowed fan’ comment above). Competition is tough, and “In These Silent Days” can only manage to land at #5.

Ratings: 3 stars but almost 4

Every now and then some indie artist captures the mainstream attention and becomes a critical darling. When you listen to as many obscure folk singers as I do, the achievement can seem arbitrary, but trust me when I say Brandi Carlile is more than deserving of all the positive attention she’s getting.

“In These Silent Days” is Carlile’s seventh studio album and is yet another solid entry from an artist who seems incapable of taking a bad step. This record has a bit more of an ornate, refined production than some of her efforts, but the core qualities that make her great are all here.

It all starts with her voice. I just watched a documentary on the invention of Autotune, and it has made me generally distrustful of studio vocals. How real are they in this new world of digitized excellence? In the case of Carlile, the answer is “real as a heart attack.” Carlile has one of those perfectly pitched vocals that fills every corner of the room and saturates you with feeling.

She’s a gifted storyteller, and while I found the stories on “In These Silent Days” less compelling than some of her earlier work, that vocal is the secret weapon that makes everything she sings seem Very Important. Listening to Carlile sing infuses me with the elation usually reserved for moments like reaching the top of a mountain peak just in time to witness the clouds part beneath you.

“In These Silent Days” has plenty of these moments. “Letter to the Past” finds Carlile belting out advice to her younger self. Even lines that on the page read a bit hackneyed (“You’re a stone wall in a world full of rubber bands”) ring with majesty when she sings them.

This record is Carlile’s usual mix of folk, country, and pop, and although it is the least folksy of her records, it’s still pretty folksy. The rough guitar strum on “You and Me On the Rock” reminded me of the Indigo Girls, but it was that later, more pop-flavoured incarnation of the band. Fortunately, I like that incarnation of the Indigo Girls just as much.

Fueled by the talented writing of the Hanseroth twins, Carlile backs up her vocals with exceptional song construction. “This Time Tomorrow” is particularly powerful, with lyrics like:

“But our holy dreams of yesterday aren’t gone
They still haunt us like the ghosts of Babylon
And the breaking of the day might bring you sorrow
You know I may not be around this time tomorrow
But I’ll always be with you.”

These lines are powered with a melody that falls at the end of each line except the last, which starts down there and lifts up again, with an overall effect that is half sad, half reassuring. Matching tune with words in this way seems obvious, but there is a subtle art to it that Carlile and the Hanseroths have mastered like few others.

I don’t love every aspect of this record. While the lyrics are often great, there are moments, like the “world of rubber bands” line above, which feel forced. Equally, the old timey “Stay Gentle” is supposed to feel like a throwback to a simpler era, but it is a bit saccharine. Only Carlile’s incredible voice keeping it upright. “Sinners, Saints and Fools” wants to be a deep metaphor, but it feels a bit overwrought, as if infected with a Broadway musical. Or maybe it is great, and it is just my dislike of musicals.

The final song on the record, “Good After Bad” is one of Carlile’s finest vocal performances. A single piano sets the only backdrop she needs to paint a song that is sad, sweet and perfect. Some of the high notes she hits in this song are angelic and had me forgiving any minor issues I’d had here and there earlier on the record.

While I only put this record #5 out of 6, I still like it a lot, and it will receive plenty of paying time in the years to come.

Best tracks: This Time Tomorrow, Letter to the Past, Mama Werewolf, Throwing Good After Bad

Concert Review: Mother Mother

Royal Theatre, Victoria, April 30, 2022

A little over two years ago I went to see David Francey play a live show at Herman’s. Who’d have thought that would be the last show I’d see until last night’s Mother Mother concert? But there we were 800 days later, sitting in the front row of the loge, happy to rejoin the world although admittedly cringing just a little every time anyone nearby coughed. It turned out we were in for an evening of celebration, but also some unexpected drama. But more on that later.

The whole ‘room full of people’ experience took some getting used to, and there was a nervous energy pre-show. The crowd was decidedly younger, with most under 35 and a whole lot of folks in their early twenties. This surprised me a bit, until Sheila informed me that Mother Mother had become a Tik Tok sensation during the pandemic.

Many of the younger folks got dressed up in their best party clothes for the concert, including various takes on “sexy Goth.” One woman dressed up like an elf from a LARPing event, including pointy ears. After two years of people doing Zoom calls in sweatpants, it was all very welcome.

Less welcome was the lineup for the merch table, which was the longest I have ever seen, although compared to the mob rules approach I’ve seen at many merch tables (I’m looking at you, Tool) the orderliness was very Canadian. Despite all that politeness, I bailed, and it was left to hardier souls (Sheila) to secure us concert shirts. There were no stickers. Hey, bands – you could make a lot of money on stickers if you just printed a bunch of ‘em. My lunch bucket isn’t going to festoon itself.

OK, let’s talk about the show, shall we?

Monowhales

The opening act was Monowhales, a band from Toronto that plays the same style of anthem pop/rock as Mother Mother. I remember how awkwardly the rock/country Jason Isbell fans reacted to being invaded by the folk/punk sounds of Frank Turner at a show we saw in Portland, but there was no danger of expanding your musical horizons here. In fact, the fans were positively jubilant for the opening band in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen before. This was partly the result of two years of no live concerts, but I think there was a healthy dose of “we like these guys too!” going on.

I had never heard of Monowhales, but Sheila (who listens to the radio every morning) knew most of the songs and advised that they are also “a thing”.

I liked what I heard. The songs had jump, and frontwoman Sally Shaar had a good energy as she bounced around the stage, exhorting the audience into celebration. All three band members were subtly irritated by a broken mic stand that landed just right to get in everyone’s way, but they managed to kick it around until it landed in a place least annoying to all of them. I bet dealing with the broken mic stand is the kind of thing the band talks about post-show, but who knows? I’ve never been in a band.

I’m not likely to add Monowhales to my CD collection, but they were a solid opening act, and played well. The guitarist wasn’t as good as he thought he was, but he got the job done. The drummer was great but felt a bit heavy in the mix, but this could’ve been my position in the room and not a fault of the songs. I did check out some of their songs on Youtube and it isn’t a problem in the studio versions.

Mother Mother

When Mother Mother came out the applause that greeted them was even more thunderous than that received by Monowhales. I had forgotten how much noise a crowd of people can make when sufficiently motivated. It felt great.

This is the third time I’ve seen Mother Mother, and I’ve come to expect them to be a high energy show. They did not disappoint. True, lead singer Ryan Guldemond did not run through the audience as he’s done at previous events (safety first) but the excitement they instantly generated was the same old Mother Mother. These guys are great live, and well worth your time.

The set list was exactly what I look for from a band with an established catalogue of songs. They played old songs and new ones, and they mixed them together in an artful way that let the energy swell and soar. Experienced performers, Mother Mother is able to take studio songs with a lot of complexity and careful timing and play them live in a way that sounds fresh and new, but still keep them tight as hell. In a rare turn, I didn’t buy their newest album, but the songs they played from it were just as enjoyable.

We were perched over Stage Left and had a great view of everyone in the band except the drummer (I could not see him at all). I was directly over keyboardist/vocalist Jasmine Parker which suited me well, as she is the most fun person in the band to watch. Not only do I find her easy on the eyes, she’s also far and away the best dancer. She possesses a natural, joyous groove that pulls you into the core of the song and makes your heart celebrate. For this show she also had a silver glitter jacket with a giant eye on the back which seemed to look back at me every time she turned upstage.

The show took a dramatic and unexpected turn halfway through, when a young woman close to the front collapsed in the aisle. I don’t know what happened to her, but she was down for quite a while, to the point where the band stopped playing and venue staff flocked to her aid. So did a very kind looking woman in a sleeveless white top who was either a doctor or World’s Greatest Mom. Kudos to you, Dr. Mom.

While this was going on, tempers suddenly flared in the upper deck, where a fist fight broke out. Two big guys were going at it, one throwing a series of haymakers that demonstrated a practiced skill in the art of pugilism. With the audience already emotionally revved up from both the show and the whole “being in a crowd for the first time in two years” it was all a bit disconcerting. As one man shepherded his small children to safety, Ryan Guldemond retook the stage to decry the violence. It was disturbing and I briefly worried a general panic might ensue.

Instead, cooler heads prevailed. The young woman recovered, had some water, and was wheeled out of the venue safely, her friend reassuring her and holding her hand. The Fight Club was shut down and the perpetrators expelled.

Through all of this, Mother Mother were fucking heroic. Ryan gave the fallen woman soothing words of love, held the room together with gentle reassurance and then the whole band managed to bring the energy level right back up to where it was pre-drama. It was an inspiring moment of leadership and human empathy.

It was also a reminder that there are going to be some growing pains as we re-learn how to live with each other in a post-COVID world, but with love and patience we’re all going to be just fine.

CD Odyssey Disc 1555: Clem Snide

It is the last day of April and I see I’ve only reviewed six albums this month, which is my lowest output in some time. I work a lot of late hours these days, and it does eat into my review time, but I am determined to sail on to Ithaca, so keep checking back and I’ll ensure I’ve got something up at least once a week, if not more.

Disc 1555 is…. Forever Just Beyond

Artist: Clem Snide

Year of Release: 2020

What’s up with the Cover? Dear God, what is leaning into the right of the frame? All babies are ugly, but this ugly baby is particularly ugly. It is even wearing an ugly sweater.

Not only is this cover terrible, it is printed on a cardboard sleeve so flimsy it might as well be a folded over cereal box. It is also so narrow you can’t print the name of the record on the spine (making it impossible to find on a CD shelf). I give this cover zero stars.

How I Came To Know It: I discovered this album (and the band) after reading a review on Pitchfork. I checked it out and loved what I heard, and so here we are.

How It Stacks Up: I now have two Clem Snide albums and I’m on the lookout for four more. Of the two I have, competition is close, but “Forever Just Beyond” comes in at #2.

Ratings: 4 stars

Over twenty years separates my last Clem Snide album (1999’s “Your Favourite Music”) and “Forever Just Beyond.”  There were times you could feel the distance, mostly in the latter’s smoother production, but the band has mostly preserved their sound: indie pop with a gentle flowing groove and thoughtful, often surprising lyrics.

Those lyrics on “Forever Just Beyond” do a fair of exploration of the nature of consciousness. You get the sense that these guys have a lot of late-night conversations about life, the universe, and everything. I found myself wishing I’d been invited over for some of those. I guess by listening to the record, I kind of was.

In true Clem Snide fashion, they start this conversation from the oddest of tangents on the opening track, “Roger Ebert”. The song opens with a light and lyric piano riff, before lead singer Eef Barzelay (yes, that’s his name) drops this odd gem on you:

“Did you know that these were Roger Ebert’s dying words?
‘It’s all an elaborate hoax. It’s all an elaborate hoax.’”

It seemed an unlikely thing to say, so I broke my common approach of considering a song without any biographical context and looked it up. Turns out, these were Roger Ebert’s dying words. Right at the end he was exploring some heady concepts of what it is to be. This appealed to my existential predilections and it was also a relief that it wasn’t some reference to any one of the many conspiracy theories polluting the Interwebs.

It's a lot to take in on a pop record, but you can expect that and more when you listen to “Forever Just Beyond”. The next track is “Don’t Bring No Ladder” expands on the exploration of consciousness, with the following provocative lyrics:

“We are a wave endlessly breaking
We are the ever-seeing eye
We've never left the place we're searching for
Don't bring no ladder when you die”

It is the kind of stuff that lets your mind wander into a challenging space, wrapped in a pleasant melody that reassures you that ‘hey, we’re just speculating – no need to be concerned.’ “Don’t Bring No Ladder” also features some lovely electric guitar, even with a bit of rock and roll reverb that fits in surprisingly well with the otherwise laid-back groove.

 As the album progresses, you realize that all this philosophizing is also deeply personal for Barzelay. “Easy” explores concepts of how to maintain a personal sense of honour in contexts where your knowledge is inherently limited. Or as he puts it, “We only see through keyholes/But maybe that’s all that our eyes can take.”

And later on he shares thoughts of suicide on the bravely titled “The Ballad of Eef Barzelay.” His journey back from that darkness represents not a reaffirmation in anything specific, but rather a surrender to the uncertainty inherent in the universe. Or as he artfully puts it:

“I took that trust fall backwards
And just ignored those howling sounds
And as I kept on falling I came to realize
I finally realized there was no ground”

“Forever Just Beyond” features some beautiful musical compositions, and the arrangement and production decisions are exactly what is needed: sparse overall, with flourishes of instrumentation to give each song depth and nuance.

However, if you are coming to this record expecting something pleasant hum along to while you make your morning coffee, then be aware you’re going to get more than you bargained for. These guys are here to take you to the wild and seldom explored places in your mind, and make you think.

Best tracks: Roger Ebert, Don’t Bring No Ladder, The Stuff of Us, Easy, The Ballad of Eef Barzelay, Some Ghost

CD Odyssey Disc 1554: Dori Freeman

I had a slow start to finding new music for 2022, but it has picked up of late. Anyone who doesn’t think good music is getting made anymore, needs to get out there and listen to more music.

This next artist still feels new to me, even though she’s been around for six years and released four albums. Time flies when your ears are having fun.

Disc 1554 is…. Ten Thousand Roses

Artist: Dori Freeman

Year of Release: 2021

What’s up with the Cover? The old head & shoulders shot, with Dori showcasing a tattoo of some heart-shaped glasses done in that rustic style the young folks often favour these days.

You can just see the top of Dori’s ear through her hair. Combined with all that lush greenery in the background, I must posit that she may, in fact, be an elf.

How I Came To Know It: I am a Dori Freeman fan dating back to her incredible debut album. I ranked that album #1 for 2016.

How It Stacks Up: “Ten Thousand Roses” is not the quality of Freeman’s debut. Of my four Dori Freeman albums it comes in…fourth.

Ratings: 3 stars

I was at a party last night and I found the subject had turned to music. I was trying (not entirely successfully) to explain how Amon Amarth weren’t just Viking death metal, they were melodic Viking death metal. It’s the melodic part that holds me. After many years of music appreciation, I am not easily fooled by clever production (more often I’m annoyed by it) and while I do love a clever arrangement, it doesn’t matter much if the song lacks strong bones.

Which brings us to Dori Freeman. Freeman is pure folk-country. You will not find a single bar of double-bass, and nary a mention of Vikings, but like most music that draws me in, she is a brilliant songwriter. She knows how to make a melody lilt in your mind, novel enough to catch your attention and timeless enough that you feel like you’ve heard it a thousand times.

Complementing her talent for songwriting, Freeman has one of those voices that instantly connects. She has a rich tone that lends itself to the intimate storytelling that is hallmark of her style, and a power that fills a room while never has her resorting to belting it out to make it happen.

On “Ten Thousand Roses” the production is a bit more involved than previous records. I find that as folk artists establish themselves they often “grow” their sound in new ways. I could have used a bit less of that production in places on this record, but it isn’t so lush as to get in the way.

In fact, despite the “dressier” quality to the sound, “Ten Thousand Roses” still feels intensely personal. A lot of the songs relate to an exploration of the self, and the values that make up our decisions. On “I Am” she serves notice that the image of sweet girl from the Appalachians is only true to a point, starting with:

“I ain’t a good girl, though everybody thinks I am
I got a mind that’s dirty as the bottom of a coffee can”

The song had me thinking of Eminem’s “The Way I Am.” It is a whole lot subtler, but the notion that “I’ll define myself, thank you very much” is equally front and centre.

The record has appeals to Freeman’s folk roots, one of the best being “Appalachian,” which has her reminiscing about growing up in Galax, Virginia, with some critical commentary on how such rural communities often struggle to get ahead.

And while the record holds strong to her folk beginnings, songs like “Walk Away” take a base of Patsy Cline country and layer in sixties pop croon that reminded me favourably of She & Him.

That theme bears out on the record’s final song, which is a cover of Dion’s 1975 song “Only You Know” written by Gerry Goffin and Phil Spector. The song fits perfectly on the record, which hearkens back to a simpler time in music, while still containing the bite of truth that signals there will also be some exploration of the soul mixed in with the sugary composition.

In the end, while “Ten Thousand Roses” isn’t my favourite Dori Freeman album, it is still a worthy entry into her small but impressive catalogue.

Best tracks: The Storm, I Am, Nobody Nothing, Appalachian

CD Odyssey Disc 1553: Alestorm

It was cold out today, but I still managed to get out for a run over my lunch break. I always listen to the album I’ll be reviewing when I go running (it counts under rule #4, since running is basically “walking around” only faster). My device doesn’t play set playlists very well (I refused to download the proprietary software that would have assisted), so when I get to the end of the album, I just press “back” until I’m back to the first song. Sometimes I go one too far back, and get whatever song is on the previous album.

Today that happened but instead of skipping back to the start of this next album, I played that one extra song in its entirety. Granted, the song was Black Sabbath’s “Supernaut” which is nigh irresistible, but it was a sign this next record was failing to hold my attention.

Disc 1553 is…. Black Sails at Midnight

Artist: Alestorm

Year of Release: 2009

What’s up with the Cover? Alestorm loves pirates, and for their cover art they like those pirates to be zombie pirates. It is hard to say if these particular zombie pirates are here to fight or to party. I mean, sure they’re brandishing torches and an assortment of weaponry, but there’s a certain festive quality to their demeanor. Even the pirate rat in the lower left appears equally enthused by his cutlass and his tankard of ale.

How I Came To Know It: I discovered the band while falling into a folk metal exploration on Youtube, but this specific album came relatively late, as I dug through the band’s back catalogue.

How It Stacks Up: I have four Alestorm albums. Of those four, “Black Sails at Midnight” is easily the weakest, coming in at #4.

Ratings: 2 stars but almost 3

I don’t believe in the myth of the ‘sophomore curse” but Alestorm’s second record, “Black Sails at Midnight” did flirt dangerously close to proving the theory.

This record has all the hallmarks that should make an Alestorm album great. It is rousing folk metal, with plenty of sea chanties dressed up with power chords and festooned with songs about the pirate life.

There are some solid entries holding things up. The title track has a guitar riff so furious it would be at home on a more serious record, and while this song is unquestionably about pirates, it is the most serious Alestorm gets on the subject, with a galloping swell, and even a healthy doss of double bass to show just how enthusiastic they are about flying the black (although flying it at night I was left wondering – could anyone see it…?”). The song has a fury that would be enjoyable regardless of the subject matter. It is not all that inventive, but there is something to be said for power metal played well.

There are also solid examples of what Alestorm does best: tunes designed for singing along and a choreographed audience of fans spilling beer all over the dance floor as they pump their drinkin’ arms in unison. “That Famous Ole Spiced” is a solid example of the experience, albeit designed more for rum than beer.

Also on the fun side, is “Wolves of the Sea” which is a cover of a song from 2008’s Eurovision, courtesy of Latvian disco-pop band, “Pirates of the Sea.” If nothing else, I’ll always appreciate Alestorm for driving me to see the hot mess of the original which is everything terrible and wonderful about European competition TV, all wrapped up in one three-minute cheese-fest.

Unfortunately, a few good songs and a metal cover of Eurovision’s 12^th best song are not enough for this record, which failed to consistently impress, and often had me wishing I was listening to any one of the three better Alestorm records in my collection.

Sometimes it is the arrangement, such as the opening violin/accordion hoke-fest that wrecks the otherwise passable “Keelhauled”. Other times it is the slow sway of “To The End Of Our Days” which wants to be a serious dirge, but comes off more as a drunken plod. Or maybe they were going for a drunken plod. With Alestorm, that is always a possibility.

“No Quarter” is an instrumental that doesn’t ever develop melodically, giving it the feel of music you might enjoy in the background of a pirate-themed video game, but of limited interest beyond that.

I love Alestorm, and they are one of the best live shows I’ve seen. If you get a chance to go see them, I suggest you go. They are great, and their fans are equal parts rabid and delightful. I also love most of their studio albums, which mix humour, bombast and a natural talent for anthemic songwriting. However, while “Black Sails at Midnight” has some bright spots, you’ll be much better pleased with other, better records in their discography.

Best tracks: That Famous Ole Spiced, Black Sails at Midnight, Pirate Song