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Overlooked CDs
deserve a spin
Internet allows more
musicians to find a fan base
without major record deal
December 28 ,
2007
By Alan Sculley for
The Columbian
I blame it on
the Internet.
It's giving me
distinct feelings
of inadequacy
as a music writer
and reviewer.
It used to be
that I could feel
as if I had heard
the vast majority
of worthy albums
released over
the course of
the year. Now
I suspect that's
no longer the
case. With the
Internet making
it possible for
virtually any
musician or band
with an ability
to record and
upload songs to
get their music
into circulation
and find enough
of a fan base
to tour, there's
been a proliferation
of new CDs.
That's great
for music, but
not so good for
a reviewer. It's
becoming impossible
not to miss out
on a few great
CDs - and more
than likely, a
few that belong
on a year-end
best albums list.
Still, plenty
of albums crossed
this desk in 2007
that should have
gained a lot more
attention than
they did. So while
I'm sure there
are some unfortunate
omissions, here
are my picks for
the best overlooked
CDs of 2007.
 Minus
the Bear: "Planet
Of Ice" (Suicide
Squeeze Records)
- With its third
full-length
CD, "Planet
Of Ice," Minus
the Bear solidifies
its reputation
for making some
of today's most
intriguing and
category-defying
music. For lack
of a better
word, Minus
the Bear plays
pop-rock music.
With angular
melodies built
around intertwining
guitar and keyboard
lines, the band
crafts a sound
that's somewhat
brainy, but
immediately
enticing.
Sea
Wolf: "Leaves
in the River" (Dangerbird
Records) - With
groups like
Wolfmother,
Wolf Eyes, Wolf
Parade and even
Steppenwolf,
it's getting
hard to keep
the "wolf" bands
straight. But
Sea Wolf (which
is essentially
Alex Brown Church)
makes a strong
bid to be pack
leader with "Leaves
in the River." Church
matches the
inventive instrumentation
(accordion,
violin, cello,
to name a few)
with striking
and frequently
delicate pop
songs that skirt
along the familiar
boundaries of
folk, rock and
chamber pop.
The
Forecast: "In
the Shadow of
Two Gunmen" (Victory
Records) - With
this second
CD, the Peoria,
Ill., band pretty
much sheds its "Midwest
emo" label
by putting more
of a roots/country
slant on its
sound. The result
is a CD with
a heartier,
less trendy
sound, as songs
like "And
We All Return
to Our Roots" and "A
Fist Fight for
Our Fathers" deliver
plenty of melody
and muscle.
Kristeen
Young: "The
Orphans" (Test
Tube Baby Records)
- Young got
some attention
this year for
getting kicked
off of Morrissey's
tour by "Mozzy" himself.
Maybe the controversy
will generate
some attention
for the boldly
original music
on "The
Orphans." Part
Kate Bush, part
Tori Amos, part
Dresden Dolls,
Young's piano-based
songs have a
theatrically
dramatic flair
and an idiosyncratic
yet inviting
sound that spans
rock and orchestral
idioms.
The
Redwalls: "The
Redwalls" (MAD
Dragon Records)
- On this self-titled
effort, the
Redwalls move
well beyond
the Beatles-ish
stylings of
the group's
first CD, emerging
with a far more
distinctive
and developed
sound that encompasses
a wider range
of pop styles.
The
National: "Boxer" (Beggars
Banquet Records)
- With its fifth
release, "Boxer," the
National fully
establishes
itself as one
of rock's most
compellingly
original groups.
Many reference
points pop up
throughout "Boxer," including
Nick Cave, Leonard
Cohen, the Smiths
and the Band,
but describing
the group's
stately sound
is tricky. Fortunately,
enjoying the
music is easy,
and repeated
listenings only
bring out the
quiet power
and depth of "Boxer."
 Bayside: "The
Walking Wounded" (Victory
Records) - Modern
rock has more
than enough bands
trying to sound
like Fall Out
Boy. Bayside works
that guitar pop
territory, but
stands apart from
many of its peers
by building an
unusually tight
blend of riffs
and lead guitar
lines into its
catchy songs.
JJ
Grey & Mofro: "Country
Ghetto" (Alligator
Records) - Grey
and his band,
Mofro, have
for years been
typecast as
a jam band,
and as such
may have been
dismissed by
some as just
another group
playing somewhat
aimless roots
music. "Country
Ghetto" emphatically
refutes that
notion with
a set of potent,
well-crafted
songs that are
strongly rooted
in soul and
blues.
The
Actual: "In
Stitches" (Softdrive
Records) - There's
nothing innovative
about The Actual's
debut on Scott
Weiland's Softdrive
Records. But
in a way, that
makes this CD
more impressive.
Any band that
can write punk-tinged
hard rock songs
like "Permanent
Kitten" and "If
You See Her" that
stand out within
such a basic
and familiar
sound is doing
something right.
 Mando
Diao: "Ode
To Ochrasy" (Majesty/EMI
Music Sweden)
- This Swedish
quintet's songs
at times sound
like they could
fly off the
rails at any
moment. And
this sense of
impending musical
chaos - not
to mention a
talent for crafting
catchy Brit-rock-styled
melodies - gives "Ode
to Ochrasy" an
appealing edginess
and charm.
Honorable
mentions:
Eastern
Conference Champions: "Ameritown" (Suretone
Records)
The
Alternate Routes: "Good
and Reckless
and True" (Vanguard
Records)
William
Tell: "You
Can Hold Me
Down" (New
Door/Universal
Records)
The
Electric Soft
Parade: "No
Need to Be Downhearted" (Better
Looking Records)
Johnathan
Rice: "Further
North" (Reprise
Records)
Shout
out Louds: "Our
Ill Wills" (Merge
Records); The
Mother Hips: "Kiss
The Crystal
Flake" (Camera
Records)
The
Klaxons: "Myths
of the Near
Future" (Geffen
Records); The
Silos: "Come
on Like the
Fast Lane" (Bloodshot
Records)
The
Loose Salute: "Tuned
to Love" (Graveface
Records). |
