Now It's On

Concert Review: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - St. Andrews Hall, Detroit, Michigan, 6/25/11

After a tour that has taken them around the country, Detroit's own rising stars Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. returned home Saturday night to celebrate the release of their debut album "It's A Corporate World" at St. Andrew's Hall. The place was packed with family, friends, fans and other local musicians and could not have been a more successful, or incredibly entertaining, night. It was not just a celebration of the duo's album and success, it was a celebration of this city and all the great music coming from here.

To help make that point, Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott included a few of their favorite artists to open the festivities and show the eclectic nature of the music scene here. Starting the night out was Prussia, another of my favorite local bands to see live. The quartet never fails to put on an electric set as they perform their wholly original take on pop, rock, soul and whatever other elements they feel like throwing into their musical mix. Lead singer Ryan Spencer is a spastic ball of energy onstage, flailing his arms wildly, beating his arm with a maraca, darting all over the stage while singing in his unique voice. Joined by his brother Drew on drums, Kasey Press on bass and guitarists Adam Pressley and Brenton Bober, you'd be hard pressed to find a tighter band live in Detroit. Their set was heavy on tracks from their, as yet unreleased, album "Poor English", which Epstein helped produce.

Detroit rapper Danny Brown was up next. I'll refrain from saying much more than I used to love rap and hip-hop growing up. The days of Public Enemy, Ice Cube, Ice-T and so many more. This genre of music has simply passed me by, I don't see the difference between Brown's profane rapping and any other hip-hop act I've heard recently inviting a "bitch" to "suck my dick". Like I said, not a style of music I can get into anymore, so we'll leave it at that. I did appreciate the goal to mix disparate musical styles between the opening acts, however. 

So that brings us to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. I've seen them perform twice before, at last year's DIY Festival in Ferndale, and at UHF Records for this year's Record Store Day. I almost feel like this was my first true DEJJ concert, for as much as I enjoyed those other two performances, this was on a whole other level. The duo, along with drummer David Vaughn, exhibited exactly why all the hype around them is justified with an electrifying, energy packed set. I've seen comments from Epstein that he wanted this to be the best show they've done so far. Well sir, it appears you got your wish.

Taking to the stage in their trademark NASCAR uniforms while giant light up letters "JR" were at the front and back of the stage, Epstein and Zott slowly unzipped their uniforms to reveal suits, their new uniform of choice behind the "It's A Corporate World" theme. I'm frankly glad to see this, I'm sure the duo does not want to be tagged as "those guys in the NASCAR outfits", and have already discussed moving on from them. They came to center stage to shake hands, then kicked into album opener, and first single, "Morning Thought".         

Except for album closer "The Fisherman", the entire debut album was played, with a couple choice covers added to flesh out the set. "Simple Girl" was up next followed by "Vocal Chords" as a bubble machine blew bubbles over the crowd and balloons started to make their way over everyone as well. Let's face it, any band that utilizes things like this in a live show is going to get compared to the Flaming Lips, and this show often had that seem feeling of euphoria and joy you get at a Flips show. Combine that with some hometown pride in seeing two local musicians who are representing this city so well on a national stage, and it was impossible not to get caught up in the moment and enjoy the hell out of this night.

For the next two songs, "When I Open My Eyes" and "If It Wasn't You...", DEJJ took a couple of my lesser favorites from the album and did what only the best can do, improve upon them in a live setting. The addition of the live drums certainly plays a big role in this, but the duo often extended songs beyond their shortened studio versions to tremendous effect. For "If It Wasn't You...", they even tacked on some of Dolly Parton's classic "I Will Always Love You", with Epstein in the lead.

With a dedication to Detroit, they played their cover of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows", from their 2010 EP "Horse Power", before Epstein took center stage for lead vocals on the title track to the album. He even came out into the audience at one point to encourage singing along. It was then time to gather the Skeleton Choir to perform backing vocals on one of the album's standout tracks, "Skeletons". Joining DEJJ onstage were a group of people from the audience in skeleton masks (with a few pandas thrown in as Epstein explained some people in other cities had stolen some skeleton masks throughout their tour), as well as Detroit duo Phantasmagoria on percussion. Epstein again sang lead while Zott, also playing percussion, helped lead the Skeleton Choir on backing vocals.

My favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. song, "An Ugly Person On A Movie Screen" was next, with the extended ending I so wish was on the studio version, and the crowd dancing along to this infectious track. This just HAS to be a single at some point, I can already hear the remixes playing in my head. The duo then donned Detroit Tigers jackets, with the legendary Olde English D, for their cover of the Gil Scott-Heron gem "Almost Lost Detroit". This song also screams single, their hardest rocking track and a passionate vocal delivery by both Zott and Epstein. Local rapper SelfSays came out to perform a quick rhyme, which actually fit in brilliantly in the middle of the performance, then proceeded to shoot confetti guns into the audience, making for a colorful display.     

That was it for the main set. The band left the stage to a deafening roar and loud chants of "Junior, Junior" started to rock the walls of St. Andrews. They returned, with Zott telling everyone it was time to dance as they went into a cover of Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" that has been drawing a lot of attention during their tour. Epstein even pulled out his saxophone to show his skills to the hometown throng.

The final song was the one that really started everything for the duo, "Nothing But Our Love" which was the first single and video from the "Horse Power" EP. For the finale tons of balloons were released from the rafters, the bubble machine was again on full blast and it was a dizzying, magnificent ending to a truly memorable show that should stay with those who were there for a long time.  

As I've said before, I couldn't be happier for these two. It is rewarding as a fan of music, and the music being made in Detroit, when you see true talents reap the rewards of their art. It couldn't be more deserving, this show proved they have the goods live as well, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. just delivered one of the best shows I'll see all year. 

Concert Review: Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas - Detroit River Days, Detroit, Michigan,6/24/11

It has taken me way too long to write about one of the best bands currently in Detroit, that being Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas who I had the pleasure of seeing again Friday night. I had already wanted to head down to the River Days festival to begin with, but when I saw Hernandez and her band were playing the main stage Friday evening, it was a no-brainer. 

So far Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas have only released one EP, last year's "Weird Looking Women In Too Many Clothes", which was a self-release. I've been trying to track down a physical copy of the CD for awhile and was thrilled when she announced near the end of the set that her aunt had a box with copies of the CD for $10. It's nice to finally have these five songs (plus a Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. remix) on an official CD. 

The band played for roughly an hour. When we got there they were in the middle of one of my favorites, "Neck Tattoo" which sadly is not on the EP, but hopefully will make it to their first full length.They did however hit on the entire EP, including "Moonstruck", "Face Off" and "Gone In Two Seconds".

A real highlight of the set was the performance of "In The City". Already a boisterous song that is impossible to sit still for, the performance was bolstered by a young girl from the audience brought onstage to dance. About halfway through the song, Hernandez stepped out from behind her keyboard to join the girl at the side of the stage to sing and dance with her for the remainder of the song. It couldn't have been a more adorable moment and definitely got the crowd more involved with their set. How you could not be moved into action by this band to begin with is beyond me. Hernandez' voice is out of this world, stunning even more-so that it comes from such a tiny figure onstage. Hearing her speak in between songs then belt into action when singing is a thing to behold. It is almost hard to believe that bold, amazing voice comes from the same woman, but what a singer she is. 

It's hard to describe the type of music Hernandez and the Deltas play as they touch upon so many genres, with songs often going through different movements and passages, dipping their toes into all manner of musical styles. There is surely a pop base to a lot of these songs, making them catchy and accessible, but they can just as easily veer into blues or jazz or soul at the drop of a hat. There truly is no one else making music like this in Metro Detroit right now, and it is an irresistible, refreshing sound that is deserving of wider recognition. That may just be coming, as her aunt said they are on the cusp of signing a record deal which could not be more deserved. Catch them around town while you can, they truly should be the next act out of this city to make it into the national music scene in a big way.

Bootleg Review: New Power Generation "The Exodus Has Begun"

In 1995 Prince,(yes I know he went by that Symbol during this period, but we'll leave that ridiculousness in the past), was at the height of his feud with Warner Bros. Records. It had been going on for a few years prior, but his campaign to get "The Gold Experience" released by a label who felt he was putting too much product out in the market turned into an all out battle. Prince wearing 'Slave' on his face is a well known protest from this time, but he also packed up and took his band, The New Power Generation, to Europe for the Ultimate Live Experience Tour, where he vowed to stay until his 'shackled' album was released. 

While in the midst of this tour, which focused almost exclusively on new material, Prince delivered the ultimate 'F. U.' to Warners by slipping out the album "Exodus", credited to the New Power Generation, in Europe on March 27, 1995. Although his backing band indeed was playing on the album, with bassist Sonny T. handling a lot of the vocal work, this was still for all intents and purposes a Prince and the New Power Generation album. Prince is all over it, not even hiding his vocals, oftentimes singing co-lead with Sonny, writing, producing and playing on it as well. But the little bugger invented a new persona, Tora Tora, to 'cover-up' his involvement. For public appearances, Tora Tora was nothing but Prince wearing a scarf or mask over his face to hide his identity. Never mind that the drawing and pictures of this Tora Tora in the album artwork were adorned with Prince's symbol hanging in chains around his neck. The whole scenario was Prince delivering a giant middle finger to the record company he was at war with.

In its released form, "Exodus" was a 21 track funk opus, an obvious nod to George Clinton's whole Parliament-Funkadelic gang, from the cartoon artwork to the music contained on the album. But of the 21 tracks, only nine are actual songs, with the remaining 12 tracks filled with segues and comedy segments, telling a very loose, extremely vulgar (this album makes "The Black Album" blush with its rampant use of F bombs, N words and MF this and MF that) almost indecipherable story. But for die-hard fans, it represented Prince in some of his funkiest moments on record, it is still a favorite of mine.

What we have here then, is the first of two early configurations of "Exodus", released as "The Exodus Has Begun" by the Digital Funk Bitch label. This configuration is dated June 19, 1994 and only contains six actual songs amongst its 14 tracks. But there are enough differences, and one unreleased song, to keep things interesting and make this a must have for collectors. Even more important, this DFB release is sourced from a complete disc, not tracks patched together from various sources. This equals consistent, excellent sound quality throughout. We've come a long way from the days of bootlegs with unreleased studio material in hissy, almost unlistenable quality.

Although I prefer the released album to the early configurations of "Exodus", having this along with the new "Exodus V.2" release which I will be reviewing here soon, is a great insight into the process of making an album as it goes through various tracklists and versions. Unreleased studio material has always been my favorite stuff to collect, making this an essential release. A track by track listing follows:

"NPG Bum Rush The Ship" - On the released album, this serves as a segue into the last song on "Exodus". Here it serves as an album intro, although it is basically unchanged from what was released. The only difference is on the released version there are a few extra seconds at the start with a voice saying "Meanwhile, somewhere in outer space". The NPG band attacks a spaceship with a captain hell bent on taking over the world. I told you the storyline of the album was rather ludicrous. 

"The Exodus Has Begun" - Although this is the basic version that was used for release, this is an earlier, rougher mix with less effects added, specifically the annoying turntable scratches that were put on the released version. It seems those scratches were specifically added over a sample they might not have gotten clearance for. Prince's electronically altered and slowed down lead vocal is also buried deeper in the mix on this version and the outro is longer and different from what was released. A song completely influenced by P-Funk, and one of Prince's funk classics to be sure.

"NPG Operator" - This segue was actually the intro to the released "Exodus" album. This is the exact same recording, featuring Mayte giving instructions to a caller played by Prince (again with voice altered) on how to get "free from any other contractual obligations" when you want to send your music directly to your fans.

"Get Wild" - A longer and much different version from what was released on "Exodus". This version has a bit of a slower groove and features a lot of extra dialogue near the end from Mayte and another female speaking in Spanish. The version that appears on this bootleg is, however, identical to what was released on the soundtrack to the movie "Pret-A-Porter". I seem to remember a longer, unreleased version of this track but it is possible that the version on this configuration is what was released on "Pret-A-Porter". 

"Count" - Another segue, this is actually a slightly different version from what was released as it has an extra line of dialogue from Sonny T. when he tells his woman "Now that I'm running things, I just hope I don't become the very thing that I'm rebelling against." It sounds super cheesy and is probably why it was cut for release.

"Count The Days" - This ballad, a duet between Prince and Sonny T. is identical to the released version.

"DJ Gets Jumped" - This segue is identical to what was released.

"New Power Soul" - This mostly instrumental track was edited down for release. This is the full length version, about 90 seconds longer than what was released. 

"DJ Seduces Sonny" - This segue is slightly longer than what was released. There are about seven seconds of dialogue at the very beginning that was cut off the released version of the band members talking amongst themselves about the spaceship they hijacked.

"It Takes 3" - This bluesy, horn laden track was never released, and this is the only configuration of the "Exodus" album it was included on. It's for the best too, as it's the weakest track from the sessions. It does not fit into the album conceptually or musically, and it was a good idea to bury it back in The Vault. Prince has recorded so many better tracks in this genre.

"Rain" - Another segue leading up to the next track, this is also identical to what was released.

"Hallucination Rain" - The highlight of this disc. This song was severely edited for inclusion on "Exodus". Here however is the full length, original 11:06 version of this psychedelic rock freakout. Over five minutes of this track were cut for the released version, but luckily the original is here in all its glory and in sparkling sound quality.

"Spooky Soup" - Another brief segue, this serves as an outro to "Hallucination Rain" and was cut from the final album and is unreleased.

"NPG Outro" - Another quick segue that serves as the ending of this configuration of the album, telling listeners "To find out what happens to our heroes, tune in to the full length CD entitled the NPG's New Power Soul, coming soon on NPG Records." This outro was not used and remains unreleased. Although an album credited to the New Power Generation called "New Power Soul" was eventually released in 1998, it dropped the entire storyline and was just a standard (and underwhelming) Prince album.    

Bootleg Review: The Time "The Time's Corporate World: A New Approach"

In 1989, Prince, Morris Day and Jerome Benton reconvened to start work on a new album by The Time. None of the other original members of the band had anything to do with the project which was completed and slated for release on November 14th of that year. The album was shelved at the insistence of Warner Bros., who were not willing to back Prince's next movie project, the colossal bomb Graffiti Bridge', unless the original seven members of The Time were involved in both the film and their new album.

So in came Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir and the songwriting/production masterminds that are Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for a full blown reunion of The Time. Although most of the "Corporate World" tracks have since been released in one form or another, the subsequent album, "Pandemonium", was quite different from this unreleased project. It was also far superior as for the first time the other band members legitimately were allowed to include tracks they produced and wrote on a Time album. The first three releases by the band were, for all intents and purposes, written and recorded by Prince with Morris Day and various band members adding vocals over his finished tracks. "Pandemonium" succeeded with the mix of old school Prince tracks and material recorded, written and produced solely by the band.

So that takes us back to the unreleased "Corporate World". Though not a bad album, I actually like most of the songs, it just does not feel like an album by The Time. The fresh funk of the earlier Time material is missing here, replaced by the electronic bass and beats Prince had fallen in love with during this period. As a whole, the album sounds stale, like a band trying to recreate the old bad-ass spunk they used to have and falling flat. That was corrected by the time "Pandemonium" came out, a worthy addition to The Time's sadly not deep enough catalog. 

As far as this release, the 4DaFunk label has again produced a sparkling version for Prince and Time fans to enjoy. The sound is damn near official release quality, and this is the entire unreleased album from start to finish. Apart from cleaning up some of the glitches in the original circulating tapes, the  only real change here is they have melded the unreleased "extended portion" of "My Summertime Thang" with the album track, to make for an over eleven minute "extended" version, whereas the true version of the song on "Corporate World" was 7:14. It's the only real liberty taken here and it does not detract from the release, although I am sure some purists would prefer this had been done as a bonus track after the proper album finishes. 

As a collector of Prince's unreleased catalog, I always get excited when a complete unreleased album sees the light of day, even when it comes to associated artists, as he is normally all over their projects as well. Although I prefer "Pandemonium" over this, and "Corporate World" would have went down as the weakest album in The Time's catalog, it's still a worthy listen and a must have for fans of The Time and Prince. Only one song amongst its ten tracks is the same as it was released, meaning you have nine songs that have either never been officially released, or appear here in alternate versions, making it a must have for collectors of the Minneapolis Sound, especially in this pristine sound quality. A track-by track rundown follows. 

"Murph Drag" - The album opens with this funky unreleased tune, introducing another new dance courtesy of Morris Day. A chicken scratch guitar line runs throughout the song and samples of Morris yelling 'What time is it?', along with samples from other classics from The Time, repeat the entire song. The 'fellas I'm back, the aristocratic black' chant was re-used on the title track for "Pandemonium". Prince did end up semi-releasing this song by including an altered version from this one in an NPG Ahdio Show when his NPG Music Club was still active. 

"9 Lives" - Originally slated to be the first single from "Corporate World", but remains unreleased to this day. A mid-tempo rock track with Morris rapping the vocals while female backing vocals (possibly Margaret Cox?) sing the chorus. The song was later offered to Prince's former dancer Cat for consideration for her album, which also never saw the light of day.

"Donald Trump (Black Version)" - This song wound up on "Pandemonium" but this is a slightly alternate version, just not as polished as the released version. Prince can clearly be heard on backing vocals, as he often was on tracks by The Time.

"Love Machine" - This song ended up on Prince's "Graffiti Bridge" soundtrack, albeit heavily edited. This version is about 90 seconds longer, clocking in at just over five minutes long.

"Data Bank" - Another track that made it to "Pandemonium", but again this is an alternate version. The basic recording is the same as the released version, this again is just not as finished. The Time's version however is a huge letdown if you've heard Prince's original 1986 version, a funny, loose, funky classic. All the funk was sapped out of this over-produced version.

"Shake!" - Another song that ended up on Prince's "Graffiti Bridge" album. Much like "Love Machine", the same recording was used, it was just edited down for release. This version is about 50 seconds longer.

"Corporate World" - The last of the songs from this album that has yet to be released. Somewhat simplistic lyrics, but oddly the sentiment of the song seems to run along the same ideas expressed by Janet Jackson on a number of tracks on 1989's "Rhythm Nation" album. A rather generic attempt at a dance track, good call burying this one in the vault.

"The Latest Fashion" - Unlike the other tracks that wound up on "Graffiti Bridge", this is a completely different version. This is an alternate vocal, more of a back and forth with the woman Morris is dumping, and the music is entirely different as well. The song was completely re-recorded for the movie as a duet between Prince and The Time, with Prince deciding to re-use the music from "My Summertime Thang" to back it all.      

"Release It" - The only "Corporate World" track that does not differ from the released version. This is the same as what was used on "Graffiti Bridge", but a great, funk workout nonetheless.

"My Summertime Thang" - Again, this is the basic song used on "Pandemonium", but this is slightly longer with some different parts that were cut out or changed including dialogue that wound up in the "Graffiti Bridge" movie. As I mentioned above, 4DaFunk has added the also unreleased 'extended portion' to this song to make for an over eleven minute version, the only liberty they took with any of the songs here, other than cleaning them up for better sound quality.

EP Review: Lowercase Noises "Migratory Patterns"

Lowercase Noises is the music of Andy Othling, primarily a guitarist, from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was fortunate enough to come across Andy's music through Twitter. Although I never got a chance to do a write-up on it, last year's "Carry Us All Away" was one of the best instrumental albums I heard in 2010. Until his next full length is released, he has given us the gift that is the new EP "Migratory Patterns".

Guitar is usually the most prominent instrument in Othling's work, but here the emphasis is on setting the mood first, for a slower collection of instrumental pieces with electronics and keyboards more to the forefront. The description given about the EP simply states 'This album is about a whale', so take that image and imagine a soundtrack to fit the album art above. There are no soaring guitar solos here, it is used as more of a compliment, mixed in with the lush sounds Othling has created.

"Migratory Patterns" is a lovely journey, just over thirty minutes long, of soothing melodies, downbeat electronics, droning guitars and orchestras of swelling keyboards that wash over you. There is never any danger of the quieter, more ambient pieces drowning into boredom as his music keeps and demands your attention from start to finish. "Persistence" calls to mind the music of bands like The Album Leaf with electronic drum beats underneath the gorgeous track. "Depths" is a showcase for cellist Shannon Harden, while Othling shows off his talents on the banjo on the closer "Farewell". 

Don't just take my word for it, you can hear the entire EP below. If you enjoy this style of music or are looking for a relaxing musical journey, let Lowercase Noises take you away. Top shelf stuff once again from Andy Othling. 

"Migratory Patterns" was released as a download only May 16, 2011. Get it via Lowercase Noise's Bandcamp page.  

EP Review: The Juliets "Awaited Season EP"

I'm thrilled to see another of my local favorites are back with some new music. The Juliets self titled debut was one of my favorite albums of last year, as a matter of fact only Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More" kept it from being my favorite release of 2010. So I have definitely been awaiting some new music from the band, and they do not disappoint with this three song EP. 

"Awaited Season" serves as a preview of their upcoming second full length "Perfect Season", currently scheduled for release this fall. The three songs here are set to be included on that release and once again, Jeremy Freer and company are serving up top notch pop music. Call it indie pop, chamber pop, classical flavored pop, whatever, once again The Juliets excel at accessible, unforgettable melodies. I have my opinions on bands and artists from this area that should be breaking out wider nationally, and The Juliets are certainly at the top of that list.

"Heart In Heart" is a short but sweet upbeat guitar driven rocker, while "Fashion" features prominent piano work from Freer and dominating beats from Jaclyn (Jax) Phillips on drums. As good as these two songs are, the highlight for me is "A Perfect Season", a midtempo ballad with Freer going in and out of his falsetto while Kaylan Mitchell's cello and Sarah Myers' violin swirls beautifully around your head.

The Juliets line-up has changed slightly since that debut album with Phillips taking over on drums and Ashton Hopkins now on bass, but the band has not missed a beat and sound as tight and polished on record as the original line-up did on their debut. This three song preview will leave you desperate to hear the rest of the new material The Juliets plan to release later this year. "Perfect Season" moves instantly to one of my most anticipated fall releases. I can't recommend this enough.   

You can download the "Awaited Season EP" free for yourself at The Juliets Bandcamp page. You can also check out the tracks below.

 

Concert Review: Bell X1 - The Ark, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 6/10/11

This was my third time seeing Ireland's Bell X1, and it cemented the fact they have become one of my favorite bands to see live. As I mentioned last year after seeing them in the intimate setting of The Ark, these guys play arenas in their native country. American fans are incredibly lucky to get to see them in such a small venue. On a selfish level, I'd love for it to continue but Bell X1 should be playing to much bigger crowds in the States. It is still a mystery to me why this band is not bigger in America. 

Although they have yet to make it to Detroit, Bell X1 has a good excuse. They seem to have fallen in love with Ann Arbor and it seems the perfect city in Michigan for them to play. Their first show at the Blind Pig was well attended, as have been these last two at The Ark. They've developed a nice fan base in the States, surely helped by the radio play and success of their single "The Great Defector" from 2009's "Blue Lights On The Runway" and the inclusion of some of their music on various television shows. But again, it makes no sense to me why the same American radio stations that played "The Great Defector" to death have ignored "Velcro", the radio friendly first single from their new album "Bloodless Coup". 

Bitching about the state of radio in this country aside, it would appear any U.S. Tour from Bell X1 is sure to include an Ann Arbor stop, as they even came here on their acoustic tour of last year. Judging by lead singer Paul Noonan's comments from the stage, they love the city, and it is close enough so Detroit area fans can reap the benefits as well. 

It's become obvious that the guys from Bell X1 have exceptional taste in selecting opening acts. For their October acoustic show at The Ark, the incredible James Vincent McMorrow opened the night and wowed the crowd. On this night, it was Jarrod Gorbel, formerly of the band The Honorary Title, performing songs from his first solo outing. He was joined onstage on most songs by another former band mate in The Honorary Title, Dustin Dobernig on keyboards. Gorbel's songs are acoustic based, folk-pop, well suited to his deeper singing voice. He played songs off his recent EP "Bruises From Your Bad Dreams" including "Mother/Father" and "Desperate Hands", with his set's highlight being that EP's duet "Miserable Without You". On record, Nicole Atkins joins Gorbel, but for this live performance he was joined by a local singer whom he said he had just met that day. The two pulled off a seamless duet and sounded great together, a really cool moment. Gorbel also has a full length, "Devil's Made A New Friend", coming in August and he performed a number of tracks off this as well. Definitely an album to watch for and another fine opening act for Bell X1.

The one new song I was hoping to hear the most from the headliner was "Hey Anna Lena", my favorite track off the new album, and when Bell X1 took to the stage and the sparse drum machine beat that opens the song started I knew we were in for a great night. The song built up to its mammoth conclusion, proving again how great these guys are live. This is a band used to playing in bigger venues overseas and it comes across seeing them in such an intimate setting. Bell X1 are at peak form live, such a tight unit onstage, be it outright rock, melodic pop, gorgeous acoustic laden ballads or the funkier, electronic side they explore on their new album. Paul Noonan sounds as good live as on record, much like it was with Adele, it is so refreshing to see someone perform live that truly can sing their ass off. There are no studio tricks needed for Mr. Noonan.

The set was heavy with tracks from "Bloodless Coup" as seven of the album's ten tracks were performed. But as we've come to find out during Bell X1's shows, they also throw in a nice mix of their more well known older songs, with a few surprises thrown in to keep you guessing. After the opener, they went back to their first U.S. release, 2008's "Flock" for the lovely ballad "Bad Skin Day", before going back even further to 2003's never released in America "Music In Mouth" for live staple "Next To You".

They returned to "Flock" for "Rocky Took A Lover" before the buzzy dance of their latest single "Velcro" got some ladies on the 'dance floor' off to the side of the stage. They kept the dance vibe going with a searing hot, extended performance of "My First Born For A Song", with Noonan jamming on his timbale/percussion set-up during the ending. They then returned to the new album for "Safer Than Love".

Noonan introduced "Eve, The Apple Of My Eye" as the song that broke the band in the U.S. thanks to its inclusion on a key episode of the show The O.C. As he did at past shows, he was unapologetic saying, 'You take your breaks however you get 'em folks'. He then gave way to multi-instrumentalist David Geraghty who sang lead on the new album's "Built To Last". They then got the dance floor fired up again with the disco/rock of "Flame". Their hit "The Great Defector" was next  before they closed the main set out with the funkified "4 Minute Mile". 

The setlists on the stage showed "Just Like Mr. Benn" was planned to be the first song of the encore, but the band changed things up with a rare performance of the ballad "Slowset" from their debut album, 2000's "Neither Am I". This was quite a surprise and the beautiful acoustic rendition went over well. They then closed out the encore, and the night, with two more songs off the new album, the mid-tempo ballad "Nightwatchmen" and another of my favorites, the dance/rock of "Sugar High" which brought the show to an end.

The band thanked the crowd one last time for coming out and Noonan said the words everyone in attendance were thrilled to hear, "We'll see you in the fall". If that turns out to be true, look for another write-up here as I'll surely be there. I simply won't miss an opportunity to see Bell X1 perform live. On top of the top notch musicianship I mentioned above, the guys in the band are incredibly loose and funny onstage. Noonan always has some funny stories to share throughout the set, and his band mates join in as well. We were lucky enough to be sitting right up front at center stage, literally within arm's length of the band, and it took the show to another level getting to see them perform that close. Rory Doyle is as solid a drummer live as you'll see and Geraghty, Dominic Philips and Marc Aubele all take turns between bass, keyboards and guitar.

The Ark has a pretty strict policy on flash photography so I only snapped a few shots near the end of the set. Normally I like to get a lot more pictures, but it was also nice to just sit and enjoy a show without trying to get as many pictures as possible. I'll say it again, this band deserves wider recognition in the States, even with the solid following they now have. They're versatile, smart, incredibly polished, yet not afraid to experiment and try new directions in their music. All reasons why they've become one of my favorite bands to see live, do not miss them if they come to your area.  

Album Review: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. "It's A Corporate World"

I come to the debut full length from Detroit duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. with a bit of a different perspective from most of the national writers who have been showering it with mostly positive reviews. I make no secret on this blog, I am a huge fan of Josh Epstein's band The Silent Years. They're still, in my opinion, one of the best indie rock/pop bands, not just locally, but nationally and it's criminal they haven't reached the level of attention DEJJ has. I also love Daniel Zott's band The Great Fiction, another favorite in the melodic rock/pop field, and Zott's solo work is stellar as well.

So if you've followed the projects of Epstein and Zott in metro Detroit, you knew a collaboration was going to result in something special. They're simply two of the finest songwriters from this area. Little did they know, however, that this project that they came into with no real expectations would be the one to launch them fully into the national music scene. Their four song "Horse Power" EP, recorded in Zott's basement and released last year, had music blogs, magazines and influential radio stations across the country buzzing, and sent the two on a national tour as their profiles continue to rise.

"It's A Corporate World" comes from those same basement sessions, so it made sense to include the tracks from the EP as part of the full length. The only "Horse Power" song missing here is their cover of the Beach Boys classic "God Only Knows". Stylistically, the album is cohesive, electronic drum beats are prevalent on most tracks, while all manner of glitchy effects, vocal samples of themselves, Epstein's whistles and other noises that seem like they shouldn't belong but somehow make sense, accentuate each song. But through it all, and what has made this material resonate with so many, is at the heart are Zott and Epstein's sweet pop melodies and vocal harmonies that turn each song into accessible, electronic pop confections.

"Nothing But Our Love", "Simple Girl" and "Vocal Chords" all appear in the same versions as on the EP, thankfully. I've complained before about bands who tweak with perfectly fine material for wider releases and end up ruining the charm it had in the first place. Glad to see that is not the case here. In fact, the biggest complaint for me is wishing some of the songs were longer. I've heard a good portion of these songs performed live by the duo and, in some cases, they extend the live versions from what has turned up on the album. My favorite song, "An Ugly Person On A Movie Screen" suffers the most. It's still my favorite track, that "Na-na-na-na" chorus is absolutely infectious, but it sadly abruptly ends, whereas the live version continues on for another 40-60 seconds at its conclusion. Still a great song, just wish they had went with the longer outro. Here's a live video so you can see and hear for yourself.

Other highlights include first single "Morning Thought", the sparse, acoustics of "Skeletons", a direction I'd love to see more of in the future, the title track which sounds like it could have been a Silent Years leftover as it is closest to the material Epstein records with that band, and their fantastic cover of Gil Scott-Heron's "We Almost Lost Detroit", which screams to be a single in my opinion. Zott and Epstein alternate lead vocals on this one before the electrifying chorus.  

As a fan of the Detroit music scene, I couldn't be happier for these two. It is nice to see true talent from this area rewarded and here's to hoping their signing to a major label with Warner Bros. Records is fruitful and succesful. If you like the music of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., I urge you to check out the music of their other bands as well, as both The Silent Years and The Great Fiction are equally deserving of your attention and have new albums currently sitting on the shelf, hopefully to be released before the end of 2011. In the meantime, it has been great watching these two represent Detroit on a national level and handle their increasing success in such a level headed way. From recording in a basement in Royal Oak to a debut album on Warner Bros. It's a great story and it will be fascinating to watch as new chapters continue to get written. Congratulations to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

"It's A Corporate World" was released in the U.S. June 7, 2011 on Warner Bros./Quite Scientific Records.

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Album Review: Jeremy Larson "They Reappear"

I first came across Jeremy Larson's music back in 2007 by a stroke of luck. MySpace was still fairly popular at that point and I would receive numerous friend requests on there by musicians and bands looking to share their music. At first I tried to keep up, but quickly found for every quality band or artist, there were at least ten who needed to find a new career. Somehow, I ended up giving Larson's page a shot and was I ever glad I did. His music was wonderful DIY indie-pop, mostly on the slow side, but ever so melodic and such a great voice to go along with it. I instantly raved about him to family and friends and turned them on to his music as well.

I purchased Larson's self titled debut full length shortly after, and it still ranks as one of my favorite music releases of 2007. It also remains in heavy rotation, to this day I still revisit it often. I was fairly disappointed with the follow-up release however, 2008's "Salvation Club". Although there were still some strong songs present, it did not capture the magic, for me, of that first album.

I'd lost track of Jeremy's career until a Tweet on my Twitter feed mentioned he had a new album out. It piqued my interest to see what he was up to almost three years after "Salvation Club", and I am certainly glad I took the time to seek out his new release. "They Reappear" is a 48 minute song cycle, covering 16 tracks, with many songs running into each other, suddenly stopping to become a new one, and so on. It is very much meant to be listened to as a whole, as opposed to individual tracks. And Larson covers some heady ground lyrically here as well. 

Best described as orchestral pop, the achievement that is "They Reappear" is made all the greater by the fact Larson plays just about everything on it. That includes every string part. On record, it may sound like there is an orchestra behind him. But in the studio, that was Jeremy Larson meticulously playing every part himself, then putting it all together into one cohesive orchestra of one. Mutemath's Darren King, who plays drums on four tracks, is the only other musician to make an appearance on the album.

You will hear many of the elements that made Larson's debut so delightful, but there are also different directions taken on this new work. Opener "Descending" eschews the piano that so often serves as the main background to his music. Underneath his vocal is a soft bed of strings and light drums, but the melody is so exquisite you won't notice anything missing. "Ricochet" then bursts in with piano, strings and pounding drums, with a chorus to die for. "Half Speed" which follows is another highlight, probably the most beautiful track on the album, an entrancing performance with acoustic guitars, strings and shuffling drums. The song is a reflection of remembrances around a relationship and it is stunning.

Interspersed throughout "They Reappear" are instrumental tracks, six in all, that often serve as intros or transitional pieces to other songs. They do not detract, instead they add, to the experience of the album as a 'whole'. "Night Terrors" serves its namesake well, nervous and disjointed at first, before the song seems to 'awake' to a relaxing comfort, but with just enough jitters still bubbling under the surface. "Circadian Cues" is an enchanting string and piano piece, as is "Remission".   

As I mentioned, Larson tackles some heavy subjects here, but he has been a talented songwriter from the start, so there is no heavy handed clumsiness to his lyrics. "Day Residue" covers isolation and numbing ourselves from facing life's hardships, the more uptempo "Bedside Manner' uses a pleasant, poppy piano and drum combo but covers facing mortality and "Stirring" tackles the loss of a loved one.

Death, life, love, the good and bad of relationships, how we treat each other as humans, how we deal with getting through each day, many of life's struggles and hardships share a place with the happiness  and inner peace that we all strive for on "They Reappear". It truly is an amazing piece of work from an artist deserving of your attention. Nothing frustrates me as a music fan more than to see truly talented musicians making great music in relative obscurity, while the type of rubbish that fills corporate radio airwaves sells millions. Take the time to let "They Reappear" sink in, then check out Jeremy Larson's previous work. If you look to be moved by pop music, you'll be thankful you did.

"They Reappear" was released independently as a digital download only March 15, 2011. There is the possibility of a physical release, possibly coupled with a live DVD, to follow at some point in the future.

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Album Review: Moby "Destroyed"

There will be those who dismiss Moby's new "Destroyed" as a rehash of 2009's "Wait For Me". After all, as he explains in the liner notes, this is intended as 'a soundtrack for empty cities at 2 A.M.' which does not bring to mind dance floor stompers and club bangers. Granted, there are a fair share of downbeat tracks on the new album, but dig deeper and there are enough covert beats and harder edged tracks to make "Destroyed" a different experience from its predecessor. And after his abysmal 2008 release "Last Night", my least favorite thing Moby has ever done, I'll gladly take another album where he is right in his wheelhouse.

As I mentioned in my review of "Wait For Me', Moby finally seems to have overcome record company pressures and the need to best his "Play" era success, and is back to making music on his terms, and this is when he is at his best. He does run the risk of boring some of his fan base if another downbeat album follows this one. A return to his Voodoo Child moniker for another flat out dance record like 2003's "Baby Monkey" would be nice, but the selections on "Destroyed" are so strong, and different enough from much of "Wait For Me", I have not reached the point of over-saturation with his slower material yet.

"Destroyed" has more than enough beat laden moments to bring more variety than "Wait For Me" had. As I previously reviewed, the three songs that made up the "Be The One" EP he released for free as a sampler of the new album all marked a return to more danceable music. "Be The One" is still one of my favorites, a dark rocker with wailing guitars and repeated electronically altered vocals. The glitchy "Sevastopol" is carried along by a thumping beat intertwined with Moby's trademark electronic string effects and "Victoria Lucas" starts off melancholy with vocal hums and keyboards before a harder beat kicks in.

The song that immediately grabbed my attention on my first listen is "After". Starting with electronic vocals, a buzzy keyboard begins while drums slowly build, before kicking into a stomping beat. This is one of the few tracks Moby sings on this time as string stabs dart in and out above the kicking drums. It is simply a great track. Moby does a more standard vocal on the single "The Day", one of his better and most decipherable lyrics, dealing with being by the side of a loved one about to pass away. The song has a soaring chorus and displays an obvious David Bowie influence, but is again one of the better full lyrics he has ever written. 

Female vocalists are again a focal point on "Destroyed". Emily Zuzik sings the sublime ballad "The Low Hum". A few tracks have a distinct 70's soulful feel to them including "Lie Down In Darkness" featuring Joy Malcolm on vocals. Inyang Bassey contributes vocals on four tracks, with "The Right Thing" the knockout, sounding like a long lost 70's soul classic and another of the best tracks on "Destroyed". 

My first listen to this album was on computer speakers when Moby made it available for streaming. Things seemed to slow to a crawl with the last four tracks, all largely instrumental pieces that didn't seem to go anywhere. But that is where how you listen to an album can make all the difference. Laying down and listening to "Destroyed" from start to finish through a good set of headphones is essential. The beauty of the closing instrumental pieces was quickly revealed. "Stella Maris", features operatic vocals from Anna Maria Friman mixed in with somber strings. "The Violent Bear It Away" calls to mind Moby's classic "God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters" with piano, orchestral strings and a steady single drum beat. "Lacrimae" also has a percussive beat underneath the peaceful electronic effects and melody, but at just over eight minutes is the only instrumental piece that starts to wear out its welcome and could have benefited from some editing.      

I'm interested to see what direction Moby will take his next album, but I'm completely satisfied with having "Destroyed" to help pass the time until that day comes. It's another fine release to add to a catalog filled with them from this electronic music legend. 

"Destroyed" was released in the U.S. May 17, 2011 on Little Idiot/Mute Records. It is available in a number of formats as there is a corresponding photo book as well.

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