Opening Umbrella Tree’s new album is the sound of a scream, closing it is a whimper. The Church & The Hospital was released in February and rolls through 11 tracks in about 30 minutes, most of it fleshed out in layered horns, guitars and strings. The trio maintains a tight energy that’s nothing new to live audiences, while keyboardist Jillian Leigh and guitar/bassist Zachary Gresham exercise a dialed vocal interplay to keep the dense recordings from sounding too large.

2006’s What Kind Of Books Do You Read? helped Umbrella Tree lay claim to a smart and challenging musicality they haven’t lost. The first three tracks here are thick and uptempo, and the last of those is in German (another later track is in French). The harp tones that toll to start “Smells/Bells” at the fourth track are the listener’s first reprieve from a calamitous beginning, and hint at the calm, melodic pop introduced later. It’s an intimidating beginning for a CD that highlights the band’s best songwriting tools: contrast and energy. Gresham’s characteristically thin guitar helps bring many the songs to a climax, more as a percussion instrument than anything melodic. Melody in particular is something that needs to be hunted for in the first few tracks, but the second half of the CD offers ample compensation in the rolling instrumental and vocal leads of “Schizophrenia” and “Tooth On The Floor.”

The 11th and final track on The Church & The Hospital is “The Youngest Apple,” a simply beautiful but haunting ballad sung by Jillian Leigh. It’s reminiscent of the title track from What Kind Of Books Do You Read?, which mixed the flirtatious question it’s title asks with the harsh answer “I like Westerns, I like Westerns/I like the guns and the fistfights.”

It’s worth noting that over the last two years that quiet, gentle song has been re-imagined from a ballad into an energetic frenzy of offbeat guitar and parade drum. On this new album, it feels more like Umbrella Tree has had the freedom to do its instrumental and song-writing experimentation before recording, leaving the band with a polished album that comes much closer to capturing the live energy and musical freedom the group built their popularity on. Umbrella Tree’s transcendence of most things Nashville, or even “indie,” sets them far apart from the crowd, leaving them where their creative style can have the freedom to create and surprise. (Cephalopod)

www.myspace.com/umbrellatree

-Matt Beale

One Hand Loves the Other - One Hand Loves the Remix
Mastered by Carl Saff at Carl Saff Mastering in Chicago, IL

The remixed CD by Atlanta band, One Hand Loves the Other, is really a CD for the fans. The CD, cleverly titled One Hand Loves the Remix, is 10 tracks long, featuring remixed versions of “Tortoise,” “Burden of Barnacles,” “Don’t Know” and “Rubbernecker Nightingale” from the band’s 2007 debut. The remix also includes an interesting mash-up of “Don’t Know/Rubbernecker Nightingale.”

For those of you who didn’t get enough synthy-electro pop from the debut, this CD makes an excellent dance pop accompaniment. Featuring the skills of noted Atlanta artists Music for People and Treasure Fingers, U.K. phenomenon Jukebox Lungs and Canadian wizard Sta, this CD incorporates more synths, drum machines and loops than the previous incarnation, and manages to transform the beautiful orchestral noise of OHLtO into something that gets the arms and legs moving as well as the head. The unique mix of styles spans every “dance” genre of music from techno and trance to trip-hop and dub.

Treasure Fingers’ remix of “Tortoise,” which is not only the most up-tempo song on the CD, leads the list of stand-out tracks on this disk. Jukebox Lungs’ remix of “Rubbernecker Nightingale” is also a standout track that sounds a little like a fight between a New Order song and the theme to Tetris. Unfortunately there are only a limited number of pressings available, so before you miss the boat take a listen to the MySpace page and decide for yourself if this is a must have. (Stick Figure Records)

www.myspace.com/onehandlovestheremix

-Charley Lee

Attractive Eighties Women - Coup D’é Ta-Ta’s
Recorded, engineered and mastered by Joel Mullis at Fatback Sound Studio in Atlanta, GA

The girls (okay, the guys) of Attractive Eighties Women pride themselves on their live show. The band was born in the bars of Atlanta, out of manic rock ‘n’ roll and lots of alcohol. In the band’s early days, when various members were still getting over the shock of being so popular, the idea of releasing an album was considered absurd. There was no way that stage presence was going to get translated onto disc.

But Attractive Eighties Women are just full of surprises. Last year the band gathered in the converted basement space of Joel Mullis to break in the new Fatback Sound Studio with a live performance to the group’s wildest fans. The performance was recorded, complete with the drunken screams of the crowd and cheeky banter of singer Phoebe Cates (AKA Mack Williams), and released at the beginning of this year.

There is no energy lost in the recording, with live favorites like “Titty City” and “Yeah Yeah Jager” sounding crisp yet utterly raw and real with clean guitar solos and growled vocals. Mullis’ background recording hip-hop acts like Ludacris ensured a slick production, but the grit the band is known for it still there.

The record should act as a supplement to the live show, just as Cliff Notes are no replacement for Othello. The band members onstage antics, from thrashing around stage to enticing the audience with instantly recognizable sing-a-long choruses (“Fuck breast cancer” for example) to interactive hipster-bashing (“They Shoot Hipsters, Don’t They?”), makes them a stand-out band in the Atlanta music scene, whether you choose to love or hate them. (Tasty Pies)

www.attractiveeightieswomen.com

-Leila Regan-Porter

Titans of Filth - Feats of Strength EP
Produced, mixed and mastered by Jason Nesmith at Bel-Air Studios in Athens, GA

Athens, Ga. indie folk-pop quintet Titans of Filth released their sophomore EP, Feats of Strength, January 15. The bright six-song collection immediately evokes memories of junior high school social anxiety while simultaneously conjuring images of eyes-open affection for a significant other and bringing up political and religious debate. Minute sociological observations meld with neat orchestrations of the early rock ‘n’ roll variety, peppered with added flute, piano, saxophone or banjo on selected tracks. Lead vocalist Sam Grindstaff’s flat Southern drawl and Ann Rogers’ clear crooning explore subject matter ranging from worries related to sympathizing with terrorists to dancing at the semi-formal and falling in love. These vocal styles lend a determinedly unpretentious air to the lyrics, perhaps making the cute arrangements much more believable than they would be coming from another group.

The longest track on the EP clocks in at a whopping two minutes and 50 seconds; a listener gets acquainted with a song just before it ends abruptly. The tracks feel like film shorts, but their terseness doesn’t imply over-simplicity. Each has been constructed carefully; Titans of Filth just opt in favor of brevity over long-winded jam sessions. They pack meaning tightly into every second of music. Each song resolves into a major chord, a solid and satisfying final statement.

Overall, the EP seems relentlessly optimistic. The final track, “Swinging Lovers,” features the refrain “Let’s try our best not to break each other’s hearts,” effectively summing up the aesthetic Titans of Filth have created. It’s a mature idea shrouded in adorable musical bounciness, as if they know enough to be cynical, but have chosen not to be. “I wonder, do I measure up?” asks Grindstaff in perhaps the disc’s stand-out track, “The Great Rewards In Being Considered Normal.” To any lover of honest pop songs, the answer is a resounding “yes.” (BumbleBEAR Records)

www.myspace.com/titansoffilth

-Julia Reidy

Zillionaire - The Street Lights Have Been Turned Down
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Mark Nikolich and Zillionaire at Atomic Audio in Tampa, FL

Members of Tampa-based Zillionaire dumped their old dance-punk band, The Washdown (signed to Look Out! Records) for a bit of a slowdown. But that’s only a slowdown in tone, not intensity. Zillionaire is nicely polished moroseness, calling back the days of Codeine or Starflyer 59. Zillionaire dances between slowcore and shoegaze. These days it seems that only singer/songwriters or instrumental bands are allowed this type of slow introspection, but Zillionaire shows that words can still thrive in droning.

Not to say Zillionaire is all doom and gloom. “The Gardener” is a great rock song, punctuated by cool vocal sing-a-longs to serve as a chorus. “No Contest” has the flavor of some stripped down post-hardcore, but the even feel of the mix never makes the more upbeat songs stand out from the slower ones — something that is sure to emerge in the live show. The appropriately haunting “Three Ghosts” rings out with a subdued confidence in the lines from Dupras: “I know you’re not there.” This song serves as a good example to find the depth and proficiency of Zillionaire’s brand of slowcore, especially as it glides between a tempered pace and louder distortion towards the end.

Zillionaire has revived new life into a genre that faded without much resistance, but it’s refreshing to hear it back. (New Granada Records)

www.myspace.com/zillionairetampa

-Josh Spilker

Dangermuffin - Beermuda
Recorded, mixed by Dangermuffin at Plowground Productions in Johns Island, SC
Mastered by Disc Makers

Dangermuffin is a rare blend, a refreshing group that performs roots music, and jam-band oriented blues with wit and personality.

The band is Dangermuffin, a power-house trio led by accomplished songwriter/frontman Dan Lotti, who delivers a sonorous punch of strong, articulate vocals spelling out the makeup of each of the 10 melodies.

Each song is fitting and substantial, wetting the musical appetite, winning over listeners with its notorious jam-band flavors. The trio’s togetherness is strong, their embellishments and instrumentation cohesive and compelling. Dynamic in its scope, the record touches on musical genres and textures on all cylinders, including a little reggae and groove-laden guitar pop.

Guitarist Mike Sivilli packs grace and fluid technique with artsy solos on “Lost Again” and punchy rhythm statements on “Banjo Love.” As Sivilli soars through the frets with spunk and emotion, percussionist Jim Donnelly completes this trio’s great talents with riveting drums.

“Free Man” makes a sharp statement, engaging listeners with Lotti’s brilliant lyrics, the message of freedom and inspiration washed all over the record like a

watercolor painting of eye-catching design.

This is a record filled with energy, passion and fun. Lotti’s keen sense of songwriting is executed with a poetic approach; his crafty songwriting is appealing and catchy, and the words are so easy to remember, they seem to float off your tongue.

Beermuda expresses many shades of mood, both happy and somber, and its instrumental textures are beautiful. Each member of the trio compliments each other with grace and style, delivering talent, creating a diamond in the rough. The foundation and lyrics of each song, all written by Lotti, helps to make the album quite eclectic, aiding in the group’s tremendous chemistry. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/dangermuffin

-Shawn M. Haney

Hannah Miller - Into the Black
Produced, engineered and mixed by Mitch Dane at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN
Mastered by Matthew Odmark

Beginning with opening track “Angel,” Into the Black paints a clear picture of the maturity and wisdom of the fine songwriter that Hannah Miller’s become.

The arrangements are stunning, and Miller’s singing and guitar playing are smooth and polished. Miller’s sultry voice is rich with feeling, shimmering with grace and faith.

Her music, such as the captivating track “In So Deep,” with it’s blistering drums and ornamental keys and guitars, grabs the listener’s soul, setting one up for a beautiful listening experience.

Miller had the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay, Bebo Norman) in the studio, and it shows in the quality production.

Songs such as the driving “Ever Since Eve” and the dreamy, ethereal “Keep It Simple” paint a landscape portrait of Hannah Miller’s young life — budding and brewing with potential of a promising future music career.

“I don’t need poetry / I’ll take the truth everyday / Keep it simple, say it slow / Tell me things I ought to know,” sings Miller in “Keep it Simple,” a heartfelt tune complete with dazzling percussion and lush piano.

There are many similarities to Norah Jones in Miller’s voice, but the latter’s music is a bit more bouncy, with greater country/folk-like twang, as witnessed in the charm of “What I Wouldn’t Do.”

“Without You” is a perfect fit for the overall tone and mood of Into the Black, a sincere highlight of this record. Miller’s smoky, velveteen vocals are benefited by the stunning production and gorgeously crafted sonic landscapes genuinely felt from beginning to end. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/hannahmiller

-Shawn M. Haney

Sleepsound - Leaves Change
Recorded at Nightsound Studios in Carrboro, NC and at The Cash Free Studio in Durham, NC
Mixed by Geoff Register
Mastered by Shaun Sandor

Sleepsound’s debut EP Leaves Change, takes the listener along on a gently swaying journey of emotional exploration with its mellow, piano-laden music and introspective lyrics. The soft, dulcet tone of the music makes it easy to listen to and enjoy.

In the EP’s opening track, “The Balance,” Geoff Register’s lyrics paint vivid seasonal images when he sings about “Dark and long frozen nights / Lonely cold winters,” and “Warm summer days / Bright and long, sunny days,” the listener can feel the starkness as well as the warmth swirling in the song. The lyrics of the title track, “Leaves Change,” bring the same clearly defined images to mind, “The leaves are dying now / It makes the trees glow, brilliantly” as he relates them to life’s issues. In “Only The Sun” and “Sometimes I Ride” the imagery is less distinct, but still present in a well-chosen word or phrase sprinkled throughout each song.

“Let It Go” and “One Last Time” represent diversity in the music with their differences. “Let It Go” starts off with the same gentle touch as the other songs, but takes on a slightly more urgent, edgier tone, while in “One Last Time” the piano is less prominent giving the drums a more pronounced position.

The Chapel Hill/Durham, N.C.-based band of Geoff Register (vocals/piano), Todd Robert (guitar/vocals), Dean Weld (bass/vocals) and Dan Burdman (drums/vocals), have gotten off to a good start with this release, showcasing what makes their music different from the rest. (Self-released)

www.sleepsounds.org

-Kat Coffin

Jeff Crawford - Something For Everyone
Produced by Jeff Crawford at Arbor Ridge Studios in Chapel Hill, NC
Mixed and mastered by Tim Carless and Jeff Crawford at Mockin’ Bird Studios
Additional production by Tim Carless, Logan Matheny and John Henry Trinko

Something For Everyone is a collection of songs Jeff Crawford has written and shaped over the last three years, and most of the instrumental performances on the album are by Crawford himself. In addition to his solo work, Crawford plays bass for Chapel Hill’s Roman Candle, so he was able to turn to his band mates for additional instrumentation.

Often compared to The Beatles and The Shins, Crawford writes jangly pop songs that rely on the “nice guy vocals” approach: honest rather than mysterious, loving rather than sexy, striving rather than aloof. Most of the time, the writing complements Crawford’s wavering, and usually doubled, voice. “Reminders,” for example, is a regretful acoustic gem that begins with a haunting falsetto floating in the background, and the instrumentation is appropriately sparse. When Crawford laments, “You always tried to care / I wouldn’t let you,” its potency is amplified by the lack of accompaniment.

“Busy Man” is another standout. The music rambles like Elliott Smith in the Figure 8 era, and Crawford’s vocals fit on top perfectly. Crawford’s experience as a bassist comes in handy here, as he tactfully keeps it simple where other players may have shown off and cluttered the mix.

Despite its title, Something For Everyone will leave drum enthusiasts wanting more; the drums are often there, but not very palpable in the mix. “Do What Mother Told You To,” for example, is a stop-start rhythm that guitar, tambourine and piano can’t quite hold up on their own. At times there are subtle hints of a kick and snare, but they are buried in the mix. Crash hits and a building hi-hat would have made the verse/chorus transition more grand, and a pronounced kick drum would have given the verse the wheels it needs.

Like The Shins’ James Mercer, Crawford sometimes prioritizes lyrics over melody, cramming in too many words where few syllables would be most fitting. Though this happens periodically, the typical song on this album fits together admirably. As a solo debut, Something For Everyone impresses in its own, humble way. (Self-released)

www.jeffcrawfordmusic.com

-Harold Zimm

The Oaks - Songs For Waiting
Produced and Engineered by Ryan Costello and Matthew Antolick
Mixed by Tim Cocking, Ryan Costello and Matthew Antolick
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New York, NY

The Oaks’ current bio centers on singer Ryan Costello, the two years he spent as a relief worker in Afghanistan and the impact that said experience has had on his art. While compelling, this back-story was directly connected to Our Fathers and The Things They Left Behind, which was The Oaks’ previous release. The follow-up, Songs For Waiting, is a more fleshed-out effort thanks to Jeremy Siegel, Tim Cocking, Greg Wilson and Melissa Reyes joining Costello and his writing partner Matthew Antilock.

On The Oaks’ MySpace blog, Costello gives detailed production notes for Songs For Waiting that include mixing strategies and the band’s mic placement technique. “When we recorded background vocals,” writes Costello, “and we wanted them to sound like they came from behind the main voices, we stood 10 feet back from the microphone. In some ways this was kind of a crazy way to make an album, very old school, but once we got into it it felt really liberating and we found ourselves getting really creative with the space in the room and all the places we could put the microphones for different feels and sounds.”

The music itself is great, but the actual songs need work. Antilock’s background includes drumming in a Moroccan band and all six members are very proficient in their roles. But, like most bands with true “players,” The Oaks often overly complicate their songs. Instrumental sections appear too frequently and linger too long, and while impressive, the playing gets a little stale. Costello is hung up on narrative, so most songs have clear-cut verses, but the entire album lacks memorable hooks. Elements of rock and folk work their way through Songs For Waiting, but when jazz and progressive rock rear their heads the music loses focus.

Songs For Waiting does have its moments, however. “Pike County” is a gorgeous song that Reyes’ harmonies slide through perfectly, and Antilock’s stuttering drum beat moves the song along with just the right amount of energy. Next, the instrumental “After The Fires” shines in its own, understated way, unburdened by the traditional verse-chorus-verse regimen that so many bands struggle with.

For “jazz pop” enthusiasts, Songs For Waiting covers enough ground to represent both jazz and pop fittingly. For pop purists, however, this hookless album tries too hard. (Self-released)

www.theoaksband.com

-Harold Zimm

Patty Hurst Shifter - Coma La Grava
Recorded and Mixed by Greg Elkins at Desolation Row in Raleigh, NC
Mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B in Charlotte, NC

North Carolina quartet Patty Hurst Shifter is currently promoting the release of three EPs, the second of which is the hit-and-miss Coma La Grava. Were this release only three songs instead of four, it would be downright great; as it is, however, the dreadful track “california postcard” gets things going in a very bad direction. The vocals provide a wobbly centerpiece, and the abundant negative space provided by the rhythm and melody feels herky-jerky and incomplete. A musically nonsensical pre-chorus collapses under the missed notes of singer J. Chris Smith’s wavering voice, and the song finally hits its stride just in time for a glacial fade out (well over 30 seconds). It’s all uphill from there, however, and Patty Hurst Shifter turns things around beautifully as the CD progresses.

Track two, “promiscuous,” begins much like “London Calling” by The Clash, then bounces along the verse to make way for a smooth, underproduced chorus much like that of a Guster song. The decision to not overdo the chorus pays off for “promiscuous,” but it pays off even more on track three, the grand “lots of luck.” A slower number in 3/4 time, “lots of luck” is nearly perfect: the vocals drag along over minimal instrumentation that says more by doing less, and all five minutes of the song have a purpose.

“No. 1 with a bullet” closes the EP smashingly, portraying a tense driver-and-passenger situation reminiscent of Peter Gabriel’s “Digging In the Dirt.” “I don’t care if you cry, but try to keep it down,” quips Smith in the catchy chorus, which introduces an elaborate percussion loop that shuffles along quite well.

A great band with some great songs, Patty Hurst Shifter sets the bar very high. Only when they lower their own standards are they unimpressive, and hopefully they will cut the fat from future releases. (Pants On Fire Records)

www.myspace.com/pattyhurstshifter

-Harold Zimm

Russ Hallauer - Songs for the Dark
Produced and engineered by Russ Hallauer at Ghostmeat Studios in Athens, GA
Mastered by Jeff Capurso at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA

Athens musician Russ Hallauer is perhaps best known for Ghostmeat Records, the label he created initially to release songs for his bands, which eventually offered releases by the Drive-By Truckers, David Dondero and early Now It’s Overhead incarnation Drip, as well as the popular annual AthFest CDs. Hallauer got his start fronting South Carolina rock outfit the Love Psychos, before switching to guitar in seminal garage punk outfit Sunbrain in the early ‘90s, closing the century playing with alt-rock act the Lures, which disbanded in 2001 after the well-received release Dolores. Coincidentally, Hallauer’s first child was born soon after.

At the time Hallauer was quoted as saying, “I’m not sure about the future of Athens rock, but it will certainly include people who have been in bands since they were kids and are now finding themselves moving on.” Hallauer’s earlier statement seems almost prophetic when one considers his first solo release, Songs for the Dark, which demonstrates Hallauer’s metamorphosis from rocker to father, replacing at times raucous rock with complimentary dreamy instrumentals that initially originated as lullabies for Hallauer’s children. Songs for the Dark features delicate finger-picked guitar that is enhanced at times by soft chimes, muted keyboards and light percussion. The five-song set is an ethereal mix, perfect for sliding into slumber or slipping into self-imposed solitude. (Ghostmeat Records)

www.myspace.com/russhallauer

-Deirdre Sayre

Folklore - The Ghost of H.W. Beaverman
Recorded and mixed by Jon Croxton and Jimmy Hughes at Croxtonia and at home
Mastered by Derek Almstead at Pixel Studios in Athens, GA

Concept albums are a tricky thing; they work either because the music is fantastic or the story the record tells is engaging, but rarely do both things work out simultaneously. The first full-length CD from Athens band Folklore is one of these rarities. The Ghost of H.W. Beaverman tells the story of this much rumored and elusive man through the characters on the CD that recount their experiences of the fictitious Beaverman, from sighting his specter to seeing the man himself in the flesh. Each character on the CD has his/her own song and each track is voiced by a different vocalist. Anyone familiar with the roster of Athens musicians will be delighted to see guest appearances from the likes of Amy Dykes (I Am the World Trade Center), Scott Spillane (Neutral Milk Hotel), Heather McIntosh (Circulatory System), Andrew Rieger (Elf Power) and many more veterans of the Athens music scene. The CD shifts between lo-fi acoustic tracks and highly stylized studio tracks resulting in 11 tracks of melodically charming and sometimes humorous pysch-pop songs. The airy sounding CD adds layer upon layer of harmony by utilizing an array of instruments from melodica, bells, harmonica and euphonium, to a variety of horns and strings. Another nice gem about the CD is the fact that each song can stand alone as its own entity outside of the storyline, and when taken out of context, the songs take on an even deeper meaning. “The Pharmacist,” “The Father” and “The Ghost” are perhaps the best songs on the CD. Fans of any of the Elephant 6 Collective will want to add this to their collection. (bumbleBear Records)

www.myspace.com/folkloreband

-Charley Lee

Elijah Ebenezer Wyman - Butterfly Needles
Recorded by Elijah Wyman and Jason Rozen
Mastered by T.W Walsh

The fourth full-length album from North Carolinian Elijah Wyman is in no way comparable to Wyman’s prior, denser sounding efforts. Completely devoid of the highly orchestrated arrangements that have garnered him comparisons to Sufjan Stevens, Butterfly Needles is something else entirely. Butterfly Needles chronicles a year and a half of Wyman’s battle with progressive kidney failure. Luckily he has received a kidney transplant from the very same man who released this CD, and is doing much better. Unfortunately great suffering does not necessarily make great art. This bleak, stark CD is almost too painful in itself to listen to. It is more like a cathartic audio diary than a music CD, with Wyman’s deadpan voice recalling in bitter detail his hospital room surroundings, his desire to recover, his fear that he might not, and his frustration at the whole thing. Recorded with a four-track tape player and utilizing just Wyman, a guitar and a dulcimer, Wyman paints a very descriptive picture of what it must have been like for him going through this agonizing process. However, Butterfly Needles is not without its good points. “Healthy Models” is a scathing track directed at the health care industry and with good reason. “Bread and Wine” is an almost wistful track that acknowledges the end might just be around the corner. Not an easy CD to swallow, Butterfly Needles is definitely the most earnest, hopeful and true account of fighting one’s inner demons (real or imagined) that there has been in a long time. (Grinding Tapes Records)

www.elijahwyman.com

-Charley Lee

Tift Merritt - Another Country
Produced by George Drakoulias
Engineered by David Bianco

The music world never seems to have a shortage of gifted artists who boast a loyal yet humbly numbered fan base coupled with eagerly supportive critics who can’t seem to heap enough praise. Critics and fans alike will scratch their heads in wonder as to why their particular artist of choice isn’t famous (or at least more famous). Singer/songwriter Tift Merritt certainly fits easily into this category in that her crystal-clear voice, solid songwriting and, let’s be honest, accessible good looks have thus far failed to make her a household name. Unfortunately, her new CD Another Country will probably do nothing to relieve her of her cult following and deliver her into Carrie Underwood territory.

Despite crisp production from veteran George Drakoulias (Tom Petty, Jayhawks, Black Crowes), memorable melodies and Merritt’s inviting vocals at the forefront of every song, there’s not much musically here that really stands out. Part of the problem is that the arrangements rarely deviate from the typical mid-tempo, guitar/bass/drums set-up played with a workmanlike precision by her longtime backing band. Perhaps some of these country-flavored tunes could benefit from an occasional fiddle, banjo, accordion, or pedal steel in the mix. One song, “Tell Me Something True,” does feature a horn section, but the playing is so understated and held back that the performance sounds strangely lifeless. Odd also is the fact that Merritt wrote all of these songs while on a self-imposed sabbatical in Paris (hence the title), yet except for the final track’s French lyrics, there seems to be no discernible geographical musical influence on the songs. If you enjoy country/folk female singer/songwriters, you could do a lot worse than Another Country, yet Tift Merritt has the talent and potential to do a lot better. (Fantasy Records)

www.tiftmerritt.com

-Scott Roberts

The Dead Kings - Armed and Delicious
Produced by The Dead Kings
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Rob Tavagilone for Catalyst Recording in Charlotte, NC

For those Grateful Dead and Iron and Wine fans out there, you can stop reading now. But if your ideal show is a KISS/Alice Cooper double-header, take a listen to a band called The Dead Kings.

The North Carolina rockers display the sort of decadence and self-indulgence you’d expect from an ‘80s metal cover band, but their music, in all of its ferocious, vulgar glory, is more akin to their Norwegian soul mates, Turbonegro. The Kings’ third album, Armed and Delicious presents a vicious onslaught of hard rock/roots punk tempered with the light-heartedness of Spinal Tap and Tenacious D.

There is nothing truly new or innovative to be found here, but that’s not what these guys are about. Any sign of pretension is obliterated as soon as you notice the band line up consist of names like Biggy Stardust and Angus Hung, not to mention they all dress like Elvis. What’s important is that the songs are funny and will send shivers of joy through the hearts of nerdy metal fanboys.

Tracks like “I’ve Done Everything (But You)” and “Salami Tsunami” send you hurdling back to a time when music was about drinking and hell-raising rather than pompous celebrity soapboxes. As Mr. Stardust sings on “The Dead Kings Want a Piece of Your Soul,” “Bono wants to change the world and we don’t really give a damn / We just make loud rock ‘n’ roll and I hope you understand.” (Scat Boy Records)

www.myspace.com/thedeadkings

-David Feltman

apsis - Only the Dead Came Home
Recorded at Soundworks in Decatur, AL
Mixed, Recorded and Engineered by Dave Pittman
Produced by apsis and Dave Pittman

Drawing their influences from prog and post-metal purveyors Tool and ISIS, these Birmingham natives create dark, ethereal atmospheres with their continuously evolving song structures.

Composition is really where apsis shines. The songs build slowly, establishing an ambient theme and repetition that progresses until reaching full thrash fervor. The majority of the songs blend seamlessly into one another producing an uninterrupted fabric on which the album is built. The only song that doesn’t fit completely with the others is “Like Lovers” which also appeared on their previous release, Blood Hits the Bridle.

Guitarist Nick Mitchell and drummer Steve Kirkpatrick are incredibly talented and serve to really drive the songs on this album forward. Mitchell’s break-neck noodling generally underscores the heavier chord progressions, but is no less impressive for its understated presentation. Kirkpatrick, who recently replaced by Matt Wilson in the current lineup, appears fully capable of all the tricky beats and time signatures required of any prog-metal band worth its salt.

The only small complaint with Only the Dead Came Home is that while lead vocalist Chip Hudson has a strong metal growl, his clean vocals on tracks like “Sirens” and “A Broken Melody” are occasionally nasally and a touch off-key on the upper-registers. This too could be said of “Like Lovers” on Blood Hits the Bridle, yet the version of that song found on this album has resolved all such issues. The rest of the tracks on this album are unaffected by this problem and, again, is only a small complaint that shouldn’t deter you from this album. Metal-heads and music geeks who find pleasure in proggy time signature changes will find plenty to like about apsis. (Self-released)

www.apsistheband.com

-David Feltman

Richard D. Shank - A Single Step
Recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC
Produced by Richard D. Shank
Engineered by Julian Dreyer and Bill Reynolds
Mixed by Julian Dreyer
Assistant engineers Alex Hornbake and Tony Clayton
Mastered by Charlie Watts at Mondophonix Mastering in Los Angeles, CA

“A Single Step” is the stunning debut solo CD from Richard D. Shank. His passionate vocals and musical style are certain to evoke comparisons to Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, while at the same time just as certain to create future comparisons from others to him.

“Journey” kicks off the CD in just the right way with the prominent piano, a rocking guitar solo and the lyrics detailing the best place for a first step: “You’ve got to start from where you are / There’s nowhere else to begin.” Guitar solos are also notable in “Learning to Live,” “If I Could” and “Believe.” The stark piano and vocal opening to “You” builds in layers towards a blues/jazz feel with the introduction of the trumpet halfway through the song.

“Is This Real,” “Where Do We Go” and “Who Are You” feature some beautiful piano work that will implore comparisons to Billy Joel. “Where Do We Go” also has backing vocals from Gabrielle Phillips which add another dimension to the song. The soft piano laden “Help Me Now” abruptly shifts in tempo and tone midway through the song giving it a whole new character. There is even a nice cover of a Dwight Yoakam song, “Thousand Miles From Nowhere” to round the CD even futher.

From first song to last, this CD is packed full of powerful, passionate songs, representing experience from the highest highs to the lowest lows, all pointing to a message of forgiveness, hope, and perseverance.

Described as piano rock, it is also so much more, featuring layers of prominent guitars, thundering bass and pounding drums into a melodic, driving rock ‘n’ roll experience. (Joat Music)

www.richarddshank.com

-Kat Coffin

Colossus - ...and the rift of the Pan Dimensional Undergods
Recorded and mixed by Al Jacob and Mitch Marlowe at Warrior Sound in Carrboro, NC

Hailing from Raleigh, N.C., Colossus sound as if they were born and bred in the harsh woodlands of the North Country or some far off medieval land. On ...and the rift of the Pan Dimensional Undergods, Colossus craft their own version of old school heavy metal, rife with fantasy themes and warrior imagery.

The band reaches deep into the wealth of early ‘80s metal, utilizing high-powered vocals coupled with fantastic guitar leads and slab heavy guitar riffs. “The Message” is reminiscent of Ride the Lightning era Metallica. “One Was Man” marches through familiar territory well traveled by Iron Maiden.

But the band is not just xeroxing the past; Colossus elegantly picks up the gauntlet of old school metal and carries it like a proud warrior. Sean Buchanan has the vocal range to back it up, hitting the high notes while keeping it restrained and succinct.

What works in favor of the band is its innate desire to have fun with its material, keeping tunes fast and rocking yet tempered. The riffs are central, always grinding, always fueling the vibe of the album. “Ghostfucker” centers the record literally and melodically - working quickly and festively.

The church-like guitar of instrumental “Legends of the Future” sounds as though it were recorded 25 years ago and serves as a harmonious introduction to “Hoctel.” Both tracks soar and grind like ‘80s era Rhoads/Osbourne and drummer Benjamin Smith adds complete fury to the track. “Colossus” is an all out jam and is followed by album closer “G.F. Nocturne,” a plaintive and peaceful track of piano playing. (Lucid Records)

www.myspace.com/thecolossuswillcrushyou

-Brian Tucker

Matt Reasor & the Madness - Pentecostal Pasta Salad
Recorded and mixed by Eric Fritsch at Eastwood Studios in Nashville, TN
Mastered by Jim Demain at Yes Master! in Nashville, TN

Don’t let the scattershot artwork of Pentecostal Pasta Salad fool you or the album title belie what’s on the disc. Nashville’s Matt Reasor and the Madness conjure up moody and fuzzy melodies on the album, blending Roky Erickson atmospherics and garage guitar riffing to craft a wide variety of material ranging from country to rock to even a little soul.

‘Get Weird’ pumps with honky-tonk strut and juke joint cool, breaking midway to rave up and politely come back down. Reasor’s vocals radiate somewhere between Izzy Stradlin and Kevn Kinney and on “Apathy” Reasor recalls music from the Epitaph Records days. Burying vocals against the calamity of guitars crashing against one another works well.

Reasor’s yin and yang vocals make for a larger album sensibility. “Some Stand, Smile and Wave” is gentle country meets Roky Erickson and “3 Reasons Why the 2 of Us Aren’t 1” is all country and perhaps the albums best song title next to “Thunder Mistlefist,” a barnburner that closes the album.

An excellent surprise is “Ronnie’s Lookin Good,” sung by Sarah Wynn. Wynn’s deep and sultry voice is hypnotic, a sexier and throatier Norah Jones and worth buying the album for alone. But Pentecostal Pasta Salad is rife with surprises, from “Ronnie’s Looking Good” to the spoken word “Tuesday Night Garbage Swindle” or the John Lennon flavored lovely “I Don’t Miss Us At All,” an achingly sad number that, while short, is divine.(Self-released)

www.myspace.com/mattreasorandthemadness

-Brian Tucker

Dave Turner - Could Have Talked All Night
Produced by Dave Turner at Collapseable Recording Studio in Asheville, NC
Engineered and mixed by Jeff Knorr
Mastered by Seva at Soundcurrent Mastering in Knoxville, TN

Asheville, N.C.’s Dave Turner serves up candid and visceral portraits of real life against a hearty background of piano driven songs. Utilizing the tapestry of American life is either done adroitly or ham-handed, but Turner is frank in his delivery without resorting to catchiness and cliché. He focuses on family, a workingman’s life or the slippery slope that accompanies the inevitable fact of growing older.

Turner paints his themes as simple Rockwellian images, love songs or tongue-in-cheek numbers as on the aptly titled “Belly at the Bar.” The piano driven bar-ballads (“Damn, She’s Aged”) and pop songs (“Not as Old as Daddy”) draw on melody as much as distinct slices of life. “Tears on the Page” is elegant nod to romantic San Francisco and beer joints are a staple of lyrical focus on many songs - a place where life happens when one wants to avoid it or haunts for touring musicians.

Turner’s vocal timbre is akin to Van Morrison in later years with the additional salt of Leon Russell. On “Never Meant to Say” Turner glows on the song’s chorus while back-up singers echo a la many a song by Joe Cocker.

Turner’s Could Have Talked All Night was recorded live during a single session and inadvertently added additional vibrancy to the whole. It feels more real, more in the moment. What Turner brings to the album is something that only comes with time and experience.(Morning Storm Records)

www.daveturnermusic.com

-Brian Tucker

Paris Luna - City Lights
Produced by Chris Sevier at Quad Studios, Sound Stage Studios, Ocean Way Studios, East Iris Studios and Severe Records in Nashville, TN
Engineered by George Tutko

The sound of City Lights can be summed up on album opener “Having a Hard Time.” You know the scene: a movie about an empowered high school girl driving down the strip (on the coast) pumping her favorite sufficiently brightened pop songs. These songs are peppy, enamored with the future, eminently triumphant. You can’t help but feel like you’re watching an opening character montage for Dawson’s Creek. These certainly aren’t poorly written songs, but they certainly aren’t surprising either. Luna’s voice is tinged with some gripping soul, and her falsetto is soft as a feather.

The album is built the way you’d assume a alt-country album trying to garner listeners would. Tracks two and three, “Someday” and “Tell Me Why,” are snappy, unpretentious, amiable pop songs able to capture teenage girls and keep drunks dancing. The latter of the two tracks has an inspired melody, but the slow, resonating slide guitars filling the space between verses feel cliché and assumed. There’s no doubt, though, that Luna’s songs have potential. In “Tell Me Why,” the transition from chorus back to verse rolls like a cluster of waves: open acoustic strings resonate over a tasteful high-hat fill. This kind of composition speaks to the compelling authenticity of very early Dave Matthews.

The album maintains a certain formula when “All for Nothing” kicks off the hard rock aspect of alt-country. The song begins with Bonham-esque big drums, but the guitar riff is anticlimactic: a basic blues lick with a little flare between vocals. Although the guitar runs after the first chorus demonstrate inspired dexterity and knowledge of the blues, the overall aesthetic is poisoned by trite lyrics like “Don’t come around here no more.” These songs are bar-worthy, fun, but not timeless. (Severe Records)

www.myspace.com/parisluna

-Brian Gilton

Laura Blackley - Love & Monsters
Produced by Laura Blackley and Chris Rosser
Recorded and engineered by Chris Rosser at Hollow Reed Arts Studio in Asheville, NC
Mixed and mastered by Chris Rosser at Hollow Reed

Asheville, N.C. songstress Laura Blackley has released her fourth album, Love & Monsters, which revels in its Southern-ness and country twang. Her work cops the same attitude as Patty Griffin or Bonnie Raitt, but with a deeper edge. She is a better lyricist than songwriter, but her rich voice makes up for some of those deficiencies. The opener, “Wampus Cat,” is frightening with its description of an old reclusive woman: “She picks her teeth with children’s middle ear bones ... She smells like the darkest armpit of hell.”

Most of her songs are stories that rival that verse in ferocity and description, with heartbroken tragedy (“Lavinia”), runaway fugitives (“Eric Rudolph Ain’t No Hero”), and drugs (“Cocaine Song”). The “Eric Rudolph” track is the most enjoyable of the album, it shows off everything Blackley and her accompanying band do best: tell a good story, provide a footstomp, and write a song beyond the typical pop narrative. Blackley’s specialty is to explore hardscrabble issues and then seek out the nugget of truth within them - her stories are fascinating and relevant to the modern-day southern working class.

The stone gargoyle on the cover comes off more like a goth act, than the more appropriate back image cover of Blackley holding a pistol. It’s this charismatic defiance of hers that will make people follow her music and enjoy her stories. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/laurablackley

-Josh Spilker