AIMEE MANN<\/strong><\/p>\n The Forgotten Arm<\/strong><\/p>\n by Jeff Robson<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Aimee Mann has long been a critics\u2019 darling, but largely due to her somewhat inconsistent recordings, she has yet to become the pop star that she probably deserves to be. Although this new album contains her usual, beautifully understated melodies and haunting vocals, it\u2019s likely not the kind of thing that\u2019s going to make it big in the mainstream. You see, this is a concept album that tells the story of a troubled boxer, who drifts through life battling addictions, secrets, and longing for love. It\u2019s a tragic and heartwrenching story that, somehow, you can\u2019t help but connect with some troubled soul from your own life. It\u2019s presented as a comic book, with beautiful illustrations accompanying the song lyrics that tell the story. It hangs together as a moving whole, but individually, none of the songs is all that spectacular on its own. Mann\u2019s melodies are so understated that no one song sticks out as a true favourite, and none will likely truly connect with folks on its own. Obviously this is a project that\u2019s designed to be digested on the whole, but in this day and age, that seems to be asking a whole lot of a public that largely looks to music as entertainment. Sure, there\u2019s a market for this kind of cool, arty project, but folks don\u2019t often have the time or the energy to commit to following and understanding a whole album at once. It\u2019s beautiful, yes, but some may find it boring or inaccessible.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (SuperEgo,\u00a0www.aimeemann.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n RICHARD THOMPSON RICHARD THOMPSON BAND by Jeff Robson<\/strong> Richard Thompson is one of those rare artists who is a master of beautiful, subtle acoustic folk music, and a powerful rocker, often displaying both sides in one show. These two recent DVDs offer the best of both worlds. The Austin, TX DVD comes from the vaults of Austin City Limits, the long-running PBS music series. This was Thompson\u2019s long-awaited ACL debut on July 2, 2001. For it, Thompson is backed by just two other musicians, on drums and acoustic bass, but Thompson needs little else to succeed; he does quite well on his own, thank you. At the beginning of the show, Thompson says, in his characteristic dry British wit, \u201cWe\u2019re gonna start rather quiet. Sort of Pete Seeger level, and work up to Metallica level. But we\u2019ll stop when your ears are bleeding, don\u2019t worry.\u201d In a simple, acoustic setting, there may not be a better guitarist on the planet, and Thompson shows off his chops early in the show, and continues to do so as the decibel level rises throughout. His warm voice can go from a quiet, folky timbre to a raspy shout and back again with ease. The set is a perfect mixture of his current material from the time, and some of the many gems from his back catalogue.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Live in Providence DVD is a band effort in the truest sense of the word. For that show, recorded July 24, 2003, Thompson is backed by a band that can only be called amazing. Drummer Earl Harvin is enough to take this non-musician\u2019s breath away, and he often threatens to steal the show, and might do so behind a lesser performer than Thompson. Also, Pete Zorn adds horns, mandolin, and added vocals and guitar (as if they were needed!) to make for a much fuller sound. The band is tight, exciting, and very dynamic. Therein lies the problem, however. On the Austin DVD, Thompson is always front and centre, and his strong voice and brilliant lyrics are always the focus, but on the Providence DVD, they are but part of the magic. Where the Providence disc really suffers is in the brutal editing that the show went through. After each song, instead of Thompson\u2019s charming stories and jokes, we get a quick fade to black and then the start of the next song. It\u2019s a shame, really, because hearing him speak is part of his performance magic, and this is really evident on the Austin DVD.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Where the DVDs divide themselves is in the bonus features. The ACL discs feature longer, more complete sets than were aired on TV, but there is nothing else in the way of bonuses to be found. Heck, they couldn\u2019t even bother to put the classic ACL theme song on there, and have no music playing under the main menu! (The cheapo in me has to wonder why we\u2019re paying $30 for a DVD that cost nothing to make and offers nothing new or exciting.) The Providence DVD, however, contains some gems from the RT archives, some of which are almost as wonderful as the show itself. We get snippets of interviews and performances from 1981, 84, 85, and even two songs from the ACL show. If you know and love Thompson, you\u2019ll want both in your collection. If you\u2019re not familiar with his work already, do yourself a favour and pick up one or the other; they\u2019re a great entryway into this man\u2019s incredible songwriting and performing.<\/span><\/p>\n LUCINDA WILLIAMS<\/span><\/strong> Forrest Gump\u2019s mama would have loved Lucinda Williams, because it seems with her, you never know what you gonna get. This is especially true of her live concerts, where sometimes she can be amazingly entertaining and engaging, and other times she\u2019s aloof and boring. I saw her in Calgary last year, and she had a roadie put the lyrics to EVERY single song on a music stand in front of her, and she seemed to sleepwalk through much of the set. That\u2019s why it should be great for dissatisfied folks like myself to have this new DVD document of her at her finest. It was recorded for Austin City Limits on December 5, 1998. At the time, she was riding a wave of critical and public acclaim for her long awaited alt.country masterpiece,Car Wheels on a Gravel Road<\/em>, which finally proved that critics and other musicians had been right for years in calling her a genius. With a well-practiced, top-notch band behind her, and the bright lights and big cameras of America\u2019s pre-eminent television music show behind her, even Ms. Unpredictable would have to knock our socks off, right? Well, not necessarily, this is Lucinda Williams, after all. No matter how smokin\u2019 her band sounded at the time (even though guitarist Kenny Vaughan looks like an escapee from The Witness Protection Program, with his oversized guitar and glasses, and mop-top hairdo), and no matter how great the material was (they tore through 10 of the 13 songs on Car Wheels, as well as a few of the best of her older songs), Williams looks like she\u2019s about to fall asleep at any moment. She awkwardly stares off into space during the songs, strums her guitar to the beat of a different song, playing her own chords, and says nary a word between songs. Still, for Williams, this is about as good as it gets, it seems, so it stands as a very worthwhile record of her finest period, even if she probably did have better nights than this.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (New West, www.newwestrecords.com)<\/span><\/p>\n \n SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION\u00a0<\/a><\/span> Second generation musicians always have a bit of a rough go of it, constantly being compared to their famous family members. It\u2019s especially tough when you\u2019re a third generation musician, and your father happens to be one of the foremost American folk singers, Arlo Guthrie, and your grandfather, Woody Guthrie, pretty much invented American folk music and set the standard for all who followed him. Let\u2019s just say that Sarah Lee had some mighty big shoes to fill. But then again, Sarah Lee didn\u2019t intend to get into the family business, she sort of fell into it when she met singer\/songwriter Johnny Irion, who would later become her husband and musical partner. Together the two set out to create classic male\/female duo harmonies and have a little fun along the way. It\u2019s a partnership more than one backing up the other. In fact, to focus on Guthrie seems like a convenient matter of marketing, because although her engaging voice is front and centre, she had a hand in writing less than half ofExploration<\/em>, co-writing three songs and coming up with only two on her own. Needless to say, she hasn\u2019t inherited the family penchant for songwriting prolificity. Together, though, Guthrie and Irion manage to hold their own with a decent debut of folk\/rock songs. Highlights include Irion\u2019s delicate acoustic folk song \u201cKindness,\u201d and the rockin\u2019 \u201cGervais,\u201d which shows off the production and playing of Gary Louris of the Jayhawks. That band\u2019s spirit and sound pervades throughout this disc, and helps it to fit well into folk and rock worlds, which maintains the Guthrie family influence, but updates it and makes it more modern.<\/span><\/p>\n (New West, www.sarahleeandjohnny.com)<\/span><\/p>\n I must be getting old or something, because I seem to be becoming the token Stylus easy listening reviewer. Amos Lee fits in marvellously on the same plane as that other hard-rockin\u2019 superstar, Norah Jones. Like Jones, Amos is laid back, mellow, easy to listen to, and safe (wait, am I repeating myself? Perfect.) Like Jones, Lee has a jazzy style that contains as much jazz as a Kenny G fan club meeting. It isn\u2019t quite jazz, but isn\u2019t quite anything else, either. His voice is more soulful, but a lot less expressive and interesting than Jones. Even more so than Jones (but still a leg up on ol\u2019 Kenny G), Lee\u2019s songs are about as deep as a Texas snowbank. Lee writes about friendship, love, and occasionally, love lost. Dude ain\u2019t tryin\u2019 to reinvent the wheel, you could say. But he knows what works and how to use his soulful voice to make the songs sound more powerful than they really are. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the CD isn\u2019t bad, but it certainly isn\u2019t very special or exciting, either. He\u2019s no musical genius, but he must have some secret, dirty pictures of someone important, because he\u2019s signed to one of the most renowned jazz labels and he\u2019s toured with Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard. One can only hope that being around some true originals might teach this young pup a thing or two that\u2019ll help him make his next outing a little more interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n (EMI\/Blue Note, www.amoslee.com)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n JOSH ROUSE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Nashville<\/strong> <\/p>\n When your sound is as smooth and enjoyable as that of Josh Rouse, it\u2019s easy for critics to knock it as lightweight fluff. Sure, Rouse writes some pretty typical love songs and syrupy-sweet ballads sometimes, but he just does it so damn well that it\u2019s hard not to like the guy at least a little. His warm, comforting voice never seems to rise above a whisper, and the music is very gentle and accessible. It\u2019s easy listening for young adults, and I doubt that even Rouse would argue that. On his fifth full length CD of such songs, Rouse seems to have the formula down to a science. There are upbeat pop songs that will stick in your head for days (\u201cCarolina\u201d), laid-back lamentations (\u201cSad Eyes\u201d), and even an aw-shucks, keep your head up self-help anthem (\u201cLife\u201d). But how can you knock a guy for writing about things that we all understand in a way that we can all enjoy? I can\u2019t! I love this stuff, and if you\u2019re looking for a mellow collection of memorable and intelligent pop songs, you should too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (Rykodisc, www.rykodisc.com,\u00a0www.joshrouse.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n MICHAEL JOHNSTON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Curious Heart<\/strong><\/p>\n by Jeff Robson<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I grew up listening to simple, catchy pop music, so I have an unabashed affinity for a strong melody. But as I grow older, I look for something that\u2019s also intelligent and interesting, and a lyric that I can connect with. The same must be true for Michael Johnston, if his solo debut is any indication. It\u2019s a collection of catchy, melodic pop influenced tunes ranging from the upbeat toe-tapping \u201cKatie\u201d to gloriously laid back and jazzy \u201cThe Big Apple.\u201d Through it all, Johnston writes with the soul of someone who has lived (\u201cThe Country North of Peterborough\u201d), loved (\u201cStars\u201d), and lost (\u201cApology\u201d) but has come through it with a sense of optimism and some great stories to tell. Don\u2019t get me wrong, this album is far from a downer, but there\u2019s enough genuine insight and reflection in here to know that Johnston isn\u2019t afraid to lay it all on the line for the listener and say the things that most of us are often unable to. Other than being a fine lyricist, Johnston masterfully works his piano with a zest and vigour, and presents some finely understated vocals of his own. But knowing that variety is the spice of life, Johnston\u2019s invited some friends along to add their talents to a few of his songs, including Reid Jamieson, Oh Susanna, and Andy Maize of the Skydiggers. Most young singer\/songwriters would invite guests to back them up, but Johnston is clever enough to learn from the masters and let them put their own spins on the songs, so it is he who sings and plays backup to them, and it works magically. All in all, this is a superbly rounded collection of songs and sounds from a singer\/songwriter with a very bright future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (Independent, www.michaeljohnston.ca,\u00a0www.zunior.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n JACK JOHNSON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In Between Dreams<\/strong><\/p>\n by Jeff Robson<\/strong> <\/p>\n I\u2019ve never been to Hawaii, but after listening to Hawaii native Jack Johnson\u2019s latest CD, I think I have a pretty good idea what it must be like. It\u2019s a warm and inviting place where the sun shines all the time and nobody worries too much, because that just wouldn\u2019t be any fun, and Johnson likes it fun. This former pro surfer dude has managed to carve himself out a pretty great niche and continues to do what\u2019s expected of him, namely, providing groovy, upbeat music that works for radio, video, and just chillin\u2019 at the beach. The music is sort of a hybrid of jazzy reggae grooves, with some hooky melodies woven in. Lyrically, it\u2019s a bit of a mixed bag with some love songs (\u201cBetter Together,\u201d \u201cBanana Pancakes,\u201d \u201cDo You Remember\u201d) and a few deeper subjects. At times Johnson reflects on some of the troubles of the world (\u201cNever Know,\u201d \u201cStaple it Together,\u201d and \u201cCrying Shame\u201d) but stewing on that for too long would bum out Jack\u2019s vibe, and that just ain\u2019t Jack, man. This one\u2019s about layin\u2019 back and feelin\u2019 the Jack and lovin\u2019 it. This is as safe and predictable as it comes (heck, even my mom loves Jack), but you know what, dude does it so well that you just can\u2019t fault him one bit for it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (Brushfire, www.brushfirerecords.com, www.jackjohnsonmusic.com)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n GEOFF BERNER<\/a><\/strong><\/span> At first, there\u2019s a bit of a natural tendency to think that Geoff Berner is a novelty act. After all, he plays wild and crazy punk rock influenced music on the accordion, and he\u2019s short, bald, and, well, weird. But if you stop there, you\u2019re doing yourself a disservice. Although he may look like a bit of a circus act, Berner is one of the most clever and insightful songwriters I\u2019ve ever heard. Again on this album, Berner\u2019s sharp tongue spits at the pious, ridiculous, and hypocritical in society with unabashed honesty. However, he takes time to be a bit silly and have fun along the way. He also took time to create some of his most melodic and powerful music to date. But once again, he\u2019s upped the novelty ante by shifting the focus of his material slightly. Although he\u2019s been raised on rock & roll, Berner decided to connect with his Eastern European, Jewish heritage and bring Jewish traditional klezmer music \u201ckicking and screaming back into the bars.\u201d The result is a wild mash-up of traditional and contemporary styles and influences that defies categorisation. At the base, you\u2019ve got Berner and his accordion, and that wild, unrestrained singing. This time, however, it\u2019s got more of a band feel; along for the ride are percussionist Wayne Adams and Diona Davies, a stunning virtuoso violin player. The three blend together for some wild and crazy instrumental jamming that sounds like it could come unglued at any time, but somehow, it all holds together, getting faster, wilder, and more intricate. Isn\u2019t that what klezmer and true rock and roll should be all about? It\u2019s no novelty; this man is the real deal. Perhaps the most brave and brilliant album you\u2019ll hear all year.<\/span><\/p>\n (Black Hen, www.geoffberner.com)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n JOHN GULIAK<\/strong><\/span> John Guliak is the kind of gritty, hardened alt.country singer\/songwriter who seems perfectly suited to his home province of Alberta. I\u2019m quite sure that there\u2019s a dusty trail somewhere that is the perfect place to listen to this disc. The songs are realistic snapshots of folks that are easy to relate to. Guliak seems to have moved around the west a fair bit (he lived in Winnipeg for a while, also) but settled in Vancouver for 10 years, before returning to Edmonton recently. In Victoria, he fell in with the queen of Canadian alt.country and her crowd, Carolyn Mark and her talented band of roommates\/new best friends, and they make up Guliak\u2019s backing band, The Lougan Brothers, on the disc. With those folks along, you can\u2019t help but come up with great melodies and arrangements, and that\u2019s certainly true here. Guliak\u2019s one shortcoming might be his gruff voice, which isn\u2019t always as expressive and dynamic as I\u2019d like, but does a fine job with the material, especially when helped out by Mark.<\/span><\/p>\n (Mint, www.whirldrecords.com\/THESMOKE\/)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n BUDDY MILLER<\/span><\/strong> Hallelujah! Brother Buddy has seen the light and he\u2019s here to save us all. On his New West debut, the seasoned veteran has put out arguably the best album of his illustrious career. That career, by the way, includes 7 albums, both solo and with his wife Julie Miller, and songwriting and playing credits galore. Miller\u2019s regarded as one of Nashville\u2019s best writers and guitarists; his songs have been covered by plenty of country music stars, he\u2019s a much demanded producer, and he\u2019s toured with Emmylou Harris for the past 8 years, and done stints with Steve Earle and Jim Lauderdale, among others. Over the years, he\u2019s honed a rough-around-the-edges rockin\u2019 blues-meets-soul inspired country sound, and uses his mighty voice and powerful guitar to good effect. Some folks may be put off by this new album because of its gospel roots, but don\u2019t mistake this as a preachy, self-indulgent project; this is more a celebration of optimism and the endurance of the human spirit. Sure, Buddy tips his hat to The Man Upstairs on a few tracks, but the album doesn\u2019t get bogged down with religious imagery or overt soul-saving. The bulk of the album is comprised of originals written by Buddy & Julie, but also includes the Louvin Brothers\u2019 classic \u201cThere\u2019s a Higher Power,\u201d and Dylan\u2019s classic anti-war ode \u201cWith God on our Side.\u201d All in all, it\u2019s a well-rounded project that is easy on the ears, and perhaps\u00a0 good for the soul.<\/span><\/p>\n (New West, www.buddyandjulie.com)<\/span><\/p>\n SWANK\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The Survival Issue<\/strong><\/p>\n By Jeff Robson<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Without even mentioning the music, I can think of plenty of reasons why this is one of my favourite CDs of the year. The CD packaging is one of the most creative and interesting things I\u2019ve ever come across. It\u2019s a perfectly authentic looking 28-page 50s style comic book full of groovy illustrations, retro paintings, and ads for things like \u201cReverend Pleasant\u2019s Effervescent Convalescent Home,\u201d all modeled around the disc\u2019s song titles and lyrics. Honestly, if every band put as much time and love into creating a package like this, nobody would ever be stupid enough to download music. This is one album that you must own to really appreciate. The enhanced CD also includes the video for \u201cHow Do We Do,\u201d which features a creepy looking computer-animated marionette singing along with a band of rowdy skeletons. Tim Burton, eat your heart out. Oh yeah, and there\u2019s some music on here too. The Vancouver-based 5-piece band is the roughest rockin\u2019 combo I\u2019ve heard in a long while. Truly unique, their sound blends country, blues, rockabilly, and a heapin\u2019 helpin\u2019 o\u2019 beer swillin\u2019 rock music. Think Perpetrators + D Rangers + Farrell Brothers, add massive doses of Jim Beam, place them all on stage at Times Change(d), and sit back and watch the fireworks. But hey, if the music doesn\u2019t work out for you, you can always learn more about \u201cthe Big-Opportunity Field of TAXIDERMY,\u201d as advertised on the booklet\u2019s last page.\u00a0 Buy this record or miss out on something extraordinary.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (Independent, www.iwantswank.com)<\/p>\n \n JACOB TWO-TWO\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The Elastic Heart of Youth published in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine Dec\/Jan 2004<\/span><\/p>\n official website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Right about this time of year, one of the only ways to avoid thinking about the horrid winter ahead is to dream of a warm summer\u2019s day at The Winnipeg Folk Festival. Yup, I can almost smell the patchouli oil and taste the Whales\u2019 Tails now. My delusion is aided by this new CD from Ottawa area band Jacob Two-Two. It\u2019s a breezy blast of warm music perfectly suited to an afternoon at Birds Hill Park. The band is fronted by three equally talented singer\/songwriters who play the usual assortment of instruments, but on the CD, they\u2019re joined by horns aplenty (French, flute, sax, trumpet, etc.), congas, melodica, and a variety of interesting elements. Surprisingly, the three don\u2019t compete for space on the disc or try to carve out their own individual sound, like on many collective CDs. Instead, they let Mary Kate Hach\u00e9\u2019s sweet, sexy voice pervade, taking the lead on 6 of the disc\u2019s 12 tracks and adding gorgeous harmonies when the boys take their turns. The sound is pretty jazzy and laid back, with a bit of folk and funk thrown into the stew once in a while. You can tell by listening that live, they\u2019re a fun, danceable jam band and would get those dread-heads a dancin\u2019 at the park. For an independent, self-produced release, the sound of the CD is very professional and concise, and with strong, melodic songs, it\u2019s a very impressive first full-length for this promising band. Bonus points are awarded for the band name, and more so for taking the time to send Mordecai Richler a letter asking permission to use the name, to which he tersely replied, \u201cOh sure, go ahead.\u201d Cool.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (Independent, www.jacobtwotwo.net)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n JOHNSMITH<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Kickin’ This Stone<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n By Jeff Robson<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n published in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine Oct\/Nov 2004<\/span><\/p>\n official website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Every once in a while, I hear an artist and wonder why the heck he isn\u2019t a household name. Johnsmith is such an artist. I\u2019m not sure how old he is, but it looks to me like Johnsmith isn\u2019t a kid anymore.\u00a0Kickin\u2019 This Stone<\/em>\u00a0is only his fourth release, but you can tell that this is an artist who has been singing and playing his whole life. In fact, it\u2019s probably because he\u2019s only starting to gain recognition later in life that Johnsmith has quietly been able to perfect his singing and songwriting skills to such a degree without being tainted by the demands and downfalls of record companies and a fickle music industry. Smith has a high, but warm voice that is silky smooth and very easy on the ears. That, along with the stellar musicianship on the record should make it a winner right there, but the songs are what make this project a home-run success. The album is brimming with optimism and positivity, from the viewpoint of one who has seen and done a lot. The opener, the title track, sees our protagonist kickin\u2019 a stone through town and describing the people and places he passes. It\u2019s a simple song, but it\u2019s very vivid and enjoyable. \u201cThomas Francis\u201d is a historical ballad about Smith\u2019s Irish great grandparents, and it\u2019s propelled by traditional instruments and an Irish reel. \u201cDon\u2019t Put Me in a Box\u201d tells us not to label or stereotype others. Even when paying tribute to Dave Carter, a friend and songwriting inspiration, Smith looks at the positive and reels off Carter\u2019s many glowing attributes. Making the album even more irresistible is the production and glorious Dobro and pedal steel of the legendary Lloyd Maines. This could well be the feel-good, joy-to-listen-to album of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n (Blue Pine,\u00a0http:\/\/johnsmithmusic.com<\/span><\/a>)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n BOBBY BARE JR’S YOUNG CRIMINALS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n From the End of Your Leash<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n By Jeff Robson<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n published in\u00a0Stylus<\/em>\u00a0Oct\/Nov 2004 Bobby Bare Jr. comes by an identity crisis honestly. He was born the son of old-time country music star Bobby Bare. Father and son were actually nominated for a Grammy when Jr. was only 5 years old. But when he came into his own, Jr. didn\u2019t go straight for the classic country that daddy did so well, he rebelled and became a rock n\u2019 roller. He\u2019s best known for his late 90s band, Bare Jr., which sowed the roots of Jr.\u2019s rock\/country hybrid.\u00a0From the End of Your Leash<\/em>\u00a0clearly displays Bare\u2019s country influence, but maintains much of the punk rock edge honed on the Bare Jr. records. The Starvation League is a bigger outfit, 19 people contribute to the record. With that kind of a line-up, the CD is bound to be diverse, and that\u2019s surely true. There are straight out country tunes, like the autobiographical \u201cVisit Me in Music City;\u201d the opening track, \u201cStrange Bird,\u201d is a gritty rocker with a big, fat horn section driving it, \u201cYour Favourite City\u201d is a power-pop song that sounds like it could have been lifted from the New Pornographers, and \u201cBorrow Your Girl,\u201d could easily be a Springsteen song with its plaintive wooo hooo refrain. Bare\u2019s songwriting is more impressive this time around; many songs are introspective and honest, like the haunting anti-drug dirge \u201cThe Terrible Sunrise.\u201d The album is a bit of a wild ride, but it\u2019s far from a mess, rather a very successful rough and ready romp through the genres.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (Bloodshot,\u00a0www.bloodshotrecords.com<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0www.bobbybarejr.com<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n BRUCE KNAUER<\/span><\/strong> Allnight Breakfast Special<\/span><\/p>\n This is quite easily one of the most interesting and unique projects that I\u2019ve come across in a while. Knauer is a bit of a mystery. This is his first CD, and it\u2019s released independently, so I can\u2019t find much info on him. He doesn\u2019t even have a website. I do know that he\u2019s spent time in Irish traditional bands and has played closer to home with Bocephus King, Michael Kaeshammer, and others. This project teams him up with Vancouver super-instrumentalists Jesse Zubot and Steve Dawson, among others. Fittingly, there\u2019s a real solid rootsy instrumental base to this record, but it veers off in many other directions. The first song, the title track, is a perfect example (and it happens to be one of my favourite songs at the moment); it starts with a simple and very effective banjo riff, but swirls in some electronic beats and effects and builds into a very lush pop song. Along with common instruments, Knauer and producer Jesse Zubot utilise such things as glockenspiel, wine glasses, phone messages, and a whole bunch of different types of guitars to make a wildly full sonic palette. But the roots instrumentation and the electronic elements remain the basis throughout the album. The songwriting is as eclectic as it comes, also. Knauer only recorded 3 originals on this CD. The first three songs are from another unknown writer named Brian Irwin. Knauer throws in a song by bluesman Ted Hawkins, two Lennon-McCartney covers, \u201cI\u2019m Only Sleeping,\u201d and \u201cRain,\u201d which is well paired-up with \u201cSun,\u201d (which is credited to Knauer in one spot and John Denver in another.) I don\u2019t know a lot about Bruce Knauer, but I know that I like what I hear so far and I\u2019ll be looking out for more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nLive from Austin, TX DVD
\n(New West, www.newwestrecords.com)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nLive in Providence DVD
\n(True North, www.truenorthrecords.com)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine August\/September 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nLive from Austin, TX DVD
\nby Jeff Robson<\/strong>
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine August\/September 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nExploration
\nby Jeff Robson<\/strong>
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine June\/July 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nAMOS LEE<\/span>
\nAmos Lee
\nby Jeff Robson<\/strong>
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine June\/July 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nby Jeff Robson<\/strong>
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine April\/May 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine April\/May 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine April\/May 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nWhiskey Rabbi
\nby Jeff Robson<\/strong>
\n<\/span>published in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine Feb\/March 2005<\/span>
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n7 Stories and 13 Songs
\nby Jeff Robson<\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/span>published in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine Feb\/March 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nUniversal United House of Prayer
\n<\/span><\/strong>by Jeff Robson
\n<\/span><\/strong>published in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine Feb\/March 2005
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\nBy Jeff Robson<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/strong><\/span>Allnight Breakfast Special<\/span><\/strong>
\nBy Jeff Robson<\/span><\/strong>
\npublished in\u00a0Stylus<\/em>\u00a0Oct\/Nov 2004
\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n