{"id":122,"date":"2012-08-15T08:33:23","date_gmt":"2012-08-15T13:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/?p=122"},"modified":"2012-08-15T09:34:28","modified_gmt":"2012-08-15T14:34:28","slug":"cd-reviews-200304","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/cd-reviews-200304\/","title":{"rendered":"CD Reviews 2003\/04"},"content":{"rendered":"<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">REID JAMIESON<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">The Unavoidable Truth<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\">published in\u00a0<em>Stylus\u00a0<\/em>Magazine June\/July 2004<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\">official website:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.stylusmag.mb.ca\/\">www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">If I could ever judge a guy by the strength of the company keeps, I knew I\u2019d like Reid Jamieson before I even heard this CD. The CD is produced by Josh Finlayson, the co-leader of the Skydiggers, who also appears on several tracks and does some co-writing. The stellar backing musicians include former Rheostatics Dave Clark and Lewis Melville, now-Winnipegger Michael Johnston, Mia Sheard, Blue Rodeo\u2019s Bob Egan, and more. The CD also features the obligatory Sarah Harmer duet on \u201cHolding Out,\u201d a lovely slow poetic ballad. The sound of the disc is guided by the stellar band and top-notch production, but it\u2019s held together by Jamieson\u2019s high, resonant voice. Think Rufus Wainwright without the operatic warble. Jamieson\u2019s powerful voice works best on the upbeat numbers like the perfectly poppy title track and the infectious upbeat roots (pardon the pun) of \u201cGrass &amp; Dirt.\u201d But he can also pack a lot of feeling into the slow tunes as well, like \u201cStarting to Learn,\u201d an introspective look at fears and emotions. He\u2019s got a gift with a memorable melody and a way with words as evidenced by the opening track, \u201cLast Day of the Year,\u201d where Jamieson writes, \u201cTime often spends itself with no concern for mental health\/ Care how you expand your wealth the last day of the year. \/ Longing and looking back, major change there is no lack, of sacred blessings, heart attacks, the last day of the year.\u201d I\u2019d be very, very surprised if Jamieson is an indie artist for long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Independent,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.reidjamieson.com\/\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">www.reidjamieson.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">SLAID CLEAVES<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Wishbones<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\">published in\u00a0<em>Stylus<\/em>\u00a0June\/July 2004<br \/>\nofficial website:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.stylusmag.mb.ca\/\">www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Slaid Cleaves comes from the ultimate singer\/songwriter hotbed, Austin, Texas, and he does the Texas tradition proud. He writes some powerfully poignant story songs about the hopeless and downtrodden. His tales are as dark and poetic as the Texas greats, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark. Honestly, I think his songs are that interesting, and that good. But, if there can be one knock against Cleaves, it\u2019s that his smooth and accessible voice couldn\u2019t possibly belong to someone who has lived hard and fast and seen the darkest that this world has to offer. The greats sing of murderers and outlaws and you believe them, because they sound like they\u2019d fit right in. But Cleaves is just too pretty and his voice is too enjoyable. And, perhaps it\u2019s fitting that he was born in Maine and only followed the music to Austin. But the guy is damn good. On this, his third widespread release, he once again wisely works with super-producer Gurf Morlix to bring out the best in his songs. But this CD is a more rocked up and orchestrated affair. Moving away from the folky singer\/songwriter to the folkin\u2019 rockin\u2019 blues of Americana,\u00a0<em>Wishbones<\/em>\u00a0takes a step closer to sounding as rough and ready as the stories Cleaves writes. It\u2019s his most energetic, enjoyable, moving, and melodic release to date, and I make no hesitation in recommending it. But, there comes a time when you listen to that sweet and comfortable voice singing \u201cDrinkin\u2019 Days,\u201d or \u201cSinner\u2019s Prayer,\u201d and you just know that this baby-faced boy from Maine couldn\u2019t possibly have hit bottom. He\u2019s a nice guy, and you just know it. But nice guys can tell great stories, and Cleaves paints a vivid, yet very enjoyable picture.\u00a0 You also have to give him credit for mentioning Winnipeg in \u201cQuick as Dreams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Philo,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rounder.com\/\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">www.rounder.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.slaid.com\/\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\">www.slaid.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><strong>NORAH JONES<br \/>\nFeels Like Home<br \/>\nBy Jeff Robson<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">This is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Norah Jones\u2019 debut CD,\u00a0<em>Come Away with Me<\/em>, which sold a bazillion copies a couple of years ago. I think everybody I know owns a copy, yet few are willing to admit it. Sure, it\u2019s mellow and a little too sickly sweet sounding, but damn it, I\u2019ll go out on a limb and say that it sold so well because it was pretty darn good<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">. It ain\u2019t cool to like Norah Jones, but it\u2019s pretty hard to knock her, also.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">So, there are those that will be dying to love her new CD and those that will be dying to rip it apart in reviews. I\u2019m somewhere in the middle. Again, Jones has assembled a beautiful, laid back, and very enjoyable record that\u2019s not the most wonderful and original thing I\u2019ve ever heard, nor is it at all offensive. She seems just fine sticking with the \u201cif it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it\u201d ethic, and she just might be right.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">She sticks with the same producer and backing band. Again we get stellar contributions by Kevin Breit, Jesse Harris, and Tony Scherr on guitar. This time she also pulls in respected guests, by enlisting the help of Garth Hudson and Levon Helm of The Band on \u201cWhat Am I to Do,\u201d and Dolly Parton duets on \u201cCreepin\u2019 In.\u201d Jones writes a little more on this one, co-writing 5 songs, including \u201cDon\u2019t Miss You at All,\u201d for which she added lyrics to a classic Duke Ellington instrumental, \u201cMeloncholia.\u201d There are also great covers of songs by Tom Waits (and his wife) and Townes Van Zandt. Overall, the CD is a bit more upbeat and varied, but don\u2019t go thinking that Jones is reinventing the wheel here; for the most part, it\u2019s the same old same old, but darn it, it works for her, so why not.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(EMI\/Blue Note,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.norahjones.com\/\">www.norahjones.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><strong>JAMES KEELAGHAN<br \/>\nThen Again<br \/>\nBy Jeff Robson\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Winnipeg\u2019s most famous folkie returns with a new album, 3 years after his acclaimed\u00a0<em>Home<\/em>\u00a0CD. Calling this one \u201cnew\u201d is a bit of a misnomer, since all of the songs on it have been released before. But this isn\u2019t merely a \u201cBest Of\u201d compilation, it\u2019s billed as a \u201cBetter than Ever\u201d compilation, since it presents new recordings of 11 of Keelaghan\u2019s finest compositions. And this is a guy who knows a thing or two about songwriting, so when he compiles a disc of his best, you can bet that there are no stinkers in the bunch. His songs have been recorded and recognized by some of the best singer\/songwriters in the world. Twice he\u2019s won top prize at the highly respected USA Songwriting Competition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">One of those award winners, \u201cCold Missouri Waters,\u201d is updated for this set, and Keelaghan now incorporates some changes made by Richard Shindell for the version he recorded with the singer\/songwriter supergroup CD,\u00a0<em>Cry, Cry, Cry<\/em>. That song, and others here, like \u201cJenny Bryce,\u201d show Keelaghan\u2019s gift for interpreting history into wonderful story songs. \u201cGladys Ridge\u201d shows Keelaghan\u2019s gift with a simple, sing-along melody, and it prominently features the powerful voices behind local soul group Rudimental, and even incorporates an audience at The Winnipeg Folk Festival. Keelaghan\u2019s strong guitar playing guides the songs, but it\u2019s the words that are most powerful and important. He\u2019s got a rich and deep voice, often reminiscent of Stan Rogers\u2019, but a style of his own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Keelaghan is known and respected around the world for his songwriting and performing, yet many readers may not be familiar with all of his material. This is a perfect start for someone not up on all things Keelaghan, it\u2019s a great overview of the best songs, drawn from 4 of his previous 7 discs and taking us all the way back to his debut, 17 years ago. By re-recording them, he\u2019s able to make a more modern and cohesive sounding package, and it works wonders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Jericho Beach Music,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.keelaghan.com\/\">www.keelaghan.com<\/a>)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">GREG MACPHERSON<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Maintenance<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><strong><br \/>\nBy Jeff Robson<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">G.Mac is back, and it\u2019s about time. This new EP doesn\u2019t actually come out until March 23<sup>rd<\/sup>, but it\u2019s so good and I\u2019m so excited about it, that I just couldn\u2019t wait a month to review it. This sometimes Winnipegger is far too talented for his own good. He\u2019s got just about everything it takes to be a huge star, yet he\u2019s such a fiercely political individual that he refuses to sell out to the man and make watered down music for the masses. Instead, he combines a political punk rock ethic with potent lyrics and some very powerful energy to make great rock and roll with a message. Still, his songs aren\u2019t preachy or overtly political. His is great music for the everyman, there\u2019s nothing lofty or insulting about his songs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">His last CD, 2002\u2019s\u00a0<em>Good Times Coming Back Again<\/em>\u00a0was an all-out rock and roll band effort. This new EP takes him back to his roots; the band is completely absent on these 5 songs, this time it\u2019s all Greg + acoustic guitar. The disc starts off with a gorgeous laid back number, \u201cWide Turn,\u201d before the fiery Clash cover, \u201cBankrobber.\u201d There is a pair of stripped down acoustic versions of songs from\u00a0<em>GTCBA<\/em>, including the title track and \u201cSlow Stroke.\u201d The highlight is a long awaited recording of one of Macpherson\u2019s most requested live numbers, and one that\u2019s been around for years yet has never been recorded, \u201cCompany Store.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">If you\u2019ve ever seen Macpherson\u2019s gripping live performances, you know that he doesn\u2019t need anything to keep an audience entertained, he can do spoken word, a capella, and solo singer\/songwriter stuff with ease. Fans of the rockin\u2019 band stuff on his last CD should not worry, this stripped back disc is not mellow folk music; Macpherson still packs a mighty punch all by himself. This 19 minute EP will surely whet listeners\u2019 appetites for his next full length rocker, which is rumoured to be out later this year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(G7 Welcoming Committee,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gregmacpherson.com\/\">www.gregmacpherson.com<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"left\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><strong>LISA LOEB<br \/>\nHello Lisa<br \/>\nBy Jeff Robson<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><em>The Uniter,\u00a0<\/em>publication date: January 15, 2004<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\">official website:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/\">http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Hello Lisa,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">I know it\u2019s been a while. I know you must be wondering why I\u2019ve written you after so long. You see, in 1994 when you first came into my life with that irresistibly sexy song \u201cStay\u201d from the movie<em>Reality Bites<\/em>, I knew that there was something special about you. I waited patiently as major labels trampled over each other to sign you, and I was among the first to pick up your debut CD\u00a0<em>Tails.<\/em>That was in 1995 and I was in love. You were just so cute and sensitive and fun. Plus, who didn\u2019t love them fancy glasses of yours?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">But alas, our love was not one meant to last, let\u2019s be honest with ourselves here, the magic kind of fizzled for album #2,\u00a0<em>Firecracker.<\/em>\u00a0It was good, but there are other cute girls in the world and I admit, I began to stray. The next CD\u00a0<em>Cake and Pie<\/em>\u00a0was a big disappointment and I figured our love was gone for good. So much so, that I never even bothered to pick up the latest CD when it came out in 2002. But the fine folks at Artemis Records wanted to play matchmaker, so they sent me a copy in hopes that I\u2019d come around.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">And I have, dear Lisa. You\u2019ve outdone yourself this time. Finally, you\u2019re making me swoon all over again with that dreamy voice and crafting some damn fine pop songs. The CD starts off on a strong note with \u201cDid That,\u201d a groovy rock number, before settling down with a slow sweet number \u201cUnderdog.\u201d There are a bunch of other great tracks, but my favourite by far is the wonderful \u201cBring Me Up,\u201d which I love almost as much as those early hits. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll give much of the thanks to your new musical partner, Dweezil Zappa, who co-produced, co-wrote, and played on most of the album. Good for him and good for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">I\u2019m glad to have you back in my life Lisa, and I hope this is a new beginning for a strong relationship between us that\u2019s bound to last this time. Of course, I\u2019m not sure how you explain the fact that your new CD is for kids, but I haven\u2019t heard that one yet, so I guess I\u2019ll wait and see.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Love,<br \/>\nJeff<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><strong>JESSE MALIN<br \/>\nThe Fine Art of Self Destruction<br \/>\nBy Jeff Robson<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><em>The Uniter,\u00a0<\/em>publication date: January 15, 2004<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\">official website:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/\">http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><em>The Fine Art of Self Destruction<\/em>\u00a0is the solo debut for singer\/songwriter Jesse Malin, who spent years with New York based punk influenced rock band D Generation. Much of the rock and roll ethic is here, this CD is as rough and rockin\u2019 as all get out at times, but Jesse\u2019s obviously mellowed a bit also, since many of the songs are more laid back acoustic numbers. He\u2019s a prot\u00e9g\u00e9 of Ryan Adams, who produced the CD and appears on much of it. Malin\u2019s got a very interesting and unique voice that works really well in the right instances, but gets really annoying in others. On the opening cut, \u201cQueen of the Underworld,\u201d his wavering voice works nicely with the understated arrangement to create a very accessible laid back groove that isn\u2019t hard on the ears at all. The third track, \u201cWendy\u201d is a killer rock groove with just enough rootsy country vibe. I\u2019d buy the CD just for that song alone. \u201cRiding on the Subway\u201d is also a great, groovy moment. Unfortunately, not all of the album\u2019s moments work so well, there are a few tracks like \u201cSolitaire\u201d that just don\u2019t work at all and Malin\u2019s voice comes across as very thin, whiny, and annoying. There are enough good songs to make this a promising debut, but there\u2019s also a lot of room for growth in the consistency department.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Artemis,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jessemalin.com\/\">www.jessemalin.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;\">BOTTLENECK<br \/>\nLate Nights, Early Mornings<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><br \/>\nPublished in Stylus Magazine December\/January issue<br \/>\nwebsite:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.stylusmag.mb.ca\/\">www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">This Vancouver based outfit is fronted by two singer\/songwriters, Scott Smith and Robyn Carrigan. Having two lead singers and songwriters can either make for a great singing duo (Blue Rodeo\u2019s Keelor\/Cuddy, for example) or two distinct individuals who don\u2019t share much but a backing band. The latter is the case with Bottleneck. On their debut release, they even go so far as to switch songs, he\u2019ll do one, then she\u2019ll do one, etc. This is both a blessing and a curse, since neither one of them has a voice quite strong enough to carry an entire album or set of songs, yet it leaves the CD feeling like a compilation, instead of a cohesive album. And they switch musical styles almost as often as they do singers; most of it\u2019s country based, but there are jazz, blues, and more. I get the feeling that when these pieces are assembled with others into a live show, they could be a really amazing live band, but the recording is less amazing. Don\u2019t get me wrong, there are some great moments on the disc, such as Carrigan\u2019s soothing Mclachlan-Harmer-esque vocal on \u201cDiamond Ring,\u201d Smith\u2019s beautifully laid back jazzy \u201cSummer Days,\u201d and my favourite, the slow country heartache of the title track.\u00a0<em>Late Nights, Early Mornings<\/em>\u00a0is a pleasing and very promising CD that leads me to suspect that once Bottleneck finds its sound and pulls everything together, great things could result.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Black Hen Music,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.blackhenmusic.com\/\">www.blackhenmusic.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;\">THE CASH BROTHERS<br \/>\nA Brand New Night<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><br \/>\nPublished in Stylus Magazine December\/January issue<br \/>\nwebsite:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.stylusmag.mb.ca\/\">www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">For a couple of Canadian guys, Andrew and Peter Cash are able to make some pretty darn good Americana music. They\u2019ve got enough rough around the edges country grit to make one wonder if they\u2019re the offspring of the greatest Cash of them all, Johnny (they\u2019re not) but they also have the ability to make great, accessible melodies more akin to pop music. And why not, Andrew hit it big as a pop star at the end of the 80s and Peter is a huge part of the reason why The Skydiggers are so well loved and why that band hasn\u2019t done anything notable since he left. Thrown together, the brothers seem to bring out the best in one another. They sing and work together well as a duo, almost as if they were, well, you know&#8230; Andrew\u2019s still crafting great melodies (as on the groovy, funky \u201cGive Me Your Hips) and Peter\u2019s still got that great ultra low growly voice (as on \u201cTillsonburg\u201d).\u00a0<em>A Brand New Night<\/em>\u00a0is their first CD recorded since they started to make waves in the U.S. and it contains some pretty great, catchy songs that should be a big hit on AAA radio, but won\u2019t ever make it on the air in their homeland. The CD gets a little too laid back and sleepy at times, but the great tracks make this a CD worth having.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">\u00a0\u00a0(Zo\u00eb,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cashbrothers.com\/\">www.cashbrothers.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;\">JP HOE<\/span><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;\"><br \/>\nThe Here in Review EP<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><br \/>\nPublished in Stylus Magazine December\/January issue<br \/>\nwebsite:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.stylusmag.mb.ca\/\">www.stylusmag.mb.ca<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Winnipeg singer\/songwriter JP Hoe&#8217;s original pop songs are like musical heroin. Once you get a taste of that sweet, sweet smack, you&#8217;ll be itching to come back for more. His brand of musical narcotic is\u00a0interesting and melodic intelligent pop, and he serves it up well. &#8220;Fine&#8221; has the kind of melodic hook that&#8217;ll turn you into a JP junky in an instant, and &#8220;Lady Bliss&#8221; will put you in exactly that state, no matter what your gender.\u00a0There&#8217;s a kind of beautiful simplicity to the lyrics and melodies that makes them so easy to digest. It\u2019s clear that he\u2019s a young songwriter still perfecting his craft, but he uses his strengths well to create some darn addictive stuff. Probably the biggest strength is Hoe&#8217;s full, resonant voice. It surprised me none to learn that Hoe has extensive theatre experience; he&#8217;s used it well in the way he&#8217;s able to send words out like a sonic boom, and then drop back down to a whisper without losing any potency. I wouldn\u2019t say he\u2019s ready for the big time just yet, but there\u2019s enough potential on this EP to make you want to keep an eye on this guy. Enough chattin&#8217;, I&#8217;m ready to hook up with another fix of JP Hoe, yo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Independent,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jphoe.com\/\">www.jphoe.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><\/strong><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: large;\"><a href=\"http:\">RYAN ADAMS<br \/>\nRock N Roll<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><br \/>\nPublished in The Uniter<br \/>\nofficial website:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/\">http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Just when I had started compiling my year-end best of list along comes a last minute sure-fire candidate. Ryan Adams has always been lumped in with the alt.country\/roots crowd and he\u2019s signed to Lost Highway, one of the most renowned labels of that genre. He gained that reputation via his work with Whiskeytown, one of the most notable bands of that genre. But his previous solo stuff has leaned more towards pop\/rock, without losing the rootsy edge and credibility. Well, there ain\u2019t a thing that\u2019s rootsy about this new record. As the title implies, this is full on, volume to 11, decibel pounding rock and roll, and it\u2019s a damn fine example of that, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">I recently read that Kurt Cobain\u2019s death signaled the end of the true rock and roll era. Well, Adams may be Cobain reincarnated, or at the very least he\u2019s channeling him, because I haven\u2019t heard a gritty rock and roll album that was this exciting since\u00a0<em>Nevermind<\/em>\u00a0a decade ago. The opening track \u201cThis is It,\u201d is a head banging grungy rocker that is every bit as accessible and energetic as Nirvana at its best. The next track, \u201cShallow,\u201d is a more laid back rocker, but the energy jumps back up with \u201c1974.\u201d \u201cWish You Were Here\u201d pours out obscene frustration in every line \u201c[everybody] knows the way I feel about you\/It\u2019s all a bunch of shit\/And there\u2019s nothing to do around here\/It\u2019s totally fucked up\/I\u2019m totally fucked up\/Wish you were here.\u201d And Adams seems to be exorcising some frustration and demons in some other songs as well. It\u2019s the brutal honesty of songs like \u201cNote To Self: Don\u2019t Die,\u201d \u201cAnybody Wanna Take Me Home,\u201d and \u201cThe Drugs Not Working,\u201d that really give this album its awesome power. But it\u2019s not all grunge rock, \u201cSo Alive\u201d and \u201cBoys\u201d sound like vintage early U2, before they started to suck.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Long live\u00a0<em>Rock N Roll<\/em>!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Lost Highway,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ryan-adams.com\/\">www.ryan-adams.com<\/a>)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"left\">\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;\">EMMYLOU HARRIS<br \/>\nStumble Into Grace<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><br \/>\nPublished in The Uniter October 9, 2003<br \/>\nofficial website:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/\">http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Now, I gotta be honest, I\u2019m a big fan of that gorgeous Emmylou Harris voice. I love hearing that voice backing up other artists, and I\u2019m a huge fan of her records also. But, I\u2019m a big time record reviewer here, so I have to be critical.\u00a0<em>Stumble Into Grace<\/em>\u00a0is a pretty mellow and laid back record, and some of the moments can be a bit sleepy, but this is Emmylou Harris we\u2019re talking about, so that shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise. She made a comeback of sorts and gained mainstream praise and acceptance with her 1995 masterpiece\u00a0<em>Wrecking Ball<\/em>, which perfectly matched her glorious vocals and some amazing songs by some great songwriters with the production genius of Daniel Lanois. The follow up,\u00a0<em>Red Dirt Girl<\/em>, produced by Malcolm Burn, was a return to songwriting for Harris, who didn\u2019t write one by herself on\u00a0<em>WB<\/em>. This new one follows along those lines again, with Harris doing the bulk of the songwriting and Burn producing. But one can\u2019t help but hear Lanois\u2019 influence all over this CD, even though he only contributes to two songs on it. Other notable guests include Jane Siberry, Linda Ronstadt, Colin Linden, Gillian Welch, and of course her frequent collaborators and back up band members, Buddy and Julie Miller. With all of that talent and history, the record can\u2019t go wrong. Before I start raving again, I\u2019ll admit that not all of the songs are home runs, but, come on, with such obvious talent and a voice like that, what more do you need?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Nonesuch,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nonesuch.com\/Lo_Band\/index_frameset2.htm\">www.nonesuch.com<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffcc; font-family: Comic Sans MS; font-size: medium;\">VARIOUS ARTISTS<br \/>\nBeautiful: A Tribute To Gordon Lightfoot<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">By Jeff Robson<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;\"><br \/>\nPublished in The Uniter October 9, 2003<br \/>\nofficial website:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/\">http:\/\/newwinnipeg.com\/uniter\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">Earlier this year, two of Canada\u2019s finest roots labels, Borealis and Northern Blues combined forces to release the all-star\u00a0<em>Johnny\u2019s Blues<\/em>, a tribute to the bluer side of Johnny Cash. Well, as good as that record was, they\u2019ve already outdone themselves with this tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. It\u2019s hard to believe that nobody\u2019s thought of a tribute to old Gord sooner, so the choices of songs and artists to pull contributions from was pretty well unlimited. And what a diverse combination of artists it is that pays tribute. Big names like Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, and Bruce Cockburn all step in, but listeners should find themselves with far more interesting tracks to spend time on. Cowboy Junkies start the disc off in fine fashion with \u201cThe Way I Feel,\u201d which leads nicely into Jesse Winchester\u2019s beautifully funky \u201cSundown.\u201d It\u2019s contributions like these that take Lightfoot\u2019s originals and add something new that are the biggest winners. Others try to stay true to the original, as on Connie Kaldor\u2019s \u201cIf You Could Read My Mind,\u201d which, outside of the change in the singer\u2019s gender, doesn\u2019t change much at all. One has to wonder why someone would think she could do the original one better by staying the same course when the classic is so darn good. Also questionable is the CD\u2019s closer, an original composition by Aengus Finnan, which is a nice enough effort, but I\u2019d much rather hear another Lightfoot song, personally. Stand out tracks include those done by Ron Sexsmith, Terry Tufts, and Harry Manx. This is a great tribute to a truly great songwriter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: small;\">(Borealis Records\/Northern Blues,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.borealisrecords.com\/\">www.borealisrecords.com<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.northernblues.com\/\">www.northernblues.com<\/a>)<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; REID JAMIESON The Unavoidable Truth By Jeff Robson published in\u00a0Stylus\u00a0Magazine June\/July 2004 official website:\u00a0\u00a0www.stylusmag.mb.ca \u00a0 If I could ever judge a guy by the strength of the company keeps, I knew I\u2019d like Reid Jamieson before I even heard this CD. The CD is produced by Josh Finlayson, the co-leader of the Skydiggers, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2sGGb-1Y","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124,"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122\/revisions\/124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellthebandtogohome.com\/sbfrrnew\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}