45 RPM Memories: The Elvis Brothers - “Motormouth”

A semi-regular feature about some of my favorite singles from the past.

I mentioned a few times recently that it’s a mistake for a rock band to end a CD with a slow song. Maybe I’m thinking along the lines of a lines of a live performance, where musicians usually aim to leave a lasting impression on the audience via a big finish. The exception to the CD rule would be a short song that ends the disc on a quirky note, or acts as a reprise of an earlier track.

One of the best examples of ending with a bang can be found on Now Dig This, the reunion CD released by The Elvis Brothers back in 1992 on the Recession label. “Motormouth,” penned by drummer Brad Elvis, opens with what sounds like a snippet from a vintage screwball comedy as some guy repeatedly shouts, “You shut your mouth!” From there, Rob Elvis’s guitar breaks loose, quickly followed by a driving beat provided by Brad Elvis and bassist Graham Elvis. The song has a familiar, classic rock ‘n’ roll feel, and it’s filled with clever observations about a woman who just won’t stop yakking, like “Stop that girl before she drives us all insane” and “Well, I can’t imagine her on a little caffeine.” And keep in mind this was before the proliferation of cell phones.

The 45 RPM version of “Motormouth” came out on green vinyl, and had a card inside the jacket that described it as the vinyl/video mix (a performance video can be seen on YouTube). The startling sleeve art was created by Brad Elvis. The fun continues on the B-side, with the previously unreleased “Rock For It,” which was written by Rob Elvis. It’s a seductive number with a slinky arrangement, and like “Motormouth,” it has the feel of a live performance.

CD Review: The Britannicas - Self-titled

I’ve been hearing about The Britannicas for some time now, mostly via Facebook updates from vocalist-guitarist Herb Eimerman. I’m still not clear as to whether the members of this band have actually met each other. Eimerman, who has recorded power pop solo efforts as well as having teamed up with Jeff Murphy of Shoes as The Nerk Twins, lives in America. Vocalist-guitarist Magnus Karlsson, who has performed with Happydeadmen and The Charade, lives in Sweden; and vocalist-drummer Joe Algeri, who was part of Jack & The Beanstalk, resides in Australia. The three musicians recorded tracks in their home studios, and eventually, the puzzle was pieced together and mixed at Mixmagic Productions. So The Britannicas have used modern technology to create music that sounds like it’s over 40 years old.

Once you get past the irony of the situation, it’s easy to admire the results of this international experiment. The Byrds are the most obvious influence on this self-titled debut, judging from the ringing guitars, harmonies, and sophisticated tempo changes, particularly on the opening track, “Those Good Vibrations.” The easy-going 1960s vibe on “Stars” also evokes Peter & Gordon, while the harder-edged “Baby Say Yeah Yeah” sounds more like garage rock. The highly polished “One Of These Nights” proves that working in three separate countries apparently didn’t cause any production problems for these guys. “The Girl From Majasana” has the most modern edge, sounding a bit like something The Smithereens might have done. As I noted before, I don’t think it’s a good idea to end a CD with slow tunes, but by the time The Britannicas do that here, they’ve already made a good impression.

The Britannicas' debut CD, which was released via Kool Kat Musik, should be available on cdbaby and iTunes within the next few days.

Slumgullion #17

Photo from Paul McCartney’s MySpace page.

Longtime listeners of WXRT in Chicago know how fanatical on-air personality Terri Hemmert is about The Beatles. So we all shared in her excitement this week when she was one of the chosen few invited to watch Sir Paul McCartney receive the Gershwin Prize at the White House. Hemmert called in to Lin Brehmer’s show from Washington, D.C. the next morning to describe her adventure, and her genuine excitement was touching. Congratulations, Terri! And of course, congratulations to Paul.

Speaking of WXRT, Saturday Morning Flashback, the program that each week examines a different year via songs, sound bites, and host Wendy Rice’s charming commentary, celebrates its 25th Anniversary tomorrow. It will feature the year when Flashback began, 1985.

A few months back, Puerto Muerto, the Chicago-based indie rock duo comprised of vocalist-percussionist Christa Meyer and vocalist-guitarist Tim Kelley shocked its fans by breaking up shortly after the release of its critically acclaimed CD, Dueling For Pistols. Meyer has since formed a new project called Man Is Man with cello player Ben Kulp. True to Meyer’s eclectic background, the name is a reference to play by Bertolt Brecht. Man Is Man’s stark but enchanting first song, “The Disease” can be heard on its MySpace page.

Galileo Players have a long history of successfully mining humor from intellectual material. The Chicago-based improv troupe, whose founding member Matt Hovde has become a highly successful director in town, is now making episodes of its ambitious Science Digest web video series, including the 1981 pilot episode “The Astronaut,” available on YouTube.

Anyone who has seen The Bangles play live in recent years has surely noticed their exuberant keyboards player “Harpo” Hilfman. Now the band is coming to the aid of his wife, who needs a kidney transplant. They’ll be performing a Benefit Concert For Cindi Hilfman, which will be held just outside of Los Angeles on July 30th at Theatricum Botanicum. Fans can also support Ms. Hilfman by bidding on Bangles items, such as a skirt donated by Susanna Hoffs, on eBay. Best wishes to Mrs. Harpo.

While its sad to see The Go-Go’s breaking up, at least their farewell tour has given a number of fans a chance to express their creativity. The band and the Rock ‘n Load entertainment agency are sponsoring a contest to design a t-shirt that will become part of the tour’s official merchandise. The deadline is June 17th, and several of the entries can already be viewed on Rock ‘n Load’s Facebook page.

CD Review: Care For All: Musicians For Healthcare

Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.

Care For All: Musicians For Healthcare aims to help fund the Vermont Workers’ Center’s Healthcare Is A Human Right Campaign. With its roster of roots rock artists, this benefit CD is far less likely to top the charts than the star-studded Hope For Haiti Now. Still, producer-guitarist Scott Ainslie is betting its message will resonate with the numerous American musicians who shell out big bucks for individual healthcare policies with high deductibles and little coverage.

Activist-author Si Kahn sings and plays guitar on his “Care For All,” one of the few songs specifically composed for this CD. Ainslie covers Stephen Foster’s revered chestnut “Hard Times Come Again No More,” and Pete Sutherland’s “Our Time’s Not Up” offers an optimistic view set to an enticing blend of Celtic and African music. Chris Kleeman’s freewheeling “Scratch It While You Can” is one of three melodic instrumental tracks on Care For All while “Never Learn” by The Devil Makes Three packs the emotional punch of vintage protest music.

On “Suffering Of The People,” Anais Mitchell and Maddub back a persuasive speech by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders with techno beats and a spirited chorus of, “The industry is built on the suffering of the people” that underscores Sanders’ contention that affordable healthcare for all is a civil rights issue.

CD Review: The Morning Benders - Big Echo

Note: This review originally ran in the Illinois Entertainer.

The Morning Benders, whose members hail from New York and San Francisco, experiment with more ornate arrangements on Big Echo than they have on previous recordings. The Everly Brothers style harmonies on the opening ballad “Excuses” recall a 1950s era prom, and the ethereal finale “Sleeping In” evokes a heavenly choir floating among the clouds. Along the way, the band’s inventive mix of guitars, percussion, and keyboards is augmented by singer-guitarist Christopher Chu’s evocative vocals.

Drummer Julian Harmon also plays a major role in the CD’s approach; adding a tribal beat to the mysterious “Hand Me Downs” and propelling the disjointed symphony, “Pleasure Sighs.” “Promises” is another slow-moving track that achieves an off-kilter beauty, while the harder-edged “Cold War” and “All Day Day Light” are melodic rock and roll tunes. Like an expansive landscape that listeners can lose themselves in, Big Echo is a CD that really lives up to its name.

CD Review: Librarians - Present Passed

Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.

The West Virginia-based Librarians continue to spin mind-altering techno-pop on their second full-length effort, Present Passed. The band’s two lead singers, Ryan Hizer and Trey Curtis, join forces on ethereal harmonies while their guitar playing adds shimmering layers of atmosphere. Most of the 10 tracks have a richly textured, nocturnal feel, even as the Librarians shift back and forth from ballads to dance music. Amazingly, none of the band members (drummer Billy Parsons and bassist-guitarist Kyle Vass round out the line-up) is credited with playing the synthesizers that figure so prominently throughout the CD.

The slow, enticing opener, “Marilla Park,” draws listeners in with an arrangement that harks back to the 1980s, while the melodic “Wait And See” is pretty much irresistible. “Cranberry Palace” sounds like classic British Invasion pop reinvented by aliens, while the exotic rhythms and haunting vocals on the short and fun “Island Jam” evoke images of monks on holiday in the Caribbean. “Kid Stuff,” a clever checklist of how to survive in the modern world (“Whatever you do, keep your head up - - - Spell all the words right”) is the most dance club-oriented track on the highly entertaining Present Passed.

CD Review: Kevin Lee & The Kings - Dusk Till Dawn

Kevin Lee’s hard-hitting Dusk Till Dawn is a worthy follow-up to his 2006 full-length effort, Flip The Switch, and furthers his long-standing reputation as an engaging singer-guitarist. Now working with a new back-up band called The Kings, he continues to create melodic songs that meld power pop and hard rock. Lee co-produced his latest effort with Rick Barnes, who’s well known for working with artists like Smashing Pumpkins. The E.P.’s huge, highly polished approach gets a boost from three additional guitarists Lee has brought on board.

“The Other Side,” a high-speed tale of supernatural romance involving a dark-haired temptress, has the feel of hit single. Like “Next Big Thing,” a slap at the way entertainment moguls prepackage superstars, it’s fueled by some searing guitar playing. The mid-tempo “I Still Believe” evokes Cheap Trick as Lee sings of yearning for love and support, while the more energetic power pop of “Slip Away” presents a man and woman who both refuse to confront the problems that are destroying their relationship. An unlisted final track finds Lee working in an acoustic setting, as he portrays a weary world-traveler trying to make his way back to the hometown he left years earlier.

Kevin Lee & The Kings have two gigs coming up in June; Jeff Fest on Chicago’s northwest side on June 26th, and at the Best Buy Stage at Taste of Chicago on June 27th.