CD Review: Jupe Jupe - Crooked Kisses

Photo from Jupe Jupe Facebook page.

Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.

Countless bands these days look back to the 1980s for inspiration, but Jupe Jupe distinguishes itself by focusing on the darker and more brooding side of New Wave. Think of Ultravox or Talk Talk, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what this Seattle-based quartet is up to on its third full-length release, Crooked Kisses. Most of these tracks stretch beyond the five-minute mark, which gives listeners plenty of time to delve into the atmospheric arrangements and ominous lyrics about everything from small-minded townspeople to cosmic disaster.

On “Autumn October” and “Love To Watch You Fall,” lead singer My Young’s vocals resonate above a lush mix of his keyboards playing and the energetic guitars of Bryan Manzo and Patrick Partington. Drummer Jarrod Arbini anchors the bottom-heavy rhythms of “Darkness,” and Jupe Jupe opts for a straight up rock approach (albeit with synthesizers) on the social satire of “Vicariously.” “Whispers Kill” comes a bit too close to being overly precious, but Jupe Jupe expertly combines bitterness with an irresistible melody on Crooked Kisses’ first single, “Pieces Of You.”

Correction And Additions

Sometimes you add the wrong spice to your Slumgullion and it comes out tasting a bit off. Yesterday, while mentioning the upcoming Back In Black CD by Archie Powell And The Exports, I noted that it probably had more power pop music on it than the Black Sabbath album of the same name. I know perfectly well that it was AC/DC who recorded Back In Black, so I have no idea why I wrote Black Sabbath. Maybe the devil made me do it. I have since gone back and corrected the error.

This is very late notice, but I just saw the post on Facebook. Milly’s Tropical Family Fling will be swinging (in a family entertainment way) at SPACE in Evanston tomorrow afternoon, starting at 2:00 PM. The performers include Frank Orrall of the formerly tropical Hawaiian now artic Chicago band Poi Dog Pondering; hula dancing by Lani Aloha and Company, tropical magic by Dennis DeBondt and tropical knife twirling by Ashley Greyer; and the teen but apparently not tropical band Nothing In Common. The Niles North Steel Pan Ensemble (directed by Michael Moehlmann) will be on hand, along with other special guests. Also, look for Brigid Murphy as Milly May to bring her own brand of homespun fun to the proceedings.

If attending Milly’s Tropical Orchid Show isn’t enough to shake the icicles from your cranium, try envisioning a pleasant evening under the stars watching live music at Ravinia. Here are some highlights from the recently announced 2014 calendar:

Sarah McLachlan - Saturday, June 5;  Crosby, Stills And Nash - Saturday, July 9;  Heart - Sunday, August 8; The Beach Boys and The Temptations - Tuesday, August 26;  Summer ‘80s New Wave Tour with Tom Bailey of The Thompson Twins, Howard Jones, and others to be announced - Wednesday, August 27; Jeff Beck and ZZ Top - Thursday, August 28;  The Moody Blues - Thursday, September 4 and Friday, September 5;  and Classic Albums Live Performs The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

Slumgullion

Note: On yesterday’s post about the Chiditarod, I mentioned that it would be wrapping up at the Bottom Lounge on Lake Street. The Chicago-based mobile charity event has since changed its final destination, so anyone interested in going should check out the official Chiditarod website for route information.

Archie Powell And The Exports, a long-time favorite here at BHT, kicked off a U.S. tour today in anticipation of their next CD. Back In Black, which no doubt has more acerbic power pop than the AC/DC album of the same name, will drop on April 28th. The Back In Black Tour has dates in Hot Springs and Little Rock, AR; St. Louis, MO; Lawrence, KS; Fort Worth and Austin, TX; Lexington and Louisville, KY; and Indianapolis, IN. Several of those dates will be with indie rockers The Damn Choir, who recently released their own CD, Creatures Of Habit. By the way, Marty Kane, formerly with the Chicago synth rock band Dot Dot Dot, is the new drummer for The Damn Choir.

Dave Davies will be performing at the Barbican Hall in London on Friday, April 11th. According to his Facebook page, this will be the Kinks guitarist’s first UK concert in 13 years. I saw Dave Davies and his band (featuring members of The Jigsaw Seen) last summer at an outdoor gig in Chicago, so I know the citizens of London are in for a treat.

Australian singer-multi instrumentalist Joe Algeri continues to keep a hectic schedule. He’s a member of the international power pop trio The Britannicas, who are wrapping up their next full-length effort, and he’s just released a new five-song EP Love Dumb. I’m hoping to post a review in the new future.

Do you know what they call a birthday card in England? A birthday card. If you still remember a joke similar to that involving a chair on the Dick Van Dyke Show, then you might want to send a card to Jeremy Clyde of the British Invasion act Chad And Jeremy. They’re still out touring, and when I saw them last August at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago, they put on a great show. Jeremy turns 73 on March 22nd, and the duo’s management is asking fans to send greetings to the following address: Jeremy Clyde c/o F. Jason Rhoden 13513 Greentree Dr. Tampa, FL. 33613

There’s a nice profile and some performance footage of the power pop/rock band Aaron Fox And The Reliables on The Almanac Mag online magazine. 

Sabers, a new band led by Josh Chicoine of the eccentric pop band The M’s, has an album release party for its debut, Sic Semper Sabers, coming up on March 22nd at The Hideout. The Sabers lineup also includes veterans of Poi Dog Pondering, Head Of Femur, and The 1900s.

Rocking And Freezing For Good Causes

As noted here a while back, there will be a Lou Reed tribute show at The Empty Bottle in Chicago this Sunday, March 2nd. Perfect Day will bring together an impressive lineup of local talent to benefit Lurie’s Children’s Hospital. The participating bands are Supercell Mothership, Energy Gown, Phil Angotti And Friends, The Red Plastic Buddha, The Luck Of Eden Hall, and Tanglewood. Tickets are $10, and the tribute kicks off at 7:00 PM.

There’s been a lot of coverage in the local news about brand new Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon coming to town to take a dip in the icy Lake Michigan water at North Avenue Beach along with Mayor Rahm Emanuel this Sunday morning at 10:00AM. The Polar Plunge is a charity event that raises money for Special Olympics Chicago.

One day earlier, The Chiditarod, AKA Chicago’s Urban Iditarod, will kick off its annual race involving imaginatively decked-out shopping carts at 12:30 PM. The starting gate is located at 1900 W. Hubbard, and teams of exotic competitors will wind their way through a currently undisclosed path (see the website for details) to the finish line some time after 4:00 PM. Organizers claim this is “probably the world’s largest mobile food drive that combines elements of a race with costumes, shopping carts, and pageantry.”

The event benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and in 2013, the The Chiditarod Foundation gave out $20,000 in grants to 501(c)3 organizations devoted to alleviating hunger in the Chicago area. To make a contribution, log on to Greater Chicago Food Depository website. To make it more fun, pick out one of the racing teams to support, throw on your warmest clothes, and cheer them on this Saturday afternoon. 

Wrapping Up Fresh Fruits

As previously mentioned here on BHT, the U.K.-based Fruits de Mer Records recently released a new batch of seven-inch singles on colored vinyl. (I reviewed Crystal Jacqueline on 2-18 and Bronco Frog on 2-20 last week.) Here’s a quick rundown on the remaining three singles.

Us and Them contributed an ethereal reading of “Butterfly” to the various artists compilation Re-Evolution: FDM Sings The Hollies, and apparently this Scandinavian duo has been on the label’s radar for some time. For their new single, Us and Them offer a beautiful version of Sandy Denny’s “By The Time It Gets Dark.” Lead singer Britt Rönnholm’s classic folk singer vocals are set to Anders Håkanson’s beguiling guitar and keyboards arrangement. Us and Them bring an authentic medieval ambience to “Jabberwocky,” Donovan’s reworking of the Lewis Carroll poem, and impress with the haunting vocals and atmosphere of their own composition, “Do I Know You.”

The American band Schizo Fun Addict takes a cinematic approach on its single by tackling the theme from the Italian cult horror movie Suspiria, along with a cover of “In The Long Run,” from Russ Meyer’s Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls flick. “Suspiria” is mostly instrumental, with the exception of female vocalist Jane (couldn’t find a last name) singing “la la la” over a marching drumbeat and bubbling synthesizers. The band, led by musician/filmmaker Jet Wintzer, gives “In The Long Run” a breezy mid-1960s feel via horns and Jane’s interwoven vocals.

The British band Schnauser taps into some of its major influences with adventurous covers of “Astral Traveler” from the Time And A Word LP by Yes, and “As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still” from Soft Machine’s Volume Two release. On its version of “Astral Traveler,” Schnauser brews up a funky and psychedelic vibe with percussion that evokes Santana. “As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still” is an imaginative prog rock gem with an extended instrumental break.  

Slumgullion

Déjà vu Listings. The following gigs were mentioned in last Friday’s Slumgullion, but here’s a quick reminder of what’s going on tomorrow night: Alejandro Escovedo and former R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck at Lincoln Hall. * Bluefish Fellows, The Viaducts, The Mike Michalak Band, and Captain Coopersmith at the Goose Island Wrigleyville Pub on Clark Street. * Kevin Lee And The Kings at the LiveWire Lounge in Chicago, along with Pete Berwick and The Renegades, and Lynch. Van Go and 92 Degrees at Phyllis’ Musical Inn. * Gerry O’Keefe and Scott Niekelski from the band Go Time! at The Buzz Cafe in Oak Park. See last Friday’s Slumgullion for more details.

Déjà vu Composer. It wasn’t clear why David Crosby, who penned the title track for the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Déjà Vu LP, postponed his two-night stay at City Winery in Chicago a few weeks back. Now it has been revealed that Crosby underwent heart surgery. The two shows have been rescheduled for some time in July. Best wishes to Croz for a speedy recovery.

Save The Date For Save The Clock Tower. I’m urging everyone in the Chicago area to come out to see Save The Clock Tower at Durty Nellie’s in my quaint hometown of Palatine this coming Thursday, February 27th. I’ve never seen Save The Clock Tower perform live, but in a review of their second release, Carousel, I noted that the band, “employs various methods for bringing a distinctive edge to each of its lush techno songs.” I went on to write, “‘Drip’ opens with a flourish of synthesizer playing, and is infused with middle eastern rhythms. ‘The One Thing’ uses vocal distortion similar to Tom Tom Club’s ‘The Man With The 4 Way Hips’ in a sinister tale of stalking, while the shimmering ‘Far Apart’ mixes ethereal voices and a dance club beat.” This is an ambitious booking for Durty Nellies, and if the club is amply rewarded, it may continue to book outside the copy band box.

The King Of Soul—Acoustic Otis Redding show is coming back to City Winery in Chicago on March 3rd. Singer Gerald McLendon will be recreating the legendary soul singer’s hit songs, along with guitarist Carlo Basile from Las Guitarras De Espana, violinist Chihsuan Yang, and noted guest musicians.

Come aboard, they’ll be rocking you. It’s not the Love Boat, but it does have Heart. Ann and Nancy Wilson, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, Indigo Girls, Estelle, and Skylar Grey will be performing on the Grammy Festival At Sea Women Who Rock cruise, scheduled to take place November 4 through the 8th. The ship leaves Miami and then travels to the Grand Bahamas and Nassau. On a related note, Heart is releasing its Fanatic Live CD, recorded at the Caesars Colosseum, on February 25th.

The coed rock quartet Panther Style has a record preview party lined up at the Township restaurant/cafe/concert venue in Chicago on April 11th. 

The online V Magazine has a psychedelic, floral-inspired video for “Too True To Be Good” from the impressive new Too True CD from The Dum Dum Girls.

As a Chicagoan, I’m developing a bad case of power pop envy. First, Los Angeles has The Wild Honey Benefit  featuring The Bangles, Matthew Sweet, The Muffs, The Three O’Clock, Denny Laine, and others, coming up on March 1st. Now New York has the two-day Brooklyn Power Pop Festival, co-sponsored by Trouser Press and The Bell House rock club, in May. Dwight Twilley, Pezband, and 1-800-Band will be performing on May 9th. Shoes, Paul Collins Beat, and Games are scheduled for the 10th. It’s not clear if any other acts will be there over two days, but this is already an impressive showcase of power pop royalty.

And now, good news for Chicago power pop fans. International Pop Overthrow has announced the schedule for its IPO - Chicago run at the Red Line Tap from April 10th through April 19th. A number of favorite acts will be on the schedule again this year, including The Right Tidys, Van Go, Dave Rave, The Unswept, Kevin Lee and The Kings, Mike Vanderbilt, The Viaducts, Lannie Flowers, Phil Angotti, The Abbeys, Jeremy, Magatha Trysty, and The Romeros.

Single Review: Bronco Bullfrog - “Time Waits For Norman”

Bronco Bullfrog’s new single is part of that latest batch of releases from the vinyl-only U.K. label Fruits de Mer. (See Tuesday’s post for a review of Crystal Jacqueline and The Honey Pot.) Their name (possibly taken from a 1970 film) might be unfamiliar to a majority of Americans, but these guys have been performing for almost two decades in England. Judging by the three tracks on this colored vinyl single, Bronco Bullfrog has a deep fascination with 1960s music.

“Time Waits For Norman,” a tale of a kleptomaniac stalking a small town, emulates “Strawberry Fields” with its panoramic view and clever character studies. The melody and harmony vocals are gorgeous, even as the lyrics lament the banality of middle class life, with lines like, “What is there to show, ‘cept for growing old?” “Working Horse Mender” is an unabashed children’s tune about a shop where wooden horses go to begin a new life after they’ve fallen off a carousel. The descriptive and innocent imagery recalls the more ornate efforts of The Bee Gees and The Hollies.

A cover of “Listen To The Sky” by a short-lived Brit group called Sands provides another sterling example of how so many Fruits de Mer artists unearth treasures from another era and make them new again. “Listen To The Sky” has a more rock-oriented arrangement than the other two tracks here, while maintaining Bronco Bullfrog’s penchant for intricate vocal interplay.