Demo-Listen Derby

Photo from the Save The Clocktower Facebook page.

Good Ol' Freda Update: It looks like Freda Kelly and the filmmakers behind the documentary about her days of overseeing the worldwide Official Beatles Fan Club are going to reach

their Kickstarter fundraising goal. Good Ol' Freda has until this Saturday to pick up $50,000 in pledges, and as of today the total is at $49,631. There’s still time to jump in and be part of the fun. There are perks for making a donation.

And now on to some local band CD reviews that I originally did for the Illinois Entertainer.

Save The Clocktower employs various methods for bringing a distinctive edge to each of the lush techno songs on its second release, Carousel. “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.

People familiar with Jonathan Rundman’s catchy pop songs may be surprised by the exotic instrumentals he creates with violinist Sara Pajunen as part of the Finnish-American folk duo, Kaivama. Their self-titled debut CD mixes originals like the ornate “Nonstop” and more energetic “Edina Speedtrap” with traditional folk tunes that evoke images of festive dancing.

There are several songs about people coping with life’s challenges on The Love Show, the latest collection of well-crafted Midwestern rock from Dan Hubbard & The Humadors. A husband consoles his wife about their economic woes on the acoustic “We’ll Be Fine,” while the guy in the rocking “Beautiful Bar” finds relief in a few beers. “Don’t Take Me Now” and “All I Want Is You” are prime examples of Hubbard’s gift for creating engaging love songs.

CD Review: Matthew Sweet - Modern Art

First, an update about Good Ol’ Freda, a documentary about Freda Kelly, who once reigned as the Secretary of The Official Beatles Fan Club. Kelly and the filmmakers are hoping to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter to help cover their production costs. Anyone interested in participating will have to act fast, because Good Ol’ Freda needs to meet its goal by November 11th. With three days left to go, Good Ol’ Freda has reached the $43,420 mark. If they don’t reach $50,000, they won’t get any of the pledges.

And now on to a review I originally did for the Illinois Entertainer of Matthew Sweet’s new CD.

Matthew Sweet’s first release in three years (other than his 2009 Under The Covers: Vol. 2 collaboration with Susanna Hoffs) is a collection of easy-going, introspective songs. Sweet does most of the work, with help from Dennis Taylor on guitar and longtime friend, veteran power pop musician Ric Menck on drums. Fans looking for energetic fare like “Girlfriend” may find Modern Art a bit slow at times, but it’s definitely worth exploring.

The complex title track is most notable for Sweet’s fluid piano playing, and he also crafts a delicate beauty on the ballad, “A Little Death.” His melodies and layered vocals are consistently enticing, but it’s hard not to notice the similarity among several tracks. The blues-rock fun of “Ladyfingers,” along with the careening guitars and fervent vocals on “Ivory Tower” offer welcome changes of pace. But “She Walks The Night,” a ghost story set to a chiming arrangement worthy of The Byrds, is the true masterpiece on Modern Art.

CD Review: The Kooks - Junk Of The Heart

Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer. The Kooks will be coming to Chicago later this month for a show at The Vic Theatre on the 26th.

Junk Of The Heart serves up more of those breezy arrangements and heartfelt sentiments that worked so well for The Kooks on their previous releases. When vocalist-guitarist Luke Pritchard declares, “I wanna make you happy” in his working class British accent on the fetching title track, it’s hard not to believe him. Still, there are times on this third effort when an easy-going or overly delicate approach results in some inconsequential music.

The orchestral “Time Above The Earth” is barely a snippet, but it’s still a mismatch for a band that has always exuded a streetwise credibility. “Killing Me” is so middle-of-the road, it might as well have been recorded by Journey. The more energetic “Is It Me” and “Eskimo Kiss” get back to what Pritchard and company do best, while “Petulia” is a touching love song that feels like an homage to John Lennon. “Mr. Nice Guy” adds some off kilter fun, but The Kooks will need an even stronger effort next time out if they want to keep their momentum going.

Slumgullion #86

Photo from Lucinda Williams website.

And She Was Nothing Like Mel On Flight Of The Conchords. A recent edition of The Fest For Beatles Fans online newsletter shines a spotlight on Freda Kelly. Back when The Beatles were first playing The Cavern Club in Liverpool, Kelly was an ardent fan who befriended John, Paul, George, and Ringo. When Brian Epstein came on board, she was hired as his secretary, and was soon crowned as the first Official Beatles Fan Club Secretary. At one point, she reigned over a worldwide membership of 70,000 people.

Kelly shared her experiences at the 2001 Fest For Beatles Fans in New York, and is slated to be one of the guests for Chicago in 2011. She’s also the subject of a new documentary by director Ryan White called Good Ol’ Freda. Kelly and the filmmakers have turned to the Kickstarter website for help in raising $50, 000. Anyone interested in participating will have to act fast, because Good Ol’ Freda needs to meet its goal by November 11th. With seven days left to go, Good Ol Freda has reached the $36,000 mark. There are some interesting perks for contributors, and for those of us in the Chicago area, it would be nice to give Kelly an extra reason to smile when she comes to visit next August.

Cooking Up Creativity. Pavement Group is inviting the public to play an essential role in its annual speed playwriting competition. Amuse Bouche 2011 will put the Chicago-based theater company’s writers Amelia Roper, christopher oscar peña, David Perez, Joe Waechter, Jordan Seavey, and Mallery Avidon on the spot when they’ll each be given just 24 hours to create a 15-minute piece based on a list of recipe ingredients. Pavement Group will soon post details on its Facebook page as to how people can help decide which ingredients will be required. The event will be staged at Collaboration, 1579 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago on December 9th, 10th, and 11th.

Discover New Music With David. David Bash is bringing International Pop Overthrow, his traveling showcase of power pop and indie rock, to New York this week. Eighteen bands, including Lannie Flowers and The Anderson Council (the name’s a clever variation on Pink Floyd) have already performed at the Local 269 club, and there’s plenty more to come this weekend.

The bands may not be superstars, but Bash’s impeccable instincts have always made International Pop Overthrow a great place to discover new music. Zombies Of The Stratosphere, just to randomly pick a band off the schedule, takes its name from a 1952 sci flick. Its catchy tunes, like “Love Song 99” and “The Other Side Of The World,” have inventive harmonies and fetching melodies. There will be showcases at Local 269 tonight, Saturday night, Sunday afternoon, and Sunday evening.

Book Mark. Just a reminder that local author Susan Kaye Quinn will be signing copies of her new book Open Minds tomorrow, November 5th from 10 AM to noon at the Caribou Coffee in Palatine, 581 E. Dundee Road. The paranormal tale is book one of Quinn’s Mindjack Trilogy.

Car Wheels On Palatine Road. Lucinda Williams, the critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter known for her distinctive vocals and gritty musical portraits, will be performing at Durty Nellie’s in my home town of Palatine this coming Tuesday, November 6th. Williams recently her latest CD, Blessed, featuring the hard-edged ballad, “Buttercup.” Tickets for the show, which includes opening act singer-guitarist Blake Mills are $30. Show time is 8:00 PM.

Seeing Red. Mary-Arrchie Theatre will be staging Adam Rapp’s Red Light Winter from November 10th through December 18th at its Angel Island location at Sheridan Road. The play, directed by longtime Mary-Arrchie member Carlos Lorenzo Garcia, concerns a pair of American buddies who fall for the same hooker while visiting Amsterdam’s famed Red Light District. The November 11th performance will be followed by a post-show soiree. Tickets are $18 - $22.

Flawless Faux

Photo from Metropolly Facebook page.

The Halloweekend double dose of tribute bands at The Abbey Pub in Chicago has become one of my favorite new traditions. It tends to draw a lot of the same local musicians who participate in International Pop Overthrow when it comes to town every April. Like IPO, Halloweekend features a lineup of about six bands each night. But in this case, the holiday gives the groups license to dress up while paying homage to well known rock bands. In the past few years, I’ve seen faux versions of The Beatles, early Pink Floyd, The Sex Pistols, The Bangles, and Squeeze.

This year, I was only able to make it on Friday, and due to the Metra train schedule, had to leave before American Headlight Noise took the stage as Bruce Springsteen. But it was still quite an experience. While the St. Louis Cardinals were winning the World Series on a big screen TV above the bar, each of the bands in the Halloweekend lineup hit it out of the park.

Metropolly kicked things off in the guise of Hole. I had never heard of Metropolly, and there isn’t a whole lot of info available on the band’s website or Facebook page. But when I saw Holly Senchak mingling in the crowd just before show time wearing a short white dress and tiara, I figured that had to be our Courtney Love for the evening. Lead vocalist-guitarist Senchak immediately proved she had the right stuff when she took the stage. After her initial greeting failed to draw a response, she howled “Hello!” into the mic, and from then on, everyone was paying attention. She led the band through rousing versions of “Miss World,” “Doll Parts,” and “Malibu.” Midway through the set, Senchak gazed out at the Halloween revelers and in a perfect Love voice asked, “So who dressed up?” Metropolly finished up with a perfect take on “Violet.”

I’m almost positive at least a few members of Penthouse Sweets have been at The Abbey in some form each of the times I’ve been there. Not that I mind. This band is a guaranteed fun time, whether they’re playing their own melodic indie rock or dousing the audience from shaken up beer bottles in the midst of performing as The Sex Pistols. This year, Penthouse Sweets took on Nick Lowe and delivered pop masterpieces like “Cruel To Be Kind,” “Heart Of The City,” “So It Goes,” “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding” and “Teacher Teacher” with energetic playing and tight harmonies. There was nothing too off the wall from these guys this year, other than their drummer dressing up as Barney Rubble.

I have to confess I was disappointed when I heard The Webstirs would be covering Chicago this year. They’re such an eccentric and imaginative pop band, I felt someone from the original British Invasion or The Beach Boys would be a better fit. But Friday night, as I saw a trio of horn players making their way to the stage, I sensed The Webstirs were up to something special. With the help of the additional musicians, they nailed vintage Chicago hits like “25 or 6 to 4,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is,” “Saturday In The Park,” and “Make Me Smile.”

When I reviewed a Bon Mots CD for the Illinois Entertainer a while back, I was impressed with their easy-going, well-crafted indie pop songs. So their decision to cover Alice Cooper was even more of a stretch than The Webstirs doing Chicago. But this was a Halloween party after all, and the musicians, sporting muscle t shirts, jeans, and incredibly long wigs cranked out hard rocking versions of “School’s Out,” “Be My Lover,” “I’m Eighteen,” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” It was hard to tell because of the costumes, but I’m reasonably sure Eric Chial and Lou Hallwas of Penthouse Sweets were also part of the Bon Mots lineup

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I wasn’t familiar with singer John Aselin going into last Friday’s showcase, but his plan to perform early 1970s era Rolling Stones was intriguing. Plus, he had singer-guitarist Phil Angotti on board to play Keith Richards. Aselin had all of Mick Jagger’s stage mannerisms down, and even if they were a bit exaggerated at times, he had a strong stage presence and a good voice.With a full band, including a horn section behind him, Aselin tore through “Brown Sugar,” “Dead Flowers,” “Jumping Jack Flash,” and “Tumbling Dice.” Angotti sang lead on “Happy,” and Holly Senchak from Metropolly wailed as a back-up vocalist on “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Gimme Shelter.”

Unfortunately, I had to leave before American Headlight Noise as took the stage Bruce Springsteen, but I’m guessing they carried in the same impressive fashion as the Halloweekend acts that preceded them that night.

CD Review: Ivy - All Hours

Note: This review previously appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.

All Hours is the first CD in six years from Ivy, the trio that lets Adam Schlesinger swap the power pop jangle of Fountains Of Wayne for techno beats and European chic. Schlesinger and Andy Chase play a variety of instruments, and while French-born vocalist Dominique Durand isn’t likely to belt out tunes ala Adele, her smooth delivery gives Ivy a sophisticated allure.

The opening track, “Distant Lights,” signals the band’s decision to take a more keyboards-oriented approach to songwriting this time out. The pulsating synthesizers bring the song perilously close to disco, but the haunting melody and Durand’s echo-laden vocals keep things interesting. “You Make It So Hard” harks back to the days when Ivy adroitly blended techno and power pop elements, while the more playful “Suspicious” is one of several songs on All Hours that depicts a dubious relationship. A few tracks, like “World Without You” come across as generic, but it’s still great to have Ivy chilling in the lounge again.

CD Review: The Bangles - Sweetheart Of The Sun

Bangles Alert: Hopefully it’s not too late to let people know that the band will be performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! later tonight. Here’s the review I did for the Illinois Entertainer of The Bangles’ latest CD.

The Bangles have been playing by their own rules since reuniting at the turn of the century, and their latest CD, Sweetheart Of The Sun, reflects that attitude. Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, and Debbi Peterson (Michael Steele split a few years back) seem even less concerned about what’s currently topping the charts than they did on 2003’s underrated Doll Revolution. That’s bad news for anyone hoping for another “Eternal Flame” but good news for the group’s real fans.

The more adventurous stuff here includes “Ball ‘N’ Chain,” a rockabilly flavored series of putdowns toward an ex-lover, and a deliberately disjointed take on the obscure McKinley Sisters’ tune, “Sweet And Tender Romance.” The melodic title track honors pioneering singer-songwriters like Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell, while the aptly-titled “Mesmerized” mixes elaborate vocal interplay within a dreamy psychedelic arrangement. The light and acoustic “Through Your Eyes,” with its gorgeous harmonies, is followed by a blast of garage rock as The Bangles close Sweetheart with an authentic cover of Nazz’s “Open My Eyes.”