CD Review: Chris Wilson - It’s Flamin Groovy!

As a long-time member of The Flamin Groovies (he replaced original vocalist Roy Loney in 1971), Chris Wilson definitely knows how to apply catchy melodies to high-energy songs. Along with acts like Dwight Twilley, The Raspberries, and Big Star, The Flamin’ Groovies are often cited as progenitors of power pop. So it’s surprising to see Wilson succeed so well on his latest solo effort by delving heavily into blues and southern-fried rock and roll.

There’s also a noticeable Rolling Stones influence running through It’s Flaming Groovy, particularly on the guitar-driven “All The Action” and “Down The Wire.” Wilson crafts a haunting Country and Western feel for “Bad Dreams,” while the rock-a-billy fun of “Gamblin’ Man” features some rollicking piano and guitar playing. Wilson also does a fine Bob Dylan impersonation on “Semaphore Signals,” and opts for slow-moving, authentic blues on “Feel Your Love.”

“Can’t Let Go” and “Shake That Feeling” evoke The Allman Brothers, but power pop fans will likely still be swept up in the enticing melodies and harmony vocals. They can also revel in “She Satisfies,” the closest Wilson comes on It’s Flamin Groovy to sounding like his old band. Speaking of his old band, two other members, guitarist Cyril Johnson and bassist George Alexander, help out on this effort. According the press release, everyone involved had such a great time, it sparked an upcoming reunion tour and album for The Flamin’ Groovies. 

CD Review: Pezband - Dangerous People

Pezband, the legendary power pop group that gave us classics like “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” and “Please Be Somewhere Tonight,” recently made a welcome return to the Chicago club scene. And now there’s good news from them on the recording front, in the form of Dangerous People. This collection of previously unreleased tracks came about after original Pezband engineer John Pavletic discovered material recorded in 1979, and contacted lead vocalist-guitarist Mimi Betinis. The duo spent months bringing those recordings up to modern standards. The results are now available on Air Mail Recordings, the same Tokyo-based label that released Pezband’s three LPs and two EPs on CD back in 2005.

  

The opening track “Back Within The Arms I Love” sets the tone for energetic guitars, irresistible melodies, and lyrics concerning romantic relationships. “Goodbye Forever,” an effervescent song about a couple escaping to a moonlit paradise, sounds like it could have arrived via the original British Invasion, while “She’s Alright” is reminiscent of The Outfield, a UK band that scored hits in the 1980s. The high-speed arrangement on “Anything For Fun” suits this tale of people discovering that life in the fast lane eventually loses its thrills.

Betinis has a classic rock voice similar to Cliff Johnson of Off Broadway (Johnson was Pezband’s vocalist back in its earliest club days) and combines with bassist Mike Gorman and drummer Mick Rain on harmonies. Tommy Gawenda, along with Betinis, supplies guitar firepower, particularly on the more modern-edged title track and “Death Is A Lover.” Dangerous People also includes two live tracks: “Black Magic,” which the band dedicates to Fleetwood Mac, and a version of “I’m Leaving” that’s different from the one of the red vinyl EP Thirty Seconds Over Schaumburg.   

CD Review: Amy Gore And Her Valentines - In Love

Fans of catchy garage rock will be glad to see the Detroit-based singer-guitarist Amy Gore back in action again. She was a member of The Gore Gore Girls, who were one of the highlights of Little Steven Van Zandt’s Rolling Rock And Roll Show featuring The Zombies when it came to Durty Nellie’s in Palatine a few years back. Gore has now formed Amy Gore And Her Valentines with bassist-vocalist Leann Banks of The von Bondies, guitarist-keyboards player Jackson Smith from T-Bone Burnett’s Speaking Clock Revue, and drummer Joe Leone from Grayling.

Two of the songs on In Love sound like they could have been penned by Van Zandt, as he did with “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” for The Cocktail Slippers. But “Send Me A Postcard,” the rollicking first single, is actually a faithful cover of a song by Shocking Blue, of “Venus” fame, and “Remember Me” is one of Gore’s impressive original tunes about romance. She and her new band also bring back the obscure “You Won’t Lead Me On,” which from what I can tell, was originally done by 1960s Seattle-based band The Wailers. 

In Love explores a variety of ways of being in that state, from the blissful mid-tempo rock of “Drivin’ Around” to the unrequited frustration of “Cadillac,” which is powered by Banks’ bass guitar playing. “Baby In Your Arms” has a bit of a Rolling Stones vibe while “Blackout” melds 1980s guitar rock with 1960s style girl group harmonies. The energetic “Just A Dream” depicts a woman determined to stick with her man despite warnings from her friends about him. “He’s rough, uncivilized,” Gore acknowledges, “He’s wild, and so am I.” All part of being In Love.

Saturday Slumgullion

Graham Nash was able to record with his heroes, The Everly Brothers on this album.

Due to the disastrous weather conditions, Van Go’s scheduled appearance tonight at Phyllis’ Musical Inn on Chicago’s north side has been canceled. The Right Tidys and Red Wigglers will still be performing. The show starts at 9:00 PM.

Local singer-songwriters Joe Shadid, Phil Angotti, and Trevor Pritchett will be performing tributes to Neil Young, Elliott Smith, and Paul Simon, respectively, tonight at Uncommon Ground on Clark Street. Admission is $8 and the show starts at 10:00PM. By the way, Angotti posted on his Facebook page a while back that he would be covering The Zombies’ (via Billy Stewart) song “Sitting In The Park” at FitzGerald’s on January 24th, and I immediately leapt to the conclusion that he was doing another Zombies tribute show. This is not the case; he’s doing a regular gig, which will include some cover versions.

Musicians and fans are mourning the death of Phil Everly. Together with his brother Don, he formed one of the essential building blocks of rock and roll. Graham Nash writes in his autobiography Wild Tales that he first heard an Everly Brothers song while attending a school dance and was thunderstruck by the experience. By that time, he had already begun performing with his childhood friend Allan Clarke, and the two of them immediately embarked on creating a similar style of harmony vocals.

The Beatles are the best known band to have been influenced by The Every Brothers, but a quick glance through Facebook will reveal musicians such as Dave Davies of The Kinks; Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens; Joey Molland from Badfinger; Chad And Jeremy; Mike Love of The Beach Boys; and Ken Stringfellow from The Posies, as well as numerous Chicago area musicians paying tribute to Phil Everly.

Former Wings and Moody Blues member Denny Laine has a show at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, CA on January 12th. Debby Peterson of The Bangles and John Wicks of The Records will be the opening act.

Nancy Wilson from Heart will be doing a Live Twitter Q & A this Monday at 2:30 PM PST. Fans can submit questions at @NANCYHEARTMUSIC  #ASKNANCYHEART.

The Arcada venue in St. Charles already has a busy first half of the year lined up, judging from a full-page ad in the January Illinois Entertainer. Cheap Trick performs there on February 6th; The Liverpool Legends tribute band, along with George Harrison’s sis, Louise, will appear on February 9th as part of a 50th Anniversary of The Beatles coming to America celebration; Mickey Dolenz will host a Monkees Party on May 2nd; Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone check in on May 30th; and The Yardbirds have a gig on June 27th. A number of tribute bands are also scheduled.

A few weeks after their appearance in St. Charles, Liverpool Legends will be in Oklahoma for HELP! Benefiting The Washington County SPCA at the Bartlesville Community Center. Tickets range from $15 to $60 and audience members are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Beatles era threads.

According to veteran media critic Robert Feder’s website CBS is in the process of firing radio personality Tom Marker from WXRT. Marker, host of the weekly Blues Breakers program, has been at the station for over 30 years. This appears to be one of those ill-advised moves that corporate types feel obliged to make from time to time, and while I can’t speak for the XRT air staff, I imagine they’re pretty pissed off. Fans and members of the media have been complaining on Facebook, and a petition is circulating to get Marker rehired.

CBS should think twice before messing with the WXRT staff. From my own perspective and based on other people’s comments, the station’s playlist doesn’t command nearly the respect and devotion it once did, but listeners are still loyal to the DJs. Meanwhile, Marker is posting updates on Facebook about how much fun he’s having watching shows at Buddy Guy’s Legends club. Best wishes to Tom Marker with his career, and thanks for all those years of broadcasting.

Power pop fans can already mark their calendars for when International Pop Overthrow makes its annual visit to their town. CEO/Founder David Bash has posted the 2014 tour dates on the official IPO website. Chicago can look forward to over a week of Mr. Bash’s expertly chosen musical acts on April 10th through 19th. We’re the second stop on his worldwide (actually, America, Canada, and the UK) itinerary.

CD Review: The Paper Kites - States

Looks like Slumgullion will have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, here’s a review that originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer. Actually, this band should have been included among the Honorable Mentions on my Favorite Releases of 2013, so I went back and added them to the list.

The Paper Kites explore a more textured sound on their full-length debut States than they did on two previous EPs. There’s still a definite indie rock vibe to the Australian quintet’s material but it’s augmented by strings, offbeat percussion, and ethereal keyboards. The 13 tracks are most notable for the way singer-guitarist Sam Bentley, singer-keyboards player Christina Lacy, and guitarist-singer David Powys envelop the listener with their lush vocals.

Chief songwriter Bentley creates minimalist lyrics that sometimes describe romantic relationships but elsewhere hint at more complex subject matter. “You I long to keep” he writes on “In Reverie,” a catchy, new wave style number that finds him sharing lead vocals with Lacy. The somber “Gates” seems to depict a soul awaiting judgment with lines like, “When I take no more and feed the ground/Mercy for my flaws, don’t send me down.” The exotic “Living Colour,” one of  The Paper Kites’ more ambitious efforts, features Bentley and Lacy’s interwoven vocals floating above a blend of classical strings and hard rock guitar.

CD Review: The Melismatics - Rising Tide

Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.

The Melismatics had good luck channeling 1980s synth rock on their last release, Mania, so it’s not surprising to find them taking that approach again. Pulsating beats and catchy melodies abound on Rising Tide, but it’s also clear that the Minneapolis-based quintet is looking to expand its horizons. Not all of the experiments work, but overall, Rising Tide is a step forward.

The well-intentioned ballad, “If You Want War” spouts simplistic solutions to global conflicts, and comes across as Green Day lite. The title track, on other hand, features harmonies from singer-guitarist Ryan Smith and singer-guitarist Kathie “Pony” Hixan-Smith set to an appealing Electric Light Orchestra style pop arrangement. Other songs, like the atmospheric “Crawl, Baby, Crawl” and politically charged “Looking For Trouble” feature The Melismatics tapping into that neo new wave vibe that has served them so well.

Big Ideas 2014

Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a safe and successful 2014.

The Elvis Brothers once sang, “I got big ideas on my mind,” and the start of a new year is always the perfect time for people to present those ideas in the form of resolutions and plans. Here’s my second annual Big Ideas column; a mix of upcoming events regarding entertainers, and some cases, a suggestion of my own for them.

The Bangles The band will perform at the Whiskey A Go Go on January 26th as part of the famous West Hollywood club’s month-long celebration marking 50 years of presenting live rock and roll. Suggestion: The Bangles are overdue for a boxed set with rarities and live tracks. It would also be nice to see them release a new CD, and a color vinyl 45 for Record Store Day.

The Paisley Underground Reunion The Bangles, The Three O’Clock, Dream Syndicate, and Rain Parade joined forces for a few concerts on the West Coast in late 2013. Suggestion: Tour across the US, including a stop in Chicago.

Record Store Day The annual celebration of vinyl arrives on the third Saturday in April, with loads of collectable one-day only releases from artists across the music industry. Previous years have seen rarities from Cheap Trick, The Animals, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Shoes, Pink Floyd, The Three O’Clock, and R.E.M. 

Dan Pavelich The musician/journalist/cartoonist/indie label honcho’s impressive resume includes performing with The Bradburys and putting out charity records like the Hi-Fi Christmas series and Christmas Without Cancer. He announced on Facebook that, “I’m going to start recording and releasing more of my own music” in 2014.

The Handcuffs The four-woman/one man Chicago indie band lead by the husband and wife duo of drummer Brad Elvis and singer-guitarist Chloe F. Orwell, will release their fourth CD at some point this year.

Magatha Trysty The Chicago band led by singer-keyboards player Catherine Louise and singer-guitarist Chris Bevard plans to release the follow-up to its impressive 2012 CD Your Clothes Will Wear Themselves in 2014. The first single, “Raygun,” gives reason to be optimistic. 

The Hollies The British Invasion band has never broken up. The current lineup, led by original members guitarist-vocalist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott, continues to tour and has 2014 dates in Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Norway. Suggestion: Add the United States to this tour, and Chicago in particular.

Susan Kaye Quinn She’s not only a member of my writers group and a former rocket scientist, Quinn continues to supply her self-publishing empire with her own adventurous efforts like The Mindjack Trilogy, Debt Collector Serial, Faery Swap and Third Daughter. Want to know how she does it? Pick up a copy of Quinn’s Indie Author Survival Guide on Amazon.

Cherie Colyer The longtime member/co-leader of my writers group will have her Challenging Destiny novel out on Wild Rose Press in 2014. This will be her third published Young Adult/paranormal novel, following Embrace and Hold Tight. 

Kym Brunner A funny and imaginative person with a keen ear for how teenagers think and talk, this longtime member/co-leader of my writers group will have her Young Adult novels Wanted Dead Or In Love and One Smart Cookie published this year. 

The Abbeys The veteran Chicago power pop band will debut its newest lineup at the Red Line Tap on February 15th, and later, in April, when International Pop Overthrow returns to Chicago.

Fest For Beatles Fans The annual celebration returns to New York for the first time in 30 years February 7th through the 9th in order to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the first time The Beatles visited America. Guests will include The Smithereens, recreating the Beatles’ 1964 Washington, D.C.concert; Peter Asher; Donovan; Chad & Jeremy; Billy J. Kramer; Freda Kelly; and  the Liverpool cover band; along with co-hosts/masters of ceremonies, comedian/producer Martin Lewis and radio personality Ken Dashow. Other plans include a replica of The Cavern Club, and a recreation of the ride from JFK Airport to the Ed Sullivan Theatre. Suggestion: Do as many of those things scheduled for New York at the Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago. Obviously, they can’t duplicate the ride from JFK Airport, but The Smithereens’ concert and The Cavern replica? Most definitely! 

Phil Angotti Looks like the Chicago singer-writer and master of 1960s tribute shows will be channeling The Zombies again at FitzGerald’s on January 24th. Look for more tribute shows from him during year. Suggestion: Record a holiday CD where he imagines how various 1960s bands would sound singing Christmas carols, in much the same way the band The Fab Four does with The Beatles. 

If you have big plans for the upcoming months, please feel free to contact me here at Broken Hearted Toy.