Psychedelic Vinyl Roundup

From time to time I receive a package of promo CDs in the mail from Fruits de Mer, the UK indie label that releases psychedelic and prog rock on limited edition, colored vinyl. That defiantly retro approach is aptly summed up in the company's motto, "It's as if the last 40 years never happened." Generally, I like the compilations featuring new artists reinventing psych and garage classics the most, but FdM also offers an intrguing variety of recording artists doing their own material. Their latest batch of seven-inch records offers originals, cover versions, and rare live recordings. 

It’s a safe bet that anyone hearing Nick Nicely’s “49 Cigars” for the first time would not guess 1982 as the year this song first came out. It’s a hypnotic swirl of guitars, keyboards, and imaginative imagery that sounds like it could have sprung from the unbridled mind of Syd Barrett when he was with Pink Floyd. Nicely has an engaging, eccentric vocal style and he packs a lot into this spacey two-and-a-half minute masterpiece. It was originally the B-Side of his cult hit “Hilly Fields,” a song with more 1982-appropriate synth beats and vinyl scratching. “49 Cigars” is part of a four-song EP that includes an even more adventurous live version with extended jamming and an operatic coda; a slow and dreamy remix of “Belinda,” one of Nicely's newest songs; and “Lobster Dobbs,” a murky track from 2014 that evokes the theme song of a secret agent or detective TV show.

The FdM press material describes Vibravoid as “Quite possibly Fruits de Mer Records followers’ favourite band,” and the Dusseldorf-based trio definitely displays an acid rock/psychedelic expertise on its new three-song EP. It opens with a musclebound take on The Monkees' "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone" that features echo vocals and instrumental passages fueled by energetic guitar playing. The band enlists Italian jazz vocalist Viola Road to sing over an exotic sitar and percussion arrangement on Traffic's "Hole In My Shoe," making the experience of getting one's feet wet seem festive. The vocals on "The White Ship," originally done by Chicago's own late-1960s psychedelic rockers H.P. Lovecraft, emerge from a massive echo chamber while solemn synthesizer playing gives the proceedings a ceremonial feel.

The English band Magic Bus begins its cover of The Byrds' "Eight Miles High" in slow motion before sliding into a more swinging mix of acoustic guitar and flute playing. It comes across as very 1970s and could justifiably be labeled 'groovy.' "Seven Wonders," the other track on this two-song release, is taken from the band's latest release Transmission From Sogmore's Garden. The song goes through various tempo changes for over five minutes and showcases Magic Bus's well-crafted and ambitious vocal interplay.

Tir na nOg (the name means "land of eternal youth" in Gaelic) is a well-known Irish duo that recently released The Dark Dance, its first studio album in 40 years. "Ricochet," a track from that long-awaited effort, is an exotic blend of folk and prog rock. The second track is a previously unreleased live recording of "Tir na nOg," a song that first appeared on Tir na nOg's 1971 self-titled debut. It's a fanciful tale steeped in Celtic folklore that should resonate with fans of Steeleye Span and Airport Convention.

Wilco - Star Wars

Wilco takes a casual approach on this latest album, which was made available for a free download about two months ago. Even stealing the name Star Wars seems like an offhand joke since it doesn’t have any relevance to the material, and why they used a portrait of my cat Junie on the cover is a mystery. Rather than being a blockbuster release, this 34-minute effort feels like hanging out with vocalist-guitarist Jeff Tweedy in the studio. But considering his knack for crafting infectious melodies and intriguingly cryptic imagery, that’s still an engaging experience.

“It’s a staring contest in a hall of mirrors/I sweat tears but I don’t ever cry,” Tweedy sings in a talky vocal style on “The Joke Explained.” It’s one of a series of easygoing, catchy tracks on Star Wars, along with “Cold Slope” and “King Of You.” “Magnetized” is more solemn, and builds to an orchestral arrangement, while “More . . .” evokes the 1970s with a mix of acoustic and electric guitars. “Taste The Ceiling” has that unmistakable allure of a classic Wilco song as Tweedy sets lines like, “Why do our disasters creep so slowly into view” to a melodic arrangement. “Pickled Ginger” and “Random Name Generator” are more energetic and fun, serving as the strongest moments on this welcome gift from Wilco.

Catching Up

Photo from The Hypocrites' Facebook page.

A few events coming up this week.

Belinda Carlisle, lead vocalist for The Go-Go’s as well as a successful solo artist, has a show tomorrow night at The Arcada in St. Charles. Tickets start at $39, the show starts at 7:30 PM. The local five-woman band Serendipity is the opening act.

The Romantics will be at First Merit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago this Thursday night. They’re appearing as Rick Springfield’s special guests, along with Loverboy. On Friday, September 11, The Romantics will share a bill with Berlin and The Smithereens at the Diamond Desert Casino in Sahuarita, AZ.

The Chicago-based theatre company The Hypocrites is staging a scaled-down version of Green Day's American Idiot that's decidedly different from the Broadway hit. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones was particularly impressed with the cast, stating their "collective performance is amped-up, pushed to the limits, driven from the heart, and like Katie Spelman's very personalized choreography, intensely committed to the whole." Jones had some qualms about the production, but rated it as "a significant achievement." The Hypocrites' production of American Idiot runs through October 25 at The Den Theatre on Milwaukee Avenue. Tickets range from $28 to $36.

He Knows What He Wants. Jules Shear, who has written hit songs for The Bangles and recorded a number of well-crafted pop tunes on his own, is employing a unique method of getting his songs out to the public. Working without label support or crowdfunding, Shear has a new tune called "The Words” that he’s making available for a free download on Soundcloud. More free songs will follow, and Shear says all he’s asking in return is that people Like his Facebook page and spread the word about this project. 

Mooner released a video today for “Alison,” a catchy, guitar-driven track that will be on its upcoming album Masterpiece. The Chicago-based band has a record release party set for October 9 at The Hideout. The power pop/glam rock band Indonesian Junk and provocative performer Bobby Conn, performing with his wife Monica Boubou, are also on the bill.

Mary-Arrchie Theatre kicks off its 30th and final season this week with a production of the Peter Morris two-performer play Guardians. It’s a hard-edged look at war-time atrocities. Artistic Director Rich Cotovsky recently broke the disappointing news to the media that his critically acclaimed storefront theatre is losing its long-time performance space and has decided to call it quits when the current seasons ends in 2016. Three more productions are on the way, and there will be a 28th Annual Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Theatre Festival. 

The latest issue of Streetwise has a Fall 2015 Concert Guide, and a feature on the Chicago Jazz Festival. Back in the early 1990s, I was one of the first people to write for Streetwise, a publication that's dedicated to helping homeless people get back on their feet again. It's nice to see it still thriving and covering the Chicago arts scene. So be sure to buy a copy from one of the vendors you see around the downtown area.

The Weeklings - Monophonic

The Weeklings are hardly the first band aiming to capture the effervescent sound of The Beatles, but success comes naturally to them on their official full-length debut Monophonic. Guitarist Rocky (John Merjave) and bassist Lefty (Glen Burtnik) have performed with the critically acclaimed Beatles tribute band Liverpool for several years, and they've found like-minded collaborators in Zeek (Bob Burger) and Ramblin' Dave (Dave Anthony). The 12 songs, which are evenly divided between Burtnik-Burger compositions and obscure gems The Beatles composed but never officially released, were recorded using pretty much the same approach that was prevalent in the early 1960s.

The Weeklings kick things off on Monophonic with "Little Tease" and "Leave Me With My Pride,"a pair of catchy originals that evoke the earliest days of Beatlemania. "Mona Lisa" provides the missing link between the British Invasion and power pop by adding elements of Cheap Trick and The Raspberries. The delicate "Oh! Darla" is sort of a darker take on "When I'm 64," in which a guy imagines a time when he's old and useless but still has memories of this wonderful woman. "Breathing Underwater," with its amiable shuffling beat, and the optimistic "If I Was In Love" would have fit in well on Revolver or Rubber Soul.

The Beatle songs on Monophonic may be obscure but they're well chosen and given inventive arrangements. George Harrison's "You Know What To Do" sounds more fortified than the sparse demo that's available on The Beatles Anthology Series, while Lennon and McCartney's "One And One Is Two" and "I'm In Love" are brought to life with authentic Fab Four instrumentation and vocals. "It's For You" and "That Means A Lot" are gorgeous romantic ballads, while the biting "If You've Got Trouble" has the energetic feel of "Ticket To Ride."

When The Weeklings performed at this year's Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago, they offered a preview of some more Beatles rarities that are slated to be on the follow-up to Monophonic.  
It would also be interesting to hear some Burtnik-Burger songs that were influenced by tracks from the Abbey Road and Let It Be era.

Saturday Slumgullion

City Winery Chicago will present Behind The Lens with Photographers Henry Diltz and Pattie Boyd on September 16. This qualifies as an official event of A Hollies Summer In Chicago since Diltz did a fantastic photo shoot with The Hollies in 1966, and took the iconic cover shot for Crosby, Stills and Nash’s debut album. He also did the cover of The Doors’ Morrison Hotel, and has worked with some of rock’s biggest stars. Boyd wrote about her marriages to George Harrison and Eric Clapton in her book Wonderful Tonight, and is also a successful photographer. Tickets for the City Winery show range from $28 to $36.

There’s an opening reception for the Elgin ArtSpace Gallery's Fez Fest 2015 from 6:00 to 10: PM on September 11. The event, created by the people at Dangerous Brains, is being described as "an interactive celebration showcasing the Fez in art, history, and pop culture.” Which presumably, will include Doctor Who and Steely Dan.

As reported by Troy L. Smith on cleveland.com, The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will honor Graham Nash with an upcoming exhibit titled Graham Nash: Touching The Flame. Nash is expected to be on hand when the exhibit opens on October 17, and there’s a possibility he’ll perform. In addition to displaying some the singer-songwriter's photographs and memorabilia, Touching The Flame will focus on musicians like Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers who influenced the music he created with The Hollies, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and throughout his solo career. I couldn’t find any mention of this on The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame site, but hopefully it will have some info posted soon.

In last week’s Slumgullion I mentioned that the Milwaukee-based power pop band Trolley will be showcasing songs from its upcoming release Caught In The Darkness while performing on tour with Irish alt-rockers Pugwash. That tour now includes a September 17 show at 27 Live in Evanston. In a recent email, Trolley frontman Paul J. Wall described Pugwash as having an "XTC, ELO, Beach Boys and Beatles style." Pugwash’s new release, Play This Intimately (As If Among Friends) came out yesterday, and the 27 Live gig will be the band's first journey to Illinois. 

Congratulations to WXRT’s Program Director Norm Winer on being named as a recipient of a Fifth Star Award from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. As recently reported by Chicago Sun-Times media columnist Robert Feder, Winer and four others will be honored during a ceremony on September 16 at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Winer has been guiding the progressive rock station for over 35 years. The event is free and will include performances by Sandra Delgado and Reginald Robinson; Steppenwolf Theatre; Sweet Honey In The Rock; NTO (Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra) and the WXRT All Stars featuring Kelly Hogan, Frank Orrall, JC Brooks and Jimmy Chamberlin; and The Joffrey Ballet Exelon Strobel Step-Up Dancers.   

For anyone who enjoys tales of divine rule resulting from a watery tart throwing a sword, The Metropolitan Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights will be presenting Spamalot from September 16 through October 11. Tickets are $38.

The Leela Arts Center in downtown Des Plaines has reopened. ComedySportz Chicago is doing its improv thing there through September 12; followed by The Guild Theater’s performances of Spoon River Anthology September 18 through October 11 and Stories Of The Macabre October 16 through 31. 

According to a recent article by Robert Channick in the Chicago Tribune, a free Fall Preview version of Time Out Chicago will start showing up on September 9 at restaurants, bars, stores, and other venues around the city. It will be the publication’s first printed edition since in over two years.

There will be a Doctor Who-themed Ladies Night from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on September 16 at Graham Crackers Comics at 77 E. Madison. The group usually meets at the store on the first Wednesday of each month and encourages women to “bring comics you are reading or creating, swap stories and share recommendations.” This particular event is A Fandom Tea Party that will feature free tea samples and baked goods.

Minstrel Palooza Live 2015, a seven-hour party celebrating the long-standing Minstrel Music store in Niles, will be held on September 20 at the Palatine venue Durty Nellie’s. The hard-hitting/satirical power pop band Van Go goes on at 4:00 PM, and I’ve been told more details will emerge in the near future. 

Herb Eimerman - Five Dimensional Man

Herb Eimerman, who has been the American one third of the international power pop/neo-1960s trio The Britannicas for some years now, plays just about all the instruments and does all the vocals on his recently released EP Five Dimensional Man. It might seem like he's copying his fellow Britannicas member Joe Algeri's one-man band side project The JAC, but Eimerman has recorded a number of solo efforts in the past. He also joined forces with Jeff Murphy from Shoes for The Nerk Twins.

Eimerman continues to place a strong emphasis on catchy melodies on Five Dimensional Man, but he also underscores the EP's title by venturing beyond his Byrds-Beatles comfort zone. The acoustic-based "Believe That I Do" is a spiritual meditation set to an appealing, light arrangement, and "Something" is a well-crafted love song. "Sentimental In Berlin," which features Algeri on keyboards, slides through numerous tempo changes. "Just Wishful Thinking" finds Eimerman succeeding with a more hard-edged approach that showcases his guitar prowess along with a defiant attitude. "Live To Tell" is more familiar territory for him, as he delivers a fun mix of layered vocals and jangling guitars.

Jack Scratch - If Only

Photo from the Jack Scratch Facebook page.

The recently released EP If Only is the second effort from Jack Scratch since the Chicago punk veterans returned from a 20-year absence in 2012. It's also part of vocalist Dave Bergeron's mission to bring back the aggressive music he and several musicians created in the Norwood Park neighborhood back in the mid-1980s. Northwest Highway, released by the Bergeron-led Norwood Park All Stars in 2012, did a fine job of covering that same territory. It looks like Bergeron and his mates have traveled a bit over the years, but they haven't lost their Chicago roots.

Bassist-vocalist Bob Byrnes once again joins Bergeron throughout If Only, along with new member drummer-vocalist Teak Barton. Guitarist-vocalists Earl Letiecq and Fran Kondorf and drummer Keith Robbins from the full-length Jack Scratch 2012 CD, are among the other musicians helping out on some of the tracks. Jack Scratch deviates a bit from its relentless approach on "Hey Wah Nee Hey Ho," a more mainstream track with hint of country music. The energetic "Do That For" is more impressive as the band opts for hard rock, but the real standout is "If Only For A Moment," which taps into the catchy punk of The Buzzcocks. The blazing closer "Gotta" is another prime example of how Jack Scratch mixes call-and-response vocals and hard-edged musicianship into its distinctive sound.

Jack Scratch has a CD release party planned for September 26 at the diPiazza club in Long Beach, California.