The String Cheese Incident- One Step Closer

My experience with The String Cheese Incident actually goes back a few years. Down the shore in about 2002-ish, I was speaking to a friend who introduced me to jam-band music. One of the bands she got me into was The String Cheese Incident, and over time I was able to pick up various songs and albums. This album is an example of a style of music that I am not all that familiar with, but I enjoy. There’s just so much music out there and it’s pretty hard to keep up with it all.

I hate using the term jam-band when it comes to describing the style of music that bands like The String Cheese Incident create, even though it makes the most sense technically speaking. They are a band, and most of their songs are some kind of improvised jam session, so I guess that fits them. There are elements of many genres of music within the band’s unique sound. Bluegrass, folk and reggae are but a few influences on the band’s sound. On One Step Closer, they show their varied influences. Some songs sound like the “typical” jam-band song, but others such as the opening track Give Me the Love reminds me somewhat of a Bob Dylan song. Not in the vocal style, as Dylan has one of the most distinctive voices in music, but instrumentally speaking, it wouldn’t be out of place on a Dylan album.

There are certain albums that can put the listener into a different frame of mind. This album is a great example of that. If you’re stressed out for any reason; just throw on One Step Closer. It is pretty much automatically going to calm you down. It’s practically impossible to hear this album and still stay angry at something. There aren’t all that many albums that personify the idea of a calm fun summer night. This is one of them. If you are doing anything during the hot summer months, throw on this album and it will fit into any situation.

Beyond the mood of the music, the question is whether the album is all style and no substance. It’s truly a bit of both. The music is very calming, which is a good thing. The actual songs are also pretty good. To me the biggest flaw and issue of the album is its pacing/track layout. Individually, the songs are a great listen, but together they just don’t have much of a flow. Its odd seeing as there is a definite mood to the album as a whole, but it seems somewhat disjointed in a way. The best way to describe it is like a sports team. The players on the team may be great, but if they can’t compete as a team to create a cohesive unit, the team doesn’t win. The album is made up of very good songs, but together they seem to skip around a bit too much. Variety on an album is great, but if the songs don’t fit together that takes the enjoyment of the album much lower for a listener.

With a different track sequence, this album would easily be a home run. As is, it’s hard to knock the album totally due to the songs being of high-quality. The pacing issues and track layout turn a good album into an average one.

Grade—C+

Buckethead- Population Override

One of the more unique albums currently in Buckethead’s impressive catalogue, Population Override is a mixture of blues/jazz/funk and even metal. Listening to any album by Buckethead is quite an experience as you never really know what you are going to get coming out of your speakers or in your headphones. I highly recommend when picking up a Buckethead album, don’t listen to any previews or read any reviews. That way you have no clue what you’re getting into and that makes listening to the album that much more fun. It was how I approached Population Override. I had heard Kaleidoscalp before this album and it was a trip hearing that album. I came up with the idea of picking another album of his pretty much at random. It pretty much worked out as hoped…I had literally no idea what I was about to hear, and therefore went in with an open mind. It was a great idea.

It’s pretty hard to classify Population Override into any one particular genre. Then again, for most Buckethead albums that is the case. He has albums that may lean towards heavy metal for example, but they usually include some allusions to another type of music. In this case, jazz is a heavy influence on this record, as it seems as if Buckethead took jazz and threw convention out the window and threw his own spin onto the style. This makes this album sound nothing like most jazz albums out there. Still it’s obvious, the connection is there.

It’s really one of the more interesting albums of his since it’s not just a bunch of riffs where he just plays as fast as possible to show off his skills without creating much of a song. He tends to do that on certain albums, and here it actually seems like her decided to write actual songs with a point to them. Sure many of the songs sound like an extended jam but they actually do sound like a song as opposed to a bunch of notes. In addition to guitar, Buckethead also plays bass on the album. He is competent as a bassist, but let’s be honest; does anyone listen to a Buckethead album for the bass playing?

As mentioned, Buckethead also uses elements of funk in the record. Actually it’s more than an element; the album is in some ways a funk album as well. That’s what makes it so great…it keeps you guessing. The high points on the album are probably Too Many Humans, almost nine minutes of blues influenced rock that shows just how talented this man is as a guitarist, and the last song … (the title) is literally a blues song and sadly it’s a minute and a half long. To me, I really wish it was a 5 minute song; I would have loved to see where he would have gone with it.

A great album by a great artist, Population Override is a record that more people need to hear. Any fan of the blues or jazz looking for a more rocking version of what they are used too would be wise to pick it up. A complete recommendation from me and there’s no real negatives on the album.

Grade—A

Nick Tann’s Podcast!!

Hey Everyone,

OK, so the new feature I have been mentioning is coming to fruition. If you look to the left….there is a link to Nick Tann’s Podcast. Some of you may remember that I reviewed his album late last week, and it was good. Check it out if you get a chance…worth it.

Anyway…starting next week here on Right On Time Music Reviews, I am going to team up with Nick and begin to review independent music artists from all over the world. Listen to his podcast to hear the songs…and then come back here to read my take on them. Yes…you can leave comments and give me your take as well. Should be a great time and an interesting chance for all of us to hear some new music.

Few more quick things:

One…after hearing the artists/reading the reviews, there will be links to their music in the Get Music Now section.

Second…if your in a band and want me to hear and review your music…shoot me an E-mail at the address below. I will take any genre of music and give it a fair and honest review. Only stipulation is that your band/you must have a legitimate album/EP recorded and I am able to get the album from you in a way to be determined by each individual case.

Thanks so much everyone!

-Carl

lombardi.carl@gmail.com

Also…here is the link to Nick’s podcast Blog. Pretty cool site he’s got going there…

http://isthisthingonpodcast.blogspot.com

Maps and Atlases- You And Me And The Mountain

The first time I ever heard Maps and Atlases occurred in August of 2008 at Highline Ballroom in New York City where they opened for RX Bandits. Combined with seeing one of my favorite bands live in RXB and hearing the music of a band that would also become one of my favorites was a pretty good night. When Maps and Atlases came on, my friend Jim Dutch and I weren’t paying all that much attention…it was an opening band after all. Within literally 45 seconds of their first song we both took notice and by the end of their short set, we were literally laughing since a band who we could have cared less about totally floored us. Naturally, I picked up two of their EPs that evening, with this album as one of them.

Out in the landscape of music, there are some bands that cross genres while others create new ones.  Maps and Atlases is truthfully a combination of the two. On the surface they are a math-rock band, but they add a twinge of folk into the mix that makes the band sound like pretty much no other. One thing that struck me that night in NYC was the sheer ability of the guys in the band musically speaking. Every single musician friend I know, at some point I always play them Maps first EP Trees, Swallows, Houses to acclaim every single time. Most people are really shocked at the fact that as much as the songs are dense and packed with shifts both musically and vocally, the songs are actually really easy and fun to listen to.

As good as their first EP was, You And Me… comes up a bit short. Like I said, the music has some pop sensibilities as compared to their first EP, which is fine to an extent. Still, it seems like the music has been watered down almost too much. Are the songs still full of technical skill musically speaking? The answer is an emphatic yes. At the same time, the band lost some of their complexity on this EP. They took the pop idea too far, and the band just doesn’t have that intensity they did on their first EP. Trees, Swallows, Houses is a rare kind of album where you hear it and think there is no way the band can top it. In Maps and Atlases case, they just didn’t,

Vocally, Dave Davinson has one of the most unique voices in rock music. It’s high pitched while not sounding like he is whining. A good comparison is Justin Pierre from Motion City Soundtrack; however Davinson has much more range to his voice. Drummer Chris Hainey proves on this album that sometimes a good drummer can carry an album. His performance just has to be heard.

It’s a shame. There is so much good on this album, from the vocals to the actual music. It somehow though manages to actually be less than the sum of its parts. If you are a newcomer to Maps and Atlases, try their first EP, it’s more experimental, while this one sounds like they had the goal of a pop hit which left the record almost dull compared to some of their other work. Good but not great.

Grade- C+

Pearl Jam- No Code

As soon I as began my music review Blog, I have been fielding requests to review a Pearl Jam album. Well, Hilary (and others)…you got your wish. In all honesty, I have to admit to not being a big fan of the band. So, it actually all works out since I get to review an album for a band I am not all that familiar with for the Blog. Not to say I know nothing about Pearl Jam, but I would not consider myself a real fan either. That has nothing to do with me not liking the style of the band; it mostly has to do with that I just haven’t heard all that much of their music.

So why review No Code first? Well there are a few reasons. First off, I haven’t heard anything off the album so it’s a fresh slate. Second, the drummer on the record is none other then Jack Irons, the original drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I am a fan of his work that I have heard, so I figured this was the place to start. For the record, he was great on this album…not a shock.  But as great as it is to have an album recommended you have never heard with a drummer you like…it doesn’t matter if the album isn’t any good.

The good news for Pearl Jam is that this album is amazing to say the least. If there is one thing that I am a fan of, it’s a band that shows that they are versed in playing multiple styles on one album. Eddie Vedder and Co. have managed to not only to create a record that combines many different genres of music, but they have also done it in such a way where it’s not overbearing or confusing. So often, that occurs with bands trying to mesh styles…it just starts to sound like random noise, not a coherent album. Fortunately, Pearl Jam avoids this issue by using shifts in tempo that seem to make sense for the most part. There are elements of many different types of music on this album, from harsh punk/metal sensibilities to clean crisp ballads and even some elements of spoken-word. It’s truthfully a delight to the ears to see where the album will go next.

In terms of the actual musicianship present on the album, it’s top notch in every regard. Maintaining a three guitar attack for any band would be a daunting task, after all, where would you fit everyone? The remedy for this issue is to not really have one total lead guitarist. Sure technically speaking, Mike McCready plays lead, but all three guitarists (Vedder as well as Stone Gossard) have a place on the record. It’s more as if it is a unit playing the songs then three musicians who are looking to dominant the recording. Don’t get me wrong, McCready is definitely the lead, but it’s not like he takes over the recording completely.

Before the grading of the album, I just want to note that there is a reason that I have not touched Eddie Vedder’s vocals. Do I find his lyrics/vocal presence to among the best in rock music? Heck yes I do. At the same time, there is really not much more to be said that hasn’t already been said. I will say however, that if there was any doubt to the ability of Vedder to sing in various types of musical settings then put those to rest. Hands down this is one of the better albums of the 1990s. Consider me a fan from here on in.

Grade—A

Appleseed Cast- Mare Vitalis

The second full-length album by Appleseed Cast sees the band begin to move away from the more “emo” style of their debut and create a unique sound that takes indie-rock and adds a bit of punk as well as shades of prog-rock and mixes them together to form a hodgepodge of musical sensibilities. Not that that’s a bad thing. Sometimes the best bands are the ones that mix and match sounds to create a whole new spin on music.

Mare Vitalis tends to go towards the indie-rock sound more than anything, but the guitar work done by Aaron Pillar does remind me somewhat of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez at times. Then again, this album came out before any of Rodriguez-Lopez’s solo work…so I guess you could say Rodriguez-Lopez sounds like him. Regardless, he is a really talented guitar player as he shifts tempos throughout the album, always keeping it fresh and interesting. That is one of the best aspects of this album, his guitar playing that really keeps the album’s pace going throughout.

If I had to describe the feeling of this album in general, it’s spacey but still rocks . It’s one of those albums you can either have on in the background while doing something else and enjoy it as ambient sound or you can sit there at 2 AM with headphones on staring into space and getting the music take you to another world. The drumming is tight throughout the album, as the band welcomed a new drummer, Josh “Cobra” Baruth. On this album, Baruth shows power but also a heavy dose of finesse during most of the songs, creating a base for the rest of the album to proceed from.

With every album, with the good comes the bad. I am not a fan of the vocals on this album. They are sung pretty well by Christopher Crisci in terms of being on-key. That’s not the issue. What is though is a combination of production and actual lyrical content. The lyrics are really nothing that groundbreaking, at least not to the level of the music. Musically speaking, this is one of the better albums you are going to hear. Pretty hard for a lyricist to live up to, don’t you think? It’s hard to just pick one spot where this lack of lyrical innovation is true, it just permeates the album.

That leads to my second issue, which heavily influences the first. The lyrics would probably sound a heck of a lot better if they were mixed higher. I know an album like this is supposed to focus on the music, and like I said that is a great thing to focus on. If you’re going to have vocals, especially of the not-so-clear variety, at least mix them to the point where the average listener could have a decent chance of understanding them. Is that really too much to ask?

Would I recommend this album? In terms of the actual instrumental music, I would definitely say yes without a doubt. In that regard it gets an A. But with the issues with the production, intentional or not, bring the album down since it’s not that easy to hear the vocals or understand them due to their levels and it becomes an exercise in frustration.

Grade—B-

Nick Tann- Don’t Make Me Wait

I usually like to avoid clichés but it is commonly said “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”. That is especially true in music, as an album really needs to start off strong to hold in a listener. The good news is that Don’t Make Me Wait, the most recent album by Nick Tann has that attention-grabbing first track. One Night Stand (Glad You Came) is a song where the talents Tann possesses really shine though. It’s obvious to anyone who listens that he is an extremely talented guitarist. Acoustic music is almost better at times then electric, since it’s a bit harder to manipulate in the studio, and Tann uses the acoustic guitar as a form of artistic expression. It doesn’t hurt that he has a very strong voice; he has impressive range, but even better is that he actually has control over his voice.

One other aspect I like of this album has very little to do with the actual music, and that is the production. It may seem like a useless compliment, but so many albums today are over-produced, not with effects but in terms of the actual mixing. It’s really amazing how many albums spend the entire time “in the red” to the point where they are hard to listen to. It’s a great thing that this album isn’t. Lots of time, a singer with such high range tends to be so high on the VU meter that it is not the easiest thing to do to make the album not crack. Very high quality production values make this album way easier to listen to.

In terms of the album itself, it’s a mixture of folk and blues. His guitar work is somewhat typical of the folk genre. It is better than most albums; however the general feel of the album musically can be seen as similar to some of Okkervil River’s music. It’s more stripped down, but the sound is close to certain Okkervil songs. It’s probably my biggest gripe with the album. It just doesn’t really sound all that unique at times. Some of it does…some of it doesn’t.

Tann’s voice is what sets this album apart from many others of the same general genre. He sounds like Eric Clapton (circa Me and Mr. Johnson) and Trey Anastasio came together vocally and the result would be something similar to Tann. I do think that Tann can hit the high notes a bit better then Anastastio for the most part. The vocals are the best part of the album, no question.

In general, it’s easy to recommend this album. It’s not the most groundbreaking album in the history of music, but it’s almost always a pleasant listen. If you are a fan of good acoustic music made by a musician who puts his soul into the music, then go for it. My negative take on the sound doesn’t take away the fact that it’s a very good album.

Grade—B