Madi Diaz - Far From The Things That We Know [EP]

Madi Diaz - Far From Things That We Know [EP]
2011, Tiny Ogre

Madi Diaz is a face in the crowd in Nashville; one of the minions of new era singer/songwriters infiltrating Music Way.  But once you here evocative sound and her penchant for contrast a songwriter, Diaz will quickly become unforgettable.  On September 20, 2011, Diaz releases a three-song EP, Far From The Things That We Know, is a preview for a full-length album due out in early 2012.  Produced by John Alagia (John Mayer, The Dave Matthews Band), Far From The Things That We Know will place Madi Diaz firmly on the map, and build significant anticipation for the full-length release to come.

Far From Things That We Know opens with "Let's Go", a middle of the road pop number you'd expect to hear at Lilith Fair.  Diaz pumps up a simple arrangement with a full sound, and her voice is a pleasure to the ears, but the song doesn't make much of an impression either way.  "Johnny" hits the mark; an urgent entreaty in song, harking back to the era of Saturday night drag racing on the edge of town.  Diaz crafts a nice, fluid melody here to take the edge of a lover's premonition, and sounds like a blend of Emm Gryner and Sara Bareilles.  Diaz closes with "Heavy Heart", an intriguing piece of melancholy folk/pop with a sweet melody.  Diaz' pretty, reserved sound is memorable.  She doesn't blow listeners away, but draws you in with a sense of quiet that is intriguing.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Madi Diaz at www.madidiaz.com or www.myspace.com/madidiaz.  Far From The Things That We Know is scheduled to drop September 20, 2011.  Keep checking Diaz’ website(s) for details.

The Heavy Pets - The Heavy Pets

The Heavy Pets - The Heavy Pets
2010, 102 Degrees Productions

Fort Lauderdale, Florida's The Heavy Pets are stylistic chameleons, blending sounds and styles seemingly without thought. The band seems to have an innate melodic sensibility that allows almost anything to work for them, a characteristic abundantly display on The Heavy Pets, the band's self-titled third album. Sounding like something a jam session between Supertramp, Train and John Mayer, "Drenched" kicks off the album in fine style with a funky feel and soulful vocals. The song is catchy and laid back all at once; a monologue from a man trapped in sadness but seeing the light in a particular lady. It's a great opening track and likely single. "Girl You Make Me Stupid" features a rapid-fire vocal/lyrical style and is highly danceable with a hip-hop feel. It's a look at the inept feeling of being a fool in love and explores how it carries over once the relationship has passed away.

For those familiar with Canadian rockers Max Webster, you'll swear "How Would I" has to be a cover of some undisclosed tune. We assure it's an original, but the guitar work sounds a lot like Kim Mitchell riffing on a theme. It's another highly catchy tune and the vocal harmonies here are outstanding. From here the 1970's take over for "Grace Blix" and "Jackie Bones"; the former an off-beat ballad and the later a guitar oriented classic rock tune that makes for a solid album track. "Lazy Anna" gets stuck in its own monotony, playing like a rap tune with rhythmic and a-melodic vocals on the verses. Things even out for the rest of the album somewhere at the midline. Over the final six songs The Heavy Pets move through solid classic-rock oriented musical blends that are enjoyable listens but don't have the vitality of the first three tracks. "No More Time" stands out here for its pleasant reggae/rock/Americana blend, and "Ichabod Train" makes a nice closer with its folky feel.

The Heavy Pets put in a solid effort on their self-titled album. The only problem is more one of perception. The Heavy Pets starts out so strongly that the rest of the album is something of a letdown by comparison. To be fair, much of this album will likely play better live than in the studio, and perhaps some of the letdown referenced above should be laid at the foot of the production board. It's clear that The Heavy Pets have a knack for writing dynamic and listenable rock music; this is a band to keep your eyes on.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Heavy Pets at http://www.theheavypets.com/ or www.myspace.com/theheavypets.  The Heavy Pets is available in multiple formats from the band's webstore.  Downloads are available from Amazon.com and iTunes.