Cabin Dogs - Midnight Trail

Cabin Dogs - Midnight Trail
2011, Cabin Dogs

Twin brothers Rich and Rob Kwait found their muse in Mountain Cabins from Vermont to Tennessee in the late 1990's, taking in the grit and stubborn beauty of Americana and Appalachian folk from its homeland.  The Philadelphia natives would return home, under the name The Kwait Brothers would begin to find a sound that incorporates these styles into a sub-stream blend of folk/rock that is as close to original as anything in the public marketplace.  Later changing their collective moniker to Cabin Dogs, the brothers met producer Aaron "Professor Louie" Hurwitz (The Band, Rick Danko), who helped shape their debut album, Electric Cabin.  The band grew with time, adding Ira Race (guitar); Stephan DiVincenzo (drums/vox); Jeff Levinsohn (drums/percussion) and Jeanine Reed (percussion/vox).  With growth came success, including appearances at the Newport Folk Festival, Apple Farm Festival and Full Circle Fair).  Cabin Dogs gear up for great things with impending release of Midnight Trail on August 30, 2011. 

Midnight Trail is an intriguing listen from start to finish.  There aren't a lot of highs and lows here, but more of a steady ramble that runs the gamut from Folk/Americana to stylishly smooth rock and roll and even a touch of R&B.  "Blue Train" gets things started nicely, adding a modern twist to the folk/Americana blend that's Cabin Dogs' wheelhouse.  The vocal harmonies here are a thing of beauty, and add to the lonely tenor of the song.  Cabin Dogs build a solid groove on "Bloom", a low key rocker that's catchy and smooth and the same time.  "Out To The Country" is an old country waltz that box steps its way into your ears; a song that grows on you with successive listens.

"Twilight" shows a fine singer/songwriter style over a 1960's folk/rock style, as if Paul Simon were jamming with The Band or even Wilco.  Cabin Dogs even seem to take on Pink Floyd with the enigmatic "Dark Moon - Sunrise".  A funky bass line enlivens the minimalist arrangement, supporting a plaintive vocal that tugs at the ears.  Cabin Dogs gear up again with the Wilco-esque "Bringin' Me Down", a swaying mellow country/rocker that just sort of picks you up and takes you along for the ride.  Cabin Dogs close with the catchy, up-tempo folk/pop of "New Morning".  Everything here works, from the bright melody to the catchy arrangement to the intriguing vocal harmonies.  This is a great way to close an album that itself borders on greatness.

Cabin Dogs make a distinctive impression with Midnight Trail.  Gently rolling melodies and quietly distinctive arrangements make this an album that plays well the first time and gets better with age.  Some might argue that Cabin Dogs haven't 100% found themselves yet, but if true it only means they'll be scary good when they do.  The sound does bounce around a bit stylistically on Midnight Trail, but there's a flow here that belies the apparent gear shifts.  Midnight Trail establishes Cabin Dogs as a songwriting and performing force in an unmarked corner of the Americana super-genre.  It'll be interesting what sort of space they carve out for themselves over time.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Cabin Dogs at www.cabindogs.com or www.myspace.com/cabindogs.  Midnight Trail was released digitally in March of 2011, but gets its CD release on August 30, 2011.  The digital release is currently available from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Paper Thick Walls - A Thousand Novels

Paper Thick Walls - A Thousand Novels
2011, Paper Thick Walls

Paper Thick Walls had a busy year in 2010.  The quintet of Eric Michaels (vocals/guitar/motif); Kate Schell (vocals/piano/trumpet); Roger Sherman (upright bass); Andrew Sabo (drums) and Jacques René (fiddle/mandolin/guitar) graced the stage at SXSW, NXNE and CMJ Music Marathon.  In the process they came to the attention of sound engineer Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case) with a sound that's been compared to Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire.  Hagler took the boards to help Paper Thick Walls create their debut album, "A Thousand Novels", out May 3, 2011.  Mixing intricate orchestral folk/pop arrangements with articulate tales born of fancy, Paper Thick Walls cut an intriguing musical path.

A Thousand Novels hits the ground with the lush folk/pop blend of "Old Weathered Dock".  The song is a collection of visual mementos set to a catchy and quirky orchestrated arrangement.  Between Kate Schell's exceedingly pleasant vocal lead, Eric Michaels' Peter Gabriel-esque secondary vocal and the airy, orchestrated arrangement, "Old Weathered Deck" is a breath of fresh air.  "Sighs Of Relief" is a painted poem set to music about meeting someone new and falling in love, diverting into the healing power of love as an aside.  It's a pretty, piano-based tune fleshed out into full, layered orchestration.  Schell and Michaels duet on "Orange Tree", an optimistic song sung on the run from the law.  This memorable tale matches an occasionally bitter circumstance against a sweet and dreamy arrangement that reflects the unreality of the situation.  Don't be surprised if you fall in love with the chorus on first listen.

"Nyquil" is quasi-psychedelic folk, extolling the beauty of one to a host of heavenly bodies.  The song has an odd-yet-charming quality wrapped up in its abstract exploration of consequence.  "A Thousand Novels" is a love story of two people torn apart by war.  This is not your typical song of love overcoming any circumstance unless you're into the metaphysical outcome.  The focus here is how love will be memorialized, and is touching if a bit out of the ordinary.  "Desolate Place" explores the transformation of a relationship's aftermath into rebuilding.   The musical arrangement parallels the story in loneliness and loss with an intriguing theatrical feel in spite of the almost ethereal melancholy that pervades the song. 

"Portrait" is a duet about love and beauty in the abstract, as it exists in our minds but oft times not in our realities.  The media here are paintings, words and memories, but the connection evades in a gorgeous arrangement born of guitar, percussion and bass.  "Overgrown" is a catchy acoustic rocker that finds Eric Michaels out in front.  It's a solid love song that's a bit wordy for its own good, but overcomes this with a pragmatic and catchy arrangement that grabs your attention.  Paper Thick Walls say goodnight with "Infinite", a number that vacillates between introspective, depressive verses and a jaunty chorus.  The mix is jarring, but works well as varying motifs on the theme of falling apart.

Like Belle And Sebastien before them, Paper Thick Walls have found a sound that is both articulate in composition and lyrically melodic.  The converse is so obvious it need not be stated.  A Thousand Walls sucks listeners in the way a great book envelopes your mind.  Musically, lyrically and dramatically, Paper Thick Walls challenge listeners to listen actively and participate on an intellectual and emotional level.  A Thousand Walls will keep you coming back for more.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Paper Thick Walls at www.paperthickwalls.com or www.myspace.com/paperthickwalls.  A Thousand Novels is due out May 3, 2011 and is available for digital pre-order from Amazon.com.  Expect wider availability to follow in both digital and traditional formats.

Fun With Atoms - Smart

Fun With Atoms - Smart
2010, Blurb Records

Green Bay, Wisconsin's Fun With Atoms bring their edgy Americana pop sound wherever they go.  Inspired by their mid-western, working class roots, Fun With Atoms inject a pop sensibility into everything they touch.  Rick Smith (vox/guitars/keys); Dan Collins (vox/bass/keys) and Curt Lefevre (drums/percussion/vox) have crafted a sound that takes in a wealth of influences but matures as a sound that doesn't really sound like anyone.  There third album, Smart, captures the energy and angst have gained Fun With Atoms so much attention from their first two efforts.

Smart opens with "Walking The Razor's Edge", an Americana country/rock blend that is reminiscent of Blue Rodeo or Wilco with a Gin Blossoms chaser.  It's a catchy tune about the dangers of falling in love when your life keeps you on the road.  The lead vocals are serviceable, but sound better in the context of the vocal harmonies offered here.  "Really Happy" evokes Peter Case with a catchy, distinctive pop feel.  The chorus is highly memorable and the song is well-paced throughout.  It's a bit light in the lyrics department; more of a stream of conscious style than anything else, but solidly entertaining.  Things slow down significantly mid-album, but Fun With Atoms recovers in time to deliver some jangly country/rock on "Mystery".  This time it's as if the Gin Blossoms and The Beatles are battling it out, and for a change the bridge makes the song.  "Ringing In My Ears" sounds a bit more like garage Americana, as if the Skydiggers seriously electrified their sound.  It's entertaining, but serves as a sort of last gasp for Fun With Atoms and Smart.

Smart starts well, but Fun With Atoms seem to have had a hard time compiling enough material for a full length album.  The filler here, while not bad, doesn't measure up to the four or so songs that really make Smart worth checking out.  A four or five song EP may have been a wiser move, but Fun With Atoms show definite potential on Smart.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Fun With Atoms at www.funwithatoms.com or www.myspace.com/funwithatoms.  Smart is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.

A House For Lions - I Want Us To Be Remembered

A House For Lions - I Want Us To Be Remembered
2011, A House For Lions

Daniel Norman headed to Los Angeles with the idea of being an actor.  He never dreamed he might end up fronting a band.  After becoming disillusioned with the actor's life, Norman headed to Berlin for a while to clear his head.  One day, while walking through the park, a melody parked itself in Norman's brain and wouldn't let go.  By March of 2010, Norman had drawn in kindred spirits Mike Nissen (guitar) and Eric McCann (upright bass, keys), and the connection was instantaneous.  A House For Lions was born.  Just a scant year later, A House For Lions releases their debut EP, I Want Us To Be Remembered.

I Want Us To Be Remembered opens with the song that started it all.  "Let Back" grew from the wayward melody that caught Daniel Norman by surprise in Berlin, and is a mildly catchy though highly repetitive alt-pop number that will play well to radio programmers doesn't have a lot of commercial oomph.  Norman's voice has a lazy, sleepy quality to it that is moderately appealing, but his lack of enunciation and his tendency to sing just a bit flat are distracting.  "Come On Let's Go" is a bit catchier and may have a chance at commercial radio.  The song is a bit bland lyrically but is quite sound otherwise. 

"Ease My Mind" is a mellow rumination on someone he hopes will wait for him.  The Americana/60's rock tune is very well written, although runs a bit too long given the lack of dynamic variation.  The protagonist here keeps to the road as an escape, even as he looks forward to returning home to ones he loves.  "Evolution Calls" is a great blend of pop and Americana that is certain to get toes tapping.  Daniel Norman juxtaposes the concepts of love and moving on all at once, and slaps on an atypical chorus with buzzy guitars and a melody line that will stick to the inside of your skull.  This is the best writing on the disc.  A House For Lions closes with "How Many Times", a solid number that would fit well in the middle of an album but is perhaps a bit anti-climactic here.

A House For Lions stalks the hinterlands between California Country, Wilco-esque Americana and alt-rock on I Want Us To Be Remembered, creating musical moments that are accessible and unique.  Daniel Norman isn't much on vocal technique or precision, but his sleepy vocal style fits well in the atmosphere that A House For Lions creates.  I Want Us To Be Remembered is an EP that gets better with successive listens.  It's not an EP that's going to blow you away, but rather keep picking at your sub-conscience until you turn around and pay attention.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about A House For Lions at www.ahouseforlions.com or www.myspace.com/ahouseforlions.  I Want Us To Remembered is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Sherman Ewing – Single Room Saloon

Sherman Ewing – Single Room Saloon
2011, Okindalia Records

Sherman Ewing walked through hell and lives to tell the tale.  Tell it he does on his latest album, Single Room Saloon.  The Columbia University grad, who once played in a band called Sherman And The Bureaucrats with John “Jojo” Hermann of Widespread Panic, grew up in British boarding schools during the birth of the punk movement.  His songwriting evokes some of that attitude infused into a blend of pop, rock and country.  With an all-star band at his back (members have worked with Bob Dylan, Spin Doctors, Hank Williams, Jr., Phish, Keith Richards and Widespread Panic), Ewing opens an emotional vein for all the world to hear.

Single Room Saloon opens with “Heaven Waits”, an intriguing commentary on materialism and the corruption it breeds.  Ewing points to a light in the distance in a delicious blend of country guitars and sophisticated rock n roll.  “Single Room Saloon” has a distinctly urgent feel; imagine the Beatles playing in an Americana style.  The result is an edgy sound that will stay with you.  “Grey Skies Blue” is catchy, but its Ewing’s guitar work that most stands out.  It’s a tune about that one person who makes even the darkest day bright, and brings to mind some of the better works of Wilco.  “Flatlands” is a dreamy Americana blend that’s as pleasing to the ear as it is pointed in message.

“Walk On” is all about making your way in the world and finding your place.  It’s a delicious bit of soulful, buzzy rock and roll.  Things slow down for a couple of songs, but Ewing gets back on track with “Bye Bye America”.  Ewing laments those who would stand by and watch America’s decline as long as they get what they feel is coming to them.  Ewing keeps up the social commentary on “The Mission”, delving into the growing gap between rich and poor and the inability of the latter to keep up.   Ewing closes with “Marilyn”, an inconspicuous final track that plays like an epilogic vector.

Sherman Ewing shows a distinctive ability in the crafting of songs on Single Room Saloon.  The material presented here is, for the most part, cogently written and melodically sound.  Ewing’s special talent is in the musical details, which he wraps around the melodic core in layers both distinctive and refined.  Not all of the songs here work on all levels, but there’s more than enough here to make Single Room Saloon worth your time.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sherman Ewing at www.shermanewing.com.  Single Room Saloon is available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Colin Gilmore - Goodnight Lane

Colin Gilmore - Goodnight Lane

2010, Colin Gilmore

Texas singer/songwriter Colin Gilmore isn't looking to trade on his dad's legacy, so while the comparisons to Jimmie Dale Gilmore are bound to be made, it is a decidedly distinct style and sound that Gilmore brings to his latest album, Goodnight Lane.  Gilmore's Texas roots are unmistakable, but Gilmore increasingly finds his own voice on Goodnight Lane.  Gilmore has shown flashes of what he might become on previous releases such as 4 Of No Kind and The Day The World Stopped and Spun The Other Way, but with Goodnight Lane Colin Gilmore has come fully into his own.

Goodnight Lane opens with “Circles In The Yard”, the story of someone with the dream of a life in music who goes to New York City and finds the Big Apple takes a bite of him.  The song is catchy and displays a distinct story-teller’s style.  Gilmore sounds a lot like Canada’s Luther Wright while displaying his own distinctive style.  “Goodnight Lane” displays classic country melancholy in a song of regret over love lost that shows the potential for beauty to grow even in the darkest of hours.  “Hand Close To Mine” is a charming country/rock love song from the perspective of the one in love with a wandering soul.  Think Blue Rodeo meets Wilco.  “Abigail” is a deep and nuanced love song about traveling together.  Uncertainty abounds but faith is essential in a profession of love and devotion that asks the same in return.

“Laughing Hard Or Crying” is catchy and danceable; a paean to living life in a space where spontaneity is the rule rather than the exception.  Gilmore captures a great dynamic here.  “Essene Eyes”  has a classic pop song feel; a light listen that’s a nice change of pace.  Gilmore digs into his instrumental side with the 1950’s rock-guitar style of “Teeth, Hair & Eyeballs”.  Gilmore takes the roots of rock n roll and infuses the birth notes of the surf style in a brilliant blend of sounds that’s at once classic and original.  Goodnight Lane closes with “Raindrops In July”, and affable blend of easy listening pop and country.  It’s a gentle close to a dynamic album that’s highly enjoyable, a sweet goodnight.

Colin Gilmore has always had his own distinctive style, but on Goodnight Lane he sets himself apart.  There’s a large constituency of artists out there practicing in the continuum of Americana music, but there’s little doubt that Goodnight Lane must be considered amongst the cream of the crop of Americana releases for 2010.  Colin Gilmore combines an impressive feel for melody and arrangement with a well-defined story-teller’s style.  Goodnight Lane is an entertaining affair that will keep you coming back again and again.  

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Colin Gilmore at www.colingilmore.com or www.myspace.com/colingilmore.  Goodnight Lane is available from Amazon.com as both a CD and Download.  The album is also available digitally from iTunes.