BCG Reviews

Note: After being stupidly busy and travelling for a few months, this is the first of a series of "first impressions" (OK, short and lazy) reviews of a number of albums that I've bought recently. The usual format of extended reviews will resume shortly.

I had heard of The Tragically Hip and had probably heard some of their music. So, out of curiosity (and thrift) I bought what I thought was their first album for $7.50 (Canadian Dollars). It turns out that "The Hip" are considered to be one of Canada's premiere rock acts, and what I'd picked up was actually an EP released before their first album. They're a five piece band - vocals, 2 guitars, bass and drums - and have now been around for about 18 years, still with the original line-up.

A few listens indicated a good, tight rock band with Indie tinges. Singer Gord Downie's voice comes across a little like that of REM's Michael Stipe, although he displays an interesting variety of sounds, including an excellent rock'n'roll growl. On this EP he also sounds a little like the singer from Australian band The Hoodoo Gurus - actually the whole EP sounds a little like that band. The songs are guitar-based, with both a rhythm and blues edge - sometimes you can hear The Rolling Stones in there, as well as that Indie jangle.

Listening to this EP prompted me to look for more information about The Tragically Hip on the Internet, which then prompted me to buy 3 more albums. The urgency of my multiple album purchase involved both my naturally obsessive behaviour (I listen, I enjoy a lot, I buy most of the back catalogue :-) and the fact that these albums cost $10 to $15 each in Canada, but will probably set me back about $30 each once I return to Australia. So, after skipping through the songs on 2 of the albums, I found 3 more in another CD store. So, I now have 6 albums by The Tragically Hip and 1 EP. I think this band's music is going to be a staple part of my music listening from now on.

Kings of Leon were indirectly recommended to me by a friend - someone had told him they played good rock music but he hadn't listened to them yet. I mentioned them to a couple of people I know and they thought they were OK. Yet again, I thought I'd probably heard a song or 2 on the radio. I also did some reading of the reviews of their first 2 albums on Amazon.com. The reviews were quite favourable so, while the US, I picked up a copy of Kings of Leon's first album Youth & Young Manhood - partly due to the cheaper price.

Reviews of Kings of Leon hype them as the next big thing. Even the future of rock'n'roll. Sadly, I don't think they're it.

Youth & Young Manhood is a solid album of roots-based rock music. A lot of the 1960s and 1970s influences are there, such as The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, along with later bands such as The Black Crowes. Personally I think The Black Crowes do this sort of thing a lot better and sound a lot more like the future that I'd like rock'n'roll to have. The band sounds pretty darn good. However, while singer Caleb Followill has a pretty good rock singer's voice, he displays little of the variation shown by the really good ones - passable, but not brilliant. The best song on the album is Molly's Chambers, which I have definitely heard played on Australian radio.

However, I really haven't given this album a fair chance. I've listened to it once on a portable audio player and once on an average car stereo. When I get home I'll listen to it nice and loud. Maybe some volume will help lift this album to the classic status that other listeners have given it... or maybe it won't. Stay tuned...

After seeing Jodi Martin back in February I was determined to get some of her albums. So I asked for, and got, a copy of Twenty One Stairs for my birthday. This album is only available by mail-order directly from the artist, who was away on tour, so my present was a little belated... but well worth the wait!

The first 6 tracks are "recorded live at The Sando" (The Sandringham Hotel in Newtown (Sydney)). These performances feature a bigger sound than I experienced at Martin's Canberra show, where she performed solo and was occasionally joined by a drummer. Twenty One Stairs features Jodi Martin's vocals and guitars, accompanied by drums, Hammond organ, bass and backing vocals - the last two are handled by Martin's sister Robyn. These songs sound great. The arrangements are simple but solid and the production of the live tracks is excellent for a small, independent release.

The opening track Love That Survives has a reggae feel and celebrates a friendship that survives despite things not being necessarily simple. The next song You Showed Me How is a similar celebration of friendship, with a straighter arrangement. Missing The Point has a slightly funky feel and the lyrics take an interesting look at misunderstandings in a relationship. This is followed by Things Don't Always Go To Plan, a beautiful ballad - and probably my favourite live track on the album. Hold On is another strong performance, and is followed by Robyn's Song - a quite personal tribute to Martin's sister. This is the final live track and is a solo performance.

The first of the album's 4 studio tracks Too Easy is a lovely song. It features Martin on acoustic guitar and vocals, accompanied by some Hammond organ, as well as her own backing vocal overdubs. The lyrics look at how superficial emotions make it easy to stay in a problematic relationship. Too Easy is brilliant - my favourite song on this album.

Although the other 3 studio tracks are also very good, I won't spend any more time picking this album apart. I'll have another listen instead!

Jodi Martin's lyrics are personal, and intelligently crafted. She writes about family, relationships and life in general, and does so from personal experience. She also seems to live her music - the performances are from the heart and full of emotion.

I'm very happy to have stumbled across Jodi Martin's music. Her music is influenced by an interesting range of rootsy musical styles, including country - however, my general lack of appreciation for country music isn't triggered here at all. I'm going to add her other 2 albums to my collection. I hope I enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed this one, which has been on semi-permanent rotation while I've been working for the past few weeks.

Serena Ryder supported Missy Higgins at Canberra's Royal Theatre on 13 April 2005 . Ryder is a singer/guitarist/songwriter from Canada.

Ryder opened with an out of control a capella performance that was reminiscent of the bonus track from Alanis Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill, but much louder. I might be getting hung up on the similarity of their accents a little too much, but I ended up seeing Ryder as an Alanis Morissette caricature. Some of her songs were interesting, but she was inconsistent in many ways... though the far-too-consistently loud volume of her voice overrode any other inconsistencies and just made her boring.

Also, her guitar playing or equipment, or both, let her down. First, she stopped playing in the middle of her second song and tuned her guitar. Later, she managed to produce some low pitched booms (or feedback?) that were so impressive she stopped and asked the sound crew if they had any idea what was happening! Her playing generally sounded "scratchy". Later, when her guitar was going consistently out of tune, she asked to borrow one from another artist. Perhaps she was just having a bad night? However, being international performer who travels the world with a single guitar does not sound like a good plan.

Having said all of that, Serena Ryder may well be "the next big thing", since a fair percentage of the audience seemed supportive of her performance. She displayed a very loud and impressive vocal range, some interesting song-writing and an interesting attitude towards performing. However, I was glad when it was over.