TonyDoug's CD Reviews

by tonydoug wright

44 Long, Hangover Heights Part 2 (In Music We Trust)

The Artist: Brian Berg

The History: Hangover Heights Part 2 is the third release from the Portland, OR-based 44 Long.

The Review: The wife and I have been looking at homes and it has, for the most part, been an interesting experience. We have dealt with oddball realtors and have viewed one too many overpriced homes that smell of cat urine or stale cigarettes. One thing we have learned is that when looking for a home, find something that has “good bones” or a solid structure.

Brian Berg understands that a great rock record needs a solid pop foundation, and Hangover Heights Part 2 is an excellent album featuring an assortment of catchy power-pop tunes, especially ‘Wake Up’ and ‘Please Don’t Love Me Now’. But Berg refuses to be pigeon-holed into a certain sound, because there are a few country and blues tracks like ‘Everybody Has A Way’ and ‘All The Way’. You will not find a dull moment on Hangover Heights Part 2, due to the fact that it has “good bones” and does not reek of kitty urine. Website: www.inmusicwetrust.com

Brent Gorton, selt-titled (Collar City)

The Artist: Brent Gorton

The History: An artist from Albany, NY, Brent Gorton performs with Kellie Steele and Brooke Degener (aka The Tender Breasts).

The Review: Seafood aficionados’ of the world, I want to tell you that Brent Gorton is not related to the Gorton’s Fisherman. The rugged old fisherman has denied claims of fathering children in various seaport cities around the world. The rumors can not be confirmed, but Mrs. Paul’s says that the Gorton’s Fisherman is totally gay.

Let’s move away from seafood and discuss Brent Gorton’s lo-fi self-titled album, which should appeal to the indie kids who dig E6 inspired tunes. Sure, ‘Anna Berlin’, is quite the catchy little number featuring a healthy dose of inspiration from Of Montreal, but the rest of Gorton’s album is filled with “ho-hum” material that fails to impress. Don’t feel bad for Gorton because there is a nice yellow rain coat in his closet waiting for the next voyage to Alaska for some king crabs.

Website:www.brentgorton.com

The Handsome Charlies, Gentlemen Never Tell (I Eat Records)

The Band: Nathan, Chris, Hamish, and Sam

The History: This quartet is originally from Sydney, Australia, but relocated to Austin, TX.

The Review: The cover of Gentlemen Never Tell features a man, dressed in a nice black suit, running out of the ocean with a look of pain on his face. Also, the guy looks like the love child of John McCain and Art Alexakis. I’m a little concerned for him because I have no idea what happened to him in the ocean. Perhaps we should ask the Gorton’s Fisherman what happened.

The Handsome Charlies' Gentlemen Never Tell is an energetic and thoroughly enjoyable rock-pop-jazz album, devoid of any pretentiousness or indie hipster attitude. When the boys are not getting the kids jumpin and jivin’ with ‘Eighty One’ or ‘Mistakes’, they are slowing it down with ‘Friend of Mine’, the album’s best track. Comparisons could be made, especially to Joe Jackson, but The Handsome Charlies have their own good-vibe pop with a bit of sophisticated jazz polish. These transplanted Aussies have it right, and hopefully everyone will take a moment to check out Gentlemen Never Tell.

Website: www.handsomecharlies.com

Archie Bronson Outfit, Derdang Derdang (Domino)

The Band: Sam the Cardinal, Arp Cleveland, and Dog Hobday

The History: Currently making their mark on the London scene, The Archie Bronson Outfit’s Derdang Derdang is their second release.

The Review: When CDs are sent to me for review, I look for something with a sticker full of praise and admiration from hip music publications, because I like to be let down by over-hyped albums. You know the deal; Rolling Stone says something like “Superb and astounding”, while NME is quoted with “The next measuring stick for all other albums”. The two aforementioned publications are not quoted on the Archie Bronson Outfit’s Derdang Derdang, but MOJO said the album is “Magisterial”.

I’m not sure that I would use “Magisterial” to describe Derdang Derdang, because the Archie Bronson Outfit has a primitive bluesy-punk sound that, at times, threatens to come to a point of madness or rage. Danger lurks on every track, due to the raw sexual energy that slithers out of the speakers, into your ears, leaving you in a state of violation. Take a listen to ‘Cherry Lips’ or ‘Cuckoo’, and allow the menacing tunes embrace you for a few minutes. The men of the Archie Bronson Outfit should make some new stickers featuring my quote to describe Derdang Derdang: “Really fuckin’ cool”.

Website: www.archiebronsonoutfit.co.uk

Clouds Forming Crowns, Race To The Blackout (Morphius)

The Band: Tim Tobias and Todd Tobias

The History: The brothers Tobias hail from northern Ohio and Race to the Blackout is Clouds Forming Crowns' sixth release.

The Review: Noisier, louder, and grittier than their 2005 self-titled album, Race to the Blackout is lo-fi rock at its best. Whatever it is about the Midwest that makes lo-fi so great should not be tampered with, because we want to save some of the fuzzy goodness for future generations. ‘Phantom Dog Black Water’ and ‘Animal Drunk’ kick off Race to the Blackout the same way ‘Detroit Rock City’ and “King of the Nighttime World’ opened Kiss’ Destroyer. From there, the album continues on its rock path and ends with two fantastic tracks, ‘Race to the Blackout’ and ‘Sea-Witch #19 (North Station)’. Race to the Blackout is quite possibly one of the best rock albums for 2006.

Website: www.tobias-music.com

Yoko Solo, The Beeps (Quake Trap)

The Artist: Brandon LaSan

The History: A founding member of the gimp-hop band Pancake Circus, Brandon LaSan (a.k.a. Yoko Solo) is an avant-garde artist who has made a name for himself in the futurist genre.

The Review: I’m not familiar with the futurist genre, but I would assume that it is something that a rock and roll purist would hate. When it comes to this type of genre, many purists dismiss the music because it does not feature the typical set-up of a singer, drummer, guitar player, and bass player. The world of electronica is full of sub-genres like trip-hop and bipop, which to some is absolute crap and to others is cutting edge.

If you listen closely to The Beeps, you will hear an album influenced by hip-hop, dance, and funk. In order to hear these influences, you must beak through Yoko Solo’s wall of experimental noise that can be best described as absolutely bizarre. The Beeps is an experimental journey that takes the listener into a soulless realm of chaos and clatter. This is not the kind of music you play when you need to unwind because the tracks on The Beeps sound like old school video game tracks performed by some dude on meth.

Website: www.quaketrap.com