Staff Music Writers


Solomon Burke’s
Like a Fire
Shout! Factory

Not many musical artists can claim to have had their work covered by music heavyweights Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and the Rolling Stones; however when you are Grammy Award-winner Solomon Burke, that is just an expected occurrence. Like a Fire, a diversified mesh of musical genres, is his latest recording that features a vast array of talented musicians. The legendary Eric Clapton wrote the title track, which turns out to be quite a nice introduction. Even though Clapton does not make an actual musical appearance, Dean Parks beautifully replicates his discernible chord progressions. Combined with Burke’s clear and honest baritone, the song develops into quite an accomplishment. “A Minute to Rest and a Second to Pray” is a slick rock/blues track featuring folk rocker Ben Harper on vocals and on his signature Dobro resonator guitar. The song was written by Harper and opens up with an angelic sounding choir, most likely manufactured through the magical world of music boards. After the choir ushers in Burke’s antithetical husky voice, the track comes alive with the aid of Harper’s amazing sliding and picking on his weapon of choice. Another attention-getting track is “I Give My Heart To You,” which was first made into a commercial hit by singer Doris Day. However, Day’s version pales in comparison to the king of Rock n’ Soul’s jazzed up, guttural rendition. Unfortunately, the rest of Like a Fire is not as notable. Listening to these tracks is like attempting an unsuccessful trek through a molasses field. Incidentally, the less remarkable remaining songs are composed and sung in the traditional country style. This former preacher saunters through these tunes as if he is simply uninterested in putting out this style of music anymore. His meandering, coupled with less than stellar lyrics, leaves this release with a disappointingly disjointed feel, which is truly unlike his former work. –Danyiell Oviedo

Ralph’s World
The Rhyming Circus
Disney Records

If you have little ones going back to school, be sure to pick up this delightful musical learning CD that will have your child sounding out each letter of “Abby’s Alphabet Soup.” Ralph Covert has created a magical musical journey that even adults can enjoy along with their kids, who will love the renegade tune “Folsom Daycare Blues,” along with the “Bad Bug Ball.” Of course, silliness is a part of this learning attraction as Covert sings about “Edward the Tap Dancing Elephant” and “Happy Not My Birthday.” Older kids will definitely enjoy “Do the Math,” but the real star on this Disney CD has got to be “Abby’s Alphabet Soup”—the song was inspired by a real little girl named Abby with a stuttering problem. The song was created to help her and many other children understand the sounds each letter makes, especially the vowels. This CD is wonderful for teachers to pick up for their class and for anyone with small children, since it teaches children while they have fun singing along in Ralph Covert’s world of his Rhyming Circus. –Sheri McKee

36 Crazyfists
The Tide and Its Takers
Ferret Music

Fitted black t-shirts, angst, pleading vocals, and screaming matches are the perfect makings for a band in the modern hardcore scene. Fortunately, 36 Crazyfists have all these characteristics. Unfortunately, you probably cannot differentiate this group from the plethora of bands within the burgeoning hardcore scene. Their latest album, The Tide and Its Takers, desperately attempts to deviate from the hardcore format by throwing in a forlorn voice-over in “Only A Year Or So,” and acoustic guitars in “The Tide and Its Takers.” Instead of being sentimental, which was probably the original intent, the two songs come across as confusing. What’s worse is that this experimentation not only fails miserably, it does not keep the album from being extremely formulaic and monotonous. The clichéd hard-rock breakdowns, lifeless riffs, and harsh vocals make this album forgettable at best. –Dominique Minor

Judas Priest
Nostradamus
Epic

Judas Priest wrote Nostradamus as a heavy metal music history of Nostradamus’ life and prophecies to demystify the prophet as well as his prophecies. Nostradamus is undoubtedly the greatest musical challenge the band has ever undertaken. The metal gods, famous for their unbridled and furious heavy metal sound that helped popularize metal as an international musical and commercial force, wrote a different approach on this album. Nostradamus maintains a mellow tempo throughout most of the two-disc album, with Halford singing portions in Latin and French, sounds of warfare mixed in when songs tell tales of wartime prophesies, the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and an orchestra, death, and the end of the world. While Nostradamus departs from the Judas Priest style, they do not disappoint when specific portions require musical emphasis. The band punctuates the story with high-flying guitars and Halford’s stratospheric vocal offerings. An instrumental introduces each song and sets the tone for the next phase of the operetta. Nostradamus is a complex album with lyrics that contain such in-depth songwriting that enraptures listeners. Judas Priest created their greatest exhibition of songwriting, musical performance, and singing with Nostradamus. –Greg Duhe

Various Artists
Women of Jazz
Putumayo World Music

Putumayo has assembled a collection of sultry and swingin’ female jazz vocalists spanning North America with purpose on their latest CD, Women of Jazz. While there’s diversity in both selection and style, the album’s strength is its coherence, never evoking a disjointedness that dooms so many compilation efforts. Melody Gardot sets the tone with the “after-midnight” ambiance of her original tune “Goonite” leading off the CD. Cassandra Wilson chimes in with “Lover Come Back to Me,” her breathy understated vocal contrasting the vivacious tempo. Canada’s Sophie Milman gives “Lonely in New York” a retro feel, aided by a colorful violin enhancement. Etta Jones closes the album with the standard “Since I Fell For You,” exuding more blues than jazz ballad sensitivities. Spanning several eras, this collection gives a clear sense that jazz continues to thrive and evolve as a common language of western vocal talent.
–Craig M. Cortello

Porter Batiste Stoltz
Moodoo
High Steppin’ Productions, LLC

The jammin’ funk-masters are back with their own little Moodoo to keep the good times rollin’ with distinctive bass lines and slammin’ solos that make the crowds go wild. Moodoo feverishly brings alive the dynamics of the band performing live, especially on the crowd favorite, “I Get High.” Personally, I enjoy the rockin’ bluesy funk-infused ditty, “All We Wanna Do,” with great flowing bass hooks that are simply mesmerizing. Each band member is a master at their craft, uniting in an incredible musical experience with their instruments communicating in a jam-base infused symphony. Such can be heard on “Funky Miracle,” “Sing A Simple Song,” “Rainy Day Women,” melding one tune into another for an 11 minute experience of rhythmic funk. This CD is a must to any local’s collection. –Kevin McKee

Lindsay Mendez
Christmas All Year Long
Indie

If the title of Lindsay Mendez’s CD, Christmas All Year Long, sounds appealing, then this is the local Christmas album of the year for you. Mendez opens the CD with the local classic swamp-pop holiday favorite, “Louisiana Christmas Day,” and carries the old standard Christmas songs like, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Mendez has a vibrant voice and definite potential for the pop charts with much enthusiasm like a little child for Christmas. –Jordan Shay


Nomadic Sun
Nomadic Sun
The Shack Records

The name Nomadic Sun strikes a mystical tune, furthering the idea of a multitude of foreign influences. Although this artist’s name is not entirely misleading, the name “nomadic” fits like a glove in that the band’s influence seems to span across a wide variety of musical styles within the album, ranging from heavily sampled electronica to soul melting harmonization. Some components of this self-titled album, such as the sporadic inclusion of not-so-subtle religious references or the seemingly 8-bit influenced sampling, protrude the comfortable musical pattern without taking much away from the overall enjoyment. Kevin Burke, the mastermind behind Nomadic Sun, shows off his vocal prowess in “Please Say,” a well-versed piece whose lyrical meaning lies open for interpretation. The well-produced “If Things Don’t Feel Right” has the potential of a mainstream hit and is the best depiction of this artist’s sampling and musical taste. Nomadic Sun posseses a unique style of their own. Unfortunately, it is this distinctiveness that may hinder a good reception in the local market. –Tyler Gardner

Truckstop Honeymoon
Great Big Family
Squirrel Records

Mike West and Katie Euliss, the eccentric duo behind Truckstop Honeymoon, just released their fifth CD, Great Big Family, an album of catchy but truthful and humorous original songs. The couple met in the French Quarter, had a courthouse wedding, and spent their wedding night at a truck stop somewhere between Lafayette and the Atchafalaya basin – thus the band Truckstop Honeymoon was born. The pair plays a dozen instruments between them on Great Big Family, and the songs have surprising depth that contrasts with the raucous humor. Some songs may even surprise you with a sense of melancholy and loss. The song “The River and the Lake,” about a chance meeting with a stranger from New Orleans is snappy and catchy, but it’s actually about people who lost everything, and the song “Blue Ribbon” is a wistful tune about expectations at a county fair. Then, just to keep you guessing, Katie Euliss sings a humorous blues tune about aging: “The neighborhood boys don’t even whistle/I can ride through the ‘hood without packin’ a pistol” in the song “Nobody Asks Me.” Once Great Big Family ends, you realize that Truckstop Honeymoon swept you along for the eventful, 14-song ride that is Mike West and Katie Euliss’s bizarre but charmed and entertaining life. –Jordan Shay


Various Artists
A Jazzy Blues Christmas
Putumayo World Music

Putumayo puts together another grand collection of famous artists singing some of the most unforgettable holiday tunes on their latest CD, A Jazzy Blues Christmas. Emilie-Claire Barlow belts out a seductive “Santa Baby” that puts Madonna and Eartha Kitt’s version to shame. Putumayo also brings the legendary voice of Ray Charles back for the holiday season with his delightful rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” in which Charles puts his very own signature style on this childhood favorite. Two favorites that stand out on this compilation CD are The Dukes of Dixieland featuring Luther Kent with “Merry Christmas Baby” and B.B. King’s “Christmas Celebration,” giving the listener that bluesy jam session with a special holiday twist. This holiday CD is a great buy for that special someone that enjoys the blues this holiday season. –Sheri McKee

Spyro Gyra
A Night Before Christmas
Heads Up International

The contemporary jazz infused group of musicians, Spyro Gyra, put their spin on holiday classics on their latest CD, A Night Before Christmas. This holiday CD pushes the instrumental envelope with charming melodic offspring’s within classics such as “Carol of the Bells” and “This Christmas.” Janis Siegel and Bonnie B. contribute some tantalizing vocals on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” while Dave Samuels’ vibraphone work adds character and voluminous depth to “Carol of the Bells” and “Winter Wonderland.” Although the CD as a whole is enjoyable to listen to over the holiday season, it often feels as though the music has been regurgitated once again from the holiday classics that are often shoved down our throats each season. Since this group is known for their innovative compositions, I thought for sure that this holiday CD would stand out stronger, but instead I swallow the same normalcy in tunes we all expect to come out during the holidays-typical gift wrapping music that’s just a tad above average. –Sheri McKee

Revivalists
SoulFight!
Indie

Although this type of jazz-inspired genre is a favorite among local listeners, the Revivalists’ funked-out beats coupled with the shrill of an electric organ create a unique sound that is almost as original as their online description. Soulfight! is a five-track EP that flaunts an intense, yet mellow funk sound that keeps the listener’s mood fairly optimistic while pondering the blues-inspired lyrics. The catchy opening track, “Concrete (fish out of water),” sets a high musical standard that is immediately met by the captivating mood set by the next melody on the album, “Sunny Days.” The melancholy tune and stimulating ideas featured in this EP are an exciting indication of what’s to come from the Revivalists in the near future.
–Tyler Gardner


The White Bitch
The White Bitch’s Prey Drive
Indie

Like most of those who are familiar with The White Bitch’s tunes, I immediately picked up on its early-Prince era influence. However, upon meeting Michael Patrick Welch, the man behind the Bitch, I learned that it was not only the Great Purple One that inspired his falsetto-heavy funk-rock, but also 90s alt-rockers, Shudder To Think. When considering the band’s propensity toward skewed and broken pop melodies, it became clear how it fits within the context of The White Bitch. His music is equal parts alt-rock, funk, abrasive punk, indie, pop, and R&B –which he somehow manages to do without overloading your senses. His debut album, The White Bitch’s Prey Drive, opens with “hep!,” a guitar-drenched soundscape that is enhanced by Ray Bong, who adds trippy atmospherics throughout the album. Bong is a tireless nitrous oxide-loving local noise-rock purveyor who plays a toy guitar and an assortment of effect pedals. The two surprisingly have a balanced relationship; Bong’s intangible electro embellishments balance out Welch’s workman-like alt-rock. Their collaboration works particularly well on “a confectioner’s dream” and “Attn. 2,” a song which Welch dedicated to fellow redheads during his performance at this year’s Voodoo Festival, or as he puts it, “my people rise up!” Elsewhere on Prey Drive, Welch showcases clever lyricism on “What is Natural?,” a cryptic album gem. “No, it ain’t natural that you follow me around/The way you cry when I leave and make that bleating sound/No, I’m not putting you in a cage,” he sings. Which may raise eyebrows upon first listen; however, as it turns out, it is a charming ode to his beloved pygmy goat Chauncey. While those songs, and others like them shine, “creamy daemon” and “ASSTRAkt” are lower points on album—which luckily there are few—that suffer from conflicting sonic structures and lo-fi recording quality. –Dominique Minor