[Jim Price]

FINAL CUT CD REVIEWS & CHICANERY: JULY/AUGUST 2006

FIRST…SOME SOAPBOXING

THE END OF AN ERA…

Something that has been a part of my life for the past 25 years has gone away.

Arboria Records in State College closed their doors after 30 years in business, effective July 25. They cited diminishing CD sales as the main factor in their decision to close.

It shouldn't be a surprise if you follow music industry trends. Stores that deal in recorded music have seen a decline in sales over the past few years, due to the proliferation of downloaded music and file-sharing, and the iPod revolution. I know that when I worked at retail in a national CD store chain a few years ago, they were just beginning to face this issue, and had begun to branch out into other products besides CD's. So for a smaller, singular business like Arboria, it probably has been an even rougher go, even in a college town like State College.

I first started shopping at Arboria when I was a student at Penn State in the early 80's. Back then, the main source for music was vinyl albums and cassettes. Arboria had new vinyl album releases, but they also had used vinyl albums in good condition at very low prices. And with the transient student population at Penn State, fresh album material was always showing up on Arboria's shelves. So I was a constant visitor, continually filling gaps in my album collection with the 'new' used arrivals showing up on Arboria's shelves and crates.

After graduating from Penn State in 1983, I didn't visit Arboria quite as often, until I began working for Pennsylvania Musician Magazine in 1987, and the store became one of my regular monthly delivery stops. I'd browse the used albums, and also check on new local album releases, which Arboria also sold.
Through the rest of the 80's and 90's, I had converted over to CD's like everybody else, but still would glance at the vinyl at Arboria now and then in case I came across a rarity or an album I couldn't find on CD. But then about 4 years ago, when I started doing my Sunday night album deep-cut program, "Closet Chronicles," on Q94, I suddenly had a new-found interest in obtaining classic vinyl albums. Q94 has a turntable in the production studio, so I could purchase vinyl albums at Arboria, and record individual songs into the music library at Q94 to use on the program. For me, it turned into a vinyl renaissance for a while; every month when I delivered magazines at Arboria, I went through the vinyl album crates to check on new arrivals, and usually left the store with anywhere from 5 to 10 albums at least.

But the times have changed, and CD stores are in trouble. Arboria closed its doors. There is another store that sells new and used CD's and some used vinyl albums, City Lights; but it is too early to tell if they will fill the gap left by Arboria, or if they too are on the endangered species list. And even the primary State College area "chain" CD store, Mikes Music & Movies, recently announced that they were no longer selling music, just DVD's and video items.

During the annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in downtown State College in mid-July, I made one last farewell visit to Arboria Records before their closure. I went through the vinyl crates to see what final treasures I could find, and browsed through the rest of the store as well. I left with close to 30 albums, from both the dollar and two-dollar bins, finding a number of albums to fill key holes in my collection.

So long, Arboria, and thanks for providing me with a lot of great music over the years.

CROCODILE HUNTING, BANDWATCHING AND OTHER RISKY ENDEAVORS

I was driving home from Johnstown Folkfest late on Labor Day eve when I heard on the radio the breaking news about the death of “The Crocodile Hunter,” Steve Irwin, from the business end of a stingray’s stinger off the Queensland coast of his native Australia. He was 44.

My initial thought was that Steve Irwin was a person who dealt with life-and-death risks every day in his encounters with wild animals. I recalled an episode of his television series where he pursued and encountered a deadly spitting cobra, and despite his wearing protective shades, still got snake venom in his eye from the cobra’s accurate aim. As many times as Irwin tempted fate and took risks, I always wondered if it would someday catch up with him. Ironically, as it turned out, Irwin wasn’t being a daredevil when he lost his life; he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and surprised a resting stingray, whose barb nailed Irwin in the wrong part of the body.

Irwin’s passing made me think about the subject of risks. Some people face obvious risks in their daily lives, such as Steve Irwin, racecar drivers, prison guards, construction workers, coal miners and others. But if you stop to think about it, we all face risks every day. From the moment you stick that first spoonful of cereal in your mouth in the morning; when you get on a motorcycle or into a car and pull out onto a highway; when you climb up on a stool or chair to change a ceiling light bulb; when you fire up a kerosene heater or furnace on a cold wintry night; there is risk involved. The most menial of household tasks can contain potentially deadly risk.

I thought about risk in my life. Besides some of the ordinary daily risks I mentioned above, I thought about my nocturnal endeavor of watching bands and live music. On the surface, it might not appear to have risks, but it does. On any given night when I go to see a band, I am on the road to get to a show and to get back home. And I am on the road at the same time that the largest number of drunk drivers might be on that same road. Fortunately, I have never had an accident while doing this (knock on wood), and have never even encountered a DUI checkpoint in nearly 20 years of making my bandwatching rounds. If I go out of town to see a band, that risk increases, as well as the risk of fatigue setting in while I’m driving. (Believe me, I know where the 24-hour convenience stores are in case I need coffee or a Mountain Dew, and I know the locations of key parking lots so I can pull over and take a rest should I start feeling tired behind the wheel.) Inside the venues, if there isn’t proper ventilation, I breathe in second-hand cigarette smoke, with the risk of effects on my lungs and long-term health. And as evidenced by the UVA shooting last year or the concert shooting that ended Damage Plan/Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell’s life, you just never know when some whackjob with a gun and an attitude may show up.

But despite all the risks involved, I still do what I do. My life would be less fulfilling and an absolute drag if I didn’t. And we all still do what we do in life, despite the risks. We can’t stop living our lives because there are risks around every corner. Steve Irwin didn’t stop doing what he did despite the risks. Nor should we. And as the circumstances of Irwin’s death showed, it wasn’t the obvious risk that claimed him, but something totally unexpected.

Bottom line of this rant: Live your life to its fullest. Don’t avoid life, hide behind closed doors or continually live in fear because of potentially bad things that might happen…because risk will always be out there; and risk will always be a part of life. And avoiding one risk doesn’t guarantee that you’ll won’t run into another.

AND NOW (AT THE RISK OF EXPLODING HEADPHONE SPEAKERS IMPALING MY BRAIN)…SOME NATIONAL AND LOCAL CD REVIEWS

DAVID GILMOUR – ON AN ISLAND (Columbia) There seems to be a calming, atmospheric consistency to almost everything David Gilmour has done to date, from his contributions to Pink Floyd’s legend to his own solo material. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Gilmour’s third solo album and first in 22 years, On An Island, is another laid-back, mellowed-out affair on the surface. There’s no agitated Roger Waters counterpoint here, and listeners entering this album expecting the drama of Dark Side Of The Moon or The Wall might hastily dismiss this set as a yawner. But repeat listens to the album will reveal several things. First, this is a more tranquil and pleasant affair than Gilmour’s other two solo albums, and certainly more upbeat than his last outing with Pink Floyd, 1994’s The Division Bell. There’s a more romantic tone to the album, with Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, assisting with lyrics and piano. The overall mood of the album is serene and ethereal. Second, Gilmour reveals musicianship beyond just guitar; also playing keys, trumpet, saxophone, bass, cumbus (a Middle Eastern instrument similar to a banjo) and percussion. The presence of a number of guests, including Phil Manzanera on keys, Georgie Fame and Pink Floyd bandmate Richard Wright on Hammond organ, Jools Holland on piano, David Crosby and Graham Nash on backing vocals, plus occasional strings, fills and fleshes out the album’s sound, and gives depth and elegance to the mix. And third, at least a few embedded tensions reveal themselves after repeat listens. Gilmour still knows how to use serenity to set up for his stormier guitar solo displays, demonstrated best on the title track “On An Island.” “Take A Breath” shows a sharper edge, its rougher guitar chords even hinting at early Pipers At The Gates Of Dawn-era Pink Floyd. Also curious is the blues-driven workout “This Heaven,” displaying a different side of Gilmour's musical personality. The variety of musicianship and the fleshed-out arrangements make this an interesting album in spots; however, the melodies are often not strong enough to sustain the listener through the dominant ethereal and dreamy-sounding passages. And the moments of tension and edginess are a little too sparse to effectively interrupt the album’s prevalent slumber. On An Island shows us a content David Gilmour defining his current serene musical mood. But ultimately, the album shows us that Gilmour is still most compelling when he is forced out of the comfort zone, and Pink Floyd connoisseurs will again miss the push and pull tension between Gilmour and Roger Waters that defined Floyd’s most legendary works.

IAN GILLAN – GILLAN’S INN (Immergent Records) Celebrating 40 years in the music business, Ian Gillan revisits his past on his new studio album, Gillan’s Inn. Gillan updates songs from his solo career, his Deep Purple years and brief Black Sabbath stint over the course of the album’s 14 tracks, with help from a celebrity cast of musicians. One immediate highlight throughout the album is Gillan’s voice, which has held up amazingly well over the years, and still displays plenty of grit, firepower and range here. Guests permeate every track; guitar great Joe Satriani contributes his fast and fiery fretboard work to updates of Gillan’s “Unchain Your Brain” and “Hang Me Out to Dry,” plus Deep Purple’s “Speed King.” Former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth provides guitar licks on remakes of Gillan’s Day Late and a Dollar Short” and the ballad “Loving on Borrowed Time.” Jeff Healey provides bluesy lead guitar work on “When A Blind Man Cries,” a song from Deep Purple’s Machine Head sessions. Iron Maiden guitarist Janick Gers, once a member of Gillan, appears on “Bluesy Blue Sea;” while Tony Iommi makes an appearance on an update of “Trashed,” which appeared on the lone Black Sabbath album to feature Ian Gillan on lead vocals, 1983’s Born Again. Ian’s Deep Purple bandmates Steve Morse, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and Don Airey all put in appearances on the album, as do former Deep Purple keyboard man Jon Lord, Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls, and singers Ronnie James Dio and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott; the latter on a bonus track rendition of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.” The album is a Dual Disc, with a DVD side featuring the songs in 5.1 surround sound, footage from the making of the album, bootleg live footage and more. Produced by veteran knob twister Nick Blagona and recorded at a variety of studios, Gillan’s Inn maintains a crisp, hard-rocking consistency; with Ian Gillan’s strong voice prominent and clear in the mix. Ian Gillan doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but celebrates his hard-rocking legacy on Gillan’s Inn, an album that shows listeners where he has musically been over his 40-year career. Fans of Gillan will be happy to find that the man can still belt out the voice, and shows no signs of slowing down.

WARRANT – BORN AGAIN (Down Boys Records) Warrant's first album in five years, Born Again, signifies a rebirth and a return back to the basics for the group. Four-fifths of the Warrant line-up responsible for the two albums that marked their meteoric rise, 1989's Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich and 1990's Cherry Pie, is back together; lead guitarist Joey Allen, rhythm guitarist Erik Turner, bassist Jerry Dixon and drummer Steven Sweet. Replacing longtime singer Jani Lane is the former frontman of Black'n Blue, Jaime St. James, who offers a similar but slightly grittier voice than his predecessor. Born Again finds Warrant returning to the type of melody-driven, hard-hitting rock and roll that made the band a household name to begin with. Strong song hooks ride on powerful, weighty beats and busy guitarwork, and are developed with 'The Saint's' gritty voice and fleshed-out vocal harmonies. There are plenty of highlights, including the hefty funk-driven opener, "Devils Juice;" tough rockers like "Dirty Jack" and "Bourbon County Line;" catchy midtempo exercises like "Angels," "Love Strikes Like Lightning" and "Roxy;" and the fast-paced, rampaging closer "Good Times." The group maintains a hard-rocking consistency throughout the dozen tracks, slowing down only once for the power ballad "Glimmer." Lyrically, as expected, Warrant doesn't solve world problems here, but they don't give us anything quite as tacky as "Cherry Pie," either; instead touching on familiar themes of mean streets, misspent youth, the rock and roll life, seductive vixens and more. The group does take on a more sarcastic tone about left-coast survival on "Hell, CA." Produced, engineered and mixed by Pat Regan, the album sounds sharp and solid, with relatively little in the way of special effects or major polish. On Born Again, Warrant returns to carrying the torch for basic, ballsy, metal-edged rock and roll; and ultimately proves that beyond the big hair and sleaziness of their earlier commercial peak, these guys can still create some fundamentally good hard-nosed rock and roll. This album should please fans of their late 80's/early 90's peak, and connoisseurs of old-school hard rock in general.

THE CLARKS – STILL ALIVE (King Mouse Music) In conjunction with the release of their first DVD of the same name, Pittsburgh favorites The Clarks have released their second live CD, Still Live. And as the album's sixteen tracks clearly illustrate, The Clarks are still very much live and alive. Recorded during two nights of a sold-out four-night stand at Mr. Small’s Theatre in Millvale last December, Still Live again captures The Clarks doing what they do so well, letting their music and performances do the talking. The album literally picks up where the group's 2001 Live album left off, starting with a second live rendition of the hit that ended the 2001 album, “Better Off Without You.” From there, The Clarks breathe live energy into many new favorites that have emerged since that first live album; including radio hits such as “Maybe,” “Hey You,” “Shimmy Low,” “Hell On Wheels” and “Gypsy Lounge,” and established live favorites such as “You Know Everything,” “On Saturday,” “Boys Lie” and “Let It Go.” Produced, mixed and recorded by Sean McDonald, Still Live nicely captures the atmosphere of the occasion. The energy level is constant, as The Clarks’ performances are vibrant, upbeat and steady; and the hometown crowd cheers ecstatically after every song. The mix is crisp and balanced, and puts the listener front and center. Besides providing a snapshot of the special occasion of The Clarks before their hometown fans, Still Live also shows that this band continues to generate catchy, upbeat, guitar-driven American rock and roll, and that the group’s more recent song creations have established their own places alongside the more established canons of the Clarks’ catalog. Still Live further slams the exclamation point on The Clarks as a live band entity, and anybody who has ever enjoyed a Clarks live show should find this an easily satisfying listen. (The album can be obtained by visiting the group's website, www.clarksonline.com.)

RUSTY GUN REVIVAL – RUSTY GUN REVIVAL (no label) Singer, guitarist and harmonica player Marc Prave and bass fiddle player Ed McDonald formed Blind Jonny Death in late 2003. Shortly after adding snare drum player Tom Hipps early last year, the group released their first album, Git Down On The Farm; introducing their brand of rural roots and Americana music. But the addition of Hipps changed the dynamic of the group, giving them a livelier sound and edge. Thus, earlier this year, Blind Jonny Death changed their name to Rusty Gun Revival to reflect their change and growth. Their self-titled debut as Rusty Gun Revival shows listeners a sound that is still true to the rural roots sounds of their Blind Jonny Death incarnation, yet demonstrates more grit and edge. This evolution is immediately celebrated on the boisterous honky-tonk opening track, "Revival," launched from a pipe organ prelude played by guest Doug Beard. The group also shows off its edgier approach on the wistful electric-tinged ode to unfulfilled ambition, "Smoke;" the driving rockabilly of "Step It Up n'Go;" and the electric surf-abilly instrumental "LF/T." The group updates "That Girl Is Hot" and "Long Way From Home" from Git Down On The Farm, both given extra punch and fullness from Hipps' snare beats and guest John Stevens' lap steel, plus Prave's slightly more agitated vocal performance. The upbeat honky tonk workouts "Good Morning" and "Honky Tonk Women" also display spirit and vigor, while Prave's grittier and rangier presentation breathes new life into the traditional folk song "Tell Old Bill." Elsewhere, "No More Blues" is simple acoustic folk, while "Last Cowboy's" low-fi vinyl record sound recalls an earlier era, and the group shows a more playful and mischievous side on the bonus track remake of the traditional "Way Downtown." Rusty Gun Revival shows more sharpness and depth, as the group uses their roots foundation as a launching pad to stretch and explore more musical terrain. The production by the group and John Wagoner sacrifices some of the warmth and coziness of Git Down On The Farm for more rawness and jagged edges; without losing the rural flavor and homeyness of Rusty Gun Revival's base sound. Ultimately, as this band's name change signifies expansion and growth, the Rusty Gun Revival album shows a band exploring and expanding their Americana music foundation with more drive, vigor and vinegar. The result is rural Americana music with a bite, and a fun and entertaining listen. (The CD can be obtained through the group's website, www.rustygunrevival.com.)

SHADES OF JUNE – LIFE SENTENCES (no label) Often, a debut album allows a band to define their sound and explore the various components that make up that sound. Over the six tracks of their official debut disc, Life Sentences, Shades Of June displays several components of their overall musical identity. Lead singer Jess Maguire, guitarist/singer Ryan Krinjeck, bassist Chris Myer and drummer Chris McConnell explore their musical turf; including agitated, edgy alternative on the opening track "Moment of Truth," "Awake" and "Be Anything;" punk-fueled textures on "Not the One for Me" and "Saturday in January;" and a softer and more contemplative tone on the disc's closer, "Reflection." All six songs are well-developed, with interesting, catchy and concise melodies; and fueled by staccato drumming, lean bass lines and edgy, acidic guitar chords. Maguire and Krinjeck both share lead vocal duties, alternating and blending at various times throughout the album. Produced by the band and Shane Garland, Life Sentences is brash and edgy, with the guitars and drums given sharpness and bite; and fullness given to Maguire's sultry-edged voice and Krinjeck's clear, understated tones. In all, Life Sentences introduces the scope of Shades Of June's styles and moods, while allowing the diversity of harder and softer elements to blend for an interesting, variable sound that doesn't remain in one place. This is a solid debut that defines Shades Of June's present musical territory, and establishes a foundation that the group can develop from and expand upon. (The disc can be obtained at shows or by visiting the group's website, www.shadesofjune.com.)

HANNAH BINGMAN – RIGHT, RIGHT NOW (no label) "I've Got Something to Say," proclaims Hannah Bingman on the final song of her latest album, Right, Right Now. And so she does. Just into her early 20's (she turned 22 on July 6), the Beaver Springs-based singer, songwriter and guitarist has lots of things to say over the course of her new CD, as she muses about her own life, viewpoints, relationships, societal observations and more. With a rangeful voice tinged with a slight raspiness and a touch of skepticism, Hannah sings thoughtful, poetic and slightly rambling wanderings of her mind; along the way exposing some wisdom many people twice her age would be envious of. On the opening track "The Greater Picture" and on "Heart Like A Fist," Hannah prefers to rely on her own intuition and experience to plot her own course over what the media, politicians and talking heads feed her. On "Finished Finé Done," she gives life her best shot, for better or worse. "Letter to Your Senator" encourages listeners to step forward and follow their consciences to make changes for the better, rather than pass the buck on to the next generation. Conversely, on songs like "Been So Lost," "Long Time Coming" and "Route 68," Hannah shows some vulnerability and doubt, and still entertains questions about her own life, direction and purpose. Hannah carries her thoughtful muses on an acoustic foundation of folk and blues guitar and banjo, assisted in spots by Kim Reichley on bass, Bruce Barr on acoustic slide and Keanan Barbour-March on drums and percussion. Co-produced and arranged by Hannah Bingman herself, Right, Right Now sounds stripped down and basic, with Hannah's folksy presentation front and center; uncluttered by studio gloss, bells and whistles. Right, Right Now further establishes Hannah Bingman as an intelligent, thoughtful and maturing performer who is unafraid to speak her mind, and who has the voice and songwriting skills to get her points across. (The CD can be obtained at her shows, or through her website, www.hannahbingman.com.)

MICHAEL REICH – WRITING ON THE WALL (Attack Music) Somerset County-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Michael Reich has enjoyed increasing success on his progression of albums, as his music reaches a wider audience and sphere of music industry ears. On his latest album, Writing On The Wall, Reich hooks up with veteran Canadian producer Mark S. Berry (David Bowie, Duran Duran, Billy Idol), revisits and updates a number of songs from his catalog. His collaboration with Berry streamlines Reich's creations and gets to their basic essence, while fleshing out the arrangements and giving them depth and color. Berry gives more fullness and rocking muscle to Reich's recording industry commentary "Turning On A Dime" and his information age ode "Wireless." Likewise, the contemplative "Live For Today" and "Dare I Complain" benefit from a more robust Americana sound, and keyboards subtly bolster the surf-edged "Century Man." Berry's production also emphasizes Reich's tenderness and warmth on the ballad "Before I Let It Go," and brightens the happy-go-lucky flavor of "Where True Lovers Hide." Reich introduces two new songs on the album, the punchy "Living Day to Day," about coping with modern-day living; and the blues-rooted essay on media doublespeak, "Spin." The album finishes with Reich's uplifting update of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold." Recorded at Zolis Audio in Toronto, Writing On The Wall sounds clean and full. Berry's production complements and supports Reich's deep baritone voice, keeping it clear, front and center in the mix. While Berry fleshes out the arrangements, he never overwhelms the sound with too many studio bells and whistles, enabling the strength of Reich's melodies and lyrical edge to shine through. [Writing On The Wall reflects on where Michael Reich has been musically, but also shows his progress and growth as he hones and refines his sound. The results again reaffirm Reich as one of this state's brightest songsmiths; an artist with something to say and the tools to say it with clarity and impact. (Can be obtained by visiting Michael Reich's website, www.michael-reich.com.)

For show reviews and other interesting stuff, check out “JP’s Corner” on Rockpage:

www.rockpage.net
_________________

http://pamusician.net

[Jim Price]

...
_________________

http://pamusician.net