ANTHONY LAMARR – Intermission: The Learning Never Stops

(2011   Self-Release)

Musicians don’t often relish in repeating themselves or even carrying on a common theme from project to project. Then again why fix it if it’s not broken?

Aside from being a bit overly ambitious (in length), Anthony Lamarr’s 2010 debut, Opening Night: A Symphony from Sorrow, was very impressive indeed. For part two the template has remained virtually the same right down to the layout, the font, the liner notes and the flow of the album. This one, however clocks in at a more digestible forty minutes.

It is the calling of most artists to take personal experiences and visions and universalize them. Lamarr is no different and, in fact these two albums play like a documentary in musical form; musical as in stage musical. Especially central to Lamarr’s journey are family and faith with a capital F.

Scott Lamps returns as the primary instrumentalist, arranger, engineer and co-producer. Though Pete Ross returns on sax, the horn section that provided much of the funk on Opening Night are notably absent. The drums are programmed this time out and that makes for some stiffness but it’s the vocal performances that take center stage despite being a bit further down in the mix.

Things get started off in a hymnal way with “Vernal Equinox,” the date of Lamarr’s birth. Beth Kille provides a sweet lead vocal that sings the Lord’s praises, complete with massive layers of keys and chimes. “Order & Chaos” follows, a soulful tune that puts Lamarr’s magnificent tenor in the spotlight with Kari Arnett and Shawndell Marks providing graceful backups. This is easily the best track on the album.

Also returning are Rob Dz and J’Dante who appear on the linked tracks “Interlude – Deep Intermission / Intermission,” Dz providing the spoken word into and J’Dante contributing rhymes. Dz reappears later on “City of Change” along with E-Sweez.

“Keep Me Down” plays like a good old gospel stomp with singer/songwriter Corey Hart guesting on vocals.

Things take a turn for the strange on “Folk Song” the music suddenly veering away from the dense rhythms and urban feel to outright bluegrass. Even stranger is the use of 105.5 Triple M’s Jonathan Suttin to provide an introduction as if this were airing on radio in real time (maybe it was). The track features Anna Vogelzang on vocals and Julia McConahay on violin. Banjo (presumably played by Lamps) completes the Appalachian palette. Perhaps even stranger is the closer “Auf Wiedersehen” with Tom Klein playing accordion. Though it’s a nice showcase for Lamarr’s vocals, the spoken German stanzas simply go over the top. Stranger still was the choice to place “City of Change” between the two.

Intermission lacks some of the spark that ignited Opening Night. The mix is dense, even muddy in spots, and the programmed drums and rhythm tracks have a lot to do with that. These elements also seem to limit the expressiveness of the music. It feels like there’s less room for the songs to breathe with layers of keyboards and electronics. The result is a bit of monotony in the arrangements.

Lamarr appears prepared to carry on the theme to a third album, “announcer” Sarah Hoover clueing us in at the tail end that Act Two is on its way. It might be more prudent to scratch the weighty theme and template of the first two albums and just free Lamarr up to explore and express himself without these confines.

ANTHONY LAMARR – Opening Night: A Symphony from Sorrow

(2010 Self-Release)

The debut release from Anthony Lamarr was easily one of the more ambitious releases of 2010. At twenty-one songs and seventy-seven minutes, it’s an opus, especially for a debut. Lamarr’s background and education is in theater and here he presents these works in three “acts”. The album opens with a simulation of being in a theater with polite applause and a voice-over welcome urging the “audience” to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. It closes in similar fashion although it’s a long show – it’s just intermission; foresight into Lamarr’s 2011 release, Intermission: The Learning Never Stops, which carries on the theme.

Opening Night is biographical in nature; a playlist from Lamarr’s personal experiences. The arc of the story is not entirely clear but overall it begins with a sorrow that is overriding and ends with the optimism that he can indeed overcome. Lamarr attempts to expand his experiences from personal to universal and on this note he largely succeeds. The album sways from soul-searching reflections to outright worship songs, especially in the third “act”. The album probably could have done without some of the latter tracks, condensing it down to a more digestible length.

The ambition of the project is reflected in the sheer number of people involved: a core band that features Scott Lamps (bass, guitars, vocals, keyboards, arrangement, engineering and production), Ida Jo (violin, vocals), Austin Douse (drums), Michael “Mouse” Adams, Jr. (harmonica) and a horn section including Peter Ross on sax, Charley Wagner on trumpet and Sean Dray on tuba. There are copious special guests with songs tailor-made for them, choirs and even preachers.

“On and On” establishes the main groove of the record; a funky track that seeps Motown influences with ample use of horns. The guitars are notable here, a staccato pattern underlies the verses while crunching power chords drive the choruses. “Deep Afterthought” and “Afterthought” dial up the soul music, the former featuring a poem spoken by Rob Dz. Lamarr’s vocals soar bringing Luther Vandross to mind. A jazzy turnaround after the choruses is very effective as is the the song’s final refrain. Lamarr performed this pair at the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards, bringing in a troupe of dancers and choreographing the entire performance with impressive theatrical flair.

“Need to Change” is another standout, featuring Lucas Cates and blazing harmonica from Adams. It’s a more typical of a rock song with a familiar descending chord progression. The coda is a freakout and one of the more brilliant production moments on the album. “Why Go” is another with Ida Jo and Aaron Williams who turns in an outstanding and emotional guitar solo. “Doo Wah” lets Lamps take over the vocals and the textured, layered backups are a nice touch.

Other appearances include Lyndsay Evans (Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters) who adds soulful vocals to “Choices,” J’Dante who brings a hip-hop section to “Better Than Me,” Mike Droho (Compass Rose) who sings on “The Place to Be” and Danielle Brittany who sings on a sultry lounge-jazz track appropriately titled “Jazzy Song.”

Lamarr’s alias The Soundshaker makes a brief appearance, showcasing his astounding ability to use his voice to reproduce complex beats, a technique known as beat-boxing.

The fact that a project like this flew so low on the radar while another of Lamarr’s outings – a video for the Wisconsin Badgers’ Rose Bowl appearance in January 2011 entitled “We’re Smelling Roses” practically went viral – is typical of the uphill battle musical artists face in this city. It’s often said that in Madison football, bratwurst or terrible illnesses will draw attention. Works of art…? Not so much.

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BRANDON BEEBE – In This Place

(2011 Self-Release)

CD Release Party – High Noon Saloon, February 2nd

The enormous success of Bon Iver is likely to spawn a whole new generation of experimental folk artists, a genre that is already crowded with talent. Will Oldham may be the father of the movement with bands like the National and Band of Horses rising to prominence. Remember this name though: Brandon Beebe. In This Place is just being released and as a debut album it is startlingly developed both as an artistic expression and as an accomplished production.

Beebe plays several instruments, his primary tool being the acoustic guitar. He adorns his windswept compositions with lots of strings giving the music a chamber feel. Drums are used sparingly, Beebe opting for percussive instruments and handclaps much of the time. Only “She’s the Moon” gets the rhythm pumped up. Here electric guitars mix with a Latin-flavored groove. The closest thing to a pop song, “She’s the Moon” is the odd man out on the album.

The rest of In This Place is far more emotional and the instrumentation much more subdued. Like Bon Iver there are undercurrents of electricity in the form of eerily programmed keyboards and reverb-soaked guitar. This technique adds dimension to the sparse musical landscape and more than a degree of tension. The vocals, particularly the backing vocals, are often electronically treated, accentuating the mournful aspects of the songs. The gorgeous lament “Ashes” is a fine case in point. The vocal segment that opens the song sounds like wolves howling across a desolate plain. Gently finger-picked acoustic guitar and vocal are deceptive; a close listen reveals layers of delicate sounds that are simply a joy to delve into, despite the distressing nature of the lyric.  At times Beebe can seem much older than his years. His lyrics are deeply felt and bear the mark of someone who has a lifetime of experiences to draw from.  “My love, have we reached the point / Where the only way to go is down… An icy chill surrounds our heart…Embers fading into Ashes” are suggestive that the young man is learned in the ways of love; wise beyond his years.

Just when you think you’ve got a plaintive folk song you’ll get complicated chord progressions and passing tones such as the progression on “Future Memory.” Telltale signs of a songwriter with a special knack for inventing sophisticated melodies. “Gift/Outro,” which closes the album is another standout, straight-ahead strumming augmented with a vocal line that veers into falsetto, again recalling Bon Iver without going over the top. The song builds to a majestic climax before dissolving into reverb and delay as it fades down. It’s as though the music comes out of the ether and disappears again.

In This Place was recorded primarily by Brad Stubbe with a couple tracks recorded by Scott Lamps, who is becoming a strong force in production work around Madison. The strings were recorded by Tom Freeman. All deserve credit for the fine results as do DNA’s Mark Whitcomb, who mixed most of the album and Mike Zirkel (Smart Studios/Audio for the Arts) who also mixed a couple tracks. A strong release that is already destined for a “Best of 2012” entry, In This Place has set the bar very high.

Beebe will host a CD Release Party at High Noon Saloon on February 2nd.

GERMAN ART STUDENTS – The Power and the Trust

(2011 Self-Release)

I’m not sure what it is but after thirteen years the German Art Students still sound like a new band to me. Six years since their last recorded outing, 2005’s Name Droppers, this four-song EP inspired by the budget bill protests leaves GAS fans with the aural equivalent of sexual foreplay. If the members think they can just go back to family time now they’re probably mistaken. The buzz on the band is back in full force with rave reviews and several placements in local news outlets and television appearances. GAS fans are aroused and they want more!

There is little to dislike about the German Art Students. They’re reasoned in their lyrical approach and straddle the line between pop and punk rock with ease. Even though they lost an integral member when Andy Larson left the group in 2010 the GAS trademarks are still intact; an intelligence and awareness in the music but also a hefty dose of sharp-witted commentary.

Prime case in point is the title track, a song about Walker that somehow manages to evoke more pity than rage. The subject matter is damn funny but, then again, it’s downright pathetic. “He reminds me of somebody I’ve seen before / A scared little boy in the dark on the floor / I don’t think he read 1984 / I’ve seen it before” singer Annelies Howell observes over a folk-song chord sequence. The double-tracked vocal adds punch to the space vacated by Larson, one benefit derived from carrying on as a trio. “I wonder what he did in his sophomore year / Did he have any fun, did he drink any beer / Did he make any friends or just live in fear / His sophomore year” just about nails it. By this time the rest of the band has kicked in, the double-time snare drum on the 3 and 4 in the chorus is just plain cool and a brilliant touch. Like all great songs, it’s simple and to the point.

“HMS Funtime” uses maritime allegory (His Majesty’s Ship) to describe reaction to the political situation. Kirk Wall’s vocal implores “I just wanna get off this boat alive” over an angular guitar riff and a really cool bass line played by (I’m assuming) Howell.

“Jupiter,” is more whimsical and how it plays into the protest theme I haven’t quite put my finger on. No matter, it’s so goddamn catchy I can’t get it out of my head. Like an insatiable sweet tooth, this one satisfies the craving. It rocks just hard enough with a big, bold vocal blend, giving it a soaring quality. Again, the bass line here is central to the song’s propulsion and I’m drawn to it like the comet that hammered the planet some years ago.

The final tune, “Bible Camp” returns to the angular guitar statements found in many of GAS’s songs. It’s a humorous send-up that says what it needs to say in 120 seconds.

No nonsense, no bullshit, and in twelve minutes it’s over. It was fun but it’s like being on the carnival ride; you’re a little pissed that you waited in line so long for such a short excursion. Here’s hoping the success of this teaser will motivate the band to produce more material. Madison needs more of this type of salve. We’re suffering, yes, but the German Art Students have a way of helping us face the world with a smile and a knowing wink that the kids are alright.

KYLE HENDERSON – Life Goes On

(2011 Self-Release)

Most of Madison is no doubt unaware that there is a certified star that’s been living in their midst. Since moving here from Orlando in 2007, Kyle Henderson, formerly a member of power-pop sensation the Producers, has kept a relatively low profile. With the release of Life Goes On, all that should change. Henderson’s story traverses the range of human experience. You can read about Henderson in our feature story here.

Though he’s been performing as Kyle Henderson’s Blue Eyed Soul, a crack band currently featuring bassist John Christensen, ace guitarist Mike Ripp, drummer Michael Brenneis and jazz artist Alison Margaret on keys and backup vocals, Life Goes On is not a Blue Eyed Soul record. Henderson enlisted his son Ted to assist in creating the drum and bass tracks and the Jimmy’s Jimmy Voegeli provides keyboards while Ripp and Margaret do make contributions of their own. Hall & Oates’ resident saxophonist Charlie DeChant rounds out the lineup, adding his parts from a studio in Orlando, Florida.

One only needs to hear the leadoff track “Aeroplane” to recognize the talent and sensibility that Henderson brings. This is a classic three-minute gem of pop song; a peppy beat, a catchy melody, a sure-fire hook. But what has always made the pop song so immediate is its ability to lay bare a fundamental truth: a broken heart, a lost lover or acquaintance, a tinge of sadness or in this case, regret.  “I’m on an aeroplane under someone else’s name / I fly alone while trying to forget / this storybook I call my regret…Aeroplane won’t you come back / I’ve left myself on the tarmac / I wanna go home,”  Henderson sings over a bubbling bass line. DeChant’s saxophone is the perfect icing on the cake here.

A few songs on the album steer more toward the blues. “Ring Around Your Finger” and “Watch her Dance” are both funky blues workouts, the latter featuring an impressive keyboard solo from Voegeli. “I Been Down” is blues rock with a great guitar solo from Ripp. “Winner Take All” has a political message with references to Wisconsin’s current sorry state of affairs.

But when Henderson stays in the pop vein he really shines. Many of the songs on Life Goes On are about just that for Henderson, who has seen more than one man’s rightful share of pain and loss. When you understand that, songs like “Daddy Don’t You Cry” will simply rip at your heartstrings. A very Beatle-esque number, this is the moment of truth for the album. Voegeli’s organ hits the emotional nail right on the head, the backup vocals get brought up in the mix to deliver a powerful punch, and Ted Henderson turns in a beautiful guitar solo. Top it all off with the infectious melody and you’ve got a masterpiece that would make Elton John envious.

“On Your Memory” is another one of these. Dealing directly with his grieving process (the loss of his eldest son in 2009), Henderson delivers a soulful vocal line over a stuttered rock beat which is again perfectly accented by DeChant’s sax.

Life Goes On will immediately take you back to a time when music was everything, not some immediately dismissible collection of ones and zeroes that you can download in a minute and delete in even less.  A reflection of a man’s life deserves more than that and, if you’re like me, the next time you bump into Henderson about Madison you’ll find yourself resisting the urge to just give him a hug. There is sorrow in loss but there is joy in the discovery that music still has the power to translate, heal and even redeem.

BANDALLAMAS

Eye to Eye

 

SAM LYONS – Some Day

(2011 Self-Release)

I try to think back on what I was doing when I was fifteen and, in comparison to Sam Lyons, it seems the answer is not much. There are lots of standout youths in today’s musical landscape as I’m reminded of every year during the Launchpad competition (one that Lyons’ two bands – Stereocolor and Moon Jelly – have dominated for the last few years).  It’s probably some combination of better instructional materials (video, especially), better gear, more accumulated knowledge and better instructors that make the younger generation so much more developed at an early age. Whereas I was barely beyond bar chords and learning how to roll a joint – or possibly even make a fist, Lyons is using close harmonies, complex jazz chord progressions and multi-instrumentalist capabilities to compose and record some impressive music.

It’s a little curious why Lyons would release a solo collection before either of his bands produced a real album. As a solo artist he fits squarely into the Jack Johnson mode of jazzy, confessional pop music with an emphasis on vocals. In his bands, the music becomes something more than that and differentiates itself a bit more. Lyons is also a skilled band leader and has a natural ability to interact with and command attention from an audience. Perhaps guided by the surely immense knowledge  and experience his father Phil has had in the music business, Lyons chose to push his songwriting and other remarkable skills beyond the local boundaries before coming back to focus on his bands.

At any rate the level of sophistication in the writing is truly remarkable. Lyons also seems to have accumulated an unusual perspective on his life and the music business in particular. It’s one thing to hear a fifteen-year-old muse over the disintegration of a romantic relationship but it’s another thing to hear a somewhat skeptical outlook on the music business itself, before he’s even had a chance to really savor either.

Music is surely at the core of this young person’s being as he intones on “Takin’ It Easy”: Writing songs and recording every night / It’s just a routine of my daily life. But Lyons also understands what a privilege this is for him and one can sense his trepidation at the thought that this could all be taken away from him, either by virtue of life’s fundamental evolution or by outright rejection. “Catastrophe” is a telling recount of these fears, where people end up on the street, victims of a music business that throws artists away on a regular basis. It will be interesting to follow Lyons’ own personal trajectory as well as his music as he grows, coming to terms with life’s realities and the harsh nature of capitalism and reconciling those with the vision and drive of the artist.

Some Day is primarly Lyons on vocals and guitar. “Takin’ it Easy” changes that up with piano and there are a couple appearances of trumpet and violin along with scattered keyboards. “The Way You make Me Feel” is given a remix treatment as the album’s closer where auto-tune and programming sound almost out of character after eleven songs of solo pop excursions.  The music does start to become repetitious but guitar players will surely recognize the talent Lyons possesses as a guitarist with a finely-tuned sense of rhythm and phrasing. The title track is a standout with a complex right-hand pattern, jazzy chording and some really tasty playing on the fade-out. “Stay With Me” also breaks the mold a bit. A song penned to a pet (probably a dog), it’s delivered with a poignant, childlike charm.

There is little doubt that Some Day is just Lyons barely getting his feet wet in terms of what he is capable of. My money is on him to win a Grammy in his life – some day. – Rick Tvedt

IDA JO – Singer in the Band

(2011 Self-Release)

The second release from Ida Jo takes a turn toward the introspective. Recorded by a trio that includes Scott Lamps on piano and bass (who also engineered and produced) and Jordan Cohen on drums, the twelve songs are surprisingly vocal-centric. Most are slower tempo with spare backing tracks. Lamps’ piano, for instance, is mixed way down to an almost imperceptible level much of the time. The rhythm tracks are also understated resulting in the focus on the voice and melody. Unless my ears deceive me there are also sporadic guitars, though these go uncredited.

A couple of the tracks, “The Rising” and “No,” likely relate to recent political events, especially the latter. These don’t work quite as well as the more introspective songs and at times there is an aching for more instrumentation and feel. Nonetheless, Ida Jo’s voice is stronger and more confident as she’s not reluctant to put it center stage.

There is a distinct gospel undercurrent throughout which comes to the fore in the aptly named “Judgement” made complete with stomps and handclaps. Things get a bit jazzy (as in lounge) on “When My Ship Comes In,” one of three tracks penned by Lamps. Here the brushes used on the drums and the break to a 6/8 feel between stanzas are nice touches. Another Lamps composition, “Mama Always Said” employs 70’s soul a la Roberta Flack and any number of wah-guitar augmented selections from that era. Written from the female perspective, this one is a clear man warning.

The balance of the songs are meditative aside from “Quick Dance,” where the violin is used liberally in a nearly five-minute improv at the end. “For the Joy” is most beat-driven and here is where more instrumentation might have spiced tings up.

 “Diamonds and Gold,” co-written with Lamps is a standout, showcasing Ida Jo’s vocals and layered violins.  The title track is in a similar vein, smooth and soulful. The finale, another Lamps composition titled “Wind and Rain” has an Irish flavor to it.

Id Jo is obviously a driven artist with two releases in as many years while also guesting on several other recordings. She’s one of those “involved” people too – a special breed – evidenced by her leading the Midnight Voices a capella group of high school women, who nearly stole the show at this year’s MAMAs. It’s a good bet that she will find the perfect blend of players and material that will catapult her music beyond the mere sum of its parts. When and if that happens, there could be no stopping her. – Rick Tvedt

SUNSHINE FOR THE BLIND – “Second Self”

(2011 Self-Release)

It took nearly four years for Brian Daly to release the second Sunshine for the Blind album but it’s not like he hasn’t been keeping busy as DNA Studios co-owner and producer/engineer extraordinaire. At any rate, the wait was worth it and I’m pretty sure Daly used all that time polishing up this eight-song collection.

As one might expect, “Second Self” is expertly produced. Although SFTB is a trio (with bassist ken Stevenson and drummer Andrew Rohn), there is ample sequencing and programming involved; each track is dense with layered sounds and nifty effects. That doesn’t lessen the authenticity of the performances, however. Each sparkles with originality and leaves plenty of breathing space.

Daly’s music has always reminded me of the Police for some reason. Like that band, circa Ghosts in the Machine, there is something unsettling in its dark undercurrents. Like the Police’s Andy Summers, Daly knows how to invent an ingenious guitar line upon which most of these songs are constructed. He never takes things too far, building off the groove but staying within concise bounds while adding just enough sweeteners, primarily in tasteful layers of guitar overdubs. The result is intricate rock music with introspective and at times cryptic lyrics that will keep your ears buzzing.

“Kneel Before the Void” comes closest to a song with a big payoff with vocal harmonies as big as any SFTB have recorded yet. The extended guitar solo is a nice touch, one he doesn’t employ too often. Yet he follows that track up with a scorching solo on “Shadow of a Doubt” a song built on a complex rhythmic pattern and a clinic in effective guitar layering. “The Door” is another compelling track, its modal tonality hypnotizing. “Come Clean” closes the album on a high note, a rollicking tune that sums up the album’s underlying expression of a world where things are just not quite right.

Sunshine for the Blind is a great band live, despite the recording techniques used on their recordings. Somehow, Daly, who is one of the city’s best songwriters, pulls off the intricacies of his guitar playing with equally challenging vocals. In a year that’s been littered with excellent local recordings, “Second Self” will surely be right up there at the top of the list. – Rick Tvedt