Category: Physical Digital

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Watts – On The Dial (2010)


Watts
On The Dial
2010

Watts are back.  Guess what?  They still sound like Watts.  Are you surprised?  You shouldn’t be.  Watts have their sound and they’re sticking to it.  On The Dial is well rounded power pop with its roots in good old fashioned rock n’ roll.

The album opens with the one-two punch of “On The Dial” and “Chaperone”.  Dan Kopko’s gruff voice tears through the mix with conviction.  “Afterburn” and “Time To Give The Devil His Due”, the latter sung by drummer John Lynch, get a healthy charge of AC/DC.   “Girls On Holiday” has a Phil Spector vibe (maybe it’s the guitar line nicked from “Then He Kissed Me”).   Do I hear a guiro in “Dancehall Days & Nights”?  I’m a sucker for a good guiro part. Guitarist John Blout takes a vocal turn on the hooky “She Wants To Rock”. Craig LaPointe’s lead vocals on “Don’t Mind” help to add a bit of variety late in the proceedings.  The scathing “Fight Song” is the most aggressive Watts tune to date.

On The Dial is another solid effort from Watts.  I expected nothing less.

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Ultrabreakfast – Ice Cream Tricycle (1997)


Ultrabreakfast
Ice Cream Tricycle
1997

Mix equal parts Pavement and Smudge (the Australian, Tom Morgan fronted Smudge) and you’ll get a rough idea of what Ultrabreakfast sounds like. It’s quirky, fuzzy, catchy and fun. The production is mid-fi, the playing is a little sloppy, and it’s full of heart. All of this is documented on their full length album, Ice Cream Tricycle.

While much of the record is full of indie rock crackle and buzz, my favorite song on Ice Cream Tricycle is a straight up pop tune. “Mary” has a sweet guitar line and a simple melody that works well with Josh Boughey’s cool vocal delivery. The song has an innocence to it that will put a smile on your face.

The rest of Ice Cream Tricycle has something for everyone. There are quick and dirty up tempo numbers like “Orange Car,” “Dragon” and “Wishlist” (which mentions such wonderful things as Superchunk, albino kangaroos, time machines and dear departed local legend Billy Ruane). Kristen Day’s kick-snare beat and Tim Farrell’s slide guitar give “On The Floor” an almost country feel. The slower numbers provide the band some room to experiment with their sound. These songs serve as a showcase for Paul Wisner’s creative guitar effects. There’s even a conceptual song trilogy within the album’s ranks. All of this in under 40 minutes. That’s some marvelous ’90s indie rock efficiency.

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The Rationales – The Distance In Between (2011)

The Rationales
The Distance In Between
2011

The Rationales have taken their Wilco, Tom Petty and Big Star influenced sound and injected it with a hefty dose of late ’90s indie rock in the vein of Buffalo Tom, Teenage Fanclub and Matthew Sweet. What do all of those acts have in common? Great songs. So it is with Dave Mirabella and his bandmates.

The Distance In Between is a damn fine record. “Tongue Tied” and “Another Moon” both have a nice mid-tempo feel. “Braedon” and “Jaded” ratchet the energy up a level. “Still We Believe” is anthemic. Spot on backing vocals and melodic guitar lines compliment every track. The production is excellent. Like I said, a damn fine record.

Guitarist Kevin McMahon takes over lead vocal duties on one of my favorite tracks, “Try To Tell Me”. This song was driving me crazy. The overall sound reminded me of another record I couldn’t place. Finally I realize that the song sounds like it could have come from John P. Strohm’s criminally overlooked Vestavia album. That’s good company to keep.

I’ll leave you with this snazzy lyric from “Slower-Faster”:

Cut it live or multi-track it
Either way it’s made of plastic

I love that.

Full Disclosure: I took the photos that grace the cover of The Distance In Between. The lovely and talented Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative made the whole thing look great. Don’t hate this record because it’s beautiful.

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Sodafrog – Hang The Moon (2010)

Sodafrog
Hang The Moon
2010

Sodafrog’s Hang The Moon comes from another time. It’s folk music. It is heartbreaking, heartwarming and haunting. Tom Janovitz’s voice weaves in and out of the sparse and varied instrumentation. The overall sound draws you in with its intimacy.

“Follow The Vine” is an engaging opening track. “Central Nonsense” is beautiful and timeless. “Chances At Sea” calls Elliott Smith to mind. I love when a song title perfectly describes the feel of a song. Such is the case with “Like Dancing”. “A Casting” could have come off of a Simon & Garfunkel LP. The songs are memorable, living with you long after you’ve heard them.

The circular instrumental “Untitled (For Townes)” wraps things up nicely. It’s time to go. Given the chance, Hang The Moon is an album that will grow on you with every listen.

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The Rationales – The Going And The Gone (2008)

The Rationales - The Going And The Gone (2008)

The Rationales
The Going And The Gone
2008

The Rationales have a new CD coming out next week. In anticipation, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at their debut EP, The Going And The Gone.

The majority of these six collected songs are a pleasant mix of Wilco, Tom Petty and Big Star. It’s a sound they do well. “On The Vine” is a fine example, with its layers of acoustic and electric guitars, organ and harmony vocals. There’s a hooky chorus with just enough grit to drive the song along. The delicate closer, “Ruby Colored Halo”, features some beautiful pedal steel work.

The standout tracks on this EP are the ones that don’t fit the mold. “No Guarantees” is an infectious power pop song with fantastic vocal harmonies. It’s the kind of song the repeat button was made for. The Rationales also deliver a near perfect retro pop number in “Far Away.” If you’re a fan of the work Paula Kelley was doing with her band Boy Wonder at the end of their run, you owe it to yourself to check out this song. While the whole CD sounds very good (kudos to Ed Valauskas, Joe Tooley, Darren Burke, and Nick Zampiello for their work), “Far Away” sounds flawless.

The Going And The Gone was a very promising debut. Have The Rationales continued to effectively mix up their roots rock and pop on their new record? We’ll find out soon enough.

Full Disclosure: The design work for The Going And The Gone was done by the lovely and talented Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative. That doesn’t make “No Guarantees” or “Far Away” any less addictive. Just letting you know.

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