NEW MUSIC REVIEWS

by Sterling Preston

Naked Beggars Spit It Out
Presenting well-crafted rock n roll in the style of the 80s, Naked Beggars are a skilled group of musicians. Inga’s vocals kick out a lot of soul – drawing comparisons to Melissa Etheridge – and traces of Lynyrd Skynrd and even some bluesy Rolling Stones can be heard in the midst of more traditional rock riffs. For the iPod culture: “What’s the Question” is a ballad that pushes all the right buttons…maybe even better than anything by Evanescense. [nakedbeggars.net] SP

Jami Ross Singles Collection
If you happen to be a very young girl and you love the WB network, you might really enjoy Jami Ross. From the three songs on this disc, she sounds amazingly talented, energetic and innocent in the vein of… Mandy Moore, I suppose. The demographic of this publication, however, might be more interested in the production, engineering, mixing and mastering by Michael Seifert at Ante Up Studios in Cleveland, Ohio. Sir, it’s a job well done. [jamirossmusic.com] SP

Kirsten DeHaan Under the Richter Scale [EP] and Conform [LP]
With an artist like Kirsten DeHaan, it is especially unfortunate that the press needs to pigeonhole a musician’s sound. Case in point: she’s been billed as a “new punked-out Blondie,” (?!) she’s been compared the likes of U2 and Nirvana, and she’s been classified as “indie.” While she clearly draws on her influences, it is this reviewer’s opinion that the comparisons range from misleading to downright offensive. Luckily, you can visit MySpace, sample a few songs and decide for yourself. If Kirsten DeHaan makes the kind of music you might be into… well, know that she does it really, really well. For the iPod culture: All three tracks from Under the Richter Scale are a safe bet. [kirstendehaan.com] SP

Heath! The Further Adventures of Spondoolix & Spizzerinctum…
I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I’m reminded a little bit of quirky 90s college rock here, or perhaps a less-metal-influenced Jack Black. Frankly, I’m not sure how to describe the experience of listening to this disc, but “Procession,” the intro song, made my day. I’ll bet that Heath!’s fans are the fiercely loyal type, much like that old roommate who loved the Dave Matthews Band since they were just playing in bars. For the iPod culture: If you’re a Heath! fan, you probably have every recording of these guys that exists – including other bands they’ve been in. Everyone else who reads this should check out their website to see if you might be prone to a Heath! addiction. [heathrocks.com] SP

Evil Beaver Models of Virtue[EP]
As an introduction to the band, I’m not sure that Models of Virtue E.P. is the best foot forward. Dark and heavy rock duo Evil Beaver are comprised of the very lovely electric bass player/vocalist Evie Evil and… a drummer. For the recording of this release, that drummer was former Queens of the Stone Age member Gene Trautmann. The dynamic interaction between Trautmann’s drumming and Evil’s bass-as-rock-guitar is on the money, and the somewhat punk-ish vocals may readily appeal to a certain audience, but nothing in these four songs seems to shout “Look at me!” This is likely more suited as a take-home souvenir of a live show you caught and really liked. For the iPod culture: This reviewer would like to cop out and recommend the cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” [evilbeaver.us] SP

Karling Abbeygate
From the moment you put this record on, you know it’s something special. In fact, although it was delivered to us on a compact disc, the actual vinyl would seem more appropriate. Reminiscent of Patsy Cline, June Carter and all that jazz, Karling Abbeygate does traditional, old-school country music… right out of a diner where you still get an ashtray on the table. Plus, she looks so pretty on the album cover you might just want to send her flowers. For the iPod culture, “Put Yourself in My Place” is perfect for an impromptu slow dance next to the jukebox. [karlingabbeygate.net] SP

Vinyl Radio Fancy with a Pistol [EP]
Since releasing this five-song cd, local band Vinyl Radio have gone on to impress the critics (starting with Troy Johnson over at City Beat and spreading internationally), release a full album, and break up. They posted on their MySpace blog in August that they were nominated for a San Diego Music Award “posthumously,” and I found a copy of their break-up announcement on the CAT DIRT SEZ blog. They said simply that one of the members had left and, instead of replacing him, they were deciding to “call it a day.” It’s a shame. They might have been on to something. [myspace.com/vinylradio] SP

Towhee Streetlights
There is a particular SOUND of “indie” music that was born and raised in the flyover states, and this Dayton-based group carries on the tradition. They have the wholesomely earnest male/female combo vocals, gentle melodies and near-whisper rock … This winter, with rainy days to come, why not let Towhee audition to play on your life’s soundtrack? For the iPod culture: Track 6 (“This is Harder Than You Know”) is a stand-out, and the closing song (“Now You Know”) experiments with a mellow crescendo. [myspace.com/towhee] SP

Celeste Lear The Echo Inside
Now don’t go jumping all over me for saying this, but there are traces of a Portishead influence here. However, where Portishead is rather noir, Celeste Lear heads in more of a mystical direction. Throw in a bit of Sarah McLaughlin, sprinkle a good-sized helping of NEW AGE, and you get the idea. For the iPod culture: “Letter from a Train” got picked up for a compilation called Femme Fatale and won first place in the Dance category in the Pacific Songwriting Contest. [celestelear.com] SP

Miz MandyIn The Mix
“Are you in the mix with me?” Hmmm… Miz Mandy, you need a publicist who will thrust you straight into an E! News exclusive scandal. You have the voice, style and physical hotness to put out a delicious pop album (with accompanying music videos), but we all know that a delicious pop album requires a certain kind of media frenzy to get its head above water. In other words… it’s about who you know… and which “cool” people are listening to you. Girl, just get the paparazzi all over your ass and you’ll be a star. (P.S. I see that you made the Billboard Dance charts… Maybe you’re on your way already.) [mizmandy.com] SP