Music reviews, by the totally awesome Reviewer Rob, [he’s amazing]
more will be up in an hour…
Podunk Nowhere
Sultry vocals here by Heather Janiga are supported by the plunky, sometimes jazzy guitar of her husband Johnny. There’s some rock and jam band influences of course but it’s mostly y’alt-rock, from track 1’s “Junkee Love” with a bit of the creative excursions that one might hear from a jam band. But I like y’alt-rock, so I liked this CD a lot. Heather’s voice fills your ears and moves around inside your head while taking you to some lofty heights, especially in a brief track like “Rain.” Heather and Johnny are not mere dabblers in the music scene. I like the way this well-produced music plays audio tricks with headphones and her vocals move around your head in track 7, “Up Till Now.” These road tempered performers were both in touring bands before joining forces. Heather was in the Midwest band Shaffer Street when in Indiana and Johnny cut his Hollywood teeth in Product working hot LA venues like The Garage and The Red Room. Their experience and smooth style shows on this self-titled CD. A comic at the Comedy Store once told me that if you’re going to go on stage and kill you should arrange the order of your jokes like this: put your best one up first, your second best one on last, and your third best in the middle, spreading the others in between. I like the way these guys do the arrangement her better though. They save the best track for last and that leaves you really wanting more. Podunk Nowhere is somewhere you’ll want to be, and San Diego is lucky to have them. [http://www.podunknowhere.com] [http://www.myspace.com/podunknowhere] RR
Patrick Cornell This Much Is True
This is full-tilt lyrical, singer-songwriter driven rock. This is for and about living in nightclubs and cocktail lounges in the LA/Hollywood scene. Cornell shot out of his Ohio home and landed in the center of the music universe, or hell, depending on your perspective, where he goes on every night as the dinks pour generously and scantily clad ladies are courted by boozy rouges in taverns of misspent ambition. Fuck, this CD just kicks ass. Cornell’s musicianship is in full effect here, with the electric guitar strumming and riffing away, snare drum sound spanking it, with some perceptible slide action going on. He myspace doesn’t list any band members, stating that he plays all the instruments and therefore wants all the money. You earned it dude. How about buying the next round? [http://www.myspace.com/patrickcornell] RR
Divasonic Birth
The overt ecclesiasticality of the church organ and chapel bell in “Hiding” calls to mind the need for a re-energizing sanctuary, and the womblike safety of being cloistered in a private hideaway, be it the neighborhood bar, the corner church, of the local rave. “I’ve been going to those places / I’ve been hiding from myself…” the lyrics sing. I hear the churchbell and organ in the background but I also hear the high BPM and picture Lynda on a rave dance floor, painted and with a glow stick in each hand. I mean, this is W’s second term, are there even any raves left? Listening to Birth makes me feel like I’m in one. The overt sexuality of lyrics like in “Candy Store” bring a natural response and they are all the more appropriate given the pixie-like Bjork sound (minus, that is, the sullenness) coupled with the manic danceability of modern-day Madonna. This is one fine CD for your electronica archives. Awesome mixing and production here, for truly a worthy talent. Look for her to appear live in San Diego with Celeste Lear at the Brass Rail on April 19, and then at the Temple Bar in Santa Monica on April 24. [http://www.divasonic.com] [http://www.myspace.com/divasonic] RR
Celeste Lear The Echo Inside
Electronica is this very general 1990’s word that denotes computer-based music, mostly with limited lyrics, that is designed for putting people on the dance floor. Celeste Lear’s music is however lyrically heavy, but follows in her drum and bass collegues’ footsteps by having a lush and well-layered synth beat going. You’ll love the elegant mood and it will call to mind an elegant world where everyone is beautiful and anything is possible. Celeste appears to be well suited to be in the modern world-family of LA-Topanga musicians; according to soundandvisionmag.com her grandfather is William Lear, the inventor of the 8-Track Cassette and the Lear Jet (which might explain why her music soars, har-har!). Innovation must truly be in her blood as her sexy guitar playing and vocals blend well with this ethereal downbeat computerized electronica. Look for Celeste on the upcoming compilation Femmes Fatales, which will feature 12 tracks by today’s definitive females in electronica. She plays the Brass Rail bar on Fifth Avenue, April 19, with Divasonic. [http://www.celestelear.com] [http://www.myspace.com/celestelear] [http://www.myspace.com/femmesfatales] RR
Everblue
Strong rocking beer hall, honky tonk sound. Very much rock and roll love songs about women and traveling on the road. Soul-searching Emo-rock, if there is such a thing. Well-composed songs about wanting affection yet not wanting to get hurt by love. Love, love love. Love. Probably the most recurring theme in all of art, if not at least in rock. Despite the timeworn appearance of this, is wears well on Everblue. This is a California sound, from a California band through and through. This music can only be formed in the sun, sand and highways of LA, where Adam Exler is a native. His bandmates, Russell Anguiano from Culver City, Englishman Nigel Taylor and Mark Pohl blend harmoniously the sunny vibe with elements of the Beatles, Zeppelin, Van Halen, Pink Floyd, BB King and Stevie Wonder. This is a band to watch for in 2007. [http://www.everbluemusic.com] [http://www.myspace.com/everbluemusic] RR