Athens Ear Buds (11-12-09)

Athens Ear Buds hit a bit of a rough patch this past week with hardly any submissions over the weekend. That, combined with the fact that I didn't have anything held over and nothing stored in the AEB larder, translated into an endangered music feature.

Since my duties here have increased to the point of putting me in a perpetual frenzy, truth be told I wasn't that disheartened to see AEB maybe breathing its last breaths. But, no, stupid me had to go and send out a mayday, and just as has happened many times in the past, the Ear Buds came flooding in. Thanks a lot, people, you just won't let this thing die, will you?

Anyway, we now have plenty for today, and also a good start on next week.

I'm sort of kidding about being OK with AEB going down the drain. Sort of. - Terry Smith, Athens Ear Buds' own Capt. Bligh

Dale Francis: electro-acoustic musician, Long Run Audio, Athens: I have been enjoying a couple of American song stylist; the Frank Sinatra with Count Basie: "Sinatra at the Sands" (Reprise Records 1966) and Taj Mahal's "Senor Blues" (Private Music, 1997). Hot damn, what a sonic difference! The Sinatra recording was live at the Sands in Las Vegas. The conductor and arranger was Quincy Jones. This is a marvelous performance by both Mr. Sinatra and Count Basie. The power of both of these performers is inspiring. They collaborate with Mr. Jones to provide a beautiful and full example of American big band jazz with one of its premier male vocalists! The Taj recording is a fine statement as to how good a contemporary artist's recording can sound. The swirl of that Hammond B-3 with Leslie and the ringing of the Texicali Horns. These two American artists show how two mature performers and their accompanist can deliver some fine examples of the music that they embrace.

Dave Alexander, Athens' resident trainspotter and Dave Rave promoter: Simian Mobile Disco, "Temporary Pleasure" (Aug. 18, 2009 on Indie Europe/Zoom). I had mixed feelings about Simian Mobile Disco's debut album, "Attack Decay Sustain Release." It had the underground hit "Hustler," but not much else stood out for me. SMD's second album, "Temporary Pleasure," absolutely rocks. "Audacity of Huge" is a huge song with catchy lyrics by Chris Keating of Yeasayer fame. Other standout tracks include "10,000 Horses Can't Be Wrong," "Cruel Intentions" and "Synthesize." If you are a fan of acid house and bands like Justice, I think you will get more than temporary pleasure from SMD's new album.

Andy Vogel is a OU student who writes when asked to!: While Error isn't new by any means, they are a band to be noted. I came across their self-titled EP in the bargain bin at Haffa's about a week ago and have been pleased ever since. Coming out with only a four-song EP in 2004, Error created a very low-key style. An electro-hardcore-punk sticker is smacked across the front of the CD. Yes, a hybrid of genres that many wouldn't dare to create. Think the powers of Apehx Twin injected into the members of Mindless Self Indulgence. Loud crashing chaotic guitars with a squeaky blabbering mad-man vocalist, makes an Error absurd to everything you know. Unfortunately, the band has never released anything else except for some remixes on a few Epitaph Records compilations. One is an awesome remix of the Transplants' "Quick Death." Founding member Atticus Ross hasn't declared the band as defunct, but also hasn't said much of anything else. Regardless, Error is an interesting batch of noise to shake too. I would recommend scouring the Web to find these guys.

Dan Dreifort plays lead tennis racket in Vellumn, a freaky power-trio searching for a spring gig in Athens: Pomplamoose. Just Google it. It's "grapefruit" in French, but Pomplamoose (the band) is hot enough that they've got the search term locked up. Formed in 2008, this California duo exemplifies the latest amalgamation of videosongs and intelligent indie rock. What's a videosong? While the term is new to me, the fledgling format's been a fave of mine for so many weeks I'm getting tired of counting. (See my previous AEB review of thru-you.com) Take both audio and video recordings of the studio performance and mash'em together. If you hear it emanating from your speakers, it makes at least a cameo somewhere in the videosong. Back to Pomplamoose... Think: The Cardigans' Nina Persson meets Nico and you're close to Pomplamoose singer Nataly Dawn's vocal timbre and look. Oh, and there's a guy in the band too. Their latest videosong is a cover of MJ's "Beat It."

Barry "Growlin" Wolfe, Athens ex-pat, ex-Farmacy founder, ex-dj/producer KALX Berkeley., Calif., occasional music reviewer for Blurt on-line mag. and Ptolemaic Terrascope: Doug Kershaw (the Warner years catalog). It was a very happy day for me when I discovered that Doug Kershaw's long-out-of-print Warner's catalog was available again after nearly 30 years and finally available on CD. I first discovered his music through Kaleidoscope's cover of "Louisiana Man" in 1968. I bought the record "Doug Kershaw" and then every one before and after that. The earlier releases are more solidly Cajun, but his music progresses and becomes more his own sound. He's known for his furious fiddling and for writing thousands of songs, although many songs on the albums are by other artists, covers or written for him. In the last year and half, I've glommed up all of my old favorites, "Devil's Elbow," "Ragin' Cajun," "Spanish Moss" plus "Swamp Grass"/"Douglas James Kershaw" and "Doug Kershaw"/"Mama Kershaw's Boy," the two double-CD boxes. I noticed that a lot of Amazon reviewers, like me, professed that they weren't into country music or even Cajun, but they loved Doug! I wholeheartedly concur. Plus he's the only performer I've ever watched that made me tear up from sheer happiness when I finally got to see his show, one idyllic afternoon sitting by the banks of the Russian River.

Andie Walla, Smiling Skull Saloon booking manager, bassist for The Wallabeez, grad student: One Hundred Hurricanes, "60 Years Under the Stars" (unsigned). All sorts of unexpected musical talent is hiding in the Appalachian hills. One Hundred Hurricanes, from Morgantown, W.Va., is definitely one of those rare gems. The indie-rock quartet gave me a copy of their album, "60 Years Under the Stars," after they played at the Skull a couple weeks back. I can't stop listening to their pop-rock grooves that remind me of The Decemberists, The Vines and mainly The Strokes. A mix of indie-rock riffs, lyrics about life, and amazing composition really make this band special. Two tracks that stick out in particular are "Duke Hat" and "Be That Way." "Duke Hat" has strong attributes of the Strokes and Decemberists, full of energy and catchy lyrics. You can't help but tap your foot along to the beat. "Duke Hat" is a great track that should be on the radio! Keep an eye out for these guys; they're going places!

Greg Bikowski, bassist for The Bob Stewart Band and the Bikowski Jazz Trio, paramedic for SEOEMS: Over the last 30-odd years, Mark Knopfler has been recognized as a great rock guitarist, the leader for Dire Straits, film composer and solo artist. With his latest album, "Get Lucky" (Reprise, 2009), he also continues to be a fantastic storyteller. All of the songs on the album are particularly well crafted and meticulously refined by Knopfler and his fine cast of musicians. Each tune tells a different story and has a distinct personality. The album continues where his previous album, "Kill to Get Crimson," left off. It is full of British Isle overtones mixing flutes and rhythmic strings on tunes such as "Border Reiver," "So Far from the Clyde," and the title track, "Get Lucky." But there is an edgier side too. Check out "You Can't Beat the House" for some muddy blues or "Cleaning My Gun" for a straight-up rock tune. This is Knopfler's sixth solo album. Each one is different and compelling in its own way. With "Get Lucky," Mark Knopfler shows that his craft as a musician and songwriter has no limits.

John McVicker is a local NIMBY: Laura Nyro and Labelle, "Gonna Take A Miracle" (Columbia 1971, reissue 2002). Laura Nyro is best known as a writer of moody tunes that were hits for pop stars such as Blood Sweat & Tears and Barbra Streisand. Nyro was a songwriter whose solo albums had a cult following but little commercial success. In contrast, Labelle was an R&B vocal trio best known for space-alien costumes and the rock/disco/glam standard, "Lady Marmalade." This doesn't seem like an ideal combination, but when they joined forces in 1971 under the production of Philly Soul wizards Gamble & Huff to make a loose, jazzy collection of old doo-wop, Motown and girl-group standards, they hit the jackpot. The album opens with a stunning a capella cover of the Shirelles' "I Met Him on A Sunday," which Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis loves so much she immortalized it on YouTube with a carbon copy of the Nyro/Labelle arrangement. Most of the music is not vocal-only, but instrumentation is mostly pretty spare, vocals and piano upfront and the occasional string and horn arrangements back in the mix, which serves to shine a spotlight on the vocal interplay. This is just right; the vocals ARE gorgeous. The 2002 reissue includes worthwhile bonus tracks, which is just icing on the cake. Search for <Laura Nyro Labelle> on your favorite video archive for a taste of the magic.