FOR THIS WE ARE THANKFUL: PHIL MCNAMARA REVIEWS THE LATEST FROM CASTINE, HUCK, KEN MACY AND THE LONESOME BROTHERS

You know, back in the day…say 2003, someone started a thread on Wormtown.org’s bulletin board about what it was that made him happy to live in Wormtown. With the negativity that often floats around these bulletin boards, this was a welcomed change. Because of it, every time that this time of year rolls around I put aside my complaints and take stock in the things that make it great to live here. One of those things is a constant flow of interesting local Compact Discs that are not only high quality, but also diverse. The Foo Fighterish pop punk of Castine, the folk blues of Ken Macy, the happy sing-a-long pop of Huck, and the uplifting back to basic rock of The Lonesome Brothers make me say, “It’s good to live in the Wormtown.” Don’t believe me? Try living in Hartford, Connecticut or Rochester, New York; cities that are equal to Worcester in size, but that have much less going on. It’s not until you go elsewhere that you realize that living in Wormtown is something that you should be thankful for. – Phil McNamara

CASTINE – MR. HENRY’S WALK – SELF RELEASED (Production information unavailable)

Did I ever mention that I’ve reviewed over 200 CDs in print? I probably don’t often because; you know…I don’t like to brag. Despite all the CDs that came across my desk between Castine’s debut and this CD, I still remember their quirky Weezer/Foo Fighterish rock (I think I might have compared them to Mott the Hoople) and was psyched to get this new disc. The opener, “Little Darling” blasts out of the gate with a roaring raw power guitar riff that harps back to Mudhoney (just as obscure a reference for these younguns I would guess). When the lead singers voice kicks in I’m a little surprised because I thought I remember him sounding…normal. On the opening song, his voice is not really abnormal as much as it’s dramatic. Off the top of my head David Byrne of The Talking Heads and Thomas Dolby come to mind and a tiny bit of Freddie Mercury. Of course every high voiced lead singer reminds me of Freddie Mercury a little bit.

By “Chains” they’ve gone full on ‘80s. The lead vocalist already sounds 80s enough, but the group vocals singing simple, “ahh, ahhs” brings me back to the early years of M-TV. I’m not a fan of INXS and Spandau Ballet, but that’s what the vocalist reminds me of. The backing vocals are catchy, but I can’t quite place them. The guy who did “Escalator of Life” (Robert something) is the closest that I can get. They wind up this EP with the mellow sounding “Lights Out.” That’s when it occurs to me that they sound like The Toadies. They had that hit in the 90s…what was it…anyway, they sounded like Castine does now. This last tune doesn’t quite hold my interests like the first two do, but I do like the winding guitar solo toward the end of the song. What can I tell ya? Two out of three ain’t bad. Wait, who sings that song? Never mind. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Castine’s three new songs and I’m looking forward to what 2009 brings for them.

Check ‘em out at http://www.castinemusic.com

HUCK - HUCK - ORCAPHAT RECORDS (Produced by Roger Lavallee and Colin Butler; Engineered and Mixed by Roger Lavallee at Tremolo Lounge, West Boylston, MA; Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering, Boston, MA)

The flagship band of the Worcester pop scene is back with an album that just slays me with its catchiness, wittiness, and brevity. It tops 2005’s “Never Been Nowhere” by much. Honestly, my only two beefs with “Never Been Nowhere” were that it should have been two albums and that the title made light of the fact that for years they never got out of town. This disc kicks off with an acoustic percussive instrumental part that mixes high-pitched chords together for a techno effect before it becoming the straight out rocker that is “Mandelbrot Set.” The tune is full of memorable lyrics and a cool harmonica solo from local Craig Rawding. It comes with the couplet: “It came off as Jungian, like a dream, I once was in”

“Aeroplane” has a great Cure like baseline opening that leads to a tune about missing your girlfriend while your band is on tour. The guitar solo that ends the song is different than anything I’ve previously heard from guitarist, lead singer Scott Riccuiti, and I’ve been listening pretty closely for four albums now. “Ice Cream Social” has a percussive drive to it for a song about how boring your hometown is. Though I often compare Scott’s writing style to The Beatles and Squeeze, this one sounds a little more Elvis Costello and, dare I say, Bob Dylan (well, if Bob Dylan wrote songs for the New York Dolls and the Dolls were all on percocets instead of heroin). Mid song he spouts the clever couplets:

“Even the painkillers don’t do a thing when you’re board.

Either this towns bone dry or it rains and it pours.

All of the bartenders drink more than I can believe.

Hiding tattoos like the scars underneath of their sleeves.”

The disc slows down for “Dear Eliot,” a contemplative tune about a terminally ill friend, before rolling into swing jazz mode with, “Five Nuns” where those Dylanesque lyrics rear their head again. I like this album so much because there’s not one specific part loaded with good songs: beginning, middle, end…it’s all good. They follow up this jazziness with the rockin’ love song, “Amber Nicole Wright,” a tune full of killer catchy lyrics, soaring Beatlesque three part harmonies, and rockin’ guitar solos.

“Say Anymore” creeps up with eerie bass lines, lyrics about emptiness and unbreakable depression, and the fact that the couple smokes too many cigarettes. (Who doesn’t?) They break the mellow pace with “Talk to Me” a song that brings back a rockin’ pace and invokes Imperial Bedroom era Elvis Costello. The song is a knock down drag out lovers quarrel, complete with neighbor’s porch lights illuminating the scene and police sirens adding to the soundtrack. Lastly they throw in another great harmonica solo from Craig Rawding for good measure.

For the home stretch they pull out “Special,” a Neil Young like tune about chemicals to make you feel better. They finish up, “Never See the End” with a tune that features an opening riff that sounds like it was ripped off from Y and T’s “Summertime Girls”(only if you’re really old). Beyond the opening riff, it’s a song of subversive good feelings.

For all of the positive lyrics in the song: “We will dance and kiss and sing, Feel alive in everything/We will not look back with anger or regretting,” the line that stands out the most is, “We will never see the ending coming.” I’m not one to argue with that. As much as I complain about the over lengthiness of most Huck records, it’s always a treat to get a new one. Those hopelessly optimistic, yet cynical songs…I can’t get enough of them; and when this record is over, I can’t help but think, “As far as short concise albums go, be careful what you wish for.” I’m thinking of amending my musical philosophy to something like, “I like the albums I get to be short, unless someone’s got an hour of songs that don’t suck.”

More details at http://www.huckmusic.com

KEN MACY - THREE – SELF RELEASED (Produced by Ken Macy; Engineered and Mixed by Kevin McCluskey at Long Sought for Sound Studios, Westford, MA; Mastered by The Soundlab at Disc Makers, Pennsauken, N.J.)

Ken Macy’s last CD, “What If” showed a guy not shooting for anything real cerebral or heady. He just wanted to dig himself into a swamp rock groove with drummer Kevin Haverty and rock out. On this five song EP he continues that tradition. His trio (Macy, Haverty, and saxophone player Dave Kurdzionak) kick off the opener, “Let It Shine” with a Creedence Clearwater Revival like percussion filled stomp and fuzz tone guitar. Ken’s developed some self editing as this song says what it has to say and wraps up in just over three minutes.

Macy slows it down with the bluesey, mellow, “Out of My Life.” Macy’s guitar playing has greatly improved, as witnessed by the solo that ends this song. “Talking in My Sleep” is another song about an unfaithful lover, which has a sweet bluesey guitar solo in the middle. On the last album Macy caught his lover and another man in bed.

This time around we get no specifics, but things end much more peacefully. The band kicks into gear on “Queen Bee,” ripping into a jumping jazz jam where Kurdzionak finally gets to let loose on his saxophone.

They wrap things up with the mellow plucking of “Brand New Day,” an uplifting tune about renewal and revival. It’s a fitting way to end Macy and the band’s short and sweet statement.

More information at http://www.myspace.com/kenmacy

THE LONESOME BROTHERS – THE LAST CD – CAPTIVATING RECORDS (Produced by The Lonesome Brothers at Cloud Cukooland, Northampton, MA)

The first thing that you notice when you pick up the Lonesome Brother’s new CD is the artwork, courtesy of local illustrator/designer Max Germer. On the back is a picture of a guy in a suit, tie, and brim hat smoking a butt and saying, “Hey bud, wanna buy a CD? It’s not just any CD. It’s the last CD. No, I’m not kidding. You got it? Any questions?” Yeah, I got one, “What?!!”

I guess that I shouldn’t overreact. I mean, it’s not like the Lonesome Brothers announced that they were breaking up or anything. They’ve just implied that they won’t be releasing CDs anymore. The guys who excel at catchy tunes with an old time feel, are finally crossing into this century with some online music sales presence, hopping from compact discs (which was merely everyone’s less than satisfactory replacement for vinyl records) to MP3 that can be purchased and burned song for song on line. Of course, calling their release “The Last CD” might imply that they’re going back to records, or maybe even 8 track tapes. Hey, you never know with those guys.

This disc begins with the nostalgia inducing “Fins on a Cadillac,” a whimsical tune penned by guitarist Jim Armenti. His guitar soloing is sweet, but what makes the song really soar is Doug Beaumier’s highflying lap steel guitar that permeates the background of the song. The 1,3,4 blues shuffle of bassist Ray Mason’s “My Baby Never Saw Me Drunk” follows as Ray sings off a list of bad and embarrassing things that he did back in his drinking days. It occurs to me that the Lonesomes usually play these tunes to folks in bars who are so drunk that this is probably lost on them. “Let it Go” rolls in with Armenti approximating Neil Young’s vocal style.

Next up is one of those super catchy Ray Mason tunes that you just can’t get out of your head. “Pushed Aside” shuffles along with a cautionary warning about taking love lightly, describing love as a “fantastic ride.” “Amy Cincinnati” features another great finger picked solo from Armenti. Tom Shea’s rockin’ steady drums stand out on this one too. The Lonesome Brothers have tightened up their style as most of these songs are started and done before you know it. Still, I can’t wait to see them do these songs live as they all lend themselves to jamming out. Maybe someone in Worcester will wise up and book them. A stark guitar solo and Mason’s voice start “You’re Early,” a tune where Mason describes the life of the “flannel shirted pickup man, the blood and urine guy.”

What follows is “Call Hannah” another great memorable Armenti love song. As songs about love that fights all pessimism go, this one’s tops. I know that the Lonesome Brothers is a collaboration, but on this album it sounds like they’re competing to come up with the catchiest most memorable tunes. During “Seated at the Devil’s Table” a slew of background voices can be heard mumbling in Latin or gibberish for an eerie effect. Musically, it’s a story telling jamming tune with a countrified twang that reminds me of an old Allman Brothers or Grateful Dead tune.

For the home stretch they whip out the barn-burning rocker, “Hey Jane.” On it Armenti rips away at some of the most burning guitar leads on a disc that’s already full of burning guitar leads. “Appreciated” is one of Mason’s most insightful and uplifting tunes on the disc. Jim Weeks jammin’ keyboard honks along while Ray sings, “Everyday needs to be appreciated, ‘cause you never know when it’ll be time to go.”

Ray follows that up with “Melody Line,” a love song done bouncy rockabilly style. The finale, “Broken Mirror” would fit on a greatest hits album called “Songs About Things that aren’t There Anymore.” Much like “Made of Stone” and “Helium Heart” of their last two albums, it’s a song that gives me a sad nostalgia for a place or time that I never knew. Doug Beaumier’s lap steel guitar makes it all the sadder as Armenti sings, “Nothing ever happened down at the Broken Mirror. Now nothing never gonna happen there anymore.”

It’s a great nostalgic tune to end a great nostalgic album. Perhaps it will make people nostalgic for…CDs? Probably not…but it might induce nostalgia for albums, 10 or 12 songs that together, brought you into a different world, showed you many sites, and left you with a good feeling in the end. This one does a great job of that.

More information at http://www.lonesomebrothers.com

Coming in Two Weeks: Give the Gift of Wormtown – Featuring Everybody and their Brother
Coming in late December: Reviews of new CDs from The Acacia Strain, Guns of Navarone, Hey Now Morris Fader, and Jon Short.

(If you or your band has a new album, or EP or is about to release one, write to me at spaceguy3@charter.net and let me know how to get a hold of it. Rock On – Phil McNamara)