NOWHEARTHIS
TOP 5 NEW PICKS INCLUDE BLUES FROM NORAJEAN WALLACE AND POWER-POP FROM BADFINGER’S JOEY MOLLAND
This week’s selection of reviews is headlined by the latest solo album from one of the three songwriters that helped make Badfinger a popular ‘70s act and one of the originators of the power-pop sound. Other reviews spotlight solo artists showing promise for the future, a band leader’s return to his solo beginnings and the long-awaited return of a talented blues woman. I hope you see something that sounds interesting in this group of albums.
‘Blueswoman’ Nora Jean Wallace
Blues fans who miss Koko Taylor and enjoy the classic Chicago-style blues will welcome the return of Wallace. It’s been 16 years since Wallace (formerly known as Nora Jean Bruso) last released an album. Now she is resuming a career
that started in the mid-1970s, and Wallace sounds like she hasn’t lost a step. She displays a hearty voice and a strong presence on “Blueswoman.” She shuffles through “Evidence” and swings on “Look Over Yonder” (one of several songs about being entangled with a no-good man). On “Rag and Bucket” (which features Kim Wilson playing some mean harmonica) and “I’ve Been Watching You” she gets tough and gritty, while on the album’s title track, a tribute to the late Taylor that briefly quotes Taylor’s signature song, “Wang Dang Doodle,” Wallace sings that she’s a blues woman “from my wig down to my shoes/Like a wolf was born to howl, I was born to sing the blues.” The music on “Blues woman” does nothing but lend credibility to that statement.
‘Be True to Yourself’ Joey Molland
The last surviving member of Badfinger’s original trio of songwriters shows he hasn’t lost his flair for Beatles-esque pop music on “Be True To Yourself.” In fact, many of the songs on “Be True to Yourself” — including “Get Back To You” and “Better Tomorrow” — are right up there with such ‘70s Badfinger classics as “Day After Day,” “Baby Blue” and “No Matter What” and have the same musical trademarks
as those hits. Those are far from the only high points on “Be True To Yourself.” “Heaven” is a richly layered ballad with strings, vocal harmonies and an elegant melody. “I Don’t Wanna Be Done With You,” “Rainy Day Man” and “Shine” are pure pop gems with plenty of energy. Molland clearly followed the advice of his album title, creating an album any Badfinger (or Beatles) fan will treasure.
‘Live Forever’ Bartees Strange
In the song “Stone Meadows,” Bartees Strange sings the line “I don’t know where I’m going.” Presumably, he doesn’t feel that way about his music, but that line could apply to “Live Forever.” On “Live Forever,” there’s everything from hip-hop to stark acoustic solo to electronica-infused tracks, rock to R&B. This diversity makes one wonder what kind of music Strange wants to make, but Strange does most of the styles well. “Flagey God” offers an effective synthesis of electronica and melodic R&B. “Stone Meadows” is a rocker bathed in synthesizers and other programmed sounds. “Mustang” is a crisp and urgent rocker with an appealing vocal melody that gets a futuristic edge with its use of synthetic tones. The song “Kelly Rowland” leans hip-hop, with an airy instrumental track backing the vocal. “Live Forever” shows Strange has plenty of ambition and the chops to make compelling music that makes creative use of disparate types of music. If he can find a bit more of a stylistic focus and further sharpen his songcraft, Strange may grow into one of modern music’s most unique and visionary talents.
‘Pay Attention, Be Amazed!’
Marlaena Moore
The title is quite a promise, isn’t it? Well, the album isn’t amazing. But it is at least decent and quite good in places. The good includes songs like “imposter,” a fairly brisk pop tune, and the ballad “All Alone (Full of Love),” which both have disarming melodies. Another appealing ballad, “Please Don’t Cut My Garden,” takes a more imaginative approach to its lyrics than most songs about avoiding a soul-draining relationship. Other songs, though, could have used sharper arrangements and production and more imaginative instrumental parts. Such songs are worth our attention, but Moore sounds like a work in progress here, an artist who has talent and promise, and if she can grow as a songwriter, could produce truly amazing work.
‘Ground Aswim’ Sinai Vessel
After turning from a solo project into a band during the preceding decade, Sinai Vessel, with the departure of the band’s bassist and drummer, is now back to being a solo project for Caleb Cordes, who has been the main songwriter throughout the history of Sinai Vessel. On the third Sinai Vessel album, “Ground Aswim,” the music has also changed, with Cordes dialing back on the fairly robust modern rock sound of 2017’s “Brokenlegged” for a leaner,
but still full-band sound. In fact, “Where Did You Go?” opens “Ground Aswim” with a hushed sound that fits the sense of loss in the lyrics. “Guest in Your Life,” “Ringing” and “Antechamber” also pull way back on the instrumentation, and the quieter sound makes sense. To be sure, crafting a more subtle sound on “Ground Aswim” means the album may be less immediately accessible, but the virtues of these songs become more apparent with additional listens.