GUITAR HERO COMING TO ARTSQUEST
Gary Hoey, coming to Musikfest Cafe, talks about touring with Ozzy Osbourne, Jeff Beck and Joe Satriani
This latest batch of reviews starts with the new album from Aaron Lee Tasjan, whose sharp songwriting has him poised for a breakout, followed by four more new albums that have turned my head recently.
‘Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan’
Tasjan’s previous album, 2019’s “Karma For Cheap,” was one of my favorite releases of that year, so “Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan” is one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. The new release, it turns out, is notably different from “Karma For Cheap.” Where that previous album was a wonderful collection of John Lennon/ Beatles-sque originals, “Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan,” the singer-songwriter’s fifth full-length album, cuts a more stylistically diverse path. “Another Lonely Day,” “Not That Bad” and “Feminine
Walk” are likable folk-ish largely acoustic tunes with some cosmic touches. “Karma For Cheap” had only one song
of this sort (“Dream Dreamer”), but those familiar with Tasjan’s earlier albums won’t be surprised to hear acoustic folk as a significant presence on the new album. Most of the other tunes on “Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan,” however, lean pop. “Sunday Women” is the friskiest track on “Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan,” and evokes bits of ‘60s pop, the mod-ish rock of the Jam and new wave. “Up All Night” feels like a synthesis of Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty in their trippier moments. There are also some psychedelic overtones to “Don’t Overthink It,” another song that evokes a bit of Petty, only more in the “I Won’t Back Down” vein. Some Lennon-ish touches filter into “Got What I Wanted” and “Cartoon Music,” and there’s a bit of Beach Boys pop in the keyboard parts and easy-going pace of “Dada Bois.” Throughout the album, Tasjan’s lyrics display his sly humor, even though a few songs grapple (without getting too serious) with keeping one’s mental/ spiritual balance. All things considered, I still slightly prefer “Karma For Cheap” to the new album. But the musical range of “Tasjan Tasjan Tasjan” is commendable and shows that Tasjan continues to grow into one of music’s best songwriters.
‘Skylights’
Rich Mattson and the Northstars
Mattson has been busy during the pandemic. Over the past year, according to his press materials, he has posted more than 180 videos to YouTube of original material and cover tunes dating back to his 1990s band, the Glenrustles (one of several groups has been in over the past three decades). Somewhere in the midst of that, he found time to make “Skylights,” his fifth album with his band, the Northstars. Over the course of those albums, Mattson and the Northstars have evolved from a unit with a folk-ish and expansive sound into more of a rocking outfit. The folk influence is still very present on
“Skylarking,” with “In Flight” being a pretty folk-pop tune with plenty of chiming guitars, “Iowa” and “Death Valley” sharing the cosmic folk-rock sound of Blitzen Trapper and “Short Lived” being a frisky acoustic-centric tune with a poppy melody. Another chiming charmer is the easy-going “King by Now,” while there’s a cool bit of psychedelic rock sprinkled into the full-bodied ballad folk-pop of “Kiss the Sky.” The rocking tunes on “Skylarking” retain rootsy elements, but often show a slightly heavier side of the band’s sound. Another Stupid Song” rides some hefty guitar riffs to create a song that could pass for a grittier Cheap Trick. “Just Telling Stories” is a chugging rocker that wouldn’t be out of place next to a Creedence Clearwater Revival song. Those who have followed Mattson over the years won’t be surprised by the consistent quality of “Skylarking.” For others “Skylarking” may well spur them to search out more music from Mattson’s extensive catalog.
‘Cattle in the Sky’ Hounds
Earlier this decade, the members of Hounds were known as Clockwork, a St. Louis-based group that was being groomed to be a pop group in the vein of One Direction. As time went on, the band members realized this commercially viable sound didn’t align with the music they really wanted to make. Clockwork was timed out and the group evolved into Hounds. It was the right move. In a word, the Hounds wanted to rock, which they do frequently on “Cattle in the Sky” with a diverse and original sound that also has a
good bit of classic pop and some rootsy touches filtered through its dozen tracks. The Hounds especially rock out on “Muchanothin,” “Make You My Baby” and “Long Way Down” — three songs that also pack big pop hooks. From there, the Hounds branch out quite a bit. There’s a rockabilly kick incorporated into the boisterous rocking pop of “Shake Me Up.” There’s a bit of vaudeville/circus-like bit of musical whimsy woven into “Head in Sand.” On “To Be In Love,” the Hounds effectively embellish this punchy song with backing vocals and harmonies that a fan of Queen will appreciate. “On and On” and “Blue,” are rocking ballads that creatively mix in vintage backing vocal accents. The only misstep on the album is “Three Hits of Acid,” a song written by Los Angeles songwriter Ted Bruner. It sounds like a concession to the group’s record label, BMG, a song designed to be in step with today’s pop trends. Unfortunately, “Three Hits of Acid” sounds out of place alongside much of the original material on “Cattle in the Sky.” Aside from that, “Cattle in the Sky” is an impressive introduction to the Hounds, a band that followed their musical heart and came out all the better for that decision.
‘Anthropocene’ Pleasure Device
This band is fronted by singer/ bassist Chad Robinson, who previously was in Dynamite Hack, a group known for having a top-15 alternative rock hit with a tongue-in-cheek acoustic version of Eazy-E’s “Boyz-n-the Hood” way back in 2000. There’s no such goofiness involved with “Anthropocene,” just mainstream rock songs with lots of guitars and solid vocal melodies. Cases in point include “Bless Your Heart,” “Careless Star” and “Weekends,” three hard-hitting tunes where meaty and catchy guitar riffs provide a backdrop for vocals that have their share of melody in their own right. On “Die Trying,” “Bulkhead” and ‘Circumvent,” Pleasure Device let the vocals play off melodic and edgy lead guitar leads that are signature elements of these songs. Looking for a ballad or two? You can skip “Anthropocene.” All 11 songs rock, which is just fine because Pleasure Device does hard-hitting mainstream rock better than most bands.
‘Broken Things’ Devil Love
After four solo albums, the Boston-based artist Peter Buzzelle has gathered some of the musicians who played on his albums to form the fullfledged band Devil Love. On the group’s debut album, “Broken Things,” Devil Love’s music is being touted as a blend of
‘90s alt-rock, ‘70s classic rock and the pop songwriting of Elliott Smith or Big Star. Those elements are present in “Broken Things,” But the influences that stand out to these ears come from a rootsier place. Devil
Love sounds like a bit poppier Jayhawks on the mid-tempo tunes “Carelessly Comfort” and “Gold Currency,” as well as the slightly friskier but also gracefully melodic title song. For the most part on “Broken Things,” though, Buzzelle and his bandmates display a harder-edged sound that recalls the Black Crowes and Blackberry Smoke. While the grit of the music and the title of the album might imply a tough edge to the lyrics, there’s actually a positive and encouraging thread running through many of the songs — a welcome tone for these uncertain times. While Buzzelle gained some traction as a solo artist, “Broken Things” suggests he made the right move in forming Devil Love.