Quick & Easy Boys Talk

http://www.pittnews.com/node/20045

Quick & Easy Boys talk touring, writing and concrete

photo credit: Alex Steininger

Quick & Easy Boys
Sept. 26, 5:30 p.m.
Howler’s Coyote Cafe

Think quick and easy boys.

Now, get your mind out of the gutter and put an eclectic punk-rock band in the previous image’s place.

The Quick & Easy Boys are “a power-trio from Portland, Ore., that creates its own brand of rock ’n’ roll by mixing together honky-tonk, funk and a DIY punk attitude,” according to its MySpace page.

And if anyone wants to even try to fathom what its sound is like, its MySpace also suggests imagining “the Minutemen, Funkadelic and Willie Nelson rolled into one.”

The band members themselves first came together as a couple of young guys just looking for something to do together.

“We all started off playing in different bands in Eugene, Ore., where we met going to college,” Michael Goetz said in an e-mail interview.

The three band members were all around age 24 at the time, added Goetz.

“As we were all supporters of local music, we would [frequently] cross paths, and we finally formed the Quick and Easy Boys as [a sort of] collaboration,” Goetz said.

Since that day in 2005, The Quick & Easy Boys kept in line with its moniker and quickly made a name for itself in Eugene, Ore. Eventually the group traveled together to Portland and began building a fan base there, as well.

“It was nice already being in other bands as far as getting our name out,” Goetz said. “We all had different groups of friends that were brought to the table.”
These days, those first performance areas still hold a strong allure for the band because of fan loyalty.

“We have the largest pull in Portland, Hood River, Eugene [and] some other surrounding areas. Denver [and] Flagstaff [ Ariz.] are pretty good as well, but we love the home turf. On the road it seems to be pretty consistent,” Goetz said.

These days band players Jimmy Russell, Sean Badders and Goetz each have stage names, as well. Russel becomes guitarist Elvis O’Reilly. Badders is bass player Bon Shatsters. And Goetz himself is drummer Uncle T. Wankster. Each band member functions as a vocalist.

The 2008 release of the band’s album Bad Decisions With Good People has left people raving about its unique and vibrant sound.

“The album is kind of a funny story,” Goetz said. “There was a different drummer originally, but after he got a woman and became increasingly hard to get ahold of, the band contacted [me] to help get the album done. And since that moment, [I] became the new drummer.”

For the band, recording the album was not a fancy task.

“It was a very low budget, basement record and was kind of thrown by the wayside and not really pushed,” Goetz said. “Since then ... [the album has received] some attention, and [we] are currently working on another with a bit more push behind the it.”

The Quick & Easy Boys are currently on a headlining U.S. tour — a change from merely performing as an opening act for other bands.

When asked about what sort of insanity has happened on the band’s tour, Goetz wasn’t sure how to react.

“That’s kind of a loaded question, and we usually roll by the motto what happens on the road stays on the road,” Goetz said.

“But other than that, I would say the craziest and most unfortunate moment was in Denver. We had been partying with Lewis Black all night and hopped in a cab to go home when we were broad-sided by a drunk driver. [We] spent the night in the ER. The drummer suffered some pretty severe wounds and was out for about four months.”

And what if the band didn’t have music to keep it occupied?

“If we weren’t performing, we would probably be crying and holding each other, planning our next move,” Goetz said.

“The world is a scary place, but we’ve recently heard that the mortuary business is always crackin’, that and concrete,” he added.

“We are definitely happy with the progress we’ve been making. We would love to eventually go abroad, and that’s something we are looking into,” he said. “Playing music, traveling and meeting colorful people is our passion, so if we’re accomplishing that, we are happy.”

CD Review - Priscilla Renea

http://www.pittnews.com/node/20041

Priscilla Renea album as diverse as a 'Jukebox'

Priscilla Renea
Jukebox
B+
Capitol Records
Rocks like: Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Lily Allen

Jukeboxes still exist- in the form of new CD releases.

Priscilla Renea’s debut CD Jukebox reflects the variety of songs a real jukebox contains, bringing a little taste of every genre to the musical banquet.

Renea opens with a little techno and vocals, which go a long way.

“Dollhouse” is her first single for a reason. With catchy beats and some well-crafted lyrics, this song is bound to earn her some loving.

And love is what this album preaches. Every song is a cry for self-respect, quality relationships and not tolerating anything less.

Her techno sounds include pop drums and piano ballads, with Renea’s voice adjusting in level and character for each song. She makes the CD a journey for listeners to bounce through.

Renea is probably more accessible to women, but don’t jump to conclusions too fast. Perhaps her pop tones and cheerful lyrics will be spirit-lifters for both sides of the gender coin.

In The News

I received an e-mail a few days ago.

Congrats! Your article "Memorial Day" was chosen to be published in Teen Ink's print magazine! As such, it will be viewed by an estimated half-million readers of this issue.


This news is welcome indeed, even if the poem itself is not an epic.

Here's to a future with more writing!

"Local Pittsburgh jazz singer, Carolyn Perteete, takes the stage"

http://www.pittnews.com/node/19947

Local Pittsburgh jazz singer, Carolyn Perteete, takes the stage

photo credit: New Hazlett Theater

Perteete may be young, but she's got the talent to impress the greats.

Carolyn Perteete
Performing at New Hazlett Theater
September 19, 2009 8 p.m.
Tickets $10

Starting something new can be terrifying, especially for a young singer in an older genre of music.

“I’m probably the youngest singer in town,” 29-year-old jazz performer Carolyn Perteete said in an interview with The Pitt News. “I grew up with different music, I’m coming from a different place. I’m different by being younger than people on the scene in Pittsburgh.”

How did this young woman become a musician?

It kind of found her, she said. Cliché and yet poetic, it’s the truth. Perteete was never too sure about where she was going in life.

“I always liked singing, but I hadn’t really found anything I thought I was really good at,” she said.

Then, Perteete’s mother gave her an Ella Fitzgerald CD, and there was no question left in her mind.

“The first moment I heard it, the heavens opened. Everything just clicked,” she said.

Perteete began lessons with a local jazz singer and completed her music degree at Duquesne University. After that, she joined and performed with the Sean Jones sextet.

“When I was on tour with Sean Jones, I got to see a lot of the world and a lot of the country,” she said. “I got to sing in really great venues. That’s the highlight of my career so far.”

Even though Perteete’s tour ended, she is certainly not slowing down. “These days I’m feeling more than just jazz,” she said. “I’ve been writing my own music for the past year.”

According to Pereete, her music is all planned out but not quite pop.

“I approach it vocally the same way I approach jazz. I think the texture of my voice fits jazz but also fits this genre that I can’t put a name on.”

“I like being able to do both,” she added. “There aren’t many singers who can do both.”

And she is determined to differ from other singers in as many ways possible.

“The most important thing for me is people doing something different,” Perteete said. “I appreciate musicians writing their own music and trying to find their own voice, because that was original jazz — trying to find their own thing.”

Musicians are not doing their jobs if they’re not trying to be creative, according to Perteete. “If you’re trying to do stuff to please others and not yourself, that’s not the point.

“The only person I have to satisfy is myself,” she said.

But if she can please others, it’s certainly a pleasant bonus.

“Locally, when the greats like Roger Humphrey see me, they say they’re proud of me,” she said. “That means a lot. They don’t say that to just anybody.”

But Perteete isn’t too cocky just yet.

“I definitely know I have a lot to learn,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be quite satisfied."

CD Reviews - Ballyhoo!, Owl City

http://www.pittnews.com/node/19926

Music of the Week: From mellow pop to surfer rock to teenybopper electronic

photo credit: Album: Cheers!

Artist: Ballyhoo!

Band: Ballyhoo!
Album: Cheers!
Label: Surfdog
Sounds Like: Sublime meets Yellowcard
Grade: B+

Every relationship has a story, and every story can be told in song.

Ballyhoo! uses Cheers! to tell tales about relationships, from the wonderful beginnings of what might be first love to the evils of a friendship going sour and of course, the inevitable breakup.

Relationship drama and wonders alike are conveyed through lyrics that aren’t really remarkable compositions but still hold some meat on their metaphorical bones — take a listen to “Paper Dolls,” a personal favorite.

Vocals alone will not impress listeners with a wide range of octave coverage, and instead the band’s focus goes to what instruments can be used to bulk
up and complete the song.

Ballyhoo! has a mean drummer who provides the perfect percussion base to go with the mellow surfer-dude guitar riffs. Every song is almost propelled forward by percussion alone.

They also have an awesome sound manager who perfectly mixes the guitar and bass with any effects needed to complete the emotional vibe the band strives to achieve.

In the end, the album’s accompaniment is done so well that every song has an easy-to-like melody.

There is no unnecessary dwelling on the relationship, and no tears will be found unless someone is just trying to cry.

And honestly, why do that when you could dance along to mellow rock music instead?

*

Band: Owl City
Album: Ocean Eyes
Label: Universal Republic
Sounds Like: Lights, Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie
Grade: A-

Who says insomnia is a bad thing? Musician Adam Young claims it’s what led to his compositions and the creation of the musical project called Owl City.

Experimenting with electronic music until it sounds far more natural than expected, Owl City’s newest album Ocean Eyes bounces about in style between pop, orchestral and a sharper rock.

The funny thing is, no matter what style the electronics are imitating, it almost always works. Somehow it stays peaceful and charming.

In addition, the vocalist’s voice harmonizes perfectly with the pitch of the keyboard and intricate sounds. The result is a captivating set of songs with a multitude of sounds to share.

Lyrics are not average at all — the opening song has one line that ends, “ ... Every mushroom cloud / Has a silver lining.” Rack the points up for sharp-witted creativity.

No song will ever come out and forthrightly explain what it means. It’s like a refreshing poetry reading available on your iPod.

Even if a sad element emerges in any of the songs, the vibe consistently remains passive, allowing for tranquility and enjoyment in one round regardless of the lyrics’ tone.

Perhaps the best lesson that can be picked up is, “I’d rather pick flowers / Instead of fight / And rather than flaunt my style / I’d flash you a smile.”

And while Owl City seems to drift in its own little world of music, its poetry can have a place in the real world, too.

CD Review - Bad Veins

http://www.pittnews.com/node/19856

Bad Veins anything but bad

Band: Bad Veins
Album: Bad Veins
Grade: B
Record Label: Dangerbird Records
Sounds Like: The Fray, Race the Ghost

Riddle me this: Why would an album be named Bad Veins if it doesn’t qualify as “bad” anything?

Tucked away inside a CD case is the catchy self-titled release from indie duo Bad Veins.
Between the two musicians come 10 songs of interest to the ear.

The duo’s musical style is varied. One song opens with a drum march and another with a soft, feminine vocal demonstration. Some take on interesting sounds from multiple instruments, such as the harmonica, brass and some string instruments.

In the end, each song has its own flare, but each song also has the uniting feature of a distinct and desirable beat.

Keeping up with its instruments, the band’s lyrics are certainly not of the highest quality, but at the same time, they are more satisfying to the ear than a bad pop song.

Personal tastes will either give the singers the thumbs-up or thumbs-down. At least the instruments are set.

Sona The Voice in the 'Burgh

http://www.pittnews.com/node/19783

Sona brings his voice to Pittsburgh

Being heard is important to anyone, especially to emerging hip-hop artist Sona the Voice, an independent rapper offering a different message than the mainstream media.

Born in Cameroon, West Africa, Sona has spent his life struggling to move forward and shares a message about the status of the world and its social and political issues with anyone who will listen.

“Some people are scared to stand up,” Sona said. “I stand apart and say, ‘Look, this thing seems wrong. This thing seems right. Why don’t we think about it for a minute.’”

With the memories of growing up in poverty inside a crowded house in West Africa, Sona went on to put the past to good use, sharing his message with any listener who has open ears.

“I write about things in my past and also about some of the social struggles around the world,” Sona said. “There are a lot of people in America who do not get to see how some people live around the world.
While living in Africa, music became his escape.

Sona described the imported music from America and Europe as “music for people who don’t really have an outlet.”

Tupac was his favorite among all the artists.

“He kind of gave me a way out,” Sona said. “I would say that was my connection. He was an outlet in a country where you cannot speak your mind.”

Sona’s opinion of hip-hop and rap came from listening to music such as Tupac’s, and his opinion is set in stone.

“To me, good hip-hop is the traditional hip-hop that helps uplift people.” Sona said. “[Hip-hop’s] not about people talking about how much money they have or disrespecting someone else. It’s not about talking about how many women you can get. Good hip-hop is not about bragging. There are some social issues that could be addressed by music and helped by music compared to the so-called hip-hop we have nowadays.”

Sona’s belief that music should not always be about making money was also on his mind when his first single became popular.

“I always try to not get in over my head, just because I haven’t accomplished my goals,” Sona said. “It was a good thing, and it felt good in the sense that I was getting some good response and people were getting the message. And pretty much, that’s what I’m trying to accomplish. I’m trying to bring people into the reality.

So, what is his music about? Everything.

“It’s not just social issues. It’s about the music, too,” Sona said. “What I like to say is that it’s not only about bling bling. It’s not only about the money. It’s about helping each other. It’s about helping your neighbor and loving your neighbor.”

And, while all of his goals have not been accomplished, he will continue to produce music.

“I’ll consider myself an alternative,” Sona said. “Someone who is not going to let people impose something to him. I don’t let anyone stop me just because I’m independent. It means I make a sacrifice to create a change.”

In the end, according to Sona, “All that stuff kind of comes together and kind of makes me the person I am.”

'District 9' Film Review

(Published with the Pitt News.)

Forget every bad demonstration of the science fiction genre that has ever crossed the big screen, because this science fiction film deserves a chance to be seen without prejudice.

“District 9” explores the idea of an alternate history, where alien spacecraft were unable to leave Earth after arriving for unknown reasons.

The aliens within the massive craft are eventually forced to move onto the ground in the South African community their ship hovers over.

On the ground, they are moved into ghetto like camps until they find themselves being forced to move due to the tensions they have caused in the town.

As this uncomfortably familiar idea plays on the screen through the portrayal of a documentary, one worker for the government accidently sprays himself with an alien liquid, beginning a horrific transformation.

The mutilation changes the tone of the film entirely from pseudo documentary to a thrilling and action packed flick as audiences follow this worker and trying to save himself.

“District 9” is directed by Neill Blomkamp and also backed up with producing from Peter Jackson, combining the minds of a man who has worked on science fiction projects before with a highly acclaimed force in the film industry.

The mixture is thrilling. The film effortlessly melds the action with the character, and the importance of image and detail with the strength of how it’s used.

The aliens look fairly believable and more importantly, “District 9” did not succumb to the challenge of making the flesh and blood characters less stunning than the animated.

Stylistically, the film begins with a very distant documentary feeling.

Its snapshots and switching between camera styles cut from person to person as each of the characters in their separate companies and fields speak about a certain topic.

It makes for a slow beginning, as the information needed to understand is provided through the mixture of a documentary and the crime fighting show “Cops”.

But soon enough, there is a character to love and pity, and the change from documentary to story is swift and clean.

By the end, it is a touching mixture of the two, with a tone that progressed and changed dramatically. The audience will have sat through heart wrenching actions, intriguing relationships and incredible action scenes.

But the most fascinating aspect to watch might not be the characters and instead might be the ability to create a clash between two societies and cultures, a clash perhaps not very different from a true event on Earth.

The vision of the interaction between people and alien is powerful and convincing, more so than most other movies that dared to take on the potentially cheesy aliens visiting Earth idea.

Through this interaction comes a glimpse of things we have and do deal with today.

Perhaps as audiences watch District 9 they too will see the parallels between our real history and this action packed alternative story.

The Clarks; Race the Ghost; Ricky Stein

(Published with the Pitt News.)

Race The Ghost
My First Crown
C+

Race The Ghost is anything but quiet – their sound is a loud, fast beat with a strong guitar leading them through every song that calls the album home.

The pop band might as well be a next door neighbor to a rock genre, because any little push would change its definition.

This album is the result of years of musical performance by its band, and it shows in their eight track release – even if the vocalist’s voice is a little too high pitched for all ears to tolerate. This basically makes Race The Ghost a family member of The Fray: a little bit faster and a little bit louder, but with a striking resemblance in the fact that the voice simply does not go with the music and is barely discernible half the time.

Other reviewers have hailed Race The Ghost; let’s just rest with the statement that it requires a certain taste.

*

Ricky Stein
Crazy Days
B

Is there a new Bruce Springsteen in town?

Maybe. Rookie hometown hero Ricky Stein’s debut album reveals that he may just be the next cart0crushing blue-collar hero.

Stein’s album, Crazy Days, has a sweet beat, with a perfect vocal pitch to match his old fashioned rock style.

Passion radiates from his voice on every note. With a musical genre label like “Americana” he’s bound to feel welcome among small town locals across the country.

It doesn’t matter whether he’s performing with his band or sitting alone with just his voice and an acoustic guitar to get through his performance. He’s got the charismas and talent to make it a show to enjoy.

“Is it love or is it magic? I guess it’s one and the same,” claims the opening chorus of Stein’s very first song. And this album very easily qualifies as a little bit of both with its good old day feel.

*

The Clarks
Restless Days
A-

Pittsburgh’s favorite hometown band, The Clarks, ahs done it again with its newest album, Restless Days.

This cream of the crop album is fast, upbeat and catchy, and has such a talented line up that it seems as if very little technology has been used to clean their songs up. The instruments and lyrics meld together effortlessly.

“Restless Days” has a solid tempo that stays consistent through each song once it begins.

That steady tempo holds out through the entire album, whether the lovely song is about catching the “Midnight Rose” instead of those old trains, or whether it picks up the pace to speed up the album.

But every song doesn’t sound the same as it walks its way through the friendships, lovers, faith, simple associations, and the strangers in ones life.

The Clarks runs its paces through all of its instruments, varying the level of rocking with the harmonics that make music so sweet.

Listeners will, at the minimum, find themselves slowing down to listen to the song before reaching their destination.

Poetry: Ancient Singer; Fall of Autumn; Native's Dances

All featured on the Teen Ink website.

Native's Dances

Backyard stretches out before me
And a low branch purrs to me, a siren
Offering a seat. I jump to it
And nearly tumble down from her hand.
The squirrels squawk angrily at me above
For taking their favorite perch.
In my ears, my iPod headphones
Pump out the beats of Arvel Bird,
His music speaking with a
Language of symbols I could read,
If I so desired. But
Right now, I sit, torn. I could
Jump to the lush ground to stomp my feet,
To throw my arms and swing my body
In a Native American dance of worship –
Or I could sit here, listening to him speak
With his drums and keyboard, observing
The creatures whose stories he tells
Pass me by on their way to their own
Homes.

*

Ancient Singer

For one night we decorated a stage. We were prudent in our arrangements. An archway carved from oak wood unburied from dumpsters was embellished with text last night. And lights were hooked to its uneven surface, becoming the lighted path in the garden that passing musicians can stare at and wander in for hours in the course of two minutes, as they remember all that has been sweet in one week.

We sat to rest. In our peripheral vision, we saw the chandeliers with fake candles that told as many lies as they told facts, as many myths as true tales passed down. But their words were elusive, and were lost in their false beauty, lacking solid elements to fuel any true flames high in the stage’s dark embrace.

The singer stepped out before our weary legs. She was ancient, and young. And instead of ignoring us, she knelt in an old-fashioned curtsey, a look of gratitude on her face and in her aging eyes. Eyes that contained an ocean of wonder that not even their owner could conquer.

She offered her hand as she spoke her name. I took it. I felt a rush of power in her body and I understood then how this frail creature could bring so many under her hypnotic spell. She was not from the world of the mundane.

In her world, trees walk and speak prophecies. Her world rises above our earth, and the trickling rain is warm and kind, like midsummer sun. The inane is the sensible and commonplace. Enigma’s are left in peace, and allowed to keep their comforting touch on our lives, to make us adventurous.

The ancient lady released my hand and moved to the others. I stood, almost empty, longing for an adventure that would almost bring answers, but that would never bring its last chapter to a close. I turned to our glowing archway, and walked through it tentatively, towards the ancient singer’s world.

*

Fall of Autumn

The dirt is pale beneath my callused feet
and the air stale within my tightening chest
as the trees drop their darkening leaves
upon my stuffy, unbalanced head.

Crunch...swish.
Crunch...swish.

The Crow screeches his familiar, menacing cackle
and yanks at his rusting shackles – metal slices
holding the world below within his grasp,
keeping his rubber ball within reach of black talons.

Crunch...swish.
Crunch...swish.

Night skies walk the ‘rubber ball’ as a black fox
stalking the noisy children as if they were
scurrying mice, squeaking, running for home
beneath a fall moon fleshed out by terror attacks.

Crunch...

One a year, there is a violent ‘Caw’, followed
by the fading of shuffling padded paws -
the biting, bitter cold wind begins his approach,
wailing forcefully in his generous warning.

Crow and Night disappear; he relinquishes
the shackles to their sister, the Blue Princess.
She then waves a barren stick; like magic attracts
like, dead winter branches create dead winter branches.

CD Review: Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers

Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers
“Songs In The Night” Review
Grade: B+

An upcoming album might be able to test the theory that songs are in fact musical poetry. Independent labelist and vocalist Samantha Crain has brought her wilderness-inspired music to meet a recording studio complete with fellow Midnight Shivers band members.

“Rising Sun” is a soft little acoustic entry into the album, where their vocalist shows off her vibrato scale with the words, “Look into my eyes/come and see the rising sun about/it’s about the break”. It holds a gorgeous little message.

From acoustic listeners entire indie pop, “Songs In The Night” is comforting and bouncy, and hosts lyrics begging to be memorized and recited in the car. Hopeful lines include, “This here, this is the advent candle/a hope to stay and hold the weight, a peace to make.”

And for those days that life just flat out sucks, “Get The Fever Out” will be there to chant a single line five times: “Make the bed take the pay cut, think of the good you’re doing”. Just expel that illness and live without it in your life, it says.

Don’t think that everything is fun and bouncy; songs like the oddly titled “Bananafish Revolution” and ballad “Scissor Tales” demand a serious attitude in salute to lyric brutality. The former follows the format of angst teen spirit, while the latter tells the sad tale of a relationship breaking down; “You cried in the backseat/One tear came down your cheek/It landed on my bare arm/and rolled down in defeat.”
“This is where the lone people sit/left in the desert to cry/broken glass and railroad ties/my heart all full of sighs.”

Most of the tracks are standard guitar, bass, and drum music sets that allow the vocalist to reign supreme on the album; so when “Bullfight”, subtitled “Change Your Mind”, introduces the whistling choir it’s a little different. This song is the standard abstract track on the album.

There’s a high probability “Calm Down” snuck a string instrument into its midst; but that’s only fitting, because this sweet little number has some of the most poetic lines to be found on the album, including the stanza, “When the lantern dies, chase your shadow all the way north/Hold down your fort and breath/know your maker and tie up your death/Calm down, you’re not going down.”

And then from the calm listeners advance to a happier place with “You Never Know” and its images of enjoying freedom among the carnival and waves of “highs and lows”; as with all other songs, it retains that element of realism that makes the song poetry.

The album is overall, gorgeously genuine. Brutal, honest, and descriptive, it is all the things indie folk pop should be. It won’t end with a bang, so dancers: grab a partner and slow waltz to the end.

Goddess of Yesterday (Book, Casual Review)

http://www.amazon.com/Goddess-Yesterday-Caroline-B-Cooney/dp/038573865X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249967461&sr=8-1

Mythology is alive and well, my friends. And it is the driving force behind one very entertaining book.

“Goddess of Yesterday” is a book by Caroline B. Cooney, based entirely within Greek mythology and bringing famous names such as Helen and the Battle of Troy to a new light. And all through the eyes of a young girl, scattered to the winds from one family to the next.

Main character Anaxandra is the daughter of a pirate, originally given as a sign of trust and eventually turned into an adoptive daughter. But with the strike of tragedy, she is moved from one place to the next, adored by many and loathed by the beautiful Helen.

Anaxandra watches betrayal, is taken to Troy, learns of love, and must survive through the politics of society while dealing with the fact that she has pretended to be who she is not – a potential for angering the gods of her time and bringing more misfortune upon herself.

The beauty of books like this is that even if adults want to read a book written from the eyes of (overall) a twelve year old, it has a wonderful style to it. It’s captivating. It’s fast paced and calls for a quick read itself. Time to give books a chance. If you feel the addiction to the glowing screen, Kindle calls your name.

Song Lines of the Week - "The Rose"

"It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance

It's the one who won't be taken,
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live."

Westlife - "The Rose"

The Alternate Routes CD Review

The Alternate Routes Review
Grade: A-


If you think contemporary electric guitars and country music don’t mix, then perhaps it’s time to hit the stores, pick up A Sucker’s Dream, and just let the music roll, because The Alternate Routes know how to make their style work.

Song #1 is bound to catch attention as vocalist Tim Warren exclaims with his loud band members, “On and on we whisper/tell me how to scream/I’m been screaming like a dreamer/who can’t fall back asleep/tell me about the road you’re on/and maybe we could meet/tell me about the road you’re on/and on and on we whisper.”

Warren also has a talent that involves alternating his voice between a classic rock era scream and a county music drawl. Don’t ask just how it works – just know that it really works.

There’s a softer side to the band as the album continues on its merry way. You know how Nickelback pretends to be hardcore rock and yet constantly slip in a softie song? Forget them; The Alternate Routes slides smoothly down their scale rather than leapfrogging between loud and soft.

But no will really notice a change in music quality. And since “Ain’t No Secret” is the essence of sappy love song, minus most of the sticky goo, the soft touch in background isn’t taking away from the track.

Not to mention “Quiet Highway Road” and its story needs something to match the title and the birds chirping in its beginning minute. Hardcore rock ‘n’ roll seems like a contrast not worth making.

“All That I See”, the third track, is the musical equivalent of The Fray’s “How To Save A Life”. Emotionally, it’s a cheerier. Not quite as solemn, even with the lines, “Well we all need a place where we’re allowed to slow down/and we’re allowed to hide out on the weekends/400 miles/I’ll be home in a while/but I’m never on time....”

If there’s a limit to the amount of softer rock/country that can be stood within a time frame, don’t worry – the group launches back in a harder routine and rocks themselves out as the end comes near, promising to end in a bang as their voices mingle and harmonize with their musical product.

Only, well, they don’t. They alternate between the hardcore and softie. So if people expect ginormous rocking endings, there might be a wave of disappointment. Instead, the last song starts off with a solid beat, some drums and some calm chords, and the lyrics: “Well he’s waiting at the bus stop, seven years old/ breathing on his collar in the freezing cold/He doesn’t know a thing about minimum wage...” And goes on to form the story of a soldier, in tribute perhaps?

The finale’s title is “A Better Way”, and it’s definitely going to hit as many heart chords as the rest of the album. It ends with a slow fade-out, giving time to absorb any messages listeners care to receive.

If you think ‘the future is nothing new’…well, maybe the song by the same title agrees, but at least it’s doing so in style.

Column 10 - Creation In Our World: Music Setting The Tone

Column 10: Music Setting The Tone

Once again she returns, after more of the lovely joys of life we call: work; family responsibilities; family vacations; and worst of all, repeat illnesses. I went to a doctor who told me I was recovering from a sickness only to get on the plane and be told I might have mono. However, it was not mono, and I am now sitting up and typing away some thoughts. I am not quite back on the “creative” track yet, unfortunately.

Then I got to thinking. Two months ago, Randy’s posting about musical albums reminded me that sometimes a simple thing in our life can create something great. The inspiration to begin something can lead into an evolved form beyond the original expectations. In fact, I as a musician have the ability to create emotion just by picking up my violin or singing, two things I adore.

Music is a grand example of how something short can lead to a grander project. Music has many elements that contribute to the mindset of the listener. The lyrics, the melody and harmony, and the tone of the voice all combine to not only tell a story but to set the mood of the song – and this can be a base stone to kick off from when beginning something of your own.

I decided this month I should make a list of my own favorite albums and see if it spreads on to a few readers. Hopefully, some of these songs will be explored and will lead to personal inspiration and revelation – or at least will encourage you to find some yourself.

This summer, my five favorite soundtracks are:

1. Sarah Brightman’s “Symphony”. Sarah Brightman commands adoration. As a world selling renowned soprano who had an entire musical dedicated to her (as she was the original Christine in “Phantom of the Opera”), it’s almost impossible to show her disrespect. Her album shows off her opera talents without being too dressy or showy, mingling the talent with a rock style that says singing is hardly dead. You just have to find the talent.





2. Cast In Bronze’s “Best Day Ever”. Cast In Bronze lost to Brightman by just a few points, but I knew that this interesting soundtrack had to stay high. Cast In Bronze is a performing group with two active members now. Each of them travels with their single instrument and some sound equipment from show to show on the road. Sound normal? Ha. These instruments weigh as much as 35 tons. Cast In Bronze features the ancient carillon, an instrument normally confined to bell towers – seeing as the instruments were the bells themselves. These traveling carillons are incredible to see, and beautiful to the ear. The sound equipment I mentioned? Plays the accompanying harmonies and occasional vocals. The bells too have changed with the times in order to survive.
Cast In Bronze can be found @ castinbronze.com, on YouTube, and on a fan page and group on Facebook. I highly encourage everyone to give this one a chance at least; its founder is an associate of mine who could use all the support and fans he can get.

3. Brad Yoder’s “Someday or Never”. Local artists are something to look into to see if they’re worth supporting, because it’s a common observance that local has far more talent and passion than mainstream. Brad Yoder fits this bill, with beautiful poetry for lyrics and quick fingers on his guitar to match. The first time I heard him sing, I wanted to cry – the lyrics and his music were all too reminiscent of my heart. It is not easy for movies or songs to make me cry – especially since I heard him perform after two hours of comedy show. He has a gift and I am excited to return to campus just to see when he returns to our Cathedral of Learning comedy show!

4. Idina Menzel’s I Stand”. All right, pop haters – I forbid you to insult this one. Idina Menzel is a Broadway star I only recently found myself adoring. She defines the Wicked Witch Elphaba in “Wicked”; she took up the challenge of Maureen in “Rent”; and she brought her talent into her pop album. Idina’s songs, especially “I Stand” itself, demand emotion if not tears. If there is one artist I try to buy sheet music of, it’s Idina. I wish her luck during the remainder of her pregnancy and hope she will return to the Burgh on future tours!


5. The “Wicked” Soundtrack. Are my interests becoming apparent yet? This seems a bit like cheating, but sometimes it’s best to listen to what does exist and see what you can come up with afterwards. “Wicked” is not only filled with talent; it is an incredible story on paper and on stage about the way others view the classic events we thought we understood so well. Sometimes seeing through another’s eyes really is the best thing for us.

The best on your own journeys,
-Ris