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CD Reviews: Ouickies Reviews of
The Damnwells - Mavis - The Clevers - Jamie Remo - Byron Nemeth - Allison Moorer
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The Damwells: Bastards of the Beat
The self-proclaimed quintessential American rock band hails from Brooklyn, New York? In a word, yes. After a comical 42-second opening track called “Assholes,” the Damnwells let their New York swagger take over and never look back. There really is something for everyone here, as the band marries modern pop, garage and classic rock flavors into one of the most complete indie products I’ve heard in a while. Let there be attitude!
Mavis: Self-titled
Singer/songwriter Chris Joyner is Mavis, and it’s easy to draw instant comparisons to the likes of John Mayer and Jack Johnson. This is feel-good acoustic pop but Mavis’ vocal tone has a depth that rivals folks like Mayer and Lenny Kravitz. There’s also groove ala Dave Matthews and implicit beauty like Nick Drake here. Mavis’ debut on Pete Yorn’s label has some great material, but something tells me there’s a lot more to come.
The Clevers: On To The Mansion
An album of clever songs that sometimes resembles quirky bands like Cake and They Might Be Giants, but in their tender moments more like the softer side of Elvis Costello and even Billy Joel, the Clevers have some cool songs but struggle to find their identity.
Somehow, though, they have that familiar ring of a band that should find their identity and hang around for a while. The best track is the melancholy “The Night There was No Moon.”
Jamie Reno: All American Magic
Behind the country music stars in Nashville are thousands of songwriters who you may have never heard of. Jamie Reno is based in San Diego, but his guest artist contributions on this record read like a Who’s Who of Nashville -- Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs and Suzy Bogguss, just to name a few. Reno himself is a rootsy songwriter, and writes some cool stuff that could find a place in the American landscape, but his voice is less than compelling and at times downright
wussy.
Byron Nemeth Group: 100 Worlds
Okay, I’ve been playing guitar most of my life, and there’s a reason that guys like Byron Nemeth exist -- to make the rest of us look like chopped liver. That said, we have to sometimes appreciate the precision of Nemeth’s playing and the beauty of his songs, which combine aspects of metal, blues, jazz and other influences. Hence the title, 100 Worlds. Along the lines of great instrumentalists like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, Nemeth could be one of the best unknown guitar players of our time, but maybe not for long.
Allison Moore: The Duel
Allison Moorer has one of those slightly raspy, sexy voices that are instantly attractive. She also writes killer songs, and though The Duel might not rival some of her previous work, there’s reason to check it out. Moorer has the potential to cross over from alt-country singer/songwriter to pop star like Sheryl Crow or Linda Rondstadt, while her backing band here most closely resembles Neil Young’s Crazy Horse. All in all, a solid effort from one of Nashville’s best kept secrets.
~Mike Farley
mfarley@bullz-eye.com
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