The Yagas, Peter Holsapple and More
We listen to new releases from the Yagas, Peter Holsapple, Iain Matthews and The Tasty Kings with Blondie Chaplin.
The Yagas - Midnight Minuet
Here's the debut full-length album from the Yagas, a five-piece fronted by singer Vera Farmiga, the Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress. The album begins with previously-released single "The Crying Room," a noirish bit of gauzy shoegaze that has a nearly two minute intro that mesmerizes with keys work from Renn Hawkey (ex Deadsy) that recalls the heyday of British synth bands like Depeche Mode and the Cure. Chunky guitars from Mark Visconti populate "I Am" while Farmiga turns in a seductive vocal on "Life of a Widow" that will appeal to fans of the currently hot female-fronted alternative rock bands. Farmiga sounds a bit like Debbie Harry on "Charade," especially at song's beginning; again Hawkey's keys work hints at a fondness for the great synth bands of yore. Fans who like that sound will really like
Midnight Minuet, especially the gurgling "She's Walking Down" and title cut "Midnight Minuet" which closes the album. This is not a vanity project for Farmiga; she proves here to be a fine and versatile vocalist. The band is rounded out by Mike Davis on bass and Jason Bowman on drums.
Iain Matthews - How Much is Enough
Iain Matthews, sometimes known as Ian Matthews, has had a long and storied career that spans more than six decades. He was a member of British folk rock band Fairport Convention for a while and had a hit with a cover of "Woodstock" with his own band Matthews Southern Comfort. Matthews got lots of airplay on freeform FM radio with his version of the Steve Young gem "Seven Bridges Road" seven years before the Eagles would make it a hit. And at what many would consider to be the height of his career he had a Top 20 hit with the Terence Boylan-penned "Shake It." All this experience is palpable on his new record How Much is Enough with cuts like the sweet and soulful opener "Ripples in a Stream," a reflection on youthful days, and the understated and touching "The Bird and the Fish," a metaphorical musing on how two very different people could make a relationship work. Sitar guitar by B.J. Baartmans adds a shade of psychedelia to the socially conscious "Where is the Love;" similarly banjo (Baartmans again) adds flavor to the sublime "Good Intentions." A highlight among all the goodies here is "Rhythm & Blues," an almost anthemic cut that gives props to famed R&B (and rap, jazz, and blues) stars that paved the way for today's artists. And surprise, there's a train song of sorts that sounds very much of the hippie era in the form of "The Santa Fe Line." The 13-cut effort comes to a close with the strutting "Turn and Run" and the tender "To Baby." Matthews has been making noises about retirement lately but also says he doesn't quite know how to do that; should this be his farewell it is a memorable one.
Peter Holsapple - The Face of 68
Holsapple was a member of celebrated band The dB's and is also known for his duo work with fellow dB's member Chris Stamey as well as his association with R.E.M. With that in mind you might expect an album of jangle pop here, but that is not the case. And while Holsapple's sound has evolved over the years his music remains full of catchy hooks and memorable lines. It should be no surprise to fans that despite the music showing influences of many different genres that the effort is overall quite cohesive. "Anytime Soon" is rootsy rock in an Americana vein, title cut "The Face of 68" has the expected jangle but also harkens to (yeah, '60s-style) English pop, "Larger Than Life" boogies to chunky and bluesy guitar riffs and the somewhat amusing "My Idea #49" is a fuzz guitar laden song about a man who tries to take credit for all sorts of inventions, from magnets to invisible ink; some will laugh and think "yeah we've got a guy like that on the shop floor!" There's sweet southern soul here too in the form of "High High Horse," also there's the R.E.M. recalling "That Kind of Guy," the fast, near freak-out of "See About You" and the cute and tender hearted album closer "She and Me" which sounds like a stripped-down version of something that ELO might have done. Holsapple may not be a household name but this album will definitely have a place in any household that loves well-written pop rock. Vaunted producer Don Dixon twiddled the knobs on this one.
The Tasty Kings with Blondie Chaplin - Native Tongue
This is the third full-length album from The Tasty Kings, the brainchild of guitarist Andrew Morse. And Morse has chosen the journeyman singer Blondie Chaplin to handle all of the lead vocals here; Chaplin has been associated with the Rolling Stones but he is perhaps best thought of as a member of The Beach Boys. And speaking of the Stones, you can hear the DNA of that band in opening cut "Done & Dusted" where Charlie Sexton plays guitar and former Stones alumni Daryl Jones (bass) and Charley Drayton (drums) keep a steady rhythm. Chaplin has a voice maybe best described as lived in; it's filled with gravitas whether he's rocking out like on "Birthday Girl" or in a tender mood as he is on "Maybe I'm a Queen." "Oceans Unfaithful" also moves to a Stones-like groove while the album's socially conscious cut "George Floyd" is understated, slow and sad as it laments, without naming him in the lyrics, the tragedy that befell Floyd and that wracked a nation. Much of the music here has Americana leanings and the pedal steel guitar on "Flyboy" makes it sound particularly rootsy. To the contrary the reggae beat of the hook-filled "Steady Reggie" makes it the most fun cut to sing along (and dance) to. The late Ian McLagan plays keys on numerous cuts including on the album closing "Girl Next Door," a reminiscence of a fleeting moment that will tug at the heartstrings of many listeners. Some listeners will notice that Chaplin's voice recalls that of Warren Zevon at times; whatever you hear in Chaplin he is completely enthralling.
