TonyDoug's CD Reviews

by tonydoug wright

Denise James, Promises (Rainbow Quartz)

The Artist: Denise James with Matthew Smith, Scott Michalski, and Russell Leford

The History: A member of the Detroit music scene, Denise James has earned rave reviews for her efforts.

The Review:I was going to incorporate a short story into my review about two acquaintances drinking milkshakes at a restaurant. The characters were going to be named Teddy and Arnold. Teddy, a music snob who teaches kindergarten, would try to convince Arnold, an incompetent shoe salesman, to give Denise James’ Promises a chance because the album sounded like Kim Deal fronting a ‘60s folk-rock band. Arnold would have pretended to know who Kim Deal was, but the truth is that he knew nothing about music because his parents were tone-deaf Jehovah’s Witnesses. The short story did not work out, for various reasons.

What’s important is the fact that Denise James is a modern-day Petula Clark or Marianne Faithful with a timeless voice and an uncanny ability to deliver the rock and roll goods. ‘What Happened to the Love We Knew’, the first track on Promises, is an amazing opener that sets the pace for this impressive album of upbeat pop songs, down-and-out country ballads, and psychedelic folk tunes. Detroit is a city full of rock and roll tradition and Denise James is yet another musician from the Motor City who keeps it alive.

The Website: www.rainbowquartz.com

The Lovely Feathers, Hind Hind Legs (Equator)

The Band: Ted Suss, Noah Bernamoff, Mark Kupfert, Richard Yanofsky, and Daniel Suss

The History: The Lovely Feathers hail from Montreal, Quebec.

The Review:Ladies and Gentlemen, yesterday was the time for me to pin the “this band sounds like…” tail on the indie rock band. The contestant was The Lovely Feathers who dwell in the land of Quebecois. My good friend Scooter McSurly from Muncie, IN was running around my backyard wearing a donkey costume (sans the tail) and I had to successfully pin a tail on him with the name of a band that is comparable to The Lovely Feathers. Let me tell you what happened.

I went to grab the seldom-used Possum Dixon pin because I heard traces of that band on The Lovely Feathers’ album Hind Hind Legs, especially on ‘Pope John Paul’ and ‘Really Like You’. But I put down the Possum Dixon pin and picked up the worn out Pavement pin, which may not stick because it has been used too many times. Ladies and Gentleman, I have every right to use that pin because The Lovely Feathers have a sound that blends noisy slacker rock with lyrics written by burned out graduate students on a steady diet of Mountain Dew and Fruit Roll-Ups. I held tight to the Pavement pin because I was thinking about my favorite songs from Hind Hind Legs like ‘Lion Eats The Wildebeest’ and ‘Ooh You Shocked Me’. But I was not happy with my Pavement choice so I spent the rest of the day trying to choose the correct pin. I forgot to tell Scooter that I was not ready to pin the tail on him and he must have been running all day because I found him passed out from exhaustion in my backyard.

Unfortunately, I was not able to pin the “this band sounds like…” tail on The Lovely Feathers, which was a total shame. I have let down my family and friends. I apologize. Remember, Hind Hind Legs is an exciting indie rock album that blends humor and intelligence with an untamed energy that could launch a thousand warheads from North Korea. Good night, everyone.

The Website:: www.thelovelyfeathers.com

The M's, Future Women (Polyvinyl)

The Band: Josh Chicoine, Joey King, Steve Versaw, and Robert Hicks

The History: Future Women is the second release by this Chicago quartet.

The Review:A futurist is a person who predicts upcoming trends in business and technology. That’s what they do for a living. Think about it, you spend your whole life discussing the future and when it rolls around you can say “I told you so” or “It appears that the future is not what I predicted”. What do futurists have to do with The M’s album Future Women? Absolutely nothing, you just need to know more about futurists and what they do for a living.

The M’s have progressed from their debut Brit-rock and glam influenced effort into a more sophisticated sound that incorporates the sounds of The Flaming Lips and post-Summerteeth Wilco. Future Women may not have the catchiness of their eponymous debut, but there are some solid rock moments like ‘Never Do This Again’ and ‘Underground’. Sure, ‘Darling Lucia’ is an excellent closer but Future Women is one of those CDs that you’ll listen to every-so-often rather than on a daily basis.

The Website: www.the-ms.com