There are a lot of great bands out there floating under the vox populi radar,
and they're not getting airplay, and they're not getting a major deal, and
they're not getting on the soundtrack to Scream 16. They're not on TRL, they
don't dance in pyramid wedge formations and their manager isn't some fat loser
from Orlando named Lou. But dammit, they are making great music, and they
deserve to be heard. So how do you find them, when there are thousands and
thousands of bands all over that fifth dimension we call cyberspace?
Welcome to The MP3 Files.
Our agent will comb through the nooks and crannies of the Internet, turn over
rocks, wade through bombastic "sounds like" claims and bring you back dossiers
on some truly worthwhile artists who deserve your attention. If you like what
you read, you'll be able to follow the link to use your ears as well as your
eyes. Most of the bands will have product available at reasonable prices, and
you just might find some artists who worm their way into your "favorites" pile.
When possible, we'll attach a direct link to an artist's website, but when in
doubt, travel to MP3.com and search by the artist's name. Artists profiled in
The MP3 Files have willingly made their product available for download in the
hope that you'll like what you hear, and if so, you'll act accordingly. Many
acts also sell their music directly, or provide their product at a deep discount
at sites like CD BABY.
The five acts selected this time all have cds available through their website or mail-order houses, and all are highly recommended... if you dare to sail under the corporate radar.
Case File 046
Jim Boggia
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.jimboggia.com
Few album covers capture the essence of the recording inside like the artwork on Jim Boggia’s Fidelity Is The Enemy. A child (and on the insert, a grown-up Jim) stares wistfully at a 45 RPM single spinning on the turntable while the sounds wash into his head through his eyes as well as his ears. The image, and the album title, come from "Bubblegum 45s," just one of a set of richly textured tracks that fill this record. With a voice that sounds like a less raspy Don Dixon and an imagination that recalls Todd Rundgren, Boggia’s pop platter demonstrates complex thought translated into accessible music that should appeal to anyone with an appetite for melody and hooks. "Several Thousand" rivals anything Mike Viola has attempted with the Candy Butchers, while the darker "Black And Blue" would hush a crowd at the most boisterous songwriter’s circle. Jill Sobule and ex-Derringer players Donnie Kisselbach and Benjy King make appearances, as does a Brian Wilson cover ("Don’t Talk"), but the star here is Boggia’s songs. Major, major talent awaiting your discovery.
Case File 047
Rubber Side Down
San Francisco, CA
http://www.rubbersidedowntheband.com
I don't know about you, but when a band treads the line between the sloppy ferocity of The Replacements and the more commercial pop structure of Matthew Sweet or Tom Petty, I'm on board. Kevin Casey's radio-ready voice gets ample support from a clean, mean and lean rock and roll band that toe-taps several touchstones without falling into the derivative pool. (Well, okay, "Wait" does start out a lot like "Mary Jane's Last Dance," but that's about it). Tony Lemieux's slide guitar adds great punch and texture to "Seventeen" and "Broken," two songs that U2 and Paul Westerberg should cover, respectively. "Morphine" has a soulful vibe reminiscent of INXS (when they were "on," anyway), and one can hear influences ranging from The Records to Neil Young across the five track self-titled EP. No matter - the infectious and well-written songs display a band with a focused and original sound that makes you want to hear more. Those West Coasters can lap up what is certainly an electric live show; we East Coasters will have to settle for playing the hell out of this disc until our weather perks up.
Case File 048
Parallax Project
Harrisburg, PA
http://www.parallaxproject.com
Cherry Twister released a couple of the better critically reviewed records of the 1990s, at least among pop music circles. When primary singer/songwriter Steve Ward issued a dynamic solo record in 2000, many wondered what would become of the band...or if there was really a band beyond Ward. Bassist extraordinaire Michael Giblin has answered those questions with Parallax Project, a musician's collective unit that features contributions from Jeffrey Gaines, Pete Kennedy and several other associates. Giblin initially started to record a solo album before realizing that he didn't want to limit the scope of the record or not attain his vision by trying to do everything himself. But players with Mike's credentials only need pick up the telephone to fill the recording studio...and months later we now have Oblivious (Tall Boy Records) as the result. While Giblin doesn't have the operatic voice of bandmate Steve Ward, he is a strong vocalist well suited for the material. "Just Like Yesterday" goose-steps out of the speakers to immediately grab your attention, and "To The Moon" rocks like Jellyfish. Others are mid-tempo and dare to break the five and six minute barrier (very unusual for a pop record). Either way, there's nary a weak track among the thirteen, with "Definitely Maybe" one of the better songs you'll hear this year. Join the corporation!
Case File 049
Weed, Inc.
Portsmouth, NH
http://www.weedinc.com
With a name like that, you'd almost expect a patchouli-wearing, hackeysack-flinging, baggy-ass-jeans wearing crew of Dave Matthews wannabes. Nope. Leo Ganley (vox/gtr), Tim McCoy (bass/vox) and Norm Fuller (drums/vox) are longtime locals who pooled their chops and are all about killer pop songs encased in fat guitar sounds and lockstep rhythms. Imagine that The Knack and The Replacements stepped into that two-pod contraption in The Fly and the same malfunction occurred...hipper and dirtier than pretty pop boys but more hook-oriented than The Mats. Trampled, Beaten and Obeyed (their 1999 release) sports some solid tracks, but Sweet Delicious (2001) was a big leap forward. "The Big Bang Easy" is like a Ray Davies/Elvis Costello co-write; "Passionate One" a classic skinny tie rocker with bigger balls; and the title track could wallop most alt-country bands with their own formula. Fourteen songs in forty-two minutes works out to that magic pop formula of three minutes per, so roll down the car windows and let "Another Discover" and "Million Dollar Baby" rock your world.
Case File 050
12 lb. Test
Denton, TX
http://www.metronet.com/~tanksley/12LB.TEST/
Mail order company Miles of Music is an excellent resource for finding quality music of all kinds, with a special focus on alt-country. If they like a record enough that they actually issue it on their own label, well...that speaks volumes. I could use a bad pun and tell you that they "hooked" a good one here or have a "great line" on talent, but that might seem fishy. (Ouch). Ex-Slobberbone guitarist Michael Hill leads the guitar-oriented quartet who are as likely to conjure up Green On Red as a more somber Lynyrd Skynyrd. Hill's songs echo the sentiments of a man who's been down more than a few dirt roads in his life, although the optimistic side pokes its head out of the gopher hole more often than not. "Lucky You" is the kind of melodic canvas that Built To Spill or Neil Young might take on a thirty minute joyride, while "Tear Me Down" and "When We Didn't Know" are really pop songs in overalls. Harm's Way was composed in 1999 but given wider exposure last year, and if Old 97s and The Honeydogs grace your record collection, so too should this.
The MP3 Files, Bill Holmes' occasional column for COSMIK DEBRIS, will bring more
exciting, deserving artists to your desktop! If you have some suggestions for
overlooked artists who deserve some attention, drop Bill a note at
bholmes_fm@msn.com. Even
a good
detective appreciates a solid lead now and then!
