New Music Tuesday

New music out today worth checking out:

• Various Artists - The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty Soundtrack

REVIEW: ALO - Sounds Like This

If this album had been release way back when Phish announced their hiatus, it would have surely propelled ALO into the spot as the dominant jam band of the moment. That being said, this new album takes a bit from their previous three and steps it way up. Their Jack Johnson-meets-Phish sound permeates the entire album, which sounds more like a jam session than a carefully crafted collection of new songs. Only two of the ten songs on the album clock it under five minutes, proving that ALO are a jam band at the core. But they still have pop sensibilities as is proven in the lyrical content. What makes the album great is that you can actually hear the four members of the band having fun through their music. They set out to make a record that just showed off how they do music and the result is an album that is as equally impressive as their live shows. The first single "Speed Of Dreams" (which was edited shorter for radio) is the only track on the album that sounds like it could have fit on any of their previous three. The opener, "Dead Still Dance," is one of those songs that showcases off the element of their live jamming and will sound just as good on stage as it does on the album. Other standouts on the album are the seemingly short "Storms And Hurricanes" and the edgy "Blew Out The Walls." From start to finish is sounds as though ALO is performing a live show and by the time it's over you'll be screaming for an encore. There songs are going to be just as fun on stage as they are on the album, and it's going to be hard to tell who's having more fun at the shows they are performed at: the band or the fans.

REVIEW: Jack Johnson & Friends - Best Of Kokua Festival

When Jack Johnson assembles an all-star lineup for his Kokua Festival he often includes his friends, many of which appear on this album. He also makes sure to include a lot of other incredibly talented musicians that all share the same vision of music as a unifier and a provider. The Kokua Festival, which Johnson created, exists to support a charitable organization that helps the youth and educational efforts in his home state of Hawaii. In fact, the sale of this album also does just that. The album features a familiar cast of characters that Jack has performed with in the past, such as Ben Harper, G. Love, & Zach Gill. However, the highlights of the album are the performances with Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds and a surprise appearance at the festival by Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. Each and ever inclusion in this mix must have taken a very long time to pick as there are so many great performances that have come from previous Kokua Festivals. Songs on the album are Johnson originals, familiar cover songs, and some of his guests' music, all of which feature Jack lending his talents. Live music is supposed to be fun, even if it's slow and mellow, and Jack Johnson and friends deliver one of the most fun live compilation ever released.

New Release Tuesday

New music out today worth checking out:

• Jack Johnson & Friends - Best Of Kokua Festival
• Eric Hutchinson - Moving Up Living Down
• Jason Mraz - Love Is A Four Letter Word
• Our Lady Peace - Curve
• Train - California 37

New Release Tuesday

New music out today worth checking out:

• Gym Class Heroes - The Papercut Chronicles II
• David Mead - Dudes
• Jason Reeves - Caged Birds Set Free
• Tegan & Sara - Get Along
• Various Artists - This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 2
  
  

CD REVIEW: Zee Avi "Ghostbird"

For Zee Avi's second album she stays in the same vein as her first, with a slight twist. The maturity of this album is much more elevated than on her debut, which in itself, was excellent. Her lyrics and her music show how much she has grown as a musician, and the prime example of that is the song "Milestone Moon." Her pop rock elements show up at the forefront of the first single "The Book Of Morris Johnson" and the lead track "Swell Window." She is a master of the ukulele and the acoustic guitar, and the simplicity of her music adds to the complexity of her message. Sometimes, doing not much actually does more than you might think. Heavy production, drum machines, and full orchestras are not what you need to make beautiful music. All you need is thought, care, intensity, and heart, and for Zee Avi all of those come together better than ever on her newest release.

CD REVIEW: Release The Sunbird "Come Back To Us"

Lots of musicians like to participate in side projects. Many start new bands. Supergroups are a popular thing to try. Others go solo, trying out new music on their own. Release The Sunbird is a bit of all of those. The brainchild of Zach Rogue (lead singer of indie rockers Rouge Wave), this band is every bit of folk and indie that each member brings. The collection is essentially a solo album for Zach Rogue, as it is his music through a different venue. This is music that most likely could not have been executed with as much grace and gentleness by Rogue Wave. "Always Like The Sun" and "No Light" are indie folk gems, and cornerstones of the album. The brightest spot, however, is the album's title track, which updates a 60's California folk sound better than any other indie folk act around these days. Zach's unique voice coupled with female backing vocals is a thing of beauty. While this may be a one off and Zach might not venture down this path with this music again, it's a welcome detour from his day job that his fans benefit from.

CD REVIEW: Bahamas "Pink Strat"

Reissued by Brushfire Records, Bahamas' debut album is a simple display of what it means to make outstanding stripped down music. Guitar, drums, and vocals are all it takes to make great music. In fact, you don't even need to have songs that are any longer than 3 minutes. Most of the tracks on this album clock in at less that 3 minutes, with one of the best coming in under 2. That song is "Sunshine Blues" and the title itself sums up the entire feel of the album. It's quietly upbeat and subdued throughout, yet you still get a sense of the complexity that goes into creating simplicity. "Already Yours" is by far the album's cornerstone track, with it's accessible lyrics and radio friendly vibe. The album closes with an obscure cover song, "Whole Wide World," which is also where the name Bahamas came from. You can try to draw comparisons to all kinds of indie and acoustic folk artists from all corners of the globe, but the bottom line is there is no other like Bahamas, and this is just a taste of what is immensely possible in with such a simple musical idea.

CD REVIEW: G. Love "Fixin' To Die"

When a musician has been making music during a career that spans two decades, it's a challenge to keep the music new, exciting, inventive, and cutting edge. For G. Love, whether with or without his band Special Sauce, he has managed to do it incredibly well, with each subsequent release. He has mastered the art of his own hip hop soul and freestyle blues, dabbling in everything from funk to reggae to folk to blues to jazz to rock. He is truly a jack of all trades when it comes to making music. On his latest, and one of his most complete ideas to date, G. Love goes back to his roots with some dirty, funky acoustic blues. Enlisting the help of new friends, and folk music extraordinaries, the Avett Brothers, G. Love set out to make an album of music that showcased where his love for music comes from, where his musical roots lie, and the fun that can be had with stripped down music and instrumentation. The album's title track is among the album's best, and being that it is a cover of an obscure blues classic, it's only fitting that G. makes it great. He also take the Paul Simon classic "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" and smothers it with some funky blues as well, breathing new life into an already awesome song. His originals, both old and new, are some of his lyrical best at their simplest and most complex. "Just Fine" is a G. Love classic and "Milk & Sugar" is sure to become a funky live staple for G. Love & Special Sauce on the road. He resurrects his own "Ma Mere," a song about his grandmother, giving it the treatment and audience it deserves. G. lets the Avett boys have a little lead vocal time as well on the track "You've Got To Die" which not only shows off how fun this album is, but also how much fun was had while G. Love and the Avett Brothers made the album. To have two powerhouse performers, both in the studio and live on stage, collaborate on an album together is always one for the ages, and while this is very much a G. Love album, the sound, the energy, and the performance is accentuated by the Avett Brothers. Now all that's left is for the two bands to share the stage as a supergroup and together, bring this album (which sure to be one of the year's best) as well as their own previous recordings to the masses.

MUSIC VIDEO: ALO "I Love Music"

Check out ALO's new music video for the song "I Love Music" from their 2010 album "Man Of The World."

MUSIC VIDEO: G. Love "Fixin' To Die"

Here's the new video from G. Love. It's the title track from his new blues album which was produced by and features Scott & Seth Avett (better known as The Avett Brothers). It will be released on February 22nd.

CD REVIEW: Various Artists "This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 1"

This album is by far one of the best collections of Christmas music out there. Featuring a track from each of the artists on Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, and two from Jack himself, the album boasts an incredible array of original, traditional, and covered Christmas music. The entire disc is mostly mellow, but its perfect for the season, even if the title suggests a lack of snow and the probability of no white Christmas.

CD REVIEW: Matt Costa "Mobile Chateau"

Matt Costa is one of the most talented musicians creating music these days. His latest proves that point more than either of his first two full length albums. Each album has been different, showcasing everything from pop to folk. The latest, seems like an adventure in time travel. The album is a collection that sounds like much of the pop music that was being released in the early to mid 60's. Influences from everyone from the Beatles to the Beach Boys and everything in between can be heard throughout the entire disc. "Witchcraft," the first single, shows off Matt's new take on pop rock music incredibly well, as well as his lyrical prowess depicting a woman's control over him as if she was casting spells. The most incredible song lyrically is "Painted Face" which tells the story of a clown and how there is always a different side to the performer that we never get to know. "Johnny's Love Of Majik" and "The Season" are also standouts in an album that is full of inventiveness and creativity. No one will ever know what Matt Costa has up his sleeve, and this album definitely sets itself apart from his other music as well as anything else other musicians have recently released.

MUSIC VIDEO: Matt Costa "Witchcraft"

MUSIC VIDEO: Jack Johnson "At Or With Me"

Check out the new video for Jack Johnson's latest single "At Or With Me." The video features a hilarious guest appearance by Andy Samberg of Saturday Night Live. The premise of the video plays off of Andy's skit "The Mellow Show" in which he portrays Jack Johnson in a comedic way. Jack of couse seeks his revenge and hilarity insues. In the end we are all better for having participated, even Jack and Andy. Oh yeah, check out G. Love making an appearance on stage with the band!

CD REVIEW: "180° South" Soundtrack

Brushfire Records definitely knows how to do soundtracks. They aren't the traditional "music from and inspired by" type mixes, but rather they are mood setting and image conjuring compilations. This latest, not for a surf film, is a collection of tunes consisting mostly of new Ugly Casanova songs. Ugly Casanova is a side project of Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock with a little help from James Mercer, lead singer of The Shins and Broken Bells. Mercer also lends two tracks to the soundtrack, one is a cover of a Neil Young song. The other, an original instrumental, is the best instrumental inclusion on the album. Far and away, the best song on the album is Mason Jennings' new tune "Machines." It combines his incredible lyricism with his new found love for the electric guitar, and should have been included on his most recent album. Jack Johnson's cover of "Spring Wind" is excellent, as he finally decided to get into the studio and put it down to tape for the first time ever. Ugly Casanova impresses with "Here's To Now," "Wave Goodbye," and "Lay Me Down." Although the variety of styles on the album is limited, it's an outstanding soundtrack, with a heavy emphasis on indie rock and folk. Considering that the film is one of the year's best documentaries, the music keeps the film's adventure right at our fingertips.

CD REVIEW: Jack Johnson "To The Sea"

Jack Johnson has become synonymous with laid back mellow acoustic tunes, so it's unlikely that he will stray too far from what he does best. This time he decided to plug in and kick the energy up a few notches with a little electric guitar sprinkled throughout his newest release. The mellower acoustic tunes on this release are actually some of the most mellow and quiet songs he's ever written, particularly "When I Look Up" and "My Little Girl." On the flip side, his most energetic tunes on this album are "The Upsetter," which is equal parts Santana, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Marley, and "At Or With Me" which finds Jack at his funkiest on this album. G. Love lends his bluesy harmonica skills to "At Or With Me" and "Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology" and Hawaiian singer Paula Fuga also contributes her soulful backing vocals on a few tracks. The entire album was self produced by the band, making it the most hands on recording experience of their career. The single "You And Your Heart" is an instant classic, bridging the gap between Jack's old and new sounds for a track that is mellow and electric all at the same time. The song "From The Clouds" is also sure to become a single, as the music is catchy and the lyrics are easily singable. This album is a very personal album, as is evident on "No Good With Faces," "Only The Ocean," and "Turn Your Love," with Jack staying away from lyrics relating to politics and activism. Certainly a different recording, Jack Johnson has proven that he can do the same old thing and still make it new and exciting. He always creates outstanding albums that are thematic and cohesive, and "To The Sea" is just as awesome as all of his previous albums. As Jack grows, so do his fans, his music, and his messages. His latest is a testament to where he came from, where he is, and where he is going, and from start to finish he makes an incredible connection to his fans by bringing them along for a great ride.

CD REVIEW: Rogue Wave "Permalight"

With each album that Rogue Wave creates they add a new dimension to their already complex music. They have embraced their brand of indie rock and taken it to new levels, and following up their critically acclaimed album "Asleep At Heaven's Gate" wasn't going to be easy. Yet, Rogue Wave has managed to seamlessly transition themselves into their newest album without a hitch. "Permalight" has the band returning a bit to their roots with louder guitars, more keyboards, and a bigger sound that is reminiscent to their first two albums. The lead single "Good Morning" is a straight up alternative rocker with big fuzzy guitars. "Solitary Gun" is the "Lake Michigan" of this album, and it's partially mellow indie rock sound will help this song to be the album's cornerstone. The title track features a syncopated rhythm and has the band sounding incredibly cohesive, yet still holding onto an organic feel of the music. This album is an awesome stopping point on Rogue Wave's journey through music, and the guys never cease to amaze with their creative take on indie and alternative rock.

CD REVIEW: ALO "Man Of The World"

When ALO first began making music they had a lot of fun and they developed a distinct jam band sound and feel that is very distinct. Not that fun went out the window, but their last few albums were less like their earlier days. They were, however, excellent albums that contained many memorable and incredible songs, some of which brought the band into the public eye. This album, which was co-produced by friend and label mate Jack Johnson, is a return to basic form for ALO. They still keep their same California vibe and add a jam band element (much like Phish, pioneers of this sound) that makes the album and each song a classic. The title track is already tearing up Triple A radio charts, appearing in the top 10 most played on many stations. All four members of the band share lead vocal duties with Zach Gill and Dave Brogan doing the bulk of the singing. Dan Lebowitz and Steve Adams both sing lead on a track each, and even Jack Johnson takes over lead vocal duties on "Gardener's Grave"a tune which he wrote the lyrics for. "Suspended" and "I Love Music" are typical and excellent jam band anthems, both over 6 minutes long. "I Love Music" shows off the truly fun qualities of the band as the song emulates 70's style funk and disco. Songs like "Big Appetite" and "Time And Heat" are sure to become instant fan favorites. Reggae, folk rock, and soul all find their place amongst the songs on this album, which is signature ALO combining the best of their classic sound and their newest influences. All that said, "Man Of The World" is the best album released during the first two months of 2010, and is sure to remain one of the best by year's end.

NEW TUNES: Brushfire Records - Fall 2009 Sampler

Check out the Fall 2009 Sampler put out by Brushfire Records at Amazon.com! It features 9 songs by Brushfire Records artists Jack Johnson, G. Love & Special Sauce, Mason Jennings, Matt Costa, Rogue Wave, Zee Avi, Zach Gill, Neil Halstead, and ALO.

Click here to download it now!