Disc Reviews
by Max Ink Staff Writers
Dan Kolesari - Waiting For You
Dan Kolesari
Album title: Waiting For You
By Donny Stopiak
Posted: Oct 2015
Label: Self Released
(2466) Page Views
The Summer of 2015 brought a flurry of local album releases, but one that stands out is from Milwaukee singer-songwriter Dan Kolesari, aptly titled Waiting For You. While Kolesari is no stranger to the Milwaukee music scene given his decade’s worth of gigs at various local piano bars, this is his first album of original material.
He covers the spectrum of styles on Waiting For You, from the piano melodies of Billy Joel on “Nothings Gonna Let You Down”, while “Rescue Me Please” conjures images of the pop sensibilities of Nick Lowe, The standout track is the fine blues tinged ode to his city of origin on “Milwaukee”. Throughout the album, the listener can not only sense a strong influence of the classic singer-songwriters of the 1970s, but also a hint of New Orleans-esque flavor. The combination of Kolesari’s soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics make this an outstanding inaugural debut.
Sir No Sir - Scavenger
Sir No Sir
Album title: Scavenger
By Sal Serio
Posted: Oct 2015
Label: Crustacean Records
(2182) Page Views
Straight out of the gate, on the song “Manic”, drummer Tony Leskinen says “Let’s go!”, and it’s obvious that the Sir No Sir locomotive is in motion, and you either better get the hell off the tracks or get crushed under it’s heaviness. This is the ‘Scavenger’ express, devouring anything in it’s path, and leaving nothing but gleaming bones in it’s ravenous wake.
Of course, I’m referring to the brand new Crustacean Records release, and second CD by Madison power-trio Sir No Sir. Contained within are ten brutal yet melodic compositions that showcase the diversity of this formidable group. The melody is often evident by the numerous intricate bass guitar breaks courtesy of Jeramaya James, who is the driving force behind composing the music on much of this disc. I have to admit to being emphatically drawn to those bass parts, and the superb audio quality of these recordings really bring out the best of all worlds in regard to this wild listening safari. One is first pulled in to the overall aural experience, and then the subtleties such as James’ pulsating bass lines come to the surface.
I was/am a fan of the first Sir No Sir CD, but clearly this band has matured in the two years since that product’s emergence. The lyrics have taken on more cerebral topics, such as the Carl Sagan inspired “Pale Blue Dot”, and the songs show an increased sophistication in their structure and slammy-yet-catchy sensibility. Since both Leskinen and guitarist Nate Onsrud provide vocals, there are subtle but marked variations to the identity of the songs. Though, both men deliver their voice within the context of a guttural growl wrenched from deep in the depths of their bowels and souls.
I have a particular fondness for the cover photo of ‘Scavenger’, depicting the bared, encrusted fangs, and gruesome prickly tongue, of a pink and orange colored hyena! It’s the perfect depiction of the music contained within, which, did I mention, is frickin’ heavy? Like a blended mixture of hardcore punk, power rock, prog metal, and Norwegian polka. Wait! Just kidding about the polka!
My favorite tracks from ‘Scavenger’ include the title track, “Manic”, “Walking Backwards”, and “Switch Quick”. But what I’d really recommend is trying on this CD yourself. Run it up the flagpole and see if you salute it, like I do. And what better way than to check out the SNS ‘Scavenger’ CD Release Party at the Crystal Corner Bar in Madison, on Saturday, October 17? You can hear these tracks performed live with wild unabashed abandon, and take a copy of the ‘Scavenger’ home with you. But wait… there’s more! Also on this killer bill are the first ladies of Madison rock ‘n roll, Venus In Furs, who also have new product to support, their excellent and recently released 12” long-play ‘Just Try It On’, and the evening’s festivities will be capped off by local favorites Droids Attack, who always tow a serious rock and roll party along with them, and I can pretty much guarantee will be featuring new material in their set, since Droids are working on a new CD of their own. In the meantime though, you could complete the trifecta and also grab something from the Droids merch table’s offerings… the possibilities are endless! It’s a good time to be a rock fan in Madison, Wisconsin.
Wicked Inquisition - Wicked Inquisition
Wicked Inquisition
Album title: Wicked Inquisition
By Sal Serio
Posted: Oct 2015
Label: Tridroid Records
(2071) Page Views
Four young warriors from the Minneapolis area have forged an aural battleaxe of heavy metal mysticism and named it Wicked Inquisition. Their self-titled debut long-play CD provides a reminder that rock music fares well on the edge of the precipice, steeped in danger and prophetic intrigue. Illustrating that metal does not necessarily benefit from thrasher speed and/or Malmsteen-style technique.
The Wicked Inquisition sonic perspective updates the ominous classic Birmingham [England] metal sound with melody and memorable refrains, perhaps in the style of Masters Of Reality, or Clutch. Comparisons ultimately fail though, since the overall listening experience here is unique, as bulldozer ramrod rhythms collide with meaty blood drenched riffage in a majestic celebration of heavy rock bravado. That said, obviously, this music will strike a [power] chord with fans of early Trouble, The Obsessed, ‘Paranoid’ era Sabbath, and ‘Sad Wings’ era Judas Priest.
The most amazing aspect of this group is how they’re achieved such a mature and worldly attitude in their songs and stage show, which on first blush seems to contradict their youthful ages. Considering their level of musicianship and sophisticated compositional skills, my greatest and most sincere wish is that they are in this for the long haul, because this is truly a band that shows immense promise.
Cold Black River - Hillbilly Zeus
Cold Black River
Album title: Hillbilly Zeus
By Sal Serio
Posted: Oct 2015
Label: Cold Black River
(2441) Page Views
Behold the five song teaser CD by the formidable Madison hard rock trio Cold Black River. Not only is the river cold and black, the album artwork [by Tessa Najjar] is stark black and white pen and ink pointillism, portraying a seedy and somewhat disturbing side of swampy Southern culture.
The music itself is not necessarily black, but it is certainly very dark. An apocalyptic mood hangs over these intense tracks. Eric Cobb’s vocal gives the impression of a high priest chanting invocations at a Satanic ritual, or perhaps he’s the radio announcer on a tour through Hell.
Drummer Aaron Kanitz drives these throbbing compositions with a fevered and fervored pace, which constructs the bridge over the cavernous abyss created by the looming, spacious, riffs. Cobb’s eerie vocal again conjures up a horror show visual in this allegory, like he is the demonic presence that demands an unholy sacrifice from all who wish to cross over to the other side. Indeed, the title track, “Hillbilly Zeus”, includes the lyric, “Got to pay the ferryman, no one rides for free”. This music should scare the shit out of the kids when they come ‘round trick or treating this Halloween! [Adding new emphasis to the Charlie Brown saying, “I got a rock!”]
Cribshitter - Acapulco
Cribshitter
Album title: Acapulco
By John Noyd
Posted: Sep 2015
Label: self-release
(2202) Page Views
Four years extracting musical shape-shifting madness, Madison’s quick-change artists Cribshitter unveil a thematic mish-mash splashed in devilish wackiness carved from sun-kissed mosh-pits and delirious fearlessness supported by subversive mirth. Schizophrenic decadence playing made-in-the-shade charades deconstructing time-share affairs atop consumer bamboozling, “Acapulco,” stacks wisecracking sass into lewd interludes born from ultra-groovy confusion; daffy distractions packing seamless farce into giddy kidding. Artfully parting beach-resort partying into smirk-filled ironies, the band’s lounge-lizard wizardry mixes psycho-funky monkey-business into sex-starved drum-machine telenovas. A clever tight-rope walk between the sleazy and the cheesy, the slap-happy toe-tappers goof on disco-musak rappers, tattletale tourists and midnight-cruising perusers with accomplished gonzo gusto. See for yourself October 10th when the band along with pop-rockers Heavy Looks plays a free release show at Madison’s Mickey’s Tavern.
The Oh Hellos - Dear Wormwood
The Oh Hellos
Album title: Dear Wormwood
By John Noyd
Posted: Sep 2015
Label: Elektra
(2051) Page Views
A collection of songs inspired in part by C.S. Lewis’, “The Screwtape Letters,” “Wormwood,” snakes its way through enchanted semantics; nimble fictions whose gossamer waltzes raise haunted romps beside thorny moonlit crossroads as baptism and revelry hiss and twist in whispered folk-rock ripples mounting Celtic helter-skelter inside restless bedtime fables and majestic flatland chanteys. While the nucleus of the group consists of siblings Maggie and Tyler Heath, TOH gathers orbiting supporters catapulting the album into communal jubilation. From buckskin minstrels presenting side-saddle madrigals to maypole-cajoling nymphs hovering over solo banjo, the Texan’s sophomore foray effortlessly escalates into barn-storming carnivals lit by rousing finish-line cheers for neighborhood labors. The story-telling folk-ensemble assembles Oct 24th at Madison’s Majestic Theater along with Family & Friends and Cereus Bright
Chad Valley - Entirely New Blue
Chad Valley
Album title: Entirely New Blue
By John Noyd
Posted: Sep 2015
Label: Cascine
(2151) Page Views
Futuristic bliss finds transistorized sighs, rerouted pouts and earworm yearning via hard-wired church choirs dancing to spray-tan jams from auto-tuned angels; the rainbow-colored, “Blue,” cruises and smooches, a svelte conveyor-belt streaming seamless bleeps and skipping blips beneath carousel-dwelling melodies trounced with pastel-melted bounce. A rallying gala, Chad Valley’s deep-shag lover’s gallery whips carefree sequined sequences dolled-up in push-button lust into seductive fluff stuffed into solid-state heartache. Elevating boudoir shamanism from vacuum-sealed appeals to sublime micro-designed assignments, Jonquil’s Hugo Manuel captures the fantastic by turning his canyon-spanning voice into a syncopated pastry for sour-grape banquets, feasting easily with leisurely weightless grace, skating over shiny space-age templates and bubble-pumping first-dates. The cyber-piloted dreamboat plays Madison’s The Frequency October 4th with special guests Stranger Cat and Midas Bison.
Shopping - Why Choose
Shopping
Album title: Why Choose
By John Noyd
Posted: Sep 2015
Label: FatCat Records
(1734) Page Views
Tight, biting no-wave surf-rock rides whiplash-active rapids in coiled cool while, “Why,” applies irony-free treats teetering between jungle-tunneled skeleton-rasta and abrupt thrusts on disruptive cusps from brittle-riddled toe-tappers. Dodge-ball assaults turn hypnotic gestalt from ace double-dutch busking pumping tasty socio-political tub-thumping to fever-burning dervishes serving percussive justice while affirming soul-stirring skirmishes. Leaning into each furious ska-blessed arpeggio, Shopping’s anti-pomp manifesto scratches pogo polemics into feisty decisiveness, tossing elastic punk-powered raps in confidently combative drafts as the wicked British ricochet babies play sling-shot hop-scotch with street-wise nose-dives and acrobatic high-fives. Frantic, manic sound-scoundrels splattering mouse-trap staccato with bare-knuckled love from wiry warriors, the lean trio hits Madison’s The Frequency October 27th alongside retro-groovy tour-mates Shannon and the Clams plus area rabble-rousers The Pukes and Orange Iguanas.
Albatross - Desperate Times Best Forgotten
Albatross
Album title: Desperate Times Best Forgotten
By John Noyd
Posted: Aug 2015
Label: The Word of Mouth Project
(2885) Page Views
Embroidered stories washed in the polished hospitality and modest apologies of cantering country, waltzing folk and soothing bluegrass cruising through electric blues and crackling jazz, Albatross’ restless melancholy unfold soulful emotions living in the hopeful crossroads between gentle lullabies, sad good-byes and friendly salutations. Three years in the making, “Desperate,” presents a stirring merciful journey ripe in life’s highs and lows casually rolled into intricate strolls outstretched in reflective contrapuntal contemplations. An Englishman who relocated to Nashville, Albatross appears to have made side trips to Memphis and the Appalachia to create a pleasant sentimental chemistry where nothing is out of place and no compatible musical idea is unwelcome. Intriguing scenery carved from road-tested hearts, “Desperate,” dresses its thoughtful messages in skilled thrills and sturdy courtesies.
The Orb - Moonbuilding 2073 AD
The Orb
Album title: Moonbuilding 2073 AD
By John Noyd
Posted: Aug 2015
Label: Kompakt
(2442) Page Views
The prodigious English duo Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty return to German record label Kompakt with all-original material for a gorgeous four-part suite fusing sly humor into translucent krautrock grooves, tampered lava-lamp ambiance and paranormal dance-floor trances. The latest auditory hallucinations from these misbegotten cosmonauts sequesters polyester vibes inside glow-stick vertigo for a slick, unpredictable ride where chill vacuum-sealed appeals hunt down hip submarine scenes in slow-drip blips, dub-scrubbed shifts and strobe-lit drifts. Working extra hard to appear ultra-casual, “Moonbuilding,” is a fly exercise in calculated laziness, pumping bubbly thumps through rubber-room flumes; a foggy cacophony of sleek beats and privileged sizzle. Do not miss the party when The Orb lands in Madison’s Majestic Theater September 24th along with Mike Carlson, Wyatt Agard and Umi.
Robert Forster - Songs To Play
Robert Forster
Album title: Songs To Play
By John Noyd
Posted: Aug 2015
Label: Tapete Records
(2482) Page Views
Seven years since Forster’s last album but a short nine month since the release of his iconic band’s comprehensive box set, “G Stands For Go-Betweens: Volume 1, 1978-1984,” the Aussie singer-songwriter’s unfathomable talent elevates everyday fate into stoic blows infused with cool rebukes. Quietly rumbling in choice words, acidic attitude and a rich, but understated sound, “Songs,” casts guitar-propelled spells colored in organ, trumpet and violin to evoke gentle, sensible pathos from smoldering doldrums hiding inflamed disdain while delicate disclosure imposes restless longing onto poetic pondering, drawing playful statements inside punctual jangle and dreamy preening beneath fleeting indie-pop. Brandishing literate skittishness wound around a wealth of prickly wit and soft-spoken coping, Forster continues to stand tall, navigating pedestrian quests with matador grace and impeccable taste.
Will It Burn - In Other Circumstances
Will It Burn
Album title: In Other Circumstances
By Geert Driver
Posted: Aug 2015
Label: Self Released
(2876) Page Views
Milwaukee has never strayed from the musical map. The city has always given birth to talent. But it has always been a working-class talent. The flashiness of Hollywood has rarely caught up with Brew City. Every ounce of talent has been earned in Milwaukee—and with good cause. This is the case with Milwaukee duo Will It Burn.
Despite seeing a very limited digital release, the duo’s 2011 EP Low Dial Almanac possessed a number of high notes (both literal and figurative). And also despite more or less shelving the EP, the duo—comprised of lyricist songstress EmAliyah and beatmaker, producer and DJ extraordinaire EightZero—got right to work on what would be its first full-length record, In Other Circumstances, seeing light on digital and physical formats.
In Other Circumstances is complex though. It might as well be two halves making a whole. By design, EightZero’s beats are strung together to make an opus similar to instrumentation. But the surprise comes when it’s learned that there isn’t even a single instrument played throughout. Pulling from the obscure and forgotten, EightZero weaves in and out of mainstream and lends on the power of hip-hop to create something original. Complemented by haunting vocals and lyrics that run the gamut of love, social commentary and even politics, EmAliyah sews intricate stories around EightZero’s woven “rhythm section.”
The result is a cohesive record of otherworldly vocal stylings set to throwback production, creating intellectual music begging listeners to dig deeper and skip the aforementioned flashiness of Hollywood and finally get back to the music at hand.
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