(Published by Zocalo Magazine on May 11, 2013.) It’s a beautiful spring Saturday in the Sonoran Desert; birds are chirping, fruit blossoms are fragrantly blooming and “Electric Caribou” is dancing forth from the speakers. This is an afternoon with The Modeens; singer/guitarist/songwriter Jamie Laboz, bassist/singer/songwriter Cristina Williams and drummer Jeff Diday. Missing is keyboardist/harmonica/contributing singer/songwriter Dave Prival as the herpetologist is in Cali tracking a … [Read more...]
Stuart Oliver & The Desert Angels
(Published by Zocalo Magazine on March 19, 2013.) Sheddin’ Every Skin (Old Bisbee Records) If you’re free on Sundays and music is your temple of wry reflections tied to sin and hopeful, redemptive contemplation… then spin this album. It’s a collection of 14 stories that are beautifully composed, performed and arranged. Stuart Oliver paints notes and words on time and space, ageless motifs of humanity’s dukkha (nature of suffering) and deliverance. To rip right from the press release, this … [Read more...]
Stefan George “Cloth”
(This article was published by Zocalo Magazine on Feb. 10, 2010.) “It’s pretty dark, but that’s the way it is sometimes,” Stefan scribed in a note that came with the CD. Sure enough, it opens with the folky, stark-realities-are-depressing Bad Year for Clowns. Though there are lyrical themes of a tough life throughout the 16 tracks, the bulk of the tunes are upbeat and catchy. And since its Stefan George, of course there is magnificent blues guitar playing on each track – six of them … [Read more...]
Fourkiller Flats “Treasure & Trash”
(This article was published by Zocalo Magazine summer, 2009.) The Flats are rockin’ songsters who knock it out of the park with this 11-song self-release recorded at Loveland Studios. Any album with talk of fleeing to Mexico on its first track always does me right. Jim Cox provides gravely and warm vox and sings songs of love lost, love gained, friends moving on and booze. My favorite, hands down, is “Stellar Dope,” a heart wrenching ballad with really tasty licks by lead guitarist Neal … [Read more...]
Naim Amor “Soundtracks III”
(This article was published by Zocalo Magazine summer, 2009.) The très bon Amor releases his instrumental record at Plush on June 5, with cuts that are extremely – guess what? – cinematic. Opening with “West,” aptly titled, the track has the clip clop beat of horse’s trot; “Precious Second” and “Reminds Me of a Song” could both be in the Twin Peaks cache, fitting in with the dark drama of the series. “Keeylocko” is wild and devious; “Klezmer Muzak” has a freakin cool 1980s dance beat … [Read more...]