Adena Atkins: The Slowest Curve

Adena  Atkins is an aspiring young singer/songwriter recently transplanted in Seattle after studying at Berklee College of Music. She presents her new four song EP The Slowest Curve as a representation of seasons changing as well as shifting relationships. The fluidity of nature and human interaction is clearly her inspiration. Initially I was drawn in by Atkins sultry soprano voice, which I would compare with Tori Amos or Ani Difranco. It has a distinct tone which lends itself well to her intimate song writing. A lot of imagery of nature presents itself as the writers vantage point is one in which she is peering  from a window. The “window” may be literal as well as metaphorical as each track on this EP explores interpersonal relationships and opening oneself up to life’s possibilities. Atkins is joined with production and instrumentation by Jay Pinto.  Interesting electronic synths, rhythms and various effects add a modern shine to some pretty melodies. “Glass” opens the EP representing fall and begins with an interesting synth line and electronic drums. The thoughts of a passionate relationship are intertwined with imagery of nighttime and tree branches reaching for the sky. “End of story” brings the listener to winter and the idea that sometimes relationships just need to end. A natural progression has occurred and a separation is inevitable. I thought the melody was beautiful and reminded me a bit “Mad World” by Tears for fears. “April Rain” naturally represents spring with it’s lovely keyboard melody and driving rhythm. This song sheds winter and exposes the patterns in a relationship and asks the question, why do we break up just to make up again? The writers answer is that we live just as nature exists,  however one must learn there is beauty in these patterns as well. “Hot gray morning” represents, you guessed it, summer.  As the writer misses home, staring out the window 3,000 miles away from California, I was mesmerized by the foreboding instrumentation which created an effectively somber mood. Overall, I thought the instrumentation and production on this EP was top notch. A very modern sound with great attention to detail.  Atkins soprano has a great tone and her wordplay was interesting. I’ll look forward to Atkins growing even further as an artist. I hope she continues the path of a holistic approach to songwriting as this makes her unique in the singer/songwriter community.

http://www.adenaatkins.com/

Tommy Larkin Music : Truth in anger

Galveston, Texas indie alt-country pop wizard Tommy Larkin presents a batch of songs that speak of breakup, regret, tornados, earthquakes, corporate greed and annoying co-workers on his new album "Truth in Anger". What first struck me as unique was the tone and style of Larkin’s vocals. He has a style similar to Beta Band, Ween , The Frogs and in some instances Jay Farrar. The half sung/half spoken word style lends itself well to the acoustic guitars, odd assortment of percussion and quirky keyboards. Larkin certainly has a consistent presence and style on this record and knows how to craft a song with a sense of humor as well as a good dose of truthiness. "Typing and Cursing" is relatable to anyone who’s worked in an IT department and has a bluesy lead guitar hook ala Jack White. Ending relationships is a recurring theme throughout this album and I feel several of these songs may be therapy for the writer in letting go of the past and moving on. "The meaner you are" parts 1-5 may be a bit redundant but send a clear message that being alone is much better than a bad romance filled with passive-aggressive actions. I would have kept this to a single, longer track. "Something Happened" is very effective in relaying the cost of war in a very personal way. "Nicki Bradshaw", a song told in the third person accounts the tragedy of a tornado and uses nice vocal effects and instrumentation to bring the listener into the storm, but I felt the effects were a bit distracting from the message of loss being relayed in the track. "California fault line" is my favorite track on the album evoking imagery of earthquakes as a metaphor for a love relationship split apart. This track has a country feel, with some creative backing vocals. "Mississippi Canyon 252" is certainly a topical track related to corporate greed, lack of accountability and fraud. This track is presented with anger but also a sense of humor in the last third of the song. It’s an anti-corporate protest song for a new generation. The production on this record is fairly professional, more so than some of the instrumentation but when it all comes together with Tommy’s unique vocal style and message it’s really quite enjoyable.

http://www.tommylarkinmusic.com/

Al Berman Floating Wilderness

Al Berman has a lofty goal with his debut album, Floating Wilderness. The liner notes read "I want to write a song that makes you feel like it could be the last track you ever hear". This is a bold task for such a young artist and the results are mixed. Essentially, Berman has crafted a breakup album most relatable to those experiencing their first "lost love" and its accompanying loneliness, while longing for the great times they once shared. Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, the album is well paced for this subject matter with concise, albeit, well-worn themes. Album opener "Run away" is about setting out to sea with a girl. Good choice for track one seeing the theme of meeting a mysterious girl is recurring on this album. What redeems this track and many on the album from a bombardment of clichéd metaphors , however is the soulful voice, accomplished instrumentation and quality production. Creative bass lines, solid harmonies and nice piano work are abound which equate to fine musicianship. Berman is clearly a talented musician and this album has a high production value. However the "singsong" style of "Run away" is a precursor of a tendency to craft overly wordy verses which emphasize the writers point in a hurried way and therefore detract from the instrumentation and the overall message of the song. A similar problem occurs in other tracks such as "Hot Air Balloon", "Reminded of you" and "Floating wilderness". As a listener, I was waiting for a bridge or a hook in the chorus during several of these tracks but it never came. In terms of lyrics, Berman relies on a lot of "Creative Writing 101" clichéd couplets, for example "lounging on the side of the moon, honey maybe it’s too soon, when i’m with you I feel like it’s June" from "Hot Air Baloon (Ragtime Girl)" and "Your eyes glow like diamonds and your body is the rain since the day you left here your name’s played in my brain" from "Reminded of you". Also apparent are the forced use of rhymes, for example "we could go sailing in the deep blue sea , mumbling incomprehensibly holdin hands and shootin the breeze". Upon repeated listens, these aspects tend to detract from the meaning Berman is trying to get across. On the other hand, I was intrigued by the imagery of "The Ballad Of Crotchety Powns","Lune", which was my favorite track on the album, and the straight ahead theme of "I Wanna Party". Berman will surely grow as a writer with more life experience and I look forward to expanding themes in his writing. What stood out for me on this album upon first listen however was the singer’s voice. Berman has a vocal quality similar to Adam Green, E , and They Might Be Giants with an interesting, slightly nasal tone that I found really fit these tracks well and combined with the accomplished musicians on this album, made it a comfortable, albeit not entirely intriguing listen. Berman has a way to go before he can claim his lofty song writing goals but I feel he is heading in the right direction.

http://alfredsage.com/

Simon Fagan Unplugged EP

The first thing that struck me upon diving into the music of Dublin, Ireland’s Simon Fagan was the thick, rich quality of his vocals. Comparisons came to mind such as Ryan Adams, Glenn Hansard , Ray LaMontagne and Devendra Banhart. There is certainly a sultry confidence in his delivery which is well earned on this EP and goes well beyond the “folk singer/songwriter” label into blues, rock and soul. I could sense the American influences in his music and was interested in seeing the direction he took.  I was immediately drawn in by the pure, intimate and soulful nature of “Water’s edge”. This track has a sense of urgency and is adorned with lovely acoustic strumming and a yearning, soulful delivery. I felt the track could have been slightly shorter in length and still just as effective, however this aspect doesn’t detract from the quality of this song. “Tomorrow’s another day” stuck me as an optimistic track about letting go of the past and accepting circumstances as they are. Uplifting vocals along with a pretty melody go a long way in this track. “Something I don’t know” , which happens to be my favorite track on the EP, contains lovely harmonies on top of a eloquent lead vocal with a building piano accompaniment. This is certainly the “rocker” of the batch. This track reminded of the great Van Morrision.  I was taken in by the soaring vocals in the last half of the song.  “What’s the point on looking back” was very effective with it’s Dylan like quality. A folk song  about moving forward after a breakup. Great soaring vocals and a heartfelt delivery stood out to me. “Tired of trying” went in a laidback direction with lovely harmonies. The Bluesey vocal style was very effective. Overall I fell this EP is a great introduction to Fagan’s work, both lyrically and stylistically. I get a real sense of the intimacy, soul and power of what it must be like seeing him along with his talented backing band perform live at a small club.  

http://www.simonfagan.net/