My blog is a music blog, and I’m basically a wannabe DJ. I love making music lists and sharing them in the hope others will enjoy reading them and, occasionally, agree with my music tastes. I also love supporting up and coming musicians and bands, so I write about them or review their songs and albums with the goal of exposing readers of my posts to these artists’ music and, hopefully, helping to build them a larger fan base.
Having said that, compared to many other bloggers I follow, my posts appear to seldom be read by any of my followers – both other bloggers and my “friends” who also follow my blog. Are my posts of little or no interest to you? Should I change my focus and try to write about stuff that’s more interesting or topical?
At first glance, Paulo Franco seems to be an anachronism. How could a guy with Colombian parents write and sing great, authentic country music? Paulo was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area (and now lives in Richmond, Virginia), but his parents are from Colombia. He grew up listening to both Colombian and American music (his father was a huge fan of Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell), so his songs reflect those dual influences. Paulo began playing classical guitar at the age of 9. He spent a few years playing in a cover band, but decided to begin writing his own music in 2008. Most of his compositions meld old school country, rock and blues, drawing inspiration from the likes of Steve Earle, Hank Williams, John Hiatt, Slaid Cleaves, Chris Knight, Gram Parsons, the Rolling Stones, the Drive By Truckers and The Grateful Dead. He recorded his first album By The Light Of A Paper Moon in 2012, followed by an EP of tunes co-written with his friend Shane Cooley a year later.
More recently, he started writing songs in Spanish, fusing traditional Latin and Colombian rhythms with American rock and roll. With his backing band the Freightliners (which is comprised of four talented musicians: Dan Sessler on lead guitar, Dave Hess and drums and backing vocals, Chad Bennett on bass, and Doug Thompson, also on bass), Paulo has released a solid new album The Last Card, featuring 13 songs, ten in English and three in Spanish. The combination of country, country rock, and Latin tunes on one album is pure delight.
Paulo’s songs address themes common in a lot of songs – life, love and relationships, and the joy, pain and disappointment that emanate from them. And like many country tunes, his songs tell a compelling story. “Leaving the River City” has a pleasant, upbeat melody and music arrangement that contrasts sharply with the dark lyrics about a woman escaping an abusive relationship. In his mellifluous voice, Paulo sings: “Her dreams are faded as her jeans. Her nights are always filled with screams, and with his fury and his rage. She looks for courage to leave by any means, by mixing fire and gasoline or popping her twelve gauge / She’s leaving the River City. She’s leaving this time for good.”
In “Rolling Back to Raleigh,” he wistfully sings of his mixed emotions while driving back home after dropping a child off for their first year of college. His love of being a musician on the road touring is expressed in “White Line Highway”: “Some people, they can’t wait to get off the road. As for me, I can’t wait for my next show. White line highway, take me back.” And with a story reminiscent of the Marty Robbins classic El Paso, the song “Run Rene Run” tells the tale of an illegal, falsely accused of a crime and on the run.
The title track “The Last Card” is a standout, with a solid arrangement and some fine guitar riffs. Another great track is the bittersweet “One More Night,” a collaboration with Shane Cooley. The poignant lyrics describe a man with a drinking problem trying to reassure his woman that he’ll be OK. “One more night, and that’s enough. I could stop any day. Put it all away. Don’t you pour those bottles down the sink.” I also really like the country-rock “Too Far Gone,” which has an early Eagles vibe.
The three Spanish songs inject colorful energy into the album. The fiery opening track “Catrina Y Su Calavera” impels you to dance, as does the spicy “Llorando.” Paulo’s vocals are so authentically Spanish that it’s easy to forget you just heard him effortlessly and perfectly sing a country tune. “La Estrella del País” is a gorgeous homage to his parents’ home of Medellín, Colombia.
The Last Card is a first-rate album, and I highly recommend for lovers of Country music. To learn more about Paulo, check out his website. Support him by following on Twitter and Facebook, and stream his music on Reverbnation and Spotify. His music may be purchased on iTunes or Amazon.
1. LIFE ITSELF – Glass Animals (1)
2. BANG BANG – Green Day (2)
3. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (3)
4. SAY MY NAME – (IAM)WARFACE (6)
5. HYMN FOR THE WEEKEND – Coldplay featuring Beyoncé (4)
6. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (5)
7. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (8)
8. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (9)
9. STARBOY – The Weeknd, Daft Punk (10)
10. ALL WE EVER KNEW – The Head and the Heart (7)
11. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (12)
12. TONIGHT – Matto Rules (13)
13. YOU DON’T GET ME HIGH ANYMORE – Phantogram (11)
14. STARS – Wons Phreely + the Horses (15)
15. WISH I KNEW YOU – The Revivalists (16)
16. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (17)
17. HARDWIRED – Metallica (14)
18. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (20)
19. GOOD GRIEF – Bastille (19)
20. RIVER – Bishop Briggs (18)
As I’ve stated before on this blog, there is so much great rock music being made by so many talented artists and bands today, that I’m sometimes overwhelmed by it all. And every once in a while, I discover a band that stands out from the crowd by virtue of their incredible musicianship and sound. Whale House is such a band. Hailing from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, they describe their sound as ” a sublime blend of Noise & Melody.” More accurately, their dynamic sound has elements of experimental, grunge and psychedelic alternative rock.
Whale House was formed in 2009 by Clayton Brice and Caleb Price, both on vocals, guitar and bass. The duo released a 3-track EP From the Traps in 2011. Drummer Chris Dunn joined the band in 2013, and they subsequently released Stand Out. They followed up with their superb highly experimental 5-track EP The Negative Space in 2015, and dropped the excellent single “Freeway” earlier this year. Now they’ve released two new videos for their awesome songs “Red Sun” and “Think of Me.”
The electrifying videos were produced by SCOSH Films as Collaborate Forever Live Sessions filmed at Ambient Inks print shop in Eau Claire. Involved with production were videographer Scott Kunkel, photographer Kyle Lehman, sound engineer Steve Norwick and Bryan Hanna on mastering. The videos were filmed using movable walls and lots of fluorescent lighting, creating an otherworldly vibe. The guys all wearing sunglasses adds an edgy sense of mystery. I really like the videos for several reasons, one of which being that I enjoy seeing the band actually performing their songs, rather than act out some odd story line like in a lot of videos.
“Red Sun” starts off with a thumping bass line, then explodes with a barrage of shredded and swirling guitars and Dunn’s thunderous drums that instantly brought chills. Brice and Price coax scorching hot riffs from their guitars, their commanding, intertwining vocals in perfect harmony. This is one gorgeous rock song!
“Think of Me” is more experimental and psychedelic, and everything about it is jaw-dropping amazing. Clocking in at 6 1/2 minutes, the song is a tour de force that astonishes from start to finish. First off, the buzzing bass line is monumental – seemingly powerful enough to slam you against the wall. Then come the hard-hitting, staccato guitar riffs that practically tear your face off, followed by more snarling guitars and pummeling drums that make your heart race. The guys’ vocals alternately smolder and scream, sounding a bit like Kurt Cobain, and guaranteed to raise the hair on the back of your neck. By song’s end, I had to catch my breath. Wow, just wow!
A recent submission to my email inbox introduced me to a new EP release by a singer/songwriter from Alberta, Canada who goes by the unusual artistic name Hail Taxi. Intrigued, I checked out the artist and his music and was pleasantly surprised. Born Nathaniel Sutton, Hail Taxi plays indie folk-rock with touches of alt-country and pop, and occasionally meanders into electronica, giving his music a unique sound and style that sets him apart.
Sutton recorded a debut album Dramatic Scene in 2005, as well as a follow-up self-titled album, for Engineer Records under his given name. Both albums were worthy efforts with some pretty good songs (I especially like “Zombies Are Everywhere” and “Worldwide Catastrophe”) . After a five-year-long hiatus, Sutton decided to resume his solo music career under a totally new moniker Hail Taxi. He told me he “chose the name because it is intriguing on how it can be taken a couple different ways: 1. Hail Taxi – when people flag down a taxi for a ride. 2. Hail Taxi – all hail the taxi, salute the taxi! I’ll leave it to the listener to decide on how the name should be interpreted.”
It makes perfect sense, then, that he would name his new EP Apart For So Long. The 5-track offering sounds more polished than his previous work, while still retaining his honest, straightforward folk-rock style. The first track is “Crystal Clear,” a catchy song about overcoming a painful break-up. The song has a wonderful acoustic guitar riff that contrasts with the darker lyrics: “I see you in my dreams, I see you in my mirror. I see you crystal clear, I see you in my pictures. I don’t know why but it’s so hard to move on.” Sutton sings the song in almost a monotone, at times whispering the lyrics, giving the song a haunting, ethereal vibe that perfectly fits the subject. The clever video uses some great footage from silent films, and the song on the video version starts off sounding like an old 78 being played on a Victrola.
Sutton’s signature plucky acoustic guitar and light percussion are nicely employed on the tracks “Northbound” and “We are Not Doomed…Yet.” On “Northbound,” the gentle riff is accented by some scraping sound effects in the middle of the song, perhaps to convey the sense of traveling, and smooth electric guitar is introduced halfway through, adding complexity to the track. Sutton’s pleasing vocals reveal a vulnerability as he sings about telling his love interest how he feels: “Shaky hands, keep ’em steady. With a rose I’m standing. Come on hands, stop shaking. / You’re always in my thoughts, now I’ve been love shy. I like you a lot. / I’m glad we’ve got each other.”
The poetic lyrics on “We Are Not Doomed…Yet” speak to reconnecting with a lost love that he’d hurt, and now wanting to start over and give it another go: “And I looked into your eyes, and you looked into mine. That’s when I knew we are not doomed…yet. And now that you are on my side, I never want to say goodbye. We were apart for so long.”
The EP contains two beautiful instrumental tracks. “Mount Robson” consists primarily of acoustic guitar, gentle drum and violin. The song is basically a simple repeating melody, but the haunting guitar riff is so compelling that the song feels more intense. The gorgeous, synth-heavy “An Untitled Ending,” has a very different sound from the other songs on the EP. I’m a sucker for lush synthesized sounds, and this song has them in spades. Some really excellent guitar work adds a dramatic flourish to the atmospheric track.
All in all, Apart For So Long is a well-crafted EP that makes for a pleasant listening experience. If you like what you hear, support Hail Taxi by following him on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribing to his YouTube channel. The EP, which drops today, November 4,can be purchased on iTunes, Bandcamp or other sites offering music for sale. You can also stream Sutton’s earlier music on Spotify here.
Staleworth is a five-piece indie band from Long Island, New York who play an intense, yet melodic style of punk/post hardcore rock. The earnest young band followed me on Twitter a while back, and I was so impressed by their fresh sound that I wanted to feature them on my blog. Making the music are Kevin Davis (lead vocals), Brett Baehr (lead guitar), James Mann (rhythm guitar/backing vocals), Ryan Patterson (bass) and Nick Pinzon (drums, though Colin Thorson was drummer when the EP was recorded).
The band released their debut EP Covalence in March 2016, and they’re off to a great start. Featuring five solid tracks that flow seamlessly from one to the next, the EP plays like one long rock symphony containing five movements. First up is the ear-splitting “Empty Veins, ” a melodic hard rock anthem that storms out of the gate with shredded and swirling guitars overlying Patterson’s pummeling bass. Muscular percussion sets the driving beat, and Davis’s fervent vocals occasionally turn into raw hardcore screams. This is a real headbanger!
The high energy levels continue uninterrupted with “Patchwork,” another monumental hard rock track with blistering guitar riffs and thunderous percussion, accompanied by Davis’s impassioned raw vocals. He practically spits the fiery lyrics that speak of lies and deceit: “How could you expect that I wouldn’t question all you do? Evil smile, blackened eyes, just another point of view / You know I’m not too fond of your intentions. But I don’t think you’ve ever learned your lesson.”
Things slow a bit at the beginning of “Moonchild,” with a lovely but rather melancholy guitar solo. The beat ramps back up about a minute into the track, with fast-paced guitars, heavy bass and forceful drums, only to return to a more languid tempo for the last 45 seconds. The music doesn’t skip a beat as the song transitions to the one minute and 25-second auditory barrage that is the fourth track “Hang Loose.” Davis screams his lyrics as furious guitars keep pace with a powerful military-style drumbeat.
That song seamlessly flows into the standout final track “Tiger Troubles.” This hard-driving number gradually builds in intensity, blasting through the speakers with bombastic drums and scorching guitar riffs piled atop more riffs, while Davis’s brutal vocals snarl and soar with the music, at times threatening to blow out our eardrums. The result is an awesome hard rock song of great complexity and depth.
If their excellent debut EP is any indication, Staleworth is a talented collective with a promising future. Show these guys support by following them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Stream their EP on Spotify and purchase it on Bandcamp.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 