October 1, 2009

Jen Chapin: reVisions: Songs of Stevie Wonder
Chesky Records SACD 347
Format: Hybrid Multichannel SACD

Musical Performance
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Overall Enjoyment

reVisions: Songs of Stevie Wonder is the seventh disc by Jen Chapin, who in the past has covered songs by songwriters as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, and David Bowie. This time she interprets ten of Stevie Wonder’s melodically and harmonically rich songs, accompanied by Stephan Crump on bass and Chris Cheek on tenor, baritone, and soprano saxophone. It’s a risky decision to sing without the foundation of piano or guitar, but Chapin gives the songs strong, confident readings and the other two musicians are imaginative and forceful. Crump’s percussive bass on "Higher Ground" recreates the drive of the clavinet on the original, and Cheek’s interjections throughout are a counterpoint and encouragement to the singer. Ms. Chapin’s handling of three of Wonder’s ballads, "Visions," "If It’s Magic," and "Saturn," shows a light touch, and she lets the lyrics lead her to the emotional center of the songs. Chapin shares the recording generously with Crump and Cheek, and while all three performers demonstrate their virtuosity, no one overplays or dominates. The recording of the CD/SACD hybrid disc is, as always with Chesky Records, natural and real, with a palpable sense of space in both the stereo and multichannel formats. . . . Joseph Taylor

The Wailin’ Jennys: Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House
Red House Music RHR CD220
Format: CD

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I recently saw The Wailin’ Jennys live, and this CD brings back all the memories of that most enjoyable evening. The lineup changed over the course of their first two CDs, and the group now consists of Ruth Moody on vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, accordion, and bodhrán; Nicky Mehta on vocals, acoustic guitar, drums, harmonica and ukulele; and newcomer Heather Masse on vocals and upright bass. On this CD they also get assistance from Jeremy Penner on violin and mandolin. And yes, the women actually play all of these instruments at one time or another, and very well too. The repertoire is a varied mix of self-penned tunes and traditional songs arranged by the group. The sound is up front, with clear vocal harmonies buoyed by solid instrumentation. There’s a good sense of hall acoustics, so you’ll feel like you’re part of the audience. Engineer Kent Heckman captured the sound so well that you can even tell when Moody stands too close to the microphone during the intro to "One Voice." . . . John Crossett

Lara MacMillan: Miss Mercury
Lara MacMillan (self released)
Format: CD

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Wait till you hear the distinct sound qualities of each track of Lara MacMillan’s debut CD, engineered and mastered by veterans -- but don’t wait long. Just when you think you’ve got the sound pegged, something different happens. For instance, a wailing violin suddenly intrudes into the oom-pah rhythm of the piano-heavy title track, and after the rich instrumentation of the first two tracks, you get unexpected quiet guitar on the third. At times the backing, with its violin, viola, cello, and double bass, has a chamber-music quality, but the collection also features skillful electric guitar, pedal steel, and drums. Yet with all the varied instruments, MacMillan’s voice is always in command, and the disc’s 11 original tracks contain uniquely expressive and often very witty lyrics. Though reflective about personal experience, MacMillan avoids self-indulgence, and her formal musical training never prevents her songs and arrangements from sounding spontaneous and innovative. Give this album a try -- you’ll find it hard to believe it’s her first. . . . David Cantor

Clutch: Strange Cousins from the West
Weathermaker Music WM009
Format: CD

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Despite minimal commercial recognition and a few label nightmares, Maryland-based hard rockers Clutch have devoted the last two decades to creating mind-bending music and relentlessly touring behind it. But if the members of Clutch have their collective eye on any kind of prize, it’s simply to continue creating the music they love for the fans who love them. The band has steadily evolved with each album, and their ninth, Strange Cousins from the West, continues that expansion. "Abraham Lincoln" rings a historical death-knell tale, with the band locking into a dirge honoring Honest Abe while lead singer, Neil Fallon, screams "For shame!" at the former president’s assassin, referred to only as "the coward" whose legacy is "no grave, no applause." "The Amazing Kreskin" offers an exemplary taste of Fallon’s lyrical style, which is in the same instant urban-apocalyptic, ironic and poetic: "Wasted plastic empire’s golden age, chemical wedding; Citizens in their refineries cheer the nuptial bedding; the hourglass is turning." And guitarist Tim Sult rips heavy riffs on this one, with the rest of the band slouching in the pocket "toward Bethlehem" like Yeats’s beast in "The Second Coming." Despite the gritty rock the band deploys, the disc’s recording specs are flawless thanks to J. Robbins (who also produced the band’s seventh disc, Robot Hive/Exodus) at the Magpie Cage in Baltimore and Bob Weston’s mastering in Chicago. The elaborate artwork and packaging point to the fact that the band now has final say on all artistic matters thanks to their new, self-formed label, Weathermaker Music. Strange Cousins is a disc that will not disappoint, with 11 tracks of honest rock that are sure to appeal to fans of a multitude of genres. . . . Shannon Holliday

John Mayall: Tough
Eagle Records ER201632
Format: CD

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John Mayall has been such a steady blues presence, remaining true to the genre even when expanding its possibilities on albums like The Turning Point (1969) and Jazz Blues Fusion (1972), that he stands alongside its great figures. The list of musicians he employed who went on to fame (or at least great respect among their peers) begins with Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor and goes on to include Coco Montoya and Buddy Whittington -- and that’s just the guitarists. Tough is his 57th album, and while he doesn’t break any new ground on it, he shows that he’s still a formidable blues harpist and an expressive singer. Texas guitarist Rocky Athas and keyboard player Tom Canning are the focus of Mayall’s band here, but Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums give the disc a solid foundation. Curtis Salgado’s "The Sum of Everything" closes the disc on a jump blues note, and though it’s the album’s high point, Mayall’s "Tough Times Ahead" and "Slow Train to Nowhere" are also good meat-and-potatoes blues tunes. Aside from one dud, "That Good Old Rockin’ Blues," Tough is well paced and varied, with a clean, straightforward sound. . . . Joseph Taylor