by Angela Hail, Oklahoma Correspondent

I popped in this CD, having no idea what I was in for.  I had never heard of The Believers.  That problem, thankfully, has now been rectified.  I can tell you that I was hooked from the very first track, and completely floored by the last.  Fronted by founding members Craig Aspen and Cyd Frazzini, this band is an amazing mix of rock n’ roll, bluegrass, old country and something twisted up in between.  Craig Aspen is quoted on their website as saying, “We’ve always considered ourselves a rock band with a country problem.”  Whatever you call it, The Believers have created a sound both unique and so musically fundamental that nearly anyone with a pulse and a little soul will connect. 

Lucky You, the band’s third album, kicks off with “Higher Ground,” a floor stomping harmonic groove that sounds like the most rocking spiritual you’ve ever heard.  With a shredding electric guitar as their witness, Cyd and Craig send the message on up, getting you out of your chair and moving.  This song won’t let you sit still.

The CD then moves through the poppier “I’m Only Dreaming,” and the title track, “Lucky You,” which is a solid rock song that could easily be a main stream radio hit.

The fourth song, “Mother Nature,” has a mellow road-travellin’ vibe with a social message.  With lyrics like, “I don’t believe in foreign oil but I got miles to drive… But I believe in Mother Nature, I don’t wanna hurt no one,” it’s a contemplative song that hints at our society’s inconsistencies while calling for a shedding of our social issues in favor of a more big-picture focus.

Track five made me (literally) drop everything I was doing.  Cyd sings alone on this cover of Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” essentially transforming the familiar rock tune and giving it a shadowy, sexy vibe that I never quite heard in the original.  Acoustic guitar gives way to a searing electric.  The bass drums are cavernous.  Intense and ambient, this cover is a testament to the band’s heavy rock roots.

“Read It & Weep” slows everything down while Cyd sits front and center again on this acoustic ballad of heartbreak and letting go.  It’s a beautiful, yet painful song that deals with leaving an abusive relationship: “I don’t care you didn’t mean to – another promise you can’t keep.”

“Who’s Your Baby Now” shows that Cyd Frazzini could have a successful modern country career if she ever got the rock n’ roll out of her bloodstream.  “Your Hurting Ways,” the eight track on the album, is another strong duet between Cyd and Craig showcasing the band’s signature sound and is followed up by the pure twang of “Ring, Ring, Ring.”

This dynamic rollercoaster ride ends with a song called “The Day the Circus Left Town.”  It’s a slow, sauntering tune with the occasional creepy carnival music haunting the background.  “Pack it up, tear it down, and beat it on down the line”–this song feels like the end of the day; the perfect finale for an absolutely stellar album.  I’ve never been much of a country fan, but I am definitely a believer. 

Band website – http://www.thebelieversusa.com

Myspace page – http://www.myspace.com/thebelieversmusic

Where readers can buy the CD and/or download tracks – http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/believers4  or http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lucky-you/id287137584

by Angela Hail, Oklahoma Correspondent

Sandy Zio’s debut album, All That I Am, is a good, solid adult contemporary CD.  With a rich, soothing voice that took me back to the hay days of Gloria Estefan and Amy Grant, with accompanying music to match, Sandy Zio is an emerging artist that can hold her own vocally and will appeal to anyone who is looking for a new mellow pop CD to add to their collection.                                                 

She opens up with the title track, “All That I Am,” which sets the tone for the rest of the album.  It is sweet and sentimental with very few surprises.  Track 4, “Don’t Stop Talking,” takes it up half a notch.  This is a love song with a little more sass and some interesting vocal layering.  It’s a little freer, a little more upbeat than the first three songs.

The sixth song on the disc is a fun, jazzy version of the old Carpenters song, “We’ve Only Just Begun.”  Backed by electronic piano and a snappy drum track, this is one you might find yourself clapping your hands and bobbing your head to.

On “Sister Madelene,” the album’s eight track, we get a taste of what Sandy can do when she really lets loose.  She pushes herself vocally, displaying pipes impressive enough to stand next to any pop diva, and even shows a little attitude.  I wish there were more tracks on the album like this one.  With a surprise electric guitar mini-solo and what sounds like a full brass section backing her, this song really grooves.

Sandy takes it down a notch after “Sister Madelene” and slips back into the smooth jazz dream she had established at the beginning of the disc.  Track 10, “Dayanu,” caught my ear with its sophisticated musical undertones. Richie Cannata, who renders a beautiful soprano sax solo, is not listed on the album credits, but is mentions on Sandy’s website.

And track 12 is a well-executed cover of Stevie Wonder’s, “Overjoyed.”  Here again the vocals are impeccable, and the mood is intoxicating.  One of my favorite tracks, this is a song to be relished.

The final track on this CD, “Questo Dolce Sogno,” is an Italian version of the fifth track, “Ever After.”  Backed by melodic piano, it leaves you with a lingering sentimentality.

The CD art for this disc (because I’m a sucker for good album art) is a pleasant mix of tasteful photos of Sandy Zio, backgrounds done in rich earth tones, and full lyrics for each song. There are also occasional sketches that have a sometimes Victorian and sometimes 1920’s flapper-era vibe that I found particularly nice.  Sandy Zio’s These are credited to Robert Cobuzio for “original artwork.”

All That I Am is a tasty little album by an emerging new talent.

Live Music Alert: Heatbox, Crosstown Lounge, Grand Forks ND, Wednesday Sept 23, 10 pm, $5 and a free beer.

Heatbox

Aaron Heaton, aka Heatbox, has a dynamic new sophomore album out. A 12-track disc of good stuff, System brings more of the vast talents of this Minneapolis beatboxing artist. For the last six years, Heaton has been charming audiences through the region, often leaving them slack-jawed at what he’s capable of doing with one mouth, a mic, and a looping station. This one-man show previously was only available live or in his debut recording Entertainment.

Unlike a lot of other beatbox artists, Heaton has been able to capture not just the beats and not just sounds or musical instrument copies ala Bobby McFerrin. Heaton also produces some of the most silky vocals, backing himself up with rich harmonies, that before could only be found in brothers groups like the Ames Brothers or in some very well rehearsed vocal groups like the Nylons. System clearly shows how Heaton can combine all of that into a rich mix that sounds like a vocalist accompanied by a backup band and singers. This incredibly talented performer is able to do it all with incredible finesse and musical accuracy.

Singing since he was ten, Heaton soon found a place for himself in Minneapolis school choirs and doing a lot of musical theater. He performed with the funk/rock/blues band City Collective, adding not only his rich singing voice, but his vocal beats. Quickly admitting he plays a number of instruments badly, Heaton, however, can hear all of that inside his head.

System CD cover

His new album System offers his usual mix of genres. Sometimes, there’s that silky doowop sound of the 50s with tight, blended harmonies. Sometimes, there’s hip-hop. Sometimes, there’s jazz and reggae. Sometimes, there is indeed the fun and eccentricity of Bobby McFerrin. In addition, you’ll hear beats and other kinds of percussion, including quiro, as well as horns and keyboards. Sometimes, you can even hear a guitar thrown in. But mostly, you’ll hear these incredible vocal harmonies.

The first album, Entertainment, was released in response to fan demand, wanting something they could listen to when they couldn’t make it to a Heatbox show. They clamored for his “Bitches from the Milky Way,” a song that really isn’t offensive even though it keeps using the word “bitch,” but Heaton, with his boyish charm, desensitized the word and soon has audiences singing along. There were love songs and fun songs and songs that just stretched his creativity.

System, which came out this spring, has a dozen new songs that cover all of the above. His “Remembering Me” echoes the 50s doowop he’s known for. I’ve seen him live layering a song like that, putting down the instrument tracks instrument by instrument, looping them while he laid each background harmony, and then singing over the top of that. And, amazingly, it wasn’t boring seeing and hearing him do that. It was like watching a painter paint a portrait, sketching it out, blocking in colors, and adding detail.

The vocal blends are incredibly accurate and, of course, his lead work is effortless. But the instrumentation isn’t corny. It’s just there, sounding incredibly like real musical instruments.

“Man Vs Machine” and “Suburban Dessert” dip into hip-hop, but “Suburban Dessert” has an undertone of the Diamond’s “Little Darlin’” while sounding very 21 st century urban.

“Satisfied” is a lovely R&B tune, and “Good Kinda Usin’” is a strict 50s number and done so slickly. His “I Need a Jack and Coke” is a Zappaesque rendering done only as Heatbox could—and must make a great club offering. “Pizza Funk,” done in a huskier vocal register, is a tip of his hat to “Bitches from the Milky Way,”only with a touch of those silky background vocals.

Then there’s “4 Turntables,” a pure DJ offering, but done with vocals, and “Another Plan I,” a pure “instrumental” that’s very tastily done.

“Enter Balgator,” however, must have a tiny bit of some electronic help, but don’t quote me on that. The cymbal tink could be synth generated, but that is so out of Heaton’s expertise I doubt he would have done that. This track could be a fun video game soundtrack.

The album ends with “Goodbye Outro,” a sort of boy-band combo of oohs and ahs, that is so smooth. In addition, as in Entertainment, System offers a track of what Heaton calls “Heatbox Tricks” This is a collection of beats, sound effects, and other of his signature vocal spins.

What I have appreciated so much from watching Heatbox is that he has led me into a deeper experience of trance, hip-hop, and electronica in a way I never would have done otherwise. It is definitely the warmth of his sound. It’s organic, coming from a human being. This affects me more positively than just purely synthesized or computer-generated music, even though the sound of a lot of it is similar.

Heatbox is definitely an artist to give a listen to, but, more importantly, see Heatbox live. You won’t believe your eyes and ears!

http://www.heatboxmusic.com

http://www.myspace.com/heatboxrcb

Catch them on NPR’s Mountain Stage, June 26, along with Pat McGee, Colin Linden, Tim Easton, and Meg Hutchinson.

Holy OPen Secret

The Holy Open Secret

Hoots and Hellmouth

MAD Dragon Records

If you haven’t heard Hoots and Hellmouth, get to your nearest computer and check them out at www.myspace/hootshellmouth. The trio of Sean Hoots (acoustic guitar), Andrew “Hellmouth” Gray (acoustic guitar), and Robert Berliner (mandolin) will get your feet tapping and your voice singing along.

Back in 2005, Hoots and Gray were heavy into the alt rock scene in Philadelphia and decided to bring their energy to a new writing and performing venture as a roots duo with twin acoustic guitars. Hoots brought in fellow band mate, Robert Berliner, from the indie rock band, Pilot Around the Sun, to play mandolin. Their breakthrough appearance at the 2006 Philadelphia Folk Festival flamed the adoration of area fans and eventually led them to the WEA-distributed Mad Dragon Records. In April 2007, they released their first album, a self-titled CD that launched them out of Pennsylvania and into other venues where eager fans awaited.

The trio testifies about the power of music on their website, saying “The exchange of music is a bond, a way to build community, an environment in which to share an experience. Sing with us! Dance with us! Lay your weary burden down and get lifted for a spell. Let’s break away from the traditional roles of performer and audience…..We’re not trying to sell you a product or influence you in any particular way. We’re not espousing any ideology other than that which builds community on a local level.” And, like most converts, they are zealous in their desire to bring you into their fold.

Hoots and Hellmouth

Their second release, The Holy Open Secret, that dropped June 2 is a gospel-laced, jamgrass, jug band tent show that has much more beneath the canvas and the rigging than just danceable roots music. They are superbly assisted by Todd Erk on upright bass throughout the CD, adding foundation for their full out revival.

The initial cut, “Root of the Industry,” is a slam at the music industry—and maybe consumerism in general. It starts out with a Fairport Convention feel that breaks quickly into the instrument and energy driven steam of Railroad Earth. The music is so exciting and the vocals are so interesting you just might miss the deeper lyrics that tout: “There’s life in the dirt if you can get around the root/of the tree of the knowledge of what makes a man labor for labor’s sake when he ain’t even in on the take.” And, of course, there is a charge to take up the figurative ax and “hack away at the root of the industry.”

More statements about society continue with “You and All of Us,” a tune that is enhanced with Tom Bendel on drums and percussion. It’s full of hoots and hollers and a jiving harmonica by Bob Beach. This one cut reminded me of a vinyl album from a Cincinnati band back in the early 70s, a straight up roots/rock opera called Testify.

And, of course, there is a clear message in “What Good Are Plowshares If We Use Them Like Swords,” with its organ backup by Joe Bisiri that sets the gospel tone while Bob Beach’s harmonica places it clearly in the blues. The vocals and rhythmic guitars deliver the message like a great Amen.

“Watch Your Mouth” is a jug bandesque cut with great backup vocals that is given a creepy side show edge with Joe Bisiri’s Hammond organ touches. “Family Band” also echoes the jugband feel but has a bit of old music hall thrown in. Its fun is intensified by Elizabeth Dodson Westphalen’s trombone and a lovely mandolin solo by Berliner.

Then there is the hand clapping tune, “Known for Possession,” with its infectious beat and sweet guitar licks and full-on counterpointal vocals.

The revival intensity is broken up by Gray’s melodic ballads such as “Three Penny Charm” and “Ne’er Do Well” that act as meditative testimonies placed in the middle of the album. These confessionals about flawed men seeking redemption through love are interesting touches to this album. They are good, but their inclusion shows Hoots and Hellmouth’s split personality that may or may not survive as the band seeks its identity. Softer, more Americana selections were also a signature of their debut CD.

In contrast, the slower, more thoughtful “Dishpan Hands” captures the old-time country feel with Berliner’s tasty mandolin. It again is a song about someone striving to be a better man.

But my favorite track of the whole album, ironically, is the quieter final track, “Roll, Brandywine, Roll.” It combines both soul and sweetness, swelling from a solo plea to full three-part harmonies that lift the song into an angelic anthem. Though the lyrics are a bit ambiguous, I chose to think of this tune as the story of someone having a spiritual epiphany, coming into union with the river and all of nature. The choice of that last tune is like the last hymn of a prayer meeting that carries you out of the revival tent and lingers with you on your way home.

Grab a listen online, hear them on NPR, or go see them live. You’ll come away happy in your spirit.

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