Review: Carl Broemel – Wished Out
Carl Broemel will be a familiar name to many as a key member of
the Louisville, Kentucky quintet My Morning Jacket – joining just prior to the
group’s breakout LP, Z. Wished Out is Broemel’s third solo outing since 2010
and it continues his explorations of slightly wistful rock structures, which
sometimes tap directly into the southern indie rock tropes of the early/mid
‘80s, and at other times seem more influenced by the sounds and styles that
emerged out of California in the early ‘70s. Either way, Broemel regularly hits
a pleasing groove.
Wished Out – arriving in a sleeve that should make us all grateful
for the resurrection of vinyl – certainly doesn’t hang around. Only 8 songs in
35 minutes, it’s hardly a magnum opus, and its charms are consequently fleeting,
though most music players come with a repeat button, and with 3 of the 8 songs
clocking in at over 5 minutes, there’s plenty for the listener to get their
teeth into.
The first of them is the title track, and it plays to all Broemel’s
strengths. Fabulous musicianship throughout and a vocal hook that’s so sweet it
reminds me a little of classic period Karl Wallinger/World Party, before winding
up with a subtly fluid guitar solo that parries and lunges for the best part of
2 minutes – just great! It’s followed by the gentle psychedelia of ‘Malibu
Shadow’ and then a more direct pop song, the ultra hooky ‘Starting From Scratch’.
The LP ends with the ambitious, multi-faceted ‘Out Of Reach’ – a song
of many parts, that never quite settles into any of them, though it packs (and delivers) a
multitude of musical punches along the way.
Rollo
Review: Zack Logan – Raised By Wolves
Zack Logan –
Raised By Wolves (Badlands Records)
Released in early August, Zack Logan’s Raised By Wolves is an
album of country flecked Americana - and brings to mind a cluster of
singer-songwriters who came to prominence in the early ‘70s, from John Prine and
Steve Forbert, to just about anyone of those artists who got lumbered with the
‘next Dylan’ tag, and the expectations that came with it. Of course I say
‘poor’, but there were an awful lot of column inches put aside for those guys,
and the best of them overcame the lazy labeling and thrived. Bruce Springsteen
being the prime example.
So where does Zack Logan fit in? He certainly shares the same
blue-collar concerns as Springsteen, and his style and approach hints at
Prine’s easy delivery. It’s nothing overt, mind, more a shared record
collection and a way with a couplet. He’s a songwriter that consistently
impresses with subtle hints and understated pointers supporting and defining
his more unfussy prose.
The collection begins with ‘Annalee’, a simple study of a
relationship coming to an end, told with feeling (but never sentimentally), and
the sense of loss and heavyhearted sadness is palpable. Not cheery, but
desperately near to perfection. The title-track relies on some lucid imagery
and a catchy-as-hell chorus, but although the songs meaning is far from clear,
it’s tempting to read a great deal into Logan’s words.
Perhaps best of all is ‘Two Weeks At A Time’ – Logan’s missing his
girl as his job takes him away for… well the clues in the title. It’s a
laborers lament, though it probably works just as well for troubadours on the
road. We can ask him when he comes to our town.
Rollo
Review: Paul McCartney – Egypt Station
Paul
McCartney – Egypt Station (Capitol)
This is the thing, if you have any interest in popular music; you
have some sort of history with Paul McCartney. You may not agree, indeed, you
may believe the absolute opposite is true, but you’re wrong. The Beatles are
the single biggest influence on popular music. Even if every musical thing you
love sounds nothing like them, it’s a just a reaction against all those bands
that do. If they write their own songs, that’s The Beatles. If they make
videos, that’s The Beatles. If they stretch musical boundaries, that’s The
Beatles. The list goes on.
Of late, McCartney’s actually hit a bit of an autumnal purple
patch. 2013’s ‘New’ was an excellent collection, with minimal filler, solid
songwriting throughout and a few absolute stunners. It was unexpected, but
y’know, it’s Paul McCartney, anything’s possible. His solo highpoints are
spread throughout his career, so it’s impossible to predict when the next one’s
coming. Egypt Station isn’t quite up there with New, but it’s a close run
thing.
Over the course of an hour, Egypt Station touches upon a number of
styles and sounds, from gentle blues to heavy rock, and lyrically he’s on top
form, taking on social and political targets (‘People Want Peace’, ‘Despite
Repeated Warnings’, respectively) seemingly at will. In fact, it’s impossible not
to be overwhelmed by the pure, easy craftsmanship of his songwriting. It’s a
collection that simply flows, and signs off with the magnificent ‘Hunt You
Down/Naked/C-Link’, a multi-parter that brings to mind classic records like Ram
and Red Rose Speedway. Essential McCartney? Pretty close…
Rollo
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