Chad Nordhoff

Chad Nordhoff

(myspace.com/chadnordhoff)

Every time I get a CD to review from Bloomington, IN, I get excited because it seems there is a very strong roots music movement going on up there at the moment. Chad Nordhoff, although currently residing in Memphis, TN, to my understanding, has produced a nice little addition to that sprouting Bloomington scene with this self-titled effort – an all-acoustic foray that blurs the lines between delta blues and folk murder ballads. The opening track entitled “The Flesh Alone,” with its acoustic guitar and banjo arrangement, is one of the best new acoustic folk ballads I’ve heard in a long, long time. In it, Chad laments “Someday we’ll be buried in the ground” and ponders the inevitability of death and the futility of accumulated wealth. It is such a well-executed, poignant statement that is difficult to move on from it to Track 2. Rewards will follow whoever does, however, as what follows is a very solid set of stripped down delta blues and folk-inspired acoustic ballads that lead the listener down the Wabash, out to the Ohio, and down the Mississippi to the lonesome land of the blues. It is a worthwhile journey that exposes some of the roots of American music along the way. (Chad Nordhoff will play at Ri-Ra’s Irish Pub on Sept. 11 where his one-man-band show often features him playing guitar and drums at the same time.) –Brad Linzy (Rating: 3.5)

Steve Kilbey - Live DVD

(Plus1 Presents/PIcturesque Films)

Kilbey, for those who don't know, is the conceptualist, vocalist, and bassist with Australian rock legends The Church, and here he plays a comprehensive solo acoustic set for a small, intimate audience in Auckland, New Zealand in 2007. Being a big fan of The Church for some time (their spectacularly understated and psychedelic After Everything Now This was perhaps my favorite album of 2002), I was quite stoked to see this - especially as Kilbey's solo work is quite hard to find here in the states.

            Well, Kilbey's a master showman, and a true 'magician of the spirits.'

In the nearly two-hour set here, he digs in to some prime covers (the Velvets' “Caroline Says;” Dylan's “Is Your Love In Vain?”), some tracks from his collaborations with Grant McLennan (R.I.P.) as Jack Frost, his solo work, and of course some Church favorites. The fidelity isn't super-HD, and it's not all super-Dolby surround-sound, but the impression of seeing Kilbey perform to a small (and sometimes disrespectful audience) is a seldom-seen treat. Incredibly, even sans a band of any sort, Kilbey is a troubadour of utter class and distinction. His passion and fire is evident during the impressive 'Wolfe,' whereas he coasts through sublime standards like “Under The Milky Way” like a master. A lovely set of tunes from one of music's most underappreciated lyricists, Live is a real winner.  - Todd Zachritz (Rating: 4)

Chad Harvey

Get Lit

(Indie500)

With a sound that can best be described as Texas highway country-rock, Chad Harvey weaves together a diverse lineup of songs that range from open road anthems like “Backstage Pass” to punk-infused Ramones salutes like title track “Get Lit” to sensitive ballads like “More Than You Know” and “Run.”

Resplandor - Pleamar CD

(Automatic Entertainment)

Some rather superb and deep shoegaze sounds from, of all places, Lima, Peru! Boasting of production and mixing by one Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), these songs shimmer and drone like long-long cousins of Slowdive. Take that as some serious praise.

            And, like that influential group, the vocals here are little more than a series of echoes, coos, and breathy “baaaah's.” That said, I do detect some English lyrics (maybe), but in reality, who cares? The music is simply heavenly, drifty, melodic, and soothing in a womblike way. The title track singes, sizzles, and burns with heavily-effected guitars while epic drones encase the whole sound into a cohesive whole, and the melody oozes out. This is a must-have for anyone who laments the lack of new material from My Bloody Valentine.

            'Boreal' incorporates some glitchy electronics into the mix, and effectively places Resplandor outside the realm of purely retro acts and nudges them into the future. I've seldom heard such a convincing melding of ambient guitar washes and swollen drone/noise. I'll be investigating this band further. I just want to turn it up loud and drift off (and away). - Todd Zachritz (Rating: 5)

Prints - Just Thoughts CDEP

(Temporary Residence)

Well-spacey modern pop (not in terms of “radio-friendly,” but in listenability, hummability and tunefulness) from a couple of guys whose love of music is reflected in this set of four quirky dance-pop tunes. I am reminded of such studio rats as the Flaming Lips or Ween, with their predilection for woozy arrangements, funky sounds, and seemingly nonsensical subject matter. The final track here, “Pretty Tick Meditation” (Thee Loving Hand Remix), combines two earlier Prints tracks and is presented in a bouncy and tight Tim Goldsworthy (DFA/LCD Soundsystem) club mix that's laced full of electro-funk to move yo' azz. It's only 20 minutes, but Prints leave quite a colorful impression. - Todd Zachritz (Rating: 3)

Unknown Component

In Direct Communication

(www.unknowncomponent.com)

From his base in Iowa City, Iowa, Kevin Lynch seems to have found something in his head worth repeating. On this, his 7^th album, by my count, he combines driving guitar lines and synthetic drum machine rhythms, along with catchy, yet lazy, introverted melodies in a vocal style that recalls the muffled, misheard vocals of Kurt Cobain at the end of a tunnel of echo effects and reverb.

            The opening track, “Into the Sun,” is a bright spot with a sound like that of Death Cab’s You Can Play These Songs With Chords, with the subsequent tracks taking a turn off into a land of synthesizers and poppy, lightly layered tracks. Others have made comparisons to Elliot Smith and even Radiohead, but I’m not hearing much of that influence here at all. What I do hear is a singer and writer stretching his limited vocal talents to their limit in listenable pop-rock songs with a tinge of melancholy. Ultimately, though, the record suffers from some of the same drawbacks other Indie releases suffer from, namely that the production leaves much to be desired. The entire production sounds very muffled and heavy on the low end without much timbre or clarity – like being under a thin layer of oily residue. This is particularly noticeable on the vocals. Overall, there are some promising compositions here, but the lack of clarity in production leaves something to be desired. –Brad Linzy (Rating:2)