Chris Corney “Sans Everything”
The Ravines frontman Chris Corney returns with his second solo LP, a straight forward contemporary pop album that will impress fans of Crowded House and Squeeze. Those expecting raucous power pop shouldn’t expect too much, but Corney’s emphatic vocal and guitar chimes on “Best Thing That Ever Went Wrong” compares well with contemporaries Neil Finn and Glenn Tilbrook. “When Jenny Smiles” is another excellent song and the cascading keyboards work well with the song’s jangling rhythm. The rich layering of audio textures from the production generates a depth that takes time to appreciate here, and the best tracks include “High Hopes,” “Mariette” and the acoustic ballad “Which Way To Fall.” And you even get a glimpse of greatness in the guitar solo on “Red Boots.” The sins here are the few tracks that take a guitar riff and drive it into the ground (“Sweet Vines”) to the point it’s repetitive. But for the most part, it makes for highly enjoyable listening. Fans of most contemporary adult pop will find much to enjoy here.
Gary Hood “Gary Hood and The Last Show Ever” EP
A good friend of Andy Goldberg (of The Goldbergs) Gary Hood is an accomplished guitarst who has worked as a roadie for many famous major label recording artists. He plays a roots based pop that really hits it out of the park on the opener “Ice Cream” which starts with a bass line similar to The Doors “Land Ho” and adds plenty of boogie and soul here. It’s just a great display of blues guitar and catchy beat, no doubt helped by Goldberg’s contributions. The remaining tracks are closer to Jeff Tweedy styled lo-fi alt. country pop, with Andy adding backing vocals on the notable “Help Is On The Way” and “Space Age Blues” which is like an updated Neil Young sound. Add this EP to the jukebox of your favorite honky-tonk bar and you won’t be sorry. An impressive debut.