I Want You In Love” video is a snapshot of one of those fleetingly perfect, quintessentially American long summer days spent riding bikes with baskets, engaging in some good old-fashioned horseplay and cruising for pretty girls. “I Want You In Love” is off of Ocean Grove’s Little Record EP.
This is a preview of a film “Giant Monster Playset” that our good friend Greg Pope is directing and creating the soundtrack for. So you’ll be hearing Greg’s instrumental cues in this spot. He mentioned that along with this, a new album is expected this fall.
So the other shoe drops. After Liam Gallagher made a big splash with Beady Eye, the other half of Oasis gives it a go. Overall this proves Noel still has the goods over his brother, but I would love to hear a few more songs.
Rollo Time “Victims of The Crown”
When we hear the opening chords of “You Can Talk.” it’s clear that Rollo Time has changed from its debut. It’s a good single, with the right amount of rock bluster in the chorus. But there is less stylistic experimenting and more of a commercial rock sound here. The exception is “Eyman Prison,” a delightful standout with a 10cc like lyrical quality.
The hard guitar riffs make the pop compositions stand out in some cases, like in “Where Is Mine” with its odd backing sound effects. Another gem is the hook laden riffs and harmonies on “I Can’t Believe This Day.” Like a mix of Joey Sykes and Marillion with its shambling rock melodies, the eccentricities of the songs will keep you paying attention, but it loses steam by the albums end. However there is enough good music to make it worth repeat listens, so give it a try.
River Rouge “Not All There Anymore”
River Rouge, Michigan is a downriver heavily industrialized suburb of Detroit. The band River Rouge is Detroit-born Andre Comeau (lyrics, vocal, guitar), Randy Morris (bass) along with a solid group of backing musicians. The opening number “Black Licorice” is an electric rock single that impresses with Comeau’s gin soaked growl.
The band doesn’t reach that apex again, but the quick folk rock melodies of “Usurper Hero” and countrified “Arc Welded Love” are both decent songs. “Good at Goodbye” is a straight ahead rocker, and other than the booze soaked “No Good For Nothing” the remaining tracks aren’t that compelling, but the last track titled simply, “Yes” is a wonderful tune along the lines of Steve Winwood’s Traffic. The two “bookended” tracks are really impressive and hopefully the next album will build on this potential.
So even though we have no official cause of death for Amy Winehouse, people are mostly unfazed by it as she was a train wreck from the minute “Back To Black” climbed the charts. The rock landscape is littered with self-destructive artists (Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, etc.) but usually we got plenty of creative output from them before they’d passed on (Curt Cobain being a more recent entry).
Amy Winehouse was a talented singer, no doubt about it — but with only 2 albums to her credit, she falls into the same category as Richie Valens, who had 3 albums before he was gone. The biggest reveal here is that her albums are selling much better now that she’s dead. Also I’m sure a large pile of unreleased material is now just waiting to be released, and like Hendrix will provide her estate with plenty of moolah.
The Krayolas Mexican Merseybeat continue to impress with Tipsy Topsy Turvy. Hector Saldana turns up the dial to “11” with the Dylanesque “Genuine” letting us know he bleeds San Antonio sangre. The familiar jangle on “Gonna Walk Down” is more what we expect from the band with great buzzing guitar breaks along its rolling rhythm. But this album has noticeably less light pop and more serious western blues influences than past works.
The blue collar do-wop on “Smile Away” is much like McCartney’s back-to-basics approach and a great homage to my one of my favorite Canadian pop stars, “Gordon Lightfoot” where we learn that “they don’t make ’em like that anymore.” Gordon’s influence continues on the gentle ballad “Does She Know.” A series of good mid-tempo songs are sprinkled in the albums second half that deal with immigration and economic issues, “Front Page News,” “The Working People” and “1070 (I’m Your Dirty Mexican).” Another gem is the bouncy “Twenty Miles,” with its gentle organ melody and steady bass line. The slow horns on “Love Is Gonna Getcha” is Saldana’s attempt at Marvin Gaye and a few nice diversions toward the albums end (“Louie’s Song”) make this a colorful addition to your Krayolas box.