Alone / The Orphans

Accomplished players lay down powerful and delicate sounds on Alone, The Orphans third disk. London's strong breathy vocals are reminiscent of Concrete Blond's Johnette Napolitano and Gwen Stefani (before she went Hollaback.) Dark themes govern this release as they did on the band's earlier work. The compositions step up this time to add roughly a minute to each thoughtful arrangement. What's most striking about these recordings compared to the previous releases is the overall production value - nothing short of a major label release. The Orphans are coming into their own.

> MySpace

Stepping Stone / Mar Project

Hiroshi Kono and Roger Fife work magic on the new MAR PROJECT release STEPPING STONE. Hiroshi provides the tunes and Roger provides the mixing and production, while both collaborate on the music. The slick production works for the most part, but knowing Mr Kono's hard rock past, I sometimes found myself yearning to hear his fiery guitar playing....but I digress......

STEPPING STONE's tunes are a mix of pop, danceable soundscapes, classical guitar and hooky melodies. "Run" is an unusual paean to the marathon runner (unusual in the sense that I've never heard a song on the topic) and "Plastic Love" could have you running for the dance floor. My favorite tracks on the CD are "The 21st Century Blues" and "Astonishing". Both remind this listener of Robyn Hitchcock, not so much lyrically as melodically - an the latter has a particularly effective power-poppy guitar line that immediately grab you. Overall, a great new release from a talented guy.

> MySpace

Sunny Winter / Sunny Winter

Sunny Winter is a project conceived in New York City by Roger Fife and Lauren Garfinkel. The result of their collaboration is easy on the ears- a collection of soft, slightly pop, blues tunes. The lyrics are simple and their messages are clear and about love and loss. The music, however, is complex and plays games with the ears, which cannot help but try to pick up every note played. Lauren, who goes by Lolo, has a strong, smoky voice that sings in your head for hours after you turn the music off. Assuming you ever want to turn it off at all. I know that I, myself, didn't want to when I started listening.

Sunny Winter's music is refreshing and uplifting and relates to anyone who has ever loved, lost, or felt their world crumble beneath their feet. Despite using themes that are all-too-common in today's music, Lolo's lyrics do not fit into the mold of modern popular music; somehow staying unique, it stands apart from anything else I have ever heard.

> MySpace

The Bankables / The Bankables

“CEO, Where did my bonus go? To the Silicone sisters with silver nipple stickers at the trade show”. So sings KAO of The Bankables on “Boob Job”. Correction. KAO IS The Bankables. A drummer by trade, he has just picked up the balance of the instruments in the last couple years. While on occasion the playing is a little shaky, what is immediately striking on the debut CD is hearing a modern, alternative, post-punk sound delivered by an adult. A refreshing breeze in the current oppressive climate of 21 year old pop-punk whine. KAO avoids the cliches of younger bands and has created 10 songs that can be enjoyed by both your little sister and your college prof.

From the acerbic “Boob Job”, to the hopeful “Build” to the cryptic “Alkaline”, it’s obvious KAO is not mimicking a particular band or sound. Some songs like “Love Beads” hit you immediately and remain in your head for weeks, while others like “Girls Night Out” are a bit more challenging. Rumor has it that KAO is working on another batch of songs...I can’t wait.

> The Bankables' website > MySpace

000577 / Negramaro

"000577" is the first release by Italy's chart toppers Negramaro. While they've been compared to Radiohead, Coldplay and Muse, Negramaro is more pop-oriented both musically and production-wise. Although the band utilizes a mix of instruments (acoustic and electric guitars, piano, cello, etc), it all begins to sound the same after a while (the jerky keyboard driven "Mono" being the sole aberration). Perhaps the lead singer's annoying overuse of a high pitched vocal "trick" (I'm not sure if I'd call it falsetto) leads me to that conclusion. Maybe it's the (over) production? Maybe it's simply because I can't understand the lyrics (it's all sung in their native Italian)?! That being said, I can recommend "Scusa se non Piango" as a catchy tune worthy of hit single status in the US (if it were sung in English). And the release does come with a bonus SynchroniCD, which includes a video, photos, interviews, etc. But all in all, "000577" non e' la mia tazza di te.

Kick off the covers / The Donettes

The Donettes 6 song EP “Kick off the Covers” kicks off with a revved-up gender-bending version of Wayne Walker’s “All I Can Do Is Cry” and ends with the even speedier “Hello Little Boy” (one of a trio of Ruth Brown covers on the CD), which showcases the band’s instrumental chops. But in between The Donettes show they can do more than just play straight rockabilly. They flirt with country on “Cowboy’s Sweetheart”, R&B on Ruth Brown’s #1 hit “5-10-15 Hours” and do a wonderful job reworking (and slowing down) the rhythm of Roxie Williams “Fifteen Seconds”. Great vocals by Rebecca Kemberling and crisp production (by the band) make you wish “Kick off the Covers” was a full length disc.

> The Donettes' Website > MySpace