Tigger Clarkson – The Balance EP
Pulling this EP from the stack and reading the artist name immediately conjured up some joke about Winnie the Pooh, but all humor was thrown out the window as I listened to this guys soulful approach on this four song mini epic. The first thing to know is that Tigger Clarkson can’t be pigeonholed into any particular genre. He uses elements of soulful R&B in his particular brand of rock n’ roll, but slips in little flourishes of jazz and funk, some heavy swamp blues, some alt-rock . . . mixing everything together to create one of the more enjoyable, and surprising, releases of the year. Opening track “Get Back To Me” refuses to have the listener walk away without swaying the hips or tapping the toes. Reminding me of later era Duran Duran with the soulful exuberance of Hall n’ Oates and sung by Seal, this song has all of those aforementioned elements screaming to be heard. It has a bit of a techno/electric feel to the drums, but the guitars mixed in have a touch of alternative distortion, which helps to give the sound some edge. Then, with the vocal performance, Tigger adds a vibe of that classic Philly soul sound. This is an addictive song and one that simply can’t be listened to more than once.
On the other side of Tigger’s songwriting spectrum, we have “Lies and Confessions” that I swear is a missing track from the latest Black Bone Child album. Stripped down and filled with a sludge-y swamp blues sound, this song is a rip roarin’ jamboree in some backwoods juke joint. Listen closely and you’ll hear the rain pitter-pattering one a hot tin roof while all inside the club are glistening in a coat of sweat. The bass drum is like thunder cracking in rhythmic time, the stuttering guitar lines like the rain crashing against the structure, the voice . . . oh Crom, that voice, is pure sexuality. Hot . . . steamy . . . filled with sultry swagger. “Blind Eye” and “Autokinesis” incorporate more of the 90’s alternative rock sounds, but Tigger does an excellent job of mixing in that rhythm and blues, and stuns the listener to comatose obedience with his voice. Can’t wait to hear a full length offering from this guy! - Pope
The Sweet Kill – Suicide EP
Now, I’m not one to normally celebrate my depression, or someone else’s depression, for that matter. But, in the case of The Sweet Kill, I might just twirl a noise maker around a couple of times. This 6 song EP looks to be a one man project and the brain child of one Pete Mills, who tackles the majority of the vocal duties and all of the instruments, with the exception of the drums. The songs contained within can be categorized as electronic, I guess . . . though I have a hard time with that classification because this stuff has a lot more soul than your traditional techno-infused electric music. Listening to this EP, I hear stuff that full on reminds me of the late 80’s, new wave polished goth scene. A scene made up of a lot of people who feared the sun and had a passion for dark clothing . . . and then get their freak on at some underground dance club with several hundred other like minded goth-y folk.
Every song on this disc has something to do with death. Suicide seems to be the ongoing theme, hence the title Suicide, but it’s not limited to self inflicted death. And throughout all the depressing subject matter, the music has a low end, danceable groove pushing it forward that one can’t help but feel the need to tap their toes or shake their ass to the thing. “Suicide Club” is an upbeat tune with a melody that immediately reminds me of New Order or Depeche Mode. That classic 80’s sounding electric drum and synth action makes me a little nostalgic and I find myself swaying in time with the rhythm. Mills’ voice has quite the range, powerful through the verses . . . in fact, a little gruff and aggressive, and then he shifts to a smoother quality in the choruses. He also does a great job of adding a little character to his performance by generating these little high pitched squeals in the midst of the more sultry lines, and I think this adds something fairly unique to the overall sound. “Night Terror Creeper” has a nice bass driven groove and the overall tone of this song has an ominous air. Mills does a great job of creating dark tension and still making it accessible.
“It’s A Good Day To Die” immediately makes me want to go clubbing in Europe. This song is full on up tempo and bouncy, and the overall mood of the song has a happier quality like all things are rosy. Then the chorus kicks in with its bubbly upbeat rhythm and rhyme, and we find out that today is a good day to die. If keeling over is this jolly, it’s no wonder why people commit suicide. They obviously know something that the rest of us have been missing. In all seriousness, I can’t help but love this song. The contrast of mood is cool with its darker lyrics and lighter musical style working in this odd yin-yang symmetry. This is a fun disc to be depressed to! - Pope JTE
http://www.myspace.com/thesweetkill
The Doggs – The Doggs EP
Imagine if Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolf-man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon suddenly got Mohawks, pierced their cheeks, formed a band and threw all night, raving bon-fire beach parties. That’s a bit of a hint at what awaits you on this freakishly cool four-song EP from Italy’s The Doggs.
Blending a way-mutated sixties beach vibe with old horror film panache and both nostrils full of punky snot, The Doggs EP sounds like what’d happen if Johnny Rotten fronted the Cramps. Big, swooping, uber-cool, post-sixties bass lines lay down the backbone for the barely controlled phlegm that follows. Toss in some of the coolest, avante-punk saxophone work I’ve heard on an album in ages and those Johnny Rotten vocals and we’ve got ourselves a winner of alt-suave-garage-beach punk.
“Underground Drain,” is a bit of an inauspicious start. It’s got one helluva cool, sixties-spy film, bass line, some damn fine, swirling retro-beach organ, and that amazing sax wailing away. It’s also got the vocal that serves as the band’s mission statement. “We came from the underground drain/no hope to save our brain/we came from the underground drain.” But over all the song serves really as an intro to the freaky mutant crew you’re about to meet. The EP really takes off with the next track, “Kiss My Blood.” There, the full spittle of the Sex Pistols vocals rage in full effect. Some choppy punk guitar, sex sounds, and driving bass push this song over the edge. Here we get the full beauty of the rotten Cramps, in kitschy, ghoulish effect. “No Lights,” is a monstrously cool, post-swingin’ sixties retro-instrumental with that damn sax positively setting the tone over some wild wah’d out guitar. The hole shebang riding across a mountain of a steady bass line. While “Animal” brings back the punky rave-up with some tasty guitar licks and a super-swingin’ melody. Johnny Rotten’s back to amazing effect. . . and did I mention that sax? Seriously, this song is about as stylishly cool as you could imagine. A lava lamp party for the punky undead. Don’t miss it. -- Racer
www.myspace.com/thedoggs69
Imagine if Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolf-man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon suddenly got Mohawks, pierced their cheeks, formed a band and threw all night, raving bon-fire beach parties. That’s a bit of a hint at what awaits you on this freakishly cool four-song EP from Italy’s The Doggs.
Blending a way-mutated sixties beach vibe with old horror film panache and both nostrils full of punky snot, The Doggs EP sounds like what’d happen if Johnny Rotten fronted the Cramps. Big, swooping, uber-cool, post-sixties bass lines lay down the backbone for the barely controlled phlegm that follows. Toss in some of the coolest, avante-punk saxophone work I’ve heard on an album in ages and those Johnny Rotten vocals and we’ve got ourselves a winner of alt-suave-garage-beach punk.
“Underground Drain,” is a bit of an inauspicious start. It’s got one helluva cool, sixties-spy film, bass line, some damn fine, swirling retro-beach organ, and that amazing sax wailing away. It’s also got the vocal that serves as the band’s mission statement. “We came from the underground drain/no hope to save our brain/we came from the underground drain.” But over all the song serves really as an intro to the freaky mutant crew you’re about to meet. The EP really takes off with the next track, “Kiss My Blood.” There, the full spittle of the Sex Pistols vocals rage in full effect. Some choppy punk guitar, sex sounds, and driving bass push this song over the edge. Here we get the full beauty of the rotten Cramps, in kitschy, ghoulish effect. “No Lights,” is a monstrously cool, post-swingin’ sixties retro-instrumental with that damn sax positively setting the tone over some wild wah’d out guitar. The hole shebang riding across a mountain of a steady bass line. While “Animal” brings back the punky rave-up with some tasty guitar licks and a super-swingin’ melody. Johnny Rotten’s back to amazing effect. . . and did I mention that sax? Seriously, this song is about as stylishly cool as you could imagine. A lava lamp party for the punky undead. Don’t miss it. -- Racer
www.myspace.com/thedoggs69