Shawn Colvin, Freedy Johnston, Patty Griffin
Barrymore Theater, Madison, Wis.
03/25/97

A huge crowd of college educated, upscale, 30-year-old Colvin fans with leather coats and wire-rimmed glasses flocked to this sold out triple-billed show, which the Madison entertainment paper, Isthmus, called the "singer/songwriter event of the year." Shawn Colvin has a very loyal legion of listeners (in a recent issue of Rolling Stone, even Brad Pitt expressed his love for Colvin) who were thrilled to see her, but it was her opening acts that brought the real spark to the evening.

First up was A&M Records' Patty Griffin. Griffin's debut CD Living with Ghosts features only her voice and acoustic guitar recorded live, so when she performs solo she can represent her album exactly. A diminutive redhead with an enormous voice, Griffin played five songs, switching between various standard and open-tuned Taylor and Gibson acoustic guitars. Griffin comes up with some interesting guitar arrangements, and this was especially evident in her opening number, featuring an unusual and cool sounding A major to C major chord progression. If Hollywood ever wants to make a biographical film about Bonnie Raitt, Patty Griffin should be cast in the lead role. Griffin can confidently and powerfully nail challenging melodic intervals sounding (and looking) a lot like Raitt, with songs that bring to mind other newer female songwriters like Alanis Morisette and Jewel. Griffin does a fine job performing solo, but hearing her with a back up band might be even better. Maybe on her next record...

Freedy Johnston's four-piece band played next. Johnston represents all that is right with rock and roll in the '90s. Wonderfully basic instrumentation (bass, drums, telecaster, acoustic guitar), the group's infectious joy in performing, and Johnston's brilliant pop songs combined to create 40 minutes of musical magic. Freedy Johnston strikes the perfect balance of revved-up rock and gentle concentration, simple three-chord structure and intricate melodic shifts, moments of lyrical humor along with heartbreaking, sinister one-liners. Featuring mostly songs from his two newest albums, Never Home and This Perfect World, Johnston impressed a lot of Colvin's crowd. He'll be swinging through the Midwest again on a headlining tour in late April/early May. Go check him out!

Compared to the raw power of Patty Griffin's singing, and the rollicking fun of Johnston's band, Shawn Colvin's show seemed anticlimactic: sterile, slick, safe. Not that Colvin and her band weren't good... it's more like they were TOO good. First of all, it seemed like there were too many people on stage. Colvin played acoustic guitar, and was joined by a lead guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist, and background vocalist. The intimacy of Colvin's best songs was shattered by the calculated perfection of all these music industry hired guns. It was very "VH1" ...very "adult-contemporary" ...like seeing a John Tesh concert on PBS. Thankfully, Colvin eventually did perform her two best songs, "Polaroids" and "Shotgun Down The Avalanche"; but beforehand, she had all of her disciples singing along with her new single "Get Out Of This House," an annoying angry-divorced-woman anthem.

After seeing Shawn Colvin play solo-acoustic songs a few times on TV, it's obvious that she's capable of really amazing, moving performances. It's too bad that during this gig, her strengths were overpowered by her ensemble. Wait to see her until she's doing a one-woman tour or is featured in a songwriter's circle. Then her considerable vocal, instrumental, and writing talents will really shine.
--Jonathan Rundman

Chicago-native Michael McDermott lines his brooding rock songs with frequent references to Catholicism, prayer, doubt and faith, so it seemed appropriate to see his show in the middle of Holy Week, with Good Friday and Easter just a few days away. The religious-based decor in the high-class House of Blues helped put a spiritual spin on the event, as well. McDermott's opening acts added great variety to the evening, and each band made their appearances even better by playing excellent cover tunes.

The first opener was Chicago's The Orphans, who were supporting their brand new 5-song EP disc, Just Another Line. The Orphans have been playing around Chicagoland for the last couple years, and the band's members have collaborated with other local favorites like McDermott, and Irish-rockers The Drovers. In addition to the traditional two guitars/bass/drums instrumentation, the Orphans feature Kevin Moran on flute, saxophone, and tin whistle, bringing a really fresh sound to the band. Having a flautist in a rock group might suggest Jethro Tull or Celtic folk influences, but the Orphans sound nothing like either. Their mid-tempo, frequently minor-key roots rock songs more closely echo the Wallflowers, Counting Crows, occasionally the Jayhawks, and even Michael McDermott. Frontman Angelo Santucci and the rest of the group have a confident, reserved stage presence, and they look completely comfortable playing together. The Orphans displayed their impeccable taste in music by choosing to cover the title track from the criminally underappreciated debut album by the Charlie Sexton Sextet, Under the Wishing Tree. 'Twas nice to know I'm not the only fan of that record.

With the Orphans and Michael McDermott acting as bookends of classic white-guy rock for the evening, it was really noticeable when Thornetta Davis stepped up to the mic. A beautiful, towering African-American woman with a killer voice, Davis dazzled the crowd with her R&B, gospel, funk, and completely rocking songs. Backed by a band called Big Chief, also from Detroit, featuring drums, bass, telecaster, and organ, Davis poured her heart and soul into her music. Davis' choice cover tune was called "Funky Dollar Bill," originally recorded by Funkadelic, and she soon had the audience singing along. When Thornetta Davis finished her set and the velvet curtains closed, the audience was left energized, smiling, and thinking, "That woman will be a star."

Michael McDermott and his band featured songs from all three of his major label releases. McDermott's songs are fairly gloomy most of the time, and his onstage demeanor is pretty solemn, so it wasn't exactly a "fun" show, but he had some really memorable performances. His radio singles got a lot of applause, and his pre-encore closer "Legendary," with its hooky chorus and harmony vocals, was wonderful. A mid-show acoustic set was a highlight, too, when he played "620 W Surf" from his debut album, and a traditional Irish folk song, in which he was joined by Kevin Moran of the Orphans on tin whistle. A light moment in the midst of McDermott's seriousness was his great cover of the Prince classic "Take Me With You," and he also wove the chorus of Peter Gabriel's "Digging In The Dirt" into one of his own songs. Although he's not the best bet for a lighthearted, happy evening out on the town, Michael McDermott plays passionately, is a very solid songwriter, and covers some pretty thought provoking lyrical territory.
--Jonathan Rundman

After hearing Lisa Germano's full, intricate instrumental arrangements on her albums, it's difficult to imagine how she could effectively perform this music in a live setting. It was all the more impressive, then, when Germano sat down at her keyboard, backed only by a bass guitarist, and proceeded to present beautifully stripped down versions of her songs. Touching mainly on selections from her two most recent albums, Excerpts from a Love Circus and Geek the Girl, the Indiana native made up her set list on the spot, sharing stories, occasionally switching to guitar, and singing delicately in front of the respectfully still and silent crowd.

Bassist Glen Hicks, of the Indiana band El Nino, contributed an understated low end to the sound, but on "My Secret Reason," he kicked on the distortion and played a ferocious lead bass line over Germano's Telecaster strumming. Although she did play guitar on some songs, Germano spent most of the show sitting at an electric piano and super-cheap sounding organ.

Lisa Germano's delivery of her dreamy gloom-rock was considerably mellow, but the open and slow instrumental performance highlighted her gorgeously fragile vocals and her knack for lovely, exotic melodies. "Singing to the Birds," "We Suck" and "Messages From Sophia" snaked in and out of key signatures, introduced foreign chords and fell into childlike sing-song with quiet grace.

The mark of a great song is its ability to make the transition from full-band studio arrangement to solo voice and instrument, and Lisa Germano proved on her latest tour that she's got an entire catalog of great songs.

Opening the show was solo-acoustic rocker Melissa Ferrick. It seemed like she had more die-hard fans in the audience than Lisa Germano did. Ferrick, who'd just been dumped from a major label after two albums, has a powerful voice and is a skilled guitarist, but her songs are embarrassingly wordy, and her "angry-chick-with-a-guitar" act is a little tiring. Ferrick's biggest radio hit was 1993's "Happy Song" with the chorus: "Sing me a happy song, 'cause I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." Practice what you preach, Melissa. Thankfully, Ferrick ended her set on a light note by poking fun at her own lesbianism by playing a cover of Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl."
--Jonathan Rundman

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's sophomore album, East-West, is a landmark recording when it comes to the rock/blues revival of the 1960s. What a better way to celebrate this album but with more music from the era.

Live is three long jam sessions from the East-West tour and is the kind of disc that will either attract or repel listeners instantly. For those who hate extended instrumentals and searing solos, this album isn't for you. You bunch of panty-waste wuses, this album rocks.

Live Version #1 was recorded at the Whiskey A Go-Go in the winter of 1966 and starts out with a tasteful solo from Michael Bloomfield, continues with Paul Butterfield's harp magic and ending with Elvin Bishop. Version #2 was recorded at Poor Richard's in Chicago, spring 1966, and #3 at the Golden Bear in Hunnington Beach, California, in the winter of 1967.

All three jams (12:37, 15:55 and 28:06 long, respectfully), especially #3, are pure representatives of the west coast rock scene, later followed by The Grateful Dead and Santana. What also helps are the various musical influences each member of the band brings to the stage.

Any band that can jam out for a half hour today (Allman Brothers, Phish, Blues Traveler) owe some debt to The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. These three jams are the most satisfying recordings of its kind since disc two of the Derek and the Dominoes Layla box set.
--Matthew Socey

When you have the next best thing to seeing Jim Morrison back from the dead and a female singer that takes you to heaven with every note, you really have to wonder what could possibly make for a bad evening.

Well the evening started out looking to be a grand success. This was the second of two shows in Chicago at separate venues, the first coming at the Park West the evening before. Be that as it may, this show was packed at its conception. When the lights dimmed and the curtain raised, the crowd let out a penetrating roar as Dishwalla took the stage. They opened the show with a song that stood out both in name and in content, the name of the song was "Charlie Brown's Parents," an extremely metallic name for this eclectic tune. I liked it, and it remained my favorite of the evening. As the tunes went on you could feel the anticipation from the crowd as they longed to hear the bands hit tune "Counting Blue Cars," and when the song was introduced I could sense the shattering of a million wine glasses within a 10 mile radius, due to the enormous roar from this capacity crowd. All in all Dishwalla, is definitely a must see show.

At this point I figured I got a bonus out of the night, I had already become a fan of Sheryl Crow's work, and now I have become a fan of Dishwalla. However the mighty Crow left a little bit to be desired, in my mind. The show started out strong with a current hit "If It Makes You Happy," but as I listened to her sing I, I noticed she wasn't quite herself, singing off key at certain intervals as well as cracking her voice just a bit. Sheryl is a show person though, catering to the whims of every fan. She did well on classics like "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Strong Enough," but also left her voice at home on "All I wanna Do." Don't get me wrong—I will always love Sheryl Crow, but at this date and time, I think Sheryl was asleep on the tour bus.
--Paul Wenzel

Caedmon's Call is a sextet group out of Houston that combines the modern rock sounds of today with the timeless tradition of faith and spiritually. Meaning, yes, you can find this album in a Christian record store.

While many rock fans may shudder at the idea, get over it. Bands on the spiritual side are not all Stryper. There's no yellow and black, metal cliche machine. This band's self titled album can and should be played on any modern radio station.

The album opens with "Lead Of Love," and is filled with the jingle of a 12-string and the whirr of a Hammond, all covered by the smooth vocals of Cliff Young. The band's other main vocalist is Danielle Glenn, who shines on "Close To Autumn."

As opposed to a number of young bands who lash out at everything (There are countless garage bands wishing for a fraction of you success and airplay, get over it.), Caedmon's Call, when confronting a problem, ask for a solution or help and don't scream and moan. Examples include "Not The Land" and "Coming Home," and credit goes to lyricists Derek Webb and the "other" band member Aaron Tate.

The band also lightens up with the Dylanesque, piano filled "Bus Driver," a tale of an every man doing his job. Another fun one to hear is "I Just Don't Want Coffee." Is it about the glamour of Sanka? I just don't know...

Caedmon's Call can also be just as moving as they can be fun. "Center Aisle" is a tribute Webb wrote about a friend who committed suicide. There's a part of the liner notes that explains the inspiration to his songs, which was a brave move to write.

The sprinkles of strings, Hammond organ and percussion, add to a solid, flawless six-piece group who should be making plenty of albums for Warner.
--Matthew Socey

The Chandlers are essentially a duo act consisting of cousins Bruce and Jonathan Rundman. Lowell Michelson also appears on this project as drummer. Rock, country and folk music are the main influencing factors that make The Chandlers what they are: a unique, diversified, and intelligent band. You can hear acts such as the Everly Brothers and James Taylor as well as more "current" bands such as R.E.M. and Son Volt flowing throughout the music on Seven Summers. The two cousins manage to break away from the current scene and create music that is fresh and fun to listen to.

If you're into the typical hi-fi sound of today's recordings you might be taken back by the lo-fi sound of Seven Summers, which was recorded on 4-track cassettes. There's a good reason why it sounds so "rustic," however. Bruce and Jonathan had lived on opposite sides of the country and exchanged the recording tapes via the US mail, back and forth, until they had the finished product. Some good points to this band are the tight harmonies and acoustic guitars that dominate the music. No, you won't hear any screaming guitar solos or heavily distorted instruments here.

"Out Of The Back," one of the more aggressive, hard rock tunes is a colorful blend of catchy harmonies and driving, percussive, acoustic guitar (they coined the term in their bio and it's a perfect description). "Omaha," a folk-based acoustic song, really shows off their talent for harmonizing and "Busted Pencil Lead," a little country song about the guilt of love gone astray, is well written and one of the better songs on the cassette. In a nutshell, Seven Summers is a creative effort from two very talented musicians. For more info on The Chandlers, contact Salt Lady Records at 7400 Augusta St, Box 516, River Forest, IL 60305.
--Mark Bruno

The Orphans have much to be proud of. Not only is their music very cool, but they were voted Musician Magazine's Best Unsigned Act for 1996 and were given the opportunity to open for Seal. The five-piece band incorporates a wide range of instruments including keys, harmonica, whistle, flute, saxophone, various percussion instruments, along side the standard guitar, bass, drums and vocals. They're truly a band of musicians.

"So Far Off" blends the flute and saxophone very nicely; it's a nice contrast without sounding like a Dave Matthews Band rip-off. The song has a kind of Drovers, Irish folk/rock, feeling to it. "Trying To Get Along" is a alternative rock song that also features the flute and has some very cool harmony vocals in the choruses. With such a prestigious award behind them, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for these guys. Contact The Orphans at PO Box 4253, Wheaton, IL 60189
--Mark Bruno

Blues, rock, funk, soul, whatever it is The Buzz play they do it with style and brass (and I don't mean the horns they incorporate). This band has it all complete with an impressive array of credentials. They've jammed with Buddy Guy, opened for the Flaming Lips and rapper Chuck D (among other top local and national acts), and can be heard on radio stations such as WLUP and WCBR.

What makes The Buzz so cool is not necessarily the music as it is the guys who make up this quartet. Frank Blinkal's thick, gravel-sounding voice sets the mood while Jason Moynihan blares away with some impressive, jazzy sax playing. We can't forget about the rhythm section consisting of Chris Bernhardt on bass guitar and John Hanrahan on drums—they're in the pocket every time.

Like I said from the beginning, The Buzz, songwise, are all over the place. "All The Lovin' You Need" is a cool alternative blues tune with a little Rolling Stones attitude thrown in. Moynihan's sax playing is tough and jazzy on this one. Stevie Ray Vaughn meets Johnny Winter on "Long Way," Blinkal, who also plays guitar, just absolutely rips and his guitar sounds are sexy and charming at the same time. "It'll Be Alright," one of the tamer songs, has a strong jazz feeling to it mixed with alternative rock undertones. "Keep On Lovin' Me" is a more traditional blues song with horns along the lines of Big Twist and The Mellow Fellows or B.B. King proving, once again, these guys do it all.
--Mark Bruno

This really is a fascinating album. It was just re-mastered and re-issued on CD, but when Amerika was initially released back in 1980, it was hailed as a classic by the press. Stereo Review went so far as to call it the "greatest album ever recorded." Well, like it or not, listening to Tonio K's Amerika is undeniably an educational time warp to a forgotten era of American rock and roll.

Who is Tonio K? The last of his four solo albums was released on an A&M subsidiary label in 1988, when he was frequently working with a community of talented Los Angeles-based musicians that included T-Bone Burnett, Maria McKee and Jimmy Iovine. Since then he's been most active as a songwriter, collaborating with artists such as Charlie Sexton, Peter Case and the Arc Angels. As a performer or writer, Tonio K has always contributed challenging, satirical, and spiritual thinking-man's rock and roll to the music scene.

Amerika sounds amazingly contemporary considering it was composed two decades ago. Tonio K's raw and rollicking band puts totally inventive spins on traditional rock song structure, and the strains of punk and the dawn of new wave can be heard throughout. The album's opener "One Big (Happy) Family" features hysterically sarcastic lyrics about ethnic tension, and Tonio K sounds like a demon-possessed Bruce Springsteen singing with the Cars. There are other echos of Rik Ocasek in the muted power chords of "Go Away" and "Girl Crazy." The album's quieter moments, like "Say Goodbye" and "Cinderella's Baby," with their passionate vocals, Hammond organ and accordion, are as powerful as any of Springsteen's ballads. Other tracks like "Trouble" recall bands such as the Romantics, the Knack and Talking Heads.

Although Tonio K's music has hints of the artists of his generation, his vocals and lyrics are unlike anything else. His singing can collapse into frantic screaming without warning, and he crams paragraphs worth of text into four-measure lyrical phrases. His subject matter addresses truths that everyone's aware of but nobody likes to acknowledge—a form of political incorrectness that sounds even more challenging now in the hyper-sensitive '90s than when the songs were first heard in 1980. Just a few examples of Tonio K's lyrics: "the French hate everything, but that's just a part of being French," "the Communists, Moslems, and warmonger Texans are still tryin' to ruin my life," "reasonable men are dangerous/remember Germany."

Somehow, even with this exaggerated imagery and performance, Tonio K gets away with it on Amerika, and even manages to come across as some modern day prophet, creating music that is simultaneously rocking, outrageous, serious, taboo, holy, gentle, terrifying, soothing and hopeful.

Tonio K's Amerika is not a user-friendly pop album. This is pure American un-stable rock and roll that requires investment by the listener to enjoy. But, it's truly a one-in-a-million record, and, if given a chance, could become one of those mind-changing, perspective-giving musical experiences that people can have a few times in their lives. If you think you've got what it takes to embrace the songs of Tonio K, get a copy of Amerika from Gadfly Records, PO Box 5231, Burlington, VT 05402. Email: gadfly1@aol.com
--Jonathan Rundman

When John Monaco isn't on the road in his role as lead guitarist for hard hitting pop rockers Enuff Z'nuff, you can bet he's hard at work by himself, writin' songs and layin' ‘em down on the ole 8-track in his Northwest Suburban Chicago digs. He's got a slew of material, and has assembled six of his personal faves on this brand new demo.

Monaco doesn't necessarily wear his influences (Cheap Trick, Off Broadway, Beatles) on his sleeve, but instead allows them to be heard in his music without attempting to camouflage the fact that they exist. That's not to say he lacks for originality. All it means is that he's not ashamed to admit what he likes, and he uses what's comfortable as a basis to build strong songs that, in the end, are unmistakably his own.

In short, this is some pretty cool shit!

On this tape, Monaco—already a proven axesmith—demonstrates that's he's no slouch behind the microphone, either. He utilizes distortion effects in just the right places to give the tunes a down ‘n' dirty feel, punctuated by catchy, fuzzy, riff-heavy rhythms. A master of the pop hook, Monaco makes music that'll get your feet tappin', but not without making you want to get up and pump your fist, too.

As a writer, Monaco's either looking for love or trying to find out went wrong the last time around. The latter notion is best exemplified on "Save Face," a slammin', John Lennon-ish ballad in which the subject knows he's headed for more trouble if he sticks around, but he just can't let her go.

On the other hand, "All I Want" reduces that sentiment to pure submission, and does so as balls-out, stompin' power rock squeezed into a pure pop frame. "I Need To Tell You" is an acoustic, melancholy little ditty that puts the vocals up front with no apologies—and none needed.

"Abduction" (the lead track), "It's So Right" and "Kung Fu" (the last cut; a snarling rocker) finish off this six-pack, but that last gulp leaves the listener thirsting for another round. Word on the streets is that Monaco is close to getting a record deal, and once that happens (and the band members are in place), look out for Pinch, ‘cuz it'll feel more like a good kick in the head.
--Ken Keenan