Sharon Jones!

Thanks Mona for hooking me up!

Fitz & The Tantrums - "MoneyGrabber" (single)

I learned fairly quickly that when Fitz throws a tantrum, you best stop, drop, and listen. Fresh off the heels of their Songs For A Break Up Vol. 1 EP (still lovin' that album art), I heard "MoneyGrabber" (free mp3) off of their new full-length Pickin' Up The Pieces and instantly dug it... hard. F&TT have this quasi neo indie retro soul thing going on that's utterly refreshing, makes me want to chair-dance and shimmy-shake at my computer, and is such a nice stark contrast against all the downer music that usually rules my wintry airwaves. This single particularly held my interest long enough to want to check out the rest of their LP. To say this shit is Motown-influenced is only partially accurate. I'd rather say it borrows from Motown, but then takes it one step further in another direction adding a little sumthin' sumthin' of their own. Plus, I really love the colors in this stylish music video. It all works and temporarily distracts from Fitz's anachronistic hairstyle.

Upon first listen, two things came to mind. 1) The first thing I said to myself was "Man, these guys must be from L.A. or something." Lo and behold I was right, except this time I didn't half-jokingly roll my eyes like I usually do at the thought of La La Land-based bands. 2) The next thing I thought was how I wanted to immediately share this "new find" with Awmercy because it totally reminded me of something I suspected he especially would go nuts over. I was feeling particularly cocky and it was high-time I recommended something new and awesome to him first for a change (instead of the usual other way around). Much to my consternation, I did a search and, of course, that jerk has already mentioned Fitz a zillion times before on QuickCrit. What was I thinking?! My musical hubris rests indefinitely until next time.

Postscript: If there is a slight chance that this music falls under QuickCrit's ever-exclusive and much ballyhooed "stripper soul" genre, I am not entirely certain. Nightrain, please do feel free to advise.

The Mynabirds - What We Lose In The Fire... (2010)

What We Lose In The Fire We Gain In The Flood might be the mellow dinner-party album of the year, except that it is barely long enough to get through the first wave of appetizers. With clear similarities to Jenny Lewis, with and without Rilo Kiley, The Mynabirds put forth a well-crafted, pleasant and uplifting set of indie / alt. country tracks that rely heavily on strong, but not over-powering, female vocals. There is a timeless approach and a fade-into-the-background feel that allows this simply to be on and soothing, while not so much demanding attention. Some would say that such a feature is a negative; however, there is certainly value in being acceptable for both lazy, rainy afternoons and social gatherings alike. Although musically, the album falls in line with many who have come before, Laura Burhenn's vocals and lyrics are graceful and classic. "Numbers Don't Lie" and "Wash It Out" stand out as having especially catchy choruses, but the other short and sweet tracks all have appealing qualities, with to apparent letdowns. Next time a social occasion presents itself, that doesn't demand dance-beats or karaoke sing-alongs, throw on The Mynabirds and have everyone guess who it is.

Moneybrother - "Born Under A Bad Sign" Video

Moneybrother brings his punky brand of pub soul to Mississippi Studios tonight on his tour with Jesse Malin. It's a great pairing, as Malin sings Springsteen's gutter anthems while Moneybrother is more influence by Joe Strummer. I am a big fan of Moneybrother's album Real Control, so I can't wait to see those songs live, especially "Born Under A Bad Sign" (mp3) and "Feel Like Hurting Somebody".

Americana: The Muscle Shoals Sound

I hadn't heard of the Americana video series or VBS.tv before watching this, but Muscle Shoals always catches my eye. Some of my favorite artists recorded there, including one of my favorite songs of all time, Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude" with Duane Allman as lead session guitarist. Not to push it too far, but I think that song captures the magic of Muscle Shoals. There is a point late in the song where Pickett's soaring soul scream intertwines with Allman's slide guitar as they wail up into the Heavens. It is a transcendent moment, and completely eclipses the original version. Anyway, check out the video and definitely go listen to that song again.

Madison Concrete @ Slabtown

I don't know much about any of these bands except that The Madison Concrete have a lot of '60s soul covers on their MySpace page. Brownish Black and The Satin Chaps also seem to be cool retro dance bands. I doubt I'll ever buy their albums, but they sound like a lot of fun live.

Moneybrother - Real Control (2010)

On Real Control, Moneybrother play what I'd call pub soul, following in the footsteps of musicians like Paul Weller who looked beyond their punk rock roots for inspiration in soul and reggae. I hear the echos of Joe Strummer on the shimmering keyboard driven ballad, "We Die Only Once", and Kevin Rowland on the chorus of "6 AM". "Born Under A Bad Sign" (mp3) opens with a soaring series of la la las, before settling into a rocksteady beat, while "Here Comes The Vain Again" has some moments that recall late 60's Motown. It makes for a great mix. I love the way "Feel Like Hurting Somebody" charges into a singalong chorus. Apparently Moneybrother has been big in Scandinavia for years. You can bet I'll be checking out the back catalog.

He's playing Portland's East End on April 10th. I can't wait to hear him belt it out live.

Hockey - Mind Chaos (2009)

Hockey finally re-released Mind Chaos, dropping two of the weaker songs and adding four new ones. None of the core songs were sacrificed or otherwise damaged in the process. The biggest changes are in "Preacher", which is now noisier and features some wild keyboard chords, making it a more dynamic song. Although my favorites are still "Too Fake", "Work" and "Song Away", the new songs are pretty strong, especially the 80's dance funk of "Learn To Lose" and "Wanna Be Black", which both feature choruses with giant hooks.

As long as Hockey continues to combine gritty vocals, funky baselines, and indie rock, I'll be a fan, but it feels a little weird considering this a new release since I've been rocking most of these songs for over a year. Then again, it all seems to be coming together for them. They are blowing up in Europe this year, which is awesome, but its about time for a homecoming show. It's been too long.

Don Of Division Street - Animals In Love (2009)

It's kind of amazing that Don of Division Street's mostly known for being one of Portland's in demand drummers. Maybe that will change with Animals In Love, an album full of engaging Americana songwriting. It ebbs and flows from mid tempo alt. country pop to slower folk to plugged in roots rock, like on "You're Gone". Regardless of the style, Matt Cadenelli's voice rich vocals that adds depth to the songs. The two standouts are the beautiful and rolling "Mina Bird" and "I Never Crawled", which, with its Memphis-style horns and backup singers, reminds me a little of Tift Merritt's forays into blue-eyed soul on Tambourine. While the album lags a bit in the middle with three back to back slower tracks, most of the songs pleasantly accessible, like the warm and yearning "When I Release Me" or the loping "Mourning Light".

Fitz & The Tantrums - "Winds Of Change" Video

Fitz and the Tantrums are playing at Holocene tonight for FREE. Earlier this year, I placed their EP of blue-eyed soul somewhere between Motown and the 5th Dimension. "Winds of Change" is not my favorite song on the EP, but the video is pretty cool. With Portland locals Blue Skies for Black Hearts and Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside opening, it should be a good show.

Fitz And The Tantrums - Songs For A Break-Up Vol.1 (2009)

While I tend to prefer grittier southern soul to the polished and smooth northern variety, the Motown-influenced Fitz and the Tantrums' will be a nice addition to my next summer mixtape. It's blue-eyed soul with serious pop cross-over appeal. In fact, unlike most of the retro artists you hear these days, this actually sounds like something your mom or dad might have heard it on their AM radios. I hear a little of the 5th Dimension's California soul vibe going on in"Breakin' The Chains Of Love" and the chorus of "We Don't Need Love Songs" reminds me of the Spinners' "The Rubberband Man". Or maybe these songs just sound like a couple highlights off one of those old Slow Jams CDs I used to see in the bargain bins. Either way, these will go great with BBQ .

Hockey @ Mississippi Studios

Surprise! Free show! Hockey made a relatively unannounced visit to Mississippi Studios. It's been a couple of months since I saw them last. Meanwhile they have been touring Europe and recording their first official release. Having practically memorized their self-released mini album, it was fun to listen for any new developments. The biggest change was on "Preacher", which was noisier and featured a rather harsh and repeating keyboard chord, but still had everyone dancing. They played a couple of new songs, including "Learn To Lose" and a folk song I hadn't heard before but might not be new. Over all, even though lead singer, Ben Grubin, was slightly less animated due to illness, they sounded road tested and tight. It was nice catching up.

Here's a video for their new single.

The Gaslight Anthem @ Slim's

Headliner: Somewhere between Bruce Springsteen and Social Distortion their sounds meet at a junction called The Gaslight Anthem. With a combination of punk and rockabilly instrumentation and lyrics that pay homage "the every man's" real-life experiences, it is difficult not to be swept up in the energy of the music and the passion of the vocals and harmonies. There is certainly a charming element to the rough-around-the-edges appearance of the band members, which had the female portion of the crowd swooning, but what impressed me most was their spot-on live renditions of songs off of Sink or Swim, Señor and the Queen, and The '59 Sound. They played all my favorites and there were very few people in the audience who were not at least signing along with all the choruses. A fantastic performance.

2nd Act: If The Black Keys added two members, and Dan Auerbach was a female vocalist, then they would be the Heartless Bastards. As a HB first timer, I was blown away by Erika Wennerstrom's blue-eyed soul vocals and reverberating garage rock. They are definitely worth a listen, so check out their 2009 release, The Mountain. For San Franciscans, HB will be back for Outside Lands... so plan accordingly.

Opener: The opening act, A Death in the Family, were familiar sounding Australian punk rockers. Familiar because their sound was a combination of The Bouncing Souls, Rancid, and Bad Religion. A solid, energetic opener, but lacking originality... or maybe my pure punk days are behind me, which is possible.

Eli "Paperboy" Reed @ Lola's Room

Mr. Reed is a showman. And his band kicks ass. He croons, he screams, and his banter is rehearsed and friendly. The crowd was sparse, but the band came to play and put on a show. They were raw, they were rough, and they sounded great. Their music filled the room and more than made up for the lack of audience. I could feel the horns' vibrations in my beer. Over the course of the set, I heard in his voice a number of soul stars that I love but never got to see live because I was born too late, including a little Otis Redding, a little Wilson Picket, and a whole lot of Joe Tex. But he also reminded me of some of the other lesser known southern soul singers like James Carr and Arthur Alexander, emotive southern singers coming out of Muscle Shoals. His voice is gritty and warm and he nails the deep and scratchy scream. I can just imagine him running the Chitlin' circuit, working the crowd until they are sweaty and tired from dancing. This was one of those concerts that seals the deal, moving me from a casual appreciator to a fan. I'd go see him again live in a heartbeat. I can only imagine what he'd do with a full house.

Hockey - Mind Chaos (2008)

I know my Jay Reatard reviews have made me sound like a total fanboy lately, but I've listened to a lot of bands this year and this may be the one I was looking for. Only time will tell if the concert high wears off. They combine my love of gritty soulful vocals, funky baselines, and indie rock. While not nearly as noisy and wild as their live show, the album still captures that allusive cool, yet fun sound. The vocals are just more discernible.

Like MGMT and the Virgins, there's no denying that they love the 80's party jams, but like the former, they mix it up enough to keep it sounding fresh. It's only nine songs long and they are all pretty damn good, but if you made me choose I'd say you need to check out "Too Fake", which sounds like LCD Soundsystem fronted by Rod Stewart, and "Work", which combines world weary lyrics and dancefloor groove. As strong as the songs are, I still I prefer their more feral state. Until you can see them live, crank it up loud.

Hockey @ Holocene

Holeeeeee shit. These guys are awesome. I decided to check them out when the write up described them as new wave/soul and referenced LCD Soundsystem. But judging from their live show, that really doesn't do them justice. They are soulful, funky indie rock. And somehow they prove that isn't an oxymoron. They have a great live show that's full of energy with a back beat to move your ass. To give you an idea, it even got the bearded hipsters dancing spastically (yes, I felt at home), even the ones towards the back. And like a good soul band, their live show is tight. For all the wailing and pounding, they still stop and start on a dime. Check their site and make sure they are coming to your city. You need to see them. They'll be your new favorite band. Or at least you'll know what I like.

Eli "Paperboy" Reed - Roll With You (2008)

Unlike the artists off Daptone Records, Eli "Paperboy" Reed sings straight up 60's, pre-funk soul. The backing band is solid - I love the horn section - but its the vocals that make it worth your time. He has a nice gritty voice - emotive and passionate enough to recall heyday STAX or Atlantic Records. It's clear he's done his homework. The music successfully captures that authentic/retro sound and the songs are consistently good to great. The lyrics keep it simple, focused on love, relationships, boasts, and dances. "Stake Your Claim" kicks off the album with plenty of Solomon Burke-like attitude and well-timed horn bursts. "I'm Gonna Getcha" reminds me a bit of Joe Tex's preacher style rap. On "(Doin' The) Boom Boom" he let's out his best Wilson Pickett scream. If you dig the retro soul sound, you have to check out this album.

James Hunter - The Hard Way (2008)

The first time I heard James Hunter's first album, "People Gonna Talk" I lost $20 bucks due to his whiteness, but I wasn't mad at all. He has an old school early 60s/50s sound that definitely delivers on "The Hard Way". Now don't get me wrong, I love today’s new bands, strip clubs, pop music, and gangster rap, but to me, if I was stuck on a island with a couple of records, it would have to be guys like Wilson Pickett, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Fats Domino. So needless to say this album is right up my alley. Songs like "Corina", "The Hard Way", "She's Got A Way", and "Hand it Over" have been playing non stop at mi casa for the past two weeks. Hunter has a smoky voice that complements the horns of Hand and Badau perfectly, not to mention, Hunter can a play a cord or two as well. Oh yeah, is that an organ piano I hear? You better believe it. Wow, it is almost impossible to overestimate how much this album rips.

Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere - Nudge It Up A Notch (2008)

What’s up gang? It’s been a minute or two since I got it together and found my way down to the record store. But I found this gem and felt obliged to share it with yall’. Steve Cropper used to play guitar and write songs for Otis Redding, The Blues Brothers, and Jeff Beck. Also, he played with Booker T & the MGs for a long time, no big deal. He teamed up with Felix Cavaliere the singer for “The Young Rascals”, and needless to say, they cooked up some tasty R&B/Rock gumbo. They have a super soulful, light and breezy sound. The kind of sound where it would be impossible to be in a bad mood and listen to them jam. You could get rear ended in your car and be like, “It’s Okay! No insurance info necessary! I have Cropper and Cavaliere on the stereo!” Also, on a random note, I have no doubt that they would be the best wedding reception band of all time, ever. Tracks like, “One of Those Days” “To Make It Right” “Impossible” and “If I Wasn’t Lovin You” would bring the house down. “Full Moon Tonight” and “Without You” also rip. The only thing I don’t like is their name. It’s too long and complicated. If I were them I would change it to “Chicken and Waffles”. Quickcrit gang, your thoughts?

Santogold - Santogold (2008)

This alternative/garage rock/hip hop diva has been on heavy rotation at the nightclub I work at for the past few days with hits like “Shove It,” “Creator,” and “L.E.S. Artistes.” I can’t remember the last time I heard anyone have three club hits at once, especially with their debut album, and songs that I have yet to get sick of. My old man always says he refuses to drink “light” beer or have sex in canoes, because they are both just too close too water, which is how I usually feel about the trendy, generic dance music that gets played at San Jose’s “hot” downtown night scene. So, when I picked this record up, it was for the few songs I had heard and had liked, expecting the rest of the album to be shit. However, I immediately recognized the song I liked, “Lights Out,” which is featured on those new Budweiser Lime* commercials. This album is both poppy and catchy, as well as creative and/or original in a very pioneering sort of way. I have on no account listened to an artist transition between hip hop dance jams that are as dirty and rugged as a Kragen’s parking lot, to as slow, soulful alternative rock so seamlessly and effortlessly. You could play this at your next house party, or while you are cooking mini English muffin pizzas (which were REALLY good by the way). Some personal favorite tracks of mine, beside the before mentioned, are: “Say Aha,” “You’ll Find a Way,” and “Starstruck.” I would compare her to others, but honestly I can’t, and even if I could, it wouldn’t do her sound justice. So do yourself a favor and make some mini pizzas and pick up the self titled album Santogold.

*Gross. Anyone who buys that shit should be kicked in the nuts while they are in line.