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ELECTRICO

Maybe it had something to do with the unfamiliarity of the new songs that Electrico was showcasing. Maybe it was due to the poor sound at Zouk. Maybe it was down to playing without erstwhile guitarist Daniel Sassoon. Whatever it was, something wasn’t quite right with Electrico’s performance at the album launch of its third CD – We Satellites – last night.

Or maybe it was the high expectations as the word was that the new songs were some of the best Singapore music ever produced. Zouk was packed with yuppies (is that still used or has it come back like so many other 80s colloquialisms). 

The opening songs were edgy affairs and intriguing developments but the middle section sagged a little with a ballad which was ordinary and some Oasis-inflected material (which to me is always a lowest common denominator). I think I really hate Oasis now…

The band came back for its encore with a ripping We Satellites, which at least contained an interesting tune. Which I thinks was the main problem with the new material in general. Short on melodies. I’m hoping that this is a first impression thing and that when I listen to the new album, it’ll come together nicely.

Pix by Song.

… still there’s more …

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JACK & RAI

JACK & RAI In Stores Now (Self released)

Better late than never surely applies in the case of Jack & Rai’s delayed debut album. Originally slated for September 2007, the album is finally available and hopefully the pent-up anticipation will see the sales go through the roof. The duo certainly deserve it, after all this time!

Jack & Rai have been playing the Singapore pub and club circuit for a while now and they are certainly popular with pub-crawlers here. Whether on their own or with their band EIC, Jack & Rai are adept at entertaining any crowd with their interpretation of top 40 hits, on-stage banter and harmonic rapport.

What is not so well known is that the boys are accomplished songwriters in their own right. Which is showcased on this excellent debut. Review follows…

Beetle Girl

A smooth pop jazz number about a close encounter of the opposite sex. You can almost feel the class ooze from every note and chord. Sophisticated chord changes tumble and atmospheric synths swirl around what is very elegant tune. Excellent.

The Fa La La Song

The first song I ever heard from Jack & Rai got me hooked instantly with its easy way with melody and harmony. Commercial appeal is obvious and the boys have earmarked it as the first single off the album. Good choice.

Fiona

One of my all-time favorite Singapore tunes. No contest. Presented here in a power pop fashion which escapes most Singapore bands and features an irresistible chorus which echoes the Everly Brothers AND the Fountains of Wayne. Written from a distance for TV actress Fiona Xie. She should be extremely flattered… Should be played over the radio constantly.

Contemplate

As the title suggests, this is a contemplative ballad which find Rai in this element, utilizing his voice in the high register to good effect. As usual, the melody quotient is strong.

Us

It’s Jack’s turn for the thoughtful ballad as he ruminates about romances and love experience. Not as immediate as the rest of the album though.

Pixelated

This chirpy folk-rock treatise on long-distance relationships via videocam (hence, the title) contains a bright chorus that will have you bopping and singing along.

Hurricane

Ah, the piano ballad. Ambitious and never quite easy to pull off, Rai tries his best to convey the emotional core and by and large succeeds.

Poof

A sweet nothing kind of track. Both lyrically and musically. Not that it’s throwaway but it’s so breezy that you might actually be blown away if you get too caught up in the vibe.

Television Affair

Slightly heavier than the rest of the album, Television Affair comes across like Rolling Stones lite and 80s anthemic (think: Bryan Adams, John Cougar Mellancamp) which is a fair stomp live and will no doubt get you toe tapping.

Release Me

A plea for freedom presented in a sweet atmospheric chorus which references Coldplay, Radiohead and U2. Slightly more alt-rock than the rest of the album but an interesting effort that works.

Prophet of Universal Love

Rai imagines himself as a tongue-in-cheek authority on love with this easy listening paean. An excellent closer for a top notch album.

As it stands, In Stores Now, is an album with tremendous commercial appeal, chock full of wonderful melodies and cool vibes. A bit heavy on the ballads but I’m thinking that Jack and Rai’s target audience will thoroughly enjoy every emotion-tinged moment.

It’s been a long time coming but the wait was definitely worth it.

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HANCOCK

As expected, the Will Smith super hero vehicle Hancock is receiving a mixed critical reception. But I am glad to report that I thoroughly enjoyed this Peter-Berg helmed film, much more than Wanted, I must say, despite all the attendant hype surrounding the latter.

By now, you should know the basic plotline – Hancock (Will Smith) is a alcoholic super hero who saves lives and fights crime but in the process causes a lot of property damage. Worse still, he has an obnoxious personality and so people hate him. Along the way, he saves the life of PR guy Ray (Jason Bateman) who offers to help Hancock on improving his public image. As a result, Hancock becomes a part of Ray’s life, much to the chagrin of his wife Mary (Charlize Theron), who seems to have some kind of unspoken connection to Hancock.

So begins Ray’s plan to rehabilitate Hancock which seems to be working like a charm when the twist arrives. Yup, halfway through the film you get the mother of all twists, which you will either love or abhor. I liked it cos it gave the film a resonance that despite its flaky premise plunges a beating heart smack into the middle of proceedings. 

I am not going to reveal what the twist is but I will say that the key to enjoying it is to accept without dissecting too much – this is a super hero movie, remember? People don’t fly in real life, y’know. 

Director Peter Berg does a great job in managing the tone of the film, be it comedy or drama or action or even all three. The three leads deliver convincing performances especially Smith who never plays the hero straight up but goes from belligerent and unreasonable to lost and confused to mature and determined in the course of this 92 minute film. 

Once upon a time, super heroes only exclusively appeared in comic books. But with Hancock, Berg and Smith have proven that it is possible to create an intelligent and witty super hero flick without having the ideas test-driven in a comic book first, which I believe is a good thing. Rather than bemoan the surfeit of super heroes at the movies, I celebrate it as what used to be a guilty pastime is now firmly in the mainstream. 

That said, I am not sure if some of the more tenuous concepts can be stretched into a sequel. But if Hancock makes as much money as I believe it will, then it will probably be inevitable.

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FLYBAR

FLYBAR Scream Without Raising Your Voice (Self-released)

Half the year has come and gone and it is shaping up to be a good one for Singapore music. Last night I attended Flybar’s album launch at the Esplanade Recital Studio – thanks to the kind invitation of Ian and Ben –  and I must say that I enjoyed myself as the band treated the sell-out crowd to an entertaining show of good old fashioned classic pop-rock built around the influences of Oasis, U2 and Santana. 

The band was certainly at home on stage and made the atmosphere very casual – it felt like being at a family reunion. Maybe not very rock ‘n’ roll but the music made up for that and the audience lapped it up. Especially when multi-instrumentalist Jon Ong took turns to play lead guitar, viola, flute and harmonica – a handy guy to have in your band. 

Still raw around the edges, Flybar has the potential to breakthrough to the next level if the music on their debut album is any indication. Speaking of which, here’s the blow-by-blow account.

Unforgiven

I first heard this track on the radio and it was my introduction to the band. I must say that I was hooked instantly – it is a very good song. I love its Bond theme referencing, its Latin music phrasing, incongruent disco beat and its 60s Singapore pop channeling. Great start!

Bitchy Woman

Hahaha! How un-PC! I am picturing Marc Bolan/T-Rex and Mott the Hoople in my head but for the boys it’s probably the influence of Guns ‘n’ Roses and LA Guns that’s behind this rollicking glam rock number. A little by-the-numbers but good for a rave up.

Lose Control

Very 80s-influenced as the slinky funk vibe of INXS is evident here. The band has a definite sense of how to fill up their tracks with the necessary hooks. So, there is always the sense of familiarity but not too much to lose individuality. 

Dance With Me

A little too derivative of Oasis for my taste. The chorus isn’t too bad and you’ve got to admire anyone who works hard to deliver a tasty melody. Commercial appeal is not an issue, either.

Heaven Sent

This one has U2 written all over it. Which is fine by me as what modern band out there isn’t influenced by Bono and Co nowadays. That said, like Dance With Me, the song is functional enough but doesn’t quite move me.

She’s So Lazy

Apparently inspired by a friend who was too tired to go out for drinks after the Oasis concert, predictably it sounds exactly like the Gallagher brothers, although the harmonica is a nice touch. Charming in its (lazy) simplicity.

Mystery Train

The highlight of the album (together with The Unforgiven) and either pretty ballsy or crazy of the band to use such an iconic title for a thoughtful rumination on life. To be honest, it really sounds like something you might find on a CCM* record. I like the sentiment – “Cause you gotta write your own story/You gotta do what you can do and never worry”. A ballad that will have the girls swooning and the boys waving their handphones.

Amazing

One of those macho tracks designed to have women fall at your feet – guaranteed to put hair on your chest (or lip) and make you feel good to be a MAN. Sorry couldn’t resist… Not sure if this is really the band’s forte, I rather prefer when they’re being more subtle.

Beautiful Killer

Here’s a full blown nod to Santana. Listen to the chord changes and Jon’s guitar work if you’re not convinced. A ode to unrequited love. Probably the band’s best known number, certainly it comes across like it was written for the radio.

Live Forever

Now if you had any doubts about that Flybar worships at the altar of Oasis, here’s a song called Live Forever! So how come it sounds like a Cantopop number? Maybe its the cheesy string synth and the overall over-dramatic presentation. Whatever, Flybar tries very hard to make Live Forever the fist-punching anthem every stadium rocker aspires for and I’m not quite sure they succeed but I guess the ambition is paramount eh?

Exciting times for the Singapore music scene and Flybar has definitely put their own distinct mark on it with Scream Without Raising Your Voice. 

*Contemporary Christian Music

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POP CLASSICS

 

BRIAN WILSON Smile (Nonesuch)

When Brian Wilson announced that he was going to finish Smile, I must be honest to say that I was highly skeptical and wondered who was the mean soul that was pressurizing Brian to revisit (reopen?) old wounds for the sake of commercial gain.

Also, I had my doubts – if Brian was not equipped to complete Smile at age 24, at the peak of his powers – how could he do so in the twilight of his life?

But, when I first heard Smile in its entirety albeit via a bootleg of live gig in London, I must confess that I cried.

He did it!

As David Leaf quotes Brian in the lavish album liner notes – “Our Smile dream has come true.” Indeed.

In the last 37 years, as the Smile legend has grown, his numerous fans have shared Brian’s dream of Smile and the fulfilling of this dream with this release is nothing short of a miracle.

Detractors have questioned, rather loudly, what the fuss is and have variously derided Brian and his fans. Well, their loss.

For fans of Brian Wilson, it’s always about how Brian’s music made us feel. No other songwriter of the rock era has been able to convey emotions through his music quite like Brian. 

And Smile is for the fan who has waited patiently to hear these songs threaded together into a coherent whole. Certain pieces have been re-interpreted from their more famous cousins. Notably, the mid-60s singles “Heroes And Villains” and “Good Vibrations.” Significantly absent (or perhaps less emphasized) is the much discussed Elements suite – in fact, “I Love to Dada” the famed water section has gone AWOL and somewhat submerged in the new “In Blue Hawaii.”

However, whatever your qualms may be on this development, what is indisputable is the sheer genius of the Children section with the truly awesome sequence of “Wonderful,” “Song For Children,” “Child Is Father To The Man” and “Surf’s Up” which demonstrates that ultimately the beautiful dreamer is really the child in all of us. Faith, hope and trust resides in our child-like belief that anything is possible –

 

“Surf’s Up!

Aboard a tidal wave.

Come about hard and join the young and often spring you gave.

I heard the word.

Wonderful thing!

A children’s song.

A children’s song – have you listened as they play?

Their song is love and the children know the way.”

 

Kudos must go to Jeffrey Foskett and especially Darian Sahanaja, who have been instrumental in helping Brian (and lyricist Van Dyke Parks, of course) put this unlikely masterpiece back together.

We will never know if this new Smile reflects in anyway what Brian intended all those years and in truth it doesn’t really matter – our Smile dream has come true!

 

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JEREMY

JEREMY Yesterday, Today and Forever (Jam)

Jeremy Morris is one amazing guy. He is a prolific recording artist, owns his own record label (Jam Recordings) and is a talented singer-songwriter-guitarist-pianist equally adept at progressive, classical and power pop styles! Like I said – amazing!

Yesterday, Today and Forever is a loving tribute to Jeremy’s biggest influence – the Beatles – and whilst one may be justified in questioning the rationale of these faithful re-creations, there’s no denying the passion and care taken in putting this album together.

Jeremy’s song choice is also interesting – non Beatles tracks like John’s Love and Ringo’s It Don’t Come Easy – are featured but what is most intriguing is an original song called Revolution #7 (clocking in past 11 mins), which not only highlights Jeremy’s compositional and technical skills but also his Christian faith. That alone should give Beatles fans a jolt or two! 

And I was taking liberties when I described the songs as “faithful re-creations” – fact is Jeremy applies his own spin on the Beatles classics but as a hypothetical exercise – what if the Beatles had gone in a different direction but still quintessentially Beatlesque?

Thus, McCartney staples like I Will and Blackbird come across like John Lennon-helmed tracks and Good Night is re-imagined as a folk rock ditty. Jeremy also manages to redeem a Lennon-McCartney throwaway (given over to a George Harrison vocal on the Hard Day’s Night album) somewhat and re-jigs Harrison’s It’s All Too Much as a psychedelic rocker.

Probably one of the better Beatles tribute albums out there as Jeremy manages to maintain a consistent artistic core throughout. I would love to see a sequel to this wonderful album. What do you say?

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YOUNG AND SEXY

YOUNG AND SEXY The Arc (Mint)

Songs framed in simplicity will always stand up on their own strength. This maxim I hold true. Case in point, the new album from Canadian quintet Young and Sexy. I have been blessed to have reviewed the last three Y&S albums. I found the previous Panic When You Find It an accomplished work. Glad to report that even by those high standards, Y&S have surpassed their own precedents with The Arc.

The best part about The Arc is its eclecticism. Between the twin vocals of Paul Pittman and Lucy Brain, the band flitters from alt-country to shoegaze and from baroque pop to prog folk. All presented in deceptively minimalist fashion which belies the depth and complexity of each song.

In the modern rock context, sometimes Y&S sounds like Fleet Foxes, sometimes The Decemberists and even Bon Iver or Joanna Newsom. Such is the sonic diversity Y&S have achieved. My personal faves are the ones which shimmer and tingle.

Like the opening Saucerful of Fire (with its gorgeous wall of vocals), the peerless (sorry) Peer Through The Lock (with Lucy Brain’s ghostly vocal delivery), the wide-eyed Step Inside (with its epic church organ), the haunting The Fog (with its unique time signature) and the bare-boned The Echo (with Pittman’s sincere pining over the chorus mesmerizing).

Certainly, The Arc is up there with the best albums of 2008 so far, notwithstanding the willful tangents of the instrumental The Shadow and the incongruent Spill the Sky. Still, Up in the Rafters provides an atmospheric country-folk ballad that closes The Arc beautifully with – “Prayed for a way home/My love is nowhere to be seen/Have I misplaced this love?/Or thrown it all away?”

Highly recommended. 

 

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BRYAN ESTEPA

BRYAN ESTEPA Sunday Best (Popboomerang)

Sunshine pop, breezy acoustic guitars, high octane melodies and a sweet larynx set up Aussie singer-songwriter Bryan Estepa’s sophomore album quite nicely. Cool folk tunes abound e.g. Aches and Shakes, Different With You, Star and Worry Me None, which will certainly get you humming along.

Not that it’s all sweetness and light, there’s enough twang in tracks like I’m Going, Myself, Skipping Days et al, which highlight Estepa’s debt to the alt-country crowd and swing the mood into definite melancholy country territory. 

But a key milestone is the Beach Boys tribute to the youngest Wilson brother, Carl, an unusual choice in itself as I’ve come across numerous tributes to Brian and even Dennis (Fleetwood Mac’s DW Suite) but kudos to Estepa for giving Carl his props.

There are many parallels here with the new Gary Louris album and that can only be a good thing. A mature effort with a deep focus on song craft whilst never veering too far from the country-folk-pop format. What’s not to like? 

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FLYBAR CD LAUNCH

Singapore band Flybar launch their debut album – Scream Without Raising Your Voice – this Friday at 7.30pm at the Esplanade Recital Studio. Tickets are $5 a pop and available from Flybar’s website. 

Album review to come.