Cry of Hope ~ by: Jeffrey Halford and the Healers
This single was released in time for November's presidential elections by San Francisco-based singer-songwriter Jeffrey Halford and his band, The Healers. (The group's last full-length CD, "Broken Chord," was reviewed in All Access Magazine in July 2007.) "Cry of Hope" can be heard as an expression of how Halford related to the hopeful expectation felt by so many Americans as the time to vote drew near -- and now that the ballots have been tallied and the nation looks towards a time of change, the song remains relevant and uplifting. Inspired by a time when Halford saw a tattered flag waving from a tall eucalyptus, the tune holds true to Halford's folksy roots, building on a foundation of acoustic guitar chords, and gently filled out by Adam Rossi's mellow electric piano and soulful organ, along with bass from Paul Olguin and drums by Billy Lee Lewis. drums.Through the three-and-a-half-minute track, Halford sings, like Dylan and Mellencamp and other similarly-stirred American artists, with the spirit of someone who has something to believe in, to hope for, and to live for. Like the flag he saw bravely waving, a better way might still be heard “blowin' in the wind” -- especially if it's a wind of positive change.
Jeffrey Halford and the Healers can be seen on Friday, December 12, at Cozy's Blues Pub in Sherman Oaks, and contact info is available at: www.jeffreyhalford.com, www.myspace.com/jeffreyhalfordandthehealers, and shoelessrecords@yahoo.com.
from the beginning ~ by: 7th Sun
Singer-songwriter-guitarist JT Curtis and his band 7th Sun have constructed a 10-track debut release that turns out to be a kind of "concept album," consisting of songs that question the authority of the status quo, and look to a re-awakening of the same sort of fellowship and forward movement that was felt back in the Sixties. After a jazz-flavored instrumental overture entitled “Courage in B Minor,” the title track thrums with a vibration that seems to be re-“discovered” by every waking wave of young dreamers. The Woodstock Generation sang of “getting back to the Garden,” not so far from where JT Curtis might seek to start. “From the Beginning” is a rocking disk, courtesy of a band that includes bassist Adam Kury, who also adds vocals, along with drummer Stephen Quadros and keyboardist Michael Russeck, plus contributing guitarists Jason Land and Ron Scalera. After an earnest exhortation to “get it right... from the beginning,” “New Generation” extends that theme, coming alive with honky-tonk piano and gritty slide guitar leads. “Fields of Fire” elicits a soft, dreamy vibe, while “Hard and Slow” ultimately hits the listener with an assault that ends up hard and fast. “Big Man” is patently political, containing a taste of “Taps” for subjective interpretation. A reprise of “From the Beginning” jams with a driving, bob-along urgency, heading into the swampy, bass-heavy surge of “This Is Not the End,” which includes a dynamic drum solo. And then, “Get Together” ties together all the thematic threads explored throughout the preceding songs, all of which, one realizes, were message songs, spurring yet another listen, to glean all the meaning. JT Curtis might not have the strongest or most far-ranging voice around, but he surely has one of the more sincere, and what he has to say is well worth listening to. Find the “from the beginning” CD and more info at 7thsunband.com.
Dangerous Diversion ~ by: ellee ven
ellee ven stares starkly from the cover, with the assured gaze of an ice queen, a prima donna, and perhaps even a potential Madonna. She's a woman with good times, bad times, and street-beat rhymes on her mind, and she wrote and produced all eleven tracks herself (hmm, eleven – perhaps a significant number to Ms. ven?), working on this disk with veteran rapper Prodéje. The album is a study in contrasts, as ellee melds her own airy, melodious vocals with Prodéje's down-and-dirty, rapid-fire rappin', for a blend that's bold in its insistence on making those two divergent threads come together and play nice. “Here” is a guitar-driven cut of she-rock, “Sorry's Not Enough” alternates ellee's pop-phrased admonitions with Prodéje's manly efforts to restore a damaged relationship, and so it goes. “Hold On To Me” is a gangsta love song, much like the title track that follows, while “Just Another Thing” and “Uncover You Remix” are more misty pop. “Further Away” has a synth-based texture, and a wistful, lingering melody with entrancing appeal, showing off ellee's voice to best effect. Overall, ellee ven delivers a blend that will reach those who appreciate both competent rap and polished pop music. elleeven.com
Eternal ~ by: Loose Logic
Interesting melange of hip-hop, rock and social commentary from a Californian named Ian Westbrook, also known as Loose Logic. Recurring throughout the disk is the artist's audio tag, the words, “Loose Logic” uttered in the same low-down, slowed-down tone heard in Yello's “Oh Yeah” theme, which appeared in the oh-so-Eighties film, “Ferris Bueller's Day Off.” The 19-track disk incorporates many standard elements of the rap genre, including ominous beats, basses, and strings, bells, grunts, and gunshots. Some cuts certainly merit a parental advisory, but if it's all about “keeping it real,” then so be it. Sex, conflict, aggression, hard partying, and defiance – it's all found on Loose Logic's “Eternal.”
Infernal ~ by: Dark Haven
From the Inland Empire town of Temecula, Dark Haven is a “melodic death metal” band that truly delivers all the elements suggested by that category. The quintet has been plugging away for a few years now, with a line-up change or two along the way, and the new single, “Infernal,” re-visits and improves on the storm-troubled terrain first visited in their 2005 debut release, “Your Darkest Hour.” “Infernal” opens with tasteful acoustic guitars, and builds madly into a full-force onslaught that contains swaths of raging metal vocals, shredding virtuoso guitar work, grand keyboards that range from background strings to wailing synthesizer solos, and even truly melodic background vocals. Look for them around the Southland, and seek out their MySpace profile, for homegrown metal that does the job fully and fiercely.
