ALBUM REVIEW: Magnetic Dust Collectors – Halley’s Tail

“Halley’s Tail” is the debut collaborative album from Magnetic Dust Collectors a.k.a. Chicago producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist C.W. Franz and guitarist / former college roommate Brandon Chopp. Similar to C.W’s previous project “Important Ephemera”, both musicians go by specific pseudonyms: C.W. as “Colonel Sander” (not to be confused with Colonel Sanders) and Brandon as “Lieutenant Glenn”. And in case you’re wondering why they’re going by these militaristic aliases, it all has to do with the album’s narrative.

Essentially, this is a progressive/space rock instrumental album (save for the first two tracks which incorporate vocals) centered on The Cosmonaut, an Earthling sent on a military-led mission to find a suitable place for humanity after Cthulhu (Yes, THAT Cthulhu) awakens and ravages our planet. While that premise alone sounds like a cinematic mash-up of space-age and arthouse sci-fi, Lovecraftian/cosmic horror and atomic-age Kaiju films, it lays the foundation for a project that’s intentionally left open to interpretation by the listener.

I say this because while the abovementioned vocal-based tracks introduce us to the album’s premise, conflict and main character, the rest of this project plays like the soundtrack to said cinematic mash-up, requiring the listener to mentally visualize the story as it progresses. The first two tracks themselves are oddly skeletal and opaque in regards to highlighting key details, which leaves room for the music and, in an ingenious creative decision, the track titles to flesh out the premise.

On the grandiosely-titled opening track “The Old Ones Suite” (I. In Suspension / II. The Old Ones Speak / III. The Return / IV. A Silent Prayer), Magnetic Dust Collectors zeroes in on the rise of Cthulhu from slumber and the near-destruction of Earth. Colonel Sander’s slightly hammy narration (which is very reminiscent of his vocal work on the track “Land of the Illiniwek” off his “C.W. Franz V” record) aids in envisioning this event as something out of a Greek god-based epic. Lyrics like “The sea holds a secret” and “Order and chaos rest within / Beneath the brooding waves” instantly conjure memories of the monstrous Kraken from the 1981 fantasy classic (Sorry, the 2010 remake doesn’t count) “Clash of the Titans”.

The beauty of this track lies in its composition, with each section of this suite playing out like a specific movie scene. Over the calm, serene sounds of “In Suspension” performed by Sander, you can picture this deep-sea backdrop where Cthulhu rests, and after his opening narration (“The Old Ones Speak”), the peace is cut short by a grungy guitar solo performed by Lieutenant Glenn, signaling “The Return”. In what is essentially the longest section of this track, the acid rock-like beat sounds tense and nightmarish, and thanks to Sander’s imposing, god-like narration, help create an unsettling image of Cthulhu laying waste to everything around him. On the quietly haunting and bleak “A Silent Prayer”, the suite concludes with a terrifying prayer delivered in a distorted voice, signifying the apocalyptic nature of what we just witnessed.

The following track “Planetoid” takes us to the aftermath of Cthulhu’s attack, set to a rather lovely and hopeful instrumental consisting of echoic guitar strums and kaleidoscopic synth leads. Playing the role of the Cosmonaut, guest singer Corporal James Buckley waxes poetic about the journey he’s about to embark on, delivering a performance just as emotionally potent as the music surrounding it.

From here, “Halley’s Tail” goes on a purely instrumental route, with the tracks’ titles, tones and composition continuing the album’s already-loose narrative and no real character to emotionally latch onto. “Red Star”, the title of which acts as both the album’s only indication of the lead character’s country of origin and a possible reference to a Red Giant star, is literally the beginning of this intergalactic journey. Buckley’s team (which obviously includes Colonel Sander and Lieutenant Glenn) leaves Earth at this point, and thanks to the track’s beautiful, optimistic, easy listening-esque production (I particularly loved the acoustic guitar strums that appeared roughly at the 1:40 mark), you can picture all of them in high spirits, ready to find themselves and the rest of humanity a new home.

Both the title and noticeably spacey, void-like sounds of “Forest Dance on Kepler I-9” imply that we are experiencing this track through the perspective of a Kepler space telescope, programmed to seek out a habitable planet. Production-wise, it’s primarily a weird mix of low-key guitars and prominent rain sticks (even one of the ‘team members’ addresses this on the intro), and yet somehow it all comes together into this sonically hypnotic POV of the far reaches of space through this device’s eye.  

We then get what is easily the best track on “Halley’s Tail”: the 10 ½ -minute “Journey to Proxima Centauri”. Having found a planet fit for colonization, our heroes make their way towards it. The production here is the most fun to listen to, with its glitchy, upbeat blend of fast-paced drums (handled by Captain Nick), spacey Mellotron melodies performed by guest artist Commander Nix Orpheus (again, keeping with the militaristic sub-theme of the album) and bouncy arpeggios by Sander. Mentally, you can picture the team’s starship travelling at the speed of light (think “Star Wars” or “Star Trek”) throughout the course of this song, but thanks to the occasionally tense ebbs and flows of the Mellotron, you can imagine the goal of this journey as one not so easily attained. And if you think of the song as a level in a space-themed video game where you have to navigate through numerous obstacles to arrive at your destination, it definitely adds to the track’s high entertainment factor.

The emotional high of “Journey to Proxima Centauri” is tapered on the penultimate track “Ezekiel’s Wheels”, the title of which references the Biblical prophet Ezekiel’s first vision of the “Throne-Chariot” borne by four creatures (cherubim), each with four wings and four faces, and alongside them, a wheel within a wheel. Assumedly in the album’s storyline, this is where humanity’s new home exists, and the strange, mysterious instrumentation on this track emphasizes on both the astonishment and concern our heroes share with each other upon viewing this wondrous sight. Sander incorporates some ethereal keys and throbbing FX audio clips into the production, which help to create this ‘extraterrestrial’ sound (think of our heroes as aliens landing on what is technically a new Earth).

Closing off the album, we have another grandiosely-titled suite: “Type Nine Organism Suite” (I. The Temporal Loop / II. Atomization / III. Bending Light / IV. Zhar-Kli-Dah Revealed / V. Zhar-Kli-Dah Approaches / VI. Truth, Penance and Hope). Admittedly, this is the most difficult track to translate from a narrative perspective. It reminded me a lot of the “Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite” third act from the Stanley Kubrick sci-fi masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey”, where the movie detaches itself from its own narrative, veering off into its own challenging yet emotionally rewarding conclusion.

On “The Temporal Loop”, we hear a looped acoustic guitar strum with this stream of relaxed, wavy synths flowing through it. In this section, I assume our heroes have finally made it to the new planet. But like the first suite, the peace is cut short by Glenn’s aggressive, pedal-supported electric guitar (backed by these discordant, screechy FX audio clips), but in this case, the establishing melodies continue to play. The guitar solo itself evolves in a manner of seconds (“Bending Light)” and establishes a new focus and harmony on “Zhar-Kli-Dah Revealed” where it sounds like we’re being introduced to a new god in the story, perhaps the one who governs this new planet.

After a few seconds, Glenn delivers this dark, foreboding tune as “Zhar-Kli-Dah Approaches”. It’s unclear at this point whether this new god is about to kill our heroes or not, but roughly at the 6 ½ minute mark, we’re treated to some calm, reflective pianos and peaceful ambience from Sander (“Truth, Penance and Hope”), which bring the song and album to a close. I interpreted this section as Zhar-Kli-Dah ‘sparing’ our heroes’ lives and granting them the opportunity to begin the colonization of what is essentially HIS home. However, there is the implication that if humanity degrades this planet (which clearly led to Cthulhu’s involvement in the first suite), Zhar-Kli-Dah will do the same thing. The most chilling aspect of this threat is that someone may pray for this god to arise and do damage to this world, similar to what happened on Earth.  

As a whole, I really admired this record. It’s easily one of C.W. Franz’s most thematically challenging albums to date, and for that, I have to give credit for the ambition and imagination put on display here. As a collaborative album, this project shows yet again how he’s able to join forces with like-minded musicians to create something unique and special. And as for the Magnetic Dust Collectors themselves, I certainly would love to hear a continuation of this extraordinary sci-fi fantasy story of theirs. This record’s not going to be for everyone, but if you’re looking for some mind-expanding progressive/space rock to vibe out to, by all means give “Halley’s Tail” a listen.

OVERALL RATING: 7.5 out of 10.

Available exclusively on Bandcamp

BBB RADIO S02E12 – Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (Ep. 1 & 2), Upload (Season 2), The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Blade II (Retrospect Review), Raised by Wolves (Season 2), Star Trek: Discovery (Season 4)

In this week’s episode of BBB RADIO, Ricardo shares his thoughts on the first two episodes of the HBO sports drama series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and Season 2 of the HBO sci-fi series “Raised by Wolves”. Ashton covers the second season of the sci-fi comedy-drama series “Upload”, and I review the Oscar-nominated biopic “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”. Additionally, the three of us celebrate the 20th anniversary of Guillermo Del Toro’s “Blade II”, and Ricardo and I discuss the fourth season of “Star Trek: Discovery”. 

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

ALBUM REVIEW: Echo Strike – Can’t Do Anything Right

“Can’t Do Anything Right” is the newest album from pop rock band Echo Strike and a follow-up to their 2021 record “Dirty Clean Sexy Mean”. On that project, lead vocalist Randy Van Gelder and his team treated listeners to a musical genre-fusing concept album centered on love, lust, relationships and heartbreak, with a few trips down memory lane like the “Saturday Night Fever”-inspired “1978” and the cover of the 1988 Guns N’ Roses classic “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. I use the term ‘narrative’ because you can picture Randy on that particular album as this suave heartbreaker who can get any girl he wants, but finds difficulty dealing with post-breakup regret and loss.

This new record feels like an extension of the ideas brought up on “Dirty Clean Sexy Mean”, but with a tighter narrative, stronger themes, equally strong and oftentimes nuanced songwriting and a sympathetic lead character to follow. But much to my surprise, what Echo Strike delivered with “Can’t Do Anything Right” is essentially a breakup album, with heavy emphasis placed on an admittedly difficult aspect of heartbreak: fixing the mistakes YOU made in an attempt to restore and renew the relationship.

It’s only right that the title track serves as the album opener, as Randy laments over the fact that he botched yet another beneficial relationship. He frames this lament through a metaphorical crime scene, with him playing the perpetrator with “blood on (his) hands” as he states on the opening line. Delivered in his trademark concise vocal style over some moody, downbeat production that would sound great over a 80s neo-noir film, he desperately proves his innocence to the police, whilst apologizing to his ‘deceased’ partner with lines like “Can’t do anything right…..that’s my life” and “Pardon me…..I’m not some savior”. He even gets a bit psychological on the third verse when he sings “Forgive me….have some pity / Honestly….I have a disease”.

The strength of this title track is carried forward into “Good as Gone”, which sets up the album’s cyclic theme. On the hook, Randy sings “Lost you once, now you lost me twice”, establishing a failed second attempt by both Randy and his ex at maintaining a relationship. Speaking of ex, Randy sings from both his and her perspectives on this breakup, but the underlying brilliance of this song is that you can interpret both verses as spoken entirely by either party. On the following track “Never Too Late”, which opens with this noticeably 80s synth passage and a drum pattern that sneaks its way into the mix, Randy finds difficulty dealing with this new breakup. He also establishes his character’s primary motivation: to win the heart of his ex who he views as “the one”. With this motivation, however, comes a major flaw: assuming that every time he makes mistakes, he could simply fix them and win back his significant other’s affections (“I know that I can fix the things that are broken / But you have to let me in – so I can solve them”).

But that’s not to say that Randy continues on throughout this record like some lovesick puppy. He experiences anger, regret and even doubt. On “In My Head”, which features some of his best writing and singing on the album, Randy sings about a mental and physical war of words between him and his ex. The word “you” is used constantly in the first two verses, as if Randy is either reflecting on harsh statements made at him by his ex or hearing them spoken directly to him. But it’s on the song’s heart-shattering final verse where Randy lashes out at her, using the word “I” in contrast to the previous verses’ use of “you” and sounding rather bitter and condescending in the process of defending himself (it’s hinted that he cheated on her, by the way). He ends his rebuttal by telling her to “get out of (his) head”.

Regret sinks in over the smooth, radio-friendly sounds of “Lied Twice”, and the cyclic theme of the album resurfaces as Randy reveals that, as the title states, he lied twice. Obviously, the title is a reference to the lies which led to his two breakups from his ex, but in a clever bit of writing, also relates to the lies he told himself with regards to fixing this relationship. Interestingly, this is the only track to feature guest vocals from a female back-up singer, who I assume is playing the role of his ex, agreeing with him for the first and only time on the record.

And then we get one of the album’s highlights: “Maze of Doubt”. While its premise is pretty straight-forward (Randy picturing himself as a rat trying unsuccessfully to escape a maze), the song works as this moment of mental turmoil for our foolhardy hero, who finds himself lost in a haze of doubt and confusion following his ex’s departure. Its dark, grungy guitars are captivating as hell, and it’s hard NOT to nod your head to them whilst listening to this song. Also, it benefits from a catchy-as-hell hook (points for the “huh huh huh huh’s” in it)!

The trifecta of songs that follows “Maze of Doubt” add some respite for our hero, albeit for a short time. On the warm, sunny “Hello” (the ‘hollow’ sonic effect used in the intro gives the impression that he’s woken up from the nightmare presented on the previous track), Randy runs into his ex. He starts a polite conversation with her, and on the pre-chorus, confesses that he “feels everything alive, when (she’s) by his side”. Randy’s feelings for her are glaringly genuine and despite his previous blunders, he begs her to give him another chance (“Trying, trying for so long to finally get it right / Stay for the night”).

We then get the upbeat, electro-funk track “Have Fun” which is easily the most joyous and danceable song on the album. While its message is pretty self-explanatory, it’s Randy’s songwriting that makes it yet another album highlight. Utilizing the “maze” sub-theme even further, he encourages his ex-turned-girlfriend-again to flee with him from their respective self-doubt, fears, insecurities and past mistakes. This leads to “Open the Door”, the most ‘intimate’ track involving Randy and his significant other, but intimate in the sense that both parties are mentally, emotionally and physically opening themselves back up to each other, with Randy leading the charge (captured perfectly in the “1,2,3,4” count he does at the end of the hook). The doubt they share for this third attempt at love is to be expected, but Randy’s optimism shines here, as he sincerely feels this third time will definitely be “the charm”.

And then we have “Dagger”, which acts as a gut-punch to those who were hoping and praying this couple will stay together for the remainder of the album! Over a bluesy, disenchanted instrumental, Randy expands on the “You cut me like a knife” opening line of “In My Head”, but instead of being verbally accused of being toxic, he accuses her of the same thing. In this case, she’s throwing all her doubts and insecurities at him like metaphorical daggers. The hook beautifully sums up how desensitized Randy is to the pain of their union (“Sharpen your knife, stick me right / You got too close and stabbed me from behind”). And after it’s revealed that she hooked up with someone else, Randy FINALLY comes to terms with the reality that a long-lasting relationship between the two will never happen. Of course, he’s bitter about it (“I wanna cry, but it ain’t worth my time”) but he assures himself that at least, he gave this third attempt a “God-honest try”.

Admittedly, the following two tracks “Come Away with Me” and “Hollow” do feel like light retreads of Randy’s “heartbreaker” persona which resonated throughout “Dirty Clean Sexy Mean”, but given the context of this album’s narrative, it makes sense that our hero would seek out instant comfort from someone else. On the former, which features this vibrant, slightly salacious beat, an excitable Randy persuades a woman to hook up with him, if only for one night (“Do you wanna feel me deep inside? / Pleasure is worth your price”). “Hollow”, however, plays out like a “morning after”, post-fling moment of self-evaluation, fueled by the emptiness Randy still feels over his recent breakup. Its chorus brilliantly establishes Randy’s mindset at this point on the narrative (“I knew you were the one for me / You think I am the one for you? But you can be sure, it’s time to settle the score / I ain’t with you anymore”). It’s a very relatable moment on the album, as we’ve all felt that hooking up with someone else immediately after a breakup is the best way to heal the scars left behind.

Similar to the final two songs on “Dirty Clean Sexy Mean”, Randy undergoes a life-altering epiphany. On the penultimate track “Rest my Case”, he uses the sense of taste in both a physical and emotional context to describe the lingering desire he still has for his ex. Though the world around him is changing, he finds himself attached to memories centered on his former significant other and at a point, ponders on whether she’s holding on to similar memories as well. The album’s cyclic theme returns once more on the hook when Randy sings “It’s a taste that lingers on in the mouth / It goes on and on and on, no desire burning out”.

And finally, we get “Reset My Soul” which features a pleasant mix of acoustic and electric guitars, with some gorgeous strings in the background and some unexpected yet soothing flute work that starts roughly a minute before its conclusion. Lyrically, Randy delivers a final, tear-inducing plea to his ex-girlfriend to give him another chance, and sounds so incredibly honest doing so, you wind up feeling sorry for him at this climactic stage in the album. Additionally, he sounds the most mature he’s ever been on this record – having gone through this relationship three times now – and it really shows on the third verse where in a powerful moment of clarity, he sings “If I cannot convince you, if I cannot make you believe / We can, at least, part as friends – and not enemies”. It’s a truly beautiful way to end the album, and not only is it its best song, but it’s also one of the best album closers I’ve heard this year!

As a whole, I LOVED “Can’t Do Anything Right”! Echo Strike took their strengths in songwriting, vocal delivery and musical composition – all of which were on full display on “Dirty Clean Sexy Mean” – and applied all three into a sonically, lyrically and thematically rich, textured and cohesive project that serves as the band’s best output thus far. And on a side note, this record continues its predecessor’s trend of phenomenal album artwork with arguably one of the most memorable album covers you’ll see this year! In short, for its intent and purpose, “Can’t Do Anything Right” does everything right, and is absolutely worth seeking out!

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

Now available on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes and Deezer

BBB RADIO S02E11 – BBB RADIO INTERVIEWS – Shy The BeatYoda (The Soul Powers & Guillotine Shark)

In his second interview, Matthew speaks with Ontario rapper/producer/DJ Shy The BeatYoda about his career, the creation of the duos The Soul Powers (with singer/rapper E Smitty) and Guillotine Shark (with rapper Le Zeppo), his weekly Twitch show and his production and lyrical work on Guillotine Shark’s debut album “Merky Waters”.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE OR WATCH THE VIDEO:

ALBUM REVIEW: SpaceCadet-16 – Important Ephemera

“Important Ephemera” is the debut instrumental album from Chicago multi-instrumentalist and producer C.W. Franz under the moniker SpaceCadet-16, a mash-up of the Windows XP game ‘3D Pinball: Space Cadet’ and the TurboGrafx-16 gaming console. This is his latest foray into the electronic sub-genre of vaporwave and on it, he takes listeners on a concise (its runtime is roughly 15 minutes), lo-fi trip down memory lane, whilst extracting samples from specific songs and TV commercials that left a respective impact on his psyche.

The album kicks off with “SUBURBANSPECTERS.exe”, the title of which sounds like a video game installation file that was passed around manually via floppy disk in the late 90s.  Its hazy synth passage and robotic, beeping keyboards, with some occasional sprinkles of white noise (meant to sound like poor TV reception), help create this dreamy soundscape that envelops you with every passing second. The beat sounds a bit more dark and cavernous around the 2-minute mark, as if this soundscape is starting to collapse on itself. Near the end, we hear some slow, distorted singing bleeding through the production, revealing itself to be a commercial. The whimsical singing contained in it evokes the vibe of old TV and radio ads which relied on catchy, bubblegum pop-like jingles to promote products or brands.

Afterwards, we get “PERFECT BREAKFAST” which is admittedly my FAVORITE track on this record – though it’s not the BEST track on it! Here, SpaceCadet-16 treats us to a classic rap jingle for Reese’s Puffs presented vocally in a chopped and screwed (more emphasis on the latter)-styled fashion. He slows the jingle down, keeping the vocals and drums intact, and adds a synth lead underneath that’s so subtle, you almost don’t realize it’s there until the jingle itself ends. This track also establishes this underlying sense of irony that permeates throughout the rest of the record. While the jingle is still catchy despite its datedness, today it’d be treated as a novelty song or some random track used in a TikTok video or social media challenge. Perhaps its short-lived existence in pop culture is the reason why “PERFECT BREAKFAST” is the shortest track on the album (clocking in at one minute).

The title of “1-800-411-2400 (CALL NOW)” alone will instantly be recognizable to those who grew up on Zoobooks advertisements. On a side note, I never saw those ads on cable but I do remember one appearing on the first “Tiger King” docuseries, if I’m not mistaken. But even if you’re not familiar with Zoobooks or remember them at all, you SHOULD remember at least one product-based commercial which ended with a 1-800 number and a bunch of text (including ‘CALL NOW’ at the bottom) displayed over a blue background. If you listen closely to the track’s ethereal production, it sounds almost as if fragments of the commercial’s keyboard-and-flute score are fitted together into this one recurring melody. Additionally, the pitch-shifted vocals of the announcer give the track a noticeably tongue-in-cheek vibe.

On the following track “PLEASE FEEL FREE”, we’re treated to a sample of the primary melody to Richard Marx’s timeless ballad “Right Here Waiting”. This choice of song is brilliant, as it fits right between the end of the 80s (1989 to be exact) and the beginning of the 90s. And due to its sentimental value, anybody can find themselves taken aback to a happier, lovelier time by this song, even in this slightly spacey rendition. But then SpaceCadet-16 pulls the rug from under our feet by adding a sample of a tire shop commercial (“If ever you’re not satisfied with one of our tires, please feel free to bring it back”). It’s a truly clever and humorous way to end the track, but it brings to light a tried-and-true marketing tactic: re-contextualize the theme of a beloved song.

The penultimate track “LOOK AT THE MENU” feels like an extension of the 2021 “C.W. Franz III” album with its emphasis on relatively smaller brands of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Two vocal samples, each from old commercials for Speedway and Mr. Submarine & Salads, are integrated into this warm, sunny instrumental that sounds reminiscent of love songs from the 80s and early-90s. At its conclusion, however, we hear what sounds like double-acting doors being closed, symbolizing the acquisition of both Mr. Submarine (now called Mr. Sub) and Speedway in the 2010s and early 2020s respectively.  

Lastly, we have what is easily the best track on this record: “YOU’LL FEEL THE DIFFERENCE”. If you were alive during the late 80s into the mid-90s, you know how HUGE of a deal jazz saxophonist Kenny G was to the world of music. His compositions burned themselves onto our respective subconscious, and there was literally NO WAY to avoid or escape his music during that time period. On this track, SpaceCadet-16 utilizes “Songbird”, one of Kenny’s most revered songs and a staple of many after-work, slow jam radio shows, by slowing, reverbing and looping its primary melody. The supportive use of keyboards gives this track a nocturnal, psychedelic feel, though the relaxed nature of the original song remains intact.

SpaceCadet-16 caps off this track and the album’s ironic humor with the use of the iconic Serta slogan (“You’ll feel the difference the moment you lie down”), excluding the words “so comfortable”. The message is clear: a musical composition now identified as both a bedroom song and a song designed to relax to before going to bed is now reworked as the background music to a commercial about beds. And yet, due to the popularity of “Songbird”, it’s only a matter of time before that becomes a reality – if it hasn’t already.

Overall, this was a FANTASTIC record! Its runtime may seem discouraging to first-time listeners expecting a longer, more fleshed-out project, but like the sample choices and ambient sounds based around them, the length of this album is just as intentional. It’s as fleeting as the commercials and songs being referenced, and yet they resonate with you due to their nostalgic nature. Just by thinking about them, you find yourself mentally revisiting the “good ol’ days” but eventually, when those sonic memories reach their final seconds, you have to continue living in the present. In short, if you’re looking for an eclectic slice of mood-inducing, nostalgia-based, thought-provoking vaporwave music, “Important Ephemera” is definitely worth checking out!

OVERALL RATING: 8.5 out of 10.

Available exclusively on Bandcamp

BBB RADIO S02E10 – Batchack Man: The Peacemakers (Episode 3), Upload (Season 2 Premiere), The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Being the Ricardos, Turning Red, The Adam Project

In this week’s episode of BBB RADIO, Ricardo, Ashton Menzies and I review the third episode of the Trinidadian superhero web series “Batchack Man: The Peacemakers”, the Season 2 premiere of the sci-fi comedy-drama series “Upload”, the animated anthology series set in the world of “The Boys” – “The Boys Presents: Diabolical”, the Oscar-nominated biographical drama “Being the Ricardos”, the newest Disney/Pixar feature film “Turning Red” and the Netflix-released sci-fi action comedy “The Adam Project”. 

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

BBB RADIO S02E09 / RETROSPECT REVIEWS – Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy (Act 3 – Awakening), Zodiac (15th Anniversary Review), The Batman (Spoiler-Free & Spoiler Reviews)

In this latest BBB RADIO / RETROSPECT REVIEWS crossover, Matthew and Ricardo, along with special guests Tracy Hutchings and Danial Lum Young, discuss the final third of the Kanye West docuseries “Jeen-Yuhs”, David Fincher’s overlooked masterpiece “Zodiac” and the highly-anticipated, Matt Reeves-directed Batman film “The Batman”. 

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

TRACK REVIEW: Mister Davey Jones – Luxury (Peruvian Blend)

For my fourth track review of 2022 and my 100^th FIVERR REVIEW (Damn, it feels good re-reading those words), I’ll be covering “Luxury (Peruvian Blend)”, the latest single from Charleston, South Carolina rapper/singer Mister Davey Jones. Last year, I was introduced to his work through his highly-enjoyable single “Let it Breathe”, one of the smoothest jazz rap songs I’ve heard in quite some time. With “Luxury (Peruvian Blend)”, not only does Davey step out of his hip-hop/jazz comfort zone but he figuratively and literally heads to a new location for creative inspiration: Miami, Florida.

Essentially, this track centers on a weekend getaway involving Davey and his significant other, the latter of whom is the primary focus of the song. Its music BEAUTIFULLY establishes this groovy, sensual tone throughout, with its seamless fusion of jazz and Latin jazz-based horns (provided by trumpeter Jean Carlos, trombonist Carlos Schmidt and saxophonist Braion Johnny), percussion (handled by Alejo Perez and Luchito Munoz), bass guitar (Gaston Trigo) and cymbals (Jalen Oban). Accentuating the Latin-flavored sound of the track even further, there’s an intro and outro section sung entirely in Spanish by a male singer. Unfortunately for me, I’ve forgotten nearly all of the Spanish I learned in high school (at least I have more than enough time to brush up on it before I make my own getaway to Miami), but it’s easy to assume these sections are meant to compliment Davey’s enamored viewpoint of the woman he’s spending his weekend with.

Speaking of ‘enamored’, you can tell Davey has strong feelings for his partner by the expressive way he talks about her on this track, but he wisely frames it within the context of the time they spend together in Miami. I really love how detailed Davey’s lyrics are, mainly in relation to the simple activities she gets involved in, like picking the right color of dress to go out with or sharing her experiences on social media (AND being consistent with it, ‘cuz that’s important!) Additionally, the lyricism does a fantastic job of placing you in the couple’s various scenarios, and serves as this checkbox list of sorts in terms of what to do with your partner in Miami; whether it’s getting lotion rubbed across your body – or vice versa – “in a loft overlooking the ocean”, visiting Little Havana or Coconut Grove “for a place to abode” or simply driving through the Miami streets with the top down.

Davey’s cool, relaxed vocal style fits perfectly with the laid-back vibe of the track. Even when he resorts to a concise, melodic flow on the post-chorus, which features this female vocalist who plays the ‘role’ of his partner on the track, you can feel just how content, stress-free and passionate he feels during this escapade. And in a rather admirable bit of writing, his passion extends from the way he feels about her to his adoration of Miami as a whole. When someone in a song wishes they can “bottle up the sun and that summer rain”, that’s when you know the love they feel for a particular place is genuine, and “Luxury” is truly a genuine love letter to the Magic City itself.

Overall, I LOVED “Luxury”! It’s a breezy, tantalizing and, dare I say, LUXUROUS blend of jazz, hip hop and Latin sounds bolstered by yet another great performance by Mister Davey Jones. Similar to “Let it Breathe”, I’m expecting a remix to this track to drop very soon, given its “Peruvian Blend” secondary title. In the meantime, THIS version is an absolute delight, and well worth adding to your traveling and /or vacation playlist!

“Luxury (Peruvian Blend)” is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music and YouTube Music

TRACK & MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW: Marc Lowe – Nobody Wins (Pray for Ukraine)

At the time of me writing what is essentially my third music video review, the war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its second week. With Russian President Vladimir Putin intending to “continue (his) uncompromising fight” against Ukrainian armed forces, there’s no telling what the outcome of this unfortunate situation will be.

And it’s this currently-ongoing battle that serves as inspiration for a new track and supplementary music video from singer-songwriter/ experimental electronic music composer Marc Lowe. With “Nobody Wins”, he delivers both a single and an EP in the form of a 27-minute ambient, improvisational composition, originally intended to be an instrumental for another project and inspired by news footage involving this Russia-Ukraine war.

Its music video is made up of such footage, stylistically superimposed over Marc who’s shown sitting in front of a black cloth backdrop playing the synthesizer and guitar. Both the news footage and Marc’s scenes are slowed down, with the former moving at a snail’s pace and slightly altered to appear like phone-based video recordings. It’s unsettling enough to see shots of rockets hitting residential areas, citizens scampering for shelter, authorities trying to maintain order and even victims of the attacks in hospitals. But it’s the sluggish speed of these visuals which helps maintain a surreal, hypnotic vibe throughout the video’s runtime.

Marc’s visuals are equally unsettling, particularly the keying out of the black cloth and Marc’s shirt (which is also black), in addition to the slow pace of his video recording, though not as glacial in speed as the news footage. At times, he’s near-indiscernible, especially when footage featuring prominent whites and greys are used. However, in regard to the visual aesthetic of the video, it totally works! Yes, Marc is expressing his emotions to what’s being shown on-screen, but he lets the visuals and music speak for themselves.

Speaking of music, this is where “Nobody Wins” – the video and yes, the song as well – shines. Marc treats us to a sonic crystallization of the fear being felt within Ukraine and the concern being shared the world over. Over a seemingly endless, spacey, droning synth lead, he slowly adds these tense, discordant, unnatural sounds which either slither their way through your eardrums or blindside you like bombs being dropped.

Added to this despairing, nightmarish soundscape are two brief vocal passages; the first appearing after the 11:00 mark where Marc does roughly a minute’s worth of melancholic, train-of-thought singing. The latter shows up immediately after a disquieting final act consisting of skittering percussion and distorted strings.  In this moment in the video, we see Marc on his guitar (melodies of which appear occasionally as short, disenchanted guitar strums throughout the track).

On the soundtrack of the video’s final moments, Marc delivers these haunting, dirge-like lyrics centered on the pain and suffering being felt in Ukraine, the lack of sympathy shown by Russian troops and a call to action to stop the war altogether. And in a rather insightful and memorable bit of editing, the video concludes with shots of Vladimir Putin himself and Marc faded completely out of the picture.

Whilst re-listening to this track and watching its video, my mind kept going back to the end credit sequence of Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War masterpiece “Apocalypse Now” (both the text credit version and the one which featured footage of the decimation of the antagonist’s compound during a nocturnal air strike) and the bleak, spine-chilling ambient piece that played over it. And similar to that sequence, both visually and sonically, “Nobody Wins” brilliantly conveys the dread and tension of this current war. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to sit through, but it is arguably a bold, artistic anti-war statement that needed to be made and needs to be experienced. While we continue to keep our ears to the ground with regards to the Russia-Ukraine war, I strongly recommend taking the time to give “Nobody Wins” a listen and a watch. You won’t regret it.

“Nobody Wins (Pray for Ukraine)” is now available on YouTube, Spotify and Bandcamp.

For more music from Marc Lowe, visit www.marclowemusic.com

ALBUM REVIEW: C.W. Franz & Morgana Warner-Evans – The Wells House Sessions (1/22/22 – 2/5/22)

“The Wells House Sessions (1/22/22 – 2/5/22)” is the collaborative project between singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer C.W. Franz and singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Morgana Warner-Evans. This is the second entry in C.W.’s “Sessions” series where, similar to “The Orange Diamond Sessions (8/14/2021)”, it presents an iPhone-recorded series of songs performed during a studio session involving C.W., a fellow artist and whatever instruments they had on hand. Due to its raw, cinema verite aesthetic, you will hear bits of ‘off-air’ spoken dialogue and internal ambience from the studio itself ever so often.

Of course, the main difference between “Orange Diamond” and “Wells House” is the number of days of studio time. This gives the latter project a more refined sound and thought-out creative approach to song composition compared to its predecessor’s on-the-fly spontaneity. And with both artists being aficionados of folk music (the album’s Bandcamp page states that Morgana is a fan of “traditional Irish folk tunes and the singer-songwriters of the 60s and early-70s”), it was clear that this “Session” was going to be something special.

And sure enough, it was! What C.W. and Morgana deliver with “The Wells House Sessions” is a short collection of instrumental passages and covers of classic American and Irish-based folk songs, and it’s very telling that they’re respectively drawing inspiration from the Americana and Irish ballads which helped shape their music.

The album opens with a trifecta of brief instrumentals, the first two of which were written and performed by C.W. and Morgana. On the opening track “January Afternoon”, C.W. is front and center with his trusty ukulele as he performs this strumming pattern that intensifies and eventually slows down during the song’s final seconds. On the flute, we have Morgana who compliments C.W.’s ukulele with some pleasant, airy background music. In a rather impressive move, both artists switch seats, so to speak, on the following track “Sunlight Peeking through her Window”. Here, Morgana’s meditative-sounding flute is at the forefront and C.W’s supplementary ukulele strums appear in the back. Interestingly, the final instrumental, titled “C.W. Franz – Black Forest Blues”, is the album’s only solo track, where C.W. performs this appropriately melancholy song that, given its blues inspiration, probably would’ve fitted nicely into his restaurant-themed “C.W. Franz III” album from last year – and not just because it has the term “black forest” (like the cake…..get it?) in its title.

For the remaining five tracks on “The Wells House Sessions”, we’re treated to vocals primarily from Morgana who, by the way, has a truly beautiful singing voice. In each of her performances, she incorporates these Gaelic-inspired vocal inflections, and C.W. himself stated on the aforementioned Bandcamp page that he was “very nearly brought to tears multiple times” thanks to said performances. And after hearing these five tracks for myself…..I can definitely see why.

I should mention that prior to listening to this project, I was only familiar with two of the five songs Morgana covers: Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” and Frederic E. Weatherly’s “Danny Boy”. The former was one of those songs I heard occasionally on adult contemporary radio, but it was officially etched into my memory thanks to the closing credits of the deeply unsettling Ari Aster horror film “Hereditary”. “Danny Boy”, however, has become such a staple of Irish representation in film that even if you don’t remember a movie or TV show that featured a character who sung that song, you do remember the melody and/or opening line at the very least.

Morgana performs “Both Sides Now” and “Danny Boy” exceptionally well, and even on the latter where she unintentionally hums the song’s melody in place of two of the final lines (You can hear C.W. laugh a little during that moment), her renditions are equally moving and passionate. On both tracks, C.W. provides some ethereal instrumental support through the use of a Yamaha PSR EW300 keyboard. His musical work on “Danny Boy”, in particular, sounds like an out-of-body experience wrapped in an excursion through the current landscape of Ireland. With the exception of that track, Morgana brings her own instrumental input to the vocal cuts on this album as well, courtesy of a lightly-strummed acoustic guitar.

Much to my surprise, C.W. does some background vocal work alongside Morgana in three instances (“Both Sides Now”, Richard Farina/ Bert Jansch’s “The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood” and Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You”). Wisely, he never attempts to upstage her during her performances, opting instead to go with the flow of each song and appear only when it’s necessary, whether it’s simple vocalizing on “The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood” or sung vocals on the choruses of both “A Case of You” and “Both Sides Now”.

I will give “The Wells House Sessions” credit for introducing me to a few classics in the folk music genre, like the abovementioned “A Case of You” and “The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood”. On the former, Morgana brilliantly captures the song’s underlying element of sadness that hovers over its mostly metaphorical lyrics, accentuated by C.W.’s use of the 4-string Appalachian dulcimer. Additionally, she captures the latter’s sense of nostalgia and longing (which probably explains why that song was featured in Richard Farina and his wife Mimi’s collaborative album “Memories”) for a simpler, happier time.

But my favorite of these newly-discovered gems is easily the best track on this album: “Flower Lady”. The longest track on this project with its near eight-minute duration (and surprisingly longer than the original version written by Phil Ochs), this is a somber look at how self-obsessed and self-absorbed we find ourselves in our daily lives, with little to no concern for those who’re in a relatively worse position than we are. With some fantastic keyboard work from C.W. and guitar strums from Morgana, the vocals on this track are both heartwarming and heartbreaking, adding beauty to the scenarios of each of the individuals being addressed on this song, whilst exposing the cold, harsh reality they all live in. And with every mention of the titular flower lady and her unsuccessful day of selling flowers, your heart crumbles to the eventual point of shattering into pieces the moment the final verse, which centers on the flower lady herself, comes to an end.

Ultimately, this is yet another entertaining and insightful “Session” from the creative mind of C.W. Franz, and dare I say, a stellar follow-up to the “The Orange Diamond Sessions”. Like its predecessor, the chemistry C.W. shares with his musical collaborator is undeniably strong, resulting in some solid instrumental and vocal jams. Also similar is the understanding and admiration the listener feels having experienced what are essentially the best moments of this creative meeting of the minds – in this case, over the course of 15 days. I would love to hear Morgana Warner-Evans in a future musical project, whether it’s hers, C.W’s or even someone else’s, as her voice alone is one I won’t forget in a hurry. C.W. certainly struck gold with this “Sessions” series of his, and I can’t wait to hear the next entry and the next rising star he plans to work with. If you’ve enjoyed “Orange Diamond”, and if you’ve been rocking with C.W.’s music so far, “Wells House” is absolutely worth checking out.

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10

Available only on Bandcamp