{"id":11086,"date":"2016-07-04T05:30:24","date_gmt":"2016-07-04T09:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/?p=11086"},"modified":"2016-07-04T08:09:02","modified_gmt":"2016-07-04T12:09:02","slug":"hundred-word-reviews-for-july-2016-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/2016\/07\/04\/hundred-word-reviews-for-july-2016-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Hundred-word Reviews for July 2016, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans. Today kicks off another of my occasional week-long extravaganzas in which I post five reviews each business day, each exactly 100 words. Some of the artists will be well-known; others obscure and\/or bubbling under. All (save maybe one or two out of the total 25) are well worth your time. So in no particular order (actually, in <i>alphabetical<\/i> order), please dig.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/armonite.jpg\" alt=\"armonite\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11091\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/armonite.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/armonite-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"float: right; padding: 10px; width: 120px; height: 240px;\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=musoscribe-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;placement=B00ZDKE260&amp;asins=B00ZDKE260&amp;linkId=b669e42eda5c1976997c95bfbd4b94a5&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<b>Armonite \u2013 <\/b><i><b>The Sun is New Each Day<\/b><\/i><br \/>\nThis Italian progressive rock act has quite a lot going for it. One, the group writes concise tunes that nicely balance the muscularity of <b>King Crimson<\/b> and <b>Tool<\/b>. Two, they don&#8217;t have a vocalist; often than not, singers are the downfall of otherwise solid prog groups. Three, the lead instrumentalist is violinist <b>Jacopo Bigi<\/b>, but his fiddle is put to more adventurous uses than in, say, <b>Kansas.<\/b> Four, the project&#8217;s bassist is none other than <b>Colin Edwin<\/b>. All that should give you enough to decide if this is for you, but the group&#8217;s strengths go even beyond what I&#8217;ve mentioned.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/joe_bouchard.jpg\" alt=\"joe_bouchard\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11090\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/joe_bouchard.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/joe_bouchard-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"float: right; padding: 10px; width: 120px; height: 240px;\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=musoscribe-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;placement=B01DL31OXE&amp;asins=B01DL31OXE&amp;linkId=2144dff81da9c24e4e1b4d5da9e85175&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<b>Joe Bouchard \u2013 <\/b><i><b>The Power of Music<\/b><\/i><br \/>\nBouchard is best known as the bassist in <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/2013\/05\/17\/album-review-blue-oyster-cult-imaginos\/\"><b>Blue <\/b><span lang=\"en\"><b>\u00d6yster Cult<\/b><\/span><\/a><span lang=\"en\"> from their 1972 debut through 1986&#8217;s <\/span><span lang=\"en\"><i>Club Ninja<\/i><\/span><span lang=\"en\">; put another way, if you know a B\u00d6C tune, that&#8217;s him playing bass on it. He also wrote songs for the band and sang lead on more than a dozen tunes. His original tunes have the same vaguely sinister vibe that his old band conjured so well. Here he ably plays, engineers and produces the whole affair, with only a bit of backing vocal help. The first minute of \u201cIs He the Wolfman\u201d is the best thing about the whole album.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/joel_boyea.jpg\" alt=\"joel_boyea\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/joel_boyea.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/joel_boyea-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"float: right; padding: 10px; width: 120px; height: 240px;\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=musoscribe-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;placement=B017MBYZBE&amp;asins=B017MBYZBE&amp;linkId=b897c37afdbc9017445f190bd019f293&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<b>Joel Boyea \u2013 <\/b><i><b>Here Again, and Lost<\/b><\/i><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/2012\/01\/09\/album-review-an-american-underdog-always-on-the-run\/\"><b>Andy Reed<\/b><\/a> succeeds again in finding (or being found by) expressive and appealing power pop artists. The stripped-down instrumentation of this album \u2013 <b>Joel Boyea<\/b> on lead vocals, guitars and sundries plus drummer <b>Donny Brown<\/b> and (unsurprisingly) Reed on assorted instruments \u2013 places the focus squarely on the catchy, shimmering, jangly songs and Boyea&#8217;s voice. Truth in advertising is the order of the day here: Boyea mostly does keep it \u201cUpbeat.\u201d But \u201cBreaking Up\u201d is a very successful and catchy departure. At a mere eight songs, <i>Here Again, and Lost<\/i> will assuredly leave the powerpop aficionado in you wanting more.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/paul_bremner.jpg\" alt=\"paul_bremner\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/paul_bremner.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/paul_bremner-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"float: right; padding: 10px; width: 120px; height: 240px;\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=musoscribe-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;placement=B01E4L4LXC&amp;asins=B01E4L4LXC&amp;linkId=063528a64d4a98d2fc0b84341291fe9f&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<b>Paul Bremner \u2013 <\/b><i><b>The Witness<\/b><\/i><br \/>\nTogether, the cover art and title telegraph that this album is an exercise in god-rock. Bremner is a member of <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/2009\/12\/08\/album-review-izz-the-darkened-room\/\"><b>IZZ<\/b><\/a>, an otherwise-very-good prog group I&#8217;ve long suspected as a crypto-Christian outfit. All of that \u2013 from my point of view, anyway \u2013 did not bode well for <i>The Witness<\/i>. But I listened anyway and am quite glad I did. An assortment of vocalists (including IZZ&#8217;s Annmarie Bynes) delivers Bremner&#8217;s heartfelt and not-especially-preachy lyrics, while melodic guitar and synthesizer pads carry supportive melodies. <i>The Witness<\/i> is effective at \u2013 if you&#8217;ll forgive an obvious bit of wordplay \u2013 crossing over.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/paul_carrack.jpg\" alt=\"paul_carrack\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/paul_carrack.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/paul_carrack-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"float: right; padding: 10px; width: 120px; height: 240px;\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;OneJS=1&amp;Operation=GetAdHtml&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;source=ss&amp;ref=as_ss_li_til&amp;ad_type=product_link&amp;tracking_id=musoscribe-20&amp;marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&amp;placement=B017ONH5SA&amp;asins=B017ONH5SA&amp;linkId=025c332e89818c0105d4fe794fb41687&amp;show_border=true&amp;link_opens_in_new_window=true\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<b>Paul Carrack \u2013 <\/b><i><b>Soul Shadows<\/b><\/i><b> <\/b><br \/>\nCarrack made his name long ago as lead vocalist in <b>Ace<\/b> (\u201cHow Long\u201d), and later in <b>Squeeze<\/b> (\u201cTempted\u201d) and <b>Mike + the Mechanics<\/b>. He has a radio-ready voice, and that&#8217;s meant in the best possible way. This solo album plays to his strength, putting his voice in front of some excellent modern-soul material. It&#8217;s impeccably produced in a way that comes right up to the edge of being slick, but that never goes over into over-produced territory. Here&#8217;s a guarantee: If you&#8217;ve enjoyed anything Carrack&#8217;s done in the past \u2013 and you know you have \u2013 you&#8217;ll enjoy <i>Soul Shadows<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans. Today kicks off another of my occasional week-long extravaganzas in which I post five reviews each business day, each exactly 100 words. Some [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11089,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,55,56,62,65,69],"tags":[2770,349,2769,2768,2767,2766],"class_list":["post-11086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-release","category-powerpop","category-prog","category-rawk","category-review","category-soul","tag-armonite","tag-blue-oyster-cult","tag-joe-bouchard","tag-joel-boyea","tag-paul-bremner","tag-paul-carrack","cat-49-id","cat-55-id","cat-56-id","cat-62-id","cat-65-id","cat-69-id","has_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11086"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11093,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11086\/revisions\/11093"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}