Posts By 75orLess
Red Line Roots profiles Haunt the House
You can read the article here.
There are those who try and fake vigor and enthusiasm. The world is full of “douche face” guitar solos, crappy rhyming schemes in songs, and jackasses dressed in late 19th century garb singing about the farmland when they live in a 3 story brownstone in Allston. This is not of those people. Will Houlihan absolutely exudes passion for his music and songs.
Rural Instrospection Study Group
There is a beautiful simplicity to this release. Its so emotionally full, but the sound has this hollow “man alone in an empty room with a guitar” vibe to it. The music is really quite incredible. There’s some hints of Jeff Buckley there. The second track ‘Vamprye’ leads off with a shrill, shocking, but incredibly beautiful vocal falsetto.I just really really want to listen to this over and over again. It’s a short 6 tracks, but still feels like a complete and well presented thought. Something that is loose, but still consciously purposeful. Spooky, powerful, and affecting. With the way Houlihan sings and arranges his work its no surprise he goes by the moniker “Haunt the House”.
While Haunt the House is Will and his performing act, he also has a myriad of folks join him on stage to perform as this act. Always a treat, always more emotion driven and more beautiful than the last time you see them. They are constantly evolving the craft and perfecting how to really get that evocative and stirring sound. Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Will perform at a Brown Bird Tribute show. Quoting my recap ” so f*cking beautiful, I have nothing else I could possibly say to better describe it”. That’s really it. I hate to use this again, but the music is haunting, the name fits. This is music who’s purpose is to make you feel feelings. It simply evokes something inside of you that makes you feel moved.
Eric Baylies Lists His Top 30 Bands for 2013
You can read the article here.
Motif Magazine covers the new Junior Varsity Arson and Mark Cutler albums
You can read the reviews here
Mark Cutler – Dreamland (75orLess Records)
After recently quitting his day job to be a full time musician, Mark Cutler hunkered down to record Dreamland, a decidedly more quiet and intimate album compared to his recent releases Sweet Pain and Red (both on 75orLess Records). Cutler tells me he recorded the album in his house and mostly by himself with cameos from his always formidable Men of Great Courage band. One doesn’t have to wait long to see the new direction: the first tune, “Doing Things That We Like To Do” has a lazy, peaceful strumming guitar around a campfire kind of feel. “Tankful of Gas” has a decidedly acoustic blues meets folk feel, with buzzing slide guitars. “Circle To a Square” reminds me of the 60’s folk of early Donovan, before he started singing about important stuff… you know, like the hurdy-gurdy man and witching season. The title track is my favorite on the record with a great melody that I can hum all day. “Too Much Fun” is a more upbeat rocker, while retaining the stripped down feel of the rest of the rest of Dreamland. “We Don’t Do That Stuff No More” has the feel of Tom Petty blues ballad. The theme of nostalgia runs through much of Dreamland, but probably never more than on the closing, “I’ll Play For You,” where Cutler weaves his tale of days past over a simple beat. It works. Dreamland may not be your typical get ready to rage on a Saturday night record, but it sure sounds great on a Sunday afternoon!
Junior Varsity Arson – Self Titled EP (75orLess Records)
Every now and again I get a new biscuit and look at it and say what the hell is this? Case in point, when something called Junior Varsity Arson came in. So I checked out their one sheet that describes the band as “Lonely Guy Rock.” They go on to describe themselves as a soundtrack for men who are banned from certain establishments, with endless theories and endless amounts of time to explain those theories. Okay, maybe I’ll actually like this.
Truth is, Junior Varsity Arson is a local super group of sorts, composed of Guy Benoit (Thee Hydrogen Terrors), Don Sanders (Medicine Ball, The Masons), Dave Narcizo (Throwing Muses), and Kraig Jordan (The Masons). Junior Varsity Arson is a little twisted in a fun indie rock way. The EP kicks off with “Her Parents Love Me,” chock full of lyrical gems like, “Her parents love me, I’m such a big improvement over the white supremacist.” Indie rock is a genre chock full of people that take themselves too seriously. That’s why it’s refreshing to come across something like Junior Varsity Arson, that’s lighthearted and still rocks. “Brown Jacket and Purple Keds” reminds me a little of the Dead Milkman as it chronicles the lonely man that Junior Varsity Arson proclaims to be the soundtrack for. “Hippy Dippy Milk Man” has an anthem, ‘60s spy feel with the keyboards. “Skull Collection” has an ‘80s alternative rock feel, while the song chronicles getting broken into and having one’s skull collection stolen. “I’m Hooked” is Junior Varsity Arson’s alternative dance number, that has a little bit of a psychedelic feel. What I like about Junior Varsity Arson most is they have personality both lyrically and musically, that makes each song memorable. – See more at: http://motifri.com/mark-cutler-dreams-junior-varsity-arson-burns-it-up/#sthash.dshz02O3.dpuf
Dan Baker ‘Pistol in My Pocket’ review at Musical Pearls Rebirth
You can read the article here.
Dan Baker was living in Chelsea MA, during the recording of his new record. A small city on the outskirts of Boston, Baker describes the city as “A place littered with factories, oil tanks, and pot holes… surrounded by great heaps of salt and scrap metal”. Being influenced by his surroundings Baker wrote many songs about the town, one even making it onto the record, the title track “Pistol in my Pocket”, Baker states, “That song came about from a conversation I had. I was talking to the clerk at the 7-Eleven down the street. He was telling me about all the times his store had been held up… at one point he said pistol in my pocket and I guess that just got stuck in my head”.
The city of Chelsea, luckily for Baker, is also where 1867 Recording Studio is located. A former Masonic Temple, the studio boasts 60 foot vaulted ceilings with walls still equipped with their masonic images and moldings. Baker knew he had found the right place so he called in his band and they got to work. The recording process was fairly straightforward; they all set up in the middle of the temple/live-room and cut everything live.
The result is Dan Baker’s third record, “Pistol in my Pocket”. A record that finds Baker more matured and in command of his craft. With songs of betrayal and revenge as well as songs of love-lost and love-regained. A small record with a big punch: gritty, raw, but heartfelt and nostalgic, and much like Baker’s first two records, you’ll be hanging onto every word. This is a great record, with everything you’ve come to expect and more from this great New England based singer/songwriter.
A record that finds Baker more matured and in command of his craft. Songs of betrayal and revenge, as well as songs of love-lost and love-regained. For fans of dark rural blues, Okkervil River, Magnolia Electric Co., Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen.
Allysen Callery ‘Mumblin’ Sue’ review at With Music In My Mind
You can read the article here.
Cela fait des mois (non deux années en réalité mais la honte aidant je n’ose pas l’écrire autrement que derrière des parenthèses) que j’aurais du vous parler de cette artiste exceptionnelle qu’est Allysen Callery. Je l’ai découverte par l’entremise de Marissa Nadler, elle avait posté une fois sur Facebook qu’Allysen était l’une de ses artistes préférées. J’ai su instantanément après l’avoir écoutée les raisons de cette si belle déclaration : la musique d’Allysen Callery est à tomber à la renverse. Les mots sont trop pauvres, limités pour décrire les papillons dans le ventre, les frissons qui parcourent l’échine dorsale, les larmes qui éclosent au coin de l’œil à l’écoute de plusieurs de ses morceaux. Elle est une enfant du plus petit état des Etats-Unis : le Rhode Island (dont la population équivaut à celle de la Belgique un million et une chic comme on dirait dans mon plat pays) ? Comment imaginer qu’une des meilleures artistes folk de son temps provienne d’un endroit si incongru ? Pourtant telle est la vérité et telle est sa fierté également.
Bref, cette autodidacte est une bénédiction pour la musique à plusieurs titres : sa sublime et incomparable voix qui semble dépourvue d’âge, voire même si on ose aller plus loin de sexe, ensuite son chant est de ceux qui parlent directement à l’âme, j’avais déjà évoqué ce cas de figure avec des tous grands artistes comme Terry Callier, Paula Frazer, etc… Il s’agît d’un don inné, qui ne s’apprend pas, ne se travaille pas, c’est un chant instinctif qui broie le cœur et retourne les tripes. Dans un climax d’une douceur ronde et maternante, elle nous fait partager ses textes poétiques, philosophiques non dénués d’une pointe d’humour par-ci par-là, ceux-ci étant portés par des compositions souvent dépouillées mais toujours éclatantes de justesse et fascinantes. Allysen Callery a été influencée par le folk anglais des années soixante et septante, sa musique folk alternative étant pétrie par la limpidité et l’authenticité de cette époque, les effets de manche très peu pour elle. Avec pour discographie deux albums autoproduits d’une saisissante beauté : Hopey (2007) et Hobgoblin’s Hat (2010), elle a également sortis deux merveilles d’ep’s Winter Island (2011) et The Summer Place (2012) qui se complètent à la perfection comme un Lp sur le label berlinois de qualité Woodland Recordings (d’ailleurs vous pouvez vous procurez gracieusement un concert live de la belle américaine sur ce lien).
Je ne vais pas écrire (de suite ?) sur ses quatre premières œuvres même si tant d’éloges sont à y adosser (sans modération) mais bien de Mumblin’ Sue, son dernier disque en date, sorti peu avant l’été 2013 aux Etats-Unis sur le label 75OrLess Records et quelques mois plus tard en Europe. Oui, nous sommes toujours un peu en retard, en décalage mais au final cela ne rime à rien, la musique d’Allysen Callery ne se périmera jamais, elle ne sera jamais ridicule tel le dernier Lady Gaga (alors que ce dernier vient à peine de sortir, une vraie misère musicale et sans doute humaine à cette échelle), elle ne souffrira jamais des changements de modes musicales, elle ne se tarira jamais en raison de sa profondeur et de son universalité, elle restera à jamais une musique folk à la fois si simple et indispensable, presqu’autant que l’air respiré. Mumblin’ Sue n’est pas une œuvre qu’on est capable de décortiquer pour mettre en valeur sa plume, c’est une expérience à la limite du shamanisme qu’on est en droit de s’offrir. Allysen Callery vous vend du rêve : sa maîtrise du picking qui ensorcèle, son falsetto à faire rougir les sirènes, son écriture inspirée et intelligente, sa douceur et sa sagesse sont transcendantes.
Chef d’œuvre d’humilité, de beauté, de naturel, pas une once d’artifice ne vient écorner ce disque d’acid folk indispensable qui s’impose vraisemblablement comme le meilleur de 2013. Quand je constate l’émergence des premiers top 50 ou autres déclinaisons de 2013 des webzines de bobos (senteurs de pets) et que seuls un ou deux noms féminins émergent, je me dis que les critiques devraient peut être enfin écouter les (vraies) artistes féminine (non Lady Gaga ou Sky Ferreira n’en font pas partie merci). A bon entendeur, salut. Mumblin’ Sue, disque folk de 2013. Absolute Must Have of course.
Mark Cutler ‘Soul Flame’ video
Providence Phoenix Interviews Mark Cutler about new album ‘Dreamland’
You can read the interview here.
Revered veteran musician Mark Cutler has officially escaped the cube farm, and he’s feeling like a billion bucks. He’s been a working musician for nearly 40 years and is an iconic fixture on the Lil Rhody music scene, from his days with the Schemers and the Raindogs to his current outfits, Men of Great Courage and the Tiny String Band. The singer/songwriter/six-string slinger just released another fantastic album, Dreamland (75orLess Records), the follow-up to 2012’s Sweet Pain. Mark will return to his favorite Jewelry District dive, Nick-a-Nee’s, for the official Dreamland release show on Friday.
Cutler’s brand of earnest roots-rock is scaled back this time around. He noted that he wrote “small songs about small things” and recorded in a home studio “the size of a postage stamp.” His exit from the rat race is prevalent on “Doing Things That We Like to Do” and “Too Much Fun.” He revs it up a bit and even plays drums on “Gonna Need My Help,” which he calls a “Yardbirds-type of raveup.” Dusty gems “Tankful of Gas” and “We Don’t Do That Stuff No More” dial up Dylan and Tom Petty, and the title track is a personal fave. Mark revealed a soft spot for the introspective “I’ll Play For You”:
“That one has a special place in my heart because every word is taken from real life — the first verse talks about the legendary Living Room. The second is taken directly from a memory of my second-grade schoolmate Geneva and how my eight-year-old heart yearned back then. The last verse is about one of my best friends, Mark Egan, who passed away a few years ago. We had a short-lived ritual where in the evenings we would walk down Park Avenue in Cranston, play our guitars and sing songs.”
Dreamland is Cutler’s third album for the Warren-based imprint 75orLess Records. Label founder Mark MacDougall says that Cutler helped pave the way for their increasingly eclectic roster.
“Mark Cutler deserves credit for expanding the types of music genres that the label is involved with. The first few years were strictly punk and hard rock albums, but after we released Red I was much more open to working with performers like Haunt the House, Allysen Callery, and others. Even if I stopped the label tomorrow, Mark is one of the best people I have crossed paths with, regardless of our music connection.”
Read our Q&A with Cutler below, and pick up Dreamland right now at the 75orLess Records website.
What was your former day job, and how is it not working for The Man anymore? I was a quality assurance engineer — I tested software. It was a good job for awhile, but leaving was the best thing I’ve done in a long time. I initially took the job in order to be able to provide my son with health insurance and help pay for his education, and now that he is graduating it seemed like a good time to reboot my life. Not working for The Man gives me a wonderful feeling. I’m still working harder than ever, but it’s really nice to not dread Mondays. I’m making less dough but I feel like a billionaire.
Considering the album title, was there a conscious decision going in that this album would have a mellower sound than Sweet Pain? Yes. I wanted to make a small record at home and I wanted to make it sound as spontaneous as possible. I wanted to write small songs about small things. Sometimes small things can be as big as the universe. I was taking cues from Lou Reed and Ray Davies — artists that can make the mundane sound beautiful.
Dreamland is your most stripped-down release. Did you do most of it solo? I did most of the record myself but of course I needed the help of my band, the Men of Great Courage (Jim Berger, bass, Rick Couto, drums, Bob Kirkman, banjo, Richard Reed, keys). Chris Lilley was very generous with her engineering knowledge. And my good friend (and veteran producer) Emerson Torrey did the mastering.
How has your relationship with Mark MacDougall and 75orLess been thus far? My partnership with 75orLess is wonderful. We have a low-key and low-pressure relationship. Mark is easygoing and does a great job getting the word out for me. He’s a music lover and he feels like family.
Tell us about working on the soundtrack for Jim Wolpaw’s Ladd School documentary (facebook.com/laddfilm)? Jim told me about this project, the strange and disturbing story of the Ladd School, and I jumped at the chance. I believe that this is an important story on many levels. People have a ton of misconceptions about folks who are labeled as being developmentally disabled and I hope that this film helps to dispel some of those notions. I’m working with clients from Advocates in Action to create an original soundtrack, including Jimmy Isom, who plays beats on the table and sings. Jimmy was also a client at Ladd School years ago, and has shared some chilling stories with me. I’ve made some friends for life through this project. I feel like getting to work on this soundtrack is a gift from God.
What’s on deck for MC in 2014? Will you continue to play with The Schemers? We’ll probably stick to doing one or two Schemers shows a year. I want to keep that special for the people who remember the band. Hopefully, the Tiny String Band and MOGC will be recording in 2014, and maybe I’ll put out a weird electronica album. I’ve been threatening to do that for a long time. I’m going to be holding food drives throughout the year and teaching guitar. I’ve been working on some short stories and screenplays as well.
Did you ever imagine that almost 40 years later you would still be kicking out the jams? I never thought that I’d be doing anything else. Any day job that I had was solely to support my family and my habit. My decision to leave my job was made easier when I said out loud that I wouldn’t ever be able to afford to retire. So, if I’m going to have to work until the day I die, I may as well be doing something that I love. Wish me luck.
Dan Baker ‘What I’m Looking For’ video
Dan Baker ‘Pistol in my Pocket’ review at AltCountry Forum
You can read the review here.
Dan Baker debuteert in 2008 met het album Outskirts of Town waarna twee jaar later Sad Song Junkie verschijnt. De huidige inwoner van New England heeft dit album opgenomen in Chelsea, een klein stadje op de grens van Boston. Wie de economische omstandigheden kent die deze stad en zijn inwoners teisteren, zal begrijpen dat dit in de Recording Studio opgenomen album in vele opzichten een donkere kant kent die er stevig inhakt. Gesteund door een uiterst sober spelende begeleidingsband maakt Baker zijn reputatie als Sad Song Junkie volledig waar. Sombermans behandelt thema’s als verval, verraad, wraak en verloren en hervonden liefde met een welhaast ongedwongen vanzelfsprekende intonatie. De liedjes zijn direct opgenomen en hebben een spontaan karakter dat weldadig aanvoelt.
Vergelijkingen met een jonge Dylan, John Prine en Jonathan Richman zijn al in een eerder stadium door diverse collega’s aangedragen, maar Baker heeft op Pistol In My Pocket een eigen geluid geventileerd en maakt een zeer volwassen indruk. De nostalgische sfeer die om de liedjes heen hangt, wordt geaccentueerd door de indringende vioolpartijen van Rob Flax, terwijl pianist Chris Enright daar met zijn kundige spel goed gedoseerde partijen aan toevoegt. Drummer /percussionist Karl Grohmann en de staande bas spelende Alan Uhler hebben vooral een dienende rol en houden het vooral graag simpel. Pistol In My Pocket is zeker thematisch geen vrolijk album. Voor mij is dat geen punt. Een album met zulke heerlijke liedjes komt altijd van pas.
Dam Baker ‘Pistol in my Pocket’ review at Ctl-Alt-Country E-zine
You can read the review here.
(5*****)
Met z’n eerste twee platen, het in 2008 verschenen “Outskirts Of Town” en het van twee jaar later stammende “Sad Song Junkie”, blies de jonge Amerikaanse songsmid Dan Baker ons al letterlijk compleet van onze sokken. Wij dachten bij het horen van z’n liedjes spontaan aan die van grootheden als een Bob Dylan, een John Prine en een Tom Waits. De man presenteerde zich als een kanjer van een storyteller met bovendien ook een prachtig deuntje in de vingers. En dan was er natuurlijk ook nog die wat aparte, hoogst passionele stem van ‘m. Die paste echt wel uitstekend bij de “Sad Song Junkie” uit de titel van z’n tweede. En – Eerlijk is eerlijk! – ook bij heel wat van het materiaal van z’n nieuwe worp. Dat album, het zopas verschenen “Pistol In My Pocket”, laat een ondertussen weer wat rijper geworden Baker aan het woord. Stilaan een echte meester in z’n vak. Genadeloos pakt hij je als liefhebber van het genre in met liedjes over thema’s als verloren en herwonnen liefde, verraad, wraak en andere. Liedjes, die tegelijk heerlijk rauw en toch ontzettend af klinken. Heel erg doorleefd allemaal ook. In één woord: beklijvend. Met als absolute uitschieters wat ons betreft de zich schaamteloos in weemoed wentelende pianoballade “Coming Home”, het voorwaar zelfs even voorzichtig Springsteenesk aandoende “One Of Them” en het afsluitende “Not Gonna Say It”, een gebroken hart verpakt in een door en door verdrietig wijsje. Top-Americana! Echt vanuit de grond van ons hart aanbevolen!