Sountrack to Cindy
Side 1
Barenaked
Ladies - If you have spent even a little bit of time at On That Note, you already know this is my favorite band, with the BNL Corner dedicated entirely to the numerous concerts of
theirs I have attended. Their newest effort, Stunt, proves to be their most
successful release yet. Stunt represents the combined experience of this
talented group by offering the whimsical quality of their first release, Gordon,
the serious, insightful impact of Maybe You Should Drive, and the maturity of Born
On a Pirate Ship. The first single from Stunt, "One Week",
is a delightful pop song, perfect for the modern rock format that incorporates a catchy
chorus with clever rap verses. Their sound is diverse, with influences of rock,
country, jazz, and humor that make for a unique entertainment experience. For a
taste of their live show, check out their live project, Rock Spectacle, and then
make sure you see them live when they come to your town!!! Side projects of members
include keyboardist Kevin Hearn's Mothball Mint and bass player, Jim Creeggan and brother
Andy (former BNL keyboardist) with Brothers Creeggan I and II.
Barenaked
Ladies Discography at 
Kevin
Hearn Discography at
Ben Folds Five - A great
band out of Chapel Hill, NC (home of my alma mater, University
of North Carolina), this trio (Ben says he miscounted) consists of Ben Folds on grand
piano, Robert Sledge on bass (both standup and regular), and Darren Jesse on drums.
Yes, that's right, no guitars. This makes for an unique pop sound with the energy of
punk and lyrics that are often sensitive, yet unsentimental. Their first self-titled
CD is a great introduction to the band with great tunes "Philosophy" and
"Jackson Cannery". Whatever and Ever Amen put them over the top
with the hit "Brick", about a troubled relationship, "Battle of Who Could
Care Less", an ode to the power struggles in relationships, and "Song for the
Dumped", pretty much self explanatory. Do you get the feeling that someone in
this band has had some bad luck in love? It comes off flawlessly with melodic piano
that is reminiscent of Billy Joel and Joe Jackson, while adding the Southern rock of their
roots of the Allman Brothers, the sensitivity of Elvis Costello, and the energy of
the Sex Pistols. Their recent release, Naked Baby Photos,
highlights some of the groups most proud moments with a collection of early versions and
live performances, a must for the die hard BFF fan.
Ben
Folds Five Discography at
Connells - The Connells
are the longest running of my favorite groups, my interest in them dating back to my
college days at UNC-CH (any body detect the Chapel
Hill/Canada them running in my picks?). They have been together for years and have
not yet reached the ultimate in pop success, probably due to poor management or lack of
label backing. These guys should have been big long ago. They have changed
some membership over the years, but mainstays are the Connell twins on Guitar and Bass,
and the addition of Doug....... as the vocalist several years back. They have many
great CDs in Fun and Games (tunes include "Something to Say",
"Upside Down", and a favorite "Uninspired"), Ring (great song
"Slackjawed"), and the current Still Life. This CD is a tightly
produced one that is reminiscent of the early work. The first song "dull,
brown, and gray" as well as the title tune "still life" remind me of things
from Fun and Games. Melodic guitars, just a twing of the southern
influences from their southern upbringing, and vocals that have
some Brit pop influences reminding me of Oasis (although they've been around long before),
give this group a mild, pleasant edge that would appeal to any modern rock market. I
hope the Connells will be on the road to Houston soon.
Connells
discography at
Odds
- I discovered the Odds as the opening act for Barenaked Ladies last year.
This is a great group of four men from Vancouver, Canada that offers high energy pop songs
with cute, clever, and sensitive lyrics. Heavy guitars characterize this group, but
don't overpower. Their most recent effort, Nest, has 11 catchy tracks that will have
you humming along in no time. The first, "Someone Who is Cool" is a tune
about pretending to be someone you're not. "Make You Mad" and "Say
You Mean It Wondergirl" continue with the strong electric guitar focus and neat
lyrics, while "Nothing Beautiful" offers the more sensitive ballad. Other CDs
include Bedbug, with the song "Heterosexual Man" which has the cute,
ironic video starring members of cross dressing Kids in the Hall fame. This
is a great group to see live, but since they don't come to the US much, I've got my CD
collection to remind me of the fun I've had seeing them.
Odds
discography at
On That Note, I'm outta here....
C
