Flanfire

While on my way to catch some old friends this week, I stumbled across two very fine bands, both with brand new CD's to share. Feeding 5000 (stripped down version) was at the Dirty Dog on Sunday [see show review], while Sheboygan was rocking the house at the Hole in the Wall on Friday night. And, yes, I am holding off on reviewing Aimee Bobruk's amazing CD (great work by Darwin Smith and his band of merrie men -- and women) until closer to her March 4th CD release party at the Cactus Cafe (which is about a week after Jenny Reynolds has her OWN CD release party there, featuring Scrappy Jud Newcomb and a full band).

Before I get into the reviews, I must mention that somewhere in the week there was Tuesday at the Scoot -- with Chris Brecht and the Broken 45's and the Gary Newcomb Trio -- and Wednesday at the Hole in the Wall -- with Darwin Smith (with an impassioned version of Townes' "Flying Shoes") and of course the Lonesome Heroes (and that cute Sarah Stollack on fiddle). At least 25 of my friends showed up both nights -- it was like a two-day party with all of the same great people -- and great music.

Gary, by the way, will be HOSTING the Alt-Country showcase at the Hole next Wednesday -- a very "heroic" thing for him to do.

Anti-football folks take note that Gina Chavez will be playing at Jovita's during the game -- should be a fine show. Jovita's -- that's right! I was there Wednesday to see Slowtrain, and again on Friday to catch Victoria and Zeta Five (but of course Vic and Ed were sitting next to us on Wednesday, checking out the venue). That woman can play some electric fiddle! Sing, too! But I digress ... Slowtrain also played the Hole on Friday, with some Bryce Clifford band thrown into that late-night mix that should have had more time to develop. That's a great new song about Mavis Staples, Adoniram -- but get yourself some new harps so we can hear CHEEVER again. We are still waiting on the Slowtrain CD; meanwhile, Bryce is actually in the studio working on his second Austin release. Lots of good product around.

But back to Feeding 5000. I can hardly wait (well, I will have to) to hear the full band, because the CD "The Books We Read" is smokin' -- and cleverly put together. It is also as serious as a heart attack -- reminiscent of Live meets U2 (with maybe a little Seattle grunge thrown in). But U2 especially on "Fly," musically, that is. Curious minds reflect that Jesus fed 5,000 a couple of times. These guys, though, want to feed a lot of people with music that has chewable words and savory melodies and power chords (courtesy of guitarist Michael Gonzalez). Drummer Alex Geismar, keyboardist Aaron Brown, and bassist Jeremy Rocha all lay down the sound that enables singer-lyricist Kelly Scott Taylor to soar above the noise with great power.

The band, which has been a perennial opening act of late (Everclear, Toadies, Blue October, Los Lonely Boys, etc.), may be on the verge of a stepup with the acoustic trio Triple AAA radio campaign for "Sing Out Loud," which many say is the recording's strongest cut. Others like "Last Wish," which includes the promise that "I'll be with you in your prison tonight." Me, I like "Books," just for that line about "when California's gone, the righteous remain wrong." But the finale, "Carry On," IS the anthem with a promise -- "If you ever fall, I'll lift you from the ground; if ever you doubt, let me turn your faith around. Whatever it takes, we'll carry on."

For those who like metaphor, one might suggest the band is saying here a lot about how the "righteous" are just not with God's program. In "Amnesty," we learn that "far from righteousness, inequity remains. The blood we spill will leave an avalance of shame. May amnesty be our fate." "Something More" begins with "Right of center, left of sure," a commentary on our nation's skewed politics that seems always to eschew true service for posturing. "Systems all outta whack" is the result. "Books" adds that, "Our future suffices as long as the laws we've been give have already been written" (and still enforced). "This Song" flatly states, "We're running out of time." And in "Reach Out," again we hear that "Maybe the time ain't on our side ... maybe the moment's out of our hands."

There IS an answer -- "look to the sky, fly, elevate, lift your body from the ground.... breathe, rise from your knees, SEE what's shaking our world and what's breaking us." and then just "Carry On." I really liked this record -- two thumbs up.

Now on to Sheboygan (which I belive is in Wisconsin; is OUR Cory related to Sheboygan orthopaedist Dr. Scott Glaeser?). I walk into the Hole as drummer Gray Parsons has taken total leave of his senses (er, sticks) and is pulsating into the microphone with beat-box style noises while the rest of the guys are flailing and wailing away. Caught my breath (noticed Johnny Vogelsang and Cory Glaeser and Chris "Rusty" Gebhard on the stage) and said, "I didn't know Johnny V got to play lead guitar!" Then I started listening (as I also watched a very energetic houseful of Skyrocketers and Slowtrain fans together having a LOT of fun.

Cory and Rusty and Gray WERE the band when they went to George Reiff to record this CD over a year ago (Johnny must have been on tour). Jeff Johnston (who did grace the stage on Wednesday for the expanded Lonesome Heroes entourage) added some saw sounds. My second impression of this band was -- the Hollies (Graham Nash and friends) -- meaning the vocal harmonies were absolutely FINE! Now, I must admit that the live set included a bunch of new songs, including Vang's "Bittersweet Departure" (title guess) and Cory's "All the Tea in China," which fittingly had an oriental sound.

This is a SWEET album of upbeat, joyful and just plain FUN music that fits the title, "It's OK Say Yes." From the "Prelude" (a ticky-piano ditty) to "The Stars and the Moon" to "Star Child" all the way through to "Time Machine" (my very favorite) and "Birth of Venus" (love song's still the end), the CD has the same effect on people as the live set did on the Hole crowd. It must be "The Power of Suggestion" (the final cut) which the boys admit seeks to "make you love me."

"Stars" has that Beatles feel to it -- "said I'd give you the stars, I'd give you the moon," and even some of those Paul McCartney "whoo's". "Star Child" (there's Jeff's saw) will "fade into the night like a star that's so bright," but then there is this a cappello three-part barbershop harmony verse that leads into the guitar solo that is just KILLER! You feel like you're on a yellow submarine! Yet you end up realizing that this might be a song about a lost love.

"Everybody Knows" has that Sixties R&B feel to it, then morphs into that British pop sound for a while. How is it that Glaeser and Gebhard write songs that so easily complement each other? "Dream" hopes that "you'll be there someday with me" -- in the dream that is life. This is soooo Hollies! "Got No Game" is uptempo, as is "Til I'm Over You," which starts off with "You say you wannt hang out and be the best of friends" -- but it was the "you say" that reminded me of 4th Street for a brief second. But what harmonies! I just LOVE this song.

Even so, it's "Time Machine" that clears out all of my cobwebs. [Where HAVE I been not to have caught this band?] "I've got a question, girl, that's been on my mind, can I put us back together?" That time machine might just change their lives -- because "the second time is always better." Second verse starts the harmonies. Then there is "I Got So Sleepy," which reminds us that "that was then, this is now," as we dance the sleepyhead's waltz. And just when you think you are yawning, "Birth of Venus" starts off with those harmonies again -- but fortunately for the oversleepers, the song quickly turns into a pop shuffle that reminds us that "love songs fill the air" when you just sing like these guys do (nice piano work, too!). The finale has that saw again -- and that sleepy theme as well. The wonderful Darin Murphy produced a four-song EP for these guys back in 2004 -- he must LOVE this record a lot!

Flanfire -- Bringing LIFE to Austin music.