Doris Brendel & Lee Dunham 'Not Utopia' (Sky Rocket) 4.5/5

One of most interesting releases of 2010 was the album 'The Last Adventure' by Doris Brendel a remarkable album that manged to capture every type of rock genre from prog to punk and wrap it up in one very coherent whole. That album became a listener favourate and ended up being nominated for the Album of the Year award.Now, two years on, Doris is back, this time working with Primary Slave guitarist Lee Dunham (NOT the racing motorcyclist) on this her latest opus.

Not Utopia sounds like The Last Adventures older and more grown up brother - as with the earlier album this one is another glorious mating of styles and genres, but Not Utopia is a far more together and complete work, it dances smoothly from style to style. And what a range of styles we have on offer. Opening cut No Lonely Girl sounds like a female fronted Pendragon on a Hawkwind trip, Going Out is a meaty slice of disco influenced dance rock that hints a little at the Scissor Sisters in feel and bounce. Beyond Words is a strings lead sadly introspective ballad and Too Bad To Be Good is a quirky post rock and roll ditty with a shade of the Jim Steinmans about it.... and so it continues.

However whatever the style the music, the real killer here is Doris' voice. She has the power and range of the true greats and whats more has a real earthy and warm Janice Joplin type edge to it. What is even better; she does none of that annoying cat wailing and flash vocal gymnastics that often passes for 'good singing' these days (just watch any episode of the 'America has the voice factor' to see what I mean), just good old school gusty rock steady old school rock and roll vocalisations. Just check out the post prog excellence of Conflicted to hear one of the vocal performances of the year so far.

It must not also not be over looked that this is not a solo album, a lot of praise must be heaped on Lee Dunham as well, playing everything on here apart from the strings, saxophone and the piano (yup he did the drums as well) and producing the whole kit and caboodle he has forged a series of emotive and sonically stunning soundscapes  that not only bring the best of Doris distinctive voice and song writing talent, but also marks himself out as an arranger, producer and musician of real note.

Highlights? Well I'm getting to like this album lots, but if I had to pick just one track to take to a desert island it would be the closer Your So Not a sweet folky influenced prog track in the Jethro Tull / early Genesis vein with some fantastically dark and cutting lyrics. (and the hidden bonus track is pretty sweet as well of you can find it)

All in all this is a damn fine album from a couple of great British musicians, who deserve to be far better known.

Well worth a spot purchase

For fans of... Joni Mitchell, The Subways,  Janice Joplin, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, ...and many more.

Richard Marx - 'Inside My Head' - (frontiers) 4/5

US based soft rocker Richard Marx has become something of an institution with the more AOR types of rockers. Ever since his big break came in the late 1980's with a string of US chart busters, such as his seminal single 'Hazard', he has built up a loyal following worldwide and is still bringing out quality records in his trade mark feel good laid back rock style.

This double album is his latest release and is a sort of semi compilation work, bringing together a number of tracks from a couple of download only albums such as 'Emotion Remains' and 'Sundown' along with a few other odd songs he seams to have had laying around.

All in all this is pretty standard Richard Marx fare. Late night chilled out ballads such as Through My Veins and Loved rub shoulders with some very listenable light weight rockers such as Over My Head, Always On My Mind and Come Running... metalheads and the like my find it a bit forgettable, but anyone with a taste for the early works of Elton John, Tom Petty and The Eagles will find a lot here to entertain them.

Chuck in the fact that Mr Marx had a bit of a talent for songsmithery; turning out catchy hooks, intelligent lyrics and hummable melodies and for anyone who likes their rock on the soft side this one has a lot to offer.

Highlights? well this album is pretty good over all, and there is any track that strikes you as duff, but my fave cuts have to be the hard edged rocker All Over Me and the funky groove workout of Scars.

Worth checking out if you like good solid soft rock

For Fans Of... Tommy Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, House Of Lords....

Tylean - 'Formaldehyde EP' (Bast Records) 4.5/5

Darkwave / alternative singer songwriter and self confessed 'cello rapist' TyLean originally hails from Wapwallopen in the USA, but these days is based in London, UK. Over the past few years she has served up a trio of really quite remarkable albums, that featuring just keyboards, vocals and cello, explore the darkest textures of the human condition with an insight that few artists can match. Now we have 'Formaldehyde' a four track EP of finely presented slices of musical darkness to add to her canon of works.

Now if your not familiar with this ladies work, be warned. This is not easy listening, far from it, TyLeans music makes the likes of Bjork sound mainstream. But please don't take that as a negative comment. This is very very good stuff, it's just very very dark.

We start off with Love Always Dies, a dark and downbeat tale of lost romance that speaks of 'sleepless nights and tearful goodbyes', Tyleans vocals are bleak and sorrowful, and they are rocked gently along with a simple piano line and a haunting cello solo. Next up there's The Dark The Blue and The Grey, a moody and brooding piece that is almost disturbing in delivery, with its discordant chords, heartbeat rhythms and multilayered  vocal lines. Then there's Big Hearts that spins off into a dark jazz vibe, almost like a gothic Billie Holiday, all late night piano and heart rending lyrics; and then to conclude there is Amputation Of A Heart, in my book the real stand out track on this impressive EP., with its free form intro, sawing cello riffage and almost operatic vocals. Spine tingling stuff.

So we have the songs here, and I'm glad to say we have the performance as well. TyLeans vocals are some of the very best, she can take in everything from heart broken whispers to primal screams, from jazzy resignation to operatic resolution like very few others can. Add in the fact she can play a mean piano line that steps well away from the expected cliche and she can use a cello to add attitude, attack and atmosphere and you have here a four tracker that is a real gem.

And there's more. It seams TyLean is not only a musician of extraordinary talent, but she is a bit of a painter. This ep comes with her original art work on the cover and with more original paintings to illustrate each track, now I'm no art critic, but I know what I like and I love the artwork as much as I'm loving the ep.

In short - Another winner from TyLean

For Fans of... Bjork, Tori Amos, Errin Williams, etc......

For more info and details how to get hold of this ep...  http://www.tylean.com

The Herman Post - 'Put It There Buster' (self released) 4/5

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I first came across Lancashire singer songwriter, Laura Catlow-Morris at a small music festival halfway up a Welsh mountain just over a year ago, I was rather taken by her almost punk attitude to what was in essence a folky acoustic set and can remember pondering with some of my AST buddies what she would be like in a full band. Well a year on I've got an answer, as she has just issued this three track ep with her new outfit The Herman Post.

The Herman Post are a two piece or Laura on guitar and vocals and Joshua Gorman on drums and they play some very infectiously catchy pop-punk in the style of The Subways or Kiria. This one opens with a superb little bop along track entitled My E.T. Cup, all catchy hooks driven jangly guitars, some ultra tight diving drumming and gloriously trashy lead break. If you can remember Aussie post punk trio The Spazzy's you'll get an idea of the over all sound.

Next up we get a cracking cover of the old Ronnettes standard Be My Baby which works very well, Laura has a sixties songstress feel to her voice anyway, and the band have resisted the temptation to over punk it up, instead taking the song in a sixties garage pop style - the result is one of the best versions of song I've encountered for a long time. The sixites garage feel is carried on with the closer Brighter Lights as well, a trashy ballad that mixes 60's pop sensibilities with modern post punk attitude in fine style.

The fact that Laura is a fair talent comes as no real suprise, that was pretty obvious when I first heard her solo up that Welsh mountain, but now its good to see her begin to form an outfit around her that can take her beyond the over populated talented female singer songwriter scene and into areas where her talent can grow in new ways and reach new audiences. Well worth a look.

For fans of... The Subways, Rita Lynch, The Skuzzies, Kiria....

Download this ep for free from -http://thehermanpost.bandcamp.com/album/put-it-there-buster