Reviewed in Music Connection Magazine
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ALBUM REVIEWS !NGIE 3TONE (OLY 'RAIL Dream 8 Times of Pride and Peril 9 Shanachie Entertainment Prosthetic Records Producer: Various Producer: John Spiker Soul survivor and three-time Grammy Falsetto-vocal bands are returning to nominated R&B vet Angie Stone makes her metal in full force, but nine times out of 10, latest Dream about the three P’s: pain, then their sound amounts to a heaping pile of the process to get to the promise. Working Velveeta. That leaves plenty of room for with frequent collaborator Walter Millsap III Pasadena, CA band Holy Grail and their and others, she lays a powerful, emotional singer James Paul Luna to seize the crown. and spiritual foundation even when she’s They do just that with their third album, a floating dreamily in atmospheric old-school conceptual piece that documents the rise soul textures. Deftly balancing the passion and demise of a kingdom, and features 10 with the pain, she artfully—and with sensuality to spare—traverses the sinfully catchy songs. This is the kind of contemporary, classic metal classic sounds she emerged with in the late ‘70s and created for D’An- that Trivium fans should be listening to, and with any luck, it’ll land Holy gelo in the ‘90s with more contemporary driving beats. Stone gives R&B Grail coveted spots at some metal festivals this coming summer. fans of all generations something to dream on. – Jonathan Widran — Kurt Orzeck 3ILVER 3NAKES (RISTO 6ITCHEV 1UARTET Saboteur 6 In Search of Wonders 8 Evil Ink Records First Orbit Sounds Music Producer: Alex Estrada Producer: Hristo Vitchev Silver Snakes have returned to the This is the seventh release for Bulgari- post-hardcore scene with a different sonic an-born, S.F.-based guitarist Hristo Vitchev approach—trading in melodic riffs for as a leader. And as a two-CD set it is his sludgy chugs. Clearly influenced by Nine most ambitious. When you have that kind of Inch Nails, many of the album’s tracks begin space and time to work with, the results can and/or end with electronic percussion and be exploratory, yet offer a collection of fully distorted vocals that book-end the down realized and well conceived compositions. strums. Listeners will hear influences of Vitchev plays in a very lyrical and somewhat Thrice in the song “Devotion,” while the ambient style reminiscent of Pat Metheny second half of “Dresden” abuses ear drums with five-plus minutes of and Steve Khan, with the elegance of Joe Pass. The music draws from redundant rhythm guitar. The band questions whether fans will stick classical and impressionistic elements and combines that with modern around, while we are more concerned it won’t garner any new followers post-bop and hints of fusion. This is all-original fare from a jazz artist either. — Andy Mesecher and group that speaks to a modern generation. — Eric A. Harabadian 4Y $OLLA IGN "AABA -AAL Free TC 7 The Traveller 7 Taylor Gang/Pu$haz Ink/Atlantic Records Marathon Artists Records Producers: Various Producer: Johan Hugo From Nate Dogg to Akon to Ty Dolla $ign, Veteran Senegalese Afro-pop musician/ Ty’s the latest hip-hop/R&B crooner to composer busts out with nine new tracks of showcase his musical agility through a his unique vision. Each selection is a gem debut album, dedicated to his incarcerated of slightly different style, from slick to primal, brother. With firm guest appearances, Free and his arrangements sometimes recall TC hits with songs like “LA”, “Saved” and the world fusion of likeminded artist Peter “Blase,” but misses the mark on “Finale” Gabriel. His voice is mellifluous and graceful, and “Guard Down” due to the production, and beautifully controlled, even on the more which surprisingly features a collaboration frenetic cuts. A wide variety of instrumenta- between multiplatinum producers Kanye West and Diddy. Ty is the go-to tion is drawn upon here, ranging from tribal drums, to electronic touches, artist who turns tracks from lukewarm to hot. Still young in the game, to the lilting tone of the African kora harp. There’s a couple spoken-word Ty has a long way to build a successful musical career; however, as a pieces, but the outstanding track here is “Fulani Rock,” which combines creative force he appears to be on the right path. — Adam Seyum an irresistible dance beat with electric guitars. — David Arnson $AVID "OWIE 4Y 3EGALL Blackstar 10 Emotional Mugger 7 ISO Drag City Records Producer: Tony Visconti Producer: Ty Segall Our beloved cracked actor, who introduced Ty Segall approaches the proficiency output us to larger than life characters like Major of author Stephen King, releasing more ma- Tom, Ziggy Stardust, Halloween Jack and terial in one year than most artists do in sev- Thin White Duke, leaves us with Black- eral. One suspects he’s been getting a little star, his 25th studio album—some say his bored in the studio lately, though––his newest parting gift to us. “Don’t believe for just one release is a showcase for studio experimen- second I’m forgetting you,” he assures us tation at the possible expense of the listener’s on “Dollar Days,” before repeating the cry, patience. The songs are solid and glammy, “I’m trying to, I’m dying to.” Collaborating but Segall takes delight in de-constructing with N.Y. jazz-rockers, The Donny McCaslin Quartet, Bowie croons from the mixes with abrasive synth tones and blasts of sound that frequently station to station through the iconic sonic signposts of his career (the art obscure the rhythm section. The guitar playing is impressive throughout, rock, the kraut rock and his ‘90s drum and bass muse all present). He is though, and is one of the few things left intact, while Segall seemingly the UberBowie, and his Blackstar is the monolith. — Daniel Siwek dares you to enjoy the rest of the “anti”-production. — David Arnson To be considered for review in the Album Reviews section, you must have a record deal with a major label or an independent label with an established distributor. If you do not, please see our New Music Critiques section. 48 February 2016 musicconnection.com ALBUM REVIEWS !NGIE 3TONE (OLY 'RAIL Dream 8 Times of Pride and Peril 9 Shanachie Entertainment Prosthetic Records Producer: Various Producer: John Spiker Soul survivor and three-time Grammy Falsetto-vocal bands are returning to nominated R&B vet Angie Stone makes her metal in full force, but nine times out of 10, latest Dream about the three P’s: pain, then their sound amounts to a heaping pile of the process to get to the promise. Working Velveeta. That leaves plenty of room for with frequent collaborator Walter Millsap III Pasadena, CA band Holy Grail and their and others, she lays a powerful, emotional singer James Paul Luna to seize the crown. and spiritual foundation even when she’s They do just that with their third album, a floating dreamily in atmospheric old-school conceptual piece that documents the rise soul textures. Deftly balancing the passion and demise of a kingdom, and features 10 with the pain, she artfully—and with sensuality to spare—traverses the sinfully catchy songs. This is the kind of contemporary, classic metal classic sounds she emerged with in the late ‘70s and created for D’An- that Trivium fans should be listening to, and with any luck, it’ll land Holy gelo in the ‘90s with more contemporary driving beats. Stone gives R&B Grail coveted spots at some metal festivals this coming summer. fans of all generations something to dream on. – Jonathan Widran — Kurt Orzeck 3ILVER 3NAKES (RISTO 6ITCHEV 1UARTET Saboteur 6 In Search of Wonders 8 Evil Ink Records First Orbit Sounds Music Producer: Alex Estrada Producer: Hristo Vitchev Silver Snakes have returned to the This is the seventh release for Bulgari- post-hardcore scene with a different sonic an-born, S.F.-based guitarist Hristo Vitchev approach—trading in melodic riffs for as a leader. And as a two-CD set it is his sludgy chugs. Clearly influenced by Nine most ambitious. When you have that kind of Inch Nails, many of the album’s tracks begin space and time to work with, the results can and/or end with electronic percussion and be exploratory, yet offer a collection of fully distorted vocals that book-end the down realized and well conceived compositions. strums. Listeners will hear influences of Vitchev plays in a very lyrical and somewhat Thrice in the song “Devotion,” while the ambient style reminiscent of Pat Metheny second half of “Dresden” abuses ear drums with five-plus minutes of and Steve Khan, with the elegance of Joe Pass. The music draws from redundant rhythm guitar. The band questions whether fans will stick classical and impressionistic elements and combines that with modern around, while we are more concerned it won’t garner any new followers post-bop and hints of fusion. This is all-original fare from a jazz artist either. — Andy Mesecher and group that speaks to a modern generation. — Eric A. Harabadian 4Y $OLLA IGN "AABA -AAL Free TC 7 The Traveller 7 Taylor Gang/Pu$haz Ink/Atlantic Records Marathon Artists Records Producers: Various Producer: Johan Hugo From Nate Dogg to Akon to Ty Dolla $ign, Veteran Senegalese Afro-pop musician/ Ty’s the latest hip-hop/R&B crooner to composer busts out with nine new tracks of showcase his musical agility through a his unique vision. Each selection is a gem debut album, dedicated to his incarcerated of slightly different style, from slick to primal, brother.