Craig Finn Has Made His First Foray Into Solo Territory

DECEMBER 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM REVIEWS HOLE CNobody’sRAIG FINN Daughter [Universal] Clear Heart Full Eyes [Vagrant] The first album released under the Hole moniker since 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really frontwoman Courtney Love’sAfter five albums with Brooklyn indie rockers the Hold Steady, frontman second solo album—co-founder,Craig Finn has made his first foray into solo territory. While Clear Heart songwriter and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson isn’t involved,Full Eyes is a down-tempo, alt-country departure from Finn’s usual nor is any other previous Hole member. So it’s Love andclassic-rock three oeuvre, this is no throwaway acoustic cop-out. In lieu of ringers on 11 new songs—10 of which Love wroteelectric with guitar we find pedal steel warbling to fill in the negative space. collaborators like Billy Corgan,The album’s Linda Perry production and new sounds thin and almost minimalist compared to guitarist Micko Larkin. (Perry gets full credit on one tune, “Letter to God.”) the stadium-friendly sounds of the Hold Steady, emphasizing a suitable Much of the riveting intensity of the group’s 1990s heyday appears to havedryness left along in withhis hervocal former delivery. Daniel Jackson Finn’s lyrics continue to impress, with heart- bandmates, but there are fl ashes here of the snarling Too often, though, the slower songs trip her up. While once fury Love deployed to suchwrenching devastating storieseffect back of in unfortunate the day. they peoplewere showcases between for harrowing offhand displays references of naked emotion, to She spits out her vocals Freddiewith vengeful Mercury disdain on and “Skinny Joan Little Didion. Love sounds Though more religion dispassionate is a theserecurring days. The theme, production Bitch,” overdriven guitars roiling atop an elastic bassline that doesn’t help—the songs have an airless, sanded-down feel that speeds up as the song evenraces toward fans amight climatic bepile-up taken at the abackdoesn’t by fi t with the her determined visceral persona. Courtneyfocus onLove’s Jesus. tumultuous end. She shifts tempos and attitude on the more contemplative history suggests that she has a compelling story to tell, and “Pacifi c Coast Highway,”Clear taking stock Heart as layers shows of acoustic a sense and ofperhaps purpose she does. that It’s keepjust not thesethe one she’ssongs telling as on ever Nobody’s electric guitars chug along behind her. Daughter. –Eric R. Danton coming off as castoffs from Finn’s day job. –Amanda Farah

COURT YARD HOUNDS A side project of new offering suggested that its creator was a few strides closer to Dixie Chicks’ Martie crafting something truly monumental in both musical and social terms. Court Yard Hounds Maguire and Emily This cold and private set isn’t it, although that’s probably due more to [Columbia] Robison, Court Yard personal circumstances than anything related to talent. Wainwright Hounds delivers wrote All Days Are Nights while his mother, Kate McGarrigle, was much-anticipated dying of cancer, and there is a quiet, complex sadness even in its insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have less autobiographical material. There’s nothing here except piano for so long ceded center stage to Chicks singer Natalie Maines. and vocal, and Wainwright doesn’t project his words in the way Though steeped in familiar instrumentation, the album offers little we’ve come to expect from him. Instead of serenading the person of the barn-burning brashness that made the Chicks famous (save in the farthest corner of a packed theater, he’s singing to himself in perhaps the gutsy “Ain’t No Son”). Instead, its delicate folk-pop an otherwise empty room. –David Styburski prettiness perfectly suits Robison’s more-than-capable voice and the jumble of emotions, sunny and melancholy, that emerge in a song Ozomatli’s music has been called a collision cycle inspired by her 2008 divorce. Maguire’s weeping fi ddle and OZOMATLI of styles, a cultural mash-up, and a 20-car seamless harmonies are welcome as always, and her one turn on pileup of genres. It’s also some of the most ‘Finn’slead vocals lyrics (“Gracefully”) iscontinue so warmly affecting that to listene rsimpress, may withjoyfully energetic music you’ll ever hear. On wish she stepped to the mic more often. Court Yard Hounds ably its fi fth album, the L.A.-based band stirs its demonstrates that, whether with their fellow Dixie Chick or without, blend of salsa, ska, samba, funk, and hip-hop heart-wrenchingthese ladies’ talent runs deep. –Katie storiesDodd of unfortunatein ways few groups could conceive. Imagine Fire Away tossing the English Beat, Herb Alpert and the For a dozen years, the [Mercer Street/Downtown] Tijuana Brass, Caetano Veloso, and Sly and RUFUS arrangements on Rufus the Family Stone into a magical blender and people between off-handWainwright’s albums references got you get some sense toof Ozomatli’s eclectic approach. High points WAINWRIGHT busier and his sometimes on their latest, Fire Away, include “Are You Ready?,” a horn-and- All Days Are Nights: Songs naughty, occasionally percussion-driven blast of salsa-fl avored ska; “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah,” for Lulu angry declarations of gay an exultant Latin pop anthem fi tted with shrieking sax; and “Gay Vatos Freddie[Decca] Mercurypride and got louder. Joan Each inDidion.’ Love,” a rockabilly-tinged tune with a soaring chorus. Even when

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