Issue #26 Extra!: New Releases
Heligoland - "Heligoland"
McDowell - "Rooks Wedding"
Zoot Horn Rollo - "We Saw a Bozo Under the Sea"
Zoot Horn Rollo - "We Saw a Bozo Under the Sea"
(Private, ZHR-2001, 2001, CD)
As one of two guitar men behind Captain Beefheart in the Magic Band and offshoot group Mallard, Bill Harkleroad has seen many a change in his thirty-plus years. As chronicled in his book Lunar Notes with Billy James, the acclaimed guitarist participated in the most fertile period of the Captain's career that resulted in that masterpiece of poetry and poly-rhythms: Trout Mask Replica from 1969. Since that time, Harkleroad's voice has been quiet, finally relocating to Eugene, Oregon to take up guitar teaching. His first solo album is an adventure series packed with the likes of blues, jazz, fusion and many connecting points in between. With Greg Bendian (from Interzone with the Cline Bros.) and other guest players, the mode is one of guitar virtuoso of the same ilk as Waddy Wachtel unleashed on a Guitar Speak album of his own. "Elvis Beans" and "Dancin with the Doorknob" show the leader's penchant for slide guitar and group interplay as well emphasis on sax unisons and spirited tempo changes. "Temporary Tatoo" shows the band strictly entrenched in Mahavishnu mode with violinist Brian Price matching guitar unisons atop a busy rhythm section. A studied Zappa-esque approach is taken with pieces such as "John's Eyes" which rely on cool vibes and an obtuse melody. Overall the album is a great welcome back for a competent player and composer. Please refer to the guitarist's website for further details and touring schedule: www.zoothornrollo.com. Highly recommended. - Jeff Melton
McDowell - "Rooks Wedding"
(Saint Piran, PIRANCD001, 2001, CD)
Considering the cover of this album, you d think that a degree of magic or mystery would surround this album. Mark McDowell has spent a short amount of time in the UK underground scene with Spectrasonic before releasing his first album on his own label. The clues to the singer/songwriter s direction come in part from closing piece, an obscure Donovan cover, Widow with Shawl from his For Little Ones LP in 1967. Emphasizing folksy roots and a semi-traditional style piece offset by a few spacey sound effects and backing organ. The set of thirteen overall pieces are a pastoral meandering through the styles of acoustic T. Rex and Nick Drake (but less stark). The album's opener "In Silence" is a quiet dirge that carries an eerie backdrop with occasional stabs of trumpet. "All Those Years" is an ode for the soldier who doesn t return from a foreign war, characterized by slide guitar and Hammond organ flourishes. "Cajun Dust" is one of the longer pieces on the album with a few more arrangements twist is a techno rhythmic opening against some bluegrass acoustic playing. Chinese Year harkens back to many of Bob Dylan's sixties ballad works while "She Fell Away" is probably the most successful ballad with much in common with Tim Hardin's work. Short vignettes such as "Inky Blank" and "Weobly Rose" develop quickly in less than two-minute presentations much like Donovan's very earliest works. Overall the album is a pretty consistent work as the artist has been making a splash in the U.K. folk/alternative clubs to much appreciation. - Jeff Melton
Heligoland - "Heligoland"
(Calcium Chloride, CaCl 003 CD, CD, 2000)
The remains of Talk Talk, one of the more successful 1980s U.K. pop groups carries forward this new release from Tim Friese-Green. Friese-Green has been noted as a key behind the scenes member who added keyboards and his engineering savvy to that group and helped push them into international stardom. Inside the band his co-songwriting abilities with main man Mark Hollis remained a mystery until the band split in 1991. Violinist Lucy Wilkins makes another notable appearance on "Shock Treatment" together with Dominic Kelly s oboe, creating a mad dissonant chaos that endears the track. Isn't it Sad benefits from a chorus line like some of the work he's done for Catherine Wheel. "Loaded Gun" sounds to me like an outtake from an old Camper Van Beethoven album with wobbly lead vocal from a young Mick Jagger. "Sick Baby You" is a swipe at an out of control female personality that is both grating and brutally effective. The closing track was also on a 1998 EP as well and is a jangling slice of pop, part old Pink Floyd and part Jason Falkner. Overall not a bad alternative rock release but with few distinguishing marks. - Jeff Melton