Month: February 2013

Think of Holden as the Velvet Underground with a French accent. This noise-pop duo differs, however, in chronicling not the wild side of the ’60s, but the existential estrangement of modern-day life – all set to haunting vocals and swirling guitars a la Nico and Lou Reed.

At its heart, Holden is the partnership of songwriter and vocalist Armelle Pioline and guitarist Mocke. They have been joined by a merry-go-round of other musicians filling out the full rock and roll band sound, coming together best on their 2006 CD, Chevrotine. Now, after 10 years of musical explorations and four studio albums dating back to 1998, Holden has released this two-CD set chronicling the band’s output. This is part greatest hits package, part collection of rarities, outtakes, live tracks, and demos. Packaged with lyrics and photos, it’s truly an essential addition to the band’s story.

While comparisons to the VU are apt, Holden’s voice is all its own. Rarely does the band come across as harsh as the Reed-Cale collaborations; instead, Holden has a more melodic and lyrical sound, grounded in French chanson and proto-rock yé-yé pop. Mocke’s guitar work is the perfect counterpoint to Pioline’s sensuous vocals: Alternating soothing and sweet, he can break loose into maelstroms of noise and overdriven drone that underline the band’s message.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’12 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

Poxon might present a dilemma for some listeners. He was only 16 years old when this material was recorded, and considering the mix of blues, country, rock, and funk he presents, it’s easy to immediately assume he can’t handle it for many reasons. But, aside from some vocals that occasionally sound like a 16-year-old, Poxon proves those assumptions wrong with a maturity and knowledge of the music that goes well beyond his years.

The Maryland/Virginia/D.C.based guitarist’s versatility and willingness to try new things push songs throughout his debut. “Hottest Thing In Town” shows a player who is an amalgamation of many guitarists but not a slave to any of them. It’s a straight-ahead boogie that could easily live on standard licks, but Poxon throws some jazz hints into his soloing. His fills on the funky “No Love” are a short history of the blues, while his biting solo is the epitome of taste. He focuses on soul music on “I Want You So Bad,” and his rhythm guitar makes it clear he knows the genre well, as his bends and pinched notes in the solo keep the soul quotient turned up. The title of “I’ll Sing The Blues,” with its obvious reference to “I’ll Play The Blues For You,” and a solo full of massive bends, make it pretty obvious that Albert King has made an appearance or two in his CD player.

“Is There Anything I Can Do” is the prerequisite slow blues, and even in a song that could quickly become cliched, he shows he knows how to build a solo from tasty quietness to a soulful shout. It’s easy to be a skeptic, but Poxon’s obvious affinity for this music makes it easy to like his teenage debut.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’12 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

Like-minded co-founders Perry Smith and John Storie were students in the music department of U.S.C. and have been playing together since 2005. They recently added Jeff Stein, and the trio makes a kind of music that is unique on today’s music front.

“Textures” is an apt description. There are elements of jazz, folk, country, rock, and even a bit of classical thrown in. The musicianship extends both to the compositions and the playing. All percussion elements are supplied by the rhythm guitars – most evident on “Arrowhead,” with elegant acoustic guitar that builds and pushes the tempo as the other two guitarists solo around the changes. Whether alone or in dual harmonized lines, the solos are always interesting and at times resemble small compositions within the song. The sounds of the guitars also become part of the tunes, whether it’s the propulsive acoustic, jangly Fender sound, or bass-tinged hollow-body feel. Harmonized guitar parts take on a special feel when the sounds mix. Melody is a major part of all these songs. “Crooked Railroad” puts together all the strengths of the trio with its unforgettable melody, bubbling electric guitars blending perfectly with each other over an acoustic bed, and finally a jazz-based solo that would fit on any number of Blue Note recordings.

The group’s creativity in not being afraid to stretch boundaries a bit is helping to forge a new area of music that should inspire other guitarists to expand their boundaries.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’12 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

The music of Brazil has always had a strong pull on jazz musicians, and Israeli guitarist Yotam, who has spent the last couple of years establishing himself on the New York jazz scene, is no exception. His tone is perfect and his chops topflight on this rundown of songs written by some of the biggest proponents of the music of South America.

The opening “Influencia do Jazz,” written by Carlos Lyra, mixes the music of Brazil with jazz via an immediately memorable melody and a gorgeous series of changes that Yotam’s solo dances nimbly around. While it’s indicative of his uptempo skills, his playing on several ballads is every bit as interesting. Jobim’s “Falando de Amor (Words Of Love)” gives Yotam and guest flugelhornist Roy Hargrove a chance to show a quieter side without giving up any intensity. The other ballad is the only Yotam original on the record, “Nocturno.” It’s a contemplative song with an airy vocal accompanying the guitar. It features another guest, Toninho Horta, on acoustic guitar.
When Yotam brings his jazz background into the equation, the perfect amount of cool slips through on “O Barquinho (My Little Boat),” casting aside any doubts about the connection between the two kinds of music. The band has a little bit of fun with the song, quoting “Tequila” before it ends.

Brasil continues to establish Yotam as one of the young lions on the New York jazz scene.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s March ’12 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.