MEDLEYVILLE March 2004 -- December 2004
Features, reviews and columns posted during the first 10 months of www.medleyville.us.
MARCH 2004
A Second City Band’s Second Coming: Revamped Urge Overkill shows promise on club tour
Blue Dogs: Halos and Good Buys -- Excess positive vibes and not enough emotional variety
Now Hear This: Borialis rides out album delays, lineup changes
In a New York Groove: Black 47’s Larry Kirwan inspired by the big city
Sounding Off, Vol. 1: The Exploitation of William Hung – Taking a Joke Too Far
Doing Things His Way: Will Owsley balances a full schedule
Gingersol: Eastern -- Life’s bummers wrapped with memorable melodies
SXSW 2004: Big Star – Revisiting the past and looking to the future
APRIL 2004:
SXSW 2004: Mike Madden’s Report Card
SXSW 2004: George Henn’s Notables
Joe Jackson Band: Afterlife -- Still lots of fight left
Eric Clapton: Me and Mr. Johnson -- A living legend does right by his late hero
Storytime: The Subdudes’ John Magnie
Weezer: Weezer (Deluxe Edition) – Ten years later, the hooks and loner perspective hold their own
Toots and the Maytals: True Love -- Guest stars pay homage to a reggae pioneer
MAY 2004
The Rosenbergs: Department Store Girl -- Tuneful matters of the heart rule the inventory
Here Comes Trouble: Newcomer Johnathan Rice readying first album
Shakin’ Street No. 2: Brother JT – An Appreciation
Full Range on Display: Joe Firstman cuts loose during rare headlining gig
Jay Bennett: Bigger Than Blue -- A singer-songwriter coming into his own
JUNE 2004
Hair Apparent: Fastball returns with Keep Your Wig On
It All Adds Up: Jeffrey Gaines Live released as DVD Plus
Eric Ambel: Knucklehead -- An archival collection unlike most others
Remembering Ray Charles: Stars pause to recall a music legend
Monster Magnet: Monolithic Baby! -- Cover tunes pad an inconsistent effort
Sounding Off, Vol. 2: INXScusable – Singer search hits desperation level
The Great Bamboozle 2004 (Day Three)
JULY 2004
In a League of His Own: Bobby Bare Jr. focuses on recent releases
Josh Rouse: The Smooth Sounds of Josh Rouse -- Rarities disc highlights CD-DVD package
A Different Prescription: Ted Leo enlists Chris Shaw to produce new album
The Forty-Fives: High Life High Volume -- Noted producer adds polish to the punch
No Holding Back: Old 97’s pull out all the stops
AUGUST 2004
Shakin’ Street No. 3: Taking the Scenic Route – Promising labels begin with local focus
Out of the Studio: Velvet Crush to tour Japan behind new disc
G. Love: The Hustle -- An uneven effort that’s rewarding at times
Marc Broussard: Carencro -- Inconsistent material, identity issues plague disc
Full Speed Ahead: Car talk with Clarks guitarist Rob James
SEPTEMBER 2004
Disc Discussion: Paul Westerberg -- Folker
Shakin’ Street No. 4: The Value of Good Taste – When cover bands do it right
OCTOBER 2004
Social Distortion: Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll -- Spirited songs about life’s hard lessons
Powerful Stuff: Jonny Polonsky charts a new sonic course
Cake: Pressure Chief -- Keyboards alter the usual formula
Matthew Sweet: Living Things -- Emptying his mixed bag of aural experiments
NOVEMBER 2004
Shore of Herself: Patience is a virtue for Charlotte Martin
Robyn Hitchcock: Spooked -- Presence of unlikely guests makes perfect sense
Cheers, mate: Ex-Face Ian McLagan doing fine as a bandleader
Sounding Off, Vol. 3: Self-indulgence/promotion mar free U2 gig
DECEMBER 2004
A Night of Musical Ecstasy: Reunited Raspberries sharp during Cleveland gig