Review: Bob Ardern - Wires Rosewood & Roots

Bob Ardern moved from England to Canada when he was 13, but it was on a visit back to England for the holidays that Bob discovered the guitar. Santa brought him a guitar for Christmas and then came the practicing. Living in the country without a television made for minimal distractions.

Bob took a break from guitar when life came knocking at his door. He finished his Computer Science degree, started a career, got married and bought a home. Life changed again after about twenty years and Bob found himself alone with no television and plenty of time to practice. 

 

He began to play a local coffee shop and eventually ended up in Nova Scotia where he met producer David Findlay and joined with him to produce Wires, Rosewood & Roots.

 

This album is a collection of Bob’s instrumental pieces some on acoustic guitar and some with backing instruments. If I had to choose a genre to describe this album I would call it Nova Scotian New Age Blues.

 

The night I started to listen to Wires, Rosewood & Roots I was starting my 40 mile commute home in a blizzard. It became the perfect soundtrack to my snowy trek home. The first track “Dusty’s Train” was just what I expected to hear based from the picture on the cover of the cd. Open strings, natural harmonics, finger picking. It’s a very beautiful, soothing piece.

 

By the time I reached the track “Scotch Rocks” the snow was starting to stick to the roads. Normally I would have had the urge to drive a little faster than I was, but “Scotch Rocks” is so smooth that I just sat back and enjoyed the solitude while listening. This song has an acoustic jazz feel and the backing instruments really make this my favorite track on the CD.

 

When I cross the railroad tracks I know I am almost home and I was almost finished with my first listen to Wires, Rosewood & Roots. The album had made my trip home more of a journey than a commute. I was now listening to the final track “Windrush”. It’s a fine example of how Bob is able to combine New Age style guitar with bluesy guitar licks. This hybrid gives the album a very unique style of its own.

 

Wires, Rosewood & Roots made my hellish commute a little piece of heaven. If you like acoustic guitar, you should add this album to your collection. Make sure you keep a copy in the car just in case.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Dusty’s Train, Scotch Rocks, Windrush

Kirk Bullough

Tracks: 1. Irish Mood 2. Skating 3. Palindrome 4. Dusty's Train 5. Scotch Rocks 6. Flea's Reel 7. Eleanor of Aquitaine 8. Windrush 9. Tea Rose 10. Waiting for McAfee 11. Pray for Rain 12. Out of Work

 

 

Artist:  Bob Ardern
Title:  Wires Rosewood & Roots
Genre:  Folk: Fingerstyle
Release Date: January 2, 2012
Label:  Bob Ardern
Website:  http://www.bobardern.ca/

Review: Ann Claire - Honkytonk Princess

It’s good to be the king, but when you are Ann Claire it’s even better being the princess. Ann isn’t just the Honkytonk Princess; she is literally a real princess. She is the granddaughter of HH Princess Shams of Iran's Pahlavi Dynasty.

Ann Claire is far from what you would expect from a princess though. Ann grew up in London and Los Angeles. She attended school in England, Switzerland and Spain. She majored in film and television with a minor in sociology at University of Southern California. She also studied theatre and voice at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre. She is proud to be an American citizen and loves country music with her whole heart and soul.

As someone who already has fortune and fame, Ann has risked it all to follow her dream. Ann says, “This has never been for me about being famous or rich. Those things are not of interest to me at all. All I’ve ever wanted to do is write great songs and make a difference in the world, and sing and present them in a way where they will affect people.”

If you are going to call yourself the Honkytonk Princess, you better be ready to back up that claim. Out of the gate with the song, “Better Girl”, Ann Claire shows that writing and singing country music comes as easy to her as sliding off a greasy log backwards.  Her voice is unique, but if I had to compare it to someone I would probably say it reminds me a little of Dolly Parton with some Kate Bush mixed in here and there.

The song “Lucky Me” quickly became my favorite with its great banjo intro and witty lyrics. I am impressed that with her privileged upbringing, Ann Claire is able to put her life experiences into words that ring true to rural America. I am sure part of this is due to her experiences working as a waitress at a barbecue joint when she first moved to Nashville. She didn’t even own a car. Not something your typical pampered princess would do.

The title track of Honkytonk Princess shows that you don’t have to be born into royalty to be treated like a princess. “I don’t think it matters at all whether you’re from a trailer park or a palace, you’ve gotta know who you are, what you’re worth, and don’t you take a cent less.”

Honkytonk Princess finishes with a nice ballad “Somewhere”, reminding us that life is about enjoying the journey and not worrying about the destination. “I couldn’t say just where I’m headed yet,   but I’m headed somewhere”. 

Ann co-wrote 8 of the 12 songs on this CD. The lyrics are witty and honest with a sense of vulnerability to them. Watch out Nashville there is a new girl in town and she is tearin’ it up. Honkytonk Princess is the best new country album that I have heard this year. Ann Claire is soon to be taking her rightful place as an heir in the country music royal family.  

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Better Girl, Lucky Me, Somewhere

Kirk Bullough

Tracks: 1. Better Girl 2. Dark Horse 3. Lucky Me 4. Good Enough 5. Honkytonk Princess 6. Here to Home 7. Let’s Go To Mexico 8. Way That I Do 9. Go With Me 10. If I Leave Here Tonight 11. Gettin' Good At This 12. Somewhere

Artist:  Ann Claire
Title:  Honkytonk Princess
Genre:  Country/Pop
Release Date: February 21, 2012
Label:  Prosody Records
Website:  http://princessannclaire.com/

Review: Sonic Station - Sonic Station

Sonic Station is the vision of Swedish guitarist, composer and producer Alexander Kronbrink. He wanted to make an 80’s AOR style album that would have influences of Toto, Mr. Mister, Journey and some West Coast-sound of Airplay, Michael McDonald and Marc Jordan.

There is a large cast of singers and musicians on Sonic Station. Featured on lead vocals: Marika Willstedt, Magnus Bäcklund, Kristoffer Fogelmark &  Tove Lo, guitars: Alexander Kronbrink, keyboards: Jonathan Fritzén, Marika Willstedt, David Larson & Alexander Kronbrink, bass: Henrik Linder, Johan Hansén-Larson, Erik Metall, Kristofer Sundström & Johan Ivansson, drums: Aron Mellergårdh, Thern Pettersson & Niklas Almgren, percussion: Andreas Ekstedt, backing vocals: Marika Willstedt, Kristoffer Fogelmark, Oskar Nilsson, Matilda Bådagård & Alexander Kronbrink, saxophone: Conny Lindgren, trumpet, Flugelhorn: Erik Palmberg

The pilgrimage back to the 80’s begins with an instrumental piece with the unlikely name, “Intro”. It’s an airy song with layers of synthesizers, echoed guitars and trumpet. It’s a nice lead-in to “Love’s Gonna Show the Way”, the catchiest song on the album. From the moment the almost acapella vocals come in you are hooked. I dare you to not sing along.

“You Have to let me go” is a composite of 80’s meets the present. Tove Lo’s raunchy vocals are the energy that really drives this song through the roof. Also, Kronbrink ushers in the return of the guitar solo.

What would an 80’s/West Coast album be without a ballad? “The Most Beautiful Fear” more than satisfies that need. It was an expansion of a chord progression that Kronbrink’s father (also a song writer) shared with him some years ago. This track also has over 20 tracks of percussion on it.

 “Never Let the Sunshine Die” is the perfect canvas for Kronbrink to paint his rainbow of guitar licks on. His guitar is literally wailing and weeping as he sets the stage for Kristoffer Fogelmark to take over. He sings about the sky crying out rain, mirroring the sentiment with his raspy vocals. The song ends with an equally impressive outro-solo.

The album Sonic Station is teeming with amazing guitar sounds and synth patches. Kronbrink set out to recapture the feel of the 80’s. He succeeds in giving us a glimpse into where that sound would have evolved to had it stayed in the mainstream. The 80s were about excess in everything including record production.  I hope this is the album that launches that sound back into the forefront.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Love's Gonna Show the Way, You Have to Let Me Go, The Most Beautiful Fear, Never Let the Sunshine Die


Kirk Bullough

Tracks: 1. Intro 2. Love's Gonna Show the Way 3. I Wish I Could Lie 4. Hold On to Me 5. You Have to Let Me Go 6. The Most Beautiful Fear 7. Running Through the Night 8. Never Let the Sunshine Die 9. My Last Refrain 10. Love You More 11. Reasons

Artist:  Sonic Station
Title:  Sonic Station
Genre: West Coast/ AOR
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Label:  Frontiers Records
Website: http://www.sonic-station.com/