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Loves' labour isn't lost For Algernon
'Orange' You Glad You Listened
A CD release party for the debut by For Algernon, called Orange Watches & Lost Loves, goes down Saturday in the Southgate House's Junie's Lounge. The free show starts at 8 p.m. and features special guests Tristen Shields, the mini-thins, Jeff Perholtz, .andrew. and others.
For Algernon is the new band from singer/songwriter Jason
Wells, a strong presence on the local acoustic scene for the
past three years. While he doesn't exactly sound like
Mope Pop master Elliott Smith, the smoky, down-beat etherealism
of Orange Watches & Lost Loves has a lot of that similar,
mysterious spirit stirring within. Wells understands the use
of space in songwriting -- instead of filling out every square
inch of sound, he allows the tracks to breathe on their own.
Besides the warmly creeping effect of his actual writing,
it's what Wells does with the space on Orange Watches
that makes it such a success. Double-tracked, quivering vocals,
haunted piano, directing acoustic guitar and some drum machine
beats add a depth that belies the album's humble mannerisms
and lo-fi production quality.
Highlights include the melodic, buzzingly angular "The Ballad
of the Orange Watch," which makes one think Indie Pop collective
Elephant 6 might be making a membership drive call soon, and
the aching "Jean-Marie" and "Mistaken Affections," which best
show off Wells' adroit emotion-into-music ability. Elsewhere,
the strings-driven "You'll Be Sorry" has the breezy glide
of Scottish Twee-Pop acts like Belle & Sebastian, and "Better
This Way" sports Nick Drake's hallowed mystical chime. Wells
has a real, unpolished gift as a songwriter, and Orange
Watches & Lost Loves is an unassumingly majestic testament.
Get thee gone to foralgernon.com for more info.
Fire Relief
· Top Cat's in Corryville hosts a memorial show Friday for local musician/poet Eric Meyer, who died last month in a house fire in Clifton. Friends Filmcaughtfire, Mad Saint Jack, Left Turns Right, Cameron Cocheran, Jeremy Pinnel & Tim Carr and others will perform, with proceeds going to Meyer's family and a planned scholarship fund set up in his name.
· This weekend features another show to raise money for the victims of the Rhode Island nightclub fire that killed 100 patrons in February. All the money raised at Saturday's benefit at the Southgate House will go to the Rhode Island Foundation's Station Nightclub Fire Relief Fund. Everybody's Records is presenting the show, which features Greg Mahan, Maurice Mattei, Gregory Patrick Agnew and Matt Phelps with Scott Powers in the parlour. On the ballroom's main stage, Buckra, Dos Locos, Velvet Dreamfield, Tried by Fire, Perfect Blue and Element perform. Music starts at 8 p.m. If you can't make the concert but would still like to make a donation, e-mail perfect_blue_music@yahoo.com by June 20 for further information.
Rumors, Lies and General Misunderstandings
· Locally based, nationally distributed Punk/Pop label Nice Guy Records is hosting a CD release party for its new compilation CD, Nice Guys Finish Last. The disc features local bands Bottom Line, Fling 10 and Curbsquirrels as well as national acts Midtown, Rise Against, The Lawrence Arms, Ultimate Fakebook and several others. The three compilation-ized locals -- along with Break Away, End of the Affair and Everafter -- perform at the shindig Saturday at The Void in Northside. At niceguyrecords.com you'll find all of the salacious details.
· Former Big In Iowa singer/songwriter/guitarist Bob Burns has embarked on a solo career, and now he's got a Web site to prove it! The site (bigbobburns.com) explains the split with his former band and offers a history of his adventures with them, plus a "forum" section with show dates and general chat features. Burns peeks his head out next on July 1 with a show at Sudsy Malone's with fellow singer/songwriter types Swarthy, Carrie Sample and Dusty Bryant.
E-mail Mike Breen
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Previously in Spill It
Southgate House home to Holiday tidings
By Mike Breen
(June 4, 2003)
Son River finds itself Chasing Shadows
By Mike Breen
(May 28, 2003)
Autumn Blackouts model their dream of a debut single
By Mike Breen
(May 21, 2003)
more...
Other articles by Mike Breen
Some Mic It Hot The summer brings a slew of CD releases by area artists (June 4, 2003)
Short Takes Outrageous Cherry falls under the supernatual equinox while The Gossip turns up some Arkansas Heat (June 4, 2003)
The Dark Backwards Local "Trip Pop" duo Hungry Lucy thrives on doing things in reverse (May 28, 2003)
more...
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