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 ERIC CLAPTON |
 DAVID BOWIE |
 SONDRE LERCHE |
 DOUG POWELL |
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PROTO-KAW
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ERIC
CLAPTON
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JACK BLADES Jack Blades (Sanctuary)
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DAVID
BOWIE Reality (ISO / Columbia)
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SONDRE LERCHE Two Way Monologue (Astralwerks)
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DOUG
POWELL Day For Night (Parasol / Muse Sickle)
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A
music label at the vanguard of progressive rock and fusion music, Inside
Out Music America have a full plate when it comes to their 2004
CD releases. Perhaps the latest reason for IOMA watchers to celebrate
is a 2004 IOMA CD release by prog-rock trendsetters Proto-Kaw. The CD
in question is called Before Came After and musically
it’s got to be among the best music yet by Kansas founder
Kerry Livgren. In fact, Proto-Kaw is nothing less than the second
incarnation of his group Kansas. Although Livgren’s early vision
of Kansas broke up and never got the recognition they deserved—paving
the way for the third incredibly successful, Livgren led Kansas lineup—their
2004 reincarnation as Proto-Kaw is one of the intriguing comeback stories
of year. Livgren is masterful at the helm and his guitar sound is front
and center. Assisted by just about every original member from that 1971-73
Kansas period—Livgren and present company establish themselves
among the champions on the current prog-rock stage with the dazzling
Before Came After. 
Assisted
by top players like Andy Fairweather Low (guitar), Doyle Bramhall
II (guitar), Billy Preston (keyboards) and Steve Gadd
(drums), Eric Clapton covers 14 of the 29 songs written and recorded
during the short life of Mississippi blues legend Robert Johnson
way back in the 1930’s. Many of these songs had a major impact
on Chicago blues giants like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf and
even rock and pop fans will note that two songs here—”Love
In Vain” and “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues”—gained
notoriety back in the ‘60s as part of the recorded repertoire of
The Rolling Stones. Before he went on to instant acclaim as the progressive
super hero of Cream and Blind Faith, Clapton started playing the blues
with John Mayall and the 2004 CD release of Me And Mr. Johnson takes
the guitarist back to his roots. Anyone who enjoyed Clapton’s 2000
CD collaboration with B.B. King—entitled Riding With The King—will
equally dig Me And Mr. Johnson. Regarding his long time affinity
for Johnson’s earthy approach to the blues, Clapton adds, “It’s
a remarkable thing to have been driven and influenced all my life by
the work of one man. I am talking, of course, about the work of Robert
Johnson. It’s the finest music I have ever heard. I have always
trusted its purity, and I always will.” 
It’s
interesting that Jack Blades picked his cover of the 1971 Spirit
classic, “Nature’s Way” to be the single off his self-titled
debut on Sanctuary Records Group. Blades’ first ever album
under his own name features a number of his buddies and bandmates in
both Damn Yankees and Night Ranger. In addition to Styx
vocalist /guitarist Tommy Shaw, there’s also some excellent
synth guitar work from Santana / Journey ax-man Neal Schon. With
Blades tackling the bass, a chunk of the vocals and songwriting chores,
the eleven track self-produced album blends a mix of top playing with
an array of fine anthemic stadium rockers that were built to sound as
dynamic on a boom box as they do live. Regarding his Randy California-penned
Spirit cover, Jack nails the song enough with enough spirit to
nearly make it his own, while also paying tribute to one of the true
architects of rock music. 
Anytime
you put David Bowie, Tony Visconti and Earl Slick in the
same room, with anyone else, there’s bound to be greatness unleashed
and fortunately, the troika team up for more musical magic on Bowie’s
2003 album Reality. Just mention the subject of Bowie and Visconti’s
five decades worth of musical collaborations and the subject might turn
to Bowie’s 1970 foundation work, The Man Who Sold The World,
which featured Visconti blazing away on a most unbelievable sounding
electric bass all the while propelled brilliantly by Mick Ronson’s
stellar guitar. True, it’s a different era. Mick’s sadly gone
and the stakes aren’t quite that high for Bowie, yet after several
careful spins, one could almost draw a parallel between Reality and
the unprecedented rock vibe and intensity of The Man Who Sold The
World. On the list of Reality highlights, a Bowie original
called “Days” (not the Kinks song, although Bowie should consider
that one for his planned Pinups 2) that wouldn’t seem out
of place on say, Bowie’s first Decca album entitled The World
Of David Bowie. Looking back for further reference, one of the great
originals from The World Of David Bowie, the dazzling “Karma
Man”, recorded on Sept. 1, 1967, featured Bowie joined with Tony
on bass and backup vocals and surprise (!), future fusion guitarist
John McLaughlin. Another intriguing Reality choice here
is Bowie’s superb ‘pin-up’ of the 1970 George Harrison
song, “Try Some, Buy Some”. One of the most orchestral
George songs from those early post-Beatles years, the song proves a
natural move for Bowie and Visconti’s fleeting orchestral vision.
A winning CD from start to finish, Reality is loaded with
impressive musicianship, production and songwriting from Bowie and Visconti,
and in fact all the players taking part including the powerhouse guitar
of Mr. Slick. 
Just
a few years back, NYC-based Astralwerks were immersed in redefining
the great retro music revolution of the ‘90s, reissuing Exotica
/ Lounge legends like Martin Denny and Les Baxter on their now defunct
Scamp imprint. Over the past five years, their sister company, Astralwerks
has taken over and has reigned supreme as one of the leading labels
when it comes to electronica and cutting edge pop. Nowhere is this more
obvious than with the release of two recent CDs on Astralwerks, including
the March 2004 release of Two Way Monologue from Norwegian singer-songwriter
/ guitarist Sondre Lerche. It’s been said that Lerche makes music
that’s way more sophisticated than his 22 years of age would indicate.
That said, on his latest CD, Lerche expertly channels the musical spirits
of Brian Wilson, High Llamas, Elvis Costello, Cole Porter and even Brazilian
World-beat Bossa Nova composer Milton Nascimento. Regarding the comparisons
of Two Way Monologue, Lerche confesses to his Beach Boys fixation
adding the new album is “more Surf’s Up and Sunflower
than Pet Sounds this time” as well as conceding an admiration
for the ‘60s classic Song Cycle, by Wilson’s ‘60s
collaborator Van Dyke Parks. Summing up, Lerche adds, “It’s
all about the song. It’s not about anything else. If I don’t
feel strongly about the song I couldn’t record it.” If you
like modern pop played with sophistication and intelligence, then Sondre
Lerche is for you. Also up and out on Astralwerks in early 2004 is the
sixth release from French pop protagonists Air, entitled Talkie
Walkie. Masters of clever Euro-pop electronica, Air are
truly at their best on Talkie Walkie. Aided and abetted by veteran
string arranger Michel Columbier and producer Nigel Goodrich,
the Air duo of Nicolas Godin and JB Dunckel strikes a
nerve on their third full length studio CD. Seasoned pop pros who hit
the road on their critically acclaimed 2001 World tour, Air have been
described as making music that’s in search of a soundtrack and
in fact one of the two moody instrumental tracks here appeared in the
critically acclaimed flick Lost In Translation. A masterful and
awesome album from certified pop mavens, Talkie Walkie spans
continents of sound to get it’s point across. 
He’s
been exalted in the same breath as his mentors Todd Rundgren and Andy
Partridge and on his second album for IL.-based Parasol, Doug Powell
further explores his power-pop leanings and doesn’t disappoint.
A few years back Powell scored a hit CD as a member of the pop supergroup
Swag—a Traveling Wilburys musical configuration with members of
Wilco, Cheap Trick, Mavericks and more. Powell is a fine guitarist and
puts his Phantom Guitars to good use, however the best thing here is
that, like Rundgren, Powell has a unique one man rock orchestra thing
down pat. Post-punkers and ‘70s kids might cite other influences
like Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds, but Powell once again brings forth
a unique pop vision on Day For Night.