New Music

Chris Thile

Sugar Hill Records

There seems to be a somewhat discouraging pattern amongst musicians these days. At some point in their careers, they feel the need to reinvent themselves, to break out of their previously cast molds in some revolutionary manner that invariably manifests itself in an album hailed by the producing record company as “a breakthrough.” Unfortunately, Chris Thile’s most recent album, Deceiver, proves that this goal is rarely realized.

Thile, the one-time teenage wunderkind mandolinist and current driving force behind progressive pop-newgrass group Nickel Creek, is almost certainly the most virtuosic mandolinist in the entire modern American roots scene, earning comparisons to David Grisman and other similarly luminary pickers. Especially on Not All Who Wander Are Lost, Thile’s 2001 solo album made with the help of such respected musicians as Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas, listeners were captivated by the mesmeric and natural quality of the tracks. However, Thile’s greatest strength—his mandolin chops—are far less well-represented on this album. Given that he plays every instrument on the album this makes sense, but it’s worrisome to see such a brilliant musician deviate so significantly. In addition to writing and performing all songs solo, Thile also sings (bad decision.) His voice is unremarkable and unfortunately articulate enough to emphasize the mediocrity of his lyrics. The first track, entitled “The Wrong Idea,” sets the tone for most of the album: vocals and lyrics that sound sampled from a Nineties boy-band and symphonic violins that should theoretically maximize the heart-throb factor but instead merely annoy. Sample lyric: “I’m 19 and I’ve kissed two girls, that’s all / You’re 16 and you’re one, is that against the law? I never thought it would come to this, my reputation will be missed.” Thile himself says “I wanted people to be able to dig as deep as they wished, to give them things to follow.” Admirable, but no reason to deviate from the style that has garnered so many accolades.

Both the tone and execution of this album are markedly less new- and jam-grass focused than previously. Instead, this sensibility has been replaced by a considerably more mainstream rock and pop feel that is much less enthralling. It would have been nice to see Thile continue to host other well-known and respected on his solo albums; there’s a kind of team sensibility that goes with good musicians jamming that is absent from this disc. In the end, this is not a bad album, but it fails to excite the way Thile’s previous work has.

—Nathaniel Naddaff-Hafrey

Shake the Sheets

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

(Lookout! Records)

Ted Leo’s fifth album with the Pharmacists continues in the strengths of his first four: sharp hooks, relentless energy and excellent songwriting. Though there’s little innovation here, Leo manages once again to fill his sound with such sweet guitar tone that the listener is hooked from the outset. Few artists today aim for this kind of warm power-pop, and Leo shows himself as a songwriter still willing to rock out. As in all his work, such as his pre-Rx group Chisel, he shows himself as a teeth-clenched, pretension-free workhorse of indie rock. Shake the Sheets is another album from an artist who has perfected his unique sound and sticks to it.The band hits their stride in the middle of the album. Relying for the most part on a simple lineup of drums, bass, guitar and Leo’s dextrous vocals, the Pharmacists produce sweet, hummable melodies that seem to defy any quick guess as to their age—they don’t seem to belong in the present, nor do they line up with any epoch of rock’s past. “Counting Down the Hours” enters in with brushed guitar and quiet vocals before swing-time guitars and a chiming synth line make Leo show off his range and force. His pedigree in punk shines through when he is forced to sing over loud guitar parts, and his vocals are easily the strength of the album. “Little Dawn” is a nearly six-minute treat, with a lengthy fadeout of whirling guitars and limping bass over Leo singing “it’s alright” over and over. This slow conclusion is broken by the throbbing “Heart Problems,” which blisters by taking full advantage of Leo’s jaw speed and ability to hit the high notes. The title cut resembles vintage U2, with moody atmospherics in the verses and a succession of triumphant choruses. The song sees Leo in a slower context than he’s accustomed; even when not merging punk speed and Elvis Costello-like songwriting, Leo finds a way to accustom his voice to the sound.

When Leo’s vocals are joined by the band’s in the final moments of the “Walking to Do,” we get the sense of a coherent force in music today. No other artists are writing songs like Ted Leo, and with Shake the Sheets he proves further it’s an important niche he fills.

—Christopher A. Kukstis

Learn Yourself

The Beautiful Girls

(San Dumo Records)

The new album of all male alt-rock band the Beautiful Girls< ironically sounds a lot like the music of that other famous group of males with a seemingly incongruous band name, the Barenaked Ladies. Let’s hope that the kind of good karma that has won the Barenaked Ladies worldwide acclaim will rub off on their stellar follower in the future. This smooth guitar rhythms reminiscent of the old South mixed with contemporary–styled rap featured on the band’s new release, Learn Yourself, should win the Beautiful Girls a spot as the new favorite among hip hop, rock and possibly even bluegrass fans.

With rolling acoustic guitar rhythms and soft vocals, the music of the Beautiful Girls could pass for something in the genre of mellow rockers like the Dave Matthews Band, David Gray or the famed college band, Dispatch. But it is with the addition of cunning rap solos to gentle melodies and smooth crooning that the Beautiful Girls make their unique mark. Unlike many contemporary rap songs, those of the Beautiful Girls do not replace any sense of musicality with redundancy or a booming bass. A surprisingly high standard of music is maintained throughout this album, and the emotional lyrics sung by a genuine vocalist provide a much-needed breath of fresh air from the hum drum music of our day. The intermittent raps add a jolt of spice to the already piquant brew, and everything somehow just seems to work for the band.

Although there are only three members in the Beautiful Girls, specifically singer/guitar player Mat McHugh, bass player Clay McDonald and drummer Mitch Connelly, the fullness of the music does not suffer and a superior musical quality is maintained throughout the ten songs featured on this album. According to their website, the group is “at the forefront of the new roots and groove music movement.” Judging by the positive radio response to this independent release, the Beautiful Girls might just be onto something.

Currently on tour across the United States, Japan and Australia, the boys of this band were most recently praised by Jack Johnson during a performance on the Jack Johnson, G. Love, Donovan concert tour circuit. If you like to listen to just about every kind of music—from rap and hip hop to blues and roots music to rock and pop, you are sure to enjoy this avant-garde blend of hip hop and soft rock. Think of the Dido—Eminem, Jay-Z-Beatles (The Grey Album), or Ben Harper and other acoustic rock rhythms mingling with modern rap, and enjoy!

—MaryCatherine Brouder