retrofied copycat, but detractors should jam Head Down in its entirety before passing judgment, ’cause this record rocks. Produced by Dave Cobb Mixed By Vance Powell Recorded at Honey Pye Studios, Nashville, TN Mastered by Pete Lyman www.rivalsons.com -Joshua Bottomley
Sweet Talk Radio
handclaps, and subtle percussion. “Fly Away” is the most straightforward folkrock track, but still with heavy orchestral and piano accompaniment. The most charming track might be “Rosemarie,” featuring only voice and orchestral accompaniment combined with the lyrical imagery of confetti, balloons, apartments in SOHO, and pink champagne. “Dance With Me” is a film-worthy, slow dance number with just ukulele, piano, and a snare played with brushes. Shorr and Burlingame revel in the sugary sweet simplicity of newfound love and the “boy meets girl” narrative, crafting an album as sweet as their name. Mixed by Eric Robinson
State Of The Union
Mastered by Evren Goknar at Capitol Mastering
Los Angeles, CA
www.sweettalkradio.com
(Twopop Music)
-Elisabeth Wilson
Tensor
“Lovey-dovey husband and wife folk-pop”
old school hardcore on their Band in Nashville EP. Granted, hardcore punk really doesn’t have a whole lot of new ground to break. When a genre’s goals largely begin and end with “fastest” and “hardest,” there’s a fundamental sonic ceiling. You can’t really go fastest-er and hardest-er. But if punk were to care about silly things like grammar in the first place, it just wouldn’t be punk anyway now would it? The way in which Tensor works within these genre limitations, though, is exactly what makes the EP work. There’s a skill and musicianship to Tensor’s songs uncommon in the majority of hardcore punk. From Hüsker Dü and ska punk riffs in “Gotta Get Off” to bass solos in “NOHO Fattie” and Johnny Rotten sneering on the title track, Tensor is a more deeply layered outfit. Sure, there is speed and intensity for speed and intensity’s sake, but there are also enough twists and turns to distinguish Band in Nashville from the hardcore pack.
TOP PICKS
Rival Sons (continued)
tensor.bandcamp.com
Sweet Talk Radio is the husband and wife team of Kathrin Shorr and Tim Burlingame. Shorr and Burlingame share vocal duties, with Shorr’s songs being predominantly orchestral or played on a Rhodes piano. Burlingame’s songs are usually accompanied by acoustic guitar. Opening track “Breaking My Own Heart” begins with a soft organ with vibrato and the tapping of a tambourine. Shorr’s voice is emotional and slightly raspy, in the vein of Norah Jones. “I Love You Still” is a little livelier, featuring the tinkling of a xylophone,
Band in Nashville Boston, MA (Self-released)
“Pogo like it’s 1988” Seeing as it’s no longer, you know, the Reagan administration, just where does that leave a hardcore punk band in 2012? It apparently leaves Tensor partying like it’s 1988, with a strong set of
-Ari Goldberg continued on 44
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LIVE SHOW
DIEGO GARCIA
Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA October 8, 2012 review and photo by Gail Fountain
HIG “This is our first show in Atlanta,” announced beautiful, suave, quirky Diego Garcia, former singer of New York indie band Elefant. Garcia’s immensely talented band mates, Danny Bensi on cello and Zeke Zima on Spanish guitar, helped him open the show for Italian superstar Jovanotti’s U.S. tour. Garcia presented nearly his entire album’s material, singing stories of love, loss, and second chances in his full-bodied tenor voice while playing an acoustic Gibson guitar. The trio began their serenade of the mostly
HLI
GHT
Argentinean roots, swooning vocals and acoustic tenderness.
Hispanic audience with “You Were Never There,” then moved into “Separate Lives.” As Garcia took breaks between songs, he wove his tale deeply, adding a cover of the Ray Davies’ penned song “This Strange Effect” as an element. During “Roses and Wine,” Bensi’s cello was showcased prominently as Garcia crouched beside him. “Stay” featured Zima’s guitar part as Bensi providing percussive bits on cello. The danceable, upbeat “Under This Spell” preceded “Laura,” a song named for Garcia’s wife. He said, “This song
is about the girl who broke my heart, but I got lucky. She came back.” During the closing song “In My Heart,” Garcia wore his guitar high on his chest as Bensi provided perfect vocal harmonies. Garcia’s friendly side showed when he commented during the set, “After this show we’d like to meet as many of you as possible.” He did just that, personalizing autographs for everyone who bought a CD.
www.facebook.com/diegogarciamusic DECEMBER 2012 PERFORMER MAGAZINE 43