Follow, Susan Cattaneo (from the Jersey Girl Music release All Is Quiet)
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that Susan Cattaneo taught songwriting at Berklee School of Music for many years. Her songs are wonderfully crafted, filled with meaning and musical grace. Her latest album may be stripped down in terms of arrangements, but not in its emotional impact.
While the lyrical subject matter isn’t the happiest, Cattaneo’s writing is sharp and captivating. “Time + Love + Gravity” and “No Hearts Here”, for example, dissect failing relationships while the title track finds the singer fearing and fretting change (“Idle hands make idle worries muted in my sound and fury”).
Cattaneo sums the album up well in “Broken Things”, singing “Oh, the beauty in broken things.” It’s a sentiment that also finds its way into the delicate gentle “Diamond Days”:
None of us start out looking like a jewel
We’re all rough around the edges, unfinished, a little jagged too
We’re not ready for the ring, not cut out for crowns
A buried treasure waiting to be found
Jane, Greg Klyma (from the self-released Singing For My Life)
Greg Klyma released three albums in 2019, each focused on a distinct musical genre. In 2022 he returns with a single album that incorporates aspects of all three – a cavalcade of songs rock, folk, and country.
In the country category he stretches from the bluegrass ballad of “Bluegrass Moon” to the rousing “Blue Heart Black River” (featuring the rumbling guitar of maestro Duke Levine). On the folk front are the closing “You Keep My Banjo In Tune” and the folk rock title track. He showcases his rock side with the bluesy “Jane” and the relaxed 1970’s pop of “Lasting Love”.
Across all these songs, Klyma the storyteller shines bright. From the personal reflection of the title track to the love gone wrong of “Jane”, the stories speak to experiences and emotions that feel familiar and engaging.
(So Far From) Silverlake, The Loyal Seas (from the American Laundromat release Strange Mornings In the Garden)
The Loyal Seas is the creative collaboration of New England artists Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, Breeders, Belly) and Brian Sullivan (Dylan in the Movies). Strange Mornings In the Garden, their debut album, is a glorious soundtrack for a melancholy summer.
Opener “(So Far From) Silverlake” is a dreamy ode to how some relationships look better with a nostalgic sense of distance. In many ways, the song sets the album’s tone as many of the subsequent tracks document two people who, despite their best efforts, struggle to truly connect. “You might be well-advised to avoid me, but in sunrise I want you to join me,” they sing on “Early Light” while later reflecting “I’m your house of mirrors, just as you are mine” on “Driving With a Ghost”. Things come to a head with “Come Around Again”:
And maybe we said some pretty mean things
You’re stuck in my head, I’m under your skin
If this is the end then let it begin
The ballads, in particular, are beautifully arranged with strings, plucked guitars, and piano. More upbeat tracks bring in drums but still have a relaxed airiness. Here’s hoping that there is more to come from this magical collaboration.
Wouldn’t Know You, Sarah Borges (from the Blue Corn Music release Together Alone)
Sarah Borges has long exuded confidence in her songs, a quality that is especially prevalent on her latest album. Electric guitars, courtesy of Borges and noted musician/producer Eric Ambel, fuel most of the tracks. “Wasting My Time” and “Lucky Day”, in particular, open the album with a potent 1-2 punch. The former bristles with an urgent intensity while the latter has a more stoic insistence. “She’s a Trucker” is a welcome new addition to the truck driving song canon while “You Got Me On the Boat” celebrates finding contentment on a sunset boat trip listening to NRBQ, the Yayhoos, and the Mavericks. She closes the album with the smoldering title track, a wonderful ode to lost love.
Rooting For Laundry, Autumn Hollow (from the self-released EP Throw the House)
Autumn Hollow return from a nearly 10 year hiatus, older and more circumspect. Their recent EP finds singer-songwriter Brendan Murphy trying to make sense of the world, earnest in his approach but clear-eyed in what he sees. “I don’t think the world is a bad place to live I just get nervous for my kids,” he sings on “Meantime/Between Time” before concluding:
In the meantime and between time
You can be the leader
So we can see it clearer
And empathy will flourish
If the burdens still remain
The theme of being a parent in a troubling world continues on “Rooting for Laundry” as Murphy confesses,
I learned the hard way some days are tougher than others
Pick up my pills then pick up my kids
And hope that one won’t react with the other
Hold on when you cross that bridge
Through it all, Murphy maintains some perspective and, if not hope, at least a feeling of acceptance.
Without You, Matt York (from the self-released Gently Used)
Matt York’s Gently Used is my kinda country. It’s mix of quiet, touching ballads and mid-tempo songs that are steeped in classic 1970’s country. The songs are inhabited by troubled characters, with York conveying the depth of their despair with an air of authenticity and compassion. “A drunken poet told me ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’,” he sings in “Let’s Try Failure”, describing a broken relationship. His friends tell him he’ll be fine after a break-up in “Without You”, to which York responds “what the hell do they know”.
York calls in some Nashville players (contributing remotely during the pandemic), including Joshua Hedley on fiddle and Spencer Cullum, Jr. on pedal steel. “If You Want Love”, in particular benefits from their contributions. But make no mistake, it’s York and his songs that are the stars here.
Kingdom Come Blues, Michael Tarbox (from the self-released Kingdom Come Blues)
There are some musicians who just ooze authenticity. Michael Tarbox is one of them. Kingdom Come Blues, his return after an extended hiatus, features just Tarbox, his songs, and his guitar. The collection showcases his mastery of the acoustic blues, mixed with a bit of folk.
Starkid, John Powhida International Airport (from the self-released This Phasor Sounds Divine)
Boston’s resident pop savant returns with another expansive collection. At the extremes are the jazzy instrumental “Song for Ellen Hambry” and the theatrical “Michele” while he finds middle ground in the retro Todd Rundgren style “Michael 3 O’Clock” and “Gaslight Village”.
“Back to Bed” is a great example of his pop references and entertaining wordplay, to wit:
I was under a house arrest on account of a bat virus;
I never felt so lost inside my own place of residence;
which part of this mask is the top,
now I feel like the king of pop
I’m particularly captivated by “Star Kid”, a wonderful pop song which features vocalist Amber Angelina.
Love Alone, Honest Mechanik (from the self-released Honest Mechanik)
Honest Mechanik, the duo of Susan Cattaneo and Paul Hansen, announce themselves with an airy and refreshing self-titled debut album. At its core, it’s a pop album but with an often quirky and fun vibe. The duo mostly share vocals, their intertwined voices adding to the record’s charm. They mostly sing about the various states of love – lost, found, and strained. The lyrics are set against warm pop melodies and a glossy production that make the songs warm and inviting.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Could Be Worse, Bleu (from the Sony Records release Redhead)
While he now calls L.A. home, pop maestro Bleu got his start in Boston. Next month he is returning “home” to Boston to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his pop masterpiece Redhead. The album is everything that a power pop album is supposed to be – infectious melodies, catchy lyrics (many ripe for sing-alongs), and plenty of raucous guitar. While it sounds great at any volume, I recommend listening to it loud. All the better to enjoy the soaring choruses and emphatic rhythms.
Bleu is celebrating the anniversary with a special Boston concert (featuring a reunion of his band from that era) and releasing the album on vinyl.
Note: Several of the playlist songs are not available on Spotify.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.