Monday, February 22nd, 2010
By David Couch
 Album: Hey Girl EP
Artist: Giant Wow
Release Date: November 2009
When I was given the press release I groaned quietly inside, I’ve seen too many of these things to take them seriously, and fighting the impulse to throw my laptop out the window… I pressed play instead. Thank goodness.
From Cincinnati, Ohio, Giant Wow play an impressive strand of alternative power pop, I thought of The Wannadies at first listen. This combination of powerful male vocals uses more than what you usually hear: it’s not un-educated screaming and shouting. This EP, Hey Girl is five tracks long, a pretty standard amount for an EP, which is probably the only thing on the record that is. They’ve been working in the studio with Erwin Musper who’s work includes a few artists you may or may not have heard of…David Bowie, Def Leppard, etc… to name a few.
Giant Wow have a pretty balanced sound and they don’t fill the bars with unnecessary lyrics. The guitarists create some pretty interesting riffs to keep the listener entertained when the singing takes a break. “Wicked Girl” is probably the best song to get to grips with these guys highlighting all the catchy little details they work into the songs, this time to a heavier background.
It’s hard to see from looking at them where the effeminate edge comes from. Let’s not get it twisted – there is nothing girly about this music or any such nonsense, but if you believe like I do that music is an entity that can exist outside the stereo then it is not a far push to state that this said “entity” has a gender… still with me? The music has all the integrity of a strong rock outfit  while keeping it fun and not taking itself too seriously.
A sound EP (excuse the pun) having a trademark quality and a solid foundation. 3 singles and 1 EP already available on iTunes and Amazon there’s more than one place to get your hands on a copy, so instead of sounding like a bad chat-up line (and yes, I have used it) Giant Wow’s Hey Girl EP is definitely a winner.
~D.C.~
Popularity: 9% [?]
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
By David Couch
 Album: Transplant
Artist: Justin Andrew
Release Date: Summer 2009
Justin Andrew opens up his soul with Transplant, a sample of neo-blues with songs that have original spark and are being shaped, molded to a new template that is all Andrew’s own.
The honky-tonk quality of the vocals infects the melodies with a tangible passion. The sound and feel of the record is good but it makes me want to listen to more, to see the changes and evolution in the songs and sound, it is definitely a grower. The material remains consistent albeit simmilar throughout, a mixture of haunting melodies and the vauge notion of longing that often accompanies blues.
“Close your Hands” is by far the best track on the EP; in 3:10 it encapsulates the entire record, and you can listen to the other songs with the benefit of hindsight. Misery is a wonderful emotion to trap on a record, everyone’s seen their fair share of hard times so it’s an easy thing to associate. Cue internal montage of some heartbreaking moment driving along the west coast (kind of like The OC, but you know…good.) In other words, the record may be a little self-indulgent at time but the plucky melodies and – I guess you could call it sweetness- keep the record from going too far.
Justin Andrew has a softer edge to what I usually like, but there is a definite note of quality that chimes through the entire record. It’s relaxing – definitely to accompany one of those sunny evenings with nothing to do but sit in silence and drink cold, refreshing beer in the garden.
 Justin Andrew Hear Justin Andrew’s tracks on our podcast…
Episode 51: So Hot
Episode 50: Nifty Fifty
Episode 46: Viewing and Reviewing
~DC~
Popularity: 6% [?]
Saturday, December 12th, 2009
By David Couch
Album: Ulysses
Artist: Goh Nakamura
Release Date: August 2009
Goh Nakamura is a San Fransisco Bay area musician and while he may not have flowers in his hair or whatever else those hippies adorn themselves with there is something of a peace and love vibe about his music. Self-labeled “dreampop”, Ulysses is an album that should be reserved for a specific time, like champagne at New Years.
As soon as Goh Nakamura starts to play I immediately began to make comparisons; a modern day Simon and Garfunkel all wrapped in one and accompanied by an single acoustic guitar. Poetry mixed with an up-beat melodic tune that has a kind of 70’s/Elvis Costello nostalgia about it. It’s no James Joyce but there is a quality to the music that makes it stand out from the crowd.
At first I thought it would be a kind of background music that easily blend into your daily grind without too much intrusion and while I doubt it will make anyone’s party playlist, it’s an album that definitely deserves more than indifference. You could sit down and appreciate Ulysses like a fine wine or maybe a nice cheese.
Goh Nakamura has a timeless sound, you know the kind of music that doesn’t really get old, just waits in the background until your ready to listen to it again; like a time capsule of sound. But just because it doesn’t get old doesn’t mean they just rely on a middle of the road tactic that ‘if we don’t offend anyone than everyone will like you’ and while Ulysses could never be considered offensive; some of the songs break from tradition and mix it up with some alternative rhythms that give the album a bit more depth. Most notably tracks “Telemachus” and “Where Did They Go” these songs push the boat out and give the album a more three dimensional feel.
 Goh Nakamura A spectre that embodies the 60’s ethos of peace, love and good vibrations. It is all these things and something else, something no doubt that Goh Nakamura has added; his own special ingredient.
A harmony that deserves your attention, but with its unassuming nature it sits quietly in the record collection. Like a reserved blue collar worker secretly cuddling his automatic weapon while he sleeps… waiting for revenge… but enough about me. If you want to find the brilliance behind Goh Nakamura your going to have to sit down and be seduced – gently and pleasantly.
~DC~
Popularity: 11% [?]
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
By Jason Ober
 Uncommon Ground (on Devon) Uncommon Ground is a small, intimate bar and restaurant in Chicago with quirky, friendly staff and plenty of good food and drink. It’s locally owned and is just a great atmosphere. I highly recommend finding one of the two locations if you’re ever in Chicago and trying any variation of the local Chicago beer known as 312. The tap looks like a telephone receiver. How could you not want to drink it?
ANYdangway… on to the show!
I was greeted by Lauretta, the lead singer/songwriter and Julie, the manager of The Powwows. It was almost like meeting up with old friends even though I’d never met them before. We were all laughing and talking all throughout dinner (which was uh. mazing. I had Pumpkin Ravioli with sage butter. I think I cried a little on the inside with joy) and the once we moved upstairs for the show, the entire place was equally charged with a lively, friendly energy in the entire room.
There were probably about 40-50 people in attendance and Lauretta and the band seemed to know and be friends with them all. Thanks to a pretty terrible joke by Steve the sound guy (and by terrible I mean awesome) as he introduced the band, it prompted Lauretta to start a bad joke contest, inviting audience members up to tell their own bad jokes, including pure comic gold like this one:
A string walks in to a bar. The bartender says, “Hey! We don’t serve your kind here.” Dejected, the string goes outside, twists himself around and messes up his hair. He goes back in and the bartender says, “Aren’t you that piece of string that was just in here?” The string says, “Nope, I’m a frayed knot.”
 The Powwows The other members of the band are Tony, the lead guitar, Kyle on drums and Doug on bass. The entire band was very in sync with unique rhythms and beats driving each song. The balance was great AND…. are you ready for this?…. I could actually hear and understand the lyrics. I know. Amazing. Especially in a small venue.
The only thing I can really remember wanting to hear more of was the backup vocals by Tony. The harmonizing of male and female voices together, particularly with female lead singers, is something I always dig. Their sound reminded me of a band I love called Ida. Calming, soothing. Seemingly innocent, yet with some fire underneath.
All in all definitely a great live show. I even brought a couple of friends who had never heard of The Powwows before and they both really enjoyed themselves. If you’re in Chicago definitely keep an eye out for their next concert and, if you like what you hear on the JWShow, pick up the album. All the songs will keep your head boppin’ and your toes tappin’.
~Jason
Popularity: 19% [?]
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
By David Couch
 Album: Wellness
Artist: Replace, Rewire
Release Date: July, 2009
One should absorb the colour of life, but one should never remember its details. Details are always vulgar”
The details will always get in the way, a sad fact of life that must always be observed and then duly ignored when the context is sound. Wellness’s album Replace, Rewire is an instinctive album that has no time for trivia. At just under a half-hour the album is the perfect length, you have a chance to relflect on the whole album while the songs are still fresh in your mind. The songs do the job without overindulging the rock attitudes keeping the songs un-polluted and straight to the point. It’s a brand of melancholy rock; using the ambiance to achieve the effect that your listening to a maturer record that maintains a low-fi gritty integrity.
If you like slow-moving, alternative-style, noise rock then you will like Wellness, However the songs that should be hits fail to pack that long lasting punch. There’s no rallying cry that will have you swear allegiance on first listen, simply songs that will over time gather a murmured acquiesce.
 The Title track “Replace, Rewire” picks up the tempo with a harder and faster beat, and a good arrangement that makes it one of my favourites on the album. Along with the opening track “The Power Of A Magnetic Heart” which has some surprisingly beautiful moments. Once again though the songs lead you to that perfect place and leave you hanging. The songs build and build but offer no release; no break in the rhythm for the emotion, which the songs have crafted perfectly, to escape.
The mix on this album isn’t quite ready, ending up with something somewhat half-baked but it does have the ingredients to make this a prominent player in your music collection.
~DC~
Popularity: 8% [?]
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