Review: Daughtry "Leave This Town"

Chris Daughtry is now feeling the other side of the double-edge sword of having a phenomenally successful debut album. The former American Idol contestant was subject to one of the biggest injustices in the history of the show by being voted off far too early in the competition several years ago. Perhaps a blessing in disguise, he went on to make one of the biggest selling records in recent times, gracing radio with plenty of melodic hard rock goodness. He is his own hard act to follow.

To help with the sophomore effort, Daughtry has enlisted the songwriting talents of Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, Brian Howes, Mitch Allen, and more. The disc begins with the in your face guitars and the soaring, badass vocals we all expect from Daughtry. After this fierce reminder that he is still a force to be reckoned with, he glides right into the more radio-friendly "No Surprise", following this up with three more pop-based rockers, "Everytime You Turn Around" (a personal favorite), "Life After You", and "What I Meant To Say". After this, the songs are OK, rarely leaving the ballad or mid-tempo pace, and not matching the quality we've heard on the debut. The latter half of the CD is very ballad heavy and grows tiresome, not helped by duds like the country-flavored "Tennessee Line".

Another complaint is that the record seems to be on a mission to impress with the guitars and bombastic production rather than the voice. Daughtry has an amazing voice, but it is a shame to hear it take so few chances and to persistently get buried in the excessively loud guitars. Lyrically, we're also on ho-hum ground: unimaginative and straight-forward, but at least not silly.

The record is solid, but Daughtry is just running in place. In short, the title of the first single pretty much sums up the record as a whole: no surprise. I hope he comes back with a vengenace on the third release to give us the record we know he has the potential to deliver.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8

Daughtry: Official site.

Review: Jayhawks "Music From The North Country - The Jayhawks Anthology"

Formed in 1985 (!) The Jayhawks have been quietly and consistently releasing masterpiece after masterpiece, pioneering a musical path that blends alt-country and modern folk rock. At long last, the band has blessed the musical community with their first compilation of twenty of the shiniest gems from their treasure chest full of precious stones. All of the essentials are here, from the early tracks on 1989's "Blue Earth" to their last (and my personal favorite) 2003 record, "Rainy Day Music".

That would have been enough, but The Jayhawks have given fans so much more with this package. Included is a second CD and a separate DVD stuffed full of B-sides, rarities, demos, alternate versions, and other previously unreleased tracks. Even more fun, the linear notes include a brilliant piece on the history of the band by PD Larson, as well as detailed stories behind each of the tracks on CD2. If you pick your copy up at Best Buy, you get an additional bonus CD with yet five more tracks. In short, a lot of bang for your buck even if you already own their entire discography. It is an outstanding package for newcomers who need to become acquainted with one of the most influential bands of the genre.

No iPOD should be without all of the songs from CD1 in this comprehensive anthology. As for the other material, die-hard fans will probably love every note, but I find a lot of it to be hit and miss. As with many collections of "residual" material, finding some diamonds in the rough is like finding an attractive person left at last call. I've done the hard work for you...

iPOD-worthy:
CD1 - ALL TRACKS
CD2 - 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 17
Bonus CD - 5

The Jayhawks official site.

Review: Rhett Miller "Rhett Miller"

Rhett Miller has returned at last with this self-titled follow-up to 2006's masterful "The Believer". During the break he spent some time with his old friends in the acclaimed alt-country band Old 97's to release the excellent "Blame It On Gravity". Frequent readers of this blog have probably noticed my fondness for both the Old 97's and Miller's solo work, and won't be surprised when I say his latest is unbelievable. Readers may be surprised that what I really mean is that "Rhett Miller" is unbelievably mediocre.

Obviously, Miller has been writing an awful lot and perhaps the well is running dry. Most of these songs are devoid of the sweet melodic hooks that make you keep coming back for more, and Miller's vocals come off like he isn't even convinced that these are strong songs. I have spun this record many times now, trying to find something to love, but I can only find things I like.

The element that has remained strong, maybe even gotten better, are his lyrics. "Haphazardly" for example, may be one of his most heart-wrenching yet. So don't get me wrong - this is a good record, but I don't agree with the many folks calling this his best release yet.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 4, 7

Rhett Miller on MySpace. Official site.

Free mp3 - Sister Hazel

Sister Hazel has a new album coming out August 18.

In the meantime, SYNC is offering a free mp3 of an acoustic version of the new song and title track, "Release" - check it out.

Review: Works Progress Administration "Works Progress Administration"

Taking its name from President Roosevelt's 1939 New Deal initiative, Works Progress Administration (WPA) is a conglomeration of similarly minded musicians, crafting music that is meant to inspire and enlighten while it entertains. An impressive list of stellar talent has had a hand in steering the music that has found its way onto the self-titled debut record, due September 15. The founding members are listed as Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek), and Luke Bulla (Jerry Douglas Band/Ricky Skaggs/Lyle Lovett), but substantial contributors include Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers), Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell), Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Imposters/Randy Newman), and Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and the Imposters/Cracker). The founding fathers are regulars who interact at the legendary LA club, Largo, which is the very place Phillips recorded his 2003 live record.

As if that isn't enough name dropping, WPA partnered with Jim Scott to do the engineering; he's worked with the likes of Wilco and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. So with all this talent on board, is this project right on track or a messy train wreck?

The twelve songs include some of the "best" of unrecorded material from various members, as well as some tunes specifically written for the project. Remarkably, the record has tremendous cohesion, despite the myriad of styles and vocal tones each team member brings to the table. I'll admit I was attracted to WPA largely because of Phillips, whose solo efforts and work with Toad remain some of my favorite recordings of all time. For those of you who share my taste, be warned that WPA is markedly country and Americana, with lots of fiddle and pedal steel. For those familiar with the 2004 Nickel Creek-Phillips collaboration, Mutual Admiration Society, I think you'd agree that WPA sounds like a logical extension of that effort. It isn't too Hee Haw (with exception of "Wedding Or A Wake"), but it is the most country-flavored release of Phillips' career.

Of course, this is not a Glen Phillips record - WPA is more like a modern day version of The Eagles, with Phillips, Bulla, and the Watkins siblings taking more or less equal turns on lead vocals, with plenty of masterful harmonies throughout (in keeping with the Eagles analogy, they even have a song called with "Already Gone" in the title!). As with most of the other work from these artists, the lyrics are almost always reflective and philosophical.

There is a good mix of slow versus mid-tempo songs, with the disc lending itself well as a soundtrack for watching sunsets on the back porch. Two of the most enjoyable and more upbeat numbers are right up front, "Always Have My Love" and "Good As Ever", and the haunting ballad "Rise Up" is deeply compelling (all sung by Phillips). Several of the other highlights from the record include the buoyant little ditties "Paralyzed" and "You're Already Gone". The album's closing piano ballad, "The Price", tenderly sung by Sara Watkins, is one of the finest songs I've heard this year; it was actually written by Tench more than two decades ago during his tenure with the Heartbreakers.

A more appropriate name for this project could not have been selected. No one is a hero in this outfit, and when egos are sacrificed for the betterment of the whole, you get a success story like the first record from WPA. While some of these tracks take two or three spins to appreciate, each listen brings a new reward. Today's music world needs a New Deal, and the biz could learn a great deal from the spirit driving WPA.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12

Take note that if you join the mailing list through their main web site, you can get a free mp3 of "Always Have My Love".

Works Progress Administration on MySpace. Official site.

Check out a video detailing the story of WPA (the band, this is not a lesson in the Great Depression):
Introducing Works Progress Administration

Mellencamp Signed Guitar Contest

Live Daily have launched an exclusive John Mellencamp signed guitar contest. One grand prize winner will win a copy of the new live CD "Life Death Live And Freedom" along with a Fender Squire Telecaster guitar signed by John Mellencamp.

Don’t miss your chance to score the new release and a sweet piece of rock memorabilia.

One Grand Prize:
- Autographed Fender Squire Telecaster guitar arctic white
- Life Death Live and Freedom CD

Five Runner-up Prizes:
- Life Death Live and Freedom CD

Enter here

Review: Michael Gross and the Statuettes "Dust and Daylight" [EP]

From Salt Lake City we have Michael Gross and the Statuettes, who have just released their new EP, "Dust and Daylight". The music is right at the border of pop and indie rock, so fans of both camps should be able to find something on there that will tickle their fancy.

"Dust and Daylight" sounds distinctly 80s with all the muted electric guitar driving the rhythm and Gross' early Bono-esque vocals. Reminds me of a cross between The Refreshments and Cheap Trick. The production is a bit on the lo-fi side, but does not distract from the catchy riffs and the heartfelt vocal delivery. While no single song is over the top awesome, every single song is pretty damn cool. Some big time production and engineer could take the skeleton of these songs and catapult them to radio-friendly gems that everyone would want to blast out of their speakers.

His partners in crime, the Statuettes, and indeed a little 'stiff'. With some loosening up and additional creativity, the tunes might sound more compelling on each listen rather than tired. Still, "Dust and Daylight" is a solid debut that has a retro rock charm and overall fun vibe - very cool for summer! "I've Been Wrong Before" is the clear outlier here, but "Novocaine" and "You Can't Get What You Want" are becoming more enjoyable with each spin.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 3, 5

Michael Gross and the Statuettes on MySpace. Official site.