• Band / Artist : Kirsten Proffit – mySpace
• Genre : Rock / Pop
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : Broken Arrow Records
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

Many of the female vocalists that really get under my skin, have that edge of uniqueness, whether it’s their music, words, vocals or a combination of the three. I have to admit, although I’d sampled some of Kirsten’s music and had my interest piqued enough to get a copy of the album in for review, when I listened to the album, I though that this was maybe a little too pop for me. I keep seeing Debbie Gibson in my minds eye as I listened to the tracks, and I suddenly had an epiphany, a kind of reality check. Yes this maybe pure pop with a hint of rock, but it’s still musically very pleasant. The more I listened, the more I began to enjoy.

As the album unfolded, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was manufactured pop, with a nice girls voice, being given all the benefits of modern recording magic. As always the Internet is my friend and it didn’t take me long to find a few of Kirsten’s videos on YouTube and she sounds awesome live. I would have loved a live recording to have been included on the CD, but that’s one of my complaints about many artists, so maybe a little unfair to single out Kirsten.

Favourite tracks on this 12 track album would have to be “Something I Can’t Be”, “Chance and Circumstance”, “Lucky Girl” and “Marilyn”

Conclusion : Maybe a little more pop than anything else, but it’s well written nonetheless and wonderfully sung.

• Band / Artist : The BDI’s – mySpace
• Genre : Soul / Pop / Blues
• Sample Track Download : One More Time
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

With a nod to 60’s greats such as Free and the Faces, this is one of those albums, that can either console you when you’re in need of a shoulder, or fuel the inner fire, when you are pumped and ready to bitchslap the world.

While this album certainly has a very heavy 60’s flavour, there are other great influences clearly heard, like Curtis Mayfield and The Style Council, that fusion of soul and pop, with a dash of the blues.

Of the fourteen tracks, I really loved “Slow Burning”, “The Islands”, “Jingle Jangle” and “The Wrong Man”. There are a couple of tracks, that left me a bit cold, the most noticeable of these was “That’s One Driven Man”. As soon as this track began, it seemed to really stick out from the rest. The other one was “William the Conqueror”, just not my cup of tea.

A really great band, with a nice sound. There seems to be trend where more and more bands are cramming as many tracks as they can onto a CD release. The BDI’s do here, with 14 tracks and a running time of 41, which averages around 2½-3 minutes per track, another trait of many of the 60’s classics. Having an album fizz along for 14 tracks, is a task in itself and like many albums, this one could probably have felt a lot tighter with a few tracks removed.

Conclusion : A great sound coming out of the UK and a name I’ll be keeping track of.

• Band / Artist : The Latebirds
• Genre : Pop / Rock
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : N/A
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 7.5 out of 10

I have to admit this is the first Finnish band, I have every reviewed, in fact I think it’s the only Finnish band I can actually name. With an interesting mix of rock and pop, influences range from the Who and The Stones, to INXS, but with a gentler pop style vocal. Actually the vocals are pretty mellow, with the merest hint of an accent, but they’re not strong enough to actually be able to place.

“Set Free the Radio” is the track the starts the album off and it does so with great gusto. Other notable tracks are “Will to Fall” and “Fill Me In” which I have to say is my personal favorite. The album closes with “Without June” which is fairly downbeat, and at a tad over 6 minutes, kind of brings the album down a notch.

This album was actually released in 2006 and a new one has been recorded, entitled “Last Of The Good Ol’ Days” and scheduled for release in early 2009.

Conclusion : A great album, that maybe lacks a bit of fire. The vocals are pleasant and music is tight. Maybe would have been a bit tighter with fewer tracks.

• Band / Artist : Anti Atlas – mySpace
• Genre : Lounge / Down-tempo / Classical
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : One Little Indian
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

I made a concious effot to get some reviewing done today. Got myself all geared up to do one set of reviews and ended up doing something totally different. I sat at my computer all fired up for something a little up-tempo and out of the corner of my eye, I caught glimpse of a CD I haven’t seend in a while. “Ah, Anti Atlas”, I thought, “I reviewed that one ages ago”. Something made me search for their name in my email and low and behold nothing came back, well nothing from me anyway. Ooops, nearly fell through the cracks, but nice recovery from me.

I put the CD on and memories from a year ago came flooding back, memories of my then newborn son. I used to listen to this CD, to unwind and relax. My mood suddently changed. I was no longer, wired for something fast and furious, I had a tender spot that need itching and this CD would do it nicely.

Opening with “Wait for Me”, this is most definitely down-temp, chill music. Back in my youth, this is the kind of album I’d have put on, after coming back, wired from a night on the town. Yes, I realise that makes me sound like some old codger, but that’s what we used to say and I can tell you, it’s not that many years ago. As the dawn began to rise and your mind was still spinning from the excesses of the night, this kind of music was the perfect lullaby to unwind and mellow out to. “It’s a Shame”, has the most wonderful vocals, courtesy of Gemma Hayes. They’re breathless, haunting and exceedingly sexy. In fact all 8 tracks here feature different vocalist from all over they world, and they are all exceptional.

“Cool is the Night” is just an amazing track. It has that effortless, flying through clouds feel to it. The vocals, this time are provided by Richard Walters and they wash over you, wonderfully. There’s an sound that features ever so delicately, on this track, which reminds me of the theme tune to the old 60’s TV show, the Persuaders I think it was, the sound was also featured quite a lot on another 60’s TV show, Prisoner, can’t think what the instrument is called, but it’s a string instument stuck by sticks.

Although there’s only 8 tracks on this album, it still adds up to nearly 40 minutes of music. All the tracks have that late night chill vibe and are each masterpeices in themselves. Fantastic stuff.

Conclusion : This is a great album, to wind down to. An essential addition to your collection, if you need something to take the edge off every day life.

• Band / Artist : The Matches – mySpace
• Genre : Rock
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD :
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

Another great band from my friends at Epitaph, that’s way overdue for review. The Matches are a band, I’d not come across before. There’s a strong Emo feel to their music, but there is a much heavier rock sound underpinning everything, which was most welcoming, as I’ve become a little too Emo’d out of late. I actually had this album in for a few months, before I’d even got around to listening to it and my first listen, was unusually while riding the bus one morning.

I have to admit, listening to music while en-route somewhere, isn’t the best way to listen to new music, especially when you really want to pay attention to what you are hearing. The first couple of tracks provided a higher than usual level of ambient noise, but when the third and indeed title track “Wake The Sun” started, my ears pricked up and I was hooked. This track reminds me of a more Britpop, come Killers sound and this is certainly a direction I was hoping the rest of the album would take. However nothing could have been further away from this, with the track that followed “Darkness Rising” with it’s very theatrical, almost operatic vibe. “To Build a Mountain” goes off in another totally different direction, and you almost get the sense that the band are toying with you, not in a malicious sense, but more of a band that wants to push the envelope a bit.

“Clouds Crash” is one of the more relaxed tracks on the album. It’s a great acoustic guitar driven track, with some nice subtle violin backing, which kind of reminds me a bit of Green Day’s, “Good Riddance [Time of Your Life]”. “Between Halloweens”, contrasts the previous track being more upbeat and intense, and I can’t help but sense the band having fun, something that really shines through and is always a real pleasure to hear.

The penultimate track, “Yankee in a Chip Shop”, has real punk feel, but with a more pop delivery. I can imagine the band really let go with this track in a live performance and couldn’t help but wish they’d have done so more with the studio recording. “Proctor Rd.” is a peculiar track, that finishes off the album. It’s dark and very short track, being a tad over a minute. Not really too sure about this as an album ender, preferring I think something a bit more dramatic, but it’s OK, I guess.

With 14 tracks on the album, this is real treasure trove of great rock, with heavy pop/punk overtones. There’s a few tracks that are more mainstream pop than rock, but that’s OK, as those tracks provide a nice counter balance to the more rock, and diverse tracks.

Conclusion : Thanks again to Epitaph for this unsolicited submission to Indie Launchpad. This would probably have not otherwise have been a band I would have enquired about, so I’m all the more thankful, as this is a tremendous album and most certainly puts The Matches firmly on my list of bands to watch out for in the future.

• Band / Artist : Cavedoll – mySpace
• Genre : Pop / Rock / Electro
• Sample Track Download : Cut in Half
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

There seems to be a resurgence of electro pop music coming to the fore, harkening back to the 80’s. Cavedoll seem to have one foot firmly planted in this genre, with the other foot playing loosey goosey, introducing a whole raft of different influences.

With 16 tracks in this album, it may seem a lot, but this pales, when you find out they are in the process of releasing 10 albums over the coming year, after having released 13 over 2007. This slew of new releases will consist of a huge array of new, re-mixed, re-packacked and re-mastered tracks.

“Decoder” is a track I’ve heard on various podcasts and is the first track on this 16 track offering. It’s a great track, which really could be a lost recording from decades ago. I love the whimsical synth/keyboards and the 80’s encrusted chorus. This is just an amazing collection of catchy pop with that electro underpinning. “King of the Clouds” is a particularly wonderful track, which just effortlessly washes over you.

As soon as “Taste Like a Hurricane” began, I was in aural heaven, with a most incredible synth intro. I wasn’t expecting the female vocals, but they compliment the music nicely. It’s when the chorus starts that I can almost hear a subliminal nod to Abba. OK call me nuts, but the vocals just have that texture to them. It’s probably no surprise that “Now is Our Time” also stood out with it’s hint of the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields”, but that’s mainly due to the synth, which opens the track and is also featured lightly throughout. The track unfolds nicely and is firmly one of my favourite tracks on the album.

“Leaking Out the Nose” despite a wonderfully horrid title, shows the bands songwriting chops, resulting in a track that unfolds like a book and this is a prime example of great song. Although their styles are radically different, they share a wonderful storytelling skill, which gives us a track that is over all too quickly.

While there is much to love on this album, there is one track that left me cold, “Full of Awe”. While it has a great production, the song itself is very sterile. I certainly wouldn’t miss it, if it were to be removed, which thankfully is pretty straightforward with iPods and the like.

The album ends with two covers. First is the Rolling Stone’s “Paint it Black”, which is very nicely done. I love the almost harpsichord synth and the wonderful energy, which for me is somewhat lacking in the original. The final cover is of David Bowie’s “Heroes” and again it’s a wonderful interpretation, which Cavedoll manage to own.

Conclusion : A wonderful mix of classic electro and modern day pop, delivering some wonderfully catchy and memorable songs. When I first listened to this CD, I found that it felt a little too eclectic. However after a few listens, it almost seems to envelop you. This is an album that is so easy to listen to and enjoy and the covers for me are the icing on the cake. Certainly a release that should be lauded with the attention and praise it deserves.

• Band / Artist : Antiqcool – mySpace
• Genre : Rock / Jazz / Pop
• Sample Track Download : Vows Were Made of Glass
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 7 out of 10

This is an album that’s certainly in no hurry, with 13 tracks, each being on average around 5 minutes, for a total of an hours worth of music. The music here is very much in the vein of Steely Dan, especially the vocals, which are very distinctive.

The album opens very strongly with “Englishman Out in the Midday Sun”, which is one of my favorite tracks on the album. However it’s the second track, “Vows Were Made of Glass”, which really stands out from the rest of the tracks, both in musical content and size, weighing in at just a tad under 7 minutes. There’s a lovely feel about this track, that’s hard to quantify, but it really has that AM 70’s sound, that seems to be featuring strongly over the last year or so. “Pearl” is also noticeable, as the high pitched voice is replaced at the start of the track, with a vocal style that is much easier on the ear. This alternate vocal style is also evident in “How Much More of This”, “Just a Little too Late” and “My Avatar”, where the higher pitched vocals are used to good effect harmonising.

Admittedly as an album, this feels a little strained, however for me there is enough here to enjoy, but also to get me interested enough in watching to see how this band progresses.

Conclusion : Musically excellent. However while the vocals are certainly distinctive, they are also my only cause for concern, on what is otherwise a really pleasant and relaxed album. The vocals are comprised of some great harmonies, but the lead vocal is often very high, almost unnaturally so. At first this come across as fairly unique, but after a while it tended to grate, as there is just not enough diversity to stimulate the ear.

For me there’s enough here to enjoy and I’ve found myself on a couple of occasions just letting the vocals wash over me, before realising, so this could very well be an album, that digs it’s hooks in over a period of time.

• Band / Artist : Ben Sollee – mySpace
• Genre : Acoustic / Alternative / Folk
• Sample Track Download : It’s Not Impossible
• Buy CD : Amazon
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8.5 out of 10

I’ve mentioned before my love of the cello, an instrument that in the hands of the right person, is almost able to speak. So when this album came in, my interest was immediate. Unfortunately though my interest was immediate, my listening schedule was not, so it’s only now, after having the able for a few months that I’m able to give it the attention it deserves. Fusing an interesting blend of genres, from folk and acoustic, to an occasional hint of jazz, this is an album that’s a real tour de force. The vocals also are a perfect companion to the music, clear and soulful.

The eleven track album opens with “A Few Honest Words”. A plucking cello starts the track and you know in an instant, that this is something quite different. Not too sure it’s the right track to open the album, as it’s quite a laid back, almost dark track. “How to See the Sun” in my opinion would have been a much better opener, which I can’t help but feel I’ve heard somewhere before.

For a title track, “Bend” is just a beautiful listening experience, from the wonderful use of the harp, to the great female accompaniment. This vocalist at times reminds me of another, whose name escapes me, but she’s featured on the Roger Waters album, “Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking”. Things liven up a little with, “It’s Not Impossible” and it’s here that I had this strange thought that this sounds like a Canadian artist, which I know isn’t the case, but there’s a sound that runs constantly thorough this album, that I’ve heard many many times here in Canada.

“Prettiest Tree on the Mountain” sounds a little like one of those early Elvis tracks, only not quite so rockin’, which in this case is a good thing. Ben even manages to pluck his way through a cello solo and for the first time, I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve ever mentioned a cello solo on Indie Launchpad and this is one of the reasons I get so excited when encountering an album like this. Too often people get trapped into stereotypes, pigeonholing their own tastes in music. Tell some people that this album has in it some wonderful cello and they’d probably run a mile and that’s pretty much the failing of main stream media.

“Panning for Gold” is probably one of my favorite tracks on the album. It has such a wonderful vibe to it, especially again the cello, that features throughout and I think a violin or two, it does take something of a lacadasical detour after three minutes however. “A Change is Gonna Come” is a reworking of the Sam Cooke classic and Ben manages to really take ownership of it. Not too sure about the saxophone on this track, which I think makes things a little too busy,

“Built for This” allows Ben again to flex his cello chops. This is one of those tracks that I can imagine being played on a fiddle, around a campfire. It has that real turn of the century feel to it. The final track “Copper and Malacite” again seems to draw influences from elsewhere almost sounding like it should be on the soundtrack to a western.

Conclusion : An album that manages to stand out from the crowd, for all the right reasons. A wonderful mix of instruments and music, result in a wonderful listening experience. This is one of those albums that while you could choose to have playing in the background, when you are in a mellow mood, but you get so much more out of it, if you consciously decide to sit down and really listen.

• Band / Artist : Jonny Dongel – mySpace
• Genre : Rock / Pop / Punk
• Sample Track Download : A Fifth of Nowhere
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : Amazon
• Rating : 8 out of 10

Not wishing to insult Jonny, if “Jonny Dongel” is indeed his real name, but I can’t help but put him along side the likes of Jilted John and Buster Bloodvessel as names that conjure up fond memories. In Jonny’s case it’s the fact that his music takes me back to my last days of junior school, 1978, when Jilted John’s self titled single was riding high in the UK charts. This whole album, is full of pent up anger, aggression, love, hate and the kitchen sink. Think punk, new wave, powerpop and you’ll be pretty close to the album that is “A Fifth of Nowhere”

Nearly every song on this album, has that boozed up, chanting, singalong factor. The last tracks that I can remember sharing this same quality were Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Wonderwall”. “Snocker Snog and Shag” alludes to many a favourite past time and really sets up the album very nicely. The title track “A Fifth of Nowhere” gives more of the same. “The Cause” with it’s high octane guitar and drums, takes a slightly different turn. With it’s slightly harder edge, it’s more rock than punk, but it still has that hallmark sound.

“Sorry Simon” is the track that’s garnered much interest, especially with podcasts and rightly so. This track kind of reminds me of a Sex Pistols track, with two fingers firmly raised at Simon Cowell, the acerbic and often downright cruel judge on both the US and Britain’s Idol talent show. It’s one of those tracks, like “Jilted John” that could very well take the charts by storm if given the chance.

Of the 11 tracks here, 4 really stand out, “Sorry Simon” being one of them. “Radio Caroline” is another, written about the pirate radio station, anchored off the UK coast during the 60’s. The others are “Mighty Irish” and the track that closes the album “Here for the Music”. The other tracks are all in the same spirit and while they’re all highly enjoyable, I can’t help but worry that this is an album that’s going to have a limited appeal, as if you tire with one song, you’ll probably tire of them all.

Conclusion : A real blast of an album, that’s fun and greatly captures the spirit of summer. While I do have concerns that as most of the songs are all pretty much in the same mould, you may tire of it more quickly than other albums. However I can well see this album being dusted off from time to time and reliving it all over again, with an air guitar and attitude, but most importantly a smile.

• Band / Artist : Barenaked Ladies – mySpace
• Genre : Pop / Rock / Children
• Sample Track Download : 7 8 9
• Buy CD : Werkshop
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9 out of 10

It’s not often you pick up an album to find over 20 songs, in this case for the latest release from the Barenaked Ladies (BNL) is 24 tracks. Upon delving a little deeper you can see why there are so many tracks, as the average track time is around 2 minutes, with some tracks just under a minute and eight, on or around the 3 minute mark. All is revealed when you discover that this is an album intended for kids. This is a fact that has slipped a few peoples notice, from the comments I read on iTunes. It’s funny to see reviews on the one hand criticise the album, but on the other note that this would make a good kids album. Mmmm, maybe it’s a good thing this is a kids album.

To be honest though, to say this is a kids album, is pretty shortsighted. Yes many of these tracks are intended for children and the subject matter bounces around all over the place. While some of the songs border on the infantile, it’s all held together beautifully and man some of these songs are catchy. Take the opening track “7 8 9”, which was my introduction to this album. This track has been featured quite extensively on CBC children’s television. With it’s play on words and simple melody, it’s a track I wasn’t able to get out of my head for days, after hearing it for the first time. “The Ninjas” is pure BNL, with it’s catchy melody and distinctive vocals.

It seems that lately, I’ve really begun to notice lyrics more and more. The opening line to “Raisins” really made me smirk in a way I haven’t since I was a kid :

“Raisins come from grapes. People come form Apes. I come from Canada”

The whole track follows in a similar vain and I couldn’t help but repeat the track again and again.

With so many tracks on the album, it would be sheer craziness to cover them all, suffice to say there are many that really tickled my fancy, but we won’t talk about that, this is a kids album after all. “7 8 9” and “Raisins” are particularly strong tracks, as are “I Can Sing”, “Humongous Tree”, “Bad Day” with it’s Gordon Lightfoot overtones, “Curious” and “Crazy ABCs” which is probably not the song your kids are going to use to learn their alphabet, but will surely turn them into smartarses, should they learn the lyrics by heart.

The album ends with “Here Come the Geese” and almost feels like a Muppet song, with it’s froggy vocal overtones. Trying to dissect this album on a song by song basis is totally pointless as everyone is going to get something different out of this album. The kids will love the basic, easy to remember songs, based of course on their age. The older kids and adults will all take something totally different from this album, but the things that’s most surprising is that this is an album anyone, of any age should enjoy.

Writing songs for children is no easy task. Writing songs for children, that children will actually enjoy is an art form all to itself. For this album, not only are the songs great, but it’s so apparent that BNL not only had great fun making this album, but also put into this album a lot of love.

Conclusion : Hard core BNL fans will probably either lap this up, or think the band have gone a bit nuts. Personally, while I’ve followed BNL over the years, I’m guilty in that I don’t own a single one of their albums (apart from this one of course), which is something I’d like to rectify, as this album has shown me a different side to the band and certainly renewed my interest in them. Fun with a capital F.U.N.