Kevin Dunn --- The Miraculous Miracle of the Imperial Empire

Kevin Dunn was a songwriter, guitarist and singer in seminal Atlanta band The Fans. Formed in the 70's, The Fans were pop purists who preceded the onslaught of punk and new wave, prefiguring both movements return to roots sensibility while eschewing the more obvious pitfalls and dead ends that truncated the arcs of both. The Fan's songs had guts, were savvy and knew their musical history. They weren't a new conversation so much as a particularly articulate side conversation. Interestingly enough, while they were born (and died) in the desert that was 70's FM radio, populated largely by dinosaurs --- Kansas and the Alan Parsons Project on the avant end, and Led Zeppelin and Heart on the less prog side ---no one at the time seemed to sense the greater wasteland ahead for rock. Disco, largely derided as meaningless, was actually a harbinger, stripping away grandiosity and focusing on the senses. Disco cleared a great many fallen trees, culling the overgrown underbrush, letting in light, and, generally simplifying things so they could be recomplicated in new ways.

After the demise of The Fans, Dunn continued to record and put out music until 1985.

In 2013, Kevin Dunn released his first new recording in almost 30 years, The Miraculous Miracle of the Imperial Empire --- described by Dunn as an "old fashioned" concept album.  A full, nuanced portrait, filled with ideas, musical and lyrical, and framed by a sense for and a knowledge of history --- musical, cultural and political ---  TMMIE is fully invested in an idiom that has largely been discarded, superseded or horribly cheapened. Whatever it's faults and shortcomings in the 80's, rock was still credible. Now, however, instead of the landscape detail limning TMMIE, we are presented with the megapixel flatness of bands like Bastille and St. Lucian, all posture and tired trope, not convinced enough of themselves to convince many others, but,  more importantly, unable to extend or change the conversation. As we say so often of the unable --- well, they try.

Dunn does more than try. Over the course of 14 songs he creates a musical world that is, tired phrase, greater than the sum of its parts. Working with elements that have not, essentially, changed since the 80's, Dunn creates a voice that is fresh, original and timeless. Stand out songs, such as Little Miss Orange Alert, brim with musical quotations and sly allusions, yet stand on their own as pulsing and original, invitations to the dance rather than the presentation of a full dance card.

Interestingly, and I mean this as a compliment, the album is a time capsule. There are few if any hints of the radical streams, whether you like them or not, that have flowed into pop music in the last 25 years --- no hip hop, no electronica, no world music. And that's absolutely fine. Dunn's voice is fresh and sure. He is a master of what he does. If he doesn't want to kowtow to the market, this doesn't mean that he is not thinking of his audience, rather he prefers not to underestimate their taste.

Porcelain Pill --- Lovely and smart

Melbourne's Porcelain Pill's eponymous EP was released about this time last year. It was, for me, a lovely, by-chance find, but I hope you will follow the link below and not leave your own discovery of this duo to chance.

The standout tracks on the EP are May 13 and Anomaly, and each seems to encapsulate some of the poles of Porcelain Pill's musical continuum.

May 13 is a haunting, elegiac song built around roots guitar and a legato cello line. The plaintive understated vocal and spare harmony create a perfect little world of regret and longing --- mysterious yet accessible.

Anomaly alternates between an intriguing chord progression filtered through an icy sensibility, and a strong, minimal bass line. Clattery percussion and synth noise are used to thoughtfully round the song.

The songwriting and playing are strong, and the simplicity and care with which the elements are deployed display supple, smart musicality. While there are interesting hints of influences, Porcelain Pill have a sound that is singular and complete. I will be interested to hear what next they put out.

http://porcelainpill.bandcamp.com/album/porcelain-pill

The EP and a single are also available on iTunes.

Apt: Light, Energy and Darkness --- a must buy

It's always interesting to read an artist's or a labels description of a release. Usually it is a severe disappointment to read and then listen to what has been flogged. In this case the reverse is true. Whomever is describing Apt as a sort of sub OMD-Depeche Mode gets it pretty much wrong. And if the describers are the artists, pace and forgive.

This is a vital collaboration. Yes, DNA and fingerprints abound, but in the end it is about itself. It is thoughtful, joyous music, informed by strong structure and careful production. At only ten tracks, there aren't any discards. I detect more PSB on a first listen than Depeche Mode, though certainly very early OMD is present as well.

Add this one to your collection.

Pet Shop Boys Electric --- First Thoughts

This morning I downloaded Electric, the new PSB album.  This evening, after a lovely dinner with friends, I had a first listen.

The instruments and production are expensive and first rate.  As always, the song writing is at least a cut above whatever else is out there.  Thursday is the standout track on a first listen, succeeding by combining the best of old PSB with some new elements.  Other songs, while good, feel a bit B side --- more repackaging of old elements rather than a new direction or a new take on old directions.

Anna Calvi

It's a rare and beautiful experience to discover a new musical universe that is complete, coherent and intriguing. British musician Anna Calvi has created just such, and while her universe is wild and beautiful, it is also inviting and accessible. Trained as a violinist,  Calvi plays electric guitar in a way that is her own, homaging the past without being constrained by it. As a vocalist, she subtly evokes other singers without allowing one to settle --- not an easy move when most singers sound so much alike that Pink can be positioned as edgy.

As for the songs, Calvi is a superb story teller. Lyrics, arrangements and instrumentation are just "so," without a bit extra. One standout for me is Suzanne and I, a bravura workout for the senses.