Rockin' Radio City - Elvis Costello & Darryl Hall

Score: 84/100 

Concert Date: 7/17/24

Venue: Radio City Music Hall, NYC

Genre: Rock, Pop

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The unlikely pairing of Hall and Costello raised my reluctance as the show date drew near. I thought about driving my sister around town in the 1980s and fighting over which station to choose: my favorite alternative mainstay, WFNX, or my sister's pop pablum, KISS108. "Okay," I said. "FNX on the way there, KISS on the way back." And so became my attitude approaching this show.  

After walking fifteen blocks in 95-degree city heat, walking into Radio City Music Hall felt like walking into a refrigerator. I stared at the stoic God on the massive "Quest for the Fountain of Youth" mural standing on the mountaintop, staring into the clouds, and felt a similar sense of hope and wonder. Like Elvis and Daryl, perhaps I, too, was in search of that 80's atmosphere of boundless possibility when This Year's Model spun like a black hole of hope on the turntable in my bedroom when a bright light might have indeed cornered the market. 

The lights dimmed, and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton took the stage. In the key of B, a thumping bass and drum line began. Elvis rushed out, adjusted his microphone, and pumped out the intro to the suggestive This Year's Model anthem, "Pump it Up." Elvis approached the mic like it had stolen his lunch and sang, "I've been out on the tenderhooks. Ending in dirtly looks." reminding me that a lyricist as gifted as Dylan made me look words and phrases up to understand their meetings, thus filling in the cracks of my suburban Boston education.  

The vibe chilled as the band led us into the highlight of the evening, a reimagined "Watching the Detectives," which felt less like pop shop crafting and more like a soundtrack to a forgotten noir film from the 50s. Bruce Thomas'  stretched-out bass line and Pete Thomas' delayed staccato drum beat allowed Sexton to fill in the gaps with sublime outcries from his pedal steel guitar. All the while, Steve Nieve's hauntingly mysterious keyboard underscored the sonic atmosphere with attitude and amplitude.  

As the evening wore on, Elvis masterfully blended his well-known songs such as "Green Shirt," "Every Day I Write the Book," "Mystery Dance," and "Alison" with the more obscure "No Flags," "Indoor Fireworks," and "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy." The show came to a resounding crescendo with his two closing numbers, "I Don't Wanna Go to Chelsea" and "What's so Funny 'bout Peace, Love and Understanding," the latter striking a nerve given today's volatile political climate.  

After a brief intermission, came the ride home, and my sister got to change the station. Elvis' low-lit, dark, and dusty stage setting had been replaced by bright blue and white lights illuminating a stage full of shiny, candied instruments. As the pop priest in a pompadour and shades laid out some velvet vocals over a chill, yacht rock vibe, I felt overcome with a taste so sugary, I could barely swallow. "Maneater" set the tone for what was to come. A string of songs most pleasing to a Hall & Oates fan base, I'm sure, but my palette just needed to be cleansed. 

Settling in, I realized Hall's songs have more hooks than a strip of Velcro. There are few variations with Hall. "Rich Girl" came across as vibrant a pop masterpiece as it was in 1976. Hall's voice, the range at once so incredibly broad and daring, has aged quite gracefully and now takes on a different identity, which, despite the lack of variation, gives the songs a fresh sound. Never the more evident on this night than when he transitioned from "Every Time You Go Away" into "Sara Smile", two songs brilliant in their simplicity. 

In this reviewer's humble opinion, Elvis Costello should have headlined this tour, but record sales dictate the billing, not the depth of lyrics and musicianship. Understanding this, Darryl Hall delivered his form of the goods, and like my drives with my sister back in the day, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

Indie Rock Review: Shambertans - Wallflower

Score: 85/100 

Release Date: November 16, 2020

Genre: Indie Rock/Pop

Similar Artists: Housemartins, Libertines, The Jam

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The Shambertans' debut EP, Wallflower, is an achievement in sonic alchemy. Formed in Cambridge, England in 2019, the band's sound is an extraordinary diversity of melody and mood, a blend of post-punk pop and modern no-frills rock. These balances are difficult to strike, and most modern rock bands end up producing grocery store music – one of a hundred varieties of the same product.

While the band stands on their own solid ground, the influences are clear. On the title track, “Wallflower," one can hear the strains of "Happy Hour" by The Housemartins. The pop hooks and the mellifluous tone of lead singer James Malone's voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Housemartins frontman Paul Heaton. Further on, songs with harder edges, such as "Sun in Your Eyes," bring to mind The Libertines in their ability to cut searing guitar licks between subtle yet impactful lyrics.

The theme throughout these understated lyrics is one of alienation and the fear of fading into the woodwork. On "Wallflower," Malone sings, 

"No life lives forever, deadmen rise up never, I'm a sleeper without a dream, searching for something." 

"Standing on The Dancefloor" takes us into the mind of the lovelorn, astounded that in a crowded bar he somehow has the woman of his dreams alone to himself. 

"’Cuz I want to be you; I need to be. Letting all the liberties fly. I see you. I want to be near you. It's what everyone wants, and only you can make them cry."  

The band’s power is restrained only by the pop song structure, and one gets the sense that Malone, guitarist Simon Jupp, bassist Sam Hester, and drummer Adam Mansfield are just itching to let loose live. Post lockdown, I'm hopeful that the band will do just that.

All in all, Wallflower is an impressive debut by a band on the brink of a breakout. Like a perfectly mixed cocktail, Shambertans blend influences and stylings to produce a modern, stylish sound that goes down easy and packs a punch. This band is establishing its footing as a force to be reckoned with for years to come. 

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.6.1

Pop/Rock Review: Paul McCartney - McCartney III

Score: 80/100 

Release Date: December 18, 2020

Genre: Rock/Pop

Similar Artists: Jeff Lynne, John Lennon, Elton John

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Since his departure from The Beatles, the beloved songsmith has alternated between skillfully-written pop masterworks to complete pieces of shite.  Who would deny the excellence of Ram, Band on the Run, and Flaming Pie?  On the other hand, who in their right mind can stomach head-scratchers like Wildlife, Press to Play, and the coma-inducing pablum, Give my Regards to Broad Street. Let's face it; what you get out of a Sir Paul release is anybody's guess.

Interspersed among his bipolar discography is a triad of numbered albums that beg the question, what is so special about this triumvirate?  What they appear to represent are three experimental shifts in style and direction. "I" was a lo-fi introspective shift away from Beatlemania.  Ten years later, after the dissolution of Wings, "II" set an experimental tone for his next era of pop profundity.  Fast forward forty years. In the middle of a pandemic, which he dubbs "rock-down," McCartney finds himself at the final transformational point in the triad.  

This current incarnation harks back to the first. Let's face it; Paul was the polished Beatle, the produced and precise Beatle, while John was rougher around the edges. The combination of the two is what made the magic. On "III", John lets himself go.  He skips the razor and hairbrush, and as a result, we see more of his authentic self. He creates grooves and then jumps into them to explore space within. There's a little John Lennon in these tracks, and thus, a bit of magic is conjured. 

"Long Tailed Winter Bird" sets the pace with a vibrant blues riff greeted by scuffled rhythm and vocals a third of the way. "Find my Way' shines the light of hope into the dark space of our modern times with pop savvy. "Women and Wives" is a refreshing conjuring of a bare-bones blues ostinato. "Deep, Deep Feeling" evokes the modern soulfulness of James Blake or Mac Miller. 

"Deep Down" contains the lyric 'Yankee toes and Eskimos can turn to frozen ice' which McCartney wrote upon impulse and later determined that "it's best not to question too deeply a lyric" and left it alone. The closing track, "When Winter Comes," revisits the album's opening blues riff, building and accentuating dramatically.  Much like 2020, we begin in the winter and end in the winter with a whole lot of struggle in between.  

In the long and winding road that is Paul McCartney's career, "III" is a rest along a scenic vista after a rough stretch of terrain. Fingers are crossed that "III" marks a pivot from the polished and predictable toward a deeper and more introspective McCartney in his remaining days.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen

8.5.5

Indie-Rock Review: Hinds - The Prettiest Curse

Score: 82/100

Released: June 5, 2020

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop

Similar: Alvvays, Strokes, Best Coast

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Madrid-based indie rock band, Hinds has released their third studio album, The Prettiest Curse, a collection of textured, guitar-driven power pop sure to please a broad range of music fans. Originally named "Deers," they changed their name in 2014 due to legal threats from a band name "The Dears." "Hinds" actually means female deers.  

Don't be fooled by the cover art. This ain't no pajama party. The sound is hard, hooky, and infectious without being syrupy. The music will march into your brain and take up residency. And while it ain't no pajama party, soul-bearing confessions and heartfelt admonitions overtake the conversation. The blistering guitar screaming out in the most desperate moments underscores a unique sense of both yearning and resolve in the lyrics. 

Hinds are benefactors of their geography. The sonic sensibilities and perspectives gained by creating music in Madrid and outside the influence of the U.S. pop machine are evident. This infusion is a jolt of adrenaline into the dying beast. The Prettiest Curse strengthens the band's restless abandon while adding more prominent drums, fuzzier guitars, and more passionate choruses. 

"Riding Solo," "Take Me Back," and "Burn" are a few of the standout tracks rife with hooks, clapbacks, and singalong choruses. There's a powerful punk-pop undercurrent and an unrelenting attitude which only serves to strengthen the offering and accelerate the rush of adrenaline to your brain. That said, there are moments on the album which drift into the more formulaic and predictable garage-pop sound, yet they are few and far between.  

All tolled, The Prettiest Curse has a quick absorption rate. It gets into your blood instantly and is one of 2020's biggest surprises.  

- Tom Endyke | Guitar & Pen