Choice Cuts: May 2003 - Page 2

Highlight Tracks: "Strawberry Pie" and "Sunny Street"

For More Info: Check out http://www.amvibe.com or http://www.silvergirl.com

Artist: JAKE ARMERDING

Album: Jake Armerding

The Scoop: If success had a formula, it's a pretty sure bet that Jake Armerding would fit the equation. First of all, it's easy to recognize his talent-a pleasing voice but, moreover, a natural on the fiddle and mandolin. He's young, handsome, and has a strong music pedigree (his father, Taylor, is well-known as part of Northern Lights). Perhaps most difficult to explain, he achieves a rare balanace of contemporary savvy and old-time colloquialness. Put more simply, he's a little bit city and a little bit country. Armerding is at his best when he's mining elements of traditional bluegrass and folk; less successful are songs like "Adonai," the verses of which sound a little too much like a Jack Johnson song. He shows his sensitive side in light-radio ready ballads like "Unsaveable" and "You Took Me In," then shows a naughtier twinkle with the honky-tonk of "Little Boy Blue (North of North Dakota)." Expect big things.

Highlight Tracks: "Peace of Mind (Lost in Back Bay)" and "The Girl I Left Behind Me"

For More Info: Visit http://www.jakearmerding.com or the label site at http://www.compassrecords.com

Artist: THE BELLRAYS

Album: Raw Collection

The Scoop: A treat for fans and newcomers alike. L.A. soul-punkers The BellRays have built a solid critical following with their unique blend of MC5/Detroit frenzy and the power generator vocals of Lisa Kekaula. Raw Collection is a compilation of cuts from out-of-print singles and other odds-and-ends (11 of the album's 15 tracks appear on CD for the first time), so while it offers an enlightening timeline of the band's sound, it is by no means a Greatest Hits. Sometimes a B-side is really just a B-side. But, perhaps surprisingly for a collection of its nature, there are more gems than duds. Tony Fate, the band's main songwriting force, slows things down slightly for the uber-accessible jangle of "Mind's Eye." Mostly, though, the needle rests lovingly on overdrive. The band takes on The Saints with "Nights In Venice" and achieves delirious, dance-demanding results. Bob Vennum's bass is mixed in to make you feel like the band is rattling your walls from down the street.

Highlight Tracks: "Mind's Eye" and "Nights In Venice"

For More Info: Jump to http://www.uppercutrecords.com

Artist: BITTER, BITTER WEEKS

Album: Bitter, bitter weeks

The Scoop: Some reviewers-even very complimentary ones-seem to have painted Brian McTear into a corner that's not entirely appropriate. While it's true that his solo outing is much more sparse and acoustic than one might expect from the notable producer of Burning Brides and Matt Pond PA, the album isn't as bleak as McTear's chosen moniker and Amy Morrissey's lovely, lonely artwork lead you to believe. McTear's low-key songs often absolutely ache with hope. Forsaking fancy-schmancy production for a simple, one-mic recording, he approaches the album as a straightforward songwriter. The skin fits. At worst, there are tracks that don't exactly demand repeat plays but fit comfortably within the arc of the album (which, at under 36 minutes, is quite brief). McTear's folksy rasp at times recalls a slower-paced Destroyer, and his lyrics mostly stand up to the intense exposure that results from such sparse embellishment. For bonus points, the memorable "You Paralyze My Heart" successfully wooed its muse and, in the press kit, McTear seems like a heckuva nice guy.