Edgar Meyer -- Edgar Meyer (Sony Classical)

Times of personal introspection often can require a soothing element, if for nothing more but to provide a focal point or to simply direct the flow of emotion.  Modern classical pieces are increasingly more and more personal and less grandiose than eras preceding them.  We are a more interpersonal people now than we were many years back where attachments, expressions, and “fitting in” required complete concentration; music reflected that.

Sony Classical artist, Edgar Meyer provides a multi-hued album of home-recorded selections, sequenced to provide flow with inserted short “palette cleansers” of under a minute duration to bridge into the next phase of style.  With tunes that make use of various instruments at various times and interconnectivity, each song represent a vial of time, a moment captured, rich with intent.  Beginning with a softness provided by bass and piano, “First Things First” sets the mood and tone.  Moving into “Roundabout” and incorporating bass, piano, Gibson mandolin (originally belonging to Norman Blake), guitar and dobro.  The first phase is completed with a piano interlude before the delightful “Please Don’t Feed The Bear” begins. The rest of the album is fleshed out with different ideas including the piano-less “Woody Creek,” recorded as such to provide an outdoor feeling.  The belief is that pianos are indoor instruments; if you intend to create the illusion of an out-of-doors instrumental, then the presence of piano will steal away from the illusion and thus place the playing of the tune indoors.

Edgar Meyer’s personal collection of expressive tunes is just the right thing to sit back and let splash over you.  Experimental and tender, this self-titled work is that walk in the park or that perch beneath a tree on a summer day when all the solitude and reflection becomes unique strokes of paint on a snow-white canvas.

Vlor -- A Fire Is Meant For Burning (Silber Media)

Silber Media is a small explorative label that is designed to bring exposure to artists that view music differently than many do.  Music will always be subjective to the listener.  What one finds excellent, another may dislike intensely, and so it goes.  Silber caters largely to ambience of various styles and is also home to ambient champs, Lycia.

Vlor is a makeup of various members of other bands, notably label attachments, Aarktica, Remora, Rivulets, Jessica Bailiff, and Lycia with A Fire Is Meant For Burning a collaborative guitar work amongst them.  Vlor is a non-sequenced collection of experimental pieces that flesh together to entice those that appreciate off-track guitar background or a sit in a soft chair with headphones.  There is charm in such music, which is clearly not for the Top 40 crowd but will likely attract certain fans of ambient, those that can go beyond the usual spacey or nature hike stuff.

The songs on this album vary in style, likely according to the influence of the various artists that brought the music piece to the table.  It begins with a soft conversation between two acoustic guitars (“Trust In Weapons”); a more biting buzz saw approach (“Wires”); and winds its way to the Mike VanPorfleet (Lycia) involved, “Days Like Smoke,” clearly with recognizable VanPortfleet touches.  Brian John Mitchell is the singular component that weaves through all twelve tracks of instrumentals.

A Fire Is Meant For Burning is meant to drift by.

Dirty On Purpose -- Hallelujah Sirens (North Street)

I’m always amused at bands’ names, particularly nowadays.  There are variations on just about anything.  I’ve often wondered if certain names were how a band wanted to be remembered by if they attained the demi-god status of Rock.  Dirty on Purpose, of course, doesn’t reflect their music, which is pretty damn good, should they ever breakout and become BIG sellers of music.  Does Dirty On Purpose as a name do the trick?

DoP’s music has quite a bit of influence running through it, as all bands have; they borrow from many.   But, to borrow an old phrase, Hallelujah Sirens is pure pop for the now people.  The boys have an excellent command of melody, have very good tune-smithing skills, and with Hallelujah Sirens, have themselves a very good album.  With one foot in 2006 and the other sliding across the past decades of rock (check out the Led Zeppelin-like beginning of “Monument”), you’ll be listening to this album more than once. 

But boys, change the name.  You’re quite good enough to reinvent your name to something more memorable and resilient.

Various Artists -- Hef's Favorites (Playboy Jazz/Concord)

If you thought that Hugh Hefner only wears the velvet robe for the women in his life, think again.  The Chairman of the female body grew up in a time where jazz was the dominating musical influence, that is to say the period that draws from the ‘30s and ‘40s.  If you’re a reader of Playboy, then it is no secret that Hef’s genre of choice is old-school jazz with a touch of beat jazz to fill in the gaps.

While personal collections are nothing more than iPod playlists, this playlist of Hefner’s is a satisfying blend of several styles of traditional jazz.  There is the completely intoxicating vocal of June Christy, who sings on “Something Cool;” an uptempo trumpet gem with Chet Baker (“Let’s Get Lost”); a mood-setting “Corcovado” by Charlie Byrd; a gorgeous “For All We Know” from the incomparable Dinah Washington; and 8 other well selected songs that take Hef’s mind off his girls (for short periods, of course).

The songs in this collection have been remastered for great sound.  One listen to Johnny Mercer’s 1944-recorded “Candy” and you can immediately and inherently detect the cleanup.  The range and styles found on Hef’s Favorites as well as the Hefner notes and the credits found in the foldout booklet make this compilation a great survey of the undying beauty of traditional jazz.  Buddy up with Hef with utter confidence on this one.

Mew -- The Zookeeper's Boy EP (Red Ink/Columbia)

The problem with a lot of the music coming out in the so-called alternative genre is that it sounds so remarkably like the stuff that came out the month before it (by another band and with so little to separate it from the pack) and likely the stuff yet to come out.  Lots of it is good, much of it bad, most of it repetitive.  But lately, we’ve been getting some damn interesting stuff that is different.  It maintains the undercurrent of the present style but adds twists to separate them from the rest.  Finally.

This introductory EP from Red Ink artist, Mew, offers 3 tracks from their upcoming album (July) called And The Glass Handed Kites, plus a few bonus cuts.  The songs are energetic with soaring harmonies provided by vocalist,

The best song, which will also be found on the band’s album, is “The Zookeeper’s Boy,” being too good to leave off.  There’s a genuine feeling of rock innovation here as the band separates them from the main pack.  Bonus track, “Am I Wry? No,” all drums, lush guitar, and piano, makes the acquisition of this EP necessary if you find that you love these guys.  I’m betting that you will.  Influences stem from Coldplay and Keane, never more evident than on their last cut on the EP, “Comforting Sounds,” but they still have their own thing going; check them out at their site www.mewsite.com.

Crash Kelly -- Electric Satisfaction (Liquor & Poker Records)

The latest album from guitar virtuoso, Sean Kelly, is a veritable rocket ride through the culture of ‘70s arena rock.  There’s a little of everybody from that magical time in the 12 songs found on this album including a bonus track that covers Alice Cooper’s solo era, “Cold Ethyl.”  The album begins with “Hang Out Where You Matter” and begins by riffing Thin Lizzy and adding in noticeable Cheap Trick chorus and filling the song with Allman Bros/Wishbone Ash-like guitars.  Now, THAT’s a party in the making by the first song.

Hyped by music magazines who throw around a who’s who of popular rock acts of the ‘70s in their assessment of Crash Kelly (Alice Cooper, T-Rex, Aerosmith, Kiss, Starz, and Raspberries – some of these are sure, some not so obvious), Crash Kelly certainly does the ‘70s-period arena rock very, very proud.  Loud guitars, liberal doses of lead guitar, and with enough bad-boy lyrics to defy parents everywhere, Electric Satisfaction will light a dark room in need of the energy that makes up the whole of this album.

Still need convincing?  Stop by their MySpace page and hear what we’re talkin’ about.  Additionally, you can also stop by their label’s MySpace page as this label houses bands that cater to this style of badass rock and roll, ‘70s’ style.

Bernard -- A View Beyond the Cave (Floodgate/EastWest Records)

Bernard exhibits a nice blend of ethereal pop with a dreamy-like atmosphere of lyrics that look beyond spheres of everyday life.  Based in Florida, this soaring vocals band uses a multitude of instruments and programming to create textures that lift the songs into a “happy to be away from here” style.  There’s a taste of Coldplay found occasionally in some of the songs like “Too Far.”  However, the overall effect of the music is captivating and pleasing to the ears and soul. 

I understand  that there is a visual presentation, which I haven’t experienced, that expands upon the musical delivery therefore making the entirety of Bernard’s art a more complete work.  But you don’t need the visuals, as the audio is wonderfully absorbing all by itself.  A View Beyond The Cave is absolutely worth the pickup particularly if you’re a fan of the styles of Coldplay and Keane and you can move to a place beyond that.

Steve Roach -- immersion: One (Projekt)

The beauty of ambient streams that are done RIGHT is that they open up the imagination, which, in turn, leads to mind travels that are unique to the listener.  Steve Roach has been in the thick of ambient music, and in so many variations of it that it is natural for him to explore regions untouched.  This is what immersion: one, the beginning of a series of immersion titles, attempts to tap into.

The mind is a sponge and is paying far more attention to things that go on, in and around your consciousness.  Everyday we hear series of noises that run the gamut from cars, planes, sirens, etc, much of which becomes ignored but the mind absorbs regardless. 

Steve Roach, with immersion: one, creates a steady stream of music that is characterized by an ethereal float, a constant bass tone layered by subtle changes of a higher pitch that varies little.  It’s as if you’re floating in a gravity-free space with no tether.  There isn’t much beyond this other than 73+ minutes of an uninterrupted, calming musical elixir of ambience.

This becomes useful to help the brain switch from the alarming brutalities of day-to-day audio abuses by filling your airspace with background aural opium.  It is especially captivating when you’re aware of what you’re hearing.  Played when falling asleep or relaxing in your room with headphones and eyes closed, immersion: one produces a controlled environ, and is therapeutic in every way.  It’s pure ambient sound with no filler.

Zero 7 -- The Garden (Atlantic Records)

Zero 7, in their latest album, The Garden, provides a smorgasbord of songs that slip between captivating late ‘60s styled vocal harmonies (“Futures”) with more than a dab of electronic embellishments and a more modern approach to music.  The electronic accompaniments are found throughout regardless of the style in use.  The “musical glance backward” continues with the jazzy horn accompanied, acoustic, and excellent “Throw It All Away,” which is assisted vocally by Sia Furler (who helps out on five other tracks and is the singer of the hypnotic “Breathe Me,” heard widely on Six Feet Under’s final 10-minute death collage wrap-up).

The third song sounds, interestingly enough, like Tangerine Dream on LSD.  Imagine Stratosfear remixed for dancing and you get a very good idea of what “Seeing Things” is.  “Left Behind” is Zero 7’s fast emulation of Simon & Garfunkle, over much, much too soon.  Older audiences will definitely appreciate the psychedelic style of “If I Can’t Have You,” a la those ‘60s psychedelia bands.  You be surprised at the Eno-like, “Crosses.”  Most of The Garden is dance-oriented. 

If you’re already familiar with the intrigue of Zero 7, consider The Garden a more mature, more airy period for the band.  After 3 albums, Zero 7 have the seeds firmly planted for a spectacular growth leading to their 4th, whenever it arrives.