Around Hear Pg. 2

Frontman Dewey Dunlap has that perfect, smoky, lazy voice for The Dunlaps‘ dusty alt-country, and he lays down some nifty licks on songs like “Get Quicker,” but is there room in Chicago for more insurgent country? Of course. On its debut, Here Come The Dunlaps . . . , the group gets bogged down in a lot of midtempo nothingness, but when it picks up the pace just a bit (“Someone Else’s Dream,” “Beehive,” “Bright Yellow Lines”), The Dunlaps makes a case for making more room. (www.myspace.com/dunlapsrock)
– Trevor Fisher

Hay Perro is more interested in exhibiting maximum punk rock fury than impressing with clever and subtle tunesmithing on the five-song Summer Of Destruction EP – “The End Is Nigh” being the exception. The title track’s chorus most clearly embodies this Dead Kennedys approach (without the biting sociopolitical commentary). Otherwise, intertwining and sometimes-jerky guitar riffage – “Kitty, Queen Of Destiny” – runs full throttle behind a convincing agit-rock vocal delivery. (www.hayperro.com)
– Jason Scales

While sounding an awful lot like Warren Zevon on the opening and closing cuts of Blurry White Guy, David Lykins is much more mainstream country on the intervening originals. This is understandable because on most tracks he’s surrounded by some of Nashville’s best players. While impeccably produced, nothing really jumps out, save the first mention of “Tivo” in a “love” song this listener has ever heard. (www.myspace.com/ravin12)
– David C. Eldredge

While Shawn Maxwell’s 2005 debut, Originals, was inspired, his unimaginatively titled follow-up, Originals II, lacks the same unbridled verve and vision. The performances are strong, but the dozen jazz instrumentals are simply tedious, with Maxwell’s prowess on alto sax, flute, and clarinet adding little pizzazz to such tracks as “Duck Snort” and “Mr. Strongbow.” Here’s hoping his next CD better builds upon the buoyant promise of his initial effort. (www.shawnmaxwell.com)
– Jeff Berkwits

The New Duncan Imperials‘ 12-song End Of Phase One should have been named Start Of Phase Two. It has been eight years since the band’s (that formed nearly 20 years ago) last studio release. And, yes, it was worth the wait. The three-man group is a chameleon, shifting from the pop punk of “High School Soul” to the Johnny Cash/Chuck Berry number “Blame It On Me” and onto other simple yet delightful alt-country rockers, all built around sharp guitar hooks. (www.pravdamusic.com)
– Jason Scales

The Buildup by Raise High The Roof Beam is a perfect example of indie rock that is neither ice-box cool nor overly self-conscious but still every bit as catchy and infectious. Armed with easily relatable songs about heartache (“Break My Heart In Two”), long-lost friendship (“The Great Midwest”), and social anxieties (“Foxtrot At The Sockhop”), RHTRB wears its heart on its sleeve even more visibly than a band like Weezer, but it sounds every bit as good because of it. (www.raisehightheroofbeam.com)
– Dean Ramos

It has been said it takes a village to raise a child, but, based on the performance credits, it seems nearly that many people were also required to record Cha Cha Time!, the new disc from Mike Roman & The Tellstars. Fourteen featured players and 17 “special guest artists” contribute, bringing a fun Latin flair to songs like the catchy title track and the surf-infused “Tsunami 911.” (www.tellstars.com)
– Jeff Berkwits

On Seel Fresh‘s latest effort, Street Famous, the South-west side act represents a wiser, more-focused MC. While less concerned with anthems about deba-uchery, Seel expectedly still raps about his unmatched perseverance (the single “Keep It Moving”). More impressively, his head-nod-inducing tracks also reflect on how Chicago has changed for the worse, the value of family, and the possibility of settling down. With the help of the Molemen and a couple rookie producers, Seel represents Chicago hip-hop in its rawest form, free of posturing and industry trends. (www.myspace.com/seelfresh)
– Max Herman

With a number of recordings and noteworthy opening gigs under its belt, it’s somewhat surprising Swizzle Tree offers only five cuts on No Really I’m Happy. But the disc’s polished production of the band’s solid, hooky pop/rock originals (think Weezer meets Cheap Trick) is testimony to Swizzle Tree’s experience. While the songs may tread a tad too close to emo at times, closer “Our World Changed” does so appropriately, being as good (if not better) a straightforward ode to 9/11 as any other offered up to date. (www.swizzletree.com)
– David C. Eldredge

Yoome‘s The Boredom Of Me is the type of album that’s endlessly abstract yet not all that inaccessible. This freewheeling collaboration between eccentric rhymer Serengeti, producer Tony Trimm, and New Zealander vocalist Renee Louise Carafice is loaded with imagination and lo-fi hip-hop meets pop sounds. What’s often commendable is how Geti and Carafice naturally play off each other’s low-key styles whether they’re getting introspective or taking a stab at creative fiction. Conceptually, songs like “Blueberry Breath” may have listeners scratching their heads, but that’s expected. (www.myspace.com/boredomofme)
– Max Herman

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Category: Around Hear