The House Popes
(self-released)
Geography, the second album by Akron’s House Popes, has a
little bit of everything — from saxophone to social commentary
— and sounds like a living-room friends-and-family jam. Vintage
post-punk and new wave breeze through the party. “Can’t Go Back”
interpolates R.E.M., and “The Way You Looked at Me,” with its early
Cure vibe, is an unplugged pogo-fest. Michael Graham dispatches a
mandolin on “Makeup Lines,” and by “Texas,” the group has slowed down
to uncut folk. A funky unplugged solo on acoustic rocker “When Does It
End?” deserves a happier topic — it takes a scathing look at
super-sized America and its recently deposed CEO. “Matt Dillon” is a
gentler look at the manifest-destiny experience, with a sundown theme
from the not-so-wild West. — D.X. Ferris
Ricky Caldwell
(No-Mo-Hr)
Ricky Lives! paints a disturbingly hilarious portrait of a
copycat killer dressed like Santa Claus. Songs like “Red Is the Color”
peek into the psyche of a madman obsessed with blood and the color red.
On “The First Time I Died,” Caldwell sings whimsically over a piano
riff about finding his latest victim. Moments of haunting beauty come
courtesy of sweeping guitar chords and deep bass tones. The digital
altering of Caldwell’s voice creates some amazing a cappella moments.
The satirical lyrics lend a bizarre and experimental feel to Caldwell’s
music, but work this interesting deserves introspective words. Instead
of getting lost in the cartoon samples and melodic guitars, listeners
should pay attention to the lyrics.
— Liss Vickery
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2009.
