Mike St. Jude and the Valentines
Here’s to Your Black and Blue Heart
(Morninghat Music)
Peace and love, acid trips and flower power return on this album
from psychedelic group Mike St. Jude and the Valentines. The band
embodies the dreamy sound and fantastical Bob Dylan-inspired lyrics of
the 1960s. Songs like “Hey Mary Anne” pay homage to ’60s love songs and
express the simplistic innocence of boy-meets-girl romance. The
Beatles-like harmonic guitar chords overpower the sing-songy lyrics.
“Tongue Tied” has a nostalgic, hippie aura fused with the Beach Boys’
easy-listening sound. “Sweet on the Run” switches to a more melodious
classic-rock feel. Overall, the disc stays true to ’60s rock with
simple guitar strumming, minimalist lyrics and flowery background
singers who add a sunny beach vibe perfect for the season. —
Amy Booker
Collideascope
You May Not Be Right for This
(Mind the Gap Records)
“You may not be right for this” chant the guys in Akron-based
Collideascope on the title track of their second album. With its
electric pop beat and staccato singing, the song sounds very much like
another Akron band, Devo. The 13 songs show how much the group has been
influenced by other bands. Both the singing and the melody of “Outta
Sight, Outta Mind” suggest a Britpop influence, and the tune also uses
a small part of “Day Tripper.” It’s a nod to bassist Rob Hermanowski’s
deep admiration of the Beatles, especially Paul McCartney. The rest of
the CD combines classic-rock, Britpop and southern-rock sounds, as well
as psychedelic- and indie-rock. In almost every song, you can identify
another band that’s done it better. To their credit, the guys
successfully blend all these sounds into one; it’s just too bad they
haven’t yet found their own musical voice. — Julia
Kazar
This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2009.
