Choice cuts

New stuff from the Degenerates, Rebecca Hart, Blues Outlet and Geoff Bartley

by Michael Caito

Months sometimes pass without a quality area release. Such is life. Then suddenly they're dropping quicker than Billy Jeff Clinton's whitey tighties. Unlike la Prez, we tend to not pole constituents more than annually (or is that spelled "poll"?). Now let's distract everyone and bomb something. Giddyap . . . .

Degenerates / Stalking Leaver (Roachender Records 7" vinyl)

Foster in the house times two. The Degenerates toured the States in '97 behind these speedy hardcore nuggets, and though Roachender head cheese Brian Tillinghast says their 7" sounds dated versus their sound this moment, I'd go to bat for this velocityfest of a band who have played together for about four years. Themes of frustration spray venomously towards politicians, but it all comes `round to inner turmoil. Ain't a darn bit of difference: a country boy in a ten-gallon lamenting the death of his cow, a blueshound moping about two-timing Tilly, and the underclass spleen vented by the Degenerates. Country, blues or hardcore genres notwithstanding, they all cannot understand why outsiders constantly badger them and take advantage, haunting their every well-intentioned step. The only difference here, and I bet guys from Foster would concur, isthat the cow had it coming. Compare/contrast their cautionary yarn about a timely end for one crooked politico gorging himself on the public's dime. Just as relevant as a Bakst anti-corruption fusillade? Bet your poll it is.

Stalking Leaver wedge more melody into their three songs, including the obvious follow-up to Hydrogen Terrors' "Plate in My Head" called "Fork in Your Head." We're now halfway through a suite of rocksongs about a complete, cranially-embedded place setting. As the Tick would say, "Spooooon!" Somebody warn Williams-Sonoma. Punditry aside, I dig the Stalking side more for the adolescent sense of humor in "Softie" (three guesses as to what that's about, Billy Jeff), though to their credit the Degenerates rail closer to punk's anti-estab ethos, ripping through tommy-gun vocal tirades with the very best. Roachender's fifth release is another split winner, and the Providence-based label has more in the can. March 1st finds a Met Café release party for their next split featuring Rated "R" and the (ahem) Doosh Bags, but the one we're truly twitching for is the imminent split wax by the Bastards and Brooklyn Steamer. Tillinghast's own band Gringo are also finalizing either a split 10" or their own LP, depending upon dollars, but meanwhile large props to the Roachender offenders for not only doing it, but keeping it good.

Blues Outlet: "Trouble In Mind" b/w "Michelle Marie" (Wing Chun Records cassingle)

The Society of Professional Journalists' credo says always disclose unavoidable conflicts, so admitting fear that the Outlet's Bob "Snakeshaker" Angell, ex-Marine and my predecessor from the NewPaper days, would kill me slowly if I dogged this single is necessary. But . . . .

The Royal Crowns weren't the only ones with Boston Music Awards ties to Rhody. Kelly Knapp delivers on the Outlet's vibrant take on R. Jones' "Trouble in Mind," and enough Beantowners noticed Knapp's work with the Darlings to vote them "Outstanding Country Act" at the recent Awards. This aside from her work with The Bristols, mainstays on 'BCN's playlist. Backing is Harmonica Robert's self-penned "Michelle Marie," finding Angell tripling on vox, axe and harp over the swinging rhythm section of Chicago Vin Earnshaw and "Big Time" Bucky. Earnest and soulful, if not as intense an experience as the flip. The Outlet, vets all, realize that the blues never has to hit hard to find itself firmly in the pocket (besides, who would pay to hear Bucky dent his kit?), but paired with Knapp's stellar work, I'd dig this even if not a-feared of having Angell's harp rammed up my large nose. Do yourself a favor and grab that Darlings EP from the West Somerville quint, too. Knapp (no relation to columnist Caroline, far as I know) is an A-list wailer and the rest of the band, especially crack songwriter Simon Ritt, slouch not.

The Rebecca Hart Project (8-song CD)

This Providence band had enough brains, contacts and/or cabbage to take their songs to the Left Coast for recording/production. It worked, but that's not to say that these eight originals were redeemable only through studio wizardry. Hart's a legit crooner, make no mistake, falling stylistically somewhere among Grace Slick, Carole King and Carly Simon, while the rest of the Project add groove-based flourishes a la Dave Matthews' and Ben Folds' syncopated, schlepervescent beats. The RHP bask in it as the '60s meet the '90s and no one ends up suffering, for a change. Proffering impressive vocals with timely spotlights on percussion and piano, this inaugural is a well-sketched romp with pop appeal. It offers involving imagery via Hart's vocal, whether she's singing about Pooh pal Christopher Robin changing his name or raking with taunts of "Do you fuck what you fear?" Not earth-shattering, but miles from mediocre.

Geoff Bartley

Geoff Bartley: Hear That Wind Howl (Magic Crow 16-song CD)

A country-blues battle between Paul Geremia and this popular Beantown folk/bluesman would go Geremia's way, but it would be a bloody scrap. On his ninth recording, Bartley sagely employs the talents of popular pals like Johnny Cunningham (fiddle) and Phil Antoniades (percussion), but the main thrust is solo performance of long-toothed chestnuts, including eight tracks penned more than 60 years ago by the likes of Robert Johnson, the Mississippi Sheiks (Walter Jacobs and Lonnie Carter) and Washington Phillips. Bartley's jagged bari works very well alongside his array of funkily-tuned National and Thompson guitars, only once or twice falling short on credibility. Weird part is, the originals sound fine. The chestnuts need a spitshine. Bartley locates an authentic feel on his own compositions off Hear That Wind Howl (nicked from a Johnson lyric from '36), but there's only the occasional sense -- consistently recreated by the masterful Geremia -- that the guy's been soaking up the blues like beef left in a smokehouse for days. Even coming thisclose in the country blues realm makes this record an important offering. Belaboring the point, very few can hang with Geremia. Bartley's picking doesn't ape anyone's style, and all his originals are drenched with a believability so elusive on his covers. Appearing (as does classically-drenched folkster Jerald Harscher)at AS220 in a few, we're guessing that Bartley's superb taste in reissues (Chuck Berry's "No Money Down," Blind Willie McTell's "Dying Crapshooter's Blues") will rise to the level of his own cuts.

STARS 'N' BARS. On Sunday, the Providence Bookstore Café hosts a summit of sorts -- classical and jazz musicians celebrating their shared love of Brazilian choro circa 1945. Bassist Joe Potenza's work in Sons of Bark earned respect among original jazz fans, as did pianist Joe Parillo with his Ensemble (Parillo's worked most recently in a trio including Combustible Edison's Nick Cudahy on bass and drummer Mike Connors; their Morning In the Garden (Neoga Records) is on tap in seven.). Joining the Joes are Mark Davis, the guitarist who, with Potenza, helped germinate the seed of Brazil Connection during Davis' Guitar Café recording sessions. Mandolinist Marilynn Mair, jazz saxophone ace Art Manchester and percussionist Rick André add to this sublime roster. On paper Brazil Connection look super, but they all know it's live performance that counts. Sunday at the PBCfor free at 9 p.m., and again Monday at Roger Williams University's PAC at 8 p.m. (limited seating; call 254-3088 in advance). Be there.