Sparkwood - Kaleidoscopism- 2007

Sparkwood is an Austin-based power pop band. Centered around the songwriting of vocalist and keyboardist Bart Padar, the band crafts elegant and dynamic musical arrangements ornamented by lush vocal harmonies. In addition to Padar, Sparkwood features the exceptional talents of drummer Mike Reynolds, bassist/vocalist Jonathan Nesvadba, and guitarist/vocalist Mark Doroba. Critics have compared Sparkwood's sound to musical luminaries such as Queen, Jellyfish, Cheap Trick and Fountains of Wayne. The band plays frequently in many Austin venues such as The Continental Club, Hole in the Wall and Ruta Maya. In the past, Sparkwood played series of shows in the Midwest, including the International Pop Overthrow Festival in Chicago.
In the Spring of 2007, Sparkwood signed on to Excellent Records in Japan. Their record, entitled "Kaleidoscopism", was released in April with a healthy reception from Japanese audiences.



Sparkwood - Kaleidoscopism - 2007/rs
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Clean Equations - Clean Equations - 2009

Unique, moody instrumentals and vocals highlight the debut release from Clean Equations. Mike Nyhan, vocals / guitar / keyboards, has brought in the reinforcements including Nero Catalano on bass (722), Gretchen Lohse on vocals (Yellow Humphrey), Geoff Morrissey on guitar (Law of the Sea), Jonas Oesterle on drums, Jo Schornikow on piano (The Shivers), and Jim Thomas on organ / piano / keyboard (Blue Floor Music), to make this an impressive, and polished, expansive head-trip! For after dinner, late night entertainment or to engage pleasent daydreams, Clean Equations features well-written, gorgeous, harmony-filled, music that will stay with you long after your first listen! The music and vocal harmonies are heavenly throughout. -Curty Ray

Check it out at State Capital Records and look for a full length disc from Clean Equations in the not too distant future.

Buy It Now!

PURGATORY (or some place like it) Rage 5 @ The Emporium Nov 2009

The Rage5 art show "PURGATORY (or some place like it)" at The Emporium Art Gallery (http://www.theemporiumgallery.com/) on Nov 5th 2009 was an interesting look at some pieces by an artist who I have been following on the streets for the past few years. It was a small show with only about a dozen pieces that were for the most part some nice works. The pieces adopted a religious iconographic aesthetic that was meant to provoke a certain sense of unease that this artist has been having as a result of his recent move from the unofficial to the official.

The Emporium provided a nice and cozy space and had chocolate treats and some locally brewed beer available for those attending. It as a pretty good turn out. The room was packed full of chatting people both on the floor admiring the art and at the bar admiring the beer and treats. I didn't get a chance to chat with the artist as he seemed pretty busy moving from group to group doing his thing. In any case it wa a nice show, but I was hoping to see more of his work. Overall I enjoyed the show and appreciated the hospitality of the gents who run the gallery. As this was the first official gallery show for Rage5 and in my opinion a succcess as there was a nice turnout and the pieces were intriguing and went well together. Hopefully we'll be seeing more of his work in the near future.

This is a statement made by Rage5 that was printed on some handouts at the show:
“Having made a name for myself as a graffiti artist, I now find myself experiencing a rite of passage as I attempt my way into the gallery scene. While keeping a foot firmly set in the urban landscape with my street art, I am now experiencing a state of limbo which PURGATORY (or someplace like it) refers to. The religious imagery and symbols adopted in this new work metaphorically portray my inhibitions, fears, hopes and desires as I now transition from a seemingly unregulated world to an organized system. This new series of work illustrates my limited yet growing understanding of the constructs that make up the art milieu vs. my anarchic approach to street art.”

Sparkwood - Jalopy Pop - 2005

Sparkwood is the latest recipe to emerge from Bart Padar's musical kitchen. With a new batch of ingredients including Mark Doroba (Three Years Ghost), Mike Reynolds (The Sleepwalkers, Violet Crown), and Sean Crooks (The Alice Rose), the band serves up a savory blend of pop-a-licious delight. Peering inside of Sparkwood's crock-pot of musical influences one will find a history of scrumptious morsels like The Beatles, Jellyfish, Queen, ELO, and Ben Folds. Their live shows are a junket of mellifluous fun. The boys in Sparkwood LOVE what they do and their performances are a vibrant celebration of this fact. They clearly share their collective enthusiasm with all who attend their shows. Heavy meals? No way! Sparkwood heads straight for dessert, their melodies a bundle of candy-coated excitation. Currently they're merely a secret treat but Sparkwood aspires to share their delectable creations with the rest of the world. The obvious consensus: Sparkwood is a fluorescent feast for the senses!



Sparkwood - Jalopy Pop - 2005/rs
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Maplewood - Maplewood - 2004

Maplewood is a low-key indie rock supergroup with members of Champale, Koester, Cub Country, and Nada Surf gathered together in the spirit of '70s canyon rock. Their self-titled debut brings back hazy memories of groups like America, Bread, and CSNY. The kind of groups who always seemed ready to break out their acoustic guitars and serenade the sweet hippie chicks around campfires and in hazy bars with heartfelt lead vocals and harmonies, ringing open-chord strumming, lazy tempos, and occasional pedal steel for added melancholy. There are also echoes of more modern bands like R.E.M. on "Darlene," Lambchop on "Bright Eyes," and Teenage Fanclub on the chiming "Morning Star." The spirit of Matthew Sweet also hovers over the proceedings, as he's been treading these light rock boards for quite a while. So there you have all the influences and connections, all of which don't mean much if Maplewood can't deliver the songs. Luckily, they do. Tunes like "Indian Summer," "Little Dreamer Girl," and the quiet epic "Desert Queen" sound like they were taken right off a Time/Life Sounds of the 70's comp. The rest are solid and memorable too. They escape being mere revivalists by investing their hearts into the material. There is no winking or obvious lifting of melodies. They create the feel of the sensitive California '70s with an easy, sweet manner and plenty of laid-back soul. Not bad for a bunch of short-haired, East Coast fellas. Line them up next to the lovely Autumn Defense and let the '70s begin again. -AMG



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The Scooters - I Can See Your House from Here - 2002

The punchy pub rock-meets-power pop of the Scooters' debut EP, Peepshow, in no way prepared audiences for what was to come next with their 2002 full-length debut, I Can See Your House From Here. While Peepshow displayed the band's sense of melody and knack for well-crafted songs and solid production, I Can See Your House From Here is a remarkable step ahead in the maturity of the band's songwriting. While they've largely abandoned the punchy pop of their debut EP, with I Can See Your House From Here the Scooters have meticulously crafted a detailed, layered, sadly beautiful album. Gone is the sound of Argybargy-era Squeeze, and in its place the sound has shifted to warm, elegant pop reminiscent of Crowded House's Woodface. As both sounds are really variations on a theme, that may not seem radical, but it exhibits a remarkable amount of growth in a short period of time. Spiked with elegant background vocals and occasional piano and horn flourishes, this is an incredibly laid-back affair. But the Scooters are far from lazy, as their melodic skills have only strengthened with time. So while there is an almost complete absence of rockers here, the gentle acoustic pop of songs like "Guess Who" and "This Is How It Ends" is more immediate and more memorable than anything on their debut. As good as Peepshow was -- and it was a very good debut EP -- it in no way prepared audiences for this gem of a Brit-pop record, one that easily ranks among the best works of Travis and Coldplay.



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The Barracudas - Mean Time - 1983

Mean Time is the Barracudas' masterpiece. Coming several years after their debut, this, the second LP from the band, takes on the direction suggested of their surfer-wannabe debut. When that album came out, the band was already leaving the surf thing behind and getting a little more serious. This is the end result of a journey through the House of Kicks and into serious rock terrain. If you combined early and latter-day Flamin' Groovies, this is what you'd get. Tons of gorgeous 12-string jangle, but with the aggressiveness that was lacking on the last few Groovies albums. At this point the Barracudas were truly an international band, featuring members Chris Wilson (himself a former Groovie) from the U.S.A. on guitar and backing vox and Jim Dickson (Passengers) from Australia on bass, along with perennials Jeremy Gluck and Robin Wills from merry ole England. Not only that, but the album originally came out in France and the band was big in Spain. The album kicks off with two of the band's finest songs, "Grammar of Misery" and "Bad News." Both of these songs show the band in their finest light: sensitivity mixed with resolve. A rare combo for such a rocking outfit. From there the pace is maintained throughout, which is why this is almost loaded with greatest hits. "Shades of Today" is excellent lyrically, and "Dead Skin" is a truly chilling account of what-ifs and coulda-shouldas. "Middle Class Blues" is unique because it tells the story of so many white people from the suburbs. The album closers, "Eleventh Hour" and the desperate wail of "Hear Me Calling," send it out the way it came in: rocking to the jangle. A must. -AMG



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