OCTOBER –  2020

by Eric Sorensen

Another month of “social distancing” and another month without live music.  That does not mean that there hasn’t been a steady stream of jangly and chiming pop/rock tunes.  In addition, many indie pop artists are spending more time in their home studios, and pop music fans are the beneficiaries of this “bonus” productivity.  Here are some new CDs and single tracks that will appeal to fellow jangle enthusiasts:

Veteran Rickenbacker 12-string band Starbyrd (fronted by Horst-Peter Schmidt) is about to release another full-length CD – entitled Whirlwind of Time.  Many of the tracks focus on the current Pandemic, and the disc ends on an optimistic note with “Riding A Rainbow.”  The fourteen tracks feature the usual talented Starbyrd supporting cast and Horst-Peter’s chiming Rickenbacker 12-string riffs.  Schmidt and Starbyrd carry their reverence for the Byrds, Roger McGuinn, CSNY and Tom Petty on their sleeves.  The mid-tempo ballad “Why Do I Always Wanna Cry” even reminds me of the 70s folk-rock band Mason Proffit.

Another veteran Rickenbacker 12-string artist, Bill Kaffenberger (sharing album credits with lifelong friend Steve Antonacci, who recently passed away), has just released a new full-length CD entitled Where We Belong.  The disc is a work of love/homage to Steve Antonacci, who composed and recorded with Bill decades ago – when the pair aspired to follow in the footsteps of the Byrds and the Buffalo Springfield.  Bill has dusted off the original tracks and he confided that the opening and closing tracks – composed with Steve – have a strong Gene Clark influence.  The disc includes16 tracks – brimming with acoustic and electric 12-string riffs.  In addition to Byrds and Buffalo Springfield references, I also hear some country-rock influences (Poco, Eagles and Rosslyn Mountain Boys).  The production is spot-on.   Seek this CD out through Bill’s Loving Kindness label or other online music sources.   What a great way to memorialize a friend!

One of the best indie labels – Big Stir Records – has just released Big Stir Singles: The Seventh Wave.  The disc features 23 tracks – many of them embellished with chiming guitar riffs.Some of the single tracks that I have added to my music library recently include: “Sunflower Girl” by the Mayflowers; “Walking Man” and “Not So Good” by the Bats & Associates (I hear Feelies, REM and some faint Lou Reed influences in these two tracks); “Fork In The Road” by the Smokescreens; “For You To Know” by the Laissez Fairs; “What Again Is Real” and “Is This A Dream?” by the Shadow Show (great pseudo-60s psych-pop ala the Gripweeds, and a melodic reference to “For Your Love” in the latter track); the very Beatlesque “Sad And Blue” by Apostrophe; “Far Away But Around” by the Bookends (sounding like the early Bangs/Bangles); and “Northern Song” (a strong candidate for October Song of the Month honors) by the Asteroid No. 4.

Until next time, jangle on!