You Can't Kill Stupid Act1: Reviews Of Recent Releases By Local Bands, Part 125
Butterfield 8 - Luckiest Guy In The World - Banana Records - 10 songs - CD, digital
I don’t know if this counts as a reunion as I’m not sure Butterfield 8 had a stable lineup outside of Jim Butterfield himself, but here it is: their first release since 1990’s “Euclid Avenue.” I don’t know how remembered this band is in the grand scheme of ‘80s local power pop/new wave/alternative rock bands, but I know at least one person that insists that “I Just Came To Dance” is actually the best record ever from Cleveland, so there you go. There are names on this that you’d recognize from other Banana releases and beyond: Rick Christyson, Jinni Fontana, La Farrell, etc. I’ve listened to this several times and I’m slightly baffled by it. I like it and I’m baffled by that too. It’s power pop, basically, and of course I like that kind of thing a whole lot. I hear music all over the production spectrum and I am most confused by this record— it’s bizarre. The drums are super clean and way too upfront most of the time (which draws attention to missed fills in a couple places) and the vocals are also very forward and swamped in reverb. Some of the songs are way too long— the opening “How It Goes,” which despite this is kinda really good, clocks in at five whole minutes. “Let Me Out” (another highlight) has keyboards that sound like strings AND keyboards that sound like horns. I really like “Misinformation” with its ridiculous keyboard (the line about someone thinking he’s having a breakdown despite the fact that it wasn’t in the newspaper is a good one— Jim, I’m sorry, but I have now reported this information (misinformation?) in a newspaper). Lowlight “Tropical Shuffle” is way too beachy for my tastes and also features one of the worst keyboard horns I’ve ever heard. “Fine, Fine, Fine” all of a sudden takes a turn into Alice In Wonderland references (including this line: “just like Alice, I mix love with malice”). There’s a lot here that is so weird and maybe objectively speaking shouldn’t (some would say doesn’t) work at all and yet I am so charmed by this record. Jim has a really interesting voice— sometimes it sounds like old comrade Kevin McMahon, sometimes it sounds like a more normal Doc Dart, like on Doc’s solo album. There’s over the top keyboard, there are some excellent guitar parts a few times, and, I’ve gotta say, some really good songs on here. I found myself genuinely touched by “Luckiest Guy.” I don’t know what kind of audience this is gonna reach nor what kind of audience it’s looking for, but hey, give it a chance. It’s a nice little record. 3/5
(bananarecords.net)
Dollar Drafts - Tres Jabronis - - 4 songs - 7”, digital
A source of mine told me my review of this record could just be “fat guy punk rock from Cleveland” and I cannot really dispute that. Musically, these Dollar Drafts have a pretty good thing going on: punk with notable hard rock leanings, catchy riffs and tunes, tightly performed. Where it falls apart a bit for me is in the lyrics, which, while I can appreciate the intentions of a song like “Racist Fuck” or “Too Old For The Pit…” tends a little too close to novelty for me to fully enjoy. Those with a higher tolerance for that kind of thing should check it out because if you can ignore the words or don’t mind them, it does rock, I can’t lie. 3/5
(dollardrafts.bandcamp.com)
Are you a local-ish band? Do you have a record out? Email vaguelythreatening@gmail.com or send it directly to the Observer: PO Box 770203, Lakewood, OH 44107.