Here’s Some Local Music
Archived
Sweet Loretta
Taste Your Kiss
I wonder how many locals have picked up the Mother Earth and Cold Blood reissues? How many have listened to a Fanny record? How many even remember those bands? I’m not saying Sweet Loretta sounds exactly like any of them, but their CD has the funk, the jams, and the impassioned female vocals. Taste Your Kiss makes me think of the late 60s, early 70s – and yes, women in bands had it more difficult then in some ways, but not all.
I’ve already seen two articles written about Sweet Loretta and this new CD. I believe both writers neglected something about the local music scene, something Taste Your Kiss only serves to reinforce. Salt Lake City is filled with some astounding female voices. Not to take anything away from Sweet Loretta because their CD could well be the culmination of a long history. Megan Peters, Kate Macloud, Doghouse, Deviance, The Broken Hearts, My Sister Jane, Flakey Jake, Gathering Osiris and more – now Sweet Loretta has their CD out.
Four songs stand out. I’ve already referenced the days of drugs, bellbottoms, protests and free love. “Sweet Loretta” is a psychedelic, experimental workout. “Without It” is a deeply sexual song that ignores the present day dangers. “Taste Your Kiss” is the funky, shy introduction to “Without It” and “See Me,” which opens the CD, and could describe the death of the passion expressed in “Without It.” Again returning to the days of yore, times the members of Sweet Loretta weren’t born to experience, is “Woke Up In Love.”
Nothing like the blues – and what sounds like some Hammond work to bring back a memory of a Cold Blood acid test – which only lacks the horns and the Pointer Sisters singing back-up. Who needs the Pointer Sisters when Michael and Mary are fronting the band? I can say with honesty that Sweet Loretta has released what is easily the best local CD of ‘96.
Pat Carnahan
Use Blues
Pat Carnahan is using a big old hollow-bodied guitar to play jazz. As is fairly common with locals of the jazz, blues and folk persuasion, he’s enlisted the talents of some big-name locals to help out on the recording. Here’s the list: Bob Smith (drums), Jim Stout (bass), Phil Miller (sax) and Dale Lee (trumpet). By the way, the bass is acoustic. Something that·is a little less common is the lack of covers. In more prestigious publications any band playing covers receives a derisive sniff – but we are talking jazz – not rock. Improvisation is what it’s all about.
Carnahan wrote all the songs on Use Blues and while the band is allowed some room to stretch, the ticket to pleasure is the sound of that big fat guitar. Cool bluesy jazz with the swing understated, but present nevertheless is a basic description. Jazz without any of that new-fangled funk or fusion. Old school from the new school that will never be a hit on the Breeze.
When the band starts to burn, as they do on the closing tune, “Lydian Blues,” contemporary instrumental, Yanni/Kenny G familiar ears would spontaneously combust. (Do you have Yanni Live At the Apocalypse or Anaheim Steamroller? Please turn off that Goddamned radio!)
In a town where spending $100 or more to see live jazz is common, it is surprising that the local jazz musicians receive so little credit. File Pat Carnahan next to Bridjj, Lark & Spur, Donna Smith, George Brown and Larry Jackstien. The local jazz community is alive and breathing. Now if they only had a consistent fanbase and a nightspot where the common folk could see it live. I love the sound of a hollow-body guitar and an acoustic bass. Carnahan and Stout are masters. I’ve been a fan of Phil Miller’s for nearly two decades. Go buy the CD and help these guys make a few dollars.
Damaj
Once Upon A Time…
The instant the first song, “Bad Hair Day” began it was evident that Damaj aren’t another of the lame. Local music is such a big deal. Everyone, from the “critics” at the daily papers to the “critics” at the “alternative” papers to the DJs at the formerly “alternative” radio stations, is interested in local music. There might be a dozen or so local bands that are actually interesting. The rest are knock-offs of what is happening nationally. Nothing against the locals – It has always been his way.
For some strange reason, I don’t think I’ve encountered anything quite like Damaj locally, at least not anything popular. I don’t recall hearing a “hit” single on the radio with a sound identical to Damaj. The band is very young – 18 might be the average age. Their creation, Once Upon A Time… is actually the first recording I’ve heard locally that brings the Palace/Sebadoh lo-fi influence to the studio along with some Jonathon Richman/Modern Lovers (Check out locals Go Cart for more of that influence, although neither band has probably ever heard of them) and a bit of the old-fashioned folk rock.
The songs are silly little things about important subjects. Besides having a bad hair day, Damaj is afraid of the “Closet Monster,” they have a “Library Fine,” their friend saves a dime for ice cream only to drop it in the dirt – “Little Jane and the Ice Cream Man.” The music backing the songs is minimalist. The instruments, especially the keyboards, sound like mere toys. Toss a couple more references in the mix and call it a day – Exploding French and the Young Marble Giants.
Damaj is young and that is a good thing. No one has stifled their creativity. If they can release something this fresh and original as young as they are, just hope the creativity isn’t lost as they mature and become more proficient with the instruments.
9 Spine Stickleback
See What You Missed
Local boyz 9 Spine are hitting it hard this month with a new release that features three songs. The songs are “Sulpher Rich,” “88” and “Distressed” (to the 4th power). Their music has matured and has become very intricate. A flood of various styles throughout the songs make this a killer 3-set disc.
You know what I love about this disc? Nobody is doing stuff like this. Totally original and totally worth having, don’t miss out!
—P.Parker
Read more about the music of SLC in the 90s:
9 Spine Stickleback
Local Band: Sweet Loretta
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