Music We Like

It is tempting to toss Me Rock You So Hard into the hard rock/punk rock bin and just be done with it. And, for the most part, this Akron, Ohio band seems okay with that (heck, their website title refers to themselves as a "hard punk rock band"). So...

It is tempting to toss Me Rock You So Hard into the hard rock/punk rock bin and just be done with it. And, for the most part, this Akron, Ohio band seems okay with that (heck, their website title refers to themselves as a "hard punk rock band"). So, going with that classification, the album is a well produced, energetic affair that is easy to start and surprisingly easy to finish in the same sitting. Laden with infectious, hard rocking guitars and a potent rhythm section, nearly every track has the potential to grab you on that particular day when a specific riff or drumbeat just feels right... The album's lead-in Sounds of Earth does a fantastic job of using the English greeting from the Voyager spacecraft and feeds right into the albums first excellent track and its extremely strong guitar lead, People Watching People; these tracks belong together on every listen. Two songs later, Games showcases some of the strongest "punk" vocals on the album. Having started out so positively, here's a caveat that probably should have started this review: this reviewer isn't typically drawn to "hard rock" or "punk." He's not into the Akron music scene. And, he would be lying to you if he suggested he was emotionally connected to many of the lyrics on this album. So, you may be wondering how such a person would decide that overall this is a good and worthwhile album to recommend. It's very simple: this reviewer was completely sucked in by the tenth track on the album, Next Years New Years Eve, the first time (and every time since) he heard it. This song crosses into other rock genres and isn't quite like the songs that surround it on the album. Starting with an understated guitar and simple vocals that put the singer out in front of the music unlike anything else on the album, the piece builds up a potent energy that carries it through its full four minutes... ...and it inspires one to reconsider everything else on the album that they may not have fully "heard" on first listen. And, on that second (then third, then fourth...) listen, it turns out that Me Rock You So Hard is worth that recommendation.

Morgan Taylor was in both Oo Oo Wa and Mink. These bands were part of the Dayton music scene in the late 80s and 90s. For individuals who believed they were following the Dayton music scene at that time, picking up a Morgan Taylor cd in 2003 could ju...

Morgan Taylor was in both Oo Oo Wa and Mink. These bands were part of the Dayton music scene in the late 80s and 90s. For individuals who believed they were following the Dayton music scene at that time, picking up a Morgan Taylor cd in 2003 could just be an extension of that indie enthusiasm, a way to support a lesser known artist as he travels through life. But, Dream in Green is a great album, in a totally different vein than such a fan might expect. Morgan Taylor has composed a fantastic collection of mature music: some merger of rock, pop, and "what came before" in Taylor's life. Definitely not a "rocker," the eleven songs are varied and interesting musically and are lyrically captivating. The writing demonstrates whimsy and humor and, in many cases, an exciting oddity a first time listener does not expect (A Lemon being a good example both in tone and words). Beautiful songs like Underwater Stars, Blue Sirens, and Quite Easily Lost are lovely arrangements that are enjoyable on each listen. And, the sequence of Blue Sirens, Raincoat, What If #24, and Quite Easily Lost is one of those four song gems that music fans embrace and can cite years after a last listen (think: the first four songs on the Violent Femmes' debut album). Raincoat, in particular, is an excellent expression of love (or maybe that first moment) accompanied by a well-chosen guitar and distinctive percussion. Interestingly, though not particularly weak, the first and last songs on the album do not fit with the mood Taylor created on the other 9 tracks. One may find themselves skipping these tracks on many occasions, almost instinctively. Whether one makes their way to Dream in Green from Morgan Taylor's past (Dayton scene), from his other projects (Gustafer Yellowgold), or from a recommendation; this is an easy album to like.