Wild Buds, Positive Voodoo. Despite its best
intentions, opener “Run Wild” never recovers from its uneasy
resemblance to a mash-up of the Steve Miller Band’s “Wide River” and
Rush’s “Limelight.” An impotent cover of Muddy Waters’ “Baby, Please
Don’t Go” fails to cleanse the palate, and overabundant food metaphors
burn innuendo to a crisp in blues-rock jam “Special Sauce.” (Fault Line
Surfer Records)
Bray, @mphibian. This San Francisco artist doesn’t do
anything that hasn’t been done a hundred times before, but generally
makes it work. His straightforward hard-rock style feels like a cross
between Heart and Fuel, and what that approach lacks in edge Bray makes
up for with confidence and attitude. The record sounds good, the songs
feel good, and sometimes good is plenty good enough. (Sepia Tones)
Adam Hancock and Family, Adam Hancock and Family. Both
pragmatic and sad-sacked, a line like I like to drink by myself, the
alcohol lasts longer is quintessential country, even if Hancock’s
voice lacks twang. That’s okay — Dave Zirbel’s pedal steel fills
in the gaps. Across two discs and seventeen songs, Hancock and friends’
mastery of melancholy country-rock gets a little tired, unless of
course you’re down in the dumps, too. (self-released)
Trez Rek 500, Outside the Lines. Oakland musicians
Carv Tefft (vocals) and Tony Morosini (guitar, drums, bass), awkwardly
known as Trez Rek 500, rock like no one’s watching — which is to
say they give their all, but don’t always pull it off. Thankfully, the
rough patches don’t fester, and the successful songs suggest at least a
passing mastery of Cheap Trick, Queen, and Kiss. (self-released)
