Adem
Love and Other Planets
www.adem.tv
Adem adds a pinch of sugar to his brand of mellow. This Englishman’s kind voice slings its legs over the Thom Yorke side of the accent fence. If you wanted to put some music on to highlight your relaxation time, say, whilst reading a delicious book, try this ghostly album. After 40 minutes you’ll look up and realize the whole thing’s over. That’s what this is: perfect background music for your Sunday afternoon, not to be ignored but hardly a distraction. — RA

Ellen Cherry
Years
www.ellencherry.com

This “concept album” gets an automatic gunshot boost because Kristin Putchinski, with her brown-pooled eyes and side sweep of bangs, embodies adorable. Her voice rocks in the typical folk-girl-with-acoustic-guitar style, and she carries some weighty tunes. Props to her for being creative: the album highlights six decades of women, each personifying an era. For example, “1950: Inside the Music Box” contrasts a woman’s chores with her desire for freedom. This subject has been broached many times before; however, Ellen Cherry uses the plunked tinkling of a trapped ballerina to highlight her point. — RA

Clinic
Visitations
www.clinicvoot.org
These dudes no doubt inject the blues into Liverpool. We’re far from the days of sassy pop/rock in Northern England, especially given that this is Clinic’s fourth album. The lyrics eek through gritted teeth; the slide guitars cake the songs in dirt. “Visitations” acts as the missing piece to a puzzle of cigarettes and dirt-road driving. Each song surprises with the album’s eclectic mix of instruments and tempos. Rockin’. For more like this, see the 22-20s. How’d these guys get so southern? — RA


Elizabeth, Phil & Chris
Live at Jammin’ Java
You can probably gather whatever you need to know about D.C. area-based Elizabeth, Phil & Chris from the name of their album, “Live at Jammin’ Java.” With an acoustic coffee-and-beer (but not too much beer) vibe, it’s a well-intentioned if not groundbreaking set. (Phil Kominski and Chris Bruno are members of popular local act Lloyd Dobler Effect, which the trio covers often. Elizabeth Coyle Kominski is Phil’s wife and a local folk artist.) The young threesome sings wistfully of love, leaving home, homeless people, the plight of the homeless people, and what have you. The music could be fuller but is competently executed. The friendly crowd envelops their spare, three-guitar sound. — SH


Field Music
Tones of Town
www.field-music.com.uk
Thanks goodness for something a little different. Field Music has a created a very good album with “Tones of Town,” utilizing various instruments to create an upbeat somewhat eclectic sound. Sometimes you think ‘60s, ‘70s or contemporary. Are we talking Floyd, ELO or Phish? I don’t know, but I like it. The piano, guitar, drums and synthesizers all do a perfect dance. “Sit Tight” and a “House is Not a Home” are winners.  Really good music. Be sure to catch Field Music at the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hotel March 31. —RF

Graboids
Infinite Delay
www.graboids.net
“Honey, I have graboids, and you probably have them, too.” “The Graboids are coming to invade the planet!” Verdict: crap name. Four guys make up this band. Verdict: at least 3 of them should get out while they still can. Does it really takes a quartet to make boring, lyric-less songs that form the soundtrack to an avoided movie about aliens? “Infinite Delay” does not sound like Sigur Ros in its eeriness. It does not place me gently on a feather mattress and rock me to sleep — it forces me to close my eyes so that I may conk out and not have to listen to it. — RA

Hand Painted Swinger
Speed Hump
www.handpaintedswinger.com
At least these dudes can sing and form harmonies and play their instruments. They’d perfectly fit on a tour with Better Than Ezra among an audience of then-fans-now-mothers who’re wondering where all the good music went. Some of them even exude a bit of dreaminess. “Speed Hump” doesn’t necessarily excite me, and the band has a ways to go before working themselves past a $5 cover, but it lives far from terrible. My advice? Change your name, don’t use the word “hump” in any more titles, and switch from beer and whiskey to a fine gin. People may start to notice. — RA

Just Like Always
Just Like Always EP
www.justlikealways.com
How does every singer in every wave of pop-punk geared towards angst-brimming teens achieve the same whiny inflection, the same lovesick tone as the rest? There must be a school for these puppy-eyed vocalists, and Just Like Always have earned their PhD. Their dissertation was probably titled “Songs About California, Hair in My Face, and Listing Johnny Cash as an Influence: Anyone Can Have a Band.” In order to comment on the qualities of this music — the catchy guitar hooks, the repeated vocal lines, the Fall Out Boy emanations — I’d have to be trite. But that’d fit perfectly, wouldn’t it? — RA

Mara Levi
What Are You?
www.maralevi.com
Local musician Mara Levi offers an eclectic mix on her second solo effort “What Are You?” In creating this record, the musician demonstrates a variety of musical interests, and challenges anyone who attempts to define someone else (hence the title). It works, as demonstrated on some of the album’s varied best tracks . “Homo Song,” “I Get By,” “Sweet on You” and “Angelina” are all highlights. Not every song is perfect, but even those that fall short benefit from Levi’s pleasing voice and talented instrumentation (she played every instrument on the album, guitar, horns, percussion, etc.) Overall a very nice effort by a promising local. — RF


Matt and Kim
Matt and Kim
www.mattandkimmusic.com
In their July issue last year, Soma Magazine ran a story on Matt and Kim entitled ‘Bubblegum Apocalypse.’ Rather deftly, at least for me, the title summed up the musical contribution of the twosome. Exploring retro nostalgia in a frantic style, the pair power through 10 songs in their minimalist drums and keyboard approach and, in the end, accomplish little. I have no doubt that their shows are as energetic and amusing as they’re promised to be, but separated from the buzz of a crowd (and at least a few drinks) their songs are annoying, lacking in any real substance, even the superficial glimmer of shiny power pop, and feel as though they could induce a seizure. —  LGLP

Moses Mayfield
The Live EP
www.mosesmayfield.com
Nothing super exceptional here, just four samples of some solid live rock from Moses Mayfield, recorded July 12 at the WorkPLay Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama. Very capable though. Guitar drives the opening track “Control,” and “Fall Behind” picks up for the first leaves off. “Element” comes across as a crowd favorite, haunting and beautiful, anthem-like. “Strange New Place” demonstrates the excitement of the crowd and wraps up the short live sampling nicely. A good primer disc heading into the band’s show soon pair of shows March 20 and 21 at the 9:30 Club. — RF

The National Lights
The Dead Will Walk, Dear
www.thenationallights.com
With the first notes there lives the spirit of Iron & Wine. Though the National Lights possess the ability to reproduce the same delicate guitar pickings as Sam Beam, they blow their cover 30 seconds into the first song. Wimpy is a dish best served without horrifying lyrics. “Let me cover you up / In my button flannel shirt,” Jacob Berns offers. No, thanks … if foregoing this album leaves me naked, I’ll stay that way, and I’ll be kept warm by the happiness gained in turning this off. But the cherry on this story is that their liner notes are riddled with grammatical errors. Woof. — RA

The Reserves
Where Have All the Dreamers Gone
www.thereservesmusic.com
The Reserves’ rolling melodies echo bucolic folk bands like Red House Painters and Mark Kozelek’s other assorted projects. These local lads, however, sound like they’ve been cooped up in a pub far too long with their modest, monotonous songs: It is difficult to trace when tracks begin and end. The theme of nostalgia for the unreachable — the past and eternal love — dominates these set of gloomy, slow-tempo tunes. With more attention to varied structure, The Reserves will emerge from their sheltered, reticent melodies to their full-potential — as for now, save their album for a rainy day. The Reserves will be appearing at Iota Club and Café on March 17. — NC

Steep Canyon Rangers
One Dime at a Time
www.steepcanyon.com
In the bluegrass genre, authenticity counts for a lot. You can have all the chops, but if you don’t have the living to back it up, it comes through. Maybe that’s why “One Dime at a Time,” the third album from North Carolina quintet Steep Canyon Rangers, doesn’t quite make it. The group met in college, and one can easily picture the Friday-night jams, the open-mic nights, the first gig and studio session. The talent is certainly there. “I Can’t Sit Down” is an impressive a cappella tune, and the title track is infectious. But it all comes off like a high school play. The nadir is probably their cover of the classic “Evangeline,” delivered with an Opry falsetto that borders on mockery. — SH

Switchfoot
Oh!Gravity
www.switchfoot.com
“Oh!Gravity,” the sixth album from don’t-call-us-a-Christian-rock-band Switchfoot is exactly what you think it is: heartfelt verses, singable choruses, hooks you can hang your little sister’s entire winter wardrobe on. But in the end, it’s just another copy of a copy — throw the usual grunge and pop-punk suspects in a blender on the liquefy setting, pour over an acre of baking asphalt, desiccate into powder and freeze-dry into crystals, affix to charm bracelet and sell at the mall for $17.99. It’s not terrible—“Amateur Lovers” is particularly catchy — but that’s the point. Switchfoot wants to be everyone’s friend. Problem is, these friends are a dime a dozen. — SH

Justin Trawick
How to Build a Life With a Lemonade Stand
www.justintrawick.com
Well-produced debut album from up-and-coming local Justin Trawick. It’s a kind of G-Love/Jack Johnson type ofsound. Up-beat, feel good music, kicked off with “Life.” Without You” is a simple beautiful ballad, and the addition of strings to a number of songs is a nice touch. Most evident is Trawick’s lyrical ability, his rapid-fire conquest of words a delight. Catch Trawick at IOTA for a CD release party March 13. — RF


Vandaveer
Grace & Speed
www.vandaveer.net
What a pleasant surprise from local Vandaveer, a Mark Charles Heidinger project. The music is just beautiful, from the harmony to the instrumentation. Folk definitely, and very stripped down at times. Comparisons to Dylan get old fast, but you can’t help but feel some Bob channeling in the wonderfully simple opening track “How Many Takes it Takes” and “Out Past the Moat.”          hHThe title track and “Crooked Mast” pick up a little, and there is some nice story telling in “The Streets is Full of Creeps.” This is an album to give a listen to. “Grace & Speed” is available starting March 20, and Vandaveer will play a CD release show at IOTA Club & Cafe Thursday, March 29.  — RF

Chuck E. Weiss
23rd and Stout
www.cookingvinylusa.com
Chuck E. Weiss is well known in various blues circles and is a longtime friend of Tom Waits. And when looking for a strong blues record, perhaps Waits is the way to go, and not the scat-singing Weiss, whose fourth album “23rd and Stout” comes out this month. Weiss calls his style “discom-bop-ulated,” and that pretty much sums it up. Rife with musical and lyrical aimlessness, the album nevertheless fancies itself quite witty. And I wish I could concur. But “23rd and Stout” leaves the listener wondering what to take seriously. Humor is good, but when the listener isn’t laughing with you, you’ve got problems. — SH