Howard Fencl and Bob Walker have been part of Northeast Ohio's rock scene
for years, but their most recent collaboration, a two-piece act called Boho
Zen, deftly walks the line between ragged garage rock and the sort of intelligent
songwriting reminiscent of English pop act XTC. But let's not forget the whirring
organ, which adds a splash of the '60s psychedelic scene, or Fencl's impressive
guitar work that pushes the duo beyond the confines of simple three-chord fare.
Sonically raw, the 19-minute release bustles with a wall-to-wall energy that
shines through on tracks such as "Amazing Trains of the World" and
"Wouldn't It Be." www.yourband.com
Colin Dussault • Not Tonight Baby, I've Got the Blues
If Colin Dussault isn't this city's hardest-working bluesman, we want the
proof. For the past 16 years, Colin Dussault's Blues Project has played more
than 300 shows a year by reaching beyond the 12-bar shuffle and bouncing across
musical genres. But Dussault's bluesy heart and soulful voice is always at the
center and that's what makes this release so much fun. A mix of covers and originals,
the 13-track disc opens with an arresting version of Van Morrison's "Crazy
Love" (accompanied by female vocalists Mary Bridget Davies and Becky Boyd,
as well as four members of The Prayer Warriors). The disc then hikes across
fun and familiar territory with nods to Robert Johnson ("Sweet Home Chicago")
and Johnny Cash ("I Walk the Line") and mixes in a handful of originals
along the way, before ending with a piano-and-vocals treatment of Bob Dylan's
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." www.colindussault.com
