CRAIG KURJANSKI - 'From The Attic'

Craig Kurjanski – ‘From The Attic’

1. Throne and Crown 2. Everywhere 3. The Answer 4. Wait for Me 5. Story 6. Above it All 7. Thanks to You 8. Try the Waters 9. The Elephant and the Whale 10. Apology 11. On the Floor 12. Absent Prayers 13. This Dance

‘From The Attic’ is Craig Kurjanski’s first album. It contains 13 folk-inspired guitar/voice songs of self-expression in a serious and benevolent tone. Kurjanski’s lyrics show notable maturity, though some songs appear to be written more for himself than for an album. Their inclusion is a forgivable offense, as he simply stopped by a home studio and knocked all 13 of these out in a row…in real time! The final recordings do not appear to suffer from this approach, as there are no glaring mistakes (save a lightly-pressed fret or two for the entire album). Essentially a live record, it comes off as natural and rather impressive.

A crisp, but relaxed folkie warble creates tension to be released at the end of several lines. While a stylistic preference, Craig Kurjanski’s John Popper meets Bob Dylan vocals are characterized by a sort of “A-vowel” fixation. It may be aversive to the unaccustomed, but his voice holds warm qualities allowing it to melt between the strummed tones of his acoustic guitar.

Tracks 1-5 flow very well without straggling on a single song for too long. This has the effect of creating listener attentiveness. Songs on the second half of the disc occasionally threaten to make the listener as bored as the writer must have been when he wrote the tunes; a common characteristic of this genre and type of album. “Throne and Crown” is a brief and straightforward introduction; a balanced example of what one should expect from this collection. ‘Everywhere’ features light, finger-picked verses and a very traditional chorus. It is one of the strongest songs on the album. ‘The Answer’ is a rather confrontational song, communicating very heavy themes of conflict in a simple, concise, and ultimately effective manner. ‘Wait for Me’ (featuring a web- or hammock- like arrangement of chords) and ‘Story’ round out the best songs on this offering.

‘Thanks to You’, while perhaps heartwarming and dripping with appreciation, may be too personal for the casual listener. One could argue I am not giving the song its due, but my patience for this type of expression has waned after countless hours of listening to similar songs in bars and cafés. Perhaps it is a matter of bad connotations. Sometimes an artist tries to push an idea or a very personal emotion in a way seemingly intended to make the audience uncomfortable. Regardless of whether this is the idea at work, I will most likely fast-forward to a later track on subsequent listens. I do not doubt it serves its original purpose. ‘Try the Waters’ is a song of darker tone which pulls the listener in until Kurjanski employs his falsetto. This unnatural register briefly reappears in the chorus of ‘Apology’, albeit to more agreeable effect.

These are the songs we expect to hear in the corner of the coffeehouse or at a smoky open mic night. 13 songs may prove too much of this style for a single sitting if one is not in a very settled mood. Craig Kurjanski is a young songwriter, and this is an impressive debut that may foreshadow greater artistic accomplishments. I would suggest this album to any lingering fans of Javaman’s softer side, as well as to anyone immersed in the open mic scene.

PORSELAIN - 'Demo 2004'

Porselain
demo 2004
www.porselain.com

1. Cookie
2. Promise
3. Derail

After a few years of changing lineups, changing band names, and general hard rock experimentation, Porselain (formerly Salem's Cradle) has returned with their best musical approach since the regionally influential ‘Thrown’ debut. This demo is in anticipation of an upcoming release (date and album title unknown at this time). They are reaching higher than ever before, and their extensive tour schedule with Veruca Salt implies they may very well achieve something truly substantial.

As a fan of the original three-piece that released the fresh and simple (though redundant) heavy rock album ‘Thrown’, I am glad to see singer/guitarist Jorge Kate’s initially wayward attempts to mix it up have finally settled into a balanced approach that combines the steady footing and punch of early Porselain with beautifully executed/produced vocals and more talented playing. ‘Cookie’ features winding lead parts almost reminiscent of Ozric Tentacles. If we had more time, as in the case of a full-length record, it would be nice to hear more of these creative lead guitar parts. While the talented Danny Mabie has more thoroughly showcased his abilities on previous albums, his drum parts on this disc fit perfectly with the rest of the four-piece. These three songs are all bundled in a heavy metal meets pop/classic rock format (ala Godsmack), cautious of overstepping the unwritten rules of radio-friendliness. Considering the intended audience and functional role of a demo record, this may be very appropriate. Fans of the band should look forward to the full-length album (or perhaps live shows), where Porselain can expand upon the ideas offered in these freebies.

‘Promise’ is the lightest of the three offerings, featuring mirror-like guitar and whispered verses that somehow retain a metallic edge. Porselain has had songs like these since the beginning, but has never sounded so professional. The lyrics have improved, as has the vocal delivery. “Derail” closes the demo strongly, moving from a crawling intro/verse rhythm into an explosive chorus with notably well-integrated (almost guitar-like) vocals. The “Me, Myself, & Irene” line is one we could do without, as Jim Carey is not a suitable protagonist for this song’s purposes. The stretching of the word “society” to fit 5 different notes on 5 or more syllables is something the average listener may or may not wish to follow, so some care should probably be taken in avoiding these types of situations next time. However, the great sound and tight playing make up for the few lyrical misfits.

Porselain’s music has come to draw upon Christian themes as applied to society, allowing the band a grounded inspirational center. With big sounds and big themes, some care may be taken to avoid the deadly “Scott Stapp-isms” that have been shown to ruin “Christian”-type rockers of grand thoughts and proportions. It is good that Porselain implies grand things with the music, but bear in mind it is a thin line to walk between admirable rock star and clichéd “SpinalTap”-styled excess. I am inclined to believe the previous years of hard rock experimentation and overall experience have inoculated Porselain against many such dangers. I look forward to hearing what is yet to come.