Dylan Lloyd

Captivating.

Full-on fainting. Swooning.

Leaning on your shoulder and contemplating the full spectrum of the future together.

From the intense R&B groove of "All I Wanna Do" to the cool vibe of "Visible," Dylan Lloyd brings out every ounce of feeling. Lloyd gives voice to those of us who are unable to express our longing for that special one. The hopeful crooner behind the lines of "Be My Girl" knows she might think he's a stalker and tells her it's not anything creepy. He goes on to tell her what he'd give her if he were as rich as "Bill Gates."

He misses friends and lost loves. He struggles with the why of it. Thankful for the remembered moments, he sorrows for the lost opportunity to say goodbye.

Listening to Lloyd's playing is a thrill. Close your eyes. See the music. The mobility of the bass. The whispers of the percussion. The keyboard speaking in a warm- hearted counterpoint to his expressive vocals. Sweet, bluesy melodies are shared among the vocals, guitar, and keyboard.

"I'm not saying that I'm okay. You'd know that I'd be lying....Move on...." Like Lloyd, we press on. We know that life moves on and us with it. We know that risking all with that one special person is the very essence of living. In the moment when we expose our hearts to the harsh light of day, we live more intensely than at any other moment. And so with Lloyd, we say, "I'll be alright." And so will we be.

Go listen at www.sonicjive.com/pianodyl or at www.myspace.com/pianodyl or http://dylanlloyd.com

His music is available on iTunes.

How Do You Say It?

I love music. I love all kinds of music. The only thing I love more than music is story. I hate when I'm trying to tell someone about something amazing and lose all my ability to bring words to the page. I truly love the words and music of Swamp Voodoo. These guys are amazing; there's no style of music that they don't know. They know it all, cold. Cold, like it's their only style. They know everything Latin, everything burlesque, everything rockabilly, and everything else.

They spin out their stories in mini-epics, each having its own movements and flavors. The gritty mumbling of front man, Slick Black Truck Drivin' Man is almost an undercurrent in the smooth river of jazz or samba or two step. The sidemen are perfect together. You can almost see the club's stage lights glinting off Gato's sax as you listen to it weaving through the complex counterpoint between T-Time and Dapper Dan. The bass and drums work to make a story of their own.

All the members of the extended Black clan are represented in stories throughout the site. The Outlaw Man, Daisy May, Gerome. The New York City Woman that may or may not been seen by another relation. I love them all. How can I explain to those that have never heard these songs? If I said that a guy heard of LSD when he was three years old and moved to NYC in search of mind expanding experiences, would you think I had lost my mind? Or expanded it?

But again, the best part of this amazing experience is the story. The reading of the adventures of Slick Black and Ol' Betty cannot be fathomed. There cannot be many of the truck driving brotherhood who can have seen the sorts of things that Slick Black has seen. He has met those shimmering otherworldly types, and they have come bearing...whiskey.

So join me at www.myspace.com/swampvodoo or at www.swampvoodoo.com and see what I mean. I love Swamp Voodoo. I love the body moving rhythms that T-Time and Dapper Dan lay down. I love the smoke that emanates from Gato's sax and weaves right in with my soul. And I love the low voiced muttering of Slick Black. Yeah, and the alien whiskey.

The Colors of Sadness

Resonator Ghost and Allan Benoit

"May the grass grow long on your road to hell." Resonator Ghost knows so many of the facets we see in the kaleidoscope of life. Click. Poinsettias. Click. Carnations. Click. Church flowers. Click. Love in bloom.

The delicate treatment of Allan Benoit's "Throwback Heart" is sadder than the original, if that's possible. The tender, giving love of the lover who's worth another try.

"Last Time" What if we had the chance and missed it? What if is the saddest, saddest question anyone can ask himself. The last chance to dance, to hold, to talk. How many last times have you seen? How many have you missed? How many have you messed up? Is it a blessing if I don't know or if I do?

"Really hasn't changed all that much all these years."

"All we have is here. All we have is now. Pay attention. The last time is now."

Chuk Cooley & the Demon Hammers

Chuk Cooley & The Demon Hammers

Harsh reality.

The harshest.

The seamy life of those addicted to drugs and the suffering of their loved ones…. All Cooley’s lyrics twine suffering, drug addiction, hope, and love into a living tapestry of the drama that is life. Those of us who’ve had a problem or a relative or friend with a problem with addiction can readily identify with the struggles in Cooley’s lyrics. Yet, folks who’ve suffered other sorts of struggles and setbacks can easily identify with the songs of Chuk Cooley and the Demon Hammers.

His anthem,“It Could of been Anything,” explores all that might have caused him to go off the rails and all the might have caused him to get back on track.

IT COULD OF BEEN ANYTHING THAT MADE ME STAND UP
IT COULD OF BEEN ANYTHING THAT MADE ME QUIT THE JUNK
IT COULD OF BEEN ANYTHING THAT MADE ME NEED THE TRUTH
IT COULD OF BEEN ANYTHING THAT MADE US WORK IT THROUGH
SO WE COULD LIVE
LIVE IN PEACE , SO WE COULD LIVE IN PEACE
SO WE COULD BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME

The video for “The Lost,” the words to “Black Jarr.” Whether you are dealing with serious drug addiction and the way that it leaves you lost to your loved ones, or if you’re just dealing with those elements of life that are difficult to the point of hopelessness, the music of Chuk Cooley & The Demon Hammers speaks to your soul. The driving bass, the steady drumbeat, the vining lead guitar all seem to grow magically from his soul. The lost people, the people in the darkest depths of personal pain all are there in Cooley’s lyrics.

But so is that iron-willed desire to find the good in life. Yeah. Suffering is real. Some suffering we bring on ourselves. Some just happens to us. Some loved ones disappoint or hurt us. We do the same to those we love. We wonder whether those we loved will remember us.

OH AND NOTHING SEEMS RIGHT -RIGHT NOW HERE IN MY LIFE
OH EVERYONE THAT MEANT SOMETHING ABANDONED ME
EVEN THO I AM LOST -WILL YOU REMEMBER ME

Sometimes we see the mistakes we make—and the ones we make because of the first one—as digging a hole we’ll never find our way out of. But if we could bury all our past errors and pains and wrongs, would we begin anew? Or make the same mistakes over and over? Or are we part of a throng of those starting over? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.

OH AND EVERYONE KNOWS YOU GOTTA GO THRU CHANGES
TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE GOIN.

http://www.myspace.com/chukcooleymusic

http://www.myspace.com/chukcooleymusic

Understand Clova

I owe Des Coffield and John Campbell a debt of gratitude. They very kindly introduced me to Des’s nephew’s band, Clova.

When you feel what I feel, when you hear what I hear, when you know what I know…then maybe, maybe you might understand…

Clova wears its heart on its collective sleeve in this heartfelt CD. Listening to “The Man I Am Inside” is like being deeply in love with the singer.

By the sun and the sky and the open seas,…I’ll finally be free.

Lyrical acoustic guitar; mellow, heartbreaking fiddle, gentle vocals will win your heart.

You can never be a winner when there’s nothing left to gain

From holding on in desperation to the ashes that remain

So its time for you to let go, time to draw a line

Underneath this broken heart and take it as a sign

That what you had was precious, something rare and fine

Surround yourself with those you love and once again you’ll shine

Oh, yes. We’ve all been there. Tried and convicted by those without the right to cast to first stone. Cast off by those who were undeserving of our regard. With each song, Clova will break your heart or win it.

The truth is sometimes difficult but cannot be ignored

If you let it drag you down you’ll never cross the door

But--…the world is full of wonders if you open up your eyes

Life’s journey, however bitter, is all the sweeter for having had the story told by this band: Clova. Try the CD on for size. You won’t be disappointed. I hope a new one will soon break the horizon.

Home sweet home—

Maybe you had the answers all along.

http://www.myspace.com/clovaonline