D'TACHChinIndie6.5-out-of-10
I have reviewed a lot of disks in what is nearing 20-years as a journalist. So one thing I always appreciate is a CD which makes me go 'OK that's different'.
Chin's D'tach fits that. The guy takes some interesting risks here, like the intro to Julian's Fiya which has a little child doing the vocal to a song which ultimately comes across as a pop song with that sort of swaying around a campfire singing at night sort of feel.
The solo artist here is Chin Injeti, a native of Toronto, now living on the West Coast in Vancouver and at times Los Angeles.
In Toronto Chin was a founding member of the group Bass is Base, which was a Juno award-winning group which sort of opened the door to many urban artists.
"Having toured and shared the stage with the likes of James Brown, The Fugees, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Nelly Furtado and The Marley Family and also being a recipient of a songwriter of the year Socan award and a Much Music Video Award, Chin has established himself as a mainstay in Canada as both an artist and producer," explains his Myspace page.
With D'tach you have a definite feeling Chin decided that as a veteran of the music trade it was time to do a disk which comes across as more personal. You have the feeling Chin did this disk for himself, and if others enjoy it, that is simply a bonus of sharing his own musical interests.
The result is a bit of a mix actually.
Separated with The New Royales sharing vocals is a hit in the making.
Don't Shake It Down on the other hand is at best an acquired taste which may have many clicking jump on the CD player in search of the next track.
Love Is Not War with Zaki Ibrahim featured vocally is another solid song that can find radio listeners.K'Naan helps out on Mask On My Face.
While there are a few gems, there is a bit of gravel here too, but that should be expected on an album which feels like something as much for the artist as the audience. From that perspective I respect his choices.
Check it out at www.chinschunes.com- CALVIN DANIELS
ELECTRIC LIFEKyler SchogenIndie6.5-out-of-10
It's been a while since I've had a blues CD to review, but this week that changes with Kyler Schogen's Electric Life.
Schogen is out of Edmonton and offers up a disk of 13-cuts. He has penned 11 of the songs, the exceptions being the inclusion of Willie Dixon's 29 Ways and Jumpin' Jack Flash from the team of Jagger and Richards.
Schogen is actually a veteran blues man having played with Slowburn since the mid-1990s and with his own band, having recorded several CDs with the duel units.
The music is that sort of good-timing blues which gets the toes tapping. The music has the sad side of life lyrics, but the music suggests tossing the negativity and having some fun. Schogen does a good job of offering up that take on things.
A fun blues CD disk, which not the best I've heard this year, has its charms for a summer drive.
Check it out at www.myspace.com/kylerschogen- CALVIN DANIELS
Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/
