The Ruckus

Album Review: Frank Turner: Poetry Of The Deed

Frank Turner’s Poetry Of The Deed is absolutely the masterpiece that I’ve come to expect from the artist. The record grows on me more with each listen. Turner’s songwriting style has evolved in a slightly different direction with this release. Poetry Of The Deed is more electric, more pop. One of my most loved aspects musically is the brilliant piano work. Like Love, Ire, & Song and Sleep Is For The Week, Poetry Of The Deed strikes me as being extremely autobiographical. Frank’s refreshingly honest, carefully crafted lyrics are as stellar as ever. Quotable lines are everywhere to be found.

I had a lot of trouble narrowing down a few songs to specifically review here because I’ve come to adore so many (if not all) of them. I am predicting that Try This At Home will be the front runner for this album. Fans of Frank Turner will love this track that breaks down the lines between musician and audience. It will possibly be your new favorite song. You will find yourself singing the chorus to yourself. However, my favorite track is The Fastest Way Back Home. The Springsteen-esque love song has worked its way into my heart. From the lyrics to the music to Turner’s vocals, this song puts a smile on my face and makes me want to listen to it on repeat. Of definite note is the dynamic Isabel. This tune evolves to soaring, powerful choruses that work in and compliment the entire piece to create something simply amazing. Last but not least, I will mention the album closer. Journey Of The Magi is soft, subtle, and stripped down. Turner captures the mood of heartbreak and regret, but leaves us with the inspiring line “In the end the journeys brought joys that outweigh the pain.”

This will be the first album of Frank Turner’s to get a proper American release. Poetry Of The Deed can be found on Epitaph September 8th. The U.K. will be seeing it on September 7th on Xtra Mile. You can also pick up the record from Frank Turner on tour.

Download a Frank Turner sampler including the first single off of Poetry Of The Deed, The Road.

For more Frank Turner, visit him at Frank-Turner.com or on MySpace.

Feature Interview: Jessica Sonner

I heard about the beautiful and talented Jessica Sonner from a biased sourced: her husband Dan Craig. Upon listening to her music, however, I discovered that she lives up to the hype. Jessica has a fantastically unique, sultry, and smooth voice that wraps around the most delicate melody to become the power behind a soulful blues song. I had a hard time pinning down Sonner's music style or comparing her to any other artists. Her album All We Need is all over the place, covering pop, blues, folk, and country. This sounds like a mess, but Jessica Sonner has the talent and skill to pull it all off with elegance.



Sonner has done some extensive touring, especially on the college circuit. Go request her! You may have also heard her song Forget You on the HBO series Big Love and one of my favorites, Still Be Here on a commercial running on the network. She is also an essential part of the up and coming Denver music scene.



Ms. Sonner is captivating live. Sweet, friendly and bright, she will steal your heart and leave you wondering where she has been all of your life. I had the recent opportunity to grab lunch with Jessica (she chose sushi- another plus in my book) and chat about Colorado, music, and life.

Feature Interview: Dan Craig

I first saw Dan Craig open for The Autumn Film and was extremely impressed. I've been lucky enough to catch Dan in a few more performances since then and it is a treat every time. I would describe Dan's music as being somewhere in between that of Josh Ritter and Damien Rice with a sure streak of originality. His carefully crafted music and lyrics reflect sincerity and brilliance. Really, Dan Craig's music speaks for itself, but I'm going to keep telling you about it anyway.

In addition to playing the Denver circuit, Dan Craig had the song Further To Fall from his 2008 album Skin Grows Thin on the television show One Tree Hill. This opportunity exposed Dan's music to an incredibly wide audience.

In show, Dan Craig is accompanied by a unique backing band of Geoff Burghardt on mandolin, Seth Donovan on cello, and Mike Hall on drums. The choice of instruments makes for a rare and pleasant experience. Dan and his band are bursting with talent and are able to make each performance feel like something new and different. Craig's kind and whimsical personality shines through on stage, allowing him to connect with the audience.

I met up for a cup of coffee with Dan Craig where I discovered that we shared a love for my favorite musician, Josh Ritter. We also discussed his decision to leave medical school to pursue music exclusively, an understandably incredibly difficult decision to choose between two such passions. I did explain that life is much easier when you're talentless and not that smart, you just don't have those decisions to make. However, I am thrilled that Dan is making more and more music that I love.

Michael Runion: Music & Lyrics

I admit that I hadn't heard of Michael Runion before learning that he was on the bill to open for Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band. Through my research, I learned that Michael has worked with some acts you've most likely heard of: Rilo Kiley (as a guitar tech), The Elected (bass player), and Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins. Michael is also a member of the Los Angeles super group, JJAMZ, made up of James Valentine (Maroon 5), Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley, The Mystic Valley Band), Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet), and Z Berg (The Like).



I listened to the songs on his MySpace and was pretty quickly hooked. Mr. Runion plays a mellow, grungy indie pop reminiscent of Nirvana meets The Beatles. Those are some lofty names to live up to, but Michael does good work.



As an opening act for Rilo Kiley and Jenny Lewis, Runion released the record Our Time Will Come, an accomplished introspective folk rock album. For this tour, however, he released an EP of only five hundred copies. Produced by Alex Greenwald (from Phantom Planet) and Jason Boesel (from Rilo Kiley and The Mystic Valley Band), the EP serves as a preview of the new direction Runion is taking his music in, and includes a version of Daylight from Our Time Will Come featuring Z Berg from The Like. If you missed Runion on tour, these songs are streaming on his MySpace, so be sure to catch them there. You'll also want to grab the free download of the track Maxine at the and of this piece. As a bonus, we have two signed copies of the EP to give away to two of our readers (so leave us a comment, and make sure to include your e-mail address).

Album Review: Chuck Ragan: Gold Country

I got the chance to listen to Chuck Ragan's new album, Gold Country, while driving to Yellowstone National Park. Chuck's gruff voice and fervently strummed melodies provided the perfect soundtrack to the long drive through the Wyoming countryside. His distinctive intense passion shines through on this record. Jon Gaunt's violin work is flawless as always.

The album starts with my favorite track, For Goodness Sake. The full arrangement and backing vocals give the song a rich, layered sound. If I were to play someone a track to demonstrate what Chuck Ragan's music says to me, it would be this one. The lyrics are thoughtful and carry the intense emotion expected of Chuck Ragan. For Goodness Sake appropriately sets the tone for the epic Gold Country.

The next track is the faster, fiddle-heavy Glory will leave you tapping your toes. The musical styling, like much of the album, has a timeless quality. The softer, piano ballad Ole Diesel is definitely a track that will grab your attention with it's sweet sound. The album ends with the heartbreaking Get Em All Home, which starts with just Ragan's acoustic guitar, then builds up with elegant violin and harmonizing vocals. A stellar harmonica solo shines through the center of the song.

Gold Country is overflowing with solid songwriting on all fronts. There isn't a single track on this album that I dislike. There is a good balance of fast and slow, creating a fulfilling album. I look forward to listening to the record many more times to come.

Watch for Gold Country on SideOneDummy September 1st. Pre-order the album here.

Look for Chuck Ragan on the Revival Tour this fall and at:
ChuckRaganMusic.com
MySpace

Album Review: Fun.: Aim & Ignite

Fun. is an appropriate name for this band. This album was definitely fun to listen to. The band consists of Nate Ruess (from The Format, Andrew Dost (from Anathallo), and Jack Antonoff (from Steel Train).



Aim & Ignite features an array of instrumental accompaniment including trombone, accordion, and oboe. The upbeat tone and experimental style is reminiscent of seventies pop (think Queen).



My favorite track, The Gambler is a slower song with a clear, polished sound emphasized by string accompaniment. The lyrics tell an incredibly sweet tale of love over time.



Fun. have put together a lovely indie pop album worth checking out. Look for Aim & Ignite on August 25th. You can pre-order it here.




For more Fun. go to:

OurNameIsFun.com

MySpace

In Pictures: Death Cab For Cutie

There are certain venues that seem to act as an extra member of the band; Red Rocks is one of those venues. Shows there just seem to have that something special that can take a show from good to great. I might be biased living in Colorado and having the pleasure to see several shows at this magnificent venue, but I don’t think that I’m far off when I say that it is one of the best places in the world to see a concert. The beauty of it’s surroundings, the skyline of Denver off in the distance. It’s difficult to come away from a show at Red Rocks feeling unsatisfied. Death Cab on July 14th was no exception.

After two brilliant opening acts, Ra Ra Riot and Andrew Bird, the four-piece band Death Cab for Cutie took the stage to the tune of a deafening crowd. The rainstorm that has threatened earlier in the evening had passed over and Death Cab kicked off their set with an older tune, Employment Pages. It wasn’t until six songs in that they would play anything off of the newer Narrow Stairs, in a mixed set that combined both old and new songs. Fans both old and new were cheering loudly for each song and during the encore, two of the more brazen fans even made a run for the stage when they saw a break in security’s ranks. Darting out onto the stage, they ran past lead singer Ben Gibbard mid-song and then made their way backstage before finally being caught and escorted out by security. Gibbard laughed off the event, and finished up the show strong with Transatlanticism. A fan favorite and an apt closer to the eclectic set.