ON THE BEAT

Filippa returns

FILIPPA GIORDANO: This young Italian songstress burst onto the scene with a self-titled debut album that sold over a half million copies around the world. She has a classical meets pop approach ("popera"), and her label, Warner Music, considers her a top priority. That means a big promotional push behind her second CD, Il Rosso Amore, released here on May 28. The album includes her versions of selections from Madama Butterfly, Nabucco and Les Contes d'Hoffmann ("La Barcarolle"), plus original new songs from such writers as LUCIO QUARANTOTTO, FRANCESCO SARTORI, the famed ENNIO MORRICONE, and Canadian DAVID FOSTER. Morricone and Foster assist in the production, as do ROBIN SMITH (ANDREA BOCELLI) and RICCARDO CIMINO. The 28-year-old Filippa comes from Palermo, and, fittingly, was born on Valentine's Day.

THE FOGGY HOMETOWN BOYS: The O Brother Where Art Thou?-fuelled resurgence of interest in bluegrass music continues. This young quintet, one of the best local practitioners of the form, has a popular Saturday afternoon residency at Black Friar. This is a pub on College, just west of Dovercourt, and was packed for the matinee we caught. The best-known member is banjo-player CHRIS QUINN, whose group HEARTBREAK HILL was playing this style before it got so trendy. Equally impressive was bassist JOHN McNAUGHTON, who has a lovely high and hurtin' tenor voice, a key component of bluegrass. The Foggy Hometown Boys mixed instrumental and vocal tunes, and covered such genre classics as "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" and "Rocky Top" with real flair. Let's hope they get to record soon.

HERMANS END: These local rockers are proud of their independent status, as, in bassist DAMIAN COLEMAN's words, it means "we make the music we want to make." Which is a melange of styles reflecting such diverse influences as alt-country, hard rock, punk and emo-pop. The most obvious reference point would be HUSKER DU, as can be heard on their debut CD, This Could Be A Book, which was launched recently with a release party at Clinton's. This is a band to watch out for (check out www.hermansend.com)

NEW RELEASES: The names PETE SHELLEY and HOWARD DEVOTO are dear to the heart of fans of English punk and New Wave. They were the brains behind the original BUZZCOCKS before Devoto quit to lead the more musically adventurous MAGAZINE. 25 years later, they've reunited as SHELLEYDEVOTO. Their reunion CD, Buzzkunst (on True North), does recall past glories, and it leans more towards the drama of Magazine than snappy Buzzcocks-style pop-punk. A more contemporary British band worthy of attention is GOMEZ. They have a sprawling epic sound occasionally reminiscent of the wonderful SPIRITUALIZED and GRANT LEE BUFFALO, and they've just released a superb new album, In Our Gun (Virgin). As a song title like "Detroit Swing 66" indicates, they're heavily influenced by American styles and themes, but they add an Anglo-style sense of drama.
The influence of THE REPLACEMENTS, the seminal garage-band with a heart, remains strong, long after they split. Mainman PAUL WESTERBERG has been a little inconsistent with his solo work, but now makes a welcome return to full form. Stereo (on Vagrant/TVT) is actually two CDs. It's real lo-fi and sloppy, the sonic setting that best fits Paul's raggedly glorious songs. As he declares in the liner notes, "this is rock 'n roll recorded poorly, played in a hurry, with sweaty hands and unsure reason. It feels right. This is my blood." Music needs that kind of passion more now than ever before!

UPCOMING: To mark the 51st birthday of much-loved late punk pioneer JOEY RAMONE, a Ramones Tribute night will be held at The Horseshoe on May 19th. The event, sanctioned by Joey's family, will raise money for The Cure For Lymphoma Fund. 20 cool bands (including THE SINISTERS, ROBIN BLACK and DODGE FIASCO) will crank out their fave Ramones tunes. Gabba Gabba Hey!

Publication Date: 2002-05-19
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=1351