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THE MARY JANES

Record no.1

(Delmore DE 017)

I was gonna like this record come what may - not very sound in the critical faculties stakes - but any band made up of former members of The Vulgar Boatmen are already some distance ahead of the opposition for that simple fact. If there are any mortals out there who haven't tuned into the Vulgar Boatmen yet then let me say it's time you were! The Boatmen are guilty of creating some of the best melodic post Velvets rock of the past decade -up there with The (also sadly neglected )Feelies. Two female members of that band took one of their songs 'Mary Jane' and over the past few years have traded as the Mary Janes presenting one EP, several compilation tracks including a stand-out on the Tom T. Hall tribute and culminating in this disc on Bloomington.Indiana's own Delmore Records distributed by Earle's E-Squared. They've been compared to early 10,000 Maniacs which is an apposite comparison as both bands seem to owe much to the Island Records folk era - especially Denny and Tabor. Other ingredients -there are many- apart from the above-noted Vulgars include The Silos, John Strohm who helped produce( check out his solo work pop-pickers!) and obliquely - John Mellancamp- Belmont, Indiana's famous resident has employed Janas Hoyt ( lead vocals and ex-boatperson) on backing vocals. Indeed since 1993 the band has metamorphosed from its Boatmen origins into a folk-rocking five-piece from the original folk-duo. At 37 Hoyt is finally getting the attention she deserves.

What she serves up is a beautifully orchestrated chamber-folk that as she says relies on the space as much as the sound. Produced until it shines at Echo Park studios Bloomington by Mark Maher and John Strohm the essential V.B. trademarks of melody and superb production are augmented by a rich vocal style that recalls Sandy Denny and Fairport. Through the initial four or five tracks the backing at times strays over R.E.M. territory ( Throwing Pennies) at others recalls the mellow slouch of theCowboy Junkies. As a voice though it is Natalie Merchant that comes to mind most often whilst the backing comes amazingly close to the Boatmen themselves.

As for the remaining tracks- 'She flies away' - rocks in a 'Wishing Chair' way with great strings/ harmonica backing. 'What a friend' is atmospheric like an old 78 under the stars and leads into last track the emotive 'Final Days'. Last time I recall a track named such was by Young Marble Giants and another not unsimilar singer in Allison Statton which brings us back to R.E.M. believe it or not. It's the first song where the full expressiveness of her voice is truly exploited before it's swamped by a heavy-handed 'rock-out'.

I said I was determined to like this record and like it I do but maybe a bit more space and a little less rocking would have turned it from a good record to a great one. the voice is lost at times and sometimes the songwriting seems a little blunt and middle of the road with the exception of my personal favourite 'Never felt better' ....'a voice on the radio says rain today..and I never felt better..' which is cracking. That's the trouble with having great expectations....they're never fulfilled. Never felt better? Maybe ....but not much...next time maybe.....it could feel a whole lot better.

MR. WILSON

It happened like this

(Zane Records ZNCD 1014)

There's a southern states rock tradition grounded in the blues/ cajun and soul sound that how ever hard we Europeans try to imitate we rarely if ever get close too. As if to rub our noses in the truth of this here comes a 30 year-old from Huntsville, Alabama who welds supreme musicianship with more than an ear and a hand for the songwriting craft. He's aided and abetted by some good ol' boys including Johnny Sandlin ( Allman Brothers producer) and a couple of guys called Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham! That he not only holds his head high in such company but matches their output on a couple of the better tracks here augers well for a glorious future.

The 'gumbo' is a real spicy mixture of southern boogie a l'Allmans, Ray Charles/ Muscle Shoals mid-sixties Atlantic sound and good old-fashioned R&B/ Honky-tonk crossover. At times he sounds like a funky Tony Joe White( I love you too), at others like Mike Scott if he'd woke up in New Orleans after a bad dream and too many JD's (Crashin' Down). It's not a single track railroad though as the affecting 'All this time' spins an acoustic spell above dobro and mandolin with all the aplomb of any texas songsmith. A beautiful song, beautifully played as 'old friends' gained through an apprenticeship at the feet of masters nail the melody. Time spent in the studio ensures crystal-clear production.( Mr. Wilson a.k.a. Jay Wilson worked as assistant engineer on Dan Penn's Do Right Man - kind of right hand to God).

When the Hammond B-3 organ kicks in behind the snare and tambourine shuffle of 'Let me take you home' the ghost of Bert Bangs studio and Van the Man's New York sojourn is raised only Van hasn't been this joyful in quite a while. White boy's pop/soul with a skip in it's step. Backing vocals almost throw the next track into mid-period Stones territory but the clarity/ construction of the tune carry the day although the special effects do their best to interrupt rather than carry the mood. A weak link in a chain of good songs. 'Ain't no turning back' hits the groove immediately - ghost organ and lyrics about a pick-up truck and driving through Tennessee/ prison and this listener's in heaven. Great road song..."pink flamingos in the yard..got a job as a part-time guard, took a week for a day to pass"- this time the lead stings and the bridge leads to yet more destinations. On this song alone he deserves the attention other more hyped songsmiths have been accorded. The songs just keep coming now.'Town that knows everything' ..."small one-horse-shit town.."Somewhere about half way through this song the realisation hits that this boy is the real goods. There have been a few southern boys touted as the latest thing - the unfairly neglected Terrell ( Angry Southern Gentleman)comes to mind - but there are songs here, real songs that come the shakedown will stand.

'I should've left here' is Cashabilly =Wilsonabilly = Mystery Train =and it's fine, fine, fine. 'Oh Mary' is heavy like 'Aviator' Earle and fine if you like it like that. Things are rounded out with 'Agatha May'on acoustic , backed by piano and fiddle - Mr. Wilson was brought up with keyboards and the church - here the hymnal informs the melody and the small town narrative spins by like a track on Darden Smith's first independent Lp before he got too arty. That's it .. the cd ends with the line "Agatha May goes walking down the street...". Perfect.

Beg, borrow, steal or seek out Reading, England based Zane Records. When it comes to the year's top tens this will be high on my list. Debut of the year without a shadow...

sdb.