From punk and ska to rock and folk, Las Vegas-area indie music is alive and kicking. Here we round up and rate eight of the latest CDs so you don't have to.
Ponder (3 stars)
Think About It
You can pick up the debut CD of this newly formed Las Vegas group with a fair amount of confidence. Its members all have impressive pedigrees on the local music scene.
Shawn Eiferman, formerly of Epstein's Mother, is at the helm on guitar and lead vocals. Eiferman was voted best acoustic guitar player by our readers (surely the most intelligent, discerning group of people on the planet) back in 2000 and regularly hosts a weekly night of tunes at House of Blues. John Lombardo, who has inked deals with Elektra, Meltdown and Warner Bros., is on vocals and guitar. Singer and bass-player Matt Wood has been kicking around this dusty town for years, and Beau Doyle, drummer and percussionist, has been playing with Eiferman—in the musical sense—for the last seven years.
As for the disc, it's a collection of 11 tracks of three-part harmony and straight-ahead rock 'n' roll with an emphasis on guitars. My favorite? "Tiny Panties," but that's a subject for another time.
Martin Stein
Shotface (3 stars)
Shotface
Shotface dishes up a fusion of ska, reggae and jazz, along with some cleverly written lyrics. While working on finishing up their next CD for release in the new year, they have released this self-titled EP of five tracks. The quality of San Francisco-area transplant Taylor Falkstada's lead vocals is well-suited to the group's sound. Backing him up are Johnny Lere on guitar and Mark Molloy on drums. Nick Ford provides the bass. From the short, high-energy blast of "Fiction" to the longer, sometimes meandering "Desperation," Shotface is an enjoyable offering that provides a good example of the band's sound.
Martin Stein
Orange Sheila (3.5 stars)
Orange Sheila
Teenage singer-songwriter Orange Sheila delivers a promising debut with this seven-song EP, a quiet collection of folk-like, introspective tunes. Mostly just the classic girl-and-her-guitar formula (augmented by occasional percussion), Sheila's music is simple but effective, dealing with typical themes of love and loss. Songs like "Every Night" and especially the strong closer "The Listener" show that with fuller arrangements, Sheila could easily be a pop success along the lines of Michelle Branch.
Of course, she could just as well stick to the sparse folk production and build up a following on the local acoustic circuit with her strong, evocative voice. Either way, she's got a bright future.
Josh Bell
The Higher (3 stars)
Star Is Dead
Emo bands are a dime a dozen these days, in Vegas and elsewhere, but The Higher (formerly known as September Star) have gotten a vote of confidence from Fiddler Records, distributed by the mighty Universal Music Group. Listening to their debut EP, you can see why. Although their sound isn't all that distinctive from other big emo acts, or even local groups like One More Weekend and Yesterday's Tomorrow, they've polished it into a potent force.
"Midnight," with its soaring vocals and twin guitar attack from Tom Oakes and James Mattison, could easily make regular rotation on MTV2 and score these guys a spot on the Warped Tour. A full-length with more songs this catchy and a couple more original touches could take them even further.
Josh Bell
Hefshill (2.5 stars)
Give It Time
Singer-songwriter Christopher Heifner, also known as Hef, essentially the only member of band Hefshill (the man has many aliases), looks half-asleep on the cover of his latest release, and sounds half-asleep on the songs he plays. This collection of 11 folk-rock tunes with a serious Christian influence is languid, slow and often boring. Although Heifner almost rocks out on the opener "Just a Corner," and gets kind of funky on "Clock Work," most of the time he just strums along at a mid-tempo, singing blandly about girls and God.
"Almost" and "kind of" are Heifner's watchwords, as he's a capable musician and surrounds himself with other capable musicians, but never breaks out of his stupor and does something truly memorable.
Josh Bell
The Pervz (3 stars)
The Pervz
The meat and potatoes punk of the Pervz has a lot to recommend it. For one thing, its pedigree comes from the Stooges and the Ramones (ignoring most everything that came after). Neither are the Pervz interested in improving things, nor discontent with the formula.
Though the riffs are as recycled as the sound, the songwriting on tracks like "Pill," "I Don't Wanna Hear It" and "I Want It Now" is still catchy. This self-titled debut is joyous punk, just like your daddy once digged it back in the day.
Richard Abowitz
Shane Stephens (1 star)
Laugh Until It Hurts
Laugh until it hurts is exactly what I did. Finally, music for those who yearn for more Don Johnson albums. Yessiree, with no less than five open-shirt photos included in the package, Stephens looks and sounds exactly like an aging member of a boy band.
Backed by a pop veneer crafted from smooth jazz sounds, Stephens attempts a sort of blue-eyed soul that is far beyond him. At his best, this edgeless pop and bland sentiment are merely forgettable.
Richard Abowitz
The Side Room (3 stars)
Cocktail EP
The Side Room consists of the duo Mato and Pryde, who craft dance-floor sounds into surprisingly tuneful and traditional pop. This is electronic music aimed more at the radio than the club.
Not all of it works, as there is a tendency to overburden tracks with too many elements: the rap on "Tonight" falls so flat it undermines an otherwise catchy hook, and "Set it Free" wanders into George Michael territory. But it is hard to deny the charm in the lounge inflections on "Cocktail" and the sing-along chorus of "Drowning in the Shadow of Myself."
Richard Abowitz