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St. Cloud ROCKS CD spotlights local acts
By Chris Heinitz
Published:
Monday, September 20, 2004
With an aim to familiarize St. Cloud with its local music talent, the St. Cloud Times has produced St. Cloud ROCKS, a free compilation album. Featuring a wide range of music and talent levels, the album is a way to give people an idea of the local music scene.
"St. Cloud has a very vibrant music scene. A lot of garage bands. A lot of people like to get together and have fun," Dennis Host, Director of Market Development at the St. Cloud Times said.
"Look at KVSC and the music downtown. I'm constantly impressed by the live music and talented musicians. We wanted to give people a taste of what's out there," St. Cloud Times Arts and Entertainment reporter Liz Kohman said.
St. Cloud's downtown also offers a great landscape of bars and coffee shops where it's very easy to wander around and check out different live bands.
"Downtown, there's a lot of cool clubs. You find a place downtown and check out live music from club to club," Justin Ploof, lead singer for roGer said.
The albums twelve cuts were selected from over thirty demo entries. "We listened to [the demo entries] and picked twelve that would fit together well, and were outstanding," said Kohman.
The album is a breadth of style ranging from acapella to punk to blues. "This year, we have a huge variety, for students in particular," Host said.
When you pop this album in, after the first track you may be ready to chuck it at the wall, but don't. Collective Unconcious begins with "Any Given Day." The absurd poppyness sounds like the theme song of a corny sit-com, perhaps a modern Charles in Charge.� It is clich�, and hard to bear.
Those who make it through the first track are rewarded by the next song. "What the Whole World Needs Is," by roGer, is very solid. One of the more original and bold songs on the album, the track is semi-experimental and catchy.
For the song "Something Someone Someday," Epic Hero collaborated with Dan Wilson of Semisonic, a Minneapolis band that gained substantial popularity nationally. The song has a nice feel and good lyrics, even if it is simple generic rock.
The next track, "Seasons" by Adam Sternke is unsubstantiated and pretty corny, but with enough beer in you, it's something you can definitely enjoy.
Fred Savage and the Unbeatables feature a peculiar song called "Sloth Man." It's a haunting anthem for dreamers, or maybe just procrastinators. The song sounds like Rufus Wainwright singing in a Broadway production. Personally I prefer Fred Savage as Kevin on Wonder Years.
Tonic Sol Fa, the album's most established band, work their classic acapella sound in the song "Virginia." The group is very cohesive, and makes the barbershop quartet a little more hip.���
The album turns to the good ole' blues with Buddwa Mambos' "Mountains to Move." A great blues line, soulful voice and good guitar solos make this track one of the best on the album.�
Although it is an utter knockoff of the Counting Crows, 40 Watt Bulb's "Uncle" is a very good song. Using the banjo and what sounds like a well rehearsed imitation of Adam Duritz' (Counting Crows) notorious Bob Segeresque moan, this is a talented group that pulls off a great sound, but desperately lacks originality.
Adam Herron sings, "some things never seem to end/ like rainy days and reruns of Friends." He probably should have included in that bunch bad punk like his song Demons.
Popular battle of the bands winner North to Emerson rocks the next track. "For You" is a pretty good punk song that epitomizes the commercialization of the genre. Its fun bouncy and depthless.�
The three-song barrage of local punk rock concludes with "For the Girls" by Matthew. The annoying and clich� guitar part is eclipsed only by the whiny lead vocals.
The final track "Strangely," by Vee - W is the most interesting and innovative track on the compilation. The slow eerie piano and troubling vocals are trancy and creative.�
As part of this years release, the St Cloud Times and SCSU have collaborated to bring the music to the public. You can also check out some of these bands and pick up a free copy of the album before home football games.
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