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Skip Heller: Mean Things Happening In This Land
ByHis trio uses happy sounds to make this angry point. "President Nero? dances calypso on a sunlit Caribbean beach; Heller swings out soft chords to counterpoint Spies' bright solo, then blasts off with extended, inquisitive lines, apparently in search of Pat Martino's holy guitar grail. "Heckuvajob sounds similarly carefree; Heller's quicksilver leads step aside for a witty conversation between keyboards and percussion. "Katrina, Mon Amour opens in the retro surf guitar sound of Dick Dale before blasting off through a space age guitar sound into a futuristic lounge full of comfy, fluffed-up keyboard pillows.
"Dear God shows off the variety of sounds that three musicians can coax from what might be considered a simple instrumental palette; Spies' mid-song and closing organ solos honor Booker T & The MG's "Hang 'em High. Heller's ode to Ani DiFranco in soul-blues form, "The Kind of Beauty That Moves, grooves on a shimmering guitar riff that somehow sounds both hot and cool, a bright beacon of cool blue guitar light.
Pissed though he may be, this set is not completely without Heller's trademark twisted merriment. Dig his explanation for this cover version of a Dead Milkmen song: "'Punk Rock Girl' is just one of my favorite songs about Philadelphia. I've always been a huge Dead Milkmen fan, and this song has such a great melody that I thought it would work great if we did it in the Richard 'Groove' Holmes' 'Misty' style, because that's one of the ultimate Philly templates. I know I'm a music geek, but I find it impossible to not love a guy who thinks and works like this!
Track Listing
Dear God; Katrina, Mon Amour; Heckuvajob; Motel Room in My Bed; Beautiful Bright Blue Skye Eyes; Hideout In the Sun; President Nero?; The Kind of Beauty that Moves; Punk Rock Girl; Aragon Mill.
Personnel
Skip Heller
guitar, electricSkip Heller: guitar; Chris Spies: organ, clavinet, electric piano, Radio Shack synth; David White: drums, percussion.
Album information
Title: Mean Things Happening In This Land | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Ropeadope
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About Skip Heller
Instrument: Guitar, electric
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