This is an open forum for staff members, contributers, and fans alike to submit their reviews on the latest music releases and concerts. In an industry that is drowning with overprocessed, grossly overrated, unoriginal crap these days, this is our chance to allow the real stars to shine, if only on our humble, little stage; and expose you to some of our favorite talents.
Reviews are given 1 - 5 stars.
I do believe!
There are so many different definitions of what Pop Music is. I recently witnessed Pop Music Perfection. At least by my definition. Pop Music shouldn’t be created by song doctors in studios for young starlets (unless you are Kelly Clarkson...she gets a special dispensation on this because her record is so damn good and the girl seriously can sing) or boy bands. It should be created by man-boys who ooze talent, charm and nerdiness. Oh yeah, and the ability to write incredible hooks usually helps. These same man-boys should perform it as well. In a just world, these songwriters would reap some sort of financial rewards from their talents but the term struggling musician seems to be invented for these performers.
I attended a songwriter’s circle in Hoboken @ The Goldhawk. The room is small and pretty packed. The stage is 6 inches off the floor and is big enough for three folding chairs side by side. On the floor to the right of the stage is a piano/organ/Hammond/keyboard something or other. I don’t know my keyboard type instruments like I should, but I know this one is making beautiful sweet sounds straight out of my Strawberry Shortcake AM radio I had growing up. Three acoustic guitars sit on stands behind the metal folding chairs. There is a long couch against one wall with a couple of chairs and a coffee table in front of the stage. The opposite wall is filled with small tables up against a long bench. A small bar in the back has about 8 stools around it. There are about 10 metal folding chairs in the other available floor space. There are 60’s and 70’s era wall clocks covering one wall and 3 light fixtures, equally as old, hanging above the stage. Of course, obligatory votive candles rest on the small cocktail tables and fairy lights are intertwined with fake ivy on the walls.
Despite the winter storm we had earlier in the day, this is the most people I’ve seen at one of these gigs. Every available seat is taken and there are people crowded around the bar. It’s “The Writer’s Hang" 8th anniversary show. For 8 years, once a month Scott E. Moore has these shows that feature himself along with 2 other singer/songwriter types performing “In the round”. They are always wonderful and impromptu and funny and introspective and joyous. They are in an intimate room that showcases the artists in an almost ideal setting with great sound and a captivated audience. Scott does this, not to get rich, but because he loves music. The list of past guests is a who’s who of singer songwriters and he really has to be proud of what he started and continues to do in a world that doesn’t embrace singer/songwriters like it should.
Tonight’s guests are Mike Viola and Jim Boggia.
Jim, a Philadelphia based musician came to my attention through a project he was involved with a few years ago, 4 Way Street. He is also a renowned singer /songwriter on his own and is also a frequent sideman to Jill Sobule. Jim’s currently out promoting his latest solo release “Safe in Sound" on Blu Hammock records. Of all the musicians I’ve ever seen he always struck me as one of the few that could proudly call himself a ‘Musician’. I’ve seen lots of people who can ‘play’ at being a rock star and can deliver their rehearsed material great. But ask them to extend themselves past their rehearsed material and you might as well be asking them to cure cancer. Join in on someone else’s song? Play a request that you haven’t played in years? Jump up onstage to play a cover song along with another musician on the same bill? Unfortunately in this day and age, these things come hard to a lot of people who label themselves musicians. For Jim Boggia, I’d be disappointed if I didn’t get all of the above at a show, not to mention extremely witty in between song (and during song!) banter that’s not matched by many.
Jim’s had very poor vision his entire life and is in fact legally blind in one eye. Doctor’s say it’s only a matter of time before he is completely blind. It’s been said that his amazing ear and mad musical skills have stemmed from having one of his other senses dulled. I say bullshit. The guy just loves music. Some people do and some people don’t. Later on, when Jim and Mike talk about not leaving their rooms and their record collections for the first 20 years of their lives, you know it’s the truth. I have a feeling it’s something a lot of tonight’s audience can relate to.
Notice I haven’t talked about the songs yet? That’s because I’m not sure what to say. They sound so sweet yet can be heartbreaking at the exact same time. They are insanely catchy. Simultaneously, they are extremely familiar yet exciting and brand new. I’ve never been able to pin down who exactly it is that Jim sounds like, but he has been compared to the other guest this night Mike Viola. If I were talking about the weather, I’d say it’s a perfect storm.
Mike Viola was almost entirely unknown to me before this night. I’d heard of his name several times but couldn’t really remember why. I know he was in a band called The Candy Butchers. Other than that I honestly wouldn’t know him or his music if my life depended on it. From his first strike of the keyboard, which is the intro to Supertramp’s “The Logical Song” (and the song he’ll continue to tease us with throughout the night) I can tell that we are in for a special night. Besides their insanely catchy songwriting and similar voices, Mike can apparently go toe to toe with Jim Boggia in the human jukebox competition. Mike is promoting his current record, “Just Before Dark” and when I say record, I mean record. At the time of this show this was only available on vinyl, but it is now available on ITunes.
The three songwriters each take turns playing one of their original songs. They each add guitar or piano or some backing vocals to flesh out the sounds. Somewhere around the time of the 4th or 5th song things start to spiral out of control in a delightful way. In between songs, Mike Viola is at the keyboard playing bits and pieces of well-known songs. Not to be outdone, Jim joins in with the vocals. Mike seems like he wants to catch Jim out, but Jim appears to know the lyrics and chords to every song ever written.
Jim Boggia’s original songs include “Annie Also Ran”, “Weather”, no doubt due to the horrible weather we had that day, and a new song called “Listening to NRBQ”, a nostalgic look at an old charger, old music and an old girl by a guy happy where he’s at now. Of course he includes “Several Thousand” a song that’s a staple of Jim’s live shows and also was included on the 4 Way Street record “Pretzel Park”
In between trying to “out depress” each other with their original songs, we also hear a myriad of cover songs…“God only Knows”, “On and On”, “Alone Again, (Naturally)”, (which, according to Jim, automatically makes it a better song due to the use of a bracketed word in the song title) and the theme to “Welcome Back, Kotter”, played after the short break.
About an hour into this Scott is talking with Mike and mentions something that will totally send me over the edge. Mike is not only the co-writer (along with Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlessinger) of a super catchy song from one of my favorite movies, he actually plays the “voice” of the lead singer of the fictional band “The Wonders”. Yes, I’m about to hear Jimmy from the Wonders sing That Thing You Do!”. My face hurts from smiling. I text message everyone I know. I then get bitched at by a fellow patron when my cell phone starts blinking when I get return messages. My face hurts from smiling. I text message everyone I know. I then get bitched at by a fellow patron when my cell phone starts blinking when I get return messages. That’s how serious the audience is about what’s going on in front of them.
Mike Viola counters Jim with some of his own original songs, including “Hills of LA” which was written as he was living there working on “That Thing You Do”. Mike also plays an original song called “Kiss Alive II” another nostalgic look back, but this time the story isn’t about music and a girl, like Jim’s, but it’s about music and his longtime friendship with Candy Butcher, Todd Foulsham who gave him a copy of the aforementioned album. (In return, Mike gave his friend “Benny and the Jets” for those who care about such matters) This of course could only be followed up by “Beth” Mike on that glorious piano, Jim on Vocals.
Scott E. Moore who is supposed to be in charge looks upon these two unruly children and realizes he has to just let them run with this. Scott does manage to squeeze in some of his original tunes including “Hanging Around” and “So far, So good” which turns into quite a singalong with some prompting from Scott. Scott’s music is a bit more jazzy and soulful then the pop songs Jim and Mike play and they make for a good counter to them but by the time Mike and Jim break into, “The Things We Do For Love” the audience and our host, have all given in and are embracing this 70’s pop music pageant gleefully and singing along.
We also hear about ½ of “Dance with Me”(and Scott explains that one of the founding members of Orleans is going to be playing at a future Writer’s Hang), and “Do you Believe in Magic”. When it comes back around to Scott’s turn he takes a poll of the audience… “Depressing original or 70’s cover”. He then warns it’s going to be a boring 70’s cover and nowhere near the bubblegum goodness that we’ve been hearing all night. The audience still votes for the 70’s cover. A story about growing up in jersey and loving Springsteen proceeds a great cover version of “Spirit in the Night” with the captive audience, Mike, and Jim all joining in. It was anything but boring to this Springsteen fan and from the reaction of the audience most agreed with me.
Now onto the main reason I finally finished this piece that I started months and months ago is to give a little bit of promotion to what could possibly be a recreation of this charmed night. Mike Viola has a Monday Night residency @ The Living Room (another great venue for singer-songwriters that deserves your support) for the entire month of July. Jim Boggia will be joining him on July 3rd, 17th, and 31st. If you are anywhere near NYC go and see these two perform together. It’s spellbinding.
Scott E Moore has his Writer’s Hang as well on Thursday Night July 6th @ 8:30pm. Featured guests are Mary Kate O’Neil, Stephen Clair and violinist Deni Bonet. If you are in the neighborhood go and check out what is always a great time in a great room. Check out the website for more info on the artists.
This show is the reason why I go to so many shows. I go looking for a bit of the magic in rock and roll. I found it that night. I can’t thank the artists enough for that. I couldn’t stop smiling for days, and even now 4 months later it makes me smile just thinking about it. I knew I’d be in for a great evening with Jim Boggia and Scott E. Moore, but add the joy of discovering a brand new artist in Mike Viola it really was a little bit of magic.
* Holy crap. While I’m working on this I get a phone call. I’m then put on hold. The On hold music is a lovely musak version of “That thing you do”.
Reviewed by: Billie Jo Sheehan | July 2006
