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CD REVIEWS Music Morsels ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUSIC MORSELS MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWSLETTER, US John Gaar Band - Bittersweet Success. It's easy to be anonymous in the glutted Austin music scene, but John Gaar appears to have what it takes to garner notice. With a soulful voice interjected into Allmanesque blues and country rock, John breaks the typified alt mantra of the town and instead flaunts his roots in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The gutbucket shuffle of "That Ain't True" and the intense ballad "Hard Rain" are two standouts on this comforting yet innovative for its honest simplicity disc. URL: http://www.johngaar.com E-mail: johngaar@aol.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLUES ON STAGE, US I listen to a lot of music and a large amount of CD's go through my player. A lot of the stuff that lands in my mailbox for a review is less than outstanding, but every now and then something shows up that causes me to pick up my ears and listen really really well. This unpretentious looking CD is one of those bright spots. Containing ten self penned songs that are well written, well played and generally very good. This one is a keeper. The guitar work is solid, and avoids cloning the Stevie Ray Vaughan licks that show up way too often these days. The band is tight and throws in some pretty cool changing tempo accents. If these guys sound anything like the CD, they should tear the roof off most any club they play in. The songs vary from medium tempo semi-country/pop to Mid-wests rock & soul to some kickassed rockin blues. Vocally John Garr range reminds me a bit of Joe Bonamassa on the faster rockin songs and Felix Cavaliere on the slower songs. Garr's voice is perfect for his style. The musicianship is excellent also. Suprisingly the keyboards don't overpower the music which often happens when the rhythm backing is keyboard driven. Bottom Line: I think this is a pretty darn good CD. One of the brighter spots that has landed in my mailbox recently. Good vocals, good musicianship, good production, and good songs. If you like rockin blues musicwith a touch of soul, then you should like this release. I give it three out of four stars. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BLUES
REVUE MAGAZINE, US “Bittersweet Success” (Jango Bleaux Records)collects 10 blues-rock compositions by Austin guitarist-singer John Gaar, who straddles rock and adult contemporary radio. “You Know Me” starts out a soul ballad but pans out to be a pop tune (the guitar solo is nice, with melodic slide work); “Played the Fool” adapts a Howlin’ Wolf (or is it Led Zeppelin?) riff; “Devil on Tequila” is bleak, Hagar-esque rock. The better tunes are bluesier: “That Ain’t True” shows that Gaar can pen a legitimate shuffle; “Love is Overdue” puts jazzy piano and dramatic guitar over a moody, minor progression; “Lay My Head” is a happening faux-zydeco number. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BLUES
ART STUDIO Singer/ guitarist John Gaar seems to fall into the ‘roadhouse rocker’ category on this set, the kind of territory occupied by the likes of Lonnie Mack. There are high-energy blues-rockers such as ‘That Ain’t True’ and the title track, slower, strongly blues inflected items like ‘Love Is Overdue’ and the country-rock styled ballads exemplified by the opening ‘Memphis’ (which is distinguished by some impressive slide work), with the latter style being in the minority on this set.The majority of the material – all original, incidentally - features John’s muscular, soulful vocals and his piercing Albert King/ Stevie Ray Vaughn styled guitar licks backed by a driving rhythm section of John Ehlenbach on bass and Tommy Leanza on drums, plus strong support from pumping keyboards man Rod D’Argenio, (try ‘Devil On Tequila’) and unsurprisingly it was recorded in Austin, Texas. Closing out the set is ‘Lay My Head’, which with its accordion and rub-board is a surprisingly successful blend of blues-rock and zydeco.Not an essential purchase then, but a fine example of the roadhouse sound nevertheless. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BLUES
MATTERS MAGAZINE, UK John Gaar is brother of
Burton Gaar who’s CD “Home of the Blues” has been gathering fine
reviews. The Louisiana brothers were both in Rockin’ Sidney’s band,
and John had a long stint in Chubby Carrier’s band, but Zydeco music is
only a part of his arsenal. Billboard magazine awarded John an honourable
mention for being one of the best new songwriters of last year, the song
is the initial song on this album. The first thing I realised was this is
a disc that revs, and benefits a high stereo volume. Things kick off very
FM radio like with John’s Billboard merited “Memphis”, hook laden,
wide appeal. The Southern biting guitar lines introduces a Hamilton Loomis
cum Jonny Lang kind of tune, the pace continues with the soul & rockin’
blues of the title track. This guy is stinging & solid on guitar,
above well average singer and lyrically very sound. Its track four before
he allows things to simmer down with a tune that has a nice hard edge set
around a soulful tale. “Played the Fool” is fuelled by a riff
somewhere between Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” & “Killing
Floor”, and is rock/blues. More riff-based rock/blues unfurl before a
slow burner in a soul to rock to blues way balances the disc once again. A
country angled tune waltzes along in its lament before it gives over to a
Z.Z. Top/Bob Seger weighted rocker. John Gaar wrote either alone or in
collaboration, and every one of these tracks that have a very early 70’s
basing to them. He leaves it until the last selection to betray his zydeco
roots with an unaccredited accordion player. Nothing hear you haven’t
heard before, but it is played very well & devoid of weakness….Billy
Hutchinson, Blues Matters, JUNE/JULY 2004 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TRADITION
MAGAZINE John
Gaar sent this CD as an audition to be on the Missouri Valley Festival.
First off, John Gaar is one fine musician, and he’s absolutely great at
what he does. However, because of the drums, electric guitars, and style
of playing, it probably wouldn’t “fit” the theme of old-time
acoustic music very well (which is what we were looking for). If, however,
I was booking clubs, especially those that specialize in blues, and John
Fogarty music, John Gaar would be at the top of my list.
His originals are right up with the masters, as is his playing and
obvious stage presence. This is a band that I would go to see to
‘boogie’ but probably wouldn’t be listening as much as I would be
dancin’. I believe he lives in Austin, Texas, now, where so much
creative music is moving. You can also add a little Southern Soul as well
as rock and roll to the identification of John Gaar. Lots of electric
fuzz-tone, not particularly adaptable to old-time hill-billy music, but
done really well anyway. I like John Gaar, and like Fogarty, I think he
will take that particular music up another step on the national (and
international) level. They’ve already done a tour of Denmark and Sweden,
so my words are trailing the bands experience. Good Luck John, keep it up,
you sound great! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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