2001 | 12 Granfaloon Bus, Izzy Stradlin

GRANFALOON BUS - Exploded View (Glitterhouse)
As "slanted folkpop" singer Felix Constanta describes the sound of Granfaloon Bus. Indeed the quartet from San Francisco fancies on their latest CD "Exploded View" a similar melancholic sadness like the band 16 Horsepower - only not quite that delicate but with a definite urban tune. American indie-country with trumpet and trombone, wunderful gentle melodies, that give you a clue about loneliness and despair but still leave room for hope. The band succeeds in providing acoustic lugubriousness without making you sad. The freaky tunes take care of that. Interesting maybe, that such mature music comes from people, that with one exception, work in so completely "unmusical" day-jobs as software-designer, accountant or carpenter. (ks)

IZZY STRADLIN - River (Sanctuary)
The recent album of late Guns-N-Roses-guitarplayer Izzy Stradlin, moves between hardrock, slide-guitar-blues and reggae. And that's the problem with "River" as well: Stradlin seems undecided where his musical journey should take him. So real gunner-fans will miss the genuine bite and stay pretty unimpressed by the reggae-elements in "Shall Walk" and "Run-In". Even the support of Guns-N'-Roses-mate Duff McKagan on bass and acoustic guitar is not much help. Who's more into southern rock will not be satisfied with the contribution of guitarero Rich Richards of the Georgia Satellites to the title track. And where the album sounds like the Stones or the Faces the listener misses a striking voice, that Izzy simply can't offer. Not much emphasis the 39-year-old seems to lay on the lyrics: not a singel one is printed in the booklet. Although Izzy recorded ten songs on "River" they take only 36 minutes - too little or too much to convince. (ks)