A round-up of recent releases from the Seacoast music scene 

‘This Time Around’ by Regina

Portsmouth singer-songwriter Regina cites the release of Jewel’s 1995 album “Pieces of You” as a musical epiphany, of sorts, that led her to learn how to play guitar and turn her poems into songs as a teenager. Jewel’s early influence is clear on Regina’s latest release, “This Time Around,” a pop-country album showcasing Regina’s rich, evocative voice and acoustic guitar skills.

Since releasing her debut album “Falling Together, Coming Apart” in 2000, Regina has wavered between periods of intense musical production and relative inactivity. But it’s clear that she poured herself into this latest release, armed with a decade’s worth of turbulent life developments and feelings.
Some of the lyrics are a tad cliché (“It’s the little things you do that make my heart smile,” she sings on “Whisper”), but most of the songs demonstrate genuine regrets and frustrations pertaining to shattered relationships, with a sincere yearning for true and permanent love.

“And the flame it will not fade, it will burn forever stronger, / With your hand tight in mine and we’ll laugh a little longer,” she sings in “Piece of Heaven.”

It is a heavily lyrical album with a thematic thread that could be seen to chronicle the painful unraveling of a single relationship, rife with powerful emotions that fluctuate between bitterness and heartbreak. All nine songs, without exception, adopt a second-person narrative, like personal letters from Regina to her ex-amour.

That being the case, if you’re not in the mood for a romantic drama, this album’s probably not up your alley. If, on the other hand, you’re seeking solace and empathy in a time of troubled love, you’ll likely find both in “This Time Around.”

For more information on Regina, who is also active in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, visit www.reginaonthescene.com.

‘Now Maybe’ by Aaron Lee Marshall
Barrington-based singer-songwriter Aaron Lee Marshall has a voice like Dave Matthews and a spirited acoustic guitar-driven sound that equates to an impressive debut disc—and a big turnaround for this aspiring musician. 

After serving in Iraq from 2004 to ’05, Marshall struggled with posttraumatic stress disorder and other war injuries. He lost his job and his marriage, and was forced to cope with no longer seeing his daughter on a daily basis. You’d think all that hardship would make for a depressing album. On the contrary, Marshall appears to use music as a remedy to lift his spirits. “The skies look brighter, I’m changing in my ways / Clear view now, no longer in a daze,” a guest MC raps on “You.”

But nor is “Now Maybe” an overly ebullient disc. While some songs have a sprightly Dave Matthews Band feel, others have a darker edge, with lyrics reflecting Marshall’s inner turmoil and torment. 
“Give me words from heaven, protection from pain / I would die in this weather to keep from my insanity,” he sings in “Words from Heaven.”

The music takes on an almost psychedelic tone with a twist of ’80s alt-pop on “Heaven Come Down,” which ends with sinister laughter. Skipping ahead a decade, “Walk in the Mud” sounds like a slower Pearl Jam number.

“Gracies Song,” an ode to Marshall’s daughter, simultaneously celebrates her presence in his life and mourns her absence. The entire album teeters on this tightrope between jubilation and pain, between rocking on and rolling over.

Marshall’s songwriting benefits from musical arrangements by Francisco Santos, who adds keyboards and percussive effects. Lucas Cates plays bass and Scott Flemming adds searing electric guitar.

“Now Maybe” was recorded at Superior Sound Recording Studio in Somersworth. For more on Marshall, visit www.myspace.com/aaronleemarshall.

‘Woodsong’ by Larry Etscovitz
Much can be inferred about Kittery, Maine, resident Larry Etscovitz’s music simply by reading the list of dedicatees on his recent instrumental guitar album “Woodsong.” Topping the list is John Fahey, who Etscovitz credits with applying “the music of Delta Blues to unique instrumental guitar compositions.” For 12-string guitar influences, he points to Leadbelly, Fred Neil and Leo Kottke. Other inspirations include Joni Mitchell and New Hampshire’s own Ed Gerhard, among others.

But Etscovitz has managed to carve out his own local niche in the acoustic guitar arena. Of the 22 songs on his new CD, 19 are original compositions. The only covers are the opening track, “Some Summer Day” by John Fahey, and “Angi” by Davy Graham, plus an arrangement of the standard “Sunflower River Blues.” 

Armed with a 1963 Martin six-string and a one-of-a-kind 1935 Stella-Martin 12-string (the latter crafted by Portsmouth native Chris Pearne), Etscovitz brings wisps of blues, jazz and bluegrass to his acoustic tunes. A pinch of classical training is also evident, which should come as no surprise. Etscovitz has hosted the weekly WUNH radio show “Classical Connections” since 1982, and he authored a book called “A Classical DJ’s Guide to the Great Composers.”

During almost an hour of unaccompanied finger-picking, Etscovitz skillfully invokes a spectrum of moods and feelings. Particularly stirring highlights include the sparkling “Baroque Etude,” the technically challenging “Tribute to Bert & John” (written for Bert Jansch and John Renbourn), and the Celtic-infused “In Memory of Mimi & Richard Fariña.”

Of course, with 22 songs, the album runs the risk of sounding a bit redundant after a while. But Etscovitz mostly avoids this trap and manages to keep things interesting with short, flavorful compositions. 

“Woodsong” was recorded at Rumblestiltskin Sound FX Design in New Durham. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/larryetscovitz.
 
‘This Time of Year’ by Guy Capecelatro III
Predictably, Guy Capecelatro’s latest release is not the cheeriest of holiday albums. The Portsmouth-based singer-songwriter describes his childhood disdain for Christmas in the CD sleeve. But he also describes his adoration of Christmas music, and that, too, comes across on the 12 songs of “This Time of Year.”

The CD consists mostly of covers of holiday songs by other Seacoast musicians, along with a handful of Capecelatro originals. While some of these tunes reflect typical Christmas merriment, others fixate on the season’s darkness and desperation, with titles like “Merry Christmas from Hell” and “Christmas Alone.”

“I want to spend Christmas alone, sitting at home, with nothing but nothing to do,” Capecelatro sings on “Christmas Alone,” one of the CD’s best.

A refreshingly peppy highlight is his cover of “The Holiday Fair,” the title track of Dan Blakeslee’s 2008 album. He also pays tribute to locals like Jason Anderson, Seth Gooby and Marc McElroy, and his take on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” includes an original verse by former Seacoast resident Jarid del Deo.

That rendition of “I’ll Be Home” encapsulates the overall mood of the album. Sung in a soothing yet melancholy tone, embellished by tremulous whistling from Gooby, the performance seems geared toward emphasizing the subtly bitter nostalgia of the final line: “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.”

As usual, Capecelatro gets plenty of help from his many talented friends, including Juliet Nelson, Gregg Porter, Djim Reynolds, Mara Flynn, Isis Alis, Zach Tremblay, Marc McElroy, Sheena Charland and others. Although Capecelatro sometimes struggles to sing on key, his soft voice remains endearing, and the instrumental and vocal accompaniment is impeccable.

The CD was recorded at The Electric Cave and Squirrel Sounds Studio. For more information on Guy, visit www.myspace.com/twotonsanta.