‘Hotter’
by The Minus Scale

The latest from Seacoast band The Minus Scale starts out hot and never cools off, maintaining its rock and pop punk intensity through all eight original songs. The opening track, “Hotter and Hotter and Hotter,” wastes no time introducing Ryan Lavasseur’s confident vocals and electric power chords, along with the sonic force of Pat Griffin on drums, AJ Tobey on bass and Christopher Delisle on guitar.

The pace is more or less the same on the next two tracks, “Oh Disaster” and “Trust.” But the fourth song, the laboriously titled “No Matter What I Say You’re Going to Do It,” starts out a bit softer, waiting for a clamorous chorus to twist the volume knob. The high-energy music reflects some of the contemporary alternative rock acts with whom the foursome has shared the stage, such as Catch 22 and Gin Blossoms.

Recorded in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Beltsville, Maryland, The Minus Scale spent 18 months working on “Hotter,” the band’s first full-length recording in about four years. Lavasseur wrote or co-wrote all the lyrics, and the band collectively wrote all the compositions. The disc also features appearances by guest vocalists Matthew Caws, of Nada Surf, and Suzie Zeldin, of The Narrative.

Releasing on indie label Legacy Maine, “Hotter” is lyrically angsty and aggressive, often dealing with interpersonal complexities. “This is the part where the room gets smaller / the drinks get stiffer and the drugs get harder,” Lavasseur sings in the buildup to the chorus of “Hotter and Hotter and Hotter.” The album sustains that sense of pressure boiling over into cathartic rock. It ends with the catchy “I Can’t Stop Laughing,” one of the more inventive and absorbing songs on the disc.

The Minus Scale rocked a pair of CD release shows in October at Bourbon’s in Portsmouth and will play other sporadic regional gigs throughout the remainder of 2008. Visit www.theminusscale.com or www.myspace.com/theminusscale.

‘Year of the Frog’
by Superfrog

Fans who have seen one of Superfrog’s live shows, in which the youthful crew often rollicks through a slate of classic and contemporary rock covers, might be surprised to find that the indie band’s debut album consists entirely of original material. Bassist and singer Nate Proper wrote the lyrics to all but one of the disc’s 10 songs, with backup singer and percussionist Wendy Crosier pitching in words and lead vocals on “Wally Show.” 

From the get-go “Year of the Frog” is rife with bouncy, funky rhythms that stand up with the best of the nation’s many aspiring jam bands. Proper, guitarist Andrew Mendola, drummer Shane Comer and horn player Tony DiBerto demonstrate a peppy rock ’n’ roll mentality that echoes influences like moe, Phish and Sublime. Equally obvious is the presence of producer Aaron Katz, a long-time local musician who helped out with the writing and arranging.

Based in South Berwick, Maine, Frog has been playing regular Seacoast gigs over the past year or so, gaining a foothold among area jam fiends. The group follows a fairly basic jam formula, but what it lacks in originality it makes up for with positive energy and enthusiasm. Another strength of the disc is Crosier’s vocal harmonizing, which nicely complements Proper’s vaguely Ben Harper-esque voice. 

Probably the strongest track on the album is “Jalopy,” which features a moving guitar melody and well-executed vocals. But the band’s general attitude is summed up in the heavier title track, which touts the supremacy of the band’s namesake amphibian. “I’m a frog, you’re a man / but the tables have turned / and you had your chance / It’s the year of the frog,” Proper sings. 

Superfrog will play an official CD release show at Bourbon’s in Portsmouth on Saturday, Nov. 15, beginning at 9 p.m. Frog also recently took first place in the jam band category of a national online contest hosted by OurStage. Visit www.superfrogmusic.com or www.myspace.com/officialsuperfrog.

‘The Good Life’
by Larry Shrek

Multi-instrumentalist Larry Shrek literally had his hands full when he recorded his latest album, “The Good Life.” In addition to singing and whistling, Shrek played guitar, piano, banjo, percussion and glockenspiel. Add an array of instrumental contributions from other skilled musicians and the result is an exceptionally rich sound.

A professional singer-songwriter since 1991, Shrek recorded “The Good Life” at his home in Kittery, Maine. He also produced the disc, which follows his 2004 album “Listen.” An acoustic medley of original songs and freshly arranged covers, the album consists of 12 tracks with folk, country and bluegrass flavors.

Among the album’s instrumentalists are Tom Dean, Bob Halperin and Lincoln Meyers on guitars; Joe Rogers on drums and percussion; Kent Allyn on bass; Rushad Eggleston on cello; and Bruce Sutter on mandolin. The players were given creative license to explore their own ideas during the recording process, and the wealth of strings and percussion keep the disc interesting.

Lyrically, Shrek appears to feel that the good life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The title track describes a life of banality and wistfulness that is stilted by routine. Two songs later, in “Hobo,” he sings of a more appealing and idealistic existence far outside of conventional life. “So roll up a doobie and pass it around / We’ll laugh in the sunshine and sleep on the ground / The leaves begin turning, we’ll take it on down,” Shrek sings.

The album closes with a trio of unique covers, starting with a bluegrassy version of Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’,” followed by a soft and slow take on U2’s “New Year’s Day” and ending with “Wonderful World,” originally by Bob Thiele and George Weiss.

Visit www.pondfarmrecords.com.

‘Waiting….’
by Rinalducci & The J Notes

Alto saxophonist J. Rinalducci has the heart of a jazz old-schooler, and it comes across on his new self-produced CD. The Dover based artist is accompanied by Paul Gianino and Peter Hopkinson on guitars; Chris Avery on bass; Dale Orr on trumpet; Barry Finkelstein on string bass and accordion; and Tim Bennet on drums. Engineer Mike Effenberger pitches in keys on the title track.

This batch of indie jazzmen turns straight to the legends for inspiration, claiming as influences saxophonists Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins and Clarence Clemons (of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band). It’s a tough standard to live up to, and Rinalducci is frankly nowhere near the caliber of his idols. But his ambitious original compositions show considerable potential.

Like most jazz, the tunes on this album are heavily saturated with old-time blues. The second track, “Hezitation,” prominently features accordion, a rarity in jazz, as well as some bluesy guitar licks from Hopkinson. Also in the blues vein is the loungy “5th Street,” which is characterized by sudden changes in tone and rhythm.

The band could stand to tighten up its sound a bit. Instruments occasionally stray off key, which can be a bit irksome to the ear. But there is the promise of some fine jazz on this home-made disc, with a little more attention to the nuts and bolts. The title track is smooth and enjoyable, and “Philly Blues” introduces a funkier sound with a jazz fusion guitar riff.

“‘A’ Jam” allows every instrumentalist to take a turn soloing, a celebration of traditional jazz improvisation. The album ends with an alternate take of “Waiting,” slowed down and slinking to the disc’s conclusion.

Visit www.myspace.com/trainwreckjazz.