BY JOAN KIM

In print | November 29, 2007

The Spring/Fall 2007 “Best of Olde Club” CD is officially out and its 12 tracks feature a plethora of styles and instruments that would cater to anyone’s tastes.

The opening track, “Chief Thundercloud” by Hampshire, is refreshing due to its solid acoustics and the harmonica in the end, which is reminiscent of Dispatch. The intermission of guitar and percussion, however, could have been shortened. After nearly two minutes of just guitar and percussion, I expected a new song to begin instead of the reprise of the chorus. Despite the length, there is no question of the instrumental talent shown throughout.

Three tracks surrounding the common subject - a girl - may seem very similar due to the male vocals and guitar for all three, but they all find a unique style. “Eros” by Dwight Smith ‘08 exudes emotion through its lyrics and vocals. His, one might say, somewhat raw vocals are comparable to Damien Rice’s. Although, in the beginning, one might think “Eros” is just another broken-hearted love song, its lyrics and sound are more interesting than one would imagine. In the second song, “Her Step” by Marshall Morales ’08, the combination of great vocals and simple guitar accompaniment simply fits together. The feelings of loss and of the pressures of life are held throughout the deceiving fast tempo. In the last song, Jon Peters ’09 sings “Becky Laughs” with an aura of Bob Dylan. “Becky Laughs” takes its time in several places, almost as if Peters is singing a story and naturally hesitates before the right moments. There is a great variety in just 11 minutes.

Live recordings help capture the energy of Olde Club shows, but one track that suffers from an unbalance on the recording is “I am the Moon” by Dan Sito ’09 and Ben Plotkin-Swing ’09. The guitar seems to have the most prominent sound throughout the entire track, and although I enjoyed the guitar immensely, I strained to hear some of the verses throughout the track. The chorus seems a bit repetitive, but I blame that on the recording as well, since the only time vocals are clear is during the chorus. The mellow pace of the song does not take away from all the praise the song deserves. Hours later, the tune was still lingering in my head.

“You Came to Run” by Ben Bradlow ‘08 and alumnus Joe Kille ’06 shows off a mean fiddle throughout the track, and who doesn’t love a good fiddler? I thought a balanced voice exchange between a strong vocalist and raving violin seemed impossible until I heard this song. In the beginning, the harmonics of the violin, in addition to the voice and the guitar, sets a mood of anticipation for our ears to land on solid footing. The duo takes advantage of the effects of the instruments and voices to the fullest to move the song along while creating a variety of moods.

A surprising addition to the CD is an interpretation of an old folk song “Flying Home to Shelley” by Jeff Kaufman ‘08 and Laurie Tupper ’08. The flute and guitar are unexpected in a CD coming from Olde Club, but it definitely has its place among the tracks. The contrast between the light, bouncing flute and the core sound from the guitar makes “Flying Home to Shelley” an interesting mix that’s pleasing to the ear, and it showcases some amazing flute and guitar talent.

Jazz is not forgotten at Olde Club. “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home to” by Alicia Lemke ‘09 and Mark Loria ’08 is refreshing on multiple levels. The first female voice in the first eight tracks perked up my ears, which remained enraptured by the jazz piano performance. The interlude of solo piano would make anyone appreciate good jazz piano. This track is followed by the Greg Albright Jazz Combo’s rendition of “Summertime” from the musical “Porgy and Bess.” “Summertime” has been covered by Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne and even Miles Davis. The soul and character in these past musicians are irreplaceable and inimitable, but this jazz combo has manages to bring its own personality to the song and proves Lemke and Loria’s masterful handling of jazz. Each instrument receives its due with its own solos throughout the track and the vocal scat interchange with the saxophone is one of the most enjoyable parts of the song.

The group I Saw the Bloodied Snow But I Did Not See the Creature plays “Petting” and does not disappoint. With a combination of guitars, percussion, accordions and keyboard, the sound is like no other on the CD. The accordion seems to magically hook me to hear what comes next. The beginning, with its deep female vocals and its accordion and keyboard in a dark minor key, gives a needed twist to “Petting.”

Earl Grey & the Teabags plays “Busyfingers,” with guitar, bass, keyboard and drums. Earl Grey is an alternative band that has proven its worth by previously winning Battle of the Bands. They have energy that is well-displayed and controlled throughout “Busyfingers.”

A Fleet in Being plays a live improvisation with a mixture of electronic and static that resembles a sound like white noise. This experimental and mostly electronic song creates an ambient sound that interestingly varies during the entire improvisation.

The compilation of the “Best of Olde Club” gives the listener a variety of music and also an exposure to the different talents of Swarthmore students. From jazz to folk to alternative, students will find something they love and may also be introduced to something new.

The “Best of Olde Club” CDs are available free of charge. To get your own copy, please contact Ben Mazer ’10 or Pat Kolodgy ’09.

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