Music Review: The Spin Doctors-Pocket Full of Kryptonite: 20th Anniversary Edition

Article first published as Music Review: The Spin Doctors-Pocket Full of Kryptonite [20th Anniversary Edition] on Blogcritics.

The Pocket Full of Kryptonite: 20^th Anniversary Edition, set for an August 30^th release to commemorate the band's classic debut album, is a two CD set featuring a re-mastered version of the platinum selling album on Disc 1 and a set of previously unreleased demo tapes and live performances on Disc 2. A CD set to get the mouth of any real fan of this funky 90's jam band watering, this anniversary edition, especially the previously unreleased tracks—over 75 minutes of rarely heard music, has got what it takes to satisfy even the casual listener.

Disc 2 opens with six songs from a 1989 "Can't Say No" demo. It includes earlier versions of "Jimmy Olsen's Blues," "Forty or Fifty" and "Hard to Exist," all of which were to turn up on the Kryptonite album. "Big Fat Funky Booty" and "At This Hour" showed up on later albums. Of the eight tracks from the band's last cassette, the 1990 "Piece of Glass" demo four are songs that made it onto Kryptonite: "What Time is It?," "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me)," "Refrigerator Car," and probably their biggest hit, "Two Princes." "Hungry Hamed's" and "Rosetta Stone" appeared on the 1994 Turn it Upside Down. "House," which the liner notes calls "a signature live show rabble rouser," adds some improvised lyrics from singer/songwriter Chris Barron, something he used to do at live gigs. The two live tracks are a 1993 performance of "Turn It Upside Down" from the Kingswood Music Theater in Toronto and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" from the Continental Divide in New York in 1990.

Fans who have never had the opportunity to hear these demo tapes are in for a treat. There is a quirky joy the band takes in what they are doing that comes through loud and clear as they revel in developing their signature funky rock style. Guitarist Eric Schenkman says: "Our sound just kind of revealed itself to us. Like some kind of crazy sandwich that's exponential, where strange things happen and two plus two equals five." This is clearly a band ready to make their move.

Although it may have taken the album a year or so to hit its stride, it did go gold in 1992, and eventually five times platinum. The re-mastered Kryptonite album holds up well after 20 years. Drummer Aaron Comess, fresh from his recent Beautiful Mistake CD, reflects in Cree McCree's liner notes: We recorded the album about a year before it came out. . . .By the time it came out I was over it. I felt like we're better now, that was a year ago, and you should hear us now. Now I hear the record 20 years later and I'm like, this is a great record!" And you know what? He's right.

Music Review: Aaron Comess-Beautiful Mistake

Article first published as Music Review: Aaron Comess - Beautiful Mistake on Blogcritics.

In an interview with Modern Drummer in support of their 2005 album, Nice Talking to Me, Spin Doctor founding member, Aaron Comess describing his different personalities as a drummer says: "I’ve always felt like your first thing as a drummer is to serve the music, whatever the style or song or group of people you’re playing with. You really have to adapt. Unfortunately there are a lot of musicians who just show up and say, 'This is the way I am, this is what I do, and you better adapt to me.' I think the best music happens when everybody is listening to each other and making the proper adjustments to make the whole group sound good. That’s what music is all about."

An eclectic sessions performer, his diverse discography includes albums with Marc Cohn, Joan Osborne, Rachel Yamagata, James Maddock and New York Electric Piano among many others. While he acknowledges that he might be best known for his work with the Spin Doctors that is really only one side of his musical personality. He is more than comfortable with everything from rock to jazz. Beautiful Mistake, a new instrumental album, following the 2006 Catskill Cry, to be released in June is testimony to just a few of the drummer's many sides. The album's fourteen songs, all written by Comess, build multiple variations on a basic rock foundation. There is low down blues in "Bubble Blues." There is an almost Middle Eastern vibe in parts of the title song, "Beautiful Mistake." There are Latin rhythms in "Past, Present and Future." There are experimental riffs in "Limbo." This may be instrumental rock at its base, but if it is, it clearly demonstrates the creative variety skilled musicians can build on that base.

"I try to make music that speaks like a song even without words," Comess says, "where the melody plays like a voice, but with plenty of room for improvisation." Listen to the lush melodic lines in "Kumpelicious" and "Morning Beach" or the quirky "Catskills Last Waltz" and the darker version in "Dirt" (on which Comess also plays guitar) and you can hear what he's talking about. Melody dominates in much the way a vocal would, but the guitar is always given the opportunity to stretch that melody's nuances. Rhythmic changes in songs like "Unleash the Beast" which moves towards a cacophonous climax reminiscent of Ravel's "Bolero" add an exciting level of complexity to the music which contrast vividly with the album's softer moments. Whether it’s the funky "High Five" or the sweetly melodic "I Love You," Comess writes songs that linger in your ear long after the iPod is turned off.

Joining Comess is Teddy Kumpel on guitar and "things with strings" according to the album jacket. Richard Hammond plays bass. Besides the compelling percussion that distinguishes the album, Comess also plays guitar, not only on "Dirt," but also on "Limbo" and "High Five." Tracks from Beautiful Mistake can be sampled Comess' website: http://www.aaroncomess.com/index.htm.