Search - Nick Binkley :: Let The Boy Jam

Let The Boy Jam
Nick Binkley
Let The Boy Jam
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #1

Four songs on "Let The Boy Jam" were produced by well-known songwriter and musician, Steve Dudas, who also co-wrote two of the selections, "In Her Room" and "True Love." Dudas, who played guitar in Chuck Berry's road band...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Nick Binkley
Title: Let The Boy Jam
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Psb Records
Original Release Date: 12/1/1999
Release Date: 12/1/1999
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 640879000420

Synopsis

Album Description
Four songs on "Let The Boy Jam" were produced by well-known songwriter and musician, Steve Dudas, who also co-wrote two of the selections, "In Her Room" and "True Love." Dudas, who played guitar in Chuck Berry's road band, recently finished work on Ringo Starr's album, "Vertical Man." The remaining tunes were produced by Binkley with music industry veteran Denny Bruce, who has produced albums by John Fahey, Leo Kottke, John Hiatt and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, among others, as well as Binkley's previous CD, "Pin Stripe Brain," released in 1996. Nick Binkley has been playing guitar, singing and writing songs for over 30 years. Over the last few decades, he has had his feet in two worlds. "The album reflects the duality of my life in both music and business," he says. "Some of the new tunes like "Wooden Indians" and "Heart Attack," along with the cover version of Ray Davies' "Well Respected Man," which lyrically mentions "...stocks and shares," continue the theme established with "Pin Stripe Brain." "I have no choice writing music," Binkley continues. "It's just something I do. The front cover of the new album portrays my suit-and-tie life in venture capital activities next to a picture of me at age 10, playing my first guitar." In addition, Binkley has some unique thoughts about the current music media climate, in which radio and music television tend to concentrate on musicians and artists in the 20-40 age range, to the virtual exclusion of anyone over 40. "My songs reflect a life experience that was incubated not in the music business, but on the 9-to-5 treadmill - in the real 9-to-5 pin stripe world," he offers. "So I come to it with a fresh and different perspective." His 2nd CD features a new batch of Binkley-penned tunes, some co-written efforts and two cover tunes. In the period since the release of his first disc, "Pin Stripe Brain," Binkley has played his music all the way from local Southern California events to the Russiya Concert Hall in Moscow, Russia, and has written and recorded his new album, all the while continuing his investment banking business and setting up a structure to sign and nurture other artists.
 

CD Reviews

Let the boy Jam, just not SING!
Mark Savary | Seattle, WA | 06/12/2000
(2 out of 5 stars)

"This album is really annoying. The problem is not so much the guitar licks, song selection, or lyrics. The problem for me is the singing, or lack thereof.While many of the songs are clever and interesting, more often than not Binkley's voice disappears into an inaudible grunt halfway through a line. In some spots he seems to be hiding his voice behind the volume of the instruments, too. There's a lounge lizard quality to the singing a la Bill Murry's skit on the old Saturday Night Live.The trouble is, in the hands of a capable country/blues singer, the songs would be serviceable if not really cool. He can play alright, but Nick just can't croon. The end result is a frustrating experience. On the one hand, interesting songs and good guitar. On the other, bad vocals and every other word dropping into a black hole, never to be heard from again in this universe. If not for the printed lyrics, only some other-dimensional being on the other side of that black hole could tell what the missing words are. Maybe they would even consider it an attack from our universe, given the quality of the singing.Another problem is that the CD is apparently supposed to be some kind of retrospective, but only two of the songs were written before 1998-99. So what's up with that?And I'm sorry, but "Novi Mir" struck me as being very outdated and corny. The song is basically a call for peace between the US and Russia. I find I can listen to Sting's "Russians" and still appreciate the Cold War statement, but this tune is neither topically fresh or (unlike "Russians"), worth remembering.Sorry, Nick. But the boy in question should not only NOT be allowed to jam, he should be sent to bed without supper!"
Marvelous follow up to "Pin Striped Brain"
Michael Crowley | Arizona | 01/20/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

""Let the Boy Jam" is a dazzling continuum of instantly likable songs that sometimes sound very different but which are united by a set of themes Binkley wrestled with in his first album, "Pin Striped Brain." The first album took time to grow on me but I instantly loved many of the new songs, which are well produced, have hooks and entrancing layers of sound. Standout songs for me are "Fish Love the Sea" (an irresistible statement of loyalty that is reminiscent of George Harrison's catchiest work), "A Well Respected Man" (a wonderful, ironic and in some ways poignant song with an outstanding vocal by Binkley) and my favorite, "Novi Mir," the spirited and beautiful song that concludes the album.There is truly marvelous work on this album, which is confident, ecstatic and passionate proof that Nick Binkley has mastered the use of music as a vehicle to explore ideas in a unique and exhilarating way."