HEADCASE is a group of four talented musicians. We share the concerns of many over a lack of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance found in today's world. We've observed that direct efforts to confront these shortcomings politically have met with very little success. However, through our exposure to and experience in performing we have seen the joyful, peaceful, and positive effects that good music has on most people provided circumstances allow for it. We believe that being a part of a positive musical environment is the most significant contribution any of us as individuals can make to the world in which we live. Based on this premise, the four of us have worked together to write original music that will, simply stated, make people happy.
The HEADCASE style of playing is rock. Within that identity we offer a wide array of original music. But we're also well equipped to cover classic rock from Pink Floyd to Bob Dylan. Always we're working to bring joy to any and all who care to listen.
HEADCASE was founded in 1997 in the Catskill Mountains, just west of Woodstock. We have played most of the venues found along the Route 28 corridor linking Kingston to Oneonta, New York. The three main counties of the area, Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware, have been our stomping grounds, but we have played in the Tri-State area as well as in New York City and Boston. We continue to expand our activities to larger venues here in the East. We recently returned from California where we played two shows in Santa Cruz and two shows at the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival.
Our CD was recorded at the famous Pie Studios in Glenn Cove Long Island, NY. Many famous artists such as Cyndi Lauper, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and so many more have used this state of the art yet relaxing, comfortable studio. Many thanks go to Pie Studios owner Perry Margouleff and his staff. Check it out at www.piestudios.comSelf-titled
CD is great
showcase for
Headcase
By DAVE EDICK
Press & Sun-Bulletin
“Headcase,” Headcase
Headcase in the spring — both
bring a breath of fresh air.
The band certainly accents the
season with an invigorating
rock/blues/country potpourri,
spiced by wisps of pop, funk and
jam-band moments.
Headcase has a Roxbury (eastern
Delaware County) base in
Andy McArdle (vocals, rhythm
guitar and harmonica). But the
members are
far-flung in experience.
McArdle
learned guitar at an early age.
Bassist/vocalist Marc Spaziani's
cousin, Larry Santos, wrote the
Four Seasons' first hit, “Candy Girl,”
in the 1960s. And Brian Wilkens
(lead guitar, vocals) was touring
in his early 20s.
The band is well-traveled itself,
having played from Boston to
New York to Santa Cruz. In the
Tier, the Delaware County/
Oneonta area has seen a number
of its shows.
With this 37-minute album
recorded at the well-known Pie
Studios on Long Island, you know
the production is squeaky clean.
It's just what's needed for
Headcase's strong vocals and
musicianship.
Spring's spirit radiates over the
course of eight songs here, sweetened
by breezy inflections of the
Beatles, the Allman Brothers
Band, The Band and the Grateful
Dead. The songwriters: Spaziani,
four; McArdle and Wilkens, two
each.
The only entry not written by
the band, “Caledonia Mission,”
was penned by The Band (more
specifically, Robbie Robertson of
The Band). Headcase embellishes
the countryrock
story of a ’60s border confrontation
with Canadian police
with attention to instrumental detail
and TLC that emotes an obvious
deference to its creators. The
cover is enhanced by strong vocal
phrasing, tasty harmonica and
Wilkens' piano prowess.
Both of the songs written by
Wilkens, “Culprit” and “Sweet
Pretty Thing,” pack some of the
CD's most passionate moments.
“Culprit” opens the album with a
funky country/rock shuffle that
invokes such seemingly disparate
performers as Johnny Winter or
Loggins and Messina — all within
3½ minutes. “Sweet Pretty
Thing,” with airs of the Dead and
New Riders of the Purple Sage,
explores “the lives that we lead.”
Spaziani's uplifting gems reverberate
with The Beatles and
Allman Brothers, but he revs up
“Living Fantasy” with country
funk. The song's steamy groove
slides into a bright Allman
Brothers-style bridge. Soft
Beatles/Eagles-like vocals and
harmonies lend wings to “Did
You Say” and “Anyway” as they
observe life's searches. “Ever,”
the closer, is a smartly-dressed
homage to the harder-edged
Harrison/Lennon guitar work
found on “The White Album” and
“Abbey Road” and carrying the
observation: “Don't let the crowd
push you around.”
One of McArdle's two songs,
“Give Me Some Peace,” is a
skillful update of the classic
’60's-protest sound, firing pointblank
shots such as “You took
away our country; it's time to take
it back.” Musically, he evokes the
likes of the Byrds and Mason
Profit. McArdle's other song,
“Gyroscopic Wobble,”
reins in a partial jamband
reach for life's center
at four minutes.
Out live, the band in
the past month has
played in Oneonta and
Laurens and at the
Blind Tiger Pub in
Afton. On July 29,
they'll warm the 2006
Harbor Festival in
Oswego. But spring,
summer, fall or winter
— this Headcase
is a good thing
anytime.
(3 1/2 out of four)
dedick@pressconnects.com
24 Press & Sun-Bulletin Thursday, June 8, 2006
music
scene
CD REVIEW
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