(This is a review of  the albums, "O' California" and "O' Santa Barbara" by music reviewer, Billy Sheppard)

Billy's Bunker Music Reviews, May 16, 2007

Billy Sheppard,   www.billysbunker.com

STONEY GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS: BLACK ANGEL BAND

Current mood:
bouncy
Category: Music

STONEY GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS
BLACK ANGEL
BAND

O' Santa Barbara!
O' California!
O' Los Angeles (coming
soon)

"The stony garden of the spirit grows
Things never harvested in
orderly rows."
Theodore Roethke from "Straw for the Fire"

I'll say it
up front, Black Angels Band has spirit!*

(Yeah, that's right a footnote!
So sue me!) If you think this band doesn't understand what fans are about, read
the damn footnote taken from an email from the band. (Permission to print was
requested and granted.)

There is hidden wisdom in this album, delivered
with rocking good, bad boy charm and more disingenuous heart than a murder of
Black Crowes. J.C. Martin's songs have Stones grit, Randy Newman wit, with a
voice from the gravel pit.

Three rapid fire albums in as many months
from Black Angel Band should kick the Ya'Ya's out of your woofers and force feed
your CD player with rock 'n roll.

Who the hell are these guys? There are
two soul/gospel soloists on this album split to either ear, that carry the song
to a place no background singer can find on a map. Cory Orosco is dead right on
bass, honky tonk on upright, gospel on Sunday and boosey sex all week long from
the Hammond B–3, front porch honest on the mandolin, dobro, tambourine and God
only know what other percussion. Tina Stefans on the shake and bake drums, can
fake and weave from bass line to bass line like Meadow Lark Lemon, hit nothing
but net, and keep singing. And oh that guit box, Ernie Joseph Orosco's mistress,
is a trip to rock 'n roll heaven by way of Memphis, with a stop over in New
Orleans and all points south. Martin's voice is Louisiana swamp voodoo with Mick
sass and the Cajon spice of a Mac Rebennack. Mark Parson on violin and Bill
Flores on pedal steel, as co-conspirators, "contribute" with more heart than
hired guns generally bring to the party. This Stoney garden of earthly delights
delivers disorderly insight with focused tongues of fire in the face of the way
things are.

One Listen to Black Angel Band will put you in exile on
various main streets around the Golden State. Alright, they sound like the
Rolling Stones from that best of double album years back, when the Stones
sounded like Dr. John, who sifted through a murky bucket load of blues from
Professor Longhair. This band has lived the songs, and didn't have to lift their
experience from 1950s southern race records. J.C. doesn't have a fake southern
accent, and the band won't need walkers for 40 years to come. I haven't heard
their live sound, but the two albums available to me are more live than most
concert records and this band will be charging onstage long after the Stones
have retired to the Betty Ford Center to gather moss.

Nod to the Brits on
O' Santa Barbara (pronounced "Babylon") are fresh arrangements of Stray Cat
Blues and Brown Sugar (with Mrs. Audrey (Mrs. Ike) Turner). Both are welcome
covers with new arrangements.

THE SONGS:

O' CALIFORNIA (16
Songs)

FAVORITE CUT: "Believe Me" is the highlight of O' California,
describing the "small town beauty queen" with a doowap backing "chick" vocals,
and two lead guitars float ear to ear. The message is carried by the plaintiff
backing female vocal, "Believe me! I'm the first chick singer who can walk on
water!" This soulful oversell is delivered straight from the heart with tongue
in cheek deep enough to stretch your own face into a smile. Heard this song on
the radio a couple of months ago, and couldn't pull the car over fast enough to
write down the artist.

"O' California" (the song) is salted with wit and
oversold, singing-from-the-hymnal sincerity. A tasteful acoustic guitar
embroiders the right ear, with a bent note descending from a high point in the
left, and a unison gospel choir of mixed vocals over J.C.'s characteristic
gravel pit vocal singing, "Someday all your cigarettes will be cold. Someday all
of your movie stars will be old!" An understated synth keyboard adds presence
and a whispy presence, to this gospel according to the way things are. It's the
sound of fickle commercial power, sung from "Santa Barbara—half way between
Disneyland and Death Valley." Rich lyric worth reading long to the record:
"You've got wines that taste just like Marilyn Monroe's kisses. One night with
you can lead to eternity." This Black Angel ascends from the pit, or plummets
like Icharus, with the ironic message that he has seen the future and it doesn't
work.

"1 Beer" delivers both sweet ironic charm and a fan letter to Mary
J. Blige, the Dixie Chicks, Canada, the Devil, the Lord and a backsliding
Pentecostal preacher, with J.C. drinking up the night with a beer apiece. A
little Sharps for this exercise, a Buckler, and a couple of O'Douls. Strange
quirky joy here once again, and more humor than cynicism.

O' SANTA
BARBARA (17 Songs)

"Elvis Love Songs (Trashy Lingerie): An honest cure
for hard times, conflict and despair. "Politics and religion… we got into a
fight. Then she put on her Elvis love song…. her trashy lingerie. We found
heaven again… heaven again." Maybe we can all get along! More about this
relationship later.

FAVORITE CUT: "Waylon's Song" will grind it's way
into your heart with "Listen, life's not fair! There's something good in the
air! Can't keep a good man down!" Great guitar grind and voices mind melt into a
wry rock 'n roll stew. A tribute song, I believe. A toast to the hard times.
Ain't no use crying, things look good up ahead.

"I Never Got Over You" is
a guilty favorite, for personal reasons. Two songs here at first glance, the
political "Even chimps can tell that Bonzo woulda been better than Ronnie" and
such observations, and the heartbreak love line "Sweat and work can't hide my
hurt…. It's true…. I never got over you." Had some good times with a political
opposite, who was "lookin' devine… but she [was] lookin.'" Had to get out of
that dog house in order to bark. Good times, though. Song James Carville may
sing in his heart.

"I've Been Bad": "I've been bad, yessiree, babe… bay…
ba… bay… ba… bay… baby that's what you like about me!" Rousing wall to wall
guitar, a groove, and inspired hand clap percussion. 'Nuff said.

"Momma,
Please Don't Turn The Lights Out" tells a story rescue from abuse and fear and
loss in the life a cowboy who saves broken women by always treating them right,
only to loose the fish he fixed. "Can't you see I'm scared?" … "I think there's
been some monsters in my bed." Let he who hasn't been there throw the first
stone!

O' LOS ANGELES (Coming Soon!)

Three albums in as many
months from a generous band frustrated with playing live in a world of "come to
the party and bring your guitar" compensation. More about O' Los Angeles when it
is released.

* Wanna know what spirit is about?

Check out what
this story sent to me by email. Think of it as a day in the life of a Black
Angel:

"We did a nutty thing about two years ago. We got tired of being a
great band playing crappy, little clubs (and some good and bad bigger clubs.....
[A couple sentences tastefully omitted.] The Roxy..... awful.... we brought 200
people from Santa Barbara as the headliner on a Saturday night on July 31 with a
starting time of 10:30 p.m. with our busses pulling up at 10:00 p.m. from Santa
Barbara..... they wanted us to change our starting time to 9:00 a.m. I almost
got in a fist fight with the 300 pound Hells Angel that The Roxy turned the
night over to after booking us. I told him that there were at least 100 drunk
postal workers scheduled to show up at 10:00 p.m. that would tear The Roxy
apart..... he never relented or said a thing, but we went on at 10:30.......
Anyway what we decided to do was to record three albums in a row."

[Black
Angel] J.C. Martin

Website
garageband.com/artist/blackangelband

Band Members
J. C. Martin (lead
vocals and guitar)
Tina Stefens (drums)
Cory Orosco (bass, keyboards and
back-up vocals)
Ernie Orosco (guitar and back-up vocals).

April 9, 2009

Black Angel Productions

JC Martin

Re: Commercial Radio Test Results

Dear JC:

We have had the opportunity to review as well as radio
test market  your submission. The results you will find below (see bottom
of email for description and definition of test). As you may already know, Loggins Promotion conducts these test at no charge
to you so that you receive information that will assist and guide you in the
direction you should be taking your music.

As you can see from the results below, we have received
some wonderful response from radio on your music. This in turn will give you a
recommended level towards a commercial radio promotion/marketing campaign. 

At this time we recommend you conduct a national radio
campaign which would increase your visibility to major record companies. As you
know, If you are attempting to secure a recording contract, publishing or
distribution for your material you must either generate sales upwards of 20
thousand units, otherwise gain a substantial amount of commercial radio station
support. Loggins Promotion is hired by both major and
independent labels to secure such support.

Download more information about Loggins Promotion here.

Black Angel

Primary Response (Strongest Response)

Cute
Cute ****

I've
Got My Eyes On You Baby ****

I'll
Touch Yours, You Touch Mine ****

My
Love ****

Gorgeous
****

Crime
****

Route
69  ****

Secondary Response

The
McDonald's Song ***

Dancer
***

Beautiful
Disaster ***

The
Wild Life ***

Calling
All The Spirits **

A
Woman's Touch **

Down
So Easy **....

Green
Eyed Surfer Boy *....

Lord
Kitchener And Jealous Cathy  *....

I've
Been Bad *....

Description and Definition of
Commercial Radio Tests

All tests were done within
the commercial mainstream radio markets.  Radio stations
participating in test are commercially reporting radio stations to NMW/STS,
FMQB, Billboard/R&R, and Music Row.

Purpose of
test: To
provide contrasting and supplementary data based on actual radio testing
research. Loggins Promotion provides objective test data from the mainstream
demographic.  Conventional mainstream charts are composed of programmer
opinions based on research or personal taste; Music industry national charts
show what music mainstream audiences are exposed to, not necessarily what they
prefer. These tests are not a test of familiarity, but a test of music
acceptability to the target audiences.

Cause of test: It may reveal programmer
enthusiasm, or potential of substantial airplay with promotional
efforts.  Appealing singles are often overlooked by program
directors, which in turn are overlooked by listeners. A promotion campaign of
your music secures regular rotation of your music, which in turn charts your
single nationwide.

Ratings:  Ratings are based upon
a one, two, three and four star basis. We strongly recommend promoting
songs with three or four star rating; they have great potential to become
a "standard" for the target audience and with target radio
stations.  Songs with a two star rating aren't as strong, but have solid
programming value, and we also do recommend promoting them as "follow
up" singles or at least re-testing at a later date.  Songs 
testing one star are "borderline", few negatives, but few
positives at this point.  These singles are worth keeping around for
possible re-testing.

Feel free to contact us
with any questions you may have and do not forget to visit our website for more useful information.

5018 ....Franklin....
Pike

....Nashville.., ..TN..
..37220....

promo@logginspromotion.com

www.logginspromotion.com

Tele: 310.325.2800

Fax: 310.427.7333

a Song Of The Year.  The article below
was written by Billboard Magazine senior music editor, ChuckEddy, in regard to Black Angel and their song, ....“One Beer”.  Prior to his work at Billboard, Chuck Eddy was the music editor of The Village Voice in ....New York....for seven years and worked for RollingStone magazine.....

Song of The Year
2007....

Your Cart....

Total Price: $0.00....

Items: 0....

by CHUCK EDDY, SENIOR MUSIC
EDITOR, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, ....NEW YORK..,
..NY.... ....

As far as I can tell,Black Angel―not to be confused with less-good Jesus And Mary Chain-style Austin drone-pop band the Black Angels―have for a few years been four people who
primarily play their shows (apparently lots of them) at clubs (frequently
mid-sized) in Southern California; their newest members, according to their
MySpace page (at the time of this review), are “Audrey Turner (currently and
previously with the Ike Turner Review and now Mrs. Ike Turner) as a vocalist
and Ronnie Turner (only son of both Tina and Ike Turner) on bass.” That makes
them a sextet―though that number still appears to be somewhat in flux.



Black Angel are also the only musical artists I’m aware of who put out two really good albums full of new
material in 2007―at least if you count December 2006, which technically is when
they apparently released the 16-song O’
California, as 2007. In June they followed that record up with the
17-song O’ Santa Barbara
(called O’ Santa Babylon on
its back cover), which has a really similar-looking CD artwork (basically, a
map of a piece of the coastline with some indigenous fruit attached) but
completely different songs. And now their MySpace page is reporting that their next album O’ Los Angeles, is recorded, mixed
and mastered. “We just have to finish the artwork and then manufacture the
album later this year.” So I guess that one will come out in 2008.



Black Angel also pull off quite possibly the most dead-on and single-minded approximation
of ’70s country-leaning (think “Dead Flowers”/”Wild Horses”/”Fool To Cry”/”When
The Whip Comes Down”/”Far Away Eyes”) Rolling Stones I’ve ever heard. Their
MySpace lists “Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, Henry
Miller and John Lennon” as influences and says they sound like “Rolling Stones,
Bob Dylan, Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show, Black Crowes, Tom Petty And The
Heartbreakers, Leon Russell, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Elvis Presley (we
wish),” and all that might well be true. But everything on that list after the
Stones is gravy, and I’m honestly wondering if Dr. Hook and Dylan are on there
just because they both have famous songs with “Rolling Stone” in the
title―why’d they leave out Muddy Waters, I wonder? (Best Tom Petty song of
2007, for whatever it’s worth: “She’s So California” by Gary Allan. Best Black
Angel-sounding country-Stones-style song not recorded by Black Angel of 2007:
The 6:45 “Young Lions In Paradise,” off Blue Cheer’s otherwise much heavier and
more metal What Doesn’t Kill You...
album. I’m not joking.)



Black Angel’s greatest song―the one for the history books―is O’ California’s “One Beer,” and not
only because it ingeniously managed to forecast the 2007 Grammy Awards by
toasting with one beer each both “Mary J. Blige, the queen of hip-hop soul” and
“the Dixie Chicks, the queens of Texas soul.” (The nominations had been made in
early December of 2006, but I assume the song was recorded before then.)



”’One Beer,’” writes my friend and PTW contributor Frank Kogan, “sounds like
country by people who first love Stones Stones Stones ahead of country, and
that’s fine with me; funny Exile
murk (that’s a compliment, by the way, even if the murk is one of the reasons Exile is not in my Top 10 Stones albs
[also self-effacement, also shortage of songs]). Not as good as the Stones,
unsurprisingly, but worth a second listen.”



I listened to the song way more than twice, myself. And it’s only “not as good
as the Stones” if you ignore everything the Stones have done in the last
quarter-century-plus (including their last album A Bigger Bang, which was surprisingly good actually, but
never as good as “One Beer.”) And there is way more than one beer in the song:
Amidst J.C. Martin’s somewhat sloshedly (not to mention, it should go without
saying by now, Jaggerishly) slurred lyric, I count 18 such beverages total,
though I can’t guarantee I didn’t miss any. That’s three six packs or
three-quarters of a case (though hopefully on tap, since the band is clearly
not at home on their living room couches but rather out in public [you can tell
by the opening saloon-piano part], so if they’re drinking canned or bottled
beers they’re totally getting ripped off, and did I ever explain my theory of
how Stella on tap, which is one of the best beers in the world, is an entirely different beer than Stella
in bottles, which is one of the worst? Not to mention my theory that one good
way to lose weight is just to order beers you don’t like very much in bars,
since that way you won’t drink as many? OK, never mind.) Anyway, let’s see
here: Along with the beers for the Dixie Chicks and Mary J. Blige, Black Angel
hoist “one beer” each (well, actually sometimes one beer twice each, since most
the song’s lyric is recited twice within the song’s perimeters) for “the pain,”
“the road,” “the Lord,” the devil,” “Canada,” “the rose of San Antone,” and
“every [incomprehensible word] Pentecostal Jack-Mormon fooool I’ve ever known.”
For starters.



They look a black woman (who they call “a black woman”) right in the eye and
she tells them to embrace the mystery; they drive their Oldsmobile (or maybe
their Uncle Bill?) down to Mexico and meet a fortune teller there; the singer
calls himself “a country boy down at 7-11” then chases a dragon to the store
and asks directions to Desolation Row―all in 3:17. Beyond all the beers, I’m
not going to pretend to grasp what most of it means, to be honest, and I don’t
really care. As Montgomery Gentry would say, I feel a cold one comin’ on.



Black Angel lead
vocalist/guitarist J.C. Martin on “One Beer”



“One Beer” was released in December
2006, the same month that Mary J Blige and the ..Dixie..
Chicks were both nominated for several Grammy Awards. Was that a coincidence?
Or are you fortune tellers, like the one in the song?

When I saw Mary J. Blige with U2 singing the song “One”―was that at the
Grammys? I can’t remember―I picked up my old 1972 Martin guitar and immediately
wrote the song in about one half hour. I never write this quickly. I am usually
like Bob Dylan and Tom Petty―playing a song for weeks until my wife screams,
“Enough with that song.” This one just popped out. I had been really pissed off
at how the Dixie Chicks were “blacklisted” by radio after their very true
comments about George Bush. I also grew up Pentecostal―with a huge rebellious
streak―in a very right wing, Republican, military household



In what ways do the concepts behind
O’ California, O’ Santa Barbara and O’
Los Angeles differ
from each other?

I was broke for quite awhile but I kept writing songs nonetheless. When I
finally had money to record more songs, I had three albums of material ready to
go. I had already recorded O’ Santa
Barbara with just our drummer, Tina Stefens, and me. Tina works for
the Goleta Post Office. The only time that we played this entire album live was
for a 10 a.m. show at the Creekside Inn in Santa Barbara for the night shift at
the Goleta Post Office. A few months later a disgruntled, female post office
employee walked into the Goleta Post Office and killed six postal employees,
all of whom had attended our morning show a few months earlier.



Anyway, when I got enough money, Tina and I worked out the entire O’ California album, recorded it… I
had still more songs recorded and the songs became the still unreleased O’ Los Angeles album. I had read a
book―or was it a story?―years ago called “O’ ....Jerusalem.....” I loved this title. The idea here
is that many people who live in ....California....
didn’t start out here. For instance, I was born in ..Illinois..,
then lived in ..Alaska.., ..Oregon..,
Okinawa and ..New Mexico.. before coming to ....California.... when I was 15
years old. The O’ California
album is basically about my experiences of living in ....California..... The O’ Santa Barbara album was all written and recorded in ..Santa Barbara.. with people who live in ....Santa Barbara..... The O’ Los Angeles album is made up of
songs that were worked out when Black Angel was located in ....Los Angeles.... from about 1999 to 2001.



I counted 18 beers in “One Beer.”
First off, is my math correct? And second off, are they all Heinekens?

Chuck, I have no idea how many ”One Beers” we placed in the song… Thanks for
adding them up, though. No, I didn’t have a particular beer in mind, but I do
have a preference for Heineken ever since I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands
for a year, and I drink a lot
of it.....

Dec 17 < Previous
ReviewNext Review >