'...here nor there'

Amitystreet
(no label)

It's been years since Honolulu was short of talented rock acts. Amitystreet joins that long list of local rockers past and present with this six-song sampler. The quartet—Jason Everett (vocals/guitar), John Gonzalez del Solar (guitar), Jhon Lynch (bass) and Eli Oguma (drums)—is somewhat reminiscent of a young U2, but not to the point where they sound like either mindless clones or a “;tribute band.”;

Everett's voice often serves as another instrument rather than as the focal point of the band's sound. This makes careful listening a must for anyone trying to decrypt the lyrics. In “;Better Man”; the message is first broken into segments for insertion in the somber, well-crafted instrumental arrangement and then restated almost in its entirety as the song builds in intensity.

“;The Setting Sun”; is a pleasant change of pace because it doesn't follow that same template. Poignant and romantic, it speaks of loneliness and the pain of separation in vivid terms.

“;Sekai no tame ni,”; although sung primarily in English, is as cryptic as the others in posing the age-old question, What are we living for?

Amitystreet doesn't presume to provide an answer. But with “;...here nor there”; as a sample of what they have to offer, it seems safe to bet that they'll be back.

www.myspace.com/amitystreet

”;Benediction Road”;
”;Chameleon”;
”;Better Man”;

'Kohala Moon'

Rodney Cazimero
(Heloke Productions)

Rodney Cazimero has been known for years as the benign older brother of Robert and Roland Cazimero—aka the Brothers Cazimero—and Roland's high-profile twin sister, singer/dancer Kanoe Cazimero. With his debut album, he joins his younger brothers in having recorded a full-length project (Kanoe has sung as a guest vocalist on her brothers' albums). “;Kohala Moon”; also introduces him as an earnest and ambitious songwriter.

Cazimero's most polished compositions are written in traditional hapa-haole style. “;Kohala Moon”; personalizes the ever-popular subject of moonlit romance. “;Maunaloa Blossom,”; also in English, draws together images of flowers, a hula dancer and starlight in beautiful style; rearranged for performance by a Hawaiian “;big band”; with a live string section, it would be gorgeous indeed.

Most of the other songs are written in an expository style that generally disregards conventional concepts of rhythm, rhyme and meter. “;Run Sunny Run”; is a stream-of-consciousness account of a ballgame. “;Lazy Day”; is essentially a shopping list of close friends who joined him in deciding which movie to see.

Two are opaque. One is a requiem for a couple who died under circumstances that the lyrics don't clarify. Another is a daughter's message for her deceased father.

Cazimero's years as an observer of the local record business pays off with the packaging; a 10-page booklet includes lyrics for all songs and background information to help put them in context. Knowing that Cazimero was raised in Kohala by his grandparents makes “;Kohala Moon”; more than just a song with a romantic title—it's also a song about home.

TEXT

”;Kohala Moon”;
”;Run Sunny Run”;
”;Lazy Day”;

'G Style'

Micah G
(G Style Productions)

The musical influences of Fiji, Ekolu, the Mana'o Company, Joe “;J.D.”; Daniels of B.E.T., and Demetrius “;Big D”; Oliveria, lead singer of the late-'90s Big Island group Ka'u, come through loud and clear as producer/recording artist Micah G (aka Micah Keolanui) juxtaposes Jawaiian rhythms with smooth R&B harmonies. All but one of the tracks are originals, and they position him as a man with a promising future as a songwriter.

He opens with the title track, a smooth and quintessentially commercial song written as a message to a man who has “;been replaced”; by a woman who got tired with his “;acting up.”; If Hawaii's “;island music”; radio stations aren't on this one already, they soon will be.

Two songs address local social issues. “;P.E.A.C.E.”; calls for an end to the conflicts between local groups fueled by regional loyalties or ancient ethnic grudges. “;Extra Curricular”; is a well-phased plea to Hawaii's living dead (drug users for whom “;a green bottle is not enough”;) to get off the pipe. Several other selections give him the chance to stretch out and do his stuff as a crooner.

Give Micah G credit as an arranger, too, for using live horns instead of synth tracks. The keys add ear-catching hooks; a brief bit of cocktail-lounge music kicks off the final song with a hint of sophistication—exactly the type of riff a financially upscale “;Uptown Girl”; might appreciate.

But for all the talent and potential here, there's a missed opportunity to introduce Micah G with a complete calling card. There are plenty of people who don't know the back-story on who he is or what inspires him as a writer. More information in the liner notes would have been a welcome addition.

TEXT

”;G Style”;
”;Ms. Confusions”;
”;Take a Chance”;