Rare Trax: Marvelous 3 "Indie Queen"

Every Saturday at BMF we present rare or deep tracks from my collection for your listening pleasure, or perhaps for your amusement!

This week’s track is "Indie Queen" by the Marvelous 3 from their amazing 1999 album, "Hey! Album". Without question, this track is one of the most melodic tunes of the 90s, driven by the masterful skills of the prolific Butch Walker. Walker was introduced to the masses as a member of the hairband come lately Southgang, and today his solo career has produced diverse efforts with mixed reviews. To me, nothing tops his time in Marv3 and songs like "Indie Queen" illustrate why. One listen and this stunning chorus is in your head for life.

Listen to "Indie Queen"

Review: Butch Walker "I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart"

Now four decades old and a father, Butch Walker is back with his follow up to 2008's "Sycamore Meadows" (reviewed here). On his latest, "I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart", Walker struts through more than four decades of musical genres and styles to produce another eclectic collection of unique tunes.

Despite the twisting and twirling of genres, the one thing that Walker strives to remain devoted to is having a good time with a good melody. To that end, "I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart" is modestly successful, but what stands out as a stronger plus is the marvelous production - from the weepy strings on "Don't You Think Someone Should Take You Home" to the gleeful harmonies on "House of Cards" - the record should be textbook for sonic quality. But the common criticism long time fans have of Walker - that his songs are not as strong as they used to be - is not remedied on this release...and no matter how hard you try to decorate a mediocre song, it's still a mediocre song.

Things get off to a reasonable start with catchy pop rockers like "Trash Day" and the aptly named "Pretty Melody", and the excellent ballad "Don't You Think Someone Should Take You Home". Then the record descends into a valley of slow tunes that make C-SPAN look exciting. But like a team that got yelled at during half-time, Walker comes out swinging at the start of the second half with several consecutive goodies. The autobiographical fun of "She Likes Hair Bands" and the sunny melodies on "House of Cards" make these two instantly likable. The album closes with "Be Good Until Then", a sparse acoustic Walker-styled lullaby that no father could dislike.

Since "Letters", Walker has evolved into a singer/songwriter that knows no musical boundary. Many of his compositions end up working brilliantly when he stays focused on a strong hook, but I am with the fan who remains disappointed that he's not been able to deliver something as masterful as his work with Marvelous 3 or even his first solo outing, "Left of Self-Centered". Walker has the 'Midas Touch' in the music business, writing songs and producing hits for everyone from P!nk to Avril Lavigne to Dashboard Confessional. "I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart" was written and recorded in just 5 days. It boggles the mind to think of the type of solo record he could create if he weren't spread so thin.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 11

Butch Walker on MySpace. Official site.

Rare CD: Butch Walker "This is Me Justified and Stripped"

"Incredibly rare promo only release from 2004 from Butch Walker of Marvelous 3 and Southgang fame!!! This is a ten song cd that was given away free as a promo release for those who purchased one of his cds. It has been long out of print, and is the holy grail for collectors of Butch's. VERY hard to find!!!"

Sold for $200 on ebay (17 bids)

Review: Butch Walker "Sycamore Meadows"

You never know what to expect from Butch Walker these days. Since the demise of one of the greatest modern rock bands, The Marvelous 3, his solo work has been considerably diverse. Each record is consistent in and of itself, but not amongst the others. Each explores a different stratum of the rock genre, some working better than others. His first solo effort, "Left of Self-Centered" was a brilliant continuation of the glorious and bombastic power pop rock that the Marv 3 perfected. "Letters" was strikingly subdued as Walker strutted into rather banal singer/songwriter territory. "Rise and Fall..." was his tribute to 70s glam rock, but it was so unmelodious and flat that I could not get rid of it fast enough.

"Sycamore Meadows" strikes me as a return to the ground he broke in "Letters", but with a better sense of hook and melody, and some of the best lyrics to have gushed out of his pen. The record feels more organic and personal than anything he's done, with lots of acoustic guitar and airy production. The big bold guitars are largely absent and most of the tunes are mid-tempo or slow. As always, his voice is fantastic, but he generally doesn't go out of his way to give you chills like you know that he can. So fans hoping for a full-fledged return to his Marv 3 or "Self-Centered" days are going to be disappointed. Personally, I would have preferred Butch to repeat history in that way, but hey - he's an artist, he's evolving, and he's doing his own thing...that is rock and roll.

The first single and lead off track, "The Weight of Her" is an upbeat acoustic-based rocker that should please Walker fans of all stripes, especially if they also like Tom Petty. "Here Comes The..." is the first of several ballads, and this one works great with its bouncy acoustic strum and engaging harmonies. The horn-laced "Ponce de Leon Ave" is very catchy, bright, and fun. We're back to ballads with "Ships in A Bottle", but it is another hit out of the park for Walker, with emotive lyrics, gentle horns, and a spine tingling vocal. While I am not crazy about the tune "Passed Your Place...", it does exemplify some of his lyrical prowess and insight. Walker laments the loss of a girl he let get away, "You can't trust a man - it's a species that captures things just to let them go". Butch Walker does a little Bob Dylan on "A Song For the Metalheads", but the addition of brass and xylophone over the frantic strumming on "Closer to the Truth and Further From the Sky" make for a more entertaining tune. A final highlight lurks toward the end of the disc...the sparse piano ballad "ATL" ranks as one of his best - it left me speechless, like something Bernie Taupin and Elton John would have done in their 70s hey day.

The verdict: "Sycamore Meadows" is emerging as my second favorite Butch Walker solo record (second to his debut). What is interesting is that this release and his debut are at such opposite ends of the spectrum that they sound like two completely different musicians - a reflection of a versatile and multi-talented artist.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12

Butch Walker on MySpace. Official site.

Rare CD: Marvelous 3 "Hey! Album" ORIGINAL

"Both the CD and the insert are in mint condition. Hey! Album. VERY RARE independently released version with a different cover and 3 songs not on the major label version. Tracks: 1) You're So Yesterday 2) Freak of the Week 3) Until You See 4) Let Me Go 5) Every Monday 6) Indie Queen 7) Lemonade 8) #27 9) Just Wanna Go Home (NOT ON MAJOR LABEL VERSION) 10) Over Your Head 11) Mrs. Jackson 12) Fastboat (NOT ON MAJOR LABEL VERSION) 13) Cold as Hell (NOT ON MAJOR LABEL VERSION)."

This is the independent release of the album with the same title, from 1998. As a huge Butch Walker/Marv 3 fan, I'd love to hear those unreleased tracks. "Hey! Album" is about as good as modern AOR gets.

Sold for $152.50 on ebay (30 bids).

Free MP3: Butch Walker "Leavin' the Game on Luckie St"