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Sunshine
Allison Eastside [Riggadig Records] 1998 1. Street Song [ lyrics ]  2. The Garden [ lyrics ] 3. Misunderstood [ lyrics ] 4. Further In [ lyrics ] 5. Living in Doubt [ lyrics ] 6. Insane 7. No More [ lyrics ] 8. Warchief 9. Party for Deke 10. How you Been 11. Clueless 12. High Rolling 13. Eastside |
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| [ REVIEWS: Wausau City Pages ] |
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College
Rocks-
You gotta love college towns. Especially in Wisconsin. The schools
of the UW system are among the best in the nation, and of course
that undoubtedly translates into something economically advantageous
and socially productive (or something else that The Man benefits
from). But the thing about college towns that really benefits
the commoners is the music. Good schools naturally have a gravitational
affect on smart people. And when smart people get together make
music, the result is often a repertoire of tunes rich in melody
and lyrical pith. Even in smaller college towns where the musical
talent pool is limited, there's more general appreciation for
"smart" music. That's what makes it possible for bands
like Sunshine Allison to play at Witz End in Stevens Point. Madison-based Sunshine Allison is unusual for a contemporary rock trio. Insofar as most popular rock artists these days source their music almost exclusively from guitars, this band's keyboard-bass-rhythm mix offers a refreshing divergence from the norm. Lead vocalist Krister Tidics rides a mean streak on the keys, and drives the band with a husky baritone vocal presentation not entirely unlike Hootie (you know, …& the Blowfish) - and the resemblance here is more than a shared octave: even the soulful ambiance of this band is a little ichthious. A forceful bass-and-drum rhythm section nicely rounds out the sound. Now, it's not that Sunshine Allison's sound is devoid of some fine guitar work. Tidics picks up the six string as well (remember that thing about smart people = smart music?), and in addition to augmenting the sonic variety, he does the instrument justice. While the trad-style, trademark electric piano sound peers out on songs like "Further In," the jammier songs like "Street Song" and "Misunderstood" would be naked without their colorful guitar funks. Funk, unfortunately, is a word whose definition is stretched a little bit every time someone uses it as a synonymous surrogate for spunk. But Sunshine Allison is funky in the original sense of the word. Bassist Carl Remde draws from a wealth of styles, including funk, while he and drummer Robert Schoville drop-kick rhythms between each other with tremendous acuity, creating a beat torrent that will wash listeners away. Sunshine Allison has been knocking around the Midwest club circuit since 1992, but they're currently touring with tunes drawn primarily from their second album, Eastside, released in October. Lyrically, the songs on this CD reflect a more sophisticated sense of songsmithing which sacrifices - as much modern poetry does - a strict reliance upon rhyme and rhythm in favor of a free-form verbal flexibility. Even in the songs where a rough rhyme scheme slips in, it is rarely at the expense of a well-crafted sentiment; and the songs, in general, will satisfy the savvy college crowd. -Charles Patton Wausau City Pages 1/28/99 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Maximum Ink ] | ||
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This Midwestern
group hails from Madison but incorporates influences from many
parts of the globe. Listening to Sunshine Allison, one is tempted
to classify them as World Music, but as soon as that thought
forms, the group comes back with a straight-ahead rock track.
Formed in 1992, Allison consists of Krister Tidics on vocals/keyboards/guitar,
Robert Schoville on drums, and Carl Remde on bass. The three
musicians are tight and complement one another beautifully. Their
influences are wide ranging and each song seems to have a flavor
of its own. The band is at its best when the songs are keyboard-based.
The overdriven Rhodes piano riff in “Insane” and the
power Hammond in “Party for Deke” give them a very
distinct sound that is not found often enough in modern rock.
Throughout the album, the work of Tidics on organ and piano steals
the show. Of course, a soloist is only as good as his rhythm
section, and, like the band Medeski, Martin and Wood, the underlying
groove is strong and reliable. This band means business. Of all
the local promotional packages to come through the Max Ink office,
Sunshine Allison’s ranks as one of the best. These guys
have the music and the organization to make a national splash.
See their website at www.riggadig.com.’ -Jeff Muendel Maximum Ink 10/15/98 |
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| [ REVIEWS: The Isthmus ] | ||
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Now stripped
down to a very efficient three-piece, Sunshine Allison qualify
as the city’s first popular jam band. Lead singer Krister
Tidics has always preferred keyboards (he also plays guitar here),
and his bluesy digits make a strong showing on Eastside. He also
has a yearning, gospel-inflected voice that necessarily calls
up memories of the Doobie Brothers during their easy grooving
Michael McDonald period. Eastside features drummer/percussionist
Robert Schoville to good effect, and it’s his active, occasionally
polyrhythmic contributions that move moody blues-rock jams like
“Living in Doubt” and “Misunderstood” beyond
the tried and true. Sometimes the production is thick and rather
loungy; other times it pushes Tidics’ moaning bari/tenor
voice to the center of the mix. The latter approach is more in
keeping with the production values favored by break-through jam
acts like the Dave Matthews Band; on the other hand, the playing
is more distinctive when Tidics and company bare their jazzier
side. In both cases, the band exhibits a refined understanding
of the jam crowd’s tastes.’ -Tom Laskin, Isthmus 9/25/98 |
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| [ REVIEWS: Wisconsin State Journal ] | ||
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Sunshine
Allison’s new CD, “Eastside,” actually was recorded
on Madison’s southwest side at Sleepless Nights Studios.
But don’t fret about the geographical confusion. The eclectic,
funk-style Madison band had hoped to finish its next full-length
production last May. But after hearing the CD, I say better later
than never. “Eastside” opens with “Street Song,”
a tune with strong pop vocals sure to attract Dave Matthews fans.
From there, the CD continues as complex and jam-oriented as Sunshine
Allison’s past recordings, but also shows the band stretching
out vocally, too. Sure there are the jams (“Party for Deke”
and “Warchief”), which make the band popular local
festival performers, but such songs as “The Garden”
feature soulful vocals much like you’d find from Temple
of the Dog or Pearl Jam. Such songs as “Misunderstood”
and “Clueless” are more Phish flavored with roots in
jazz. And people disappointed to hear that Common Faces is breaking
up should find some solace in “Further In” and other
funk-groove-oriented numbers, such as “Insane” and
“No More.” “Living in Doubt” and “How
you been?” showcase percussion, background vocals and some
funky keyboard, perfectly complementing the lead vocals.’
-Natasha Kassulke The Capital Times Wisconsin State Journal Rhythm section 9/17/98 |
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PO Box 401073 San Francisco, CA 94110 415-577-1384 E-mail: sunshine@riggadig.com |