August 5-11, 2004

music

soundadvice

by Deesha Dyer, M.J. Fine and Nicole Pensiero

ROCK/POP

John Francis Maher

Sometime Tin Angel doorman-floorman-performer John Francis Maher has broadened his musical horizons — and hopefully his audience — with the just-released Phil Nicolo-produced Philadelphia EP. Inspired by everyone from Woody Guthrie to John Prine, Maher likes to mix up introspective, semi-soul ballads with foot-stompin' rock-blues numbers like his concert favorite, "Johnny Cash Is Dead."
— Nicole Pensiero
Sat., Aug. 7, 8 p.m., $10, with Mutlu, The Point, 880 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 866-468-7619.

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HIP-HOP

Ballroom Blitz

Forget what you heard, Allentown is more than roller coasters and water slides. The hottest A-town hip-hop talent will bring their rhymes and theatrics to the area, putting a spin on the regular Wednesday open-mic night. This includes GQ, the MC whose claim to fame is his ill freestyle game. Most recently he was named the 2004 EOW battle runner-up. If you want to flow for cash, get there early.
— Deesha Dyer
Fri., Aug. 6, 9 p.m., $5 (ladies free before 10:30 p.m.), La Tazza, 108 Chestnut St., 215-922-7322.

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SOUL/R&B

Musiq Soulchild

With three albums under his belt, Musiq Soulchild continues to woo hearts and fix relationships with his man-soft ballads. His latest, Soulstar (Def Soul), falls short of the previous two, but fans remain faithful. Power 99 hops on the bandwagon, as they present Musiq as part of the For Ladies Only series. At $10 a pop, it beats buying a lackluster CD.
— Deesha Dyer
Sat., Aug. 7, 9 p.m., $10, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000.

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FOLK

Lori McKenna

Bittertown (Signature Sounds) is Stoughton, Mass. It's where Lori McKenna was born; it's where she's raising her five kids. Home's as integral to these songs as lap steel. She's outgrown most of the vocal tics that marred earlier efforts, and her lyrics ring truer. Picture wives waiting in the kitchen; smell the townies at the bar.
— M.J. Fine
Wed., Aug. 11, 8:30 p.m., $12, with Felix McTeigue, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0770.

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ROCK/POP

Chris Hyland

And Where Have You Been? (I-Pop) is the corny but utterly apropos title for multi-instrumentalist/South Jersey native Chris Hyland's out-of-nowhere, amazingly impressive six-song EP. The Berklee music school grad spent years doing session and tour sideman work all over the U.S. and Japan before getting back on track with his own sparkling, Beatlesque pop-rock. Actually, it doesn't really matter where he's been, 'cause where he's at now sounds darn good.
— Nicole Pensiero
Mon., Aug. 9, 8:30 p.m., $10, with Paul Thorn, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second Street, 215-928-0770.

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HIP-HOP

Elevated

How does he do it? Adam 12, the mad rapper of Philly, seems to perform at every all hip-hop function in the city. This time, the underground vet will wreck shop alongside some noteworthy talent including the duo Word Association. As their 12-inch, Been Down, continues to climb rap charts, the Break Bread affiliates stay grinding in preparation for their upcoming full length due later this year.
— Deesha Dyer
Sun., Aug. 8, 9 p.m., $5, with Fel Sweetenberg, LDorado, State Store and Matthew Browns and Mannish, Silk City, Fifth and Spring Garden sts., 215-592-8838.

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COUNTRY

Allison Moorer

If Allison Moorer preached to the Dixie Chicks' choir, "All Aboard," off The Duel, might get her into trouble. If she played to Toby Keith's crowd, it would go right over their heads (although they might like the line, "And we allow no yellow foreign queers").
— M.J. Fine
Fri., Aug. 6, 9 p.m., $10, with Full Frontal Folk, The North Star, 27th and Poplar sts., 215-684-0808.