CD Review: The Summarily Dismissed: To Each!

Ari Shagal (vocals, keyboards); Ferima Faye (Vocals); Matthew Lomeo (vocals); Joe Davi (guitar); Pat O’Leary (bass); Eric Halvorson (drums); also Kenny Washington (jazz vocals); Nydia Mata (congas, bongos); also others on trumpet, trombone, saxophones, vibraphone.

(Review by Ann Alex).

This is a fine début album from Ari Shagal’s band The Summarily Dismissed.  Most of the songs were written by Ms Shagal, who hails from New York.  I’d classify this as ‘intelligent pop’, such as you hear in the likes of Nero coffee shops, stuff you like but can’t put a name to.  

The lyrics concern relationships; the bias against people who live on Jersey Shore; the stock market; and amusingly, wanting to be taller: 

As I sublimely shuffle up and down the avenues 

A bid for bold urbanity in D’orsay shoes

I call myself a femme fatale, but other folks refuse

and say I'm just ‘cute’

’cause I'm not tall and resolute.  

Each of the three vocalists has a distinctive voice and style, and every word is beautifully clear.  

Ms Shagal's the jazziest voice, Ms Faye - a natural strong soprano and Matthew Lomeo sounds very like Stevie Wonder.

Jazz elements appear with the solos, but not on all of the 11 tracks, so jazz influence is limited, although the tunes certainly swing. Oozing Awkward has a jazzy sax solo and a  rock style guitar solo. Shade Walking is virtually a blues, written in a more modern poetical structure, Bull Market has busy, buzzy instrumentation to represent the stock exchange on Wall Street, and Jersey Babes includes a satisfying solo on plunger-muted trombone which sounds like a low-pitched human voice.

Lance is appealing for more CD reviewers, who get to keep the CD’s – I'm so glad I can keep this one!

'nuff said.

The Summarily Dismissed: To Each is released on the Laureniac Song label this month.

Tracks.

Ann Alex