PJ's Lager House Five Year Anniversary
w/ Khalid Hanifi, Cannonball Underground
The Vibrations, and J. Walker & the Crossgaurds
Friday, November 2nd
FREE!
Khalid Hanifi, a longtime fixture on the Ann Arbor independent music scene, is poised to release his new solo album A Brief Respite From Shooting Fish In A Barrel.
A Brief Respite… is the follow-up to Hanifi’s well-regarded solo debut Pamplemousse Presse (2008). He describes the new collection as “an album of resolutely non-partisan politically and economically themed songs, the sensibilities of which are undoubtedly colored by the fact that a) I’m an Afghan-American, and b) I think I’m much smarter than I actually am.”
Hanifi, “one of the best weavers of lyric and catchy melody since Andy
Partridge” (Power Popaholic) has been the primary creative force behind some of
Ann Arbor’s finest indie pop bands, including Map of the World, Kiss Me
Screaming and Maypops. The Ann Arbor Observer singled out his “uncanny gift for
melodic intervals that ring true,” while Absolute Powerpop says Hanifi’s music
“should appeal to anyone who values smart, sophisticated pop.”
Disassociated Press praised Hanifi for “drawing from the pop palette
without resorting to pop cliché, and effortlessly blending excellent hooks with
solid song craftsmanship.”
All Music’s review of Kiss Me Screaming’s debut was quite effusive in its
praise: “If you took Revolver,” Pet Sounds, the first Cheap Trick album, and all
three studio albums by Iggy & The Stooges, threw ‘em in a blender and set it
on ‘grind,’ then you’d have a pretty good idea of what Kiss Me Screaming sounds
like.”
Cannonball Underground is an eclectic funk, soul, and rock music collective from Detroit. The band is diverse in background, as well as style and age. Noted for its high-energy live shows and top-notch musicianship, the elder members of Cannonball grew up in Detroit duging the Motown era. The famous label and many others like it at the time became exemplary for racial integration into popular music. Such is the spirit of motor town music yesterday and today. Amalgamation has been the mantra of Cannonball from the start. Founding member, Jay “Bird” Cook, first began to work with the Motown and funk sound when he found space to share with two rotating members of the P Funk All-Stars. The experience led to musical run-ins with future Cannonball Underground saxophonist, Dezzie McCullers Jr. highlighted in their single “Sing Me A Song” and singer Bobby “Cane Man” Dixon who’s baritone voice is featured on their original “Way Gone”. Also on the scene at that time were keyboardist Eric Washington and bassist Greg Nance, frequently used on recordings and live projects. Eric (E-Dubs), highlighted on the original “Optical Liquid”, is rooted in with the Motown Records family and brings a techno/drum and bass style mixed with pop and funk. Greg (Godzilla), featured in the tune “V-Funk”, is awesome. Fireballs shoot out his eyeballs during bass solos, be sure to bring a fire extinguisher. We don’t have insurance.
The Cannonball concept became complete when drummer Scott Farago, with his
explosive kit backbeat reminiscent of “Pistol” Allen and Buddy Rich, began
welcoming audiences to experience explicit grooves on a nightly basis.
With combined experience spanning over three generations Cannonball
Underground presents a unique and timeless edge to the motor town sound.
