“FEEDBACK SAVES THE 7”
S.H.R.S. (Self-published)
The race for the 2019 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best rock album is off to a great start with the release of this debut album by S.H.R.S.
The initials are short for Superhero Rökkstar, the hard rock partnership of Zap Nasty (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Toaster (lead guitar), Jett Lagg (drums) and Slut Wheeler (bass/backing vocals). The album is in fact a concept project by Hawaii rock scene veterans Nathan Alfaro, Toby Julian, Damon Ramsey and Brian Thomson.
They plan to perform in character this summer and, just as a rose by any name still smells sweet, these guys by any name can rock! All the songs are originals.
The quartet celebrates the stereotypical, conspicuous over-consumption lifestyle of a rocker with “Dead & Gone” — the title of the song being when they’ll be ready to give it all up.
“Love Me, Hate Me,” maintains that classic old-time rock star attitude and lets the world know that S.H.R.S. “don’t really care” whether you like them.
“Milky Way Saloon” lowers the volume and the tempo with a tale of attempted interplanetary seduction that continues the sci-fi theme set earlier on the album with “Rabbit Hole.”
Other songs give the guys room to stretch out and show what they can do as instrumentalists. The overall results are memorable throughout.
Visit reverbnation.com/shrs.
“MO‘OLELO”
Hiroshi Okada (Jasrac)
Among the English-language equivalents of “mo‘olelo,” the title of Japanese musician Hiroshi Okada’s new CD, are the words “story,” “tale,” “history” and “journal.”
All four of those words apply to this collection of songs that document Okada’s commitment to traditional Hawaiian music. “My life and personal history are inextricably woven into thus album,” he writes in the beautifully illustrated booklet of liner notes that document his work.
Most of the selections are personally relevant for having heightened Okada’s appreciation of Hawaiian music, the culture it represents, and the responsibilities involved in performing Hawaiian music. Two songs are included in honor of Hawaiian patriots Kalakaua and Lili‘uokalani and their commitment to preserving and perpetuating Hawaiian culture.
Kumu hula Sonny Ching makes a rare appearance as a recording artist as Okada’s vocalist on “Hana Noho I Ka Malie” — a song Ching wrote and previously recorded. Alan Akana, Kale Chang, Bulla Ka‘iliwai, Bryan Tolentino and Dave Tucciarone are among the other notables who also join Okada.
Annotation and celebrity guests aside, “Mo‘olelo” is a beautiful celebration of Hawaii’s musical traditions — instrumental and vocal — from the zesty opener, “A Kona Hema,” which opens with a suggestion of pre-Contact conch shell, through the final notes of “Ua Mau” that hint of post-1820 Christian influences.
Visit hiroshiokada.com.
Reviews of releases by Hawaii’s musical artists run each week in TGIF; artists who wish to have their recordings featured may send digital links to jberger@staradvertiser.com. Send CDs to Island Mele c/o John Berger, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
