Two great new records that have been playing in heavy rotation in the car during the daily commute:
The Postmarks -- The Postmarks (Unfiltered Records)
Sure, it sounds a lot like Ivy and was produced by Andy Chase from, er, Ivy, but The Postmarks record is so sugary it's amazing it doesn't melt. So The Postmarks aren't breaking new ground with this mix of retro French and Bacharach-style pop productions layered with the mellow purr of gal singer Tim Yehezkely. So what? It's still fabulously fun to listen to.
Field Music -- Tones of Town (Memphis Industries)
Northern England's Field Music (pictured above) -- who emerged alongside Maximo Park -- have already dished up a second disc, not long after the first arrived, but the group hasn't overextended itself. "Tones of Town" is as quirky, poppy (a la XTC, that is) and fun as the self-titled debut. The rhythms feel funky and a little off-kilter, like the aforemention Swindon combo and, say, Pere Ubu, but Field Music is even harder to pin down on this outing. "Sit Tight" struck me as edgy Steely Dan, "Closer at Hand" has an opening "ooooh," that sounds like a Freddie Mercury sample (but probably isn't) and and "A Gap Has Appeared" has harmonies that conjure Yes (sorry).
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
