At 11:50 PM 2/29/96 -0500, you wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       The Connells <[log in to unmask]>
>Poster:       Midway <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:      Brain Junk
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>I've had George's new album for a few days now, and I must say that the more
>I listen, the more I like it.  Catch Fire caught my attention first, but One
>Good Reason and Honestly have really grown on me.
>
>At first I though the album sounded thin compared to the Connells' work, but
>I got over that rather quickly.  It's probably due to the lack of Mike's
>guitar wash in the background that made me feel that way and it is what I
>find to be the greatest divergence from any of the past Connells' albums.  I
>think the guitar work on Brain Junk, while more understated, is quite
>intricate and supports the songs very well.  Also, the vocals are very well
>thought out, and I especially like how he floats between harmony and unison
>parts within his own multitracked vocals.  The harmonies remind me of an
>album put out a few years ago by Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey called
>Mavericks.  I knew I'd see Peele's name in the credits as soon as I heard
>the drums on a few songs.
>
>Does anyone else hear the similarity between Overdose and Doin' You?
>
>My only criticism is that I think George uses cliches a little too often in
>his lyrics - their good, and usually twisted in some creative fashion, but
>too much of a good thing...hey, he's still a great songwriter, and I don't
>know that it's that big of an issue anyway.
>
>John Haramis
>
>Midway Music, Inc.
>P.O. Box 10972
>Blacksburg, VA  24062-0972
>Voice: (540)961-4831
>Fax: (540)552-9486
>
 
Just got my copy of Brain Junk yesterday.  Thanks to John for offering the
first descriptive review I've seen of the album.  I agree with much of what
John said. I too observed that the album had a very thin sound.
 
Some of the songs George has written for Connells' albums have been among my
favorites, so I had high expectations.  I was mildly disappointed, however,
to find that there wasn't as much depth of emotion or intensity to the songs
on Brain Junk as there is on other songs penned by Huntley such as Motel or
What Do You Want?
 
I did notice the striking similarity between Overdose and Doin' You.
 
Does anyone know if there are any stations giving airplay to any tracks from
the album?  I think the song Harry Lee has potential for getting a foot in
the door, so to speak.  It's short and catchy.
 
Also, does anyone know anything about what successes the Connells have
enjoyed overseas?  In May of last year when I was coming home from having
spent some time in Norway, a photo of the band in a Norwegian newspaper
caught my eye.  I was ecstatic as I had been waiting impatiently for the
follow-up to One Simple Word.  The article talked about how '74-'75 was
shaping up to be a hit in Norway for the band.  There was even a quote from
Mike about his surprise at getting airplay in Norway when the band has
experienced only limited commercial success here in the U.S.  As stated, I
was on my way out of Norway when I saw the article, so I never really had
the chance to follow up on what happened.  I do seem to recall, however,
checking the online version of the same newspaper--VG--and finding the
Connells listed on a "hits-list" of the top singles in Norway.  Can anyone
shed some more light on the matter?  Have the Connells toured in Scandinavia
at all, or elsewhere in Europe?
 
I don't know how Norway discovered the Connells.  Neither can I figure out
why the decision would have been made to promote the band in Norway.  I
suppose that if the Connells were being played in England at the time that
Norwegian music trends often mirror what is happening elsewhere in
Europe--particularly the U.K. Also, I must say that in some regards the
Connells' music is vaguely similar to that of the Norwegian band A-HA
(anyone remember them?) some members of which are still active and fairly
popular in their homeland.
 
Any comments or insights will be appreciated.
 
Scott Johnson
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