Moaning Lisa - "Wonderful" (Veronica Records)

Album review by Nick Spacek

Fans of Kansas City's late, lamented Outhouse need no longer worry about what they'll listen to now that the band is gone. Moaning Lisa is the heir apparent to Outhouse's legacy of tuneful, slightly heavy, rock and roll.

Moaning Lisa's debut release, "Wonderful," available on Veronica Records, combines introspective songwriting with killer guitar riffs and drumbeats. Songs such as "Knee Deep" and "Goodbye, Mr. Wonderful" walk a fine line between Outhouse and Collective Soul and "Good Intentions" is the sort of song R.E.M. would have written if they had listened to Rush.

My personal favorite tune has to be "Wish You Well," a song that contains everything from jangly mod guitar to down and dirty guitar solos, with a lyrical content that perfectly describes trying to get past a break up.

David George's voice is perfectly suited to each and every song, and his guitar and Desmond Ramos' complement each other perfectly. Greg Levine's on-the-spot drumming and Matt Hartnett's bass then give the album its rhythmic spine, and all elements come together in some damn catchy melodic rock.

The only problem with "Wonderful" is the fact that while Moaning Lisa is going to appeal to fans of pop-rock acts like Ultimate Fakebook, they may not be able to get into the slightly denser rhythms and melodies. For me, it's certainly a pleasant change, but for other fans, it may make for a more difficult listen. Here's to hoping that local music fans are up for a challenge.

To get more information on Moaning Lisa you can visit their website at www.moaninglisa.com.

--Nick Spacek
nick@thezone.org