Album Review
The creative ideas that Ted Drozdowski pours over his work with activist John Sinclair are evident on Sick Little Monkey, a CD from his own band, Devil Gods. His guitar work is cosmic throughout the recording and is its highlight. As an instrumental band, Devil Gods have a lot to offer, "Lunchbox of the Gods" combining Edgar Froese with Jimi Hendrix-style sound experimentation. The band leader's rock & roll heart is evident, and it is as sincere as his essays on blues musicians in his other life as a rock critic. But it is much easier for a recording artist like Pete Townshend, Jonathan Richman, or Cub Koda to turn to rock writing than it is for a rock critic to turn to singing and performing. Heck, Townshend, Koda, and Richman were songwriters to begin with, the just shifted that communication to another format. One has to give Drozdowski credit, for this works better than the critics band Christopher Milk, it's just that his "writer's voice" doesn't translate well through his vocal chords. Fact is, his substantial music would be better served with a frontman/vocalist who can express the songwriter's ideas. Bostonian Mick Keddy of the Billioneers comes to mind, as does Jim Speranza of the band Close Enough. They have that presence both on stage and in studio which is missing from Sick Little Monkey, that intangible called personality. "Counting on You" could be so much more if it had David Minehan guest starring on lead vocals to fully deliver this material. The lead singer from the Neighborhoods engineered nine of the 14 tracks and sings backups on the opening track, "I Don't Know," and "Pillar of Salt." Listen to the delivery on the John Sinclair recordings that Ted Drozdowski performs on and compare it to the sound here. Drozdowski needs to find an authority in his voice that he's found with his pen. "Counting on You" develops into more of the cosmic rock that began with the song "Now, Immortal"; the guitar sound is like an echoplex working overtime, making some unique moments on this under-developed project. There's a cover of Zager & Evans "In the Year 2525," which is a nice touch.
