Perky Petrel gets its feet wet at RVC's Vibe Lounge

Watch out, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato. Sisters Jessica, Rebekah and Destiny -- otherwise known as the band Petrel -- introduced their pop-infused rock sound to a packed house at Vibe Lounge in Rockville Centre on Thursday night, and they've got you on their radar. Given a little time and effort under their ever-trendy belts, this perky trio will no doubt establish itself as one of the premier names in family friendly rock-n-roll.

From uplifting rock tracks like "All Right" and "Lovin' Life" to the sugary, disco-dancey "Show Me," Petrel's polished studio collection shows their promise as budding songwriters and musicians. Vivacious lead singer Jessica bopped around the stage, drawing the audience into the show despite some tentative moments. Well-done vocal harmonies added some depth to the live performance.

One thing's for sure: the 'tweens in the audience, no doubt in the process of happily staying up past bedtime to watch Petrel rock out, enjoyed themselves so much they lined up for photos and autographs after the show. Cyndi Lauper described it best when she said "Girls just wanna have fun" -- Petrel certainly looked to have plenty of it onstage and didn't hesitate to help the audience have their share, either!

-Chrissy Sampson

Smile Pretty Misery: Feast your ears on this one

Anger, elation, confusion, contentment, despair - the debut effort by Long Island, New York-based indie pop/rock band Smile Pretty Misery will take you through an entire menu of emotion before leaving a satisfied taste in your mouth. I was hungry for more of these guys after listening to the six tracks comprising Measured in Miles (August 2008 / self-released), a short but well-developed collection full of variety.

From the jovial tunes "(You Know) You Gotta Love Her" and "June to September" to the moodier "Will But No Way" and the quiet, reflective "Happy New Year," each track will evoke a separate feeling. (Although the EP only introduces us to six songs, that awesome microchasm known as YouTube can feed us four more tracks for dessert, replete with footage from recent gigs. Just log on to youtube.com and search for Smile Pretty Misery. Consider them bonus tracks, of which my definite favorite is the powerfully atmospheric "Satellite.")

Careful and detailed composition is the first striking feature of the collection, especially on "Blood Red Ink," which adds strings as a backdrop to the dark picture the song paints. Irony and metaphor reminiscient of Jason Mraz and Fiona Apple are common lyrical techniques, as demonstrated on the track "Happy New Year" with lines like "Seems all broken-hearted dreamers have nothing more to teach us / When they become presented with problems they can't solve." In "Snake Oil Man," with lyrics like "He speaks in Ragtime riddles / He's peddling peace of mind / He's a regular broken-record salesman," the point is so cleverly stated that it could be about almost anyone, from a drifter ex-lover to President George W. Bush.

Smile Pretty Misery demonstrates a capacity for songwriting much more mature than its two-year history as a band would otherwise indicate. Perhaps it's due to lead singer Jaymes Welsh's classical opera background and the resourceful style of drummer Chris Bonacorsa, or perhaps it's due to the energy of bassist Mike Bayer or guitarist Al Domingo's prior experiences playing with a host of well-known Long Island acts. Whatever the case may be, Smile Pretty Misery has clearly made a smart move with Measured in Miles, satisfying through and through.

More Smile Pretty Misery:
www.myspace.com/smileprettymisery
http://www.smileprettymisery.com/

~Janine Sebastian

Album Review: THE SPIRIT ROOM, Michelle Branch

She may be 18 years old, but Michelle Branch is no Britney Spears or Mandy Moore. Her debut album, The Spirit Room, injects the music world with a new and decidedly better strand of teenage girl-pop.

Branch's first single, "Everywhere," received minimal play until the mid-August release of American Pie 2, in which the song is featured. Definitely the most upbeat song on The Spirit Room, her vocals are strong and clear, just one of the several sides she shows listeners. She sounds quieter and sweeter in "You Get Me" and a little trashy in "Something to Sleep To."

Long-faced and pretty, she writes or co-writes her own music, unlike many artists her age: a definite credit to Branch. Just like those other artists, though, the lyrics are youthful, and romantic almost to a fault. On "If She Only Knew," Branch sings, "I know she loves you and I can't interfere / So I'll just have to sit back and watch my world disappear."

Overal, Branch's sound comes off like that of a female counterpart to Nine Days or American Hi-Fi, and at times like the funky Nelly Furtado. She has been quoted as having a "love affair" with her music, apparent in the energy that dominates the whole project. If she keeps it up, her love affair will likely fuel her through the tours and follow-up albums that come with the popularity headed her way, as "Everywhere" and The Spirit Room propel her upward.

- Christine Sampson