"Just Another Office Job"

Borrison Ivy
(self-produced)

Conceived in Dubai, brought to fruition in Hawaii, Borrison Ivy is the creation of Australian-born songwriter-guitarist Richard Barber. Barber is now a Hawaii resident as are the musicians who joined him in Phil Keat’s Highway Recording Studio to record. The result — 10 original songs that cover an engaging range of experiences — is mainstream modern rock Hawaii can be proud to claim.

The eye-catching title of "Salary Slut" demands the song be heard if only to find out who it refers to. It turns out that Barber is referring to himself and speaking for everyone who toils in a low-level job with little praise and minimal remuneration.

He continues in a similar vein with the title song and eloquently expresses the frustrations of millions of college graduates worldwide. Barber deals with other topics with similar insight — love, loss, troubled relationships, feminists, political ideals and, yes, the legacy of colonialism in Tasmania.

Ed Silva (drums) and Kipp McLeod (guitar and vocals) join Barber as the core of the group heard here. The buzz-saw guitar riffs and Silva’s hard-core drumming give Barber’s protest songs the power they require and add a sense of sexual urgency to his tribute-fantasy song, "Asian Girls."

"Just Another Office Job" is available at Hungry Ear, Jelly’s and at www.borrisonivy.com.

"Salary Slut"

"Lady Lorna with Love"

Lady Lorna
(Lorna Kaeck)

Here’s proof that it’s never too late to fall in love or make a dream come true: Lorna Kaeck (Kamehameha ’48) was 66 when she debuted as a singer at the Tahitian Lanai. Now 81, she’s recorded her first album; her fiance, Carl Devoe, is the executive producer of the project, and Pierre Grill, the arranger and studio orchestra. This may sound like a backhanded compliment from a member of the younger generation, but Lady Lorna does not sound "old."

Her repertoire features the pop classics commonly referred to as "the great American songbook" and which date from 1920 through around 1960. "As Time Goes By," "Shangri-La" and "Someone to Watch Over Me" are representative of the songs she loves. She does justice to all three.

"Waikiki" represents Hawaii’s hapa haole tradition in superb style. A second hapa haole song,"That’s the Hawaiian in Me," adds a touch of light comedy to the package.

Grill does an excellent job on piano and accordion and in providing reasonable facsimiles of the other instruments heard in his arrangements.

Lady Lorna and her "orchestra" sign off with a wistful rendition of "I’ll Be Seeing You." Her voice caresses the melody and illuminates the poignant emotion in the lyrics as well.

"Lady Lorna with Love" is available at CD Baby (www.cdbaby.com).

"Waikiki"