Magnet #33, Feb. 1999 issue from Fred Mills' "Sound Check" column.
Columbus Dispatch, February 27, 1999. Article by Aaron Beck, Pop Music Critic:
Log's latest saws into New Zealand's underground sound
If '80s music is synonymous with the Thompson Twins, A Flock of Seagulls, Culture Club and hair metal, it's difficult to comprehend how any right-thinking listener survived.
Back then, some future members of the Columbus band Log were digging a little deeper than other music fans. When they stopped, they had reached New Zealand.
Bands such as the Tall Dwarfs, the Verlaines, the Clean and others on the country's Flying Nun label didn't make much impact on MTV or mainstream radio. But the music was as ear-opening for Log singer-guitarist Paul Nini, guitarist Keith Dimoff and his wife, singer-bassist Shirley Tobias, as Chicago blues was for the Rolling Stones.
Nini, who was in Great Plains, Househearts and Peck of Snide, said the first Flying Nun band he heard was the Bats.
"They valued the do-it-yourself aesthetic more than any fancy, studio gloss -- mainly because there wasn't any other option. It was obvious it was influenced by '60s stuff I liked, like the Velvet Underground.''
Members of the band gathered on a recent evening in "Log Central,'' a two-story house in Victorian Village with albums lining walls (one wall is devoted entirely to New Zealand CDs, albums and singles) and indie- rock magazines such as Chunklet and Magnet open on the coffee table.
At the ready in a corner of the dining room is a jukebox filled with singles by bands such as the New Bomb Turks, the Cramps and Teenage Fanclub.
During daylight hours, Log's members have full-time pursuits other than making music. On this evening, they were practicing and taking time out to talk about themselves and their new album, Auto Fire Life.
"The title, Auto Fire Life, comes from what everybody thinks they need -- insurance. It's also about growing up and just having to deal with all the crap,'' chief songwriter Nini said with a laugh. "But we always try to make fun of it all.''
The band's fourth release is their most refined work to date. No nebulous reasons why; they just spent more time and money.
"For the first record, everybody recorded their parts separately because we couldn't do it any other way,'' Nini said. "We didn't really like the way it turned out. This time, we recorded every song live. We're really happy with the way this one sounds.''
Paul's brother Chris Nini (who also led the recording and mixing of Auto Fire Life) accentuates several songs with keyboards.
Longtime Columbus drummer Greg Bonnell gives each song the proper kick in the teeth that every song worthy of a rock 'n' roll label requires. Dimoff's melodic guitar is the guiding light through Tobias and Paul Nini's striking harmonies. Throughout it all, Neil Young, Galaxy 500 and X are evoked, as well as those "kiwi-rock'' bands.
Many songs make connections to New Zealand's underground rock, but none more so than Here Comes the Rain, a gem on which Paul Nini and Tobias lament, "the rain won't stop all the tears that you cry.''
Paul Nini, Dimoff, Tobias and drummer Kelly Knuth formed Log in 1992 (Knuth left in late 1996). Log's 30-something band members have a rich history in the local scene.
"We all liked the same music, went to see the same bands like Minutemen, Husker Du, the Replacements,'' Dimoff said. "Plus, we've worked for record stores, indie-rock stations, played in other bands.''
Before Log, Tobias was a regular contributor to The Offense, a local fanzine devoted to lively dialogue about underground bands.
Bonnell drummed with the Naked Skinnies and an early version of American Music Club. He joined Log in 1997 shortly after the release of Log's My Evil Friend EP.
"I always said that the only band I would join in Columbus would be Log,'' Bonnell said. "Everything they did was modest and understated. I loved the melodies. Log just always sounded really correct to me.''
Auto Fire Life (Old 3C/ TMIV Records) is available at campus-area record stores.
New Times LA, March 3, 1999 issue, review by Franklin Bruno.
Columbus Alive, March 25-31, 1999 issue, review by Adam Garratt.
The Big Take Over #44, Spring 1999 issue, review by Stephen Slaybaugh.
Blank Pages, Spring 1999 issue, review by Eric Sorensen.
Puncture #44, Summer 1999 issue, review by Richard Martin.
oculus.com, August 1999. Review by James Coyle:
Log, Auto Fire Life (Old 3C)
Log's fourth release gets off to a rousing start with the driving title track about growing up and dealing with everyday crap ("Another day of reckless loneliness/I've got my auto fire life"). The rest of the record is marked by the soothing harmonies of lead vocalist Paul Nini and bassist Shirley Tobias, and Log's ability to keep its pretty pop songs grounded with edgy guitar work by Keith Dimoff, Tobias' husband. Thanks to Dimoff's creative and always interesting playing, Auto Fire Life usually rises above the level of pleasant indie pop to something more remarkable.
Dagger #25, Autumn 1999 issue, review by Tim Hinely.
Shredding Paper #5, Winter 2000 issue, review by Matt Roberts.
Badaboom Gramaphone #4, Winter 2000 issue, review by Ben Goldberg.
erasingclouds.com review by Dave Heaton (on-line, Winter 2000):
Log, Auto Fire Life (Old 3C)
Log's "Auto Fire Life" opens with the title song, a dark, blazing number that rocks like a racecar heading towards explosion. Then the hooks set in. The rest of the album keeps the rock edge but relies on melody over power. Lead singer/songwriter Paul Nini and his cohorts have crafted over a dozen high-quality, tuneful pop/rock songs. Just about all the songs here are top-notch, from "Here Comes the Rain," a great bitter pop song to "So Much Better," a VU-tinged mellow tune about desperation and the constant thought that something better's always around the corner, to "C'mon the Future," a keyboard-soaked look forward. A bunch of the songs have pretty co-lead vocals from Nini and bassist Shirley Tobias, and every song has killer guitar riffs. The catchy melodies give the album and uplifting mood, even when the lyrics don't depict life quite as optimistically. Like a lot of great rock and roll, there's a sadness lurking beneath the songs, but that quality just makes every chord seem more important and every word more courageous. And like a lot of great rock and roll bands from Ohio, Log has a no-bs attitude and a love of genuine rock music that shines through from beginning to end.
inkblot.com, review by Bill Meyer (on-line, Winter 2000):
Log, Auto Fire Life (Old 3C, Released 1999)
It's good to know that someone still makes records like this. Log make music for the love of it, and because they're a part-time hobby combo, they make the music that they love. The quintet's antecedents are pretty easy to spot - they strain shambling early 80s Midwestern post punk rock through a Flying Nun filter - but for the first time on Auto Fire Life Log live up to their inspirations. "High Rise" has the same sauntering guitar rhythm as your favorite older Bats song, while "The Other Last Straw" appropriates the moody, stretched-out feel of that band's later work. Paul Nini's embittered bark and the layering of chunky guitars over sullen drum beats on "Now I Know How Don Quixote Felt" brings to mind the work of Glenn Mercer's post-Feelies combo, Wake Ooloo. But unlike that band, Log knows where to trim the fat; there's not a song on this disc that'll make you sorry that you played it all the way through.
If you like Log, check out:
The Feelies, Time For A Witness
The Bats, Silverbeet
Wake Ooloo, Hear No Evil
Guided By Voices, Alien Lanes
At a glance...
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Formed: 1993
Personnel:
Paul Nini - vocals, guitar
Chris Nini - keyboards
Shirley Tobias - bass, vocals
Keith Dinoff - guitar
Greg Bonnell - drums
Notes: Paul Nini has played in bands since the early 80s, when he was a member of the celebrated Columbus ensemble, Great Plains. He played in Peck of Snide during a sojourn in Chicago, and founded Log after he resettled in Columbus in the early 90s. Nini is a college professor and family man, so Log is a part-time labor of love.
swizzlestick.com, review by Chip Midnight (on-line, Winter 2001):
Log: Auto Fire Life (Old 3C/TMIV)
So it's close to the second anniversary of this release, though it just recently arrived in the Swizzle-Stick mailbox. And, since the members of the band aren't driving around in Porsches and haven't quit their day jobs, it's worth giving praise to the CD, even if isn't new on the shelves. Like their musical cousins in the Ass Ponys and Moviola, fellow Buckeye band Log writes honest rock that appeals to indie record store employees and music listeners who still read fanzines and buy records through mail-order. Did I mention the lack of pretension in the music? Log's pleasant jangle-pop exploits the use of dual male-female vocals courtesy of Paul Nini (ex-Great Plains) and Shirley Tobias and is often compared to New Zealand bands like The Bats and The Clean (neither of whom I'm familiar with). Log really catches it's stride with the wonderfully melodic indie pop number "High Rise" (my favorite, by the way). I'd bet a dollar that, unless the members have children, they've never heard of Britney Spears and have no idea what TRL stands for. It's good to know there are still bands like that out there.
columbuscitysearch.com, feature by Stephen Slaybaugh (on-line, Winter 2001):
One of the hidden jewels of Columbus' rich music scene, Log takes its inspiration from bands like the Clean, the Bats and the Tall Dwarfs on New Zealand's Flying Nun label. Mixing the jangly guitar sound of those bands with decidedly American inflections, Log has created some of the finest indie rock to come from within the confines of I-270.
Formed by ex-Great Plains member Paul Nini in late 1992, the band recorded a pair of EPs and one long-player, "Light Fuse and Get Away," for local Anyway Records. The core of vocalist/guitarist Nini, bassist Shirley Tobias and guitarist Keith Dimoff, was rounded out by keyboardist Chris Nini and Greg Bonnell, formerly of the Naked Skinnies (Mark Eitzel's original band) in 1996. In 1999, Log released "Auto Fire Life" on Paul's Old 3C label, garnering rave reviews from local and national publications. The record is a superb collection of 14 propulsive songs, replete with nervously frenetic guitar and keyboard washes. The band doesn't play out as frequently as many bands in town, making those instances when they do take to the stage rare treats to be savored.
The Other Paper, June 10 - 16, 2004 issue, review by Karen Graves.
www.philadelphiaweekly.com, June 11, 2004 issue, review by Doug Wallen:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Ohio State University professor Paul Nini is a mere footnote in the history of indie rock, having played in the Great Plains in the '80s before leading Log for a sporadic batch of releases (compiled on The Early Years) the next decade. Co-released by Nini's own Old 3C label, Log Almighty may still be too obscure to reach many people, which would be a real shame. A minute into the opening "Hollywood Years," horns, keyboards and backing vocals are already dancing around Nini's rumbling, sometimes deadpan delivery. All punchy sing-alongs, folky nonchalance and rough-hewn embellishment, the album feels like buried treasure.
River Cities' Reader, June 18, 2004 issues, review by John James:
New Releases Coming Tuesday, June 22:
Log, Log Almighty (Old 3C/Anyway) terrific new album from this Columbus, Ohio, indie supergroup featuring Paul Nini of Great Plains, with guests Marcy Mays of Scrawl and Jerry Dannemiller of Moviola.
verticalslum.com, issue 6 (Summer 2004), review by Seanzilla:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C) While their Kiwi-influenced rural pop was marginalized during Columbus, Ohio's early 90's punk rock renaissance through bands such as New Bomb Turks, Scrawl, Gaunt, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Monster Truck Five and V-3, and labels such as Datapanik, Bag of Hammers, Anyway, and Siltbreeze (out of Philadelphia), Log followed their own muse, releasing a couple of full-length albums (the last being 1999's Auto Fire Life), as well as a slew of singles and EP's, while the giants of Columbus briefly stepped in and out of the spotlight -- and into the annals of history. Much like Moviola, Log has aged gracefully; yielding their best work with each subsequent release. With Log Almighty, Log has crafted twelve songs to remember the whole of their work by, each a mature and understated gem.
Singer/guitarist Paul Nini's strained vocals are reminiscent of Ned Oldham (of The Anamoanon), or Will Oldham on his most recent Bonnie 'Prince' Billy releases. Chris Nini's playfully light keyboards and Keith Dimoff's quaint jangled electric add a perfect touch of Chills-fashioned pop to tracks such as "Stranded in the Past," "All the Sheep are Slain/Favorite Compromise," "On My Way Back Home," and "Sad Cigarette." Bassist Shirley Tobias adds her Tara Key-ish vocals on "End of the Print," a re-working of the classic Kinks track "Village Green Preservation Society." The earthy quality of the recording is reminiscent of drummer Greg Bonnell's other group, Moviola, and he adds a similar type of authenticity behind the kit of Log.
The highlight of Log Almighty is "That's All," a bit of a swansong in itself, and its upbeat excitement is excellent on first listen, but somewhat bittersweet with each successive spin. Log have finally made their masterpiece, and at a point in their career that they could have just bowed out quietly, succumbing to the fate of many of their peers. Log Almighty successfully sums up Log's long career; a warm last kiss that will never be forgotten.
www.magnetmagazine.com, August/September 2004 issue review by Jud Cost:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
There's a spiritual connection between Log and Guided By Voices, and it isn't just that both combos hail from Ohio. As with Bob Pollard's floating crap game, the voice of experience resonates deeply from within Log, a Columbus band whose previous album, Auto Fire Life , came and went back in 1999. Led by singer Paul Nini, his brother Chris on keyboards and the ringing guitar of Keith Dimoff, the Log people have jobs, kids and better things to do than beat their heads against the indie-rock wall. Drummer Greg Bonnell has been around long enough to have worked in the Naked Skinnies, Mark Eitzel's pre-American Music Club outfit. "Hollywood Years" plays Log's best feature (Paul's weary, tear-stained voice) off a rousing Stax/Volt-style horn section, while "That's All" spotlights Dimoff's jagged, Buzzcocks-like guitar. Bassist Shirley Tobias sings lead on "The End Of Print," a brisk, Americanized parody of the Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society" ("God save scandal sheets, movie stars in magazines"). It's pretty clear these grizzled vets are making records more than 10 years into their band's lifeline because - like their musical gurus the Go-Betweens - they have no other choice.
Columbus Dispatch, August 12, 2004 issue, review by Curtis Schieber:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Influences in this new collection are too plentiful, too subtle and too irrelevant to identify.
Take one bunch of stylistic signposts, for instance: Imagine the Byrds' Gene Clark singing Gloom Away! instead of Paul Nini, who wrote all of the album's dozen tunes. There are suggestions of the Byrds elsewhere, as well as late-1980s neopsychedelic bands that the Byrds influenced -- such as the Rain Parade. Then again, Log might as easily echo 1980s New Zealand indie-pop bands such as the Chills and the Verlaines.
Although the songs testify to Log's extensive knowledge of pop, punk and indie rock, they never sound derived from them.
More important, Nini's songs and the band's performance of them reflect the musical community that continues to be a force in the musicians' lives.
Core members Paul and Chris Nini, Greg Bonnell, Keith Dimoff and Shirley Tobias as well as guests Marcy Mays, Scott Miller, Jerry Dannemiller, Loren Lazarony, Tim Perdue and Jim Seitz balance their considerable experience with enthusiasm for pop music's ability to help sort it all out.
The album rates high as a testimonial to the enduring importance of independent pop music in the lives of some of its biggest fans.
delusionsofadequacy.com, August 20, 2004, review by Chuck Zak:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Not only do the members of Log look like your parents, they sound like them. This is assuming your parents were playing in indie-pop bands back in the wild and wooly 80s before everything became codified and polished to a radio-friendly sheen. Head Log dude Paul Nini probably made the most noise working in a Columbus, Ohio band called Great Plains with future Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartment vocalist Ron House, but safe to say it wasn't the massive commercial success that kept driving him. No, these geezers are that rarest of rarities: grown-ups with real jobs and real responsibilities who nevertheless save time for the simple pleasures of straightforward indie-pop.
Log still keeps it old school, sounding like that crossroads between Replacements grime and REM rootsiness. The songs are simple and warm, but the guitars are gritty (and half- heartedly tuned) and the playing is loose. Though the band betrays a fondness for Australian troubadours the Go-Betweens (and a strong familiarity to the wonderful New Zealand band the Bats), the band sounds unmistakably American. These musicians even channel a little Grand Funk on the cowbell driven stomp of "On the Way Back Home." In fact, an earlier Great Plains EP was named Mark, Don & Mel, a clear reference to the three Funkers what gives? Rest assured, Log may be familiar with the shirt-ripping grandeur of classic rock, but these guys are having none of it themselves.
These tunes are as straight-up as can be. Down-to-earth bookworms playing crusty little pop smears like "Green My Eyes" and "The End of Print" while their bottles of Rolling Rock go warm atop the amplifier. The best tunes here ("Stranded in the Past," "That's All") sound like rollicking singles from some struggling indie label circa 1985 with Farfisa fuzz and female harmonies for color. Where they get into trouble is when Nini's somewhat weak voice is left too much to itself. With a lot of no-frills playing and a low-key melodic sensibility, his lack of a commanding presence hurts. While a band like the Bats could also be said to struggle with this problem, they have they benefit of a popping rhythm section and sparkling material. I can't say Log's tunes really sparkle, and the bass and drums certainly don't pop. A couple of the songs ("This Time No One Gets Hurt," "All the Sheep Are Slain") are just too drab and draggy, creaky vocal or not. A solution is found on the muted "Gloom Away!" where the harmonies are sung almost in a whisper over simple strumming and a persistent, droning violin (or what sounds like one). It stresses the bands strength of easy, comfortable writing and an overall likeability.
I've always thought the idea of a person's love of pop music being diminished by the passage of time to be horribly cruel. That the responsibilities of adulthood must inevitably eclipse the simple joy of finding and creating new melodies is a detestable concept and should be resisted. Log fights the good fight and generally come out on top, and if the victory isn't a stunning one, it is heartening all the same.
Columbus Alive, September 1, 2004 issue, article by Stephen Slaybaugh:
Rollin' On -- With a decided lack of ambition, Log has succeeded by making great indie rock on its own terms.
For the past dozen years, Log has quietly churned out some of the most alluring music created within the confines of I-270. Not in keeping with the grunge-concurrent noise Columbus was known for when they got together in 1992 -- and with a sound informed by, but not derivative of, the Flying Nun Records bands like the Clean, Tall Dwarfs and Bats for which the members shared a liking -- they seemingly were going against the grain of local tastes.
But while most of their peers from those times have since dropped by the wayside, the unassuming band has persevered, largely as a result of doing things on their own terms. Log -- named after the fictitious toy featured in cult TV favorite Ren and Stimpy -- formed when Paul Nini teamed up with Shirley Tobias and Keith Dimoff (who were married, but have since broken up) and Kelly Knuth. Nini, who had previously played in the Househearts and Columbus stalwarts Great Plains, had recently moved back to town from Chicago and was looking for people with whom to play.
"We thought it was a great opportunity," Tobias says, "to be in a band with someone who could actually write songs. I was always a big music fan, but never had the opportunity to be in a band."
Tobias already knew how to play bass and Dimoff played guitar, but Knuth learned the drums to be in the group. Within a year they had played their first show and hooked up with Bela Koe-Krompecher of Anyway Records, who solicited a song for one of the label's Cowtown compilation 45s and released the band's first EP, Idiot Proof, in 1993.
But despite the group's quick development and the involvement of Columbus' premier record label, Log had modest aspirations. Nini had served his hard band time with Great Plains years earlier and wasn't looking to tour or exert the extra effort that trying to "make it" would require. Nor did he have the time.
"We didn't have any major plans," he explains. "We did play out of town -- we went to New York, Chicago, Cleveland and Cincinnati. But that was more because things presented themselves, not because we pursued them. When I moved back to town, my wife and I had just had our second kid. There were times when we would go play a show out of town and I had to hurry to get back because we had something going on at school."
The rest of the members similarly preferred to keep things low-key. "You have to have a lot more energy to push it," Tobias says. "We wanted to make good music and if people wanted to come listen to it, that's great. But we weren't doing it to impress the masses. We weren't worried about what was going to sell."
The band released its first full-length, Light Fuse and Get Away, in 1994 to the pleasure of the small group of fans they had garnered locally. Another EP, My Evil Friend, followed in 1996, but by that time Knuth had decided to quit Log. She was replaced by Greg Bonnell, best known for previously playing with the Naked Skinnies, Mark Eitzel's first band, and Paul's brother Chris was added to play keyboards.
Even with the changes, Log's collective attitude remained even-keeled. "It's always been sort of the same thing: We do it for fun and if we make a record, we hope to break even on it and that's pretty much it. It would be nice to be a little more ambitious, I suppose, but you have to give up a lot to do that," Nini says.
"A lot of people don't understand that," his brother adds. "They'll ask you, 'Why don't you tour or get on a major label?' And I'm like, 'Why?'"
The attitude translated to a relaxed approach towards recording as well. While the band continued to play out infrequently, it would be another three years before a sophomore album would appear. By this time, Anyway was dormant, just as the local music scene had also become fairly quiet. Nini opted to release the record himself, starting the Old 3C label (named after a highway that once connected Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati).
But even after seven years, Log still seemed out of place on the now disjointed Columbus music landscape. The jangly, propulsive sounds of Auto Fire Life surely didn't jibe with the bombast of Bob City, nor did it match up with the emotive indie rock that many newer bands were playing.
Log continued to stick to what it's always done, though, earning some good reviews in national publications while playing a show or two around town. By not overextending themselves, they were never disappointed when their efforts didn't bear fruit. Besides, the music they were making spoke for itself.
Now, five years later, Log has finally released its third record on Anyway, which is is up and running again. The album bears many of the Log hallmarks while also sounding a little more world-weary and contemplative. "The End of Print" expresses an obvious ode to printed works becoming anachronistic, while songs like "Hollywood Years" and "This Time No One Gets Hurt" convey a generally more languid mood.
"I'm a little older and I'm not rocking out like I used to," Nini admits. "It's probably got more of a reflective quality to it."
Where Auto Fire Life was recorded in a studio (John Schwab Recording), the band recorded Almighty themselves in their practice space with a digital recorder. Taking their time, they recorded it over the span of four years.
"It was really nice to do it that way -- to take your time and get exactly what you want," Nini says. "It takes a lot longer. If we didn't like something, we'd go back and remix it."
In many ways, the record's mellow mood is indicative of a band that's never aimed for popularity -- nor tried to be trendy -- as so many others have. Rather, they've simply busied themselves with the joy that comes from making exemplary music.
As for the future, unsurprisingly Log is noncommittal. Dimoff has less time for the band these days, but Nini has an album's worth of songs he wants the band to record. Whatever may be the course the band takes, it will undoubtedly be of its own accord.
"We do what we want to do," Nini says. "One of the things Bela said to me when we were getting ready to put this one out: 'I keep telling people as long as you have no expectations, it's going to be fine.' I don't have any expectations."
The Log Almighty Players (the band minus Bonnell and Dimoff) will play a benefit for MoveOn on September 17 at Andyman's Treehouse. Click to old3c.com for info.
Stylus Magazine, September 2004 issue, review by Jon Symons:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Ever wonder what happens when a professor, a consultant, a graphic designer and the director of an environmental council get together? Either they throw the crappiest party in the history of mankind or, if you're Log, you decide to form a rock band. Professor Paul Nini and the guys and gal in Log have been recording smart indie-rock for about ten years, taking time out of their day jobs to record their latest offering, Log Almighty. Reminiscent of The Feelies and early REM, Log Almighty is all about catchy hooks and poppy melodies. Vocally, Paul Nini and Shirley Tobias complement each other perfectly, and even when the album drifts into more subdued indie-folk tunes like "This Time No One Gets Hurt," Chris Nini's organ is always lurking around the corner, reminding us that soon the jams will be kicked out, or if not kicked out, knocked slightly askew. These are sharp, well-crafted tunes, and while Log Almighty won't blow you away, it's a hell of a lot better than most of the stuff guys half their age are doing, and doing every day of the year.
Car Audio Magazine, September 2004 issue, review by Douglas Adams:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Who says rock has to die before it gets old? Tell that to the Flaming Lips. Or fellow Midwesterners Log, whose Log Almighty release is one of the finest to fall into that four-letter category released this year. Never heard of Log? Neither had I. But they've been quitely creating pitch-perfect indie pop out in Ohio for the last 12 years (and quite a bit longer in other bands). Like Low, their sound is sublime, with alternating male and female vocals, and an emotional content that begs you to stop what you're doing and pay attention. But where Low is, well, low, Log is joyous and bouncy. They've been compared to The Go-Betweens, and they have an obvious yen for '80s bands like Husker Du, but they're never derivative. They're just great.
Skyscraper Magazine, issue #17, Autumn 2004, review by Doug Simpson:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Based on their name, this Ohio quintent isn't what you might expect. They're not some alt-country band reliving yesteryear, stuck in a rural vibe half Johnny Cash and half Neil Young. In fact, Log has a fondness for classic-sounding indie pop, like that by Don Dixon or Nick Lowe: a little bit of soul, rhythm and blues, and pure pop layered with world-weary -- but not resigned -- vocals (mostly by guitarist Paul Nini), quavering guitars, a few horns here and there. And lots of confidence: its obvious the members of Log know what they're doing and aren't afraid of showing affection for influences ranging from the Sixties to the Eighties. Log isn't re-inventing rock, but it's apparent the five friends have studied well, rehearsed long and are making records far better than lots of musicians playing similar material. "That's All" is one of many keepers, an upbeat rocker John Hiatt might have made a hit twenty years ago. "Clean Hands" is breezy but loose-limbed, with a killer melody. Bassist Shirley Tobias sings lead on "The End of Print," an ode to paper in the computer era, with a lyrical nod to The Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society" ("God save scandal sheets, movie starts in magazines/ God save comic books, newspapers and Dr. Suess"). It's a shame most people may never discover this gem, Log Almighty is worth searching out.
americana-uk.com, Winter 2005, review by Jeremy Searle:
Log, Log Almighty (Anyway/Old 3C)
Multi-faceted intelligent pop from veteran Ohioans. Log is a bit of an oddity in many ways. Ohio-based, they've been around for a decade or so, but are hardly prolific – their last album "Auto Fire Life" came out in 1999. All the members have "proper" jobs, notably songwriter and main man Paul Nini, who is a professor at Ohio State University, and bassist Shirley Tobias, who rejoices in the title of human factors and usability consultant, so Log are not constrained by having to earn a living through music, which gives them what must be a refreshing degree of musical freedom. Prior to Log they all had form in minor Eighties indie bands, and it's an Eighties indie pop sensibility that informs and underpins "Log Almighty," with hints of everything from the Buzzcocks to the Go- Betweens. Now, if that were all there was to it then it wouldn't be worth your time. But it isn't, not by a long chalk, and so it is. Yes, influences pop up all over the place, often from the unlikeliest of sources, and there is some fun to be had trying to spot them. But Log aren't mere magpies, they have a distinctive sound and musical take that is, to use an overused phrase, well nigh unclassifiable, and all the better for it. Opener "Hollywood Years" recalls early REM in places, while "The End Of Print" (an elegy to the computer driven decline of paper - clearly they’ve never worked in my office), is very Sixties in it's style – a touch of Ray Davies here and there - and "This Time No One Gets Hurt" has a melody is a homage to/blatant steal from (delete as you wish) from "Knocking on Heaven’s Door," and very good it is too. Elsewhere there are horns that could come from a Motown revue, Paul Nini's voice that is as world weary as any, plenty of jangle and, well, you get the idea. The best thing here though is definitely "Sad Cigarette," which somehow takes pretty much all of the above, adds some Byrds guitar, and fuses it all into as delightful a pop song as you'll hear in a month of Sundays. Towards the end the album tails away a bit into slightly more formulaic stuff, but overall this is great stuff and well worth adding to your collection.
Old
3C Digital Jukebox
One MP3 from each of our releases is provided here for your listening
pleasure. The files
have been kept small to download easily, and they're not as high-quality
as those you'd buy online, but you're welcome to keep them. We hope you
enjoy the songs, and please use the provided links to purchase our digital
releases. Thanks.
Play
Track 24 | "Revolver"
Vena Cava, self-titled CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 23 | "Pardon The Morning"
Mike
Hagen, The Ballad of Fungobat CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 22 | "Lonely Heart" (Peck
of Snide) Various Artists, Twenty One and Hungover CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 21 | "Seven Years"
Ron
House, Obsessed CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 20 | "20 or 30 People"
Ron
House, New Wave as the Next Guy CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 19 | "Internet is Just Bad Pot"
Thomas
Jefferson Slave Apartments, No Old Guy Lo Fi Cry CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 18 | "RnR Hall of Fame"
Thomas
Jefferson Slave Apartments, Bait and Switch CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 17 | "Bottle Island"
Thomas
Jefferson Slave Apartments, You Lookin' For Treble? CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 16 | "The Way She Runs a Fever" (Live, Pop
Shop, Cleveland, 1983)
Great Plains, Slaves to Rock N Roll CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 15 | "We Are Carloadbuyers"
The New Normal, The Sprightly Sounds of The New Normal CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 14 | "Pizza You"
Shades of Al Davis, Midwest Peace Talks Vols.1, 2 CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 13 | "Everyone Is Wrong"
Saint Paul & His Coalition of the Willing, Everyone Is Wrong CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 12 | "Radio City"
Fungobat, Greatest Hits Vol.1 CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 11 | "Still There's Hope"
Log, Logjammin' CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 10 | "Black Sox Scandal"
Great Plains, Live
at the Electric Banana, Pittsburgh, 1985 CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 09 | "Hollywood Years"
Log Almighty CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 08 | "Ahab's Leg"
Shades of Al Davis CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 07 | "My Evil Friend"
Log, The Early Years CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 06 | "Toward Picturesque"
Paul Nini, Life in These United States CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 05 | "No Beginning, No End"
Peck of Snide, Moot CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 04 | "Po Mo Fo PO Folks"
Great Plains, Cornflakes CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 03 | "Vague Uncertainties"
Paul Nini, The Mannerist Age CDR
iTunes
| eMusic
|
Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 02 | "Old 3C"
Great Plains, Length of Growth 1981-89,
2-CDR retrospective set
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Play
Track 01 | "Reference"
Log, Auto Fire Life CD
iTunes
| eMusic
| Amazon
MP3
Click here
to play the Columbus radio show that profiled the Log Almighty release.
How to purchase Old 3C downloads
Old 3C works with the good folks at IODA
to supply MP3s and other downloadable audio files to
a wide variety of on-line vendors, including Apple iTunes, eMusic,
and the Amazon
MP3 store. Please visit these vendors (or many others out there
in cyberspace) to get your legal download on. Viva la capitalism y'all.
