Leisure McCorkle, Selah: two good reasons to stick around Boone this autumn weekend

Ian Hutchinson Entertainment Beat

There are two good reasons to stay in Boone this Friday: Leisure McCorkle and Selah. Both bands will co-headline a show this Friday at Legends and Selah will release their new CD "Hoo Donna" at the show.

One thing that Selah and Leisure McCorkle have in common, aside from their unique musical styles, is that both groups have past and present Appalachian State University students in their ranks.

Lee McCorkle attended Appalachian between 1992 and 1994 and is a former DJ for WASU 90.5 FM.

Since leaving Appalachian, McCorkle started the band Leisure McCorkle and the band has toured relentlessly with bands such as Tonic, Ben Folds Five, Elliot Smith and Southern Culture on the Skids. Just in 2000 alone, Leisure McCorkle have played over 250 dates in support of their current album "American Ghetto Pop Machine."

Lee McCorkle recently spoke about touring and said that he enjoys playing his music for a living. Regarding touring, McCorkle commented, "[Touring] is wierd because you try to fit all of this stuff in one day, but you only spend a short time [in one place]."

If touring weren't enough, Lee McCorkle has a solo album in the works, titled ÒBeautiful,Ó which will be produced by John Thomas Giffith of Cowboy Mouth. Much like their current album, Leisure McCorkle are a literal pop machine in their music.

"American Ghetto Pop Machine" offers a broad variety of pop-rock elements such as catchy melodies, grinding rock guitars, bizarre drum loops and great acoustic songs like "If I Had My Way." Even if you haven't heard of the band, you may have heard Leisure McCorkle's music on MTV. Leisure's "If I Had My Way" appeared on a recent episode of "The Real World: New Orleans" and the song "Oxygen" appeared on "Road Rules."

Check out samples of the bandÕs music on the Internet at leisuremccorkle.com or wickedgroup.com Tickets for the Selah/Leisure McCorkle concert are $3 in advance and $4 at the door. Doors will open at 9 p.m.

There will be a BYOB 6-pack limit and ID will be required. The show is brought to you by A.P.P.S Club Shows. For more information call Legends at 262-3032.

Kara Hodge Entertainment Beat

Rarely in this day and age can a band redefine what good pop-rock sounds like. It's a new day with Mollys Yes.

Straight from the wheat fields of the Midwest, this Tulsa, Okla. based band has made radio success with their single "Sugar" and is sweeping the United States with its sound.

Mollys Yes (MY) takes its name from a chapter in a James Joyce novel. "Molly (a character in the novel) was enjoying life in a body sense and a romantic sense, and thatÕs what this band is all about," said lead vocalist and keyboardist Ed Goggin in a recent radio interview.

Besides front man Goggin, Mollys Yes is made up of Brad Mitchens on bass, Mac Ross on guitar and vocals, and Scott Taylor on drums. The band got together in the late 1990s after Mitchens, Ross and Taylor had been making a name for themselves in the Tulsa area. After bringing Goggin on and signing with Republic Records, MY was complete.

When asked what artists have influenced the band's sound, Goggin replied, "We all listen to absolutely different music Ñ and that's what makes a successful band." With influences like U2 and Peter Gabriel, one can see how the two Õ80s artists have turned to MY to sing about the same pop subjects they do.

But fun, life and romance are not the primary focus of the bandÕs sound and lyrics. "Wonderwall," their 12 track CD, is a mix of different themes, different sounds and a different take on the entire pop movement. Mixing Õ80s pop with sounds reminiscent of Jackopierce and the Freddy Jones Band, MY has created a new sound and a new vibe to the entire four-man band stereotype.

"Wonderworld," is an album full of songs composed of atmosphere, power, melody and instrumental invention. Although critics have called their stage concept as "sensory overload" with MTV style images and too many multi-media tactics, MY sticks to the pure love of music in the studio. Songs like "And She" and "Girlfriend" are emotionally based but their lyrics are brilliant.

Words like "Her vodka-tonic sweats with neglect / and she's dreamily humming a song I'll not likely forget" and "I'm in this amorous coma, begging you to pull the plug" are just a few examples that show the soft, poetic side of lyricist Goggin.

But wait, thereÕs more. "Fall Down," the first song on the CD, takes instrumentation to a new level. MY uses bagpipes in the beginning to thicken the sound. The distortion in the rest of the ballad compliments the feelings of the rest of the song Ñ ironic, crazy love based on an emotion thatÕs suggestive of an oxymoron. "Sugar," the radio hit that has even got Appalachian State UniversityÕs radio station WASU 90.5 spinning it, has pulled together a typical pop-rock love song and revamped it to the point that you can't stop humming the tune under your breath.

The good stuff: The sound and lyrics are mostly solid and Goggin's voice is sensual, throaty and rough.

Taylor keeps the band grounded with his talent on drums and guitar rifts. The not-so-good-stuff: MY is a good mix of soft and hard rock, but seems to be afraid to push either side to the extreme.

They have the potential to go to the big-time (think MTV) if they ventured out a little on their instrumentation.

Mollys Yes is a band worth paying attention to. They're talented, fun, young and just plain good at what they do. Go buy "Wonderworld." You won't regret it.