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Roger Klug was last seen in these pages! |
GETTING A KLUG A rare occurrence it is when a singer/ songwriter displays an unerring knack for marrying maddeningly catchy pop sensibilities with wonderfully wry life observations. It's rarer still to discover such a talented artist who combines that gift with some of most gut-wrenching and exhilarating guitar playing around. Yet Roger Klug joyfully defied the odds March 28 at the Barrelhouse (22 E. 12th St., Cincinnati). The slender Cincinnati resident seamlessly melded Hendrix-like leads with hummable refrains for more than two hours. Klug, with three CDs to his credit, is scheduled to open today for Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans at the Southgate House in Newport, Ky. ---Dayton Daily News (Dayton, OH) |
Toxic And 15 Other Love Songs (Mental Giant), is
superb. Klug masterfully attacks all his instruments with gusto and comes up with
songs of immense charm and complexity, lyrically, smart-arsed and sharp. Add to
this the fact that Klug is possibly the most blazingly lethal guitarist alive and you have
a breathless mix that can't be beaten. |
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He's a mad scientist
turned mad musician/ songwriter/studio guru. He's the man of a million
thoughts -- sometimes all of them smashed into a four minute song. On TOXIC
AND 15 OTHER LOVE SONGS the listener is sometimes overwhelmed at this
Cincinnati man's scope in which he works, but gladly chip away at the
multi-layered structures to get to the sugar-coated center that almost every
pop-rock candy piece contains. --- Cleveland Scene |
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![]() Roger in good company!!! WNKU is hands-down the best radio station for music in the Cincy area. |
What an awesome
surprise this disc is! Roger Klug writes tunes like an Elvis Costello
and produces like a Todd Rundgren. On Toxic And 15 Other
Love Songs, Klug runs the gamut from pop/rock to acoustic swing, while wrapping it
all up with humor and wit. --- Virtually Alternative |
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If ideas were
clothing, the suitcase of Klug's brilliance wouldn't close. Not that this
album is overpacked or anything -- it's just that Klug gets a handle on the kind of power
pop that folds the pain and beauty of love into one artistic statement. Anyone who
can create an image like "angels in their bras" has the sort of devilishly
clever talent that's harder to find than a pitchfork in a cathedral. ---Jordan Oakes, Popsided |
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In short, this is a rare gem of a disc that's as inventive musically as it is lyrically. For all of his smarty pants intentions, Roger Klug still manges to invest Toxic with all sorts of cool little twists and turns that make it a minor classic. --- John M. Borack | ||||||||||
I know I feel better about nearly everything if
this glorious pop confectionery-esque candy sampler is playing in the foreground,
background or on the battlefield of life. There have been a lot of great pop albums
released in the last couple of years, but not many that are as overly satisfying as Toxic.
There's something for everyone here -- something grand, something infectious, something
you need even if you didn't know it until now. --- Alan Haber's Pure Pop |
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On his second self-produced
CD, terminal romantic Roger Klug deals with love in a wide variety of guises. In the
title song, a relationship gets compared to various forms of chemical waste.
"Nothing Better" is the optimistic side of the coin, "I've tasted
Haagen-Dazs, seen angels in their bras. Nothing is better than love." |
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Cincinnati-based singer/songwriter Roger Klug has made his mark on
the local music scene, not with a flashy stage show or major label record deals, but with
great, unforgettable Pop songs. With two top notch CDs under his belt, Toxic
and 15 Other Love Songs and his debut Mama, Mama, Ich bin in dem
La La Land, Klug has emerged as one of the leading purveyors of quality
songcraft, celebrating the power of the Pop song with each note he plays. Live, with
his more than capable power trio, Klug runs through songs from both of his albums, making
for a most enjoyable cavalcade of unbeatable hooks with a Rock candy center.
---CityBeat |
First impressions are always important & the first impression I've gotten
about Roger Klug's music is that it's quite amazing & deserves all the
attention it can get. His US label sent 2 of his albums for review & I'm
sure as hell glad they did. There's an astounding number of great songs
here, with the first album being more on the conventional side of things,
the second being a real evolution of sounds...this is indeed essential
listening.![]() hEARd (Australia) click for entire review |
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ROGER KLUG Mama, Mama, Ich bin in dem La La Land Out of nowhere (Cincinnati, actually) comes the mighty Roger Klug with a full length CD on which he plays everything, and what a monster he's created. Breathlessly rocking over an eclectic and inventive set of great songs, Klug sounds like he's having fun all the way. Lyrically he's clever and amusing, the highlight being "About Your Cat," a majestic sweeping number about accidentally running over his girlfriend's pet, that is neither silly or mawkish but profound and recognisably touching. The playing and arrangements are exciting throughout -- rock'n'roll with intellect. He even plays the drums like he means it. Best of all is the guitar work, played like he's getting through a set of asbestos marigolds with every gut wrenching ear drum searing solo. It all seems out of control but you know that ultimately Klug has mastery over La La Land. It's fun, but it's fun with depth. A rewarding and substantial body of work, that's well worth tracking down. --- Mick Dillingham, Bucketfull of Brains |
Toxic is the
year's top local release so far, with an addictive catchiness that should
easily usher in a fervent national audience for the local singer/songwriter.
Klug's songs are as exquisitely arranged as the best Joe Jackson song, and
Klug never writes lazily, instead piecing together extravagant song
structures with unforgettable melodies. With an almost '80's like edge
(in a good way, mind you), Klug's music is as endearing as current
buzz-mongers Ben Folds Five, but without the burden of lugging a big piano
around. --- Mike Breen, CityBeat |
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Former
Willies guitarist goes solo on this CD, which houses seventeen songs of
bright pop rock (fans of the psychodots would love this stuff). Klug
admits he's in la la land, my personal favorite place to travel, so I can't
help but like him. This is honest rock, engineered without concern for
trends. Klug writes organic songs that center around sometimes unusual
subjects, but always showcases focused, solid musicianship. --- Amy McDonald, Everybody's News |
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![]() Not Lame Recordings and Executive Producer Doug Powell did a fine job of bringing an eclectic group of artists, famous and not so famous, to play and pay their accolades to one of pop's finest songwriters...the most victorious ones are accomplished by adding some attitude that gives Lynne’s composition a little extra muscle. Best places to find this experimentation can be found on Pat Buchanan’s “Rockaria!”, The Swag’s “Don’t Bring Me Down”, The Shazam’s “Twilight” and Roger Klug’s “Turn To Stone”. --- www.hardrockhaven.net |
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Roger Klug turns in a great guitar-driven cover of “Turn To
Stone” that would make Jeff Lynne smile proudly. |
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Let's roll the highlight reel - Roger Klug totally rocks out on "Turn to
Stone". |
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Turn
To Stone - Roger Klug: my choice for best of disc 2. Roger turns the song on
its ear...simply great!!! ---The Move "Useless Information" List |
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