Deasy's 'Normal' year

Bill Deasy's last effort was one of those lonely sounding acoustic records with his typically thoughtful and vivid songwriting and soothing vocals.

A year later, the songwriting is still poetic and precise, but he fires up the electric guitars a bit more on the 11-song "Being Normal."

"I didn't exactly know that I was looking to do that, but in hindsight I see that I was," Deasy says. "I also felt, maybe because of how fun the band shows were feeling, like I rediscovered my rock band voice. As I started bringing in songs like 'No One Try and Talk Me Down' and 'Traces of You' it just felt like it was time to make some noise."

Deasy didn't even intend to have a new record so soon after "A Different Kind of World," not to mention his side project Thomas Jefferson's Aeroplane, but, he says, "This one came unexpectedly ... and easily. Not only did a group of songs seem to emerge out of thin air, but my band just suddenly felt like it was reaching a new level of tightness or power or something and that we had to record right that instant."

A few of the songs are bolstered by the vocals of Laura Shay. "Laura and I met at a gig near Philadelphia in July of 2007 and have been friends ever since. We often do shows in her neck of the woods together, and she has opened for me here a few times. She is a seriously talented songwriter and performer and we've kind of adopted her as a part-time member of the band."

Deasy's productive year didn't end with just a new record. He's also delivered his second novel, a mystery called "Traveling Clothes." How did he squeeze all this in?

"I just kind of get tunnel vision when I sense that I've started something worth finishing. And I actually first had the idea for 'Traveling Clothes' a long time ago ... in the late 1990s. 'Traveling Clothes' is much less autobiographical than the first one was -- though it takes place in a town based on Oakmont -- called 'Fairmont' in the book. 'Ransom Seaborn' was a coming-of-age thing while 'Traveling Clothes' is kind of a cross between a Dennis Lehane murder mystery and a Richard Russo character study -- if that makes any sense."

The CD release party for "Being Normal" is Saturday at 9 p.m. at Altar Bar with Maddi Georgi.

Hustling again

Pittsburgh funk-rockers The Boogie Hustlers release their third album having recently maneuvered through a wave of personnel shifts.

Lead singer Vince Wylie left for a while to pursue a solo project and is now back in the fold. Saxophonist Reggie Watkins has been off touring with Jason Mraz, leaving the Hustlers mostly hornless for time being. The band also added two new members in keyboardist Denny Karl and percussionist/singer Scott Jamison (drummer Dave's brother).

"[Scott's] addition allowed for more focus on vocals and especially vocal harmonies," says guitarist Ryan Meals. "Sean [Rig] and Vince continue to write great lyrics, and they are delivered better than ever with three singers. The band is a 'band' again in the true sense of the word. The guys in the group have made a collective shift in what we've been listening to, perhaps unintentional, but it is reflected in the sound of this album. It still sounds like the Boogie Hustlers for sure, to the point that we chose 'Boogie Hustlers' for the album name."

Meals acknowledges that Wylie's return was a huge lift. "Having Vince back solved the band's identity problem that it may have temporarily developed when he left. It taught us to break everything back down and rely only on ourselves. When Vince returned, we built on that approach."

The Hustlers third album was recorded at the Mojo Boneyard in McKeesport with engineer Jeff Ingersoll attempting to capture the band's live energy.

"A lot of the tracks are mostly what we recorded live in the studio," Meals says. "Definitely less layering and overdubbing than at points in the past. No ProTools, no click track. So, not only was it an old school recording approach, but everybody had a hand in the recording. We were at the studio together, editing and mixing together, working toward a common goal. We made the record in less than eight weeks from start to finish, so maybe it has a live sound by default: We didn't allow ourselves time to overproduce it."

One of the oddities of the Hustlers is that four of the members actually juggle their time in the progressive rock group Mandrake Project.

"It's the rhythm section of guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards that share bands. One night we'll be playing a Boogie Hustlers gig, the next we'll be rehearsing Mandrake music. We've been playing together for several years, so it's comfortable to be surrounded by the same players but in wildly different musical settings. We're as closely intertwined as two totally contrasting original groups can be."

The release party is Saturday at the Rex Theatre on the South Side with Backstabbing Good People and Ben Alper.

Ghost rises again

Four Barrel Ghost -- progenitors of cowpunk, twang-punk, whatever you care to call it -- broke up in 2008 after a six-run and just before the release of its second album, which was actually finished and ready to go.

Now, guitarist Stevie Tomahawk has rejoined Klavin Black, Addicus Finch and Chombie and "Black Water White Lightning" will finally see the light of day.

The reunion/CD release show is Saturday at 10 p.m. at the 31st Street Pub with Seven Years War and Iron Crown. Admission is $5.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.