Formula 5 is one of those hidden gems hidden within our borders of Upstate New York. The band generally calls Albany, and the surrounding area, home and has been lighting up that scene for a couple of years now. The band’s latest offering, Edging on Catastrophe, is the follow-up to their self-titled debut album that was released last year. From their debut to their sophomore release, the band has grown tremendously in their cohesiveness and general song writing capabilities. The new album as a whole spans many genres, yet keeps a tight flow between songs as they sonically weave their way in and out of each style. Throughout this album, you can hear the guys touch on funk, bluegrass, jam, electronica, blues, reggae, and many others, all while keeping a general theme throughout. The four-piece has developed their identity and this album really shows their comfort within that while still stretching into untouched areas.
The first song that grabbed my attention was “Pedro,” which really showcases guitarist Joe Davis’ skills as he leads the band melodically through this piece. This song illustrates another thing the band does well, which is understanding how far to push a jam. The guys have a great feel for how much is just right and your ears are continuously treated to that balance on this song and throughout the album. The band lays down a solid backing through the first few minutes of the song with a catchy little guitar riff and a chorus that opens up and allows the band to stretch out. As the song progresses, it continually picks up steam until around four minutes in when the band takes it over for some exploratory jamming. Their choices for both the effects on their instruments and overall ambient sound is spot on, providing a perfect and slow-rolling current for keyboardist Mike McDonald to show his skills while trading off with Joe Davis’ riffing. The closing minute of the song swells before relaxing and jumping back into the chorus, bringing it back full-circle and resolving the built-up tension.
My favorite song on the album immediately follows “Pedro” and is appropriately titled “Ride.” The song starts with some ominous keyboard chords before the bass and drums jump in, giving it an STS9-like feel right from the get go. The vocals and instrumentation on this song are layered perfectly and combine for a haunting and transfixing composition. The verses of this song remind me of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World” and has the same internal pull that evokes raw emotion. The second guitar solo that starts around the four-and-a-half-minute mark comes out of nowhere as, leading up to this point, the song was still mellow and relaxed. The driving nature of the band combined with Davis’ playing launches you from the ground and into the outer atmosphere. He makes beautiful lines through the chord progressions and really adds color to the overall song before it slows down again, tucking away into this beautiful environment of ambient tones that’s both driving and relaxing at the same time. At around the eight-minute mark, you can hear a little Paul Simon “You Can Call Me Al” flavor from the keys before the band begins the haunting swell that closes the song. As the pace climbs, notes are blurred together and the beat continues to escalate before they drop you on your face, leaving you wondering where the ride left off.
Throughout the rest of the album, the band does a tremendous job of really engaging the listener with a wide array of music styles, terrific lyrics, and overall top-notch musicianship. If you want a snippet of how talented these guys truly are, take a listen to “Timmy’s Dream,” as the minute-long jam really shows how polished their sound has become in their short existence. I will be the first to admit that I haven’t had the time to check these guys out up until now and I now fully regret that decision. It’s baffling to me how such a young band could put out an album of this caliber; whatever the formula is, it’s dialed in right with these guys and other bands need to take note. Edging on Catastrophe is edging on being the catalyst to a very successful future.
Key Tracks: Pedro, Ride, Nu-Gen
Sprinkled into this album are various musical styles including bluegrass, folk, funk, reggae, and electronica, among others. This album incorporates a more cohesive feel with each track thoughtfully blending into the next through the use of re-occurring melodies and lyrical themes throughout. The appearance of acoustic guitar, violin, saxophone, trombone, an increased use of synthesizers, instrument and studio effects provide for a more polished final product. Guitarist and songwriter Joe Davis echoed this sentiment. “I’m really excited for people to hear the growth we’ve had over the last year. I feel this album is much more complete than our last and I think that will be clear right from the very first track. We explored a lot of new territory this time around in the studio and I’m extremely pleased with our effort.”
Fresh from his 2013 Grammy wins for “Best Jazz Instrumental Solo,” and “Best Jazz Instrumental Album”, Chick Corea will put his five decades of unparalleled creativity and vibrancy on full display in a rare solo piano performance at The College of Saint Rose in Albany.
Birds of Chicago opened the night with a six song set of folk-country that was mellow yet had a steady beat. Performing for the first time in Albany, Allison Russell sang with a June Carter-esque voice and vibe, playing banjo and clarinet on “Wild Horses”. Making jokes about her heritage (Scottish-Grenadian-Canadian) and nodding to her husband JT Nero (who has an incredible range in his voice) who is also Scottish, noted that this only complicates their daughter’s extensive heterogeneous background even more. “Sans Souci”, a pre-zydeco French influenced tune was a highlight of the set, and with the guitarist using his pedal with a gentle touch, he carefully poured each note out carefully, turning what may have been a 45’ speed song to that of a 33’. The finale, “Fever” gave the audience a fake-out, where an initially chill and happy song turned into a foot-stomping rager. A perfect complement to the main act this evening, Birds of Chicago stood out with a sound that was as unique as their band members.
Taking the stage quickly after Assortment of Crayons, The Jauntee started with “I Wanna Love You > J.M.O”, the latter of which was short and goofy, always a plus when a band doesn’t take the music too serious. “Mr. Murderin’ Man” had some early jam potential that built up with hypnotic guitar and keys, to the point where it was hard to tell which instrument was making what sound. Beck’s “Devil’s Haircut” wedged inside what later turned out to be the not-always-jammed “Gravity of Thought” was impressive, not just for matching the complexity of the Beck song, but putting a little twist on the song, dropping it down a tempo to create a signature sound. “My Shadow” had a dash of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” inside, an example of great band chemistry on stage – even when bassist John Loland bolted off the stage for the bathroom, the other three never missed a beat, and he was back on stage a half a minute later to fall right back into place. Impressive, but another show or two might convince me further. The Jauntee are certainly talented musicians and put on an impressive show; I’d expect their festival appearances this summer raise their bar even higher, for they are still young but the talent is already apparent to many, including myself.