NYS Music 20​15

Category: Album Reviews

  • Hearing Aide: Tim Herron ‘Sentimental Blues’

    Tim Herron, a noteworthy musician in the Upstate New York area, blends folk, blues and hints of country on his latest album Sentimental Blues. The album might suit the listener for both a porch rockin’, lazy afternoon or a night spent home alone pondering where life will take you next. The music can feel as easy as the summer breeze, though lyrically it challenges questions of self-worth, life’s moments of repetition, as well as finding solace at the bottom of a bottle.

    Tim Herron Sentimental Blues“Conversations” is an immediate attention grabber, with an easy-listening aesthetic perfect for a day spent driving around town. “Building An Army” takes a political stance towards the military functioning and possibly interfering in children’s educational systems—something that Herron is clearly not a fan of. It’s a stance towards freedom of choice and accepting that children usually might not know what they want to do when they grow up at such a young age—making it easier for the high military powers of the country to suck them in to something they really might not want to do.

    In the second track “Hate To See Them Go” Herron copes with a bad day and notes how all the shuffling around can get him down, while having to say goodbye to those he hates to see go. It’s a heartfelt expression of loss and confusion of place, which propels the listener to question their own troubles, while finding comfort in the breaks of lead guitar that smoothly soar with the rhythm guitar in a clash of melodies.

    Later on in the second half of the album, Herron explores the darker aspects of life with “Wanting Isn’t Needing” and “As You Were Young.” “Wanting Isn’t Needing” acknowledges that everyone suffers and that although life isn’t always easy, there’s a difference between truly needing something versus simply wanting. The song has beautiful string melodies in between verses of vocals that echo vast country land.

    “As You Were Young” tells of a young death coming on a cold fog night. The song tries to accept that everything we love will eventually leave us, and those left standing must find ways to deal with past love and lovely times that can haunt through your present nostalgia. It seems that Herron has found his cure, and that for him is through the relatable and limitless expression that maybe only music can offer.

    Key Tracks: Conversations, Sentimental Blues, Hate To See Them Go

    Listen Here: Tim Herron Website

  • Hearing Aide: Swampcandy’s ‘Swampcandy Land’

    The band Swampcandy truly lives up to its name, with its music being like candy to your ears. It’s hard to believe that this band consists of just two musicians, Ruben Dobbs on guitar and Joey Mitchell on bass, as they manage to fill up a huge amount of musical space between the two of them. From self-taught Dobbs to university-trained Mitchell, one is the yin to the other’s yang, balancing each other out in the most seamless way imaginable. Their latest album Swampcandy Land has a somewhat distant quality to it, giving the listener a sense that it could have been recorded several decades ago in an old saloon or at a barn dance. You really feel like you’re sitting right there next to the musicians as they are playing each one of their unique jaw-dropping songs.

    Combining a fun element with the otherwise somber genre of Mississippi Delta Blues, this band’s latest album Swampcandy Land has a way of working its way into your brain from the first listen. It’s going to be a challenge to gets these songs out of your head, especially “If I Die With My Eyes Open,” which has both infectious lyrics and a riff that is just repetitive enough to get stuck in your head without it being annoying. Adding to the driving beat present throughout the album is Mitchell’s impressive ability to simultaneously play the bass and the kick drum, on which he effectively mimics the sound of a full drum kit. “Drink Whiskey With Me” adds a jazzier, almost klezmer-like, element to the album, featuring a full-on brass section. Getting a little more psychedelic on “Positive Drinking,” somewhat bluegrassy on “Love in My Veins,” and classical and folky at the same time on “Good Day,” Swampcandy sure provided something to please everyone. Dobbs’s voice, though, is perhaps the most striking aspect of the band, covering a wide range of notes with an amazing amount of energy and soul evident in each and every one.

    Touring pretty relentlessly last year, playing more than 250 shows throughout the U.S. and the U.K., Swampcandy has deservedly been gaining numerous honors in recent years, having won the 2014 Floydfest “On the Rise” competition and Radio Flag’s Radio Star Award for “Best Artist Fall 2014,” to name just a few. Judging by their latest album, it is easy to see why these awards have been bestowed upon them. Hosting a CD release party on May 22 in Annapolis, MD (with Upstate NY’s very own Blind Owl Band opening up for them), the band will be touring aggressively throughout the rest of the summer, including a stop at The Waterhole in Saranac Lake on August 13, which will definitely be a show not to miss if you happen to be in the area.

    If you’re looking for an album with heartfelt lyrics, a pure classic bluesy oldtimey sound, and songs that you won’t mind humming along to all day, then Swampcandy Land is one that you’ll undoubtedly want to add to your collection. Be sure to pick up a copy when it comes out on June 1, and you will get the added bonus of a fun board game to go along with the album. These guys are creative geniuses.

    Key Tracks: “If I Die With My Eyes Open,” “Drink Whiskey With Me,” “Swampcandy Land”

  • Hearing Aide: Faith No More “Sol Invictus”

    Faith No More has released what is not only comeback of the year, this album so far, is album of the year, speaking of, Sol Invictus makes the first time Faith No More released anything since 1997’s Album Of The Year. Also, this is the first time the band released an album via Reclamation Recordings. What makes this band so fascinating to so many fans of metal is their unpredictability, and the fact they have never released the same album twice. This album is no exception.

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    Sol Invictus (which means Latin for Unconquered Sun) starts off with the title track. It begins with a beautiful keyboard track from Roddy Bottum over Mike Bordin’s precision drumming. Once you hear that crazy voice of Mike Patton …BOOM! You know that it’s a Faith No More record. The album immediately goes into “Superhero” which may be my favorite song because it’s a fun, groovy, and heavy track with very catchy keyboards blended so nicely into the overall track. Then the satire track “Sunny Side Up” lightens the mood of that album.

    “Separation Anxiety” goes polar opposite of the previous track and it begins with a killer bass and drum rhythm that leads to a gloomy and dark atmospheric tone that makes this track a real stand out. Sol Invictus wouldn’t be a Faith No More album without some kind of unpredictable and strange track that makes you scratch you head a little bit and make you think “WTF?” and that track would be the fifth song on the album “Cone Of Shame” because I don’t know what the fuck this track is. The album goes into another strange track but this time you get a really get an awesome range of Patton’s vocals on “Rise Of The Fall” and guitarist Jon Hudson really shines on “Black Friday.”

    Going into the tail end of the album, the hilarious but awesome track “Motherfucker” will be playing over and over in your head for days to come. Patton delivers another grand vocal performance on “Matador” before the album ends with “From The Dead” which is an appropriate ending because its upbeat song. Overall, Faith No More delivered a grand and deep album that takes you on an unpredicatable and enjoyable ride. Bassist Billy Gould wrote most of the music on this album as well as produced this masterpiece.   With lots of touring ahead, we can only hope that this is just the beginning for the revamped Faith No More. I highly recommend this purchase. You can buy Sol Invictus here.

    Key Tracks: “Superhero,” “Separation Anxiety,” “Motherfucker,” “From The Dead”

  • Hearing Aide: ShwizZ ‘My Good Side/My Bad Side’

    ShwizZ‘s bad side is better than most bands’ best sides. Hell, I think their bad side is better than their own good. Listening to the NYC-based band’s new double-album release, My Good Side/ My Bad Side for the first time, I couldn’t help but wait to listen to it again.

    The first listen was to satiate my thirst; once I hit play, I devoured both albums. The second time through was for pleasure; minute intricacies revealed themselves around each corner of the compilation and lead to aural ecstasy.

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    Praise should be dealt out in heaps for this production. Aptly titled tunes feature deftly mastered compositions and perfectionist attention to detail. “Annie Pt. 1,” on My Bad Side, is a beautifully somber song with Pink Floyd’esque roots that later flow into the intro of Part 2, which evolves into a ShwizZy glory jam. Meanwhile, throughout the Bad Side, a shadow of Umphrey’s McGee’s primordial beast surfaces again and again—listen to the breakdown in “Orange Wreck” or the Prowler-like pick-me-up to “Doorbell”. That jam turns video-gamey in a “I just double-fisted the 1-up green mushroom and power-up red mushroom” kind of way. Dream Theater’s keyboardist Jordan Rudess cameos on My Good Side’s “Duggan,” but Dream Theater’s influences are just as evident in My Bad Side‘s “The Zone.”

    ShwizZ’s Good Side aptly demonstrates the band’s diversity. The double-set’s eleventh track, “Number Twelve” is simply put, an incredible rock song. It features heavy shredding, great transitions, and immaculate composition. “What Does This Mean” may be the most palatable tune of the bunch. Tight verses, heavy breakdowns, and furious instrumentation are supplemented by the relatable, sing-along’able chorus. Like both albums, this tune’s ebb and flow will leave you feeling insatiated; the only thing that would make it better is more.

    It’s hard to define ShwizZ’s genre. “Slow Down” is a groovy funk-fest that evolves into a percussion-infused jazz odyssey. “Orange Wreck” features a section of tango and they literally “Summon the Fawn” with an orchestral masterpiece early on in My Good Side. The guitar, bass, drums, keys, sax, even triangle are all highlighted throughout the albums; everyone gets their shot and plays their part. They shift seamlessly between sexy grooves and grueling shafts. At times I sat still, enthralled by each note, captivated and wondering what was next. Other times, my shoulders began shaking as the vibrations ignited involuntary one-man dance parties.

    Once in a while you listen to a new album from a rising artist and know they’re the real deal (Tauk’s Collisions comes to mind). Add ShwizZ’s My Good Side/My Bad Side to that list. They were a blip on my radar before, but now ShwizZ is squarely on the map. I love to say I told you so when I say, “these guys are here to stay.”

    Keytracks: Orange Wreck, What Does This Mean, Duggan

    The official album release party will be held on Saturday May 16 at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, New York.

  • Hearing Aide: The Pandemics ‘Hard Headed’ EP

    The PandemicsThe Pandemics just released a new EP called Hard Headed. This band of musicians is a relatively new force in New York. Debuting in 2010 and having previously released another EP and an album, The Pandemics are an eight piece band spreading through New York State with a recognizably robust sound.  The sounds of trumpets and drums open up the EP with an initial jam that is slower and one of the key songs on the EP to check out. The second song to be check out is “Change Your Mind.” This song is a head full of upbeat punk music with sarcastic humor on one shoulder and the combination of bad words on the other shoulder.

    “Stop and Get Frisky” is a very relevant tune. This number is all about police violence. This past year the murder of Mike Brown and Eric Garner as well as other murders received a lot of well deserved attention and sparked a movement called Black Lives Matter.  Cops are recurring themes in Ska and punk music, however, the lyrics in “Stop and Get Frisky,” – “The stopping for white is nearly six times for blacks,” make it clear that the song is specifically addressing the issue of racial profiling.

    The Pandemics are bringing up important issues of police profiling in their new EP Hard Headed. Check it out and catch The Pandemics on tour in New York State this summer! 

    Key Tracks: Change Your Mind, Stop and Get Frisky

  • Hearing Aide: The McLovins ‘Beautiful Lights’ and ‘Funk No. Uno EP’

    New lineup, expanded sound, refined digs. 2014 was a big year for Hartford-based jam band The McLovins, releasing their fourth full length studio album Beautiful Lights earlier in the year, with a CD release party at Garcia’s shortly after. A coming-of-age album for The McLovins, Beautiful Lights gives us sounds that are an entry into the mid-leagues of regional jam bands with followings in various reaches of the country. To top off Beautiful Lights, The McLovins have released a funky four-song EP this past summer, Funk No. Uno.

    mclovins beautiful lightsThe McLovins had already released three full-length albums prior to Beautiful Lights, which are good listens and made for awesome live sets but were largely based off the jam-and-shred platform which made for a better live presentation. On their newest full-length album, the band steeped the tea for just the right amount of time and built off their foundation to refine their sound and focus on the songwriting aspect. One of the great things The McLovins have demonstrated with this album is their ability to write and record a solid four to six minute studio track that can render into a longer jam when performed live.

    After guitarist Jeff Howard left the band in late 2011, founding members Jake Huffman (drums, vocals) and Jason Ott (bass) welcomed Justin Berger on guitar and added Atticus Kelly on keys. Not only did the urge to record new material fall into place after that, according to Huffman, but the change-up also brought in some new ideas and influences which possibly drove some of the tighter song structure we see on Beautiful Lights.

    With twelve songs totaling a little more than what would fit on a typical LP record, the album is laid out in a way that gives it that feel of an A and B side. As far as influences, Jake Huffman attributes them in two takes, which shapes that album-side feel. Huffman told NYS Music, “There are two different vibes, this really old school Grateful Dead-y type sound, and then you have this other type of sound like Lotus or Disco Biscuits. The first half of the album and the second half of the album have two totally different types of vibes.”

    The difference is pretty clear too, listening to the album from start to finish. The first five tracks fit well with a summer party groove and the flip side renders, for the most part, an Americana-rock experience. Several of The McLovins’ influences shine through as well with occasional Trey Anastasio style licks that sing, soar and don’t snore and other throwbacks to The Band (particularly on “Yankee Rose”) and The Grateful Dead, with a very brief, maybe accidental, tease of the start of a verse from “St. Stephen” on “Shivers.”

    mclovins beautiful lightsInstrumentals can sometimes make or break a record, or might just be there like too much water added to a can of condensed soup. The title track and only instrumental track off Beautiful Lights particularly caught our attention. A cohesive, open-to-interpretation instrumental, this song is in some ways like an aural Rorschach test. Dim the lights, close your eyes and let it take you to your city’s evening star-lit overlook or in a sunny field running toward the next big thing on your horizon. If the jam band world had its version of “Eye of the Tiger” it would be this song. Paired with the following a capella tune “Cold Cold Iron” these two songs jet up as the divider between the two halves of the album.

    The Funk No. Uno EP also marks a new strut for the McLovins. It is, after all, only an EP but features four tracks built off their native style blended and molded with an added horn section and heavy influences of jazz, fusion, R&B and plenty of funk. Unlike the complete 360 in sound Mumford & Sons pulled on their latest Wilder Mind, the sounds of Funk No. Uno are like a side of sriracha to kick up the main course – there’s no ditching the old here. It would certainly be awesome to hear more of this from the band down the road.

    Beautiful Lights and Funk No. Uno are a far cry from a disappointment to the ears and worth adding to your library. If you’re not familiar with The McLovins, we’d suggest checking out their earlier releases and bootleg soundboard/live recordings as well.

    Key Tracks: Beautiful Lights, Yankee Rose, Birthday

  • Hearing Aide: Lucid ‘Dirt’

    Lucid’s newest release, Dirt, could not be released at a more ideal time. As we emerge from a winter that destroyed many of our spirits, to warm weather that has seemed like a great reward in recent weeks, this is the perfect soundtrack. This north country sextet, from Plattsburgh, NY, brings a smooth blend of jazz, reggae, soul-filled rock with tastes of different flavors of world music together on a record that shines with overwhelming positive hope and all around feel-good vibes. This will surely be the summertime soundtrack to many sunrises, afternoons in the outdoors with a cold beverage and warm nights fireside with friends.

    The opening track “Cuerpo” is warm and inviting, a perfect start to the album. With beautiful harmonies from not only the voices of Lucid but a guest female voice as well. This song feels a bit lighter for the band as it’s soothing and beautiful with only small hints of the horns that will fill the rest of the album. A great introduction to what is going to be a ride through genres and styles that feels as good as sipping a cup of coffee on a north country morning with a mountain view.

    From there the album kicks up the tempo a bit, reminding us why Lucid has been found on so many festival lineups throughout the past few years, they know how to get people moving. On the fourth track “Skippin’,” an uplifting song with great grooves accented by saxophone lines in all the right places, they sing such memorable lines in the chorus’ that you’ll be singing along by the song’s end. These guys can jam in a live setting but on record the longer tracks are just long enough. They move along to a new sound and a new track when the time is right, likely keeping those less accustomed to extended songs feeling good without getting bored. Though you will likely get lost in many of these tracks and feel an appreciation for Lucid’s musicianship and message, giving you time to appreciate the sounds and also your surroundings. As mentioned before, this is truly a perfect soundtrack for this hot spring that Upstate NY is enjoying right now. Some of the songs have a strong island feel and who doesn’t want that when sitting lakeside, or cruising around with the windows down a summer day?

    The only downside to the record is perhaps a song or two where lyrics get a bit repetitive, or a part is carried on only just a bit too long. Even on the third track “People” when the words may lean a bit cheesy. They do it in a way that is quirky and and adorable, think a troop of Muppets jamming out, heads bobbing along. This is a band that knows how to make a listener smile. Especially on goofy interludes where they find themselves in a mess of clucking chickens, yes, that’s a real thing on this album, and it’s a perfect reminder that even with a sometimes more thoughtful message that this band never takes themselves too seriously for their own good.

    Later in the album they incorporate a bit of blues harmonica on “Break A Man,” that is followed by big soulful vocals. Then the harmonica drops out, letting the keys and saxophone take charge with melodies that dance with one another,  this is a track that will surely bring on hoots and howls in the live setting. Throughout the record the combination of smooth yet strong vocal harmonies, great musicianship and their ability to sway from style to style so naturally makes this a great listen start to finish. Lucid has been doing what they do for years, and it shows, growing their sound from the dirt up to places that are inspirational, uplifting, and also all around feel-good fun.

    Bottom line, get this album as soon as you can and it will naturally weave itself into the fabric of your summer.

    Key tracks: “Skippin’” “Psychedelic Circus” “Simmer on Down”

    For tour dates and information on the album’s release, follow Lucid online at: rulucid.com and facebook.com/RuLucid

  • Hearing Aide: Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers ‘Almost There’

    Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers recently released his fifth album, “Almost There” and quickly garnered the 2015 SAMMY Award for Best Americana recording to his list of accomplishments. They’ll be celebrating the SAMMY at Small Plates in Syracuse, 116 Walton St., on May 6 with doors at 6pm, music at 7pm.

    Jeffrey is a grand prize winner in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, the founding editor of Acoustic Guitar Magazine, a regular contributor to NPR’s “All Things Considered” and author of “Rock Troubadours” (featuring his interviews with such artists as Jerry Garcia, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Dave Matthews) as well as other books on music. From his Upstate NY base, Jeffrey teaches courses on songwriting and creative nonfiction writing in the honors program at Syracuse University and leads workshops on guitar and songwriting. If that wasn’t enough, he performs solo and with The Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers Trio, members of which are featured on this release.

    Joining Jeffrey (JPR) – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, Strumstick, tenor banjo, are Trio members, Wendy Ramsay (The Unstoppables) – backup vocals, flute, clarinet and glockenspiel, and Joshua Dekaney (Grupo Pagan, Mark Doyle’s Guitar Noir, Mary Fahl) – percussion kit, backing vocals (tracks 3,6) and chimes, along with John Dancks – upright bass, Rani Arbo – backup vocal (track 1), fiddle and Jason Fridley – saxophone. This offering was recorded and mixed by Andrew Greacen and mastered by Jocko Randall at More Sound, Syracuse with additional recording by JPR at home. All songs by JPR except ‘Almost Home’, words by JPR and music by JPR and Wendy Ramsay.

    JPR may be the quintessential acoustic singer-songwriter, but he colors with a full palette of folk, rock, blues and soul. Adding elements tastefully to create works that entice rather than overwhelm, he makes the mixes of genres seamlessly smooth, while retaining the emotion of his topics. “Eight Days In January”’ opens with all elements on deck, banjo, guitar, upright bass, fiddle and drums telling a tale of love and loss in the internet age. So sweet and sad it’ll make you move and think at the same time, in a zydeco kinda way. “The Wrong Way Home” adds the seasoned harmony combination with Wendy and Joshua creating a bridge with the chimes, his playing is a voice of its own, integrated so delicately you just float on it. “Closer” gets funky and the band warms immediately, JPR’s expressive vocals along with Wendy and Josh’s harmonies swirl sweetly together. The rhythm section has obviously been here before and JPR’s staccato guitar line just rides on Josh’s double snare hits. A get up and dance number, no doubt.

    Switching gears quickly, “Don’t Think I Can Stay Goodbye” highlights JPR’s varying acoustic styles through an emotional expose that is illuminated by fiddle and flute, accentuated by Wendy’s voice as almost an echo, reminding the protagonist why he wrote it in the first place. “Almost There” would sound great in nearly any format, it has bits of folk, pieces of rock and plenty of drive, it’s light, but pushes and pulls against the forms, very cool. “Enough About You (What About Me)” is a jaunty little number that seems to rail against social media and the opinionated, self-involved who live there. Where friends and fans count as statistics and it’s all about the ‘me’ agenda. Quite biting and hits the nail right on the head, smart and sarcastic! “I’ve Got It Here Somewhere” is a solid folk-rocker, it has plenty of room for JPR to exercise his acoustic riffs and expressive voice. A little funky, a little soulful, but right to the heart of what he’s about. Genre-defying folk rock, certainly not the easiest take. “My Bad” may hold my favorite lyrical twists that seems like opposite world, written in counter-point to what is reality.

    “‘Somehow” gets slow and soulful, sensual in its analogies, slow-moving, innuendo-fired, full of wanting. There’s something familiar in the voice/guitar interplay, I can’t place it. Wait, it’s “That Heaven” from David Gilmour’s “On An Island”, not only my favorite guitar player, but one of my favorite musicians. That’s a feel that’s reminiscent throughout and sticks in my ears in a very good way. ’Turn Away’ is JPR at ease, light on his feet, singing and playing up, his band bouncing with him in full form. A love song full of confidence and conviction, self-assured and certain. “Proof” follows with another upbeat ride, call and response vocals and flute lightly accent the rhythmic acoustic and bottom line. While each piece is tied together, they each bear individual styling that can easily stand alone. Like the samba-feel that Josh drives the closer, “End Of The Line” with. JPR jumps right up and Jason’s sax flavors it perfectly, their acoustic/sax dual melody is masterful. All this song begs for is to played again and again, much like the rest of this album, I’m confident it will be. I await its highway test, I know it will pass with flying colors.

    Key Tracks: The Wrong Way Home, Somehow, End Of The Line

    JPR has a great website where you can learn more about the man and his varied interests. Yes, he does social media too, on Facebook and Twitter or better yet, see him live!

  • Hearing Aide: Keller Williams’ ‘Vape’

    Vape, Keller Williams‘ 20th album, is a collection of 10 tracks that flow smoothly and whose sum is greater than any of the individual parts. Quirky vocals and pleasant plucking are aplenty on the new release, which may be best enjoyed relaxing on a lazy summer afternoon.

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    One of the two instrumental tunes, “Off Time Chorus Line,” kicks things off and sets a mellow tone that resonates through the album. Unique to the opening jam is some silky electric guitar playing on a mostly acoustic compilation. It’s easy for your mind to wander peacefully like a dove throughout Vape, as the second tune,“Mantra,” iterates.

    “She Rolls” tells the story of a girl who surprises a state trooper with a kiss and dances on stage in her underwear. “High and Mighty” reminds us most disputes can be settled by uncorking another bottle of wine, and “Jesus’s Gun” lightly critiques Americans’ obsessions with guns. Williams’ soft style never allows the intensity to escalate too much.

    Keller informs listeners that he loves donuts in a way reminiscent to Phil Collins once stating he doesn’t care anymore: “do-nuts, do-nuts; no more, no more.”

    He wraps up the album by attesting he loves California…and Virginia…in “Cava.” Throughout Vape, whisks of Williams’ unique storytelling style and ability lead the album along a serene meandering.

    Williams describes Vape as “highly concentrated music that can be heated up and inhaled through your ears.”

    Be prepared to nod along lightly to the easy-listening album that will transport you to a state of tranquility and can only aptly be described as Keller-esque.

    Key Tracks: She Rolls, Jesus’s Guns, Donuts

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  • Hearing Aide: Wild Adriatic ‘Never Enough’

    Saratoga area trio Wild Adriatic haven’t stopped picking up speed in the past few years, gaining fans worldwide with their contagiously fun and dance-able yet heavy in just the right ways blend of blues, soul and good ol’ straight up rock ‘n roll. They released a full length album in January 2014 and since have been on the road almost non-stop, touring coast to coast and for the first time taking their live show overseas on a European tour. During a six-week residency in Austin, Texas they released a new five-track EP on March 17 titled Never Enough that is a fantastic sampling of the talents and sounds they bring to the table.

    wild adriatic never enoughThe title track to this release starts off with a big, dirty, head bang inducing guitar riff that will grab any listener’s attention whether they’re ready for it or not. Then when the sounds of Mateo Vosganian on drums and Rich Derbyshire on bass join in together, it’s clear that it’s time to crank the volume as loud as possible, because this band is about to show you a damn good time.

    The second track, “Strange Persuasions” slows down slightly, with hip swaying grooves. After an electrifying solo towards the end of the song, when guitarist/vocalist Travis Gray comes back in with the words “Tell me now do you want me?” you can envision the ladies in a crowd nodding, weak in the knees after the shredding that just swept them off their feet. Then they let the listener down softly for a moment with the ballad “Because of Me” showing that although good times are what they’re known for, they’re equally able to melt every heart in the room. The last-minute of the song Gray lets his guitar take a verse, showing that his playing can portray the same level of emotion as his soaring falsetto vocals.

    The fourth track, “Trouble” full of hard-hitting yet intricate drum fills, funky keys, pulsing bass lines and rocking’ riffs, is a song that in the live setting would be a challenge for anyone to sit still through. This release is short and sweet, and for a new listener, an ideal introduction to what this band on the rise has to offer. Yet the studio version of this trio is only a fraction of the band that they are on stage, a true powerhouse of sound and energy where they take their songs to new levels in each performance.

    Oh, and there’s also a cover of Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” but not much needs to said about that. When this trio decides to do a cover, they fill it with soul, make it their own, and exceed all expectations.  From releases to live performances, everything Wild Adriatic does continues to set the bar higher and higher for the band. They are truly a band to watch this year and beyond as they continue to grow their sound, picking up influences and styles as they continuously hit the road running. With their intense touring schedule, it’s likely they’ll be in a town near you soon, but until then, Never Enough will keep you smiling, dancing, and singing along from whatever speakers you’re blasting it from.

    Never Enough is available at wildadriatic.bigcartel.com and via iTunes.

    Wild Adriatic have announced tour dates through August, including Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN) and Summer Camp (Chillicothe, IL). Full list of dates can be found at wildadriatic.com