The trouble with specialty genres is that, sooner or later, preconceived notions of what a particular category’s made up of will begin to appear more often than needed.  If something works once for the listening audience, it’s brought before the general public until they’re sick of it.  This can happen with any type of music and the Smooth Jazz format is no exception.  It’s a rare thing these days when an artist can produce an album within a genre that you swear you’ve heard a thousand times before and genuinely stand out above the rest.  Savio Rego’s All I Want is that kind of album.

Born in Bombay, India and raised in San Jose, California, Rego’s charisma exudes through each composition.  His style of guitar playing is a gentle caress that extracts a range of emotions, all of which complement his song writing.  Right from the first selection, your mind and soul are in good hands.  “Señorita” is a slam dunk of a single, bare bones Latin dance existing only in hushed vocals, melodic strums, and an understated thump.  Amazingly enough, that’s all you need to get lost in its mesmerizing rhythm.  As potent as the song is in its original form, it’s only a matter of time before it receives a remix treatment.  Lyrics like “hit the dance floor all night / to techno beats and flashing lights” is practically an invitation for ocean floor deep house enhancements.

Lyrically, the album deals heavily with love, lust, and obsession, so it’s nice to hear the last three  songs steer things in a different direction.  While still talking about love, you get to hear Rego’s take on breakups and falling out of love.  A perfectly placed instrumental (“Chai Time”) acts as a transition piece between the head-over-heels protagonist from the last five songs and one who’s loved and lost within the last two.  Incidentally, “Chai Time” could become a chill-out/smooth jazz staple.  Atmospheric without being droning, contemplative but not heady, it’s an all-encompassing wind-down tune that’s perhaps best experienced with the tea that bears its name.

“Movin’ On” plays on the 12 bar blues pattern in an upbeat fashion, jazzy and airy despite the fact that the relationship is clearly over.  Notice the breathy vocals of Rego as he croons with cool, “If you never really loved me / don’t tell me it’s my fault.”  As the disc comes to a close, a spotlight shines down on a man and his guitar.  “Love Me For Me” is Savio at his most vulnerable, singing sweetly and with remorse (in sharp contrast to the man who was “Movin’ On” just a song ago).  It not only concludes the album in grand fashion, but reminds you of the undeniable talent of this man.  In a world where Auto-Tune won’t die fast enough, what you see (and hear) is what you get with Savio Rego.  His music is skeletal in sound, but seductive nonetheless, and Adult Contemporary stations across the nation should be beating a path to his door.

Reviewed By Jason Randall Smith

Jason Randall Smith, Reviews All I Want, Savio Rego

Close your eyes relax and pop in Saro Tribastone’s Viento De Siroco disc and you may see Zorro riding by on his black horse. If not you aren’t trying hard enough! Saro’s guitar playing is so gentle that it can truly send you to another place, washing all the cares away from the day, and isn’t that what we all need?

On Viento, Saro plays Flamenco guitar, the Tzouras, as well as the “Beating” guitar, which is the traditional guitar of south Italy and also the mandolin.  The casual listeners won’t know anything about the guitars Saro plays, but what they will know is that the melodies he creates are enchanting and each one very different from the next. One can only marvel at the amount of study it took to master the different instruments. And he doesn’t only play those instruments, he also composed and arranged all the tracks in the album. What a talented man Saro is.

The album opens with Noche en Ortigia (Night In Ortigia) a soothing melody quite like a lullaby. The drum beats a gentle rhythm as your eyes slowly close. Seis soon follows with more spirited playing. One wonders why the second song on the album is called Seis, since that’s the Spanish word for six, but who is to argue? Rumbita is a Spanish word for little Rumba a popular style of Latin music and the title of the fourth track. Saro plays the Greek Tzouras on this particular piece.

The next song is Marzamemi, another city in Sicily. Half the fun in listening to this album is looking up the translations of the song titles. Several of the songs like Noche en Ortigia are named after places in Italy. Saro must certainly have a love for his homeland, because he pays such a beautiful tribute to it in his music.

Libertad takes the listener to the Middle East with the Daraboukka accompanying the guitar. The three tracks that close out the album, bring about visions of gypsies dancing around a fire.

It takes a true talent to create the imagery that Saro does with his music. Listening to the ten tracks on Viento De Siroco is a pleasure and one that should be done over and over again, especially on rainy days when you long to be anywhere but where you are. After only a few minutes you’ll be whisked away to the Mediterranean shore, where Saro is playing his guitar just for you. That my friends is pleasure that shouldn’t be missed.

There’s something about this music that just washes the troubles of the day away. Maybe it’s because Flamenco music automatically sends the mind to thoughts of tropical climates and vacations. Whatever it may be, this music is a perfect mood enhancer. In the past week I’ve found myself turning this disc on the minute I got home from work and I kept it on long after I started to wind down. Saro has created some wonderful music on Viento De Siroco and count yourself lucky if you have this album in your collection, because there will be many relaxing days and nights in your future.

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Saro Tribastone, Viento De Siroco

Songdrops is an unusual batch of tunes for the tinier listeners. The vocals are definitely suited to kids from Pre-school to maybe 1^st grade. The subject matter goes from cute stories (The Duck Song, I’ve Got A Pea) to the more outrageous (This Song Is Stuck Inside My Head, The Ukulele Song). The styles used for each range from electronic synth pop beats, to folk songs a’la Peter, Paul & Mary, to power pop.

The album is all over the place, with short little ditties designed to capture the attention of the younger crowd and when they aren’t doing that they are soothing them so they can drift off to the land of nod. On lullaby-like track, Sing You A Rainbow is very much like Peter, Paul & Mary.  In fact the vocals sound quite a bit like Paul Stookey.

The songs that really will stick with you are the ones that have you and the kids in stitches, like I Got A Pea which sings like “I gotta pee” and I  Don’t Like Tomatoes because they make the singer “Far To Unhappy.”  Yes, sing that last line at just the right speed and you’ll  know everyone is going to be giggling up a storm. If those don’t tickle your fancy, maybe Honey Bear who is sitting there in its underwear will bring a smile to you face.  Then there’s Before I Knew How To Rhyme, which is just hilarious, simply because of the phrases that replace rather obvious words that would rhyme in the tune.

The tracks on the album fit nicely in four categories,  “funny songs,” “happy songs,” “tongue twisters,” and “relaxing songs/bedtime songs.” So there’s a song for just about every time that you’re little one will be in need of music. Maybe that’s a bit much in the grand scheme of thing, after all Songdrops and Sundrops are the same song with different lyrics, and the first time you play the CD through you may wonder why the song appears twice, that is until you check the liner notes, but its still a pretty song, whichever set of lyrics you choose. 

This is definite an album the kids will go wild for and to make it better, it’s an album that won’t drive their parents to distraction when the songs are played on repeat. In fact, I’d hazard a guess that a parent or two out there might find themselves singing along, especially to some of the sillier tunes that worm their way right into your head. Parents don’t worry, they aren’t songs you’ll be too embarrassed to be caught singing. Ok, maybe when you’re singing the “I Got A Pea” you may get some funny looks, but it could be worse.

Bryant has crafted an album chock full of good tunes that will amuse and delight the little ones in your life. Grab a copy and get to singing. This album is sure to bring some smiles to all the young kids and its bound to be an album you’ll want to share with the rest of the family too.

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Bryant Oden, Songdrops

Remember the days when you could turn on the radio and listen for new sounds, the latest techniques, and originality was the standard?  Lately the air waves are a wash of target audience pop-genre shticks that are missing realness, pnash and style.  It is clear now that what the music culture desperately needs is Another State of Mind.  The Punch Drunk Poets provide eloquent yet edgy relief from the monotony of the current music scene, with droll lyrics, multiple style infusions and a sense of adventure that keeps pushing the envelope of the creative horizon.

The fusion that these drunken poets are capable of is unreal.  One moment its core alternative, the next its blends some electronica, all with folk sensibility yet propulsive rock beats, wrap it up with a bow of eclectic individual styles within the band and a magnificent amalgamation is rend from the future, brought to present with classical style chaotically mutating.  Oddly enough, the spectrum of music is reminiscent, believe this or not, of the J-rock music scene in Japan.  This ability to seamlessly switch between genres is something international audiences really get into, going some way to explain Weezer’s popularity, and translatability despite language barriers.  Punch Drunk Poets has all the skill and power of world touring stadium rockers.  Comparable J-Rock might be Orange Range, as they emulate so many styles, yet still manage to remain true to themselves.  The Poet’s ability to change modes, build to beautiful harmonies, and then mix it up into abstract forms, but still return holding the melody, makes there tunes complex yet easy to sing-a-long with.  The alterna-rap that lead vocalist Aki manages to twist through, notably on Waiting For, is precise despite the technical difficulty, and especially reminiscent of universal class acts.  It is this sort of genre blending capability that is sure to see the Punch Drunk Poets through many different regions of cultural disparity.  Licks of guitar range from the brink of grunge-metal to Spanish guitar, with all between meshing it together.  The bass wails out where it should, provides smooth sound, but also quick slaps and funk accents.  Building up under the barrage of strings is subtle keys, other times phrases are long crescendo into trippy abstract sparkles of synth that perfectly accent the band.  All nailed together with clobbering rock drums, a clever style that is even sometimes surprising, though never abrasive, always driving the party onward. 

Most inspired is the expressive technical style of the Punch Drunk Poets.  On time, able to stop on a dime, often little side-solos or chanted words are inserted within the harmonies, giving an exalted feel to the context, musically and lyrically.  The instrumentals are unique, often diving into unfamiliar ground, but always returning to the main theme.  Refreshingly strange, yet cool enough that it never goes to far into experimental, for a musical anarchy that still hold respect for tradition, and taking the fans for a good ride.  Last Words builds especially well, with a catchy chorus that deconstructs the great dynamics of early 90s grunge, building with dexterous electro precision of the 00s.   When the lead guitar, synth and filter on the vocals all hit at once through the last chorus, the energy feels somewhere between metal mosh and trance flow paradise.  The effect is completed with a story about a murder presented in such an everyday scenario that one is easily supplanted into the interrogation room.  Profoundly building to the chorus: “I’d like to trade it all for just ten minutes with my doll.  We fought the last time we spoke.  And though I’d rather say goodbye, please just tell her when I died, I was sorry for all I broke.”   

At the core of all this incredible music is the Poets’ heart, admonishing words to the wise from experience.  Another State of Mind is a way of musical survival, as much as reaching out into dreams to try and make them a sustainable reality.  One can dream too much as easily as too little, and Punch Drunk Poets are testing the limits, refining the wild raw imagination, translating it into genre blending acumen sure to please many different types of audiences, with a little bit of something for everyone in the crowd.  One is left with a lucid psychedelic introspection that transcends current rock trends with ease.  An unbelievable first record, the sophomore release should be highly anticipated.

Reviewed By Julian Gorman

Julian Gorman, Reviews Another State of Mind, Punch Drunk Poets

The title of the album “Veins of Light” by Ichora is taken from the meaning of the word Ichora, which refers to the vast limitless potential that resides in all of us. Artist Chri proves that this is more than simply a statement to be read and then forgotten about because he has utilized the vast limitless potential within HIMSELF. By being a completely versatile and well rounded musician, songwriter, producer, engineer, artist, and creator, Chri shows us the vast limitless potential that lies within HIM.

When the EP “Veins of Light” by Ichora arrived all the way from Australia, I opened the package, read the bio, and found myself suitably impressed before even taking a listen. Chri does it all himself. He sings, he plays the guitar, he plays the piano, he plays the drums and the bass and the cello and anything else he can get his hands on. He also does all his own engineering and producing. In a nut, Chri is a master of his trade and it shows clearly in the music.

The five track EP kicks off with the hard hitting guitar chords of “Lunafire.” It’s a melodic and masterful beginning to the EP, especially when Chri begins singing. His voice has a bit of a nasal quality coupled with a rough, rugged edge that effortlessly slides into the refrain of the song, which is really the heart of “Lunafire”. Chri sings “Hearts locked in the shallows, souls chasing lost halos, Kiss staging the fire, we’ll never bleed with the crowd.” These are excellent lyrics made even more powerful by Chri’s wide range of vocal talent and the masterful musicianship. “Lunafire” flows together seamlessly and gives us just a small taste of what’s to come.

“Haloma” is the second track of the EP and it definitely has more of a rock/grunge feel to it. Chri’s voice is noticeably deeper and darker at the beginning of this song, with a creepy sort of undertone that gives way to the melodic roughness of Chri seeming to channel a pleasing combination of Kurt Cobain and a demon from the underworld who has come to the surface to grace us with his presence. “Haloma” is a well crafted song that gives us a little bit of everything, and yet it still somehow comes together to give us a powerful sense of rocking out to some of the best music that Kurt Cobain never made.

In stark contrast, the song “Returnity” begins with a very mellow and vaguely spooky series of sounds that melts into a rhythmic pattern of musical harmony. Chri did an amazing job of engineering this song and it reminds me of the band Muse, who are known for their stellar sound. There seem to be quite a lot of different layers to this song and Chri did a masterful job of making them join as one. The subtlety of “Returnity” is what I enjoy most about it. The listener is treated to a whole world of enticing musical phenomenon in this piece. The production and engineering of this song is near perfect and we can definitely hear the greatness of Chri’s voice in this song and his range of vocal abilities.

“Waking” is another Kurt Cobain inspired piece, and while listening to this song, I actually felt like this may be something that Cobain recorded and never released. As a long standing fan of Nirvana, this was a pleasant surprise for me. I had the urge to smash a guitar and scream. It’s a very short song, but a very well put together one. Once again, Chri’s magic at the controls is apparent and I would love to see him perform this song live. “Waking” is full of twisted energy that grabs the listener and pulls us in from the very first notes. I only wish the song was longer.

The final track of the EP is called “Tidaleave” and it’s my personal favorite. The guitar work is great and I very much enjoy Chri’s voice in this one. It’s a melancholy song that clearly gives us a glimpse of Chri’s soft side. The lyrics are thought provoking and intelligent and Chri sings them well. As with all the songs on the EP, “Tidaleave” is very well produced and the sound is crystal clear. I especially like the way the song ends, how it fades out and leaves us wanting more.

I went to ichora.com to learn more about the songs on this EP and the artist who created it, and I read the lyrics for all of the songs on the EP, as well as other songs that Chri has done, and I was very impressed with his gift for imagery. Even without listening to the music, the lyrics themselves can take us to other places within the mind. And when you add Chri’s music to his words, you get a masterpiece of musical genius that cannot be replicated. Chri is an extremely talented artist and I would happily purchase any album that he creates.

Ichora: The vast limitless potential that resides in all of us. Indeed. Chri has found that potential within himself and I am grateful that he has decided to share it with us.

Reviewed By Rhonda Readence

Reviews, Rhonda Readence Ichora, Veins of Light

Guitar instrumental albums at one point were a phenomenon when renowned names such as Tony MacAlpine, Steve Vai, Chris Johnson, Chris Poland and of course Joe Satriani were hip rock and metal couture.  Correspondingly, North American audiences hung over on corporate glam metal found disfavor for guitar solos upon the advent of thumb-biting nineties grunge riffs.  The generation reared upon those stripped, chunky sounds has only recently re-evaluated its anti-soloing stance.  It’s taken the jaw-slacking shred of everyone from Marty Friedman to Herman Li of Dragonforce to Shadows Fall’s Jon Donais to recapture the desire for scorching tremolo and wailing arpeggio scales, but it has come about once again.

Operating in the regional backyard of Jon Donais is the New England-based Scott Motyka.  As Shadows Fall has historically found solace in Buddhism as a launch pad for their power-thrash exultations, don’t expect Scott Motyka to be snapping his wrists and neck muscles to mega bpms.  However, Motyka, a very accomplished guitarist in his own right (and utterly heavy when he wants to be), turns to spirituality and organized religion as partial platforms for his exploratory work on his seven-song debut Cut…From Within.

As good art is bled more than manufactured, Scott Motyka expressively utilizes his sharply-dressed capacities on Cut…From Within, so much to the point he trims the fat many guitar instrumental albums even today suffer from.  Instead, Motyka finds the soul within his compositions creates a basic playroom for them to thrive within and then sculpts from there.  Motyka himself describes his album as a place where he could “explore some of the key turning points” of his life, thus making “a record that captured those experiences – and in this case without words.”

Point taken out the chute with the hammering “Betrayer’s Trust,” a beastly opening number with as much Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert guiding its heavy rhythm as the entire King’s X trio.  Motyka admits to letting some anger flow into this track and if the mad tempo and argumentative bass weren’t enough to coax his proposed vehemence, his busy solos inflect his position.

In contrast, Motyka’s smooth calypso pulse of “The Romantical” exhibits some of Joe Satriani’s dreamy syncopation and random scale-spelunking, yet Scott Motyka keeps a primary groove flowing in a seductive wave while tempering his solos for the most part.  Detailed only when necessary, “The Romantical” is a playful love bite to cozy up with.

As many prolific guitarists today have optimistically exploited within their works, Motyka incorporates Eastern world flair on “Rabbiam” with tabla and percussion to assist his slinking rhythm.  It serves as a proverbial pause before the rapid-fire “Seniorita” and the snaggletoothed “Great Wall of Douglas,” the latter of which finds Motyka pulling distorted threads of white noise to accompany his fret whipping and whammy crashing.

Scott Motyka, with his exemplary self-produced album, is to be considered one of the United States’ best-kept guitar secrets.  A family man and assumed spirit chaser, his talent resounds from both his lofty whims and his grounded discipline.  The man wants to engage his audience on a cerebral level and he certainly meets his goal.

Reviewed By Ray Van Horn Jr. 

Ray Van Horn, Reviews Cut From Within, Scott Motyka

Six Songs is a teasing sample of the exciting, captivating yet mellow music Orange Democracy has created.  After partaking these initial half dozen tunes, the listener would still be yearning to hear more.  This small ensemble, consisting of a few of New York’s finest, has created a highly enjoyable signature sound that is musically intelligent, yet never gets too quirky or advances too far off the beaten path as to leave the listener puzzled.  Musical novices as well as trained ears can both truly appreciate and take pleasure in Orange Democracy.

The focal point of Orange Democracy lies around Swiss pianist Cyrus von Hochstetter.  Equally proficient at classical and jazz stylings, he is the principle songwriter for the group as well as shares vocal duties.  His range of talent is eminent from the opening track “Bitter Rain” which features a quiet, subtle ivory introduction that catapults into a huge array of sound featuring a dialogue between a heavier piano, voices and saxophone.  Von Hochstetter’s heavy handedness with the bass notes is reminiscent of a Beethoven sonata as are the entire ensemble’s exquisite use of dynamic contrast.

These highly trained musicians appreciate the fine art of blending as is evident in “On A Bridge.”  New Orleans native Ted Boasso’s guitar nicely accentuates von Hochstetter’s keys in the introduction.  At the end of each verse of this plucky melody, these two young men join voices with Carla Jablonski which creates a nicely layered segue into the chorus.  This Pittsburgh native has a lovely voice and she knows how to use it as an instrument.  Throughout Six Songs she can be heard singing quietly above the melody line adding depth but never taking the spotlight.

In “High Heels to Hell” there is melodic contrast with the fun, quick staccato introduction overlaid with long sustained vocals.  Along these same lines, Amali Premawardhana adds cello interjected with Boasso’s short and distorted guitar effects.  Jablonski comes to the fore in the dynamic bridge as she sings over the piano and cello and ends with a little Frank Zappa-esque scatting.

“Untitled Face” is Boasso’s solely penned track on the album.  His singing style is earthier and invokes a pleading undertone compared to von Hochstetter’s clear, ringing voice.  The guitarist also uses enunciation as an instrument and melds his voice nicely with his acoustic guitar and spacey synthesizer.

The culmination of Six Songs is “Poisoned By The Sun.”  All musicians get a chance to rip in this last number, which opens with a quiet conversation between the ethereal keyboard, guitar and voice, reminiscent of early Chick Corea.  In the extended coda, the vocal trio of von Hochstetter, Boasso and Jablonski are joined by Samir Zarif on saxophone.  The keyboards enter and duet with the sax before the vocals belt a repetitious “ho” as Zarif kicks off a magnificently energetic solo before ebbing away to the quiet keyboard playing in the uppermost octave, like a music box winding down. 

Orange Democracy is bursting with unassuming talent and should be commended for the experimental musical stylings it is creating.  Hopefully the next album will offer even more music than Six Songs.

Reviewed By Kelly O’Neil

Kelly O'Neil, Reviews Cyrus Vonhochstetter, Orange Democracy, Six Songs

Latin music has its own special way of being sexy, and when it’s combined with jazz it kicks it up a notch on the sexy scale. All I Want is Latin jazz and it has such a subtle way of seducing you that you don’t

know what is happening to you, until you are totally in love. That’s what this album is really about when you listen to it from start to finish–love.

All I Want is very emotionally charged. Whether the songs are dealing with longing (Miss You) or lust (Jamaican Queen) you’ll be reduced to mush.  And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know this is just how

Savio wants you. Savio plays with your senses. Each song has a certain sensuality to it that transcends the baser needs. Savio sings with a voice that’s almost like a whisper into a lover’s ear.

Senorita opens the album slowly, almost gently, trying the waters to see what you are ready for. The steady drum beat and the acoustic guitar tease the listener with the promise of more. This is a hint of what is

to come. This album is musical foreplay, pure and simple.

All I Want is one of those albums you want to put on when you have a mission for the evening that has nothing to do with a dance floor–though that evening might well start there, with a little slow dancing. Even the instrumental Chai Time has a way about it that will leave you thinking of things other than a warm cup of tea.

Most albums that deal solely with love songs end up being trite, but not this one. The songs speak to you on a personal level. The lyrics are never cliché, and the rhythm is always slow and steady and just a touch

primal.

With eight songs, Savio begins and ends a love affair, and at the end of Love For Me leaves his listeners spent and dying for more. To say this is a good album doesn’t say enough. Few albums out there reach their

listeners on such an emotional level. All I Want reaches deep and it touches the soul of each person that listens. This is probably the most album of the year, maybe even the last five years. The CD should bear a warning label on the sleeve, stating that if it is played while alcohol is consumed, the artist can’t be held responsible for any offspring that might show up nine months down the line! Yes, that’s how romantic this

CD is.

Move over Jim Brickman. Move over Harry Connick Jr. Move over Michael Buble. Savio Rego has out-romanced all three of them and then some. All I Want is a romantic journey worth taking whether you are in love or not. It will open your senses and fill you with sensuality. It’s a pure joy to listen to. This is definitely a must-have album for any music lover’s collection this year. Open your ears and your hearts to the beauty of Savio’s All I Want.

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews All I Want, Savio Rego

There was a time about a decade or so ago when radio (and the public) seemed ready to embrace the roots rock being performed by Whiskeytown, Old ’97’s, The Jayhawks and other bands of that ilk. Like all music that becomes accepted by the masses, only a watered-down version would have ever become really popular but even a dumbed down version of some great alt.country-style roots rock would have been preferable to a lot of the dance pop and kiddie-rock pabulum which became big instead. N’Stink anyone? So, as the sweet and tangy roots rock flavor began to permate the music of the day, these more palatable, radio-friendly roots rock artists and bands started lining up: The Wallflowers, Freedy Johnston, and Counting Crows (among others). Though, as I said, a more listener-friendly version of roots rock, there were plenty of great songs to be had by these artists and an additional smattering of like-minded folks. Unfortunately, the alt.country/roots rock movement never really took hold and as fast as the bands were signed, they were dropped just that quickly. Only the Counting Crows remain out of that group of artists, and they’ve morphed their sound to such a degree as to not really resemble what they used to be anyway.

        And so the fickle music business goes, to paraphrase the marvelous Nick Lowe. But something tells me Shane Lamb was listening and continued to listen to all of those bands before they were famous, during their fame, and probably continues to listen to them and their musical brethren still. I say such wild things because after listening to Lamb’s debut album, you get the feeling he has been steeped in the roots rock sound for a long time. Many artists can mimic, and even more can chase a fad. Truth be told, a lot of alt.country players paid their sues in punk and metal bands when those fads were big, switched to alt.country to try to ride that wave and split the genre as soon as they realized it wasn’t going to lead to millions of dollars and tons of groupies. I could name these musical chameleons, but this is Lamb’s time to shine – and shine he does. As a vocalist, Lamb has a reedy tenor ala Johnston which serves his homespun tales well, even the rockers. After all, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Neil Young all have similar vocal sounds and I reckon those boys have made a mark or two on the music business. Songwriting wise, Lamb is a blend between Petty and Dylan – not too sparse, not too wordy but able to make his points amid very heartfelt statements and slice-of-life lyrics bolstered melodies that stick to your ears like mom’s ribs stick to your tummy. Lamb has also been smart enough to gather a band full of vets that are able to bring his songs to life in a way that sounds as classic as a mid-’80’s Petty song yet new at the same time. In other words, pretty good stuff with a radio-friendly sound. Now if only radio was actually friendly these days…..

        The album starts out of the gate with a mid-tempo rocker entitled Free. It’s a good beginning for the album as the song has a decent hook and immediately reminds one of a Johnston cut due to Lamb’s tenor vocals and way with a phrase. A killer guitar solo by studio vet Pat Buchanan makes the song complete. Great cut and something which should be all over radio as it sits comfortably between Johnston and The Wallflowers in mood. The coda also has some wonderful guitar playing, presumably also by Buchanan. The next song is I Would and it is a slower, more contemplative song featuring great slide guitar runs by Buchanan and just the right amount of organ by Tuttle. The title cut is next and is an even slower song – two more like this and the whole album might just stop. Yes, I am bveing facetious but I wouldn’t mind hearing a little more rock from Lamb. The song eventually revs up to a gentle chug but I guess as it’s about the break-up of a long relationship, the song should be slow and moody. The fourth song, Someday, seems to be the rocker for which I have been patiently waiting. The controlled frenzy of Lamb and his backing band sounds somewhat like a floorboarded Ferrari: dangerous and wild yet smooth and effortless. Great song with some excellent guitar work by Buchanan that shows he can fire up the heebie-jeebies when he wants. To Get You Through is the next cut and it’s a gripping mid-tempo rocker with a lot of grit and a great hook. Again, sounds like a mix between Freedy Johnston and The Wallflowers with reedy vocals and plenty of great guitar work going on and perfectly played organ work. Excellent roots rocker. The sixth song “On My Mind” is a slow dreamy ballad, one that country radio or Triple-A should eat up. Again Lamb’s vocals sound a lot like Johnston’s work but that’s certainly no quibble as I am a huge fan of Johnston and now, of Lamb’s. Deftly finger-picked guitar opens up the seventh song, A While, setting the mood for a contemplative ballad highlighted as usual by Lamb’s great plaintive voice. Lyrics are interesting and have a slice-of-life quality about them which usually denotes a talented songwriter. While Lamb isn’t at the status of “great” yet, he has a easy-going soulful style that will no doubt grow as he ages and will no doubt lead to more great songs on future releases. The next song “Dreams” is a mid-tempo rocker, skillfully opened with some great B-3 organ riffs played by Tuttle and then progressing to a great anthemic chorus and a great gripping guitar solo! Great rootsy rock and roll done very, very well! This could have been a hit in the ’80’s but does not sound dated, just radio-ready for a time which has unfortunately passed. Don’t see this getting much airplay today on the airwaves by what sadly represents radio today, though it should be played once an hour in my opinion. Steel guitar Santo-and-Johnny-isms open the next song, “Take Away”. Another slow ballad, a few in a row now as I am yearning for a flat out rocker, but these are still great songs just wondering if the sequencing couldn’t have been done better. Ahhhhh, here it is: “The Change In Me” which rocks like hell from the jump! A horn section adds some soul/church flavor to the mix and makes the song a flat-out party and shows another side to Lamb’s vocals. Fantastic! Close to three-minutes of bliss. The next song “Dream Tonight” goes back to the ballads, with Lamb’s whispered vocals adding a somber mopod to the track. Hey, sounds better than anything that hack John Mayer has come up with without being as icky as Your Body Is A Wonderland-style dreck. The final song “Until You” closes the album on a low-key note, with acoustic-guitar playing and vocals from Lamb until band joins in gradually to build up track into a great climax.

      To me, the most surprising aspect of this entire album is the decision to call the album Disengage. For me, Lamb’s music is so engaging, there is no way I would want to seperate myself from it. And while Lamb still has a ways to go in the songwriting department before he can equal his influences, I am able to say Lamb has the skills needed to eventually match his heroes. The eye for miniscule detail is there, the ability to craft a clever line, the melodic sense and the ability to make each word meaningful are all evident in Lamb’s music and bode well for his success in the music business. Hopefully Lamb will be able to parlay these gifts and use them to take advantage of each opportunity which comes his way. Though the music business is unfortunately still more about being in the right place at the right time than having actual talent, Lamb has the skills needed to be able maximize whatever good fortune comes his way.

Reviewed By Scott Homewood

Reviews, Scott Homewood Disengage, Shane Lamb

Kevin Coyle, Tyler Todd, Bobby Hausenfluck, and Luke Gefell have known each other for more than 8 years. With the fact that they were friends and all knew how to play music, it was almost a sure thing that they would join together because of those bonds and create a band. Kevin Coyle plays guitar and sings, Tyler Todd plays bass and sings, Bobby Hausenfluck plays guitar, and Luke Gefell plays drums in the band. When the four musician friends formed a band, the four Virginians decided to call themselves the Virginia Gentlemen after the whiskey. But after some time, the band name was shortened to The Gentlemen. 

Matheson Kamin, Reviews The Gentlemen