The Greenhornes - "East Grand Blues"
(V2 Records, 2005) * * *
This is music for those of us who still enjoy albums by the Beatles, the Kinks and the Yardbirds. Cincinnati's The Greenhornes are a band well-rooted in the music of their past, but they put enough of a twist on the tracks from East Grand Blues to carve out an artistic niche of their own.
While you may not have heard of them yet, the band has released three albums of material since forming in 1996. Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence (drums and guitars) worked with Loretta Lynn as the rhythm section for her band on the album Van Lear Rose, and the band has toured with the White Stripes as recently as August of this year, and have written material with Karen O of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kim Deal of The Pixies.
That's quite a pedigree, and it shows clearly on their five track EP East Grand Blues. The band clearly exhibits a varying sense of style, ranging their sound considerably considering how short this EP is. "I'm Going Away" starts the album out in three-four rhythm, then leads into a very Beatlesesque harmonic intro, in the vein of "Ticket To Ride" or "A Hard Day's Night."
The second track -- "Shelter of Your Arms" -- uses a three-chord progression built on a simple bass line and ample percussion to channel The Kinks, particularly when Craig Fox slams you with the chorus: "Don't you walk away with your love!" It's such a simple infectious effective melodic structure, you'll be humming it for hours.
The strongest track on the album, however, may well be the last. "Shine Like The Sun" comes back full circle with a bossa nova melody structured around a latin electric guitar line and a hint of flute. Fox's vocals take on the affectations of "Yellow Submarine"-era Ringo Star, his vocals lending so perfectly with the rest of the band to make a song that is both a high quality homage and a solid original piece of ear-catching brit-pop.
If you're looking for a local band with the talent to become an international sensation, The Greenhornes aren't likely to disappoint. Their music puts a twist on sixties-era brit-pop to create music that sounds both familiar and original at the same time. While at times the band treads a good bit past the line that separates tribute from outright copying their influences, it's hard to find fault with a band that sounds this comfortable. Considering the range of their outside projects coupled with the band's prolific yet varied songwriting, every road points to this band having a long successful career.
This is music for those of us who still enjoy albums by the Beatles, the Kinks and the Yardbirds. Cincinnati's The Greenhornes are a band well-rooted in the music of their past, but they put enough of a twist on the tracks from East Grand Blues to carve out an artistic niche of their own.
While you may not have heard of them yet, the band has released three albums of material since forming in 1996. Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence (drums and guitars) worked with Loretta Lynn as the rhythm section for her band on the album Van Lear Rose, and the band has toured with the White Stripes as recently as August of this year, and have written material with Karen O of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kim Deal of The Pixies.
That's quite a pedigree, and it shows clearly on their five track EP East Grand Blues. The band clearly exhibits a varying sense of style, ranging their sound considerably considering how short this EP is. "I'm Going Away" starts the album out in three-four rhythm, then leads into a very Beatlesesque harmonic intro, in the vein of "Ticket To Ride" or "A Hard Day's Night."
The second track -- "Shelter of Your Arms" -- uses a three-chord progression built on a simple bass line and ample percussion to channel The Kinks, particularly when Craig Fox slams you with the chorus: "Don't you walk away with your love!" It's such a simple infectious effective melodic structure, you'll be humming it for hours.
The strongest track on the album, however, may well be the last. "Shine Like The Sun" comes back full circle with a bossa nova melody structured around a latin electric guitar line and a hint of flute. Fox's vocals take on the affectations of "Yellow Submarine"-era Ringo Star, his vocals lending so perfectly with the rest of the band to make a song that is both a high quality homage and a solid original piece of ear-catching brit-pop.
If you're looking for a local band with the talent to become an international sensation, The Greenhornes aren't likely to disappoint. Their music puts a twist on sixties-era brit-pop to create music that sounds both familiar and original at the same time. While at times the band treads a good bit past the line that separates tribute from outright copying their influences, it's hard to find fault with a band that sounds this comfortable. Considering the range of their outside projects coupled with the band's prolific yet varied songwriting, every road points to this band having a long successful career.
posted by Jonathan Sanders @ 5:38 AM
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