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Bud Collins Trio

No 5uch Th1ng

Review by Gary Hill

I guess I should mention at the start that this band is not a trio, and none of them is named "Bud Collins." It's a band name rather than a description. Perhaps that's what the title of the set refers to as there is "no such thing" as the Bud Collins Trio as one might expect.  These guys produce a brand of sound that is rooted in classic elements, but made modern and unique via the delivery. I'd think of them as progressive pop really. They have a lot of dreamy psychedelic texture here. There are elements of the Beatles all over this, but the closest comparison would probably be to the 70s band Klaatu. That said, this has a modern and unique twist on that vibe. This really doesn't sound like anything but itself in terms of the big picture. It just draws from familiar territory in the process. I've landed this under progressive rock because it's not far removed from a lot of modern prog that lands in the dream pop direction. It also fits under prog because it really does progress the music.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2018  Volume 3. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2018.

Track by Track Review
Television Personalities
Percussion leads us out here. The multi-layered vocal arrangement that enters as other instruments join is quite cool. The lead vocal has a sort of sauntering vibe. It's tasty. While this is modern there are definitely links to things like the Beatles and even jazz. I'm clearly reminded of Klaatu in a big way. There is a dreamy kind of psychedelic feeling to this.
Moonbase Nine
This song even feels more like Klaatu to me. It is energized and still quite modern, but it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to hear that other band doing this. The vocal arrangement is classy, and the percussion is noteworthy, too. This has a bit of that psychedelic vibe to it, too.
No Such Thing
While the title track is a bit more on the rock side of the equation, there is still plenty of pop leaning here. This isn't as much like Klaatu as the other two songs were. Still, there are dreamy sounds over the top. The vocal arrangement is again very cool. Beatles comparisons aren't out of the question here, either. The rhythm section really brings some old school jazz to the proceedings at times, but the sounds over the top are much more modern in texture. This is perhaps not the instantly catchy type of thing that the first two songs are, but it's still very strong.
 
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