Dick Aven
The Dick Aven Band - Spin So Long
Review by Gary Hill
The mix of sounds on this set is so cool. There is a lot of retro jazz and soul built into the sonic tapestry. Yet, there are also more contemporary things here. Every single tune is effective. My only complaint is that it almost feels bipolar, with the opening section seeming more retro and the second half more modern. It think it might be a stronger release if things had been mixed up a little. It does start to feel just a little samey near the end, too, and I think that perhaps a rearranging of tracks would help with that. Also, the two closing pieces are the instrumentals of the disc. If the first of those were moved closer to the center of the set, I think it would have made for a stronger release as a whole. Still, a lot of people just listen to one or two songs at a time these days rather than a complete album at once.
This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2022 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2022.
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