This album would feel very much at home in the 1970s. The blend of sounds here is quite retro in texture. It’s accessible and varied enough throughout to never feel tired or redundant. It’s not the most original thing you’ll hear, but when it’s this good, that isn’t really an issue.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016 Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Same Time Next Year
Folk rock and singer-songwriter stuff merge on this. The piano brings a lot to the tune.
Make It Last I love the organ on this cut. The whole piece has a great alternative rock meets classic sound. It’s a melodic rocker.
Miss Ecstasy As good as the first two songs were, this one goes well beyond that. It has a real 1970s rock vibe to it. It would have been huge on the radio in those days. It is really a soaring number with some great hooks.
Justified There is a bit of soulful vibe to this tune. It’s more of a piano based ballad than anything else. It does get into a real rocking section later. In some ways this makes me think of the kind of music Elton John did in his classic years. Mind you, it doesn’t sound like Elton John, but it does feel like the kind of thing he’d write.
Consolation Prize Trumpet adds a lot to this piece. It sounds like there is violin on this cut, too, but I don’t see it credited, so it must be keyboards, I would guess. This is a classy tune that’s very traditional in style. It feels like it would have been at home in the 1970s, too.
Enough Imagine combining Pink Floyd’s Wall era with John Lennon. You’d find yourself pretty close to this great tune.
So Long A ballad-like number, there is a healthy dosage of country music built into this one. It’s modern while also retro.
Fragile There is a prominent piano element here. This is another solid pop rock tune. The vocals bring some soulful things to it. It’s a piece with a lot of charm. There is some world music in the mid-track drop back section.
High Road Another classic rock styled tune, this is an evocative number. It feels empowering and triumphant.
More This is quite a beautiful balladic number. It’s also classic rock oriented, but proggy at the same time.
Kyagb There is a cool bouncy vibe to this. It makes me think of The Beatles just a bit. It’s a fun tune. There is an extremely tiny parental advisory on this song.
