Talk about a tasty slice of Americana. I find being an American something to grapple with these days and yet, WALLSTREETWALKERS (love this name, will be on the hunt for t-shirt) has managed to give me a little hope. Their music speaks of honesty and resilience and is American as hell in the best sense. First up is "South Of Houston." This song made such a warm and fuzzy introduction as well as a time hop. Sure, you can feel the raw energy ’70s stage rock washing over you. The lyrics and vocals are superb, the epic building and the calculated guitar solos. There's also the fabulous piano work in here. I could go on for days. It may not seem like it, but I can tell there was serious thought put into the structure or more so to the movement of this track. It's a great opener and set the bar VERY high. Taking it down a notch to a somber and swaying level, the next track is "The Devil Ain't Here." It's here that vocalist Kenneth Ian really flexes those golden pipes. Good lord that voice is swoon worthy. Again, excellent words, also credited to Ian. This particular song really felt like a level to the blues genre. It wouldn't surprise me to know Ian and myself had VERY similar tastes in blues artists. By track three we are now picking up the tempo with the foot-tapping tune of "Busted Up & Broken Down." This is a catchy one and had me smiling almost immediately. Good lord the keys and bass on here are simply wicked. It felt good. Don't get me started on the organ and sax on here, it's just too good. "Does Everybody Feel This Way" might be my favorite track on the album due to its more modern flavor. Same instruments but a fresh take that doesn't walk the beaten path. They found the here and now vein of rock music and tuned to their aesthetic. If there was one note I had for this album it would be to find more of this modern edge. Ending on a very strong Americana note is "I Know You." This one sticks very close to traditional formatting which the group is very good at, however, after "Does Everybody Feel This Way" I was already missing that more fusion sound. It's a lovely song, and still has fantastic lyrics and unfurls into a beautiful movement. I am in love with the fact that this down home Americana sound comes NYC. I have had an inkling to get back to the big apple for a while and a chance to catch these folks live might be the final straw. I think the most distinct feature for this group is their energy. Not to get all new-aged about it, but they have a vibe that is earnest and lacking in guile. What I'm trying to say with too many damn adjectives is, I like this album. Check it out.
3 Comments
Vic
7/30/2019 05:56:53 am
Rebecca's review of WALLSTREETWALKERS release is cogent and SPOT ON. I caught this band in NYC a few weeks back and the energy and musical strength was incredible. A must see if you can.
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Eisko
7/30/2019 06:20:18 am
Photograph and album design by @idoesny
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Vic
7/30/2019 10:30:12 am
Eisko, very, very nice photography and design! Captures the atmosphere perfectly.
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