The sparkly Asbury Park, New Jersey pub rock and roll outfit CONNOR BRACKEN AND THE MOTHER LEEDS BAND are notorious for their indomitable live performances and feelgood traditionalism and are now on the verge of releasing a new album titled “Nightbird Motel” due 25th September 2020 .
The MLB is comprised of Connor Bracken (lead vocals, guitar), Rich Seyffart (drums, vocals), Chris Dubrow (bass, vocals), and Jeff Linden (guitar, vocals).
“Read On You” is a soulful country-style boogie with enough tang, timbre and zest to put into a can and reimagine it as a new variety of soft sodapop drink. The verse sounds as if it needs to nod a salute Linda Perry’s way… and the rhythmic patterns are critical while the melody is eminently hum-alongable. This brings top quality rattle ‘n’ roll.
“Voice on the Radio” ( the wonderful Kris Khunachak music video is shared below) has a smuggled rind of darkness and a bootleg voice that sounds kinda dishonorable. This number decants the twang of Duane Eddy and, after chewing for a while, regurgitates him as something halfway between Kursaal Flyers and Eddie and the Hot Rods. This is the smartest track on the album, and comes packed with the kind of static electricity you can find in a wunderland dodgem car. Fab!
While “Photographs of Johnny (Cash)” has elegantly natty riffs and pointed vocals. The bass rivets those shiny panel-beats of sound together to create something gentle, yet never schmaltzy. This sounds like something produced by Hull’s The Beautiful South but played alongside a guitary accompaniment offered by the Knopflers. Very clever!
File alongside: The Housemartins
Words: @neilmach 2020 ©
Main image: © Jeff Crespi
Link: https://www.facebook.com/motherleedsband
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