Water Street Waiting for Martin Review by Gary Hill
There is definitely a roots music fascination in music these days. Groups like Mumford and Sons really showcase that element, but other acts take those same leanings into more alternative rock directions. This is a solid set of music. It makes good use of having both male and female singing. There are some real highlights here, but nothing is really weak.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016 Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Better off Alone
This is a classy tune. It has a very timeless kind of sound. It's set in a modern pop rock mode in a lot of ways, though. The horns add a lot to the mix. The whole cut just rocks, with or without those elements, though.
Tidal Wave While the opener featured male vocals, this one has a female lead singer. It's built on something that has some hints of country music. There is a bit of an awkward charm to this piece.
These Eyes Both singers are prominently featured here. This cut has a lot of modern alternative rock built into it. Yet there are also hints of roots music, classic sounds and more. This is among the most dynamic and diverse tunes here. It's also one of the strongest.
Foul Play Piano leads this off, weaving a cool melody. As saxophone comes across, it feels like a warm night with a jazz band playing. The female vocals join and the piece turns more toward a classy alternative rock texture. This one of the most intriguing and potent pieces here. When it gets more involved (and the sax comes back) later, this really becomes some of the best music of the whole disc.
Outer Space Folk music and alternative rock merge on this energetic number. It's fun, but not one of my favorites.
Something Anything Less playful, this is a bit more pure folk music. It's still energetic and has a good driving rhythm. This is a solid tune.
The Storm With healthy helpings of folk and country music, this is a powerful and dramatic tune. It's one of the standouts for me. It's still very much alternative rock based, but the roots music end of that spectrum is the ruling factor.
Maybe A mellow roots based alternative rocker, there is a lot of folk in this. It's a good tune, but not a highlight.
Donna Lee Energized, this is a rocker with roots music built into it. This is a classy tune with a good chorus, but it doesn't really grab me.
Colors This alternative rocker has some horns. It's built on more roots music. It's not a big change, but it's somehow more effective than the previous cut. It's actually just one of the cooler pieces here.
