Warren Scott Band “The New Deal”
Brandon Warren, Scott Tofte, and Will Prapestis have been playing together for many years, but this is their first recorded album. They have a loose, melodic sound comparable to Skeleton Staff, with a host of influences from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Warren Zevon, and The Barenaked Ladies. The title track is a modern reaction to politics, and Warren’s vocals stand out dripping with sarcasm (Is he talking about Trump or FDR?). While it isn’t quite what I expected, it gets better from here.
“One Hit Wonder” is a fast-paced gem, with horns and quick bass arpeggios. The band opines on musical tastes with “Something 2 Listen 2” and it’s also very catchy. “She’s A Little Bit Off” has a 50’s styled melodic chorus, about the unconventional nerd girl we all admire from afar. Pop culture is often subject matter; ”St. Christopher” is a tribute to the work of the late Christopher Crosby (“patron saint of pratfalls”) aka Chris Farley. “Miss Moneypenny” is a jaunty James Bond-inspired tune and “Saturday Survivor” is a banjo led melody layered with amazing harmonies. While not everything sticks, there is enough bouncing melodies, catchy hooks, and driving rhythms to make it highly recommended. Check it out!
The Toms “The 1979 Sessions”
Tommy Marolda is a respected songwriter, musician, record producer, engineer, and music publisher. His 1979 debut of “The Toms” is rightly called “One of the finest slabs of D.I.Y. pop bliss ever” by music critic John Borack and it deserves all that acclaim. Tom has continued to record his own material over the years, notably working with The Smithereens and Richie Sambora. But that 1979 debut was special. Now we finally get to hear more music from the session.
The first three tunes are very similar to the style of “The Toms” debut and could’ve made the cut. In particular “She Said Goodbye To You” and “That Could Change Tomorrow” are stuffed with catchy melodies in a jangling package. Things slowly evolve stylistically after that. The quality of “Til The End Of The Day” and “She’s So Lovely” are poor, but the songs are well written. “Love At First Sight” adds some modern funky riffs and disco beats; you hear Tom trying out a new sound. “Angela Christmas” is a lost gem that deserves to see the light of day. Again the sound evolves as “Talk Is Cheap” and “Uptown” sound more like the ’80s power pop. For fans of the first album, this is an essential companion. If you’re not familiar with The Toms, start with the debut. It’s music that deserves to be heard thanks to Futureman Records.