Brent Seavers “BS Stands For”
Brent Seavers (The Decibels) has written an impressive collection of songs for his debut album. “Play” is a bright upbeat tune, with a Beatlesque jangle and a solid hook about early video arcade memories. It’s followed by “My Little Girl,” a terrific power-pop single that sticks fast to your brain. Seavers style is like a combination of the DBs and Paul Collins, so he’s got a lot of versatility packed in here. The garage jangle of “Flatline” and retro style of ” Running Me Down” is similar to The Decibels sound, but Brent adds his own personal twist to many of these songs.
The goofiness on “I Wrote A Song,” is so engaging, it’s hard not to sing along to the “la-la-la-la-la” chorus. Many of the tunes are quick and designed to be danceable. The quirky “All the Better” is like They Might Be Giants on speed, with Brent’s offbeat lyric running similar to John Linnell’s narrative style about getting superpowers. This approach is also on “Unlike Superman,” and it makes for unpredictable fun. Without a single dud in the dozen songs here, you should definitely give this one a chance to make you grin. Highly Recommended.
Eric Bazilian “Bazilian”
In my interview last month with The Hooters lead singer Eric Bazilian, he hinted at a new solo album after nearly 19 years. Last year’s pandemic isolation has created plenty of anxiety and creative productivity for artists, and ‘Bazilian‘ feels very much like a product of that time. Eric is very reflective, even the high-energy opening “High Note” is about making the effort to succeed and “hit that high note again.” Hooters fans will really enjoy “Back In The ’80s,” a nostalgic romp back through the decades, but the question is “why can’t we hold on to all those things we love.” The song has a solid hook and if radio stations had any brains they’d make this song a top 10 hit on Adult Oriented Pop charts.
Next, “Heaven Ain’t Gonna Save Us” is very loosely based on The Beatles’ “Revolution” and it’s an enjoyable romp about the chaos in the world, and only humanity can fix it. “I Miss Everything” is very specifically about loss during this pandemic, and “Where Home Is” is a soulful rocker on “being stuck in the city.” Eric’s vocals have aged, but he’s not sounding like Bryan Adams yet. The melodies throughout are crisp and the instrumentation will be familiar with Hooters fans. While it loses a little momentum at the end, it includes a very Hooterized version of The Beatles’ “Help,” which is pretty cool. Overall, a very good album that feels like a visit from a long-lost friend. Hopefully, a follow-up is not as far away. Highly Recommended.