The
recent release of Thrills And Chills signals the evolution of a side
project into its own entity. Formed by Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer from The
Connection, and Kurt Baker of The Kurt Baker Band in 2013, The New Trocaderos specialize in fast-paced songs mix punk with 1960s Top 40. That formula is in full swing on
this full-length debut, which also features new additions keyboards player-harmony
vocalist Kris “Fingers” Rodgers and drummer Rick Orcutt. Adding to
the fun, Kim Shattuck
from The Muffs; Line Cecilie Dahlmann from The Dahlmanns; and Palmyra Delran,
who performed with The Friggs before embarking on her current solo career, add
backup vocals on some of the tracks.
The songs
were written by, or written with the album’s co-producer Michael Chaney (Dean
Baltulonis is the other producer) and mostly deal with hard drinking and troubled
romances. “What The Hell Did I Do” adds Beatles style “bop do wop” singing to
an energetic tale of a guy trying to piece together what happened on the
previous night. When Marino boasts “I got the swagger” on “I'm So Bad,” the
band uncorks a “Honky Tonk Woman”-inspired arrangement to back him up.
Guest musicians Nick
Mainella and Chris Klaxton add horns to the energetic and foreboding tale “Hey
Big Boy,” which also benefits from Rodger’s freewheeling piano playing. In
contrast to the hard-edged “Love And Hate” and “Oh Boy (Today Is My Birthday),”
the jangling pop of “Crazy Little Fool” evokes The Hollies. “Like An Angel,” a
charming song well-suited for weddings, has a gorgeous vocal arrangement and “Love
Anymore” adds yet another dimension as The New Trocaderos do some
finger-snapping street corner harmonizing.
No comments:
Post a Comment