EDGEHILL AVENUE - review added 28th July 2009
Album Review: Rambler (2009)
For fans of: Blues Rock... and songs with non-happy themes
Edgehill Avenue hail from Louisville, Kentucky. Rambler, produced by William Bartley and
Nick Stevens at Downtown Studios, follows their self-titled debut EP.
The line-up is Drew Perkins (lead vocals, guitar), “Hurricane” Mike McLaughlin (lead guitar), John Poole (bass, backing vocals), Lamont “Phatbeat” Melson (drums) and Paul Nevitt (organ, piano). Drew Perkins is the primary songwriter and displays his influences proudly.
Rambler has a sound reminiscent of the Allman Brothers and Bruce Springsteen; the singing is a little subdued, the guitars are more often acoustic than electric and the drums border on the apologetic. There's a bountiful supply of Hammond organ in the mix too. The end result is country, blues and retro soft rock tied up in a bag and shaken for five minutes.
It's the sort of music you'd expect to hear playing in smoke filled bars across America. The lyrical content is, in places, awfully downbeat. Someone described the album as "the perfect summer party record". I'm not sure what party would necessitate music about the abolitionist Frederick Douglas (track 1) or the tragedy of genocide (track 11), but I suppose I certainly wouldn't want to go to it.
The songs themselves are atmospheric and good for what they are, but it's all way too downbeat for my ears. The title track is moody with a strong blues vibe and slow pace. Whilst it's a quality effort with solid performances, the listening experience is equivalent to taking a mild dose of barbiturates. 'With These Hands' wakes up a touch, but it's still got an aura of depression and wouldn't know feel good if it drank a pint of endorphins.
'Just Another Day' is almost bright and sparkling (in the musicianship department at least) but the lyrics and Drew Perkins' sadness-tinged vocals drag the song back to the funeral parlor. 'Don't Come Round Here Anymore' is a funky gospel-esque track that's much more like it. It proves the guys can do a happy song and it works brilliantly. More of this please!
'I'll Be Leaving Now' is as happy as it sounds - i.e. not very. It's a downbeat ballad with a sorrowful sound and wouldn't be an ideal listen if you were feeling depressed.... it might push you over the edge. 'How You Really Feel' is a better track with a happier sound. The less said about the lyrical content of the last entry the better. Whilst it's a ballsy decision to sing about genocide, I'm not sure anyone out there actually wants to hear about it.
Edgehill Avenue have produced an okay album which may appeal to certain pockets of the market, but it really is a sorrow-tinged affair. Rambler would sound great in the right place at the right moment but, for the majority of the time, it's all utterly disheartening. 'Don't Come Round Here Anymore' is one shining light amongst the abjection. Let's just hope their next album steers more in that direction...
Check out... 'Don't Come Round Here Anymore'.
Track List:
1. Rambler
2. With These Hands
3. Just Another Day
4. Don't Come Round Here Anymore
5. I'll Be Leaving Now
6. Just Don't Care Anymore
7. How You Really Feel
8. Holding On
9. Out Of Time
10. Justified
11. Justified (radio edit)
Label: Departure Records
Artist's website(s): Edgehill Avenue , MySpace
