Word: bandness
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...disc could have easily been a lighter and more pleasant affair had the band not taken such a deeply self-serious attitude. Somewhere in between listing their songs alphabetically rather than in track order on the front cover and recording with the Slovak Radio Orchestra, they forgot to endow their music with any sign of levity or vivacity. The end result is a 53-minute lull, as sleep-inducing and unpalatable as warm milk...
Posing on the front cover of his first record in five years with a massive cross, a black leather jacket (complete with black undershirt) and meticulously uncombed platinum hair, Kenny Wayne Shepherd looks either like a white biker Prince or some musically degenerative ex-boy band star. The Place You’re In, Shepherd’s fourth record, emphasizes garbage rock that sounds more like a NASCAR soundtrack than the inventive blues that enthusiasts desire. The band occasionally sounds like Collective Soul having a bad day or a meek Boston, but mostly just like guys playing repetitive chord...
...guitar chops—normally his distinguishing trait—here offer no variety and aren’t as prominently displayed as on earlier releases, and in compensation for the diminished guitar work, Shepherd sings on most of the album. Noah Hunt, who fronted the band on the last three records, takes the mic here only on two tracks. Kid Rock also guest-stars but is unable to save the album’s sonically limited vocals. It’s not that Shepherd has an atrocious voice; he just isn’t a singer and would...
...With bands like Wilco reinventing what can be done with American roots music, there’s never an excuse for an album of the genre to sound so recycled: Even after repeated listening, it’s nearly impossible to distinguish songs from The Place You’re In. On top of the dearth of creativity in the production, the lyrics are simplistic and clichéd. The title track features a particularly unfortunate line: “Live baby live / While you still can / I can change the world if you let me be your...
Where the hell are Camper Van Beethoven? After an extended hiatus, the quirky pop band from the ’80s are back to prove that David Lowery was better off with CVB than he ever was with Cracker. New Roman Times dropped last week, and with Guided By Voices in retirement, CVB may well be the greatest group of aging indie stars under a three-word band name. Stereo 360 opens. Tickets $18, $20 at door. 18+. 8pm. The Middle East Downstairs...