Andrew
Appletree & The Neptune Riders - 59 To The End (song review)
|self-released, Dragonfly, 2012| 3/5
"59
To The End" is a song performed and recorded live at Zen
Recording studio by Andrew Appletree (guitar,vocals, music, lyrics)
and The Neptune Riders featuring Aimee Trachtenberg (vocals),
Barry Waddell (guitar), Bryan Thompson (drums) as well as Stephen
Paul Connelly (guitar piano, bass guitar).
It was released on the Dragonfly album in 2012 and is featured
as the last track on the record.
First of all, the intro brings an atmosphere well suited to a live
recording where the musicians are synchronizing before the
performance of the song. You'll hear "Hold on!" calling for
patience, followed by the sound of spontaneously touched strings,
then drumsticks dictating the rhythm and somebody taking a deep
breath. I believe this may have been left in the track on purpose to
enhance the experience of the music. This song is deeply rooted in
classic blues and rock styles. If you listen to a few other blues
compositions, you'll notice it's almost a stylistic technical method
which opens the track.
Secondly, well written arrangements include both solid rhythm guitar
parts as well as soloing arrangements that transpire after passing
through the middle of the track. Additionally, smoke filled bar-like
moods are performed on the piano, which is such a specific instrument
that it can steal the listeners attention as much as a saxophone,
especially when utilized with rock music. When it comes to bass and
drums, they give the song stable dynamics and never go upfront; both
play their parts synchronized very well.
Thirdly, the vocals sound rough - the way we used to hear vocals
performed in songs by Bob Dylan, Captain Beefheart or Tom Petty (yet
not as harsh as those performed by Tom Waits). Thus, the vocals can
be automatically associated with hard rock, blues and southern rock
styles very well. There are also repetitive female background vocals
reminiscent of what you would hear in music associated with the 1970s
counter-culture.
Finally, if you are one to look at album covers first before
listening to the tracks, you probably won't be able to miss the
Neptune-related statuesque lady with a dreamy gaze which adorns this
record.
"59 To The End" lasts a bit over 3 minutes in duration.
Thus, you can think of many ways to use it, aside from just
listening. This track would be a great candidate to be utilized in a
radio set-list, movie soundtrack or also (based on the lyrics) for
the long awaited “end of the world” as we shift from one year to
another if you believe in the recently reported apocalypse that
supposed to happen on
12/21/2012 (according to the sources of the crazies). Overall, "59
To The End" sounds like a great new musical discovery for the
fans of i.e. Stevie Ray Vaughan or Van Morrison.
(Katarzyna
'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, November 23rd, 2012)
This review on Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=455
This review on Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=455
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Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine