Rustic Overtones
Rustic Overtones – Viva Nueva
(Tommy Boy)
Not a lot of great music might make it up to the barrens of Maine, but
some pretty good stuff appears to be coming from there. Supported by the
formidable production talents of Dave Leonard and Tony Visconti, Rustic
Overtones combines sounds and flavors of Gil Evans, Marvin Gaye, Dave
Matthews, Dicky Barrett and David B- wait a minute…That is David Bowie!
Apparently impressed by the sextet’s drive (and talent), the Thin White
Duke lent the band not only his favorite producer (Visconti) but also his
unmistakable pipes on not one, but two songs. Though “Man Without A Mouth”
bellows ironically, “Sector Z,” ranks with Bowie’s better tech-fed tunes
and fits in well with the diversely-styled album.. Opening with the
wave-your-arms-and-chant-along single “C’mon,” Viva Nueva rolls through
the Calypsoed “Crash Landing” and rumbles over the techno-funk of “Gas On
Skin.” While “Combustible” features incendiary horns and explosive vocal
delivery, “Hit Man” offers swaying soul and “Baby Blue” is absolute
lounge. The album even includes its own pre-concert warm up with the
self-referential “Check.” So, are these maine-iacs well-prepared? A-yuh!
- Matthew S. Robinson
c. 2001, M. S. Robinson, ARR
|