Must Have Music/Continental Music LC03396
strong shoulders.
The eleven songs of vocalist guitarist Jim Weider, vocalist-keyboardist-saxophonist Marty Grebb, drummer Michael Bramm, bassist Albert Rodgers and keyboardist Brian Mitchell on this 2018 debut breathe the spirit of The Band from Weider’s first mandolin notes. Weider was a member from 1985 to 2000 of a late version of the legendary group that invented americana without knowing it and then in The Band drummer Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band. Mitchell was also in it, while Grebb and Rogers played in a group with keyboardist Garth Hudson.
The four compositions that Weider and Webb each wrote breathe the spirit of The Band with their equally stubborn and naturally sounding tempo changes and the characteristic polyphonic background vocals. Grebb’s voice is very similar in tone and emotionality to Richard Manuel’s, while the two songs written by Weider with Levon Helm were intended for The Band’s ‘Jericho’ and Ray Charles’ ‘I wish you were here tonight’ was once sung by Manuel, although it was never released.
The band name winks so strongly to their inspiration that it could be a deadly embrace, but the five interprete their own songs and covers of songs by the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan in their own way.
On this album dedicated to Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel they continue on the path taken by their examples, which was seldom used by others.
Unfortunately, Marty Grebb, who died on 1 January 2020, must also be added to that list of names.
***1/2