Album Review: Erin Ash Sullivan – Signposts and Marks

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Erin Ash Sullivan

photo courtesy of Erin Ash Sullivan

Album Review of Erin Ash Sullivan: Signposts and Marks

Erin Ash Sullivan serves up an excellent folk music album with Signposts and Marks. The music bed is full and rich, moreso than many folk records, providing a collection of songwriter-driven storytelling songs that can appeal to a broader audience than the more simply-produced acoustic singer-songwriter fare with which she shares a genre.

Erin Ash Sullivan – Signposts and Marks album cover

image courtesy of Erin Ash Sullivan

Erin’s voice is strong, emotive, and varied – she’s a heckuva singer even without the “hyphen-songwriter” attached. But she’s also quite a lyricist, utilizing relatably descriptive phrasing to paint pictures that make an unusually broad range of topics come to life on this record.

Erin opens with “Goat on a Stone Wall,” a song whose twangy-picking opening slides into one of the more typically rich-folk sounding songs on the record. But it also suggests this record is something a little different than you might have initially expected, carrying quite a bit of tempo throughout, showcasing an impressive vocal range, volume variance, and nimble phrasing.

“Rest Stop Bird,” next, features a semi-haunting chord pattern that reminds me a little of a Shawna Caspi song, especially early on, as it uses the imagery of a bird at a rest stop to convey some deeper thoughts, pleasantly, and catchily.

Erin Ash Sullivan holding a guitar on the steps of building

photo courtesy of Erin Ash Sullivan

“Baltimore” is worth noting, as it’s an exceptionally soulful number, but especially because it’s one of those songs you’ll be sure you’ve heard before. This has gotta be a cover, right? Nope. Instant classic. Some of my favorite lyrics on the entire record, in fact, come in this song: “‘Cause it’s the loved ones that take it the hardest when the actors stop reading their lines. When there’s a twist in the plot, whether they like it or not, all along they’ve been seeing the signs.” There’s so much packed in there, particularly within the context of the song, but no, I’m not going to share more of this song’s lyrics in this review. You’ll have to see and hear for yourself.

“One Time I Stole a Book” is softly and, not surprisingly, confessional, sporting guitarwork that sounds a bit like rain softly hitting the window. It’s a song about Erin’s grandparents, wistfully touching upon life’s little moments, perhaps turning points, with the lyric “give us grace to know the signposts and the marks,” from which the album title is drawn. And yes, Erin explains why she stole the book.

Erin Ash Sullivan

photo courtesy of Erin Ash Sullivan

“Winter Walk” is musically off-kilter, suitably accompanying the more disturbing song content. Give a listen, and then again, and keep thinking to yourself, “the lyrics say what?” For one thing, “two sets of prints out and one set home.” But I must say no more. The songwriter might already suspect I know too much.

“Eat the Pie” is another favorite. It’s a playful, cheerful song about reaching for the brass ring, just going for it, all based on the songwriter’s “tiny voice inside [her] head calling out to [her], ‘Eat the pie! Eat the pie!'” You’ll be cheering for the “nerdy bookish weirdo who was cut from every team,” and your anticipation will be rewarded. Not just by the lyrics’ payoff; you’ll also be treated to not-quite-four-minutes of fun, creatively-worded, whimsical listening enjoyment, almost certainly ending with a smile on your face.

Erin Ash Sullivan performing at Falcon Ridge

photo courtesy of Erin Ash Sullivan

“Don’t Want to Keep Score” is sweet, serene crooner’s waltz that belies its topic of the toxicity of arguments, if you stop swaying to the music long enough to notice the lyrics.

The final three songs are parent to child themed. “We Walk the Flats” is sweet song about the passage of time, though, of course, more about walking on the beach. “How It Should Be,” next, is also heartfelt and wistful. And the record closes with “Before You Go,” a slice-of-lifer about savoring moments.

The twelve tracks of Signposts and Marks are richly textured, lyrically clever songs, delivered by Erin via impressively rich musical arrangements and an exceptional vocal range. If you like singers or songs – and why are you reading a music blog if you don’t? – then you should give this record a listen.

Single Reviews: Wildfeuer – “Bones” and “85 to 0”

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Wildfeuer band photo, with the band standing in front of a graffiti-covered brick wall

photo courtesy of Sarah Wildfeuer

Single Reviews of Wildfeuer: “Bones” and “85 to 0”

Boston’s alt-rock scene has a new A-list band, if Wildfeuer‘s first two singles are any indication. Full of energy, power, and rhythmic persistence, “Bones” and “85 to 0” hint at a high ceiling for this Sarah Wildfeuer-led outfit.

Wildfeuer – "Bones" cover art

image courtesy of Sarah Wildfeuer

On its first single, Wildfeuer kicks things off with an engaging, hypnotically rhythmic alt-rocker, “Bones,” that, as you start to listen to the lyrics, is topically perhaps cathartic, one hopes, as it disquietingly descriptively details the challenges of moving forward with life and love following a sexual assault. The vocals are suitably edgy, tunefully dashing around the contours of the melody. From the very first lyrics, the song is intense: “He digs his fingers into me. His dirty nails they make me bleed. Nothing ever sets me free from the memory.” The subject matter is, unfortunately, familiar to far too money people, so anything that helps engage public thought and discussion (and, of course, condemnation) on the matter is welcome, even moreso if it helps those who’ve experienced it find common cause. In this case, the message is in the package of a kickass song.

Wildfeuer – "85 to 0" cover art

image courtesy of Sarah Wildfeuer

Second single “85 to 0” is slower paced and, with the beats highlighted moreso by the more intentionally plodding progression, sports perhaps a little heavier feel. This song is disquieting in a slightly different way, with a chorus that begins “With my headlights wrapped so nice round a streetlight. I think it would feel so nice to hit zero from eighty-five.” The wall of sound is greater during the chorus, and the vocal intensity picks up to match.

Together, this pair of intense, well-written songs suggest both a live performance that could enthrall a roomful of rockers (well beyond the core alt-rock crowd) and the likelihood of a future catalog of equally impressive songs in the band’s future. Perfect not just for an alt-rock college crowd but also for more veteran rock music fans, too. I’m already looking forward to whatever Wildfeuer releases next.

Wildfeuer band photo, with the band standing on a stage that's covered with graffiti

photo courtesy of Sarah Wildfeuer

Looking Ahead

You can find Wildfeuer online at the band’s website or its TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube pages. I don’t see any upcoming gigs listed, but I’ll definitely be watching for them.

EP Review: Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band – Prophets of the Apocalypse

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Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band – Prophets of the Apocalypse cover photo

image courtesy of Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band

EP Review of Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band: Prophets of the Apocalypse

Kristian Montgomery is an Americana-tinged rock ‘n roll savant. Despite the high expectations in place every time I listen to a new Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band recording, once again, Kristian does not disappoint. And you know, I don’t even worry about the possibility anymore.

The first single from this record, “Leaving Texas,” was released a several weeks in advance of the EP. It’s a friggin’ masterpiece. You know how sometimes you hear a new song but it sounds as if it’s a long-time favorite that’s already a big hit. That’s “Leaving Texas.” Big sound, jangly rolling guitar line, powerful vocals, monster hook, and singalong lyrics: “I’m just leaving Texas, and if I live I’ll see you at home.” If you typically think Americana music is too bland for you, you’ll hear a song like “Leaving Texas” and think to yourself, “Wow, maybe I do like Americana music.” Then you’ll listen to almost any other Americana artist, whose music just lies flaccidly on the record, and realize that, no, you do not in fact like Americana music, you just like the genre’s very best artists, like Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band. Unprovoked attacks on Americana music aside, I have discovered that Kristian always has at least one “how is this not a mega-hit?” songs on each record, and “Leaving Texas” is that song on Prophets of the Apocalypse.

Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band – "Leaving Texas" single cover art

image courtesy of Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band

So far, “Leaving Texas” has remained my favorite track on this EP, but another truism about KMWKB albums is that pretty much any song can creep up on you and be your favorite at a later date, sometimes a different one every day, so don’t sleep on the rest of the EP. As if it would let you.

The following song, “That Bitch Done Broke” is a dense, noisy, sidewinding swamp-rocker. Rather, “rockin’ swamp-blues boogie,” as I called this style in my review of KMWKB’s A Heaven for Heretics. “That Bitch Done Broke” is a heavy-sounding example of the core sound behind much of Kristian’s music. And it’s addictive.

“Rock That Doesn’t Roll” adds a lot of classic guitar-blues flair to that swampy sound, while slipping some rhythmic choppiness into the recipe. And is that cowbell!?! Whether it’s actual cowbell or a similar percussion instrument, that’s just cool af.

“Cold Day in Hell” opens as a bit of a squealing psychedelic rock song before settling into a powerful, classic rock-influenced, arena-worthy, straightforward blues rock number that’ll have the audience singing along with “cold, cold, cold day in hell.”

The EP closes with “Foolish Devil,” a steady, plodding, emotionally pleading number delivered in that cool, blues-rock-country, kinda swampy style Kristian performs so well. And guitar fans will like the long, bluesy, wailing solo shortly past the song’s midway point. A song that drips in coolness, “Foolish Devil” is the perfect way to end this sidewinding, fully engaging record.

You can find Prophets of the Apocalypse here at Spotify and here on Bandcamp.

EP Review: Silveroller – At Dawn

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Silveroller

photo courtesy of BJF Media

EP Review of Silveroller: At Dawn

Are you a Zeppelin fan? A Deep Purple fan? A Cream fan? Maybe Jefferson Airplane? Well, have I got a band for you to blast while enjoying your lava lamp and black light posters! Silveroller seems to have stepped straight out of the psychedelic classic rock era, carrying all those influences but still creating a sound all its own, a sound that would have been all over ’60s/’70s album-oriented rock radio.

That’s not to say there aren’t other influences, as well, I could hear Silveroller sharing the stage with bands ranging from the Rolling Stones to the Black Crowes, who themselves were a ’60s/’70s throwback band when they hit it big in the ’90s. Indeed, Silveroller’s At Dawn EP opens with a funky, pounding, howling rocker entitled “Black Crow” (coincidence?), a song whose mix of guitar and organ helps give it that ’60s/’70s sound. “Hold,” following, is basically a nearly-four-minute vocal-and-instrumental jam that ramps up halfway through to the line “and I believe that freedom has got a hold on me” before pausing to take a breath, then erupting in raucous instrumental cacophony. (And repeats.)

Silveroller – At Dawn album cover

image courtesy of BJF Media

“Ways of Sailing” starts out by slowing things down in an almost Allman-esque way, but it only stays mellow for the first minute and a quarter. Indeed, Silveroller can’t seem to resist amping things up to a power-rocking beat, tempo, and volume, building to a wall of musical noise, at least from time to time. There is a bit of late-song harmony in this song that’s a preview of what’s to come later. But the band’s jam-band tendencies are only briefly resisted.

“Turn to Gold” is more of a straightforward blues-rocking wailer. It’s clearly a ’70s-styled blues rocker, but it’s a little less musically intense than any of the preceding numbers. “Other Side” follows in a similarly bluesy rock vein but its thumping rhythm is intermingled with some almost choir-like harmonies. Although I’m sure the first five tracks kill live, the finesse of “Other Side” is a nice contrast – it spends a lot less time being cranked up to 11 than the prior songs, and it even has a less cluttered late-song guitar solo – making it my second favorite song on At Dawn.

Silveroller

photo courtesy of BJF Media

Album-closer “Come On, Come In” is absolutely, definitely, undeniably my favorite Silveroller song. Again, the finesse appeals to me. The vocals soar but still retain an edge. There’s some serious classic rock guitarwork that carries the middle of the song. And there’s an uplifting, almost Gospel feeling to much of the song, the way the song builds to power and sustains but with a full, kind of airy vocal. Trust me, rock fans – this song’ll give you chills.

To be honest, I almost just reviewed “Come On, Come In,” which was released as a single in late 2023, because it’s such an amazing song, but then I gave the EP a few listens, and beginning to end, At Dawn is a helluva rock record, one you’ll enjoy from beginning to end and a collection deserving of a full review. And just because my favorites came at the end of the disc doesn’t mean yours will. But from a holistic standpoint, it’s nice that Silveroller provided a comparatively soft landing after front-loading the EP with so much power.

EP Review: Nate Perry & Ragged Company – The Otherside of Everything

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Nate Perry & Ragged Company press photo

photo by Shivohn Fleming; photo courtesy of Knyvet

EP Review of Nate Perry & Ragged Company: The Otherside of Everything

You’re gonna dig this record! Nate Perry & Ragged Company bring a big country sound and a little alt-rock energy to what’s primarily an energetic Americana style on The Otherside of Everything. Kind of R.E.M.-era Athens meets alternative country’s Nashville. It’s a brand of energetic Americana that seems to infect the standout Northeast Americana outfits much more than its does the best of the genre I hear from other parts of the country. Yeah, I know, regional stylistic variances can be weird that way.

The EP-opener, “Maria,” kicks things off with jangly electricity, a steady rhythm, and a full rich sound, delivering a song that sounds like you might hear it on the radio, approachable for a broad audience.

Nate Perry & Ragged Company – The Otherside of Everything cover art

image courtesy of Knyvet

“All I Need” is a lot more twangy, with a bit of a rockabilly flavor – or maybe that’s old-school country music I’m hearing. The energy level and pace are persistent and just a little uncomfortably fast, thumping along festively; you wonder how the band keeps its breath. So, yeah, maybe this song doesn’t have quite the same crossover appeal as “Maria,” but it’s more guaranteed to be a huge hit among fans of core style because, yowza! I mean, whew!

“Another Day” is another alt rock-meets-Americana number. A not-quite-anguished vocal wail punctuates the lyric “I woke up feeling good, but the feeling passed.” Ya gotta dig that lyric! Stylistically, what if John Mellencamp rocked along with the grainy, barely-constrained energy of a rollicking Bruce Springsteen song? Well, its sound might be something like this.

“Evergreens” slows things down a little. The style and pace of the song immediately make me think of what its music video might look like. I’m picturing a slightly faded film-like appearance, probably with very obvious black dots and scratches on the video, as if it’s old and slightly damaged. The view would be framed by the interior of an old pickup truck, looking out the window watching the countryside roll by. Well, think of that video, then imagine exactly the song that might be its soundtrack. The song itself is about looking back in time, imagining what was, reminiscing a bit but also wishing you could change some of what transpired. It’s a cool song.

Nate & Company wrap things up with “Preacher,” a bluesy complaint with wailing guitars to match the sorrowful vocals.

I’d slate “Maria” and “Another Day” as the songs that headline the most-likely-to-be-hits category, but what do I know? The whole EP is strong with enough stylistic variance – all offshoots of Nate Perry & Ragged Company’s core sound – that it’s one of those records where listeners’ favorite songs are likely to vary significantly. So check it out, choose your own favorites, and enjoy.

Single Review: Baby and the Nobodies – “Bombs Away”

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Baby and the Nobodies

photo courtesy of Head First Entertainment

Single Review of Baby and the Nobodies: “Bombs Away”

Seattle pop-punk rockers Baby and the Nobodies strike me as being a little closer to the punk side (and farther from the pop side) of pop-punk on “Bombs Away.” Yes, the song is infectiously catchy, but it also has some of the old-school punk rawness that’s absent from the poppier music that is more commonly identified with this fun, catchy genre. Of course, the nice thing about falling in that in-between space is that a hooky song like “Bombs Away” can appeal to both classic punk rockers and pop-punkers alike.

Baby and the Nobodies – "Bombs Away" cover art

image courtesy of Head First Entertainment

“Bombs Away,” in style and delivery, sounds a bit like something Blog favorite Amanda White might record. It starts with a raw guitar rock hook, quickly moving into a drumbeat-driven rhythmic thumping, with lyrics delivered as if semi-snarkily with a lot of that old-school punk attitude. Guitar rock fans will also appreciate that the first lyrics is a quick “Yow!” Or maybe that’s just me. Regardless, it’s a great entry for the vox.

The way the song powers forward, it’s almost surprising to see it clock in at just more than four minutes, through there’s a nifty guitar solo, and due to the heavily thumping rhythm section, the song’s tempo isn’t actually as fast as it feels.

There’s something catchy about “Bombs Away” that’ll grab you on the first listen, and by the third or fourth you’ll be fully hooked. And once you’re hooked, if you’re new to Baby and the Nobodies, like I am, there’s a back catalog you can explore while you enjoy “Bombs Away” and await the band’s next release.

Single Reviews: Lovina Falls – “Tragedy” and “Ellery Way”

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Lovina Falls

photo by Joan Hathaway; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of Lovina Falls: “Tragedy” and “Ellery Way”

Lovina Falls is dubbed in its promo material as art-rock. I can’t argue with that. The band’s overall sound, at least on this pair of singles, has that a bit of that floating ’80s new wave musical vibe – for some reason, I think of ABC a little. But I almost don’t want to mention them for fear of scaring off the most likely batch of fans because Lovina Falls’ music comes from a denser, heavier, more modern rock perspective and, aside from the floatiness, has a completely different sound.

Lovina Falls – "Tragedy" cover art

artwork by Valerie Forgione; image courtesy of Knyvet

Lovina Falls is the current project from ex-Mistle Thrush-er Valerie Forgione (vocals, multiple instruments and sounds). Forgione’s band on “Tragedy” is comprised of Todd Demma (drums), Scott Patalano (guitar), and David Minehan (guitar and bass), while on “Ellery Way” she is joined by Brenden Cobb (guitar), Matthew Klain (bass), and Todd Demma (drums), with David Minehan co-producing. These exceptional musical collaborations produce a rich, powerful sound.

“Tragedy” kicks off with that floating aura I referred to in the first paragraph but with a heavy beat and a buzzy soundbed before building into a decent-tempo thumping rock song. It’s not ’til nearly the song’s midpoint that its raw energy starts to take the lead, but after that it just seems to build. Talk about drawing a listener in! You’ve gotta believe this would be just as effective in a live performance. I can almost envision “Tragedy” being performed in a setting like the early ’90s Rat in Kenmore Square, though despite the electric, uniquely edgy energy, there are some sounds in “Tragedy” that are a bit too modern to have quite fit in that era.

Lovina Falls – "Ellery Way" cover art

image credit: Spencer Frost; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Ellery Way,” on the other hand, haunts from the beginning. You know somethin’ just ain’t right while listening to this song, but the music is too hypnotic to be able to focus on the lyrics enough to really follow them. And that’s probably a good thing, allowing you to avoid focusing on them unless you really want to. Musically, an electronic buzz combines with a steady rhythm and Forgione’s powerful, emotively edgy-yet-smooth vocal delivery to create an all-encompassing, atmospheric alt-rock-ish musical mural. And yes, you’ll find yourself singing along with “Ellery Way is just as different by day when I walk with you.”

These singles were follow-ups to Lovina Falls’ 2023 debut album Calculating the Angle of Our Descent. And, though I’ve not delved into that album, the two songs I’ve reviewed here are enough to convince me that a Lovina Falls live set is likely to be an enrapturing, fully immersive event. As hard as the music is to describe, it’s likely to appeal to fans of any flavor of rock music from straight-up rock to alt-rock to electronic rock, especially if you’re drawn to great songs.

 

Single Review: Preston Lydotes – “Wrong”

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Single Review of Preston Lydotes: “Wrong”

Preston Lydotes – "Wrong" cover art

image courtesy of Preston Lydotes

Boston-based singer-songwriter Preston Lydotes delivers a powerful and tuneful message in “Wrong.”

The song, a mea culpa for mistakes made, starts softly, confessionally, with simple acoustic guitar plucking and a vulnerable vocal that seems to crack a lot more than it really does – there’s really only one spot that goes beyond just a hint. That’s the sign of a talented vocalist.

As the song continues, the power builds along with the richness of the soundbed and the volume and fullness of the vocals, producing a solid emotional lump in the listener’s throat by the midpoint of the song.

Preston Lydotes

photo courtesy of Preston Lydotes

In total, this is an exceptional single, despite its relatively simple instrumentation – or perhaps because of it. If you don’t get emotional while listening to “Wrong,” you’re at least somewhat heartless. And yet, whether or not you enjoy getting all emotional, you’ll agree “Wrong” is a must-hear.

Before and After

“Wrong,” released this past fall, was the first release following Lydotes’ 2023 EP Is There Anyone? More recently, per his bandcamp page, the singer-songwriter has dropped “The Fallout” (December 2024), “The Critic in Me” (January 2025), and “5 to 9” (April 2025). Just a quick listen to some of those records, and you’ll realize Lydotes covers a lot of musical ground, often much more energetically than on the very emotional “Wrong.” I’ve seen him dubbed a folk/pop-rock singer-songwriter. I’d advise considering that to be inclusive of folk, pop, and rock rather than a specific sound mixing the genres. This dude’s got range!

Single Reviews: Lucas Horne – “Secret” and “When Did the Sun”

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Lucas Horne

photo courtesy of Groot PR

Single Reviews of Lucas Horne: “Secret” and “When Did the Sun”

“Secret” and “When Did the Sun,” the first two singles released in advance of Lucas Horne‘s 2024 album Seventeen, showcase an impressive range for big-sound pop-rock vocalist Horne.

“Secret” begins tunefully, with a straight-up pop storytelling delivery that continues through the verses. The bridge and the chorus, though, with the “hey, oh! oh! oh!” background vocal, ratchet up the energy level. Most people would likely just bop their head to the higher-energy beat and/or sing along, but I could see more energetic fans potentially pogoing to it at a live gig. Regardless, this is a very cool song that’ll get stuck in your head and live alongside much more famous pop anthems.

Lucas Horne

photo courtesy of Groot PR

On “When Did the Sun,” meanwhile, Horne slows things down a bit, displaying versatility. Equally pop-worthy, but this time a painfully heartfelt ballad. It’s smooth, emotional, and easy to listen to, atop a warm, rich soundbed, with nifty soft-pop/rock guitarwork from time to time, particularly in the closing fade-out.

Pop/rock and slower pop, both with enough of a rock edge to reach a broad audience but not so much as to scare aware more pure pop fans… Lucas has the range and the talent. And if you’ve not yet heard of him, these two songs are a great introduction.

More Recently

Since the release of Seventeen, the album that featured both “Secret” and “When Did the Sun,” Lucas has dropped several more singles, which you can find on his Spotify page. There are more than enough for another EP, so for those of you who like your music in multi-song bundles… well, I don’t know if there are plans to do that, but you can always bundle them yourself.

Album Review: Anthony Geraci – Tears in My Eyes

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Anthony Geraci promo photo

photo by Marilyn Stringer; photo courtesy of Anthony Geraci

Album Review of Anthony Geraci – Tears in My Eyes (Blue Heart Records)

I love a good blues piano player, and Anthony Geraci is one of the best. Tears in My Eyes is Geraci’s second release on Blue Heart Records. On this record, Geraci is joined by guitarist Barrett Anderson, bassist Paul Loranger, and drummers Marty Richards and Kurt Kalker. Vocals are most often handled by Sugar Ray Norcia. And Mario Perrett (saxophone), Drew Davies (saxophone), and Anne Harris (violin) all make appearances, rounding out Geraci’s all-star line-up.

Geraci’s rolling keywork and Norcia’s gruff, enthusiastically downtrodden, steady vocals drive album-opening “Broken Mirror, Broken Mirror,” a perfect introduction to this soulful blues record.

Peppy instrumental “Owl’s Nest” follows, with a groovy, hip rhythm supporting Geraci’s adept keywork and Davies’ prominent saxophone. It’s very likely my favorite instrumental on this album, feeling more jazzy than blue, as Tears in My Eyes showcases its musical breadth.

Anthony Geraci – Tears in My Eyes album cover

image courtesy of Blind Raccoon

The title track is up third on this record. Barrett Anderson handles the vocals on “Tears in My Eyes”; his tone blends well with Geraci’s energetic ivorywork and, in a couple of spots, with Anderson’s own small guitar runs. “Tears in My Eyes” is mainstream enough to fit well on adult contemporary radio alongside soft rock songs, perhaps alongside one of Chicago’s hits or even, with a nod to the guitar riffs, a softer classic rock number. I’d consider “Tears in My Eyes” to be the most likely multi-genre crossover song on this record.

The whole album is solid, and it’s a fun beginning-to-end listen, but I’ll stick to a few of my personal favorites the rest of the way. (Your favorites may differ.)

“Judge Oh Judge” is an interesting standout, with Norcia’s vocal delivery, plentiful saxophone fills, and old-school, traditional pianowork recalls the sort of music you might expect in a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Really cool stuff!

The piano-playing on instrumental “Oh No” reminds me a bit of Blog favorite Bob Malone, with saxophone offering some playful back-and-forths.

Though it’s not an instrumental, the pace and tempo of “Ooeee” is consistent throughout, offering opportunities for the musicians to show off, riffing off the steady rhythm line, and whenever the “ooeee” vocal appears, I could easily hear the audience singing along. It’s a cool song, and I bet it’s a big crowd favorite when performed live.

“Memphis Mist” stands out, as the addition of a violin adds a unique flavor to this instrumental that strolls along like a walk through a quiet cityscape. Perhaps, I guess, that city is supposed to be Memphis in the mist. (I’ve never been to Memphis, so in my mind’s eye I picture New York, walking alongside Central Park.)

After the rollicking, modest-tempoed blues rocker “Witchy Ways,” the album closes with a pair of mellow numbers, “Now What” and “Lonely Country Road Blues,” the latter fully instrumental, to set the listener down with a soft, blue landing.

The musicianship on this record, beginning to end, makes it an enjoyable, easy listen. Blues fans of any ilk should check it out. And, of course, keep an eye out for any opportunity to see Anthony Geraci perform live. From this record, I can tell that the breadth and depth of his pianowork would be mesmerizing in a performance setting.