An Album Review of mine: (Not my best work, but still good.) Ive been asked by the band to write another for their new album and hopefully we will do an in depth interview with the band when they play at the Contenintal Club next month!! I just have to convince the powers that be in case theyre not already on the idea. Album: Soul Track Mind Artist: Soul Track Mind CP: April 2013 Album Review for Austin Fusion Magazine Fall 2014 By Jess Helmke The Album That Saved American Music: Soul Track Mind The self entitled album, Soul Track Mind released in April 2013 is Modern Soul music recorded as a seven piece band emphasizing atmosphere, not lyrics, and combining motivational rhythms of dance music with the still whole notes of 1950s Soul. Add a heavy pulse beat from the snare for gospel stability, and expect to find a crisp sound with timid vulnerability from this Austin bands second album. The album introduces story, brilliantly communicated by establishing a loose song structure that even seems improvisional at times and by adopting a couple of classic Soul characteristics. The song Comes and Goes Around on the album is notable for a decrasindo followed by a pitch drop in the chorus melody; something often found in a genre of Soul music from the 60s. Also, harmonious repetition replaces the old call and response format of old school Soul, but contrast is found in the tension of the vocals and horns are heard instead of back up singers. And although the record has consistent dynamics, if someone listens to the bands latest album, Unbreakable, the composite sound is full and rich like red wine, perfection almost, something thats lacking in the self entitled, Soul Track Mind. But this okay. Because...Soul Track Mind was a confident, brave pitch produced from a very transitional place. And it nailed its audition like Johnny Cash singing Fulsome Prison. This naked, singled out place of Soul Track Mind is like being on a cusp, the music isnt suppose to be full and complete like an orchestra performance. The record should expose the musics skeletal form, in this case Southern Soul, highlight the ensembles style, and diversify the music with consentrated solos to heighten a musicians or bands stronger talents. And thats exactly what this album does. Some jealous onlooking peers may tempt doubt in the necessity of albums like this by saying something like, Its a glorified demo album. But it takes some, well, balls to make such an honest record and present work so truthful you could grow from a simple participant of music to an accomplished artist by your next album. Like Soul Track Mind did with STM and Unbreakable. Without the work of this self entitled albums leap of Faith, the recent 2014 album would just be some soul band and not an award winning, historically and progressively composed work of music that respectfully and nostalgically reminds the listener of the message Booker T. and James Brown were trying to articulate way back when... That good music has to come from the soul of a music artist. No matter what form its in. That the soul is musics birthplace, and that Soul...is the reason American music has survived. So a huge Austin thank you to vocalist Donavan Keith for curating such a fulfilling band sound back in 2008 with drums, guitar, bass, trumpet, keys, and a saxophone. I might show up to their show at the Continental Club next month with my red dress on. Jess Helmke Freelance Creative University of Texas @ Austin, B.A. in Theatre Education 832/683-2463 treblebox31@icloud
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 16:44:45 +0000
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