With influences ranging from the Crow(e)s (Black and
Counting) to Squeeze to the Stones, Marwood fuses classic rock
riffs with singer-songwriter sensitivity, creating a sound that’s
instantly appealing, if perhaps not yet fully formed.
This EP, recorded by Dave McNair (Los Lobos, Soul
Asylum) captures six tracks that carry a rich, organic sound, as if
they were recorded live. Sweet riffs abound and the tunes are
thoughtfully crafted. The New York-based band is/was Benji Rogers
(vocals, guitar), Rob Overbey (guitars/vocals), Brett Conti
(bass/vocals) and Mike Talbot (drums). (“Is/was” reflects the fact
that the latest updates to the band’s site indicate Rogers is
forging ahead as a solo artist under the name Marwood, with a
rotating cast of players behind him.)
“Can’t Say” starts things off in full-throated Black
Crowes style, a driving riff propelling the band forward. It isn’t
long, though, before you get a taste of the soft-hard dynamics that
flow through much of this album, as the band throws in a
right-down-to-the-vocals breakdown before barreling back in full
force. Used once or twice, this can be a very effective technique;
Marwood seems to rely on it a bit too often here.
The second track, ‘Soulless” feels like a natural
single, with a tasty, stabbing hook anchoring the choruses, solid
vocals and an acerbic, perceptive jaded-love lyric. This one earned
repeated listens.
Track three, “Name To Me No More,” is where the band
stumbles. The song itself is solid enough – another soft-hard
confection — but Rogers tries singing the choruses in a falsetto
that feels so far out of his natural register that it grates.
Belting out the verses, he sounds great; I just cringed whenever
the verse came around. “Reconsider” generated a similar reaction —
great verses, but the chorus finds Rogers straining outside his
natural register and sounding slightly off-key at times.
“Monday Over Friday,” a rather Train-like ballad, is
the song the group has been featuring, even cutting a video for it,
and it’s easy to understand why. Here Rogers’ in-and-out of
falsetto vocals on the chorus work well, and the song itself has a
sweet acoustic hook that the band uses to dig a nice groove. The
final track, “Fallin’,” feels a little out-of-sync with the Stonesy
grind of earlier tunes, an even gentler acoustic ballad that tries
to soar and doesn’t quite get there.
This EP is a solid piece of work that suggests
Marwood may be just a step away from the big time. Rogers is a
talented songwriter/frontman; he just needs to consider whether it
makes more sense to play to his solid rock voice or keep messing
around with the soft-hard-falsetto thing. I vote the former — and
will keep watching Marwood with interest to see what develops
next.
[For more information on Marwood, visit www.marwoodband.com]
