The Asher Kahn Band seems to make a habit out of breaking
\npreconceived notions of who you think they are, even after you
\nthink you’ve got them pegged down.<\/p>\n
Their latest disc,
\nContent<\/i>, at first sounds like the group – guitarist Asher
\nKahn, bassist Mike Smith and drummer Aaron Boczkowski – paid
\nattention to their Dave Matthews Band records, creating a folk-like
\ngroove in their music while trying to carve out their own unique
\nmusical niche. But in truth, the band owes a bigger debt to groups
\nlike The Jayhawks, as a country-rock influence is strongly felt by
\nthe time you reach the end of this disc.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, the sound is shaped by the wide variety of musicians
\nwho helped to create
\nContent<\/i>, including guitarist Nathan Lyons, organist James
\nHarton and drummer\/percussionist Ben Lindemann. But Kahn bears the
\nbrunt of the praise and criticism as the front man – though there
\nis more of the former than the latter.<\/p>\n
To be sure,
\nContent<\/i> features a group still trying to discover what the
\nbest route to deliver their music is. On songs like “Fading Away”
\nand “Stuck Up In The City,” there is the strong Dave Matthews
\ninfluence – and these would not be bad efforts with a little more
\nfocus on cosmetic touches, such as harmony vocals or more
\ndevelopment in the choruses.<\/p>\n
The magic really kicks in on “Something To Hold,” a track which
\npicks up the groove and slams it into your spine. I’m positive I
\nhear xylophone in the mix, adding a real jazz flavor to this song.
\nThis track is just a lot of fun to listen to, and is quite possibly
\nthe highight of the whole album.<\/p>\n
This isn’t to say that the remainder of
\nContent<\/i> is weak. Indeed, many tracks show that Asher Kahn
\nBand will be well worth watching in the months and years to come.
\nSongs like “Blame Me” (complete with toy piano) and “Josephine” all
\nrevel in the absolute joy this music creates. These tracks also
\nseem to focus more on a slightly countrified sound, though the rock
\nroots are never betrayed. The closing instrumental “139 Grant
\nAvenue,” a tribute to the recording studio the band worked at, all
\nbut seals the connection between this band and the Jayhawks.<\/p>\n
If there’s one downfall to
\nContent<\/i>, it’s that the listener might find themselves
\ndisinterested until they’re a quarter of the way through the disc.
\nEspecially when a band is unsigned and virtually unknown outside of
\ntheir hometown, you need a disc which hooks the listener almost
\nimmediately, and
\nContent<\/i> is in need of that hook. Remember, the average
\nlistener’s attention span is, uh, um… I’m sorry, I forgot where I
\nwas.<\/p>\n
Still, Asher Kahn Band proves to be one worth watching, and
\nContent<\/i> suggests that there will be great things to come
\nfrom the core of this band. There’s enough on this disc to suggest
\nthat the glory days might be closer than they think.<\/p>\n