This trio, composed of a guitar, a bass and percussion, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has a sound all their own. The first 30 seconds of this album introduces a wonderful musical theme that pops up a couple times later on the disc, as a respite to the more vigorous parts of some songs.
Every Blessing Tonight features the captivating sounds of lead singer Jeff Royer's cries and the echoing sounds of Keith Wilson's guitar. This combination is especially effective in the second song of the album, "Florida." Also appealing are the musical transitions in mid-song: the band makes these alterations without causing havoc to the tunes or jarring the listener.
One improvement Mack and the boys could make on their next album is to bring the vocals to the front more on the mix. At times it is difficult to hear what is being sung (or said, as in the case of "Dragnet," when one of the guys recites a nice, Song of Solomon style lovenote), when the bass guitar overruns the vocals.
Overall this is a fine first project. The heartfelt vocals, instruments playing off each other and an engaging high end guitar sound are a fine launching pad for this independent band. And that first 30 seconds, with the recurring theme throughout, is a nice touch.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Josh SpencerWhen I heard that these guys were good friends with Jawbone Hill, I knew I'd like them. When I heard they regularly opened for bands like Pedro the Lion, Velour 100, and Joe Christmas, I knew many others would like them as well (maybe you caught them on the New Band Stage at Cornerstone?). Mack, the Coffee Man serves up their own special-brewed indie-rock/emo espresso, sure to perk up those…
