Yes, it is a band consisting of teenagers (including a 15-year-old on lead guitar).
But that's not a bad thing.
Spooky Tuesday makes its 12-song debut on Innocent Media, the offspring of Christian alternative music veteran and master bassist Ojo Taylor, formerly co-owner of Brainstorm. Gene Eugene both produced and mixed the album at his now-infamous studio, The Green Room. Although the names behind the release speak for themselves, Spooky Tuesday's music speaks for itself. Nor does the band need to draw upon the novelty of having youth and a female guitarist (another Christian music rarity).
Listeners will find Spooky's music very reminiscent of a Dakoda Motor Company 'Unplugged' due to the outstanding blend of male and female vocals from Scooter, the male lead singer and guitarist and Chap (the band members have some great names), the female rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist. Both Scooter and Chap are excellent guitarists and give an earthy, folk feel to the solos. Some songs, like "Someone's There" and especially "Pain to What" sound not unlike Toad the Wet Sprocket.
One of the things most impressive about It'll Never Fly Orville is the extremely well-done production ... sometimes. Eugene has mixed the tracks so that the band sounds like they're doing a gig right in your home. The drums, often undermixed in acoustic records, are alive and predominant. The balance between acoustic and electric during all but two cuts is near-perfect. Ironically though, Spooky Tuesday's greatest production strength is their greatest weakness. "Wasted Youth" and "Wrong Image" sound as if they were simply lifted from a demo tape.
Chap has written the lyrics intelligently and with a great deal of insight, although not overtly or openly spiritual. Instead the songs focus on feelings, experiences, and emotions more than facts or hidden Biblical truths. The predominant theme on It'll Never Fly... seems to be relationships; for example "Someone's There" shares personal feelings from someone who needs a friend:
Is someone there? Who is a friend? Who understands? I can see some laughing, I can see some cry, I can see most lonely, and I'll see some fly. But we can't deny we all need friends. We'll take a walk and we'll talk for hours on something that went wrong. It takes a smile to make me catch up all the ground that fell.
"Runaway," sure to be a radio favorite due to its catchy chorus, "17," and "Wrong Image" discuss low self-esteem. "I Still Care" talks about hurt feelings left over from a broken relationship:
We pass each other by, but we won't say "hi" I'm just afraid to say hello. Everytime you cross my mind I cared for what was there
Spooky Tuesday's first album is a great debut for both the band and Innocent Media. With a little more finetuning, Spooky has the potential to become quite a popular act, and perhaps one of Innocent Media's frontrunner bands (although Mike Roe and the 77s may be a little tough to beat). Replacing "Wasted Youth" and "Wrong Image"-which sounded like rock songs left over from an eighties demo tape-with some better acoustic tracks and allowing Chap to show off her extensive vocal talents would have perfected this album. Nevertheless, fans of Jars of Clay, Dakoda Motor Company, and acoustic music in general shouldn't be afraid to pick up It'll Never Fly Orville!.
Similar sounding releases
1998BumblepuppyAn Evening at the Feelies
1996LoudflowerHappy Now?
1997Hokus PickThe B-Sides
2002The ZiggensThe Ziggens
1995The WaitingBlue Belly Sky
1997TreeOverflow
