Rubek “Tender Hooks”
Rubek is the not so secret identity of singer songwriter Matt Burke. The debut album is a set of tight melodic tunes along the lines of Jon Brion, Josh Rouse or David Mead. The album title is certainly apparent from the opener “Losing Sleep” and those melodic hooks just draw you into the song. The simple country pop of the follow up “Work It Out” is another excellent tune with strong arrangement and light airy vocals. This slow deliberate approach is what follows on the next few songs (“Hard Land” and “My Best Plans”), and on “The Brightest Star” you figure Burke’s listened to plenty of Gram Parsons and The Jayhawks, with it’s multi-layered rhythms. By mid-album “Reasonable Man” is a rare break with a pure pop approach that works well, and a few tunes are more interested in sonic textures (“Butterfly”) at this point. The finale “God Help Me Out Here” is a dramatic Big Star-styled orchestral epic. Overall, the album has a big sound but the production is understated enough to let the melodies come through and shine.
Reno Bo “Happenings and Other Things”
Much thanks to Malin from our Facebook Page for turning me on to this album from last year that slipped by. Reno Bo is a songwriter and musician who spent the better part of the last three years on the road, as a touring bass player for Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. and NYC garage rockers The Mooney Suzuki. Reno steps out on his own to make this soulful blend of Beatles with shades of Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin and Neil Young. “There’s A Light” is a great big arena anthem full of loud guitars and strong melody. Fans of Oasis will flip for “Off Your Back” with it’s pounding piano and echoing chorus. The guitar work overall is superior with “Sugar Suite Blues” rocking a la Jimmy Page and “Shake Me Up” is produced by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Tinted Windows.) Nothing groundbreaking here, but it doesn’t have to be. Overall a great album with no filler that appeals to the classic rock geek in all of us. Soak it in and enjoy.
