This is the type of song that will saunter up into your weekend and catch you off guard. It has a laid back shuffle to it which makes you want grab a great cup of coffee or an ice-cold beer and light a cigarette, even if it is 9:30am. Sometimes you need a quick vacation in the mind and this song suits that purpose. As I close my eyes and I see a beautiful, tall brunette walking towards me licking her lips daring to get into some trouble with her. Before she can sit down and say a word I’m on my feet heading out with her to her convertible to take off in a cloud of dust with the top down and this song on the radio. She’s dangerous and sometimes life needs to be, and yet I open my eyes and I am alone.
As a song stands, its solid. The performance is a bit loose and dangerous, just what a track like this calls for. I’m sure you’ll hear perfectionists out there groaning about the slight shifts in time and what not but this is a human song, played by real men with real passion and heart. The guitars from Chris and Gavin drift through the track like a dream but with true intentionality. It sounds as though it was recorded by plugging straight into the board and jamming out. Upon reading I see that it was cut live in the studio. The guitar sounds beautiful and holds it place well, but I got to admit that I am a fan of a mic’d acoustic. It’s more raw, and this is a song that displays raw human emotion. The guitar solo is sweet and to the point and helps to add musical swagger. It could have told a bit more of the story but it definitely didn’t wear out it’s welcome. The bass guitar in the hands of Ian sits a bit back in the mix and holds down the low end, but it has a great way of peeking out in the right places. Low and round I can almost see a woman’s hips sway as she walks away. As for the percussion work from Keith it is held back as well. It occupies it’s pocket solid and with the crack of the snare you can feel those high heels snap on the floor. There are no stadium fills going on here and that’s to the songs benefit. Such playing would have made this track feel less authentic. Its hard to play well to a song yet not crossing the line of overplaying it. Keith has shown how to walk the line and get the job done. Vocally the performance is top notch. The lyrics and their performance shine with the emotion and passion. The only down side is that the mic’s used didn’t catch a crisp and clear hi-end. There is a real smooth “rolled off” tone for the vocals. They don’t sound bad, the mic’s just don’t catch the sharp side of the feel in this cut.
This is the type of song that you want on your playlist to help slow things up and enjoy the day. Oldschool does well to keeping things simple and to the point so that you can enjoy the ride with whom ever you choose. I would recommend this track to those who like Classic Rock, Folk, Pop and Acoustic singer/songwriter styles. So go and take a trip with Oldschool, after all they say, “It’s all right by me…”
Written by Michael Smith
The band
Chris Cole guitar/lead vocals
Gavin Edwards - guitar and backing vocals
Ian Cattell - bass and backing vocals
Keith Newstead - drums
Visit the band
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldschoolHQ/
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