Cadillac Sky recently stormed the stage at Central Michigan University's Plachta Auditorium as part of WCMU's "Our Front Porch" concert series. Audience members, who were used to the traditional music "Our Front Porch" is known for, didn't know what was in store for them. However, host John Sheffler summed it up well in his introduction: "Now for something completely different." With traditional instruments in hand, the band presented a show that was high energy, entertaining, humorous, and truly something "completely different."
Cadillac Sky's third full-length album,
Letters in the Deep, is set to be released in a few weeks, and while it doesn't capture the magic of their live show (nor should it), it is a strong album. The liner notes mention that all songs were "recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs to obtain the sound and feel of old time bluegrass music." And while some tracks certainly stand out as capturing that old time feel, other tracks are more punk or rock influenced.
The band is composed of front man Bryan Simpson on vocals and mandolin, David Mayfield on vocals and guitar, Matt Menefee on banjo, Ross Holmes on fiddle, and Andy "Panda" Moritz on bass. However, all of the musicians are multi-instrumentalists and they change it up from song-to-song, and they all receive vocal credits on the album, with many songs featuring impressive four and five-part harmonies.
Standout tracks on the album include the first single "Hangman," which is more traditional; "Trash Bag," from which the album title comes; "Bathsheeba," which explodes in punk-like frenetic energy; and "Human Cannonball," a sweet love song that features Mayfield on vocals. "Tired Old Phrases" is another slower song where Mayfield takes the lead. It opens, "I don't know if I've said anything / In this life that's worth remembering / Nothing bold, nothing brave / Just these tired old phrases..." The narrator of the song hits on a number of traditional topics, from lost love, to the devil, to drinking too much, to family regrets. While there is a sad sort of humor to the song, the narrator arrives at peace by its close. Another highlight on the album is "Ballad of Restored Confidence," with Simpson in his usual spot on lead vocals. With their blending of genres, strong instrumentation, soaring vocals and clever songwriting, nearly every track is a highlight which makes this album easy to listen to again and again, which is why it has been stuck in my cd player since I received it.
Produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys (who also makes an appearance on a couple of tracks), Letters In the Deep
will be out from Dualtone on June 8th. For more information on Cadillac Sky, visit: http://cadillacsky.net.