Written
by William Elgin, posted by blog admin
As
a fan of both acoustic and electric interpretations of
southern rock, folk, country and blues, I’m kicking myself for not discovering
New Jersey native Michael Askin’s music sooner.
His tunes trade complex playing for deep playing; sweeping passages
where texture and multi-tiered instrumental layers are the basis of the sound
here and take precedence over flashy, technically astounding soloist fare. Road by
the River is his third recording to date and after previewing his other
works it would seem that Askin has reached a level of musical maturity with
this album that in turns yields him the most nuanced and fully fleshed out set
of songs in his catalog.
Road by the River’s namesake track
acts as a gateway introduction number that touches on the songwriting themes
and instrumental melting pot that is the EP’s main calling card. A rushing river of wavy, rippling
brush-played snares set to a speedy tempo incites the cascades of acoustic
guitars to continue moving forward with a deliberate intent. The bass lines follow suit without deviating
much from the guitar melodies, providing further richness as opposed to another
musical main idea. Spartan keyboard
melodies twinkle in the background while not displaying the prominence they
will assume later on during the EP. All
throughout Askin paints himself as a very talented vocalist whose words conveys
much emotion on the human condition; narrated by a singer that’s in full
command of his strong melodic range.
“Nashville” traverses the same gravel path but slows the tempo a click
in exchange for gusts of atmospheric electric guitar, wailing organ
accoutrements, twangy country guitars and an even greater dynamic aural palette. It’s easily one of the release’s best pieces
of work with an ability to stir and shake-up the soul.
The
backbreaking, barroom brawl electric riffs of “Sun Going Down” molds Askin’s
acoustic work into Oak uprooting hard rock that’s fortified by a thick, dense
soundscape. Acoustics wrap around the
feral hard rock riffs, a Hammond organ rises above the clattering grooves and
Michael’s voice adopts a roughhewn drawl in the creation of a thumping
composition that powerfully bridges the EP’s two halves together with deft
sonic might. “Hard to Make a Living”
pairs up nicely to “Nashville” as the saddle-busting acoustic guitars are
minimally shades with electric riffs while a gospel B3 organ mantra ushers its
way to the front of the pews and commands its listeners’ attention spans for
the duration. Road by the River caps off with the folky acoustic smarts of “Last
Train,” a contemplative piece that reaches a dizzying finish of climactic synth
spires that gets louder and louder until the song vanishes into thin air back
from whence it came.
Michael
Askin’s Road by the River is a fully
developed outing for the singer/songwriter that expands tenfold on the
excellence from his last EP. Each of the
5 songs offer various takes on his chosen style and thanks to great writing
laying a rocky steady blueprint for the many musical textures on offer, Road by the River never ceases to
amaze.
Comments
Post a Comment