Boston’s country roots rockers The Bluest Sky have recently released their eponymous debut album. The Bluest Sky abounds with chirpy, twangy guitar from Andy Santospago, guitar parts that contribute greatly to this bands gritty, rustic rockin’ sound. Lead singer Chuck Melchin pours a heaping dose of acoustic guitar strum over these songs while one man rhythm section David Westner keeps the low end smooth and running and the subtle and driving fills coming.
Opening track “Belly To The Bar,” loaded with perky electric guitar, moves its wave of sound like a rider traveling the range, not slowing down for its peaks and valleys. A bumpy groove moves the guitar grist along a travel lane with smooth aplomb. Melchin’s smooth, amicable vocals doesn’t sing as much as it rolls with the hilly motions of this piece. This sentimental rocker conjures feelings of travel, loss, mourning, and recovery while nesting itself in the listener’s soft spot.
“The Girl It Took The Universe” gets its charm from a rolling groove, a circular motion that keeps the piece lively. Melchin’s vocal delivery captures the feeling of patience as his beloved has other things to do before getting around to him. His acoustic guitar lays down another layer of emotive grist as he keeps it wide and subtle. Guest musician Duncan Watt spreads a soulful layer of organ over all, and that adds another dimension of emotion to this complex piece.
“Amy Jean” gets a firm backbone from Santospago’s flinty, rippling guitar phrase. Each note perks flavorful and zesty, shiny and bright. Throw in Melchin’s six string acoustic and we have a weave of fun country flavored notes. Westner, meanwhile, makes it all happen with his bossy groove, an authority of rhythm that the guitars wrap tightly around, a song at once layered and tight.
Guest musician Dan Beller-McKenna makes his pedal steel sing its pretty melody throughout “New Berlin.” Santospago applies a firmly accented lead guitar phrase, a tasty line that gives an edge to this wedge of country drawl. Melchin would seemingly have the easiest job once these players create that landscape around him. Yet, he pushes himself into a level of easy going delivery, maintaining the emotive level of this piece while the pretty instrumentation whistles alongside his voice.
“I Am James” travels with an alluring flow, carrying the listener along like a shared magic carpet ride. Melchin’s voice moves like it has wings, gliding on a cushion of thick, tumbleweed electric and acoustic guitar. It’s as light as a cloud and moves with the speed of a train, a fine engineering act, balancing the pressures of music and making it sound easy. Guest musicians Garry Goodlow, Chris Coughlin, Jim Larkin and Paul Gallo continue the quality electric guitar, organ, bass guitar and drum work, maintaining the right feel for Melchin’s songwriting and vocal delivery.
“Wake Up Suzy” feels like an old Buddy Holly song. Melchin’s vocal is similarly chirpy, happy, amicable. Guest musician James Rohr plays a light line of rock and roll piano, contrasting brightly with muscular guitar chords and a polite, unobtrusive but motion filled groove. Melchin plays both acoustic and electric guitar on this track, showcasing how he can, single handed, manage this combo’s weave of wide, sweeping six strings.
“Drive Through Confessional” is another pretty blend of electric and acoustic guitars. Jon Nolan performs the electric guitar duties this time around, offering a light, breezy phrase that moves with beauty and precision through this. Melchin’s easygoing delivery suits this dreamlike piece, his chirpy timbre spread pleasantly over all.
A pulling electric guitar undertow gives “Bunkhouse” an alluring, irresistible sound. Melchin handles guitar duties here, offering a grinding cry, a biting sound perfectly matched to Duncan Watt’s Hammond B3 organ swirls and Dave Western’s snappy groove. In contrast, Melchin sings in a calm, even manner about harrowing matters that gives the electric six string room to breathe while matching its intensity. Perfect. Oh, Bass player David Breen fills in without missing a beat
Close out track, “Bulletproof Man” gets an oldies rock and roll feel from guest musician James Ruhr’s rollicking piano and poppy organ lines. This seems to make Melchin’s job easier. He sprawls his vocals over gritty old time rock idioms. Santospago and Westner go to town pressing, squeezing, and smacking out bits of sharp notes in this fun piece.
The Bluest Sky are off to a fantastic start. Chuck Melchin penned all of the songs and rhythm section ace Dave Westner mixed and mastered this disc, giving air to all of the gritty, rootsy items contained within. With this debut album as their calling card, The Blues Sky will surely be hitting the rooms and reaching the radio stations that go for this kind material.
