| Having
spent too many years in close proximity to a thriving hippie culture, I tend to have a
knee jerk reaction against jam bands of any kind, but Guilty combines the spirit of Phish
and Dave Matthews with enough musicality and subtly to make me eat my words. Combining the
intensity of blues based rock with the smooth vocals and rich arrangements of a jazz big
band, Guilty transcends any negative image I may have harbored towards the genre being
only for the self-indulgent. This promising group of musicians has been together for
enough years to have learned the valuable lessons of listening to each other and not
overstepping their bounds.
This collection of songs was recorded live for
radio station WZRD, but you would never guess that these tracks were recorded in what was
probably a very crowded radio studio with minimal equipment. Every tone coming from this
album is warm and expressive, from Phil Circle’s vocals to the wonderfully
understated harmonica wails of Matt Steinmetz. There are enough musicians in this group to
easily create a good deal of aural mud, but due to the band’s finely tuned
sensitivity, each solo and line of lyrics shines through with perfect clarity. In
particular, saxist Jeff Gilmore knows his instrument well, but does not overplay his solos
in order to prove it to his audience. Laurel Holman has the kind of powerful voice that
could cut through even the densest of crowds at any blues club, but she keeps it under
wraps when she plays a supporting role to Circle, and really lets it lose only during her
moment in the sun.
Largely because of Circle's 60's-lounge-singer
vocal style, Guilty sounds at times like a modern show band. Circle’s laugh-out-loud
lyrics, such as his musical jibe at yuppies in the fifth track of this album, contribute
even further to the band’s status as good all-around entertainment.
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Guilty
