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| Review: The Sax Maniacs (2-song EP) |
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 You never know what mood somebody's going to be in when they get ahold of your CD. Unfortunately for The Sax Maniacs, Mitch quit smoking this week so he's even less amused by novelty than usual.
'Two years ago, Producer/Saxophonist David Daniele treated us to his U of M Dearborn Diversity CD which featured a vast array of local independent talent on one disc...This time around, Daniele is peddling his own wares with his cover band, The Sax Maniacs (know what I mean? nudge-nudge, wink-wink). ~Groan~.'
Click "Read More" for nicotine withdrawl in type. Confessions of a Sax Addict
Two years ago, Producer/Saxophonist David Daniele treated us to his U of M Dearborn Diversity CD which featured a vast array of local independent talent on one disc: eighteen songs, one commencement poem and two short statements about diversity in foreign languages (Hindi & Dutch if I had to guess) all brought to you on The University of Michigan Dearborn's dime. It was an educational listen if nothing else; knowing what to avoid is at least as important as knowing what to buy. Seventeen throw-aways and one killer power-pop tune from Bedford Drive ("First Happy Love Song"). That's not entirely fair; Daniele's contribution to Val Ventro and The Motor City V8's "Headin' to New Orleans" was a pretty slick production, but midwesterners singing about Gumbo and Jambalaya has always been a sore spot with me; Mudpuppy be damned.
This time around, Daniele is peddling his cover band, The Sax Maniacs (know what I mean? nudge-nudge, wink-wink). Proclaimed on their website as 'Detroit's Coolest and Saxiest Band' (know what I mean? nudge-nudge, wink-wink), and boasting on the J-card as, 'The Best Sax You'll Ever Have' (know what I mean? nudge-nudge, wink-wink), The Sax Maniacs are 'Now Playing' the classics you've grown to hate, such as James Brown's "I Feel Good", The Monkees "I'm a Believer", The Doors "Roadhouse Blues", Richie Valens' "La Bamba", Wilson Pickett's "Mustang Sally" and many more thread-bare classics you wished you'd never, ever hear again.
~groan~
Thankfully, this EP contains only two songs: A tepid cover of The Champs classic surf tune, "Tequila", featuring iconic WRIF jock Arthur Penhollow as the voice; and a casino-ready blues number called "Real Downtown Deal" featuring the 'vocal talents' of one Chiara Clayton, 'a hot rising star from the Motown' (sic).
One song at a time...
Tequila featuring Arthur Penhallow
Covering The Champs "Tequila" and using Arthur Penhollow as the hook is just stupid and lame. At its very best, it's a cheap novelty for local fans to add to their collection of WRIF memorabilia - assuming there's some poor bastard out there who's collecting it. At its worst, it's an homage of misplaced loyalty to a man who's claim to radio fame isn't his discovery of great unknown music and sharing it with his listeners (God knows he's been playing the same music for thirty years), but for his "Baby!" vocal tag and the butt-load of swag it's produced for the station. Sure, even I pasted a handful of those stickers in my high-school locker, but that was twenty years ago for chrissakes. Resting on those laurels is, to put it mildly, sad.
But I lied, The Sax Maniacs version of "Tequila" does get worse; because it may have been produced to facilitate Dave Daniele's adolescent rock & roll fantasy of sharing Penhallows dim spotlight. Don't take it from me, take it from Daniele's promotional pitch for the EP: ' We hope you will consider this excellent recording for a nomination in this year's Motor City Music Awards. I have always been a fan of WRIF's Arthur Penhallow and it would be such an honor to share the spotlite (sic) with THE POOBAH at the awards ceremony as we accept an award together. The crowd would go ballistic.'
Indeed, I'd like to shoot him for it (figuratively speaking, of course). So, in keeping with The Sax Maniacs hokey sexual innuendo, I'll say that they can take their sad sax version of Tequila and blow me (know what I mean? nudge-nudge, wink-wink). ~groan~
"Real Downtown Deal" featuring Chiara Clayton
Real Downtown Deal is a mid-tempo, full-production blues number with commercial appeal (I can hear a radio jingle plucked right from the chorus). The song begins with a nice, raunchy guitar riff that digs into your guts ('Wangick-chunga-chunga-chunga-Wangick-chunga-chunga-chunga...'). Guitarist Steve Dansby also smokes leads throughout the length of this track. Daniele plays a supportive role with sax and keys, resisting the urge to overindulge. I especially dig the hints of walking baritone that introduce the verses (do us all a favor, Dave, take the baritone out of casino-blues and bring it back into garage rock - ala Iggy Pop).
Singer Chiara Clayton is a capable singer but about what you'd expect from someone who gigs The Greektown. This song doesn't allow for much in the way of dynamic interpretation (the verses go by too fast) so Clayton's performance is hard to judge. This tune has a nice arrangement but ultimately gets on my nerves because of the incessant ride cymbal that is left up front in the mix (ta-ting, ta-ting, ta-ting, ta-ting, ta-ting....ad naseum). But just about everything is getting on my nerves lately. Man, I need a cigarette.
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Average Score: 4.2
Votes: 5
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