Looking For Trouble. Brad Marino / Scraping On The Hope Of Redemption. Curt Florczak

Today two albums released by Rum Bar Records that deserve to be in one spot. Both present rock music with such high pop levels that my enamel is in danger of cracking beyond repair. Yes, there are some differences but the message is and remains: "I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby!

 

Looking For Trouble. Brad Marino

Brad Marino is present on this blog for about two years now. With his mix of optimistic rock and good time sing-a-long poprock songs he always flies straight from my ears to my heart. His music makes it so hard to write finely wrought exposé's on, as it all is extremely straightforward. He takes one part under three minutes songs, one part perfection and one enthusiasm. With these ingredients on hand he starts his special mixing device, puts the parts in the blender and out come these perfect pop songs. Or so it seems.

My description makes it sound so easy. I'm sure that finding that right mix is hard work. Each and every single song all over again. Using those same chords, finding a melody that makes a difference (and is different), find another vocal melody, play a new solo, a new riff. It's all hard work of trying things out from a combination of experience, lessons learned and trial and error. Brad Marino is a master at this process. From the moment the album opens, the pop-laden rock riffs fly around and do not stop until the final notes fade out of my ears.

Listening to 'Taillights Fade', the second song on the album. Rocking tight, with short bursts of guitar solo notes or runs. Hands clapping to underscore the urgency of the song. Nothing of a sort that has never been done before, but bringing it all together in a a perfect way, exciting and new. From the earliest The Beach Boys hit, 'Surfin' USA', with enough Chuck Berry in there of course to enrich his heirs a bit more, right up to The Ramones. It is all in there and a little more that happened in the 45 years since 'The Ramones' debut album.

Looking For Trouble could have gotten a different title entirely. Looking For Fun would have capped it for me. (Okay, for some people that amounts to the same.) The album contains fun rock songs from the beginning to the end. Listening to 'Local Show' the thought crosses my mind that the only contemporary band being better at this game is Nada Surf. This band incorporates pop at an even higher level into its music. Brad Marino is a great contender though.

Working my way slowly through the album, there's only a few, final words to deliver: Brad Marino has done it again. Here goes that dime alright.

Scraping On The Hope Of Redemption. Curt Florczak

Curt Florczak was a new name for me until I was alerted to his single 'Dead Letter Box' a while back. Florczak rocks in a great alternative 80s way in the song. Think The Outfields' 'Your Love', released in a time of relentless electronic pop and first hints towards the change from disco to hiphop and electronic beats, and standing out because of it.

'Dead Letter Box' has that same sort of vibe. A rocking song that is not afraid to show a softer side in its melodies.

It is the tone that plays the music. 'Blood Gumbo' is a harder rocking song that incorporates a 60s pop melody in parts of the song. It shows a slightly louder side but without changing the feel of the five song mini album.

Florczak has played guitar in a myriad of local Boston bands before grabbing the central stage himself. Here he sings and plays all the guitars. Only the drums are left over to Jared Seabrook. Grabbing that spot was a smart idea as Scraping On The Hope Of Redemption is a plain success as solo album. He's a great rock singer with a distinctive voice. As a guitar player he'd already earned his chops.

There's one comment I need to make. The end of the final song, 'Watch The Worlds Collide' could have done with some critical editing. It makes the mini album and the ballad of the album fizzle out in a way it does not deserve. Perhaps fine on stage, even there I doubt it, here it is a shame.

That leaves four and half songs that certainly are worthwhile listening and rocking out to. On the basis of these songs, that redemption must have been found.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Looking For Trouble here:

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/looking-for-trouble

You can listen to and order Scraping On The Hope Of Redemption here:

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/scraping-by-on-the-hope-of-redemption

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g