The Sometime Boys
In New York City last week I had the pleasure to go to the CD Release Performance for Sarah Mucho and the Sometime Boys. It was a great time and the music was exceptional. There was Sarah Mucho on vocals, guitar and harmonica as well as the rest of The Sometime Boys who rocked guitar, upright bass, violin, drums, and piano. The performance was at Don’t Tell Mama, which is a cool piano bar in the city. The room was chilly but the music got the place heatin’ up in no time. They played this song called, “Master Misery” that was so good I gained a greater appreciation for folk music as a genre. Master Misery has such soul and emotion that I couldn’t help but feel like I had reached a new place in my life. The vocals are thoughtful and remembering and a little bit melancholy, while the rest of the band is upbeat and rolling. It is the perfect symbiosis of emotion and melody that makes the listener feel like he or she is in a different time and place. I’ve been listening to the album, “Any Day Now” over the past few days, and the quality is remarkable. I was very concerned that there was no way that any recording could capture the charm and zest for life that the live performance of “Master Misery” contained. But I was both impressed and relieved at how well produced the album is.
Master Misery is track 2 on Any Day Now and I recommend that you listen to it as soon as you can. In the song the bass and violin kick a solid beat. I was glad that my Dad was at the show with me because it was music that transcends age and needs to be shared. Kurt Leege has such a honest and sensitive style to his guitar playing, each note demonstrates accuracy and shares compassion. The upright bass played by Pete O’Connell is so perfect that it pulses like a heart for the entire song. His bass playing makes Master Misery more than just a folk song and gives it a sound that encourages movement.
The rest of the album, Any Day Now is superb. There are 7 tracks total and some of my other favorites are the first track, “Pretty Town” which is slightly funky folk with a Latin twist. The title track, “Any Day Now” is the 6th song on the album. It has a totally different feel from “Master Misery” but it is excellent. It has a chorus that is rocking. Sarah Mucho’s singing really explodes on this song and you can hear the beautiful control she has over her voice. Every vibrato and slide stimulates the mind.
The song, “Painted Bones” is eerie and spooky and has more ambiance and milieu than haunted farmhouse next to a field of weeping willows. Andy Blanco really shines on Painted Bones and his percussion deserves recognition. His command of the dynamics of the song set the stage for a very full and immersive sound. This enabled David Tuss to accent and meander throughout the song with his serpentine violin. The chorus on Painted Bones is intense and strangely lifting. This is partially because the verses of the song are so dark. So when the chorus comes around you are pulled through a layer of clouds to see the surrounding area. But then the vocals swirl around you and you are guided through another vista of the unknown.
The album, “Any Day Now” is 29 minutes and 40 seconds long and CD Baby is offering it in its entirety for $8.00 which is a steal. I hope you get it and remember, you can currently get any of the tracks individually for $0.75 which blows my mind. There is really no reason not to get at least, “Master Misery” which is a must-listen.
Get the album, “Any Day Now” by Sarah Mucho and The Sometime Boys by clicking HERE.
-Tyler