It’s a rare occasion when an artist crafts music mainstream enough to make young girls swoon and squeal while maintaining a level of musicianship that can capture the attention of more serious listeners. It’s a tall task, but it’s one Northeastern Pa. band Nowhere Slow lives up to on “Listen/Love,” its fourth album and first in three years.
Like any band, Nowhere Slow — Rick Gillette (vocals, guitar), Will Clauss (bass), John Canjar (guitar, vocals) and Matt Kester (drums) — draws from its influences, and you can hear some Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz and maybe a hint of Kings Of Leon in the 11 tracks that make up “Listen/Love.” But that is not to say that this is a copycat outfit by any means; Gillette’s distinctive vocals, the fleet-fingered electric guitar of Canjar and the tasteful yet sometimes quirky rhythms of Clauss and Kester make sure of that.
The opener is the anthemic “This Is Our Night,” which jangles along like a DMB or Mraz tune but with more electric guitar crunch. It’s percussive and radio-friendly, and the bridge is quite ambitious, with a tempo shift and layered vocal harmonies. Nowhere Slow delves into its funkier side on “Count On Me,” with a reggae/r&b feel and slippery guitars, and on “Made You Look,” the acoustic and electric guitars blend perfectly.
The quasi-spiritual “Hero,” complete with tinkling piano, also has a shot at radio spins, and “Miss U” has a darker, cool, feel, but the standout track here might be “Hard To Believe,” a song whose strength lies in its simplicity.
Many locals might know Nowhere Slow for its live cover songs, but “Listen/Love” is a strong piece of original music that should not be ignored.
Rating: W W W 1/2
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