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Agents of Good Roots
One by One
(RCA)
The buyer who is basing his or her purchases of One by One on the melodious sax and piano single “Smiling Up the Frown” may be a little confused when their disc player pops out the opening track, “Come On.” That track, coincidentally the second single, no doubt, drew in the equally confused modern rock listener. Besides these two contrasting genres, this Virginia-based quartet also serves up an adequate sampling of sassy strut and white boy soul, as well as out-and-out rock ‘n’ roll. Sonically enhanced by producer Paul Fox, whose previous credits include XTC, the disc is a snarling blast from one end to the other, a polished rocket ride that often melts the sax into the guitar. And Agents of Roots have no qualms about bringing in female back-up singers or lap steel to spice things up. With the rest of the disc housing several more potential singles, the fellas are more than ready to confuse the masses. Should these young turks go with a VH-1 spot for the moving finale, “I’ll Be Back,” or offer up the raucous and rowdy “Miss America”? Or should they go classic rock with the crash ‘n burn riffs of “Shortchange” or “Time Bomb”? Any way you cut it, Agents of Good Roots cover lots of territory, some of it well-covered, some of it hardly touched, but always well done.
John Noyd |
