Emerson Drive expands
Thursday, April 29, 2010 – Emerson Drive lead vocalist Brad Mates and his wife Jana welcomed their first child, a son, into the world last night in Nashville.
Tyler Robert Mates was born at 7:04 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28, weighing 7 lbs. 13 ounces. All are well, according to the band's web site.
Tyler is the second Emerson Drive baby. He joins Emma Pichette, the first child for fiddler David Pichette and his wife Jill, who celebrated her first birthday last November.
More news for Emerson Drive
CD reviews for Emerson Drive
Countrified
With Richard Marx having ceded his chair to Nashville producers (including Alabama bassist Teddy Gentry), Canadian sextet Emerson Drive's third release turns to sounds that are indeed more "countrified." There's more fiddle, banjo and tight multipart harmonies, even as the string-lined ballads and electric pop-rockers retain the band's core crossover appeal. The album's opening riff will remind many of The Go-Go's "Head Over Heels."
The songs, from a »»» |
What If?
"What If?" by Emerson Drive is breezy and glossy pop-country, if you like that sort of thing. This second album (like its debut) was produced by Richard Marx who - and you can almost see this one coming - is a breezy and glossy pop singer/songwriter/producer. The result of this pairing is akin to a fluffier sounding Lonestar - assuming, of course, anything even gets any fluffier than that ever-so-feathery Lonestar. But whether these songs were composed-by-committee - it took nearly a full baseball »»» |
Emerson Drive
Emerson Drive follows in the footsteps of Highway 101 and Sawyer Brown, bands named after streets - in this case, the Emerson Trail from that hotbed of country and western music Western Alberta. Unfortunately, the nomenclature is the only thing E.D. has in common with those two talented bands.
The guys have an undeniably pleasant way of harmonizing, some naive enthusiasm for themselves ("Ours is the Mt. Everest of work ethics" bassist Jeff Loberg avers, even though these guys can't be bothered to »»» |
Editorial: Walking the talk –
When names like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Waylon and the Hag are invoked, you're talking hard core country. These are the touchstones of country , the guys who made country music what it was and still is (or maybe can be). When these folks would sing about being down-and-out and the rough-and-tumble, they knew of what they were singing about. Fast forward a few years to the country singers of today. »»»
Concert Review: Size doesn't matter to Winslow-King –
Luke Winslow-King may have a fine new CD out ("The Coming Tide") on a long respected indie country/roots label (Bloodshot), but that didn't mean the throngs were going to fill the club. In fact, in a second night of shows in the Boston area, Winslow-King drew a handful of people. Well, make that literally two handfuls of people.
As in 10 people.... »»»
Concert Review: McGraw has plenty of fight left –
Despite the fact that Tim McGraw is five years sober, fit as a triathlete and touring behind a number one album, he is still in an unenviable position. As he approaches 50, McGraw has to stay a step ahead of the current crop of young country hunks with TV shows, cross format radio airplay and wider appeal. But as he proved at First Niagara's... »»»
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Wilderness
"Wilderness" is another twisted menagerie of The Handsome Family songs. Once again, husband Brett Sparks sings their songs, sometimes in a bellowing gravedigger voice, after adding music to wife Rennie's lyrics. This time out, each and every tune is named after an animal, insect or other such nature creature. However, Rennie studies animals the way Flannery O'Connor wrote about humans, which is with the weirdness and character flaws in primary focus. »»» |
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