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it's all good
Pine View Grocery
Glen Closer is Johnna White, Joe Rubin and Jim Baeszler and Pine View Grocery
is their debut CD. The three had been members of other Jersey bands and started
writing together. And so was born Glen Closer.
The CD opens up with Madison, bringing to mind bands like Michael Stanley Band,
Missouri and Goanna with it's middle of the road pop/rock sound. They Won't Mind
has a little more energy and swings toward The Replacements or perhaps The
Knack. While I was enjoying the CD so far, It's So Her struck me as the first
exceptional cut. Johnna picks up vocals on this off-tempo cut that breaks in a
heavy driving chorus. It's pretty easily my fave here.
Gone has a bit of Grateful Dead feeling to it and brings us to Rise. Blame City
sounds like a Joni Mitchell song with Johnna's vocals. This brings us to
Thankless One, which was one of my favorite non-Johnna songs.. along with Cooler
Than Ghandi.
Ditty #1 comes back to that Knack-ish sound. Sure it's 80's, but it's bouncy and
fun. The Dive is a slower jazzy piece that could only be made better by some
cool sax and a candelabra. The acoustic Looking Down At The Sun is a very cool
song also. This is the coffee shop song.
The musicianship and production aspects of this CD are excellent. It's
technically very well done. Guitars come out right where they should come out,
vocals are right where they should be.. it's all good. The music at times struck
me as B-side but for the most part, it was good stuff peppered with moments of
brilliance. But even though the rest was so good, I think the biggest strength
of this CD is in the wordmanship of the songs. The lyrical content of the CD is
everything I'd expect from three experienced songwriters. Overall, a very good
CD and I have no problem recommending it.
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