It is rather refreshing to know when an artist has reached their eighth album release, that there is still strong inspiration and creativity with regard to conceptual material. Not many artists are able to keep their pistons firing; despite incredible musical skill, many simply burn out and stay on one course – often one of monotony and similarity. Joe McBride, however, is one of the few that is able to maintain his art, and on his upcoming release, Lookin’ For A Change, listeners are invited to a party that fuses both pop and jazz – successfully.
McBride, a Cleveland native, puts forth a collection of material that includes the music of Gnarls Barkley, Coldplay, John Mayer, Seal, and Jill Scott – to name a few; listeners are also treated to three McBride originals that aid to form a solid record. Immediately, McBride wastes no time in letting listeners know that he is a gifted pianist and vocalist overtop Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” With a strong backbeat, tight rhythm section, a Kenny Baron-esque piano solo, and scatted vocal melodies, McBride quickly eases into listeners’ ears; his voice is both sophisticated and casual – a combination that is able to pull any pair of ears along for a ride. Vanessa Carlton’s “1000 Miles” follows with a well-pocketed, unison bass and piano vamp; Mr. McBride has chosen his comrades well. Track three follows with Coldplay’s “The Scientist,” a popular track off their A Rush of Blood to the Head album; McBride pays homage to the original with a similar tempo, but with a slightly different backbeat feel. The piano voicings of the re-harmonized chords serve in making this a solid moderate-tempo ballad.
After a six-track musical conversation, McBride allows listeners a taste of his soulful blues chops over “This Is How A Heart Breaks” – a track from Rob Thomas’ (Matchbox 20) solo album; hints of Kenny Durham’s “Una Mas” sneak up during the intro groove. The highlight of the album follows at the number seven spot with Seal’s mega-hit “Kiss from A Rose.” McBride’s piano intro, vocal interpretation and tone, in addition to a waltzing rhythm section, all seal the track with a kiss – it is no doubt that Seal himself would be happily smitten with this arrangement.
Without much further avail, “Like A Star” shifts the album’s sound with a guitar solo from Dan Wilson – while it is a technically impressive tear, it lacks breathing space and the soulful energy that McBride emanates. Another pretty McBride original, “Secret Rendezvous,” follows with a laid-back groove and very cautious harmonica solo, and passes without much fanfare. As the album draws to a close, the title track pops in and features an up-tempo groove intertwined with syncopated hits, a final, swinging piano and scat solo, and a closing fade.
As many artists get stuck in a certain genre of music, Mr. McBride most definitely does not. However, while this album’s material is quite diverse, pieces of each track seem to mirror each other a little too often: a piano intro, followed by vocal scatting, and further vocal scatting over a faded outro – there is much predictability. To Mr. McBride’s credit though, he and the band sail through the arrangements with fluidity and ease. This all notwithstanding, Lookin’ For A Change is a collection that allows jazz patrons to sample pop tunes and pop patrons to sample jazz arrangements. For those who seek to broaden their musical palette, check out Joe McBride – he won’t disappoint.
Matt Jaworski – Muzikreviews.com Staff
July 18, 2009