Published on Dec 22, 2000
It’s hard for me to believe, but it’s been over 15 months since
we last reviewed The Sprague Brothers; for some reason, I thought
it was only this past summer.
Back then, I suggested that the lazy rockabilly style of Frank
and Chris Sprague, as heard on
Let The Chicks Fall Where They May, might have been the sign
of indifference on their part. (Or maybe it was that it prompted
indifference on the listeners’ parts; sometimes I get lost in my
own rants.) Their latest disc,
Forever And A Day, suggests that I was wrong – and that
their laid-back musical delivery is actually their own style. If
only it could suck the listeners in so they could understnad the
brothers’ logic.
Now handling all of the instrumental chores themselves (as well
as all the songwriting – though I can’t vouch for the hidden
track), The Sprague Brothers continue in the same musical vein they
started off in. And, to their credit,
Forever And A Day is a more solid album than
Let The Chicks Fall Where They May in terms of songwriting
and musical ability.
But there’s something that’s unnerving about their laid-back
style of delivery. I don’t know; maybe there are people who get off
on this style of early rock and who don’t need the energy level to
be turned up all of the time. And it’s not that The Sprague
Brothers don’t know how to do this; “Come Back Baby” (which I
swear I’ve heard before) illustrates this well.
But with an almost drawl-like approach to the music (not the
vocals, save your flame mail), it almost lulls the listener in to a
neutral state – and maybe it’s me, but that’s not the way I like to
be when I listen to an album. Tracks like “Money Makes The Man,”
“Pink Champagne,” “Yum Yum (What Fun)” and “I Hope She Cries” tend
to become mushed together into a light rockabilly stew.
All of this might sound like
Forever And A Day isn’t worth your time. I did not say this
– and it would not be true. Tracks like “Remember, Forget,
Remember, Forget,” “Lucy” and “There’s Always Some Price To Pay”
all sparkle, and in general this disc is enjoyable to some degree.
But if you expect your pulse to quicken when the music starts, it
just ain’t gonna happen.
It would be safe to say that
Forever And A Day is really geared towards people who enjoy
a more relaxed form of rockabilly – and if that’s what you like,
the more power to you. Other people might find a few songs to sink
their teeth into on this one, and it is still interesting to listen
to if you want to hear the roots of today’s rock music. It’s just
hard to get passionate about this disc, though… kind of like the
style of the music.