Published on Apr 27, 1999
I have been doing this job in some way, shape or form for well
over a decade now, and there is one thing I’ve learned about
up-and-coming bands after seeing enough of them: they’re usually
better live.
You see, the live show is where they can display their
technique, style and exuberance, as well as to develop their
material. By the time you get to their debut album, chances are
you’ll be thinking that something was lost in the translation. The
album is not necessarily bad; it’s just…
different.
In the case of Sacramento, California’s Soulmotor, I haven’t had
the opportunity to see them perform live. (The fact that I’m in
Chicago puts me at a disadvantage.) But after repeated listens to
Soulmotor’s self-titled debut album, I’m willing to bet that their
live performances smoke. As for the album… well, it disappoints a
bit.
Had I known going into the album that Soulmotor is the new group
of former Tesla bassist Brian Wheat, I probably would have had
extremely high expectations – and I probably would have been very
disappointed. However, there are times like this where going into a
record with a “clean slate” is an advantage. (Stylistically, the
two bands are quite different, so you won’t see me try to compare
Soulmotor to Tesla.)
Sounding similar to Days Of The New with more of an edge and an
electric bend, Soulmotor – Wheat, vocalist Darin Wood, guitarist
Tommy McClendon and drummer Mike Vanderhule – do show some signs of
great things to come. “Good Day To Die” is one such example; with a
catchy chorus, solid rhythmic backbone and a well-written song,
things seem to be looking very good for Soulmotor.
The problem is that
Soulmotor is an album that is hard to get excited over. It
takes multiple listens to be able to truly appreciate some of the
songs (“Guardian Angel,” “Go For A Ride”, “Omega Son”) – and many
listeners might not have the patience or the time to put into an
album. By the time the album wraps up, it feels like you’ve
listened to a slightly better than average first effort.
But what strikes me about the songs on
Soulmotor is that they don’t sound like they were meant for
the confinement of the studio; rather, their power is waiting to be
uncaged on stage. Chances are once you see this band live, the
songs on this disc will take on a whole new meaning and life of
their own. (Again, I’ve not had the pleasure of seeing them live,
so I can’t verify this for fact.)
Soulmotor have an okay start to their career, but what will they
need to push them into overdrive? Three words: touring, touring,
touring. Test out new material on stage along with the 12 songs
that make up this album. They don’t need to work on musical
tightness; that’s already there. But what they might want to work
on is the subtle interplay between the instruments – the little
nuances the listener won’t naturally be paying attention for, yet
will know when they happen.
Soulmotor is a disc that is best suited for the fan who has
partaken in their live show, and understands the dynamics of the
band well. Without that pleasure, it is a debut that is only a
shade above normal.