By: Bob Longmore
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The Inwood Radio - Photo by Bob Longmore
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I’ve admitted this before, but I am a sucker for vocal harmonies. If you can get two or three people to create those magical layers of sound, there is a good chance I am going to buy what you are selling. The Inwood Radio managed this and then some. Anchored by front man Ben Rajkowski, the band managed classic pop sensibility with a little modern day alt.country lurking just around the corner. Sounding more natural and cohesive live than on record, the band displayed an ease of presence that informed their sound just as much as their melodies. They seemed to be having fun.
Creating those three-part melodies with Rajkowski are two members of Big Ditch Road: Ted Held on guitar and Amy Bukstein on bass. Bob McCreedy also joined the band to play beautifully understated muted trumpet and keyboards, and this addition added some texture just under the surface of the basic guitar-drums-bass formula. It also helped Rajkowski show some creative diversity. On more than one song he traded his easy guitar playing for a slide trombone, which blended with McCreedy’s trumpet to give an added sense of either mournful bellows or foot stomping jubilance, depending on the song.
The keyboard player for Popcycle, dressed like a locomotive engineer, sat behind his stack of keyboards and amps and drove the band’s engine through the hills and valleys of their set. Maybe it was because of the singing drummer and the heavy keyboard sound, but at times, the band reminded me of, um, The Band. Classic song structures with reliable hooks and grooves.
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Dan Israel - Photo by Bob Longmore
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I’m not sure if Popcycle were ‘70s rock infused modern indie rock, or the other way around. Their songs were filled with great lines like “I think therefore I wonder” from “Mr. Halloween,” and “I wish I was Mr. Rock and Roll” from “Mr. Rock and Roll.” While the lyrics were good, the band’s sound was a bit sloppy and by the end everything started to sound the same.
Here’s the thing with Dan Israel: He does what he does, nothing groundbreaking; he plays straightforward Americana-influenced rock music. He just does it better than anyone else. From the opening song, Israel displayed the confidence that comes from years of experience and playing hundreds of shows. He owns the stage, is not in the least timid and before you know it, his show is over, people are sweaty and you feel like you want some more.
The highlight for me was “Overloaded,” the first Dan Israel song I ever heard and still my favorite. The song is an anthem for the overworked and underappreciated. As many of Israel’s songs are, this one is witty and clever while still maintaining sincerity and a certain level of gravitas. This is a position Israel found himself in throughout the night—alternately singing songs of love and desperation and joking between songs with drummer Dave Russ or bass player Kris Bowring.
Just in case Israel didn’t kick everybody’s ass sufficently, Kruddler ended the night with high energy punk anthems. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stick around to finish out the night with them. As they sang something about the fake American Idol I headed to my car, making a mental note to document their escapades another time.
Location Info:
Hexagon Bar
Artist Info: Dan Israel, Popcycle, The Inwood Radio
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