Review: The Record Company ‘The 4th Album’
By Stephen Guppy
No less a philosopher than Keith Richards has marvelled over the paradox of blues music: it’s simple as a knife and fork, but it’s provided us with some of the most creative works of popular music in the past century. L.A. rockers The Record Company are obviously on the same page as the (apparently) immortal Keef on that subject; their songs take the basic blues format—can’t-stop-dancing riff, tasty fills, throw in some harp, and tell a story—and make it seem fresh and original. Listening to TRC’s newly hatched album, you can’t help thinking that Mr. Richards would approve.
According to the band’s teaser video, The 4th Album was cooked up under taxing circumstances. Moving away from their record company and striking out on their own with bassist Alex Stiff filling the producer’s chair, the trio resolved to get back to basics—never a bad idea where blues-rock is concerned. The stripped-down approach suits the band well, with each song being built around a strong rhythmic base and colored with lap steel licks and tasty harp, both courtesy of guitarist/singer Chris Vos. There’s a hint of CCR swamp-rock in some tracks, and others lean toward acoustic Delta blues. Stiff and drummer Marc Cazorla lay down a foundation that’s both solid and creative, and Vos is in good voice throughout.
The set kicks off with the high-octane rocker “Dance on Mondays”, which is guaranteed to get us up and moving—these guys must be a hoot to see live. Starting off with the bass high in the mix and bringing up the drums, guitar, and vocal a few bars later is an interesting trick, and one that’s a signature move for this band. Vos whips out his harp for “I Found Heaven (In My Darkest Days)”, another upbeat rocker. This song is a 5-minute party, one of those numbers that you can’t listen to without smiling. “Roll with It” continues the dance-til-you-drop energy that this outfit can generate at will.
“I Found Heaven (In My Darkest Days)”
First-time producer Stiff gets the sequencing issue right: after two kickers, he’s placed the more meditative “Highway Lady” in the number three slot. Vos contributes staccato stabs and slide licks, and there’s a strong chorus to tie the song together. The jump-up-and-dance bass riffs are back for the opening of “Patterns”, and Vos puts some gravel in his voice and some twang in his guitar fills and solo. The next cut, “Talk to Me”, released as a single in June, is a highlight of the album; there’s a nice snaky groove and some clean-tone guitar licks providing a counterpoint to Vos’s vocal. Stick-in-your-head choruses are a hallmark of this band, and this track is no exception.
“Bad Light” displays TRC’s songwriting ability: the lyrics are witty and creative, and that’s a consistent strength on this album. It’s one thing to knock out a blues groove, but a good blues-rock song needs to tell us a story and make the words both insightful and epigrammatic. TRC’s got that aspect of the craft pretty much nailed.
“You Made a Mistake” takes us way back into Blind Willie Johnson territory. It’s a deep blues built around a bottleneck riff and a haunted, keening vocal. There’s another strong lyric that takes the classic blues stanza and makes it new: “You can treat me like a stray/got a few hundred dollars in my pocket/no sorrow and no shame”.
The Record Company’s first album, Give It Back To You, was recorded at home with the songs evolving from the synergy between the band members, and it got them a Grammy nomination for “Best Contemporary Blues Album”. They’ve gone back to that approach for this new offering, and you can’t help thinking that it’s a format they should stick with—there are some functions of record companies that The Record Company may not need.
The 4th Album should cement The Record Company’s reputation as one of the more original and inspired blues-rock outfits on the scene. TRC doesn’t stop punching until the lights go out and the last shot glass is empty. Why not join them in a round?
Pre-order The 4th Album HERE
You absolutely correct about their live shows. Can’t wait for the album to arrive. Love the review. It’s hard to believe that Chris Vos, a dairy farm boy in Wisconsin, could deliver so much soul.