Adding another instrument to a band is always a hard choice, but when it works out so well, the band and its’ fans embrace it forever. On his new album Swift, Marco Benevento has done just this, except the instrument he added is his own voice. Not one known for singing, Benevento sprinkled his voice all over Swift and it works great. Opening track “At The Show” has been played live for about a year and it is finally nice to hear the studio version. His voice adds character to a song that was already a great one from the wizard of the keyboards. Benevento explains. “I’m surprised it took me this long to sing, but growing older, getting into music by The Band and James Booker and the Grateful Dead, the singing door has opened. It’s a new instrument.”
Andy Borger and Dave Dreiwitz, on drums and bass respectively, are not hidden by the new instrument on the scene either. They are an integral part of what makes Marco’s music so special. Borger’s drums are heavy throughout the record, constantly driving each song forward while Dreiwitz’s bass dances right along with Benevento’s keys and lyrics, keeping them honest. “Eye to Eye” is a slowed down hazy dream that you get lost in immediately and feels longer than the four minutes that it is listed as. For fans of jamming, “Coyote Hearing” is a blissful jam, creeping closer to craziness the longer the track goes. This song is sure to thrive in a live setting with the beautiful work on the keys from Benevento, the thumping bass from Dreiwitz, and Borger’s impeccable drum work.
On “The Saint” an evil bass line pushes everyone else to go down the path of full on rock and roll and should be another one that thrives in the live setting. Album closer “Free Us All” is one that will be one of the tracks you find yourself listening to and clapping along with it. The song is sure to get stuck in your head. The vocals shine on this one with Marco belting out “Why don’t you free us all?”, over and over. Swift is new territory for the band and it should come as no surprise that these great musicians thrive on it. The band is going to be touring the country behind the album and make a stop in New York early in the tour with album release parties in New York City on Sept. 16 and 17, and a stop at Kingston’s BSP on Sept. 26. Grab the album before going the show though so you can learn the words and sing along with Marco; I’m sure he’d love it.
Key Tracks: At The Show, Coyote Hearing, The Saint, Free Us All
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