New Jersey folk-rock band EdTang & the Chops are the type of band you could imagine in a small smoke-filled Jersey bar with just their instruments and some stories to tell.
Ultimately, that’s all they need.
Armed with an enigmatic frontman in EdTang, who’s quickly personified by an almost James Hettfield grit on vocals and Neil Young styled lyrics, and your ears will recognize his charisma rather quickly.
With plenty of luster from the backing band in the form of Geoffrey Meyers (guitars), Nick Bock (bass), Vic Fraternale (keyboard) and Brad Harrison (drums) and it’s obvious that their sound is something special. With only one weak song on the nine-track album, “Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner” is the type of work that will not only give the band a presence in the rock/folk scene moving forward, it’ll continue to fuel the legitimacy of the genre itself. Tracks like “Crow Till We Croak,†“Recharged†and “My Whole Life†are drenched in southern rock. The lead guitar work from Meyers, sound and steady drumbeat, with slide guitar and harmonica teases at times take you back to the days of Alabama and Allman Brothers. At times they also sound a bit like Three Doors Down and The Eagles.
But it’s Tang’s rasp that gives this band a more sultry, yet callous-filled taste. When he sings of love, you can almost feel the emotion, like a wave of hot sweat dripping from his forehead as he opens up his heart. Working man’s rock, Tang and the rest of The Chops work their tails off on every song. Even if you aren’t a fan of their work, much like a band the likes of Slim Loris or Mumford and Sons, you have to recognize the stellar musicianship tailored into every track.
But not every track is a Southern affair. Tang and the Chops can surprise you. “Beware of a Dog” is a completely different type of track. Void of folk season, it’s a real rock song with lyrics that make you immediately think of 90s rock powerhouse Toad the Wet Sprocket. The surprises continue on other tracks, such as “Just Two Old Friends†and “Pualei,†which feature a backing female vocalist. This adds to the band’s multi-faceted abilities, but it also hurts them as well.
“Pualei†is easily the weakest track on the album. Barely recognizable, it’s almost like an Edgar Allen Poe poem with music. Had Tang sung it by himself, things could have been different, but as it stands, the uncredited female vocalist lacks the power and sheer volume to make the song enjoyable. Take away a nice backing guitar lick and this song is razor thin on appeal.
Aside from the one lemon, “Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner†is the type of album that deserves radio airplay. Tang can sing, play and write and his band is just as tight. In a day where record producers make more stars than they discover, someone needs to find these guys a major record contract.
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