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Cause For Alarm
Often things happen in an adjacent musical universe that we are not aware of but perhaps we should be more attentive to. Such is the case with my general interest in the jam band scene. While I can appreciate the musical prowess of many of these bands the foundation of their music doesn't really interest me all that much. For example I never got Phish. Great players but their music flatlined for me. On the other hand Umphrey's McGee is a very interesting band that resides in the jam band world. You can tell that progressive rock is a part of their musical DNA. Such is the case with a band that reached out to us called Squeaky Feet. I had never heard of this Denver, Colorado based group but it appeared that they were rising stars in that scene but referred to themselves as a progressive rock band. So perhaps a bit skeptical I gave their studio debut "Cause For Alarm" a listen and I was absolutely blown away and I think you will be too.
The vocal tracks do remind me a bit of Umphrey's McGee - a subtle pop layer sitting on a bedrock of intense virtuosity and intricacy. As soon as the vocals stop these guys go off into a world of pure prog - blazing dual guitar, flute and sax, keys - over a rock solid rhythmic bed. These are Berklee grads - they're not fooling around. These kats can play! Vocal tracks pop up here and there but the overall musical weight of the album tends to skew in the instrumental direction. The album is filled with long tracks - each one having a great sense of soft/loud dynamics. As I mentioned the vocal passages give way to long instrumental stretches where these guys go off.
This one came in too late for me to stick it in my Top 10 list for 2023 (lots of competition this year) but if I could I would - it would sit very high up on the top half.
Do I need to say it??? I will anyway...BUY OR DIE!!
"Squeaky Feet was conceived within the walls of Berklee College of Music. Its members relocated to Denver in 2018, and their hunger for greatness manifested into what the band is today. Comprised of Colin Shore (guitar/vocals), Greg King (guitar), Jimmy Finnegan (bass/vocals), Brian Keller (keyboards/sax/flute/vocals), and Kevin D'Angelo (drums), Squeaky Feet is poised for success.
Their debut album, Cause For Alarm, is scheduled for release on November 17, 2023. It promises to be an electrifying testament to Squeaky Feet's exceptional musicianship, genre-blending prowess, and their innovative approach to progressive rock. The astute listener may hear the influence of King Crimson, Dream Theater, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan, and Snarky Puppy, particularly of guitar player Mark Lettieri, who serendipitously came to play on the album’s lead single."