These guys come rockin’ along from West Virginia and should really be making a hell of a splash. These five will captivate anyone who understands straight-ahead, good old-fashioned rock n’ roll. Despite the release of an EP and a full-fledged album, American Minor remains relatively undiscovered. They are well worth the investigation on iTunes and for even more info check out their website at: www.americanminormusic.com or even their Myspace page.
As for the music, nearly every track has a unique feel and sound, thus preventing any form of repetition. With influencers like The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Tom Petty, and Pink Floyd you can certainly expect a tremendous rock sound. The vocals Robert McCutcheon bellows on the tracks are full of raw emotion. The real highlight of American Minor is definitely their lead guitarist, Bud Carroll. When not laying down driving sheets of rock rhythm, he melts the ears with electrifying, bluesy solos. As this classic rock combination has worked for so many groups it may seem cliché, yet these guys can really pull off a unique sound and still create excellent music.
Track Breakdown:
1. Walk On – Remixed from the EP for a slightly different feel. Comes in swinging for the album with great rhythm guitar. Amazing guitar solo by Carroll, which comes to a classic rock crescendo. Rating: 5/5
2. Break – Slowing it down a little after the lead track. Nice little riff about a minute in reminiscent of solo in The Knack’s famous My Sharona. Emotional change of pace during the interlude followed by a bluesy-feeling solo from Carroll which complements McCutcheon’s lyrics. Rating: 4/5
3. Cheaters & Non-Believers – Solid march like progression, with more genuine, heart-felt lyrics. The track has another bluesy solo, which is definitely one of Carroll’s better pieces. The brief pauses in the music seem to add a special punch too. Rating: 4/5
4. Mr. Queen – Arguably the best track on the entire album. The rhythm guitar is totally crushing and heavy enough to match the moving lyrics. Carroll sprinkles in some very clever riffs throughout and at about 2 minutes the heavy interlude really hammers home the build up for the earth-shattering solo to follow. The solo, (divided into 2 parts in the middle and at the end) which is by far the best of Carroll’s work, takes the track to another plane entirely, captivating the listener with its complex progressions. Josh Knox’s drums coupled with Robert McCutcheon’s vocals tie the track together and set it off with a huge bang. Rating: (Emphatic) 5/5
5. Don’t Jump The Gun – Nice, upbeat change from the darker Mr. Queen. Guitar is again consistent with an added mellotron, which adds even more punch to the song. Main riff after the solo a particularly well-crafted piece of work. A hard-hitting, no frills rock song. Rating: 4/5
6. Buffalo Creek – Yet another track from the EP with the added benefit of some touch-ups. Guitars by Carroll and Josh Gragg really lay the music on thick, and the verses have very heavy, dark rolling progressions. Knox’s drums are really allowed to shine at some points in this track. Rating: 5/5
7. Shine – Another heavy hitter with a killer opening. Both guitarists really “shine” in their rhythm. Interlude is another amazing change of pace before kicking back in with another of Carroll’s golden solos. Rating: 4/5
8. All My Time – Perfect time for a good southern rock slowdown. McCutcheon’s lyrics again draw on that emotional feel for one of his better performances. Rating: 4/5
9. Change – Opens with an excellent intro, and charges along from there. An intriguing change (seriously, no pun) from other tracks with an electric guitar-based backbone, this track seems freed from a classic rock confine. The acoustic guitar is a fitting substitute and allows the electric to take more of a supporting role here. Following the solo there is some interesting mixing of sounds, which come together to finish the song. Rating: 5/5
10. One Last Supper – Another return to a bluesy foundation on this one. The lyrics are notable with the by now well-known McCutcheon touch. This is certainly a solid track. Rating: 3.5/5
11. Sleep Walking – The guys try something a little slower and mellower, but it is not the best of their compositions. It could have been placed differently in the listing and had a better effect. It kind of leaves the album hanging; they could have placed something with a little more bang here. Still a nice melody overall. Rating: 3/5
Track to really listen to:
1. Walk On
2. Break
4. Mr. Queen
6. Buffalo Creek
9. Change
With such a solid album, they should be getting much more attention. Hopefully, this review will spark more interest in listeners. Their devout fans will surely be anxiously awaiting another release.
