Album Notes

All music is derived from emotion—that’s nothing new. But what emotion provides the genesis of creation and inspiration? In The Twisted Limbs impressive debut album “Cherry,” the loss of love drives every song with a sweet honesty that we all can relate to.

All of us have been dumped, slighted or given ourselves completely to someone and been left spinning out of control. Some of us wade through that for years and some of us shove those emotions deep down inside only to be reminded of them when a certain song sparks that emotion.

Those emotions surface in the sullen and tragic “Lay Down” where Singer/songwriter/guitarist/pianist/tech developer Ryan Groves states “Your body hits my planet like a comet/but won’t you stay with me tonight?”

Groves’ thoughtful, yet forlorn lyrics flow like a stream of emotional consciousness from track to track with the help of drummer Ben Shea, bassist Charles Brandick and saxophonist Eric Hargett.

However if love is an ocean and losing love brings draught, then these songs are waves of bittersweet memories that break against our beach with tender appreciation.

Most artists draw their inspiration from some sort of sea change. A sea change is defined as a significant change, one that alters the very nature of the subject. With that in mind, it's apparent that Groves has experienced a loss so significant that he has been indelibly altered. It's like a snake that sheds its skin: Groves is the snake, the relationship is the skin and the act of shedding it is “Cherry.”

In the albums first cut, "The Taste of Coal" Groves hints that he has accepted the outcome of a relationship gone wrong, showing a kind of maturity that comes and goes throughout the album.

Most contemporary bands are where bass players go to die, but not The Twisted Limbs. Along with Groves’ distinct range and Hargett’s sax, Brandick refuses to fade into the background. Altogether, The Twisted Limbs creates a sound that is best described as a blend of Badly Drawn Boy, Van Morrison and a dash of Alice in Chains.

Groves can belt it out with raw emotion, but he is at his best when he is restrained. It’s obvious that the guy has range; however, he doesn't have to prove it on every song.

“Cherry’s” most promising song, "Sunny Day" is a clear favorite for not only the ladies, but the airwaves with its mellow, sunny day tempo. At first listen, “Sunny Day” seems to be a respite from the despair of other tracks, but it too proves to be another sunny sounding song with cloudy lyrics.

Where “Sunny Day” could fool you by its title, "On the Rebound" is as straightforward as it gets. In it, Groves laments, "I gave you everything that was mine/I even wrote you a song to sing, you left it behind."

In between Groves’s vocals and Brandick's bass groove, Eric Hargett's saxophone fills in the gaps and even takes the lead in several tracks. In fact, Hargett's sax is apparent on most of the record adding to “Cherry’s” unique sound.

If Groves refers to the love that was lost in "Swing (Take it Slow)," we wouldn't know it. In fact, it almost feels like he has passed the rebound stage and is giving love another go.

“White Lines” allows Groves to plug in and is a bit of a departure being the closest thing to rock “Cherry” has to offer. If all other songs on “Cherry” are sullen or bittersweet, "White Lines" has an angst that is seriously refreshing.

Musically, “Cherry” can get long at times (the average track length is over 4:30), but each song successfully blends into the next giving the listener a cohesive album with a purpose. In "The Grind," Groves stays the course and states that he's being pulled down, "no head 'bove water/too much current in the sea."

After being beaten down and drowned by love, let's hope that in his sophomore effort Groves will have not only stayed afloat during the tempest, but will have ridden the waves in successfully.

-Trent Loomis