Up Popped Pancho
The NewMatics
© Copyright-The NewMatics
(783707498225)
Record Label: So'Fish Records
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The Band: This quartet features seasoned veterans of the Austin Texas music scene making exciting contemporary music with roots in 6os soul and rock. Patterson Barrett (vocals, multiple instruments, production), Ben Cocke (vocals, guitar), Ernie Gammage [aka E-Sky] (vocals, bass, guitar) and Tommy Taylor (vocals, drums).
Solid songwriting, strong vocals and inspired performances are the hallmarks of the group, and the effortless interplay of these four is obvious both in their live shows and their recordings.
The CD: It's a little misleading to call "Up Popped Pancho!" a debut recording, considering the number of records the members of The NewMatics have appeared on.
Despite this, the record explodes with youthful enthusiasm.
The music harkens back to the soul and rock of the 60s, but the themes here are all grown up, from the guarded skepticism of Call It Love, to the sunny optimism of Have A Little Faith.
I Don't Want To Go tackles issues of mortality while sounding like it will be right at home in a variety of current radio formats.
Although the vocal duties are spread throughout the band, the group seems to sing with a single consciousness, giving voice to the legions of the loved and lost, and the still-believers.
Included in this collection are a couple of interesting covers: It's Not The Spotlight, a Gerry Goffin/Barry Goldberg penned ballad, delivered with a hint of brit-rock styling, and a surprising version of If I Were A Carpenter that has to be heard to be appreciated.
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Up Popped Pancho cleverly reinvents a variety of classic American musical tradit
author: Lydia D.
The infectious, up tempo energy of Up Popped Pancho makes it one of the first CDs that I have heard in a long time that make me want to crank up the CD player; roll down the windows; and drive fast. The NewMatics take you on a bouncy, rock-n-soul ride that cleverly reinvents a variety of classic American traditions and knowingly explores the complexities of love, life and loss—all without ever becoming jaded, over indulgent, or cynical.
This is a CD that really hooks you. Besides patches of masterly guitar work, several tracks are original standouts not to be missed. I’ve Never Been to New Orleans is a richly layered, Zydeco-flavored arrangement. Its witty lyrics and danceable beat incite a party mood. It’s an addictive pleasure that makes you keep hitting the replay button over and over. Have a Little Faith with its optimistic trust in the transforming power of love punctuates its message with the urgings of raucous boogie piano and guitar licks. One True Love strikes an winning balance in the contrast between its deeply evocative theme of yearning for connection and its lively Texas two-step structure. The driving Black-eyed Susan channels the spirit of 60’s rock and shows how, in the right hands, the genre is eternally fresh and compelling.
Even when the band slows it down, it delivers with several satisfying covers and a handful of original soul and rock ballads. These alternate between hauntingly lyrical vocals (especially in the elegantly understated consideration of obsession—Call it love) and grittier R&B interpretations.
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