Customer Reviews

LS

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Chico singer/guitarist/ songwriter Lee Simpson (ex-Blue Dye Fire) calls his music "full-tilt Americana rock and roll." I'd go a step further and call it Californiana. Like another well-known Chico band noted for its California sound, the Mother Hips, Simpson and his crew possess well-schooled suburban-country-rock chops and sincere--sometimes soaring--vocal harmonies. Simpson uses a varying line-up, both on the CD and when touring. The current road band includes local string man/singer Bruce MacMillan and Buffalo Creek drummer Nick Bearden. LS features an array of stellar players--including guitarist/singer Gary Dutra of Electric Circus fame, who also wrote track no. 8, "Doing Well"--playing originals written mainly by Simpson. Daniel Schuck's organ on "Get It Right" recalls The Band's Garth Hudson, and Simpson's guitar opening on "Big City River" has a Southern-with-a-mellow-hint-of-Skynyrd sound. "Flying Blind" is both soaring and sincere and proudly pretty: "I know we might be flying blind/ I won't leave you behind..." Thumbs-up on Dean Lafayette's anchoring bass and the back-up vocals of Tom Molyneaux and Robin Dutra. www.leesimpson.net - Christine Lapado

Chico singer/guitarist/ songwriter Lee Simpson (ex-Blue Dye Fire) calls his music "full-tilt Americana rock and roll." I'd go a step further and call it Californiana. Like another well-known Chico band noted for its California sound, the Mother Hips, Simpson and his crew possess well-schooled suburban-country-rock chops and sincere--sometimes soaring--vocal harmonies. Simpson uses a varying line-up, both on the CD and when touring. The current road band includes local string man/singer Bruce MacMillan and Buffalo Creek drummer Nick Bearden. LS features an array of stellar players--including guitarist/singer Gary Dutra of Electric Circus fame, who also wrote track no. 8, "Doing Well"--playing originals written mainly by Simpson. Daniel Schuck's organ on "Get It Right" recalls The Band's Garth Hudson, and Simpson's guitar opening on "Big City River" has a Southern-with-a-mellow-hint-of-Skynyrd sound. "Flying Blind" is both soaring and sincere and proudly pretty: "I know we might be flying blind/ I won't leave you behind..." Thumbs-up on Dean Lafayette's anchoring bass and the back-up vocals of Tom Molyneaux and Robin Dutra. www.leesimpson.net - Christine Lapado