Customer Reviews

Tonight at the Arizona

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album seems to have been largly ignored in the US despite the band being homegrown in New York State and that really is a shame. The songs have a timeless quality so it difficult to tell when the songs were written. They sound new and familar at the same time.

There have been many comparisons with the Band and I guess that to an extent that is fair but they are much much more than a rip off of the Band (although they do seem to dress like them on occasion). I would also throw in acoustic Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt and many other influences of a similar ilk. The music on this album is mostly dark acoustic, countryish, whisky drenched folk. There seems to be more than one of the guys that takes lead vocals on the songs and this provdes some variety. The main singer does sound a bit dylanesque though. The lyrics are all fairly dark dealing with those in difficulty at the edges of society.

However the beauty of the songs is in their ability to transport you into the world of the songs protaganists. The Ballad of Lou the Welterweight to me is a very New York sounding song. It takes me to the New York of old 40s black and white movies. Hey Hey Revolver has a Neil Young (tonights the night) sound to it. T for Texas is an upbeat country rock song while Rockefller Drug Law Blues is a very sweet, sad, melancoly song about a guy who falls victim to the aforementioned law. The songs are songs that stick with you and are all catchy enough that you will find your self singing them time after time; as if you have been listening to them for years but also not familiar enough to become grating as some catchy songs can.

I have heard complaints that the album can sound sloppy and raw. It is and I love it all the more for that. The odd harmony or instument is out of tune or out of synch but it only adds to the intimate feel of the album.

Despite the albums quiet, sad feel I have heard that the the Felice Brothers can be quite a raucous band to see live. A little of this may be captured in the live(?) last song Take This Hammer which resembles a drunken jam session in a bar with the Felice Brothers and some friends and I hope captures the attitude of the brothers. Their second album is also out and although muscially more upbeat is just as good. I am hopeful that the Felice Brothers will be producing music like this for many many years to come. Sit in a darkened room, crack open a beer, light a cigarette and enjoy.

I had the pleasure to experience The Felice Brothers live a couple of times this summer. If you ever get the chance, don't miss them - they're great performers, lots of fun and boy do they connect with the audience. This isn't "prettied-up" music - it's gritty and it gets to you. Reminiscent of Bob Dylan in the '60's. Great energy - you can't go wrong with this album - you'll play it over and over.

This is a dynamite album, one of my all-time favorites. Energy, intelligence, and originality. For me, this is one of those rare albums that I REALLY like when I first get it but I still really like dozens of listens later -- infectious but with staying power. I fear this album probably was the high water mark for these guys. The departure of Simone Felice and their seeming shortage of passion for creating the great music they're capable of (live and in the studio) has them in steep decline. Here's hoping they can still pull out of it.

Update: one year later, this remains one of my very favorite albums. I don't know if there's another album out there with 3 songs I like as much as Hey Hey Revolver, Ballad of Lou the Welterweight, and Rockefeller Drug Law Blues.

My headline is a quote from World Cafe's, David Dye, but I don't have words to say it better. The music these guys create is infectious with great hooks and some of their songs are so very poignant. They sound so much wiser and world weary than their actual ages. For example, when they sing "Rockefeller Druglaw Blues," you would be sure that they have experienced lengthy and unjust prison time. This CD is an Import from the UK where they are very popular and it is definitely worth getting.

I own everything The Felice Brothers have out. This album is their best (not by much though). Solid all the way through and ending with "Take This Hammer" was cruel because all it does is leaving you wanting more.

I recently saw this band as an opening act and was quite impressed to say the least. The Felice Brothers have some amazing songs and are natural performers. They not only sounded great, but they looked like they were having a lot of fun during their set. The previous review was right, they definitely have the feel of Bob Dylan. Not just in the singer's voice, but with the melancholy and poetic rhythm of the songs. I just purchased the album and am glad to say that they didn't overdo it at the studio. Tonight At The Arizona keeps the music raw and sounds just as great at their performance was.

First heard these boys at Radio City Music Hall, opening for Bright Eyes. They played like they were playing a dive bar in North Argyle - it was awesome. A very talented bunch, and very authentic.

Music from the heart and soul of some of the less appealing parts of America, and that's a good thing.

Based on the merits of the music alone I probably would've given this album 4-stars. It's a well written set of songs that are clearly done by a hard working, honest sounding group of guys but I was a little let down having seen them live (opening for the Drive-By Truckers in Louisville) before listening to this.

As others have said they were awesome live. They played with energy and gusto that reminded me of The Dropkick Murphy's with a wash board instead of bag pipes. They had the entire crowd enthralled. But when I got in the car after the concert and started listening to this cd it was very different from what I had just heard inside the club. These songs are not the fist pumping anthems that they were live, rather they are spare, melodic, folksy fare that would not seem out of place next to early Dylan (to use a comparison that I've seen others use). What I saw live and what I heard on the cd were like two different bands. Not bad, but not at all what I expected. The one song that neared my expectations was the cover of Leadbelly's "Take This Hammer" which was, not surprisingly, recorded live.

Again, none of this is to say that this cd is bad, it's not, but it's not great either; and live, they were great. I'm probably going to check out their other cd because they clearly have a ton of potential and if they can harness the energy and fun of their live show they could make a great album. I'm disappointed that this isn't that album. They'll be back in Louisville on April 2nd and I'll be there with my fingers crossed that they can live up to what I saw before.