Soulfarm

Desert Rock Records 26-6

This is a very pleasant CD. A NY-based trio, Soulfarm rolls out a long
series of upbeat hippie folk-rock originals here. It's not unlike a Poco or
Loggins & Messina for the '00s, and if you're in the mood for some bright
and uncomplicated tunes, this is an enjoyable ride.

The three members (who cover vocals, guitar, and drums, with various guests
on bass, keyboards and percussion filling out the lineup) sing well, and the
guitar leads, mostly acoustic, range from flameco-ish stylings (The
Ride) to some mildly edgy slide (Don’t Mind). The lyrics usually
manage to steer clear of banality, except in the philosophical duo in the
middle of the disc (Why Must We Wait and Scream) — I can
agree that kids often don't get the best information about smoking pot, but
putting this in a larger context would make the complaint more interesting.
Most cuts aim for simpler results, though, and they work, with a few
choruses sticking in one's ear after only a listen or two.

An oddity appears at the disc's close in the form of a guest vocal and
writing collaboration from Perry Farrell, From This Day On. The
combination is surprisingly effective, and the track certainly offers more
mystery than the rest of the disc. Also strange is the unlisted final cut,
which, unlike From This Day On, sounds like nothing other than a
standard Soulfarm original and must have been a packaging glitch rather than
a deliberate "hidden track".

That aside, the playing and production here are consistently good. If
you're a fan of the lighter side of the jamband rock genre, Soulfarm is
worth knowing.

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