REVIEW: Five Easy Pieces, Five Easy Pieces (MCA)
- Linda Scott
What we have here is another rock and roll band from Los Angeles. But if you follow the L.A. scene at all, you know that there are new bands hatching every week. Here's a difference - Five Easy Pieces could actually make it out of the area and into the national spotlight. These five musicians write radio-and MTV-friendly songs. No heavy, rage-filled, drug songs here. This MCA debut album has songs for us all about our loves, our lives, our fates. The lyrics are hopeful for the most part and are sung to bouncy melodic and upbeat tunes.
The band that put this together starts with frontman, vocalist, and guitarist Marc Dauer. Interestingly, Dauer gave up a UCLA surgical residency to make music, so you know he's in for the long haul. With keyboardist/lyricist Jay Schwartz on board, the two wrote an album's worth of material in a week. Jason Sinay, a fine lead guitarist, and bassist Alan Wolovitch came on next. The original drummer was replaced by Brian Macleod, who has worked with Sheryl Crow and Paul Westerberg. Sinay has obvious talent and should get some more solos, and Macleod's experience as a stickman leads the band where it ought to be on time.
Five Easy Pieces gives you ten tracks from the new band. It's easy listening, and several tracks have really catchy melodies and lyrics. While the first track, "Lovers", was chosen as the first single, a real standout is "Spy". It's one of those songs that keeps playing in your head - a happy rock tune with some irresistible hooks. The band is at its best with these light, uptempo rockers. "Bittersweet" has lyrics more suited a tortured vocalist like Cobain or Rose than Dauer. If Dauer learns how to pull these songs from his gut, the band will need to change their name.
Five Easy Pieces was produced by Don Smith (Cracker, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty). It was recorded entirely in Smith's one room carriagehouse, jamming live. No headphones or recording tricks were used, so what you hear on the album will be what you hear at a tour show.
For the latest information, surf on over to http://www.mcarecords.com or write to the band at fiveeasypieces@directnet.com
