I missed the first part of Air Traffic Controller's set at the Outlaw Roadshow in NYC, but the part I did see pulled me in and didn't let go. Boston based Air Traffic Controller, is fronted by former Naval air traffic controller, Dave Munro. Air Traffic Controller's music is highly infectious, it's hard to not love this band. A mix of rock, pop, and hints of techno/dance rhythms fill the tracks on the bands two records. Their first record, The One, released December 2009, started out as demo recordings on 4-track tapes that a then deployed Munro recorded and then sent home. When Munro returned from his deployment, the fans were there waiting for him. Backed by singer/songwriter and producer, Blue, Air Traffic Controller's record was born.
Upon listening to The One we are immersed in classic rock style rhythm and lead guitars, perfect bass lines, orchestral string sections, and Dave Munro's anything but traditional, slightly higher than most, unique voice singing out beautifully crafted lyrics. With help from family and friends, Rich Munro (drums,) Steve Scott (lead guitar, keys,) Casey Sullivan (bass, banjo, mandolin, backing vocals,) Alison Shipton, Kiara Ana Perico (violin, viola, respectively) complete the band. Stand out tracks on The One include the title track, The One, Don't Tell Me What To Do, Foot of the Bed, Rain Song, Test 1,2 and my favorite track on the record, Bad Axe, MI. The song tells a story of a band who came to Boston from Michigan, called Bad Axe. The song is lyrically great, musically great, and has a great feel to it, you can't help but sing along, especially to this part:
Oh, oh, oh, oh, and if Bad Axe was here,
well they’d turn this mutha out.
Yeah, everyone would cheer,
and everyone would shout,
“one more song, one more song,
and go where you belong,
but don’t forget now where you came from;
don’t forget where you have been.”
You boys are from Bad Axe, MI.
The arrival of summer 2012 brought with it another fantastic release from Air Traffic Controller. Hitting eager fan's ears in June, Nodro is a brilliant sophomore album from the band. Filled with ridiculously catchy, well written song with the same quality of musical backing as The One. Like most second albums go, this one has that more grown up, more evolved feel. The songs are filled with melodic masterpieces, singing and dancing along required. I bought this record from the band at the Outlaw Roadshow in New York City, Oct. 20th, after hearing only a small handful of their songs. That's all it took to get me infatuated with this band, with their sound. I've had trouble in the past finding the right words to describe a band, the sound a band and their music (I'm a geology major, not an English major, deal with it folks) and again here I'm having that issue.
Nordo is one of those records that I can listen to start to finish without skipping a single track, and there aren't many of those in my collection. As soon as the opening key and drum line begins on Hurry, Hurry you're swept up into the music, the melodies, they rhythms, the song is a perfect opening track for the record. The brilliance continues to If You Build It, a song about Munro's brother's love of Field of Dreams, You Know Me and Any Way feature Casey Sullivan in a duet with Dave Munro, the song's mandolin and string backings compliment the vocals perfectly, as they do on all the tracks. The Work quotes Yoda, the cello and other strings on Magic take it to an epic, dramatic, almost theatrical fell to it.
I can't say enough good things about this band and their two records. Seeing them perform at the Outlaw Roadshow was a joy. I'm glad I was introduced to this band, Nordo helps getting ready in the morning much more fun, the music just gets you going. Please, do yourself an epic favor and go get these records. There are lots of options of where to get them, go here and check them out.
No comments:
Post a Comment