The album kicks off with its title
track, “You Stole My Heart,” which has something of a classic rock and roll sound,
complete with great work on keys and saxophone. And there is joy in his vocals,
as he sings lines like “Maybe give me a
chance/For some love and romance.” Because, hey, this is a love song, and
not one of love gone wrong. This is just the thing to get your body moving and
your mind off the state of the country. This song is a rock and roll party, and
we’re all invited. See you there! This track features the northern California
players, and they do jam on it. That’s followed by the southern California
musicians joining Dennis Herrera for “Takes Money,” a groovy rhythm and blues
tune with some delicious work on bass. “I
learned it takes money for this/It takes money for that/It’s all about the
money, babe/And that’s a fact/I don’t want to believe it/But it’s true.” It
develops into a good blues jam led by Denis Depoitre on harmonica. That band
(without Depoitre) also plays on “Fore,” which features more classic vibes, and
an easygoing stroll-like rhythm that is so damn appealing. This playful track is
so much fun that I don’t even mind that it’s about golf, an activity I do not
care for at all.
In “With No Refrain,” the line
“Well, you make me feel just like a king
when you call my name” makes me think of Donald Trump. This is why he has
those rallies, he feels like a king when his moronic followers shout out his
name. But even though it reminds me of that mendacious prick, this is a good
tune, and features some nice work on guitar. And other lines make me think of
my girlfriend, someone I’d much rather have on my mind. Take this line, for
example: “One day without your loving is
one day too long.” True. That’s followed by “Look Out,” a song about aging,
and about how life is short, stuff I am well aware of these days. Yet the song
has a positive, empowering vibe. I mean, that cool, steady rhythm feels like
something we can latch onto and ride forever, through life, through death, and
beyond into whatever might be out there.
“Recovery” is a groovy, jazzy
tune that also deals with getting older and perhaps wiser, looking back at
certain choices. This one becomes a cool jam with some good work on saxophone.
It’s followed by “You Can Name It,” a delightful instrumental track with a
somewhat relaxed groove and nice stuff on keys. Denis Depoitre returns on
harmonica for “Backed-Up,” a song about a topic that is familiar to those of us
in Los Angeles. “Lord knows I’m tired/I’m
sick of waiting/Just creeping along, lord/This back-up I’m hating.” He then
adds, “It’s hell on the highway.” You’d
be surprised how many conversations in Los Angeles are about the roads and
traffic. And for good reason. Last night
(or this morning) I got off work at 2:30, and traffic was stopped on Route 5.
Fortunately, someone who left a bit earlier sent messages warning us, and we
were able to take another route. Traffic is ridiculous in Los Angeles, and – as
Dennis sings in this song – “It gets
worse every day.” But don’t use the solution offered by Dennis Herrera in
this song: “Might just buy me a
motorcycle/Scoot on down the middle lane.” Motorcycles riding between lanes
are so bloody dangerous.
“My Past Time” is a wonderful
slow blues number, one of my personal favorites. It’s about looking back,
taking stock. He sings, “But I have my
regrets, people/Maybe more than I should” then quickly adds, “And I don’t like to think about that.” This
track features some really good stuff on organ. “Some say don’t live in the past/If you want your peace of mind to last.”
Then “Run With The Losers” is a fun, bluesy rock tune. The album then concludes
with “Bittersweet,” a very cool tune with a back porch blues vibe, performed
solo by Dennis Herrera.
CD Track List
- You Stole My Heart
- Takes Money
- Fore
- With No Refrain
- Look Out
- Recovery
- You Can Name It
- Backed-Up
- My Past Time
- Run With The Losers
- Bittersweet
You Stole My Heart is scheduled to be released on August 24, 2018.
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