The Scooches: “Lift You Up” (2023) CD Review

The Scooches, who used to be known as Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches, is a band based in New York City and led by the husband-and-wife team of Nick Russo and Betina Hershey. They put out their first album, Very Next Thing, in 2016, and followed that in 2018 with Get Us Out Of Fearland. Now they are putting out their first album under the newly shortened name. Titled Lift You Up, this disc features mostly original material, the music combining elements from several different realms, including folk, jazz, bluegrass, reggae, soul, and even rap. The band is made up of Nick Russo on guitar, resonator guitar, slide guitar, banjo, piano, organ and electric bass; Betina Hershey on vocals and guitar; Harvey Wirht on drums and percussion; and Miles Griffith on vocals. And they are joined by many guests on various tracks, including Dr. David Pleasant, who plays drums and percussion and adds vocal work on several tracks.

The album opens with its title track, “Lift You Up.” There is a kind of sweet introductory section, in which Betina Hershey sings, “Every day when I wake up I look for the sound of the hope for the future.” And then the song itself, when it kicks in, seems to provide that sound with its reggae rhythm and vibe, and the bright feel to the vocal delivery. It is a sound that is designed to make you feel good, fitting with the repeated line, “I lift you up.” And there is some playful vocal work in the second half. I also like that guitar work. Russell Hall plays electric bass on this track, delivering some groovy work. The band then turns to more of a folk sound at the beginning of “Let’s Grow Our Roots Deep And True,” with a bit of a bluesy thing happening. Very cool! Then, after a minute or so, it kicks in, taking a turn, becoming like a barn dance, with some nice work on fiddle and percussion. “Let the calm fin’lly come/We’re struggling, but not more than some/Reach for me, I’ll reach for you.” Things are still kind of crazy out there, and more than ever, many of us have re-evaluated our priorities. And of course what came out on top? Relationships, love and family. And that’s what we need to keep in mind while we face our various troubles. This is one of the tracks to feature David Pleasant. Also joining the band on this one are Angela Workman on vocals, Kenny Kosek on fiddle, and Len Monachello on vocals and jaw harp.

They then give us a song titled “Stop This Climate Change,” and the energy of this song tells us it is possible. This track features a really good rhythm. I especially love the bass line to this track. Mamadou Ba is on bass on this one. But sometimes it feels like solving this climate problem is beyond us, that it is too late, that we’re doomed. “We’ve gone too far,” Betina Hershey sings at one point here, a line that certainly rings true. But the spirit of this song is that it is in our ability to fix things. I sincerely hope these guys are right. Climate Change should be the one issue that unites us, since it obviously affects everyone. There is an excellent instrumental section in the middle of the track, and that guitar work is particularly good. There is also a spoken word section, a rap, in the second half. R.I.A. Salaam delivers that spoken word part, and Aditya Phatak plays tabla. That’s followed by “Open A Door,” a kind of pretty song with a bossa nova vibe, a song that encourages us to move forward, to follow our dreams, to follow our muse, to recognize and create opportunities for ourselves. For life is short. This track features some excellent work on guitar, and a strong vocal performance.

“I Broke The Egg” is a fun, lively number, and is another of the tracks to feature David Pleasant. I love how delighted Betina is when she delivers the line “So good for me” early in the song, and the way she sings “I’m letting loose and letting go” lets you know she means it. This track includes some really nice work on fiddle and banjo. The band is having such a good time with this track, and there is something loose about it that is delightful. Part of it is the percussion, and part of it is the give and take in the vocal work, the playful responses. Jennifer Vincent plays double bass on this one, and Kenny Kosek is again on fiddle. That’s followed by “Leavin’.” I like the way this song plays with the words “be leaving” and “believe” at the beginning. This is a slower number, a song for all of us who at times have to be apart from those we love. It’s never easy, is it? In this song, it is because the road is calling, bands needing to spend a certain amount of time on the road of course. And the rest of us understand that wanderlust. “I’m returning/When dreams stop burning/Inside my mind/And I’m ready to unwind/The road keeps calling/I keep falling/For the dream ahead.” Art Hirahara delivers some really nice work on organ. This one builds in power as it progresses, and has a big finish.

“What’s Meant To Last Will Last” has a delicious old-time feel, and I especially love that banjo. Check out the song’s first lines: “Don’t you wanna throw it all away/Don’t you need to clear the system/Don’t you wanna throw away the past/What’s meant to last will last.” Oh yes! And is that some tap dancing we’re hearing? It sure is, and there is a tap dancing solo toward the end that of course reminds me of Columbia’s turn during “The Time Warp.” That’s Michela Marino Lerman. And there is some wonderful backing vocal work too. Angela Workman provides backing vocals. Russell Hall is on electric bass. This song is a total delight, one of my personal favorites on this album. That’s followed by “Run.” There are a lot of serious problems that this country needs to face. Two of them are misogyny and gun violence, and this song addresses both. It features some beautiful vocal work. At one point, Betina sings, “People are good/We’re all the same/People are beautiful/No matter who they blame.” I wish I agreed with those lines. I used to, but beginning in 2016, people have taught me otherwise. Now, sadly, I believe there are a lot of people that are just rotten. “But this world of darkness seems/To bring me only hate.” That song, in turn, is followed by a song that encourages us to make changes, and reminds us that we do have the power to effect change, renewing that sense of optimism in us. This song, “Spread Your Wings,” also contains some really nice percussion. David Pleasant is featured on this one, and Hilliard Greene plays double bass.

On “Give It To Me Real,” the band gets more soulful. “I can take it/What’s on your mind/I won’t break.” This one is delivered as a duet by Betina Hershey and Miles Griffith. Russell Hall is on bass, and Ahmad T. Johnson plays drums on this track. The album concludes with two renditions of “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round,” the only song on the disc not written or co-written by Betina Hershey. This is a traditional number. The first version begins with the lyrics delivered a cappella, and then kicks in to feature a strong groove, one to dance to. “Ain’t gonna let no hatred turn me around.” There is a spoken word section in the middle. That’s R.I.A. Salaam again delivering the rap. Mamadou Ba is on electric bass. Then the second version begins with percussion, and feels like a celebration, inviting us to sing along, to dance along. It feels like we should be all together, adding our voices, somewhere outside, where a bonfire burns nearby, or, better yet, on a march down the streets. “Ain’t gonna let injustice turn me ‘round.”

CD Track List

1. Lift You Up
2. Let’s Grow Our Roots Deep And True
3. Stop This Climate Change
4. Open A Door
5. I Broke The Egg
6. Leavin’
7. What’s Meant To Last Will Last
8. Run
9. Spread Your Wings And Fly
10. Give It To Me Real
11. Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round
12. Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round - Gullah Geechee

Lift You Up is scheduled to be released on July 14, 2023.