I’d love to get a list of all the albums that have been recorded, mixed, and yet, for one reason or another, not released. I bet there are many great gems on that list. Fortunately, some of those albums eventually do get a release. Such is the case with the debut self-titled album from Explorer Tapes, which was recorded in January of 2015 when the band was called The Colors Orchestra, and is now being released by Omnivore Recordings and Warner Records. It features original material, including one song that was – in the meantime – recorded by Keith Urban. The group is led by the duo of Max Townsley on vocals and guitar, and Drew Erickson on vocals and keys, and their vocal work is one of the main draws of this album. The rest of the band is made up of Mike Elizondo on bass, keyboards and percussion; and Aaron Sterling on drums and percussion. There are also some guests on various tracks. This album is being released on both CD and vinyl, and there are two extra tracks on the CD.
The album opens with “All Depends On You,” which begins with a good solid beat, and soon develops into an enjoyable pop song. “Outside I’m learning how to/Fight for the things I believe in now/I’m not afraid of anything, that much I know/I can’t wait to get this show out on the road/Ooh, darling, all my plans are finally coming true.” Those lines stand out in part because of the long wait for this release. I love the optimistic, upbeat feel of this song. It’s a song that reminds us just how good pop music can be. “All the world is waiting for us to explore/All the world is waiting right outside the door.” That’s followed by “Texas Time,” the song that was recorded and released by Keith Urban in 2018 (it was included on his Graffiti U album). It’s pop, with a good deal of country flavor, and a delightful innocence. “And I know a place where the people are real/And they’re taking it easy and making you feel right at home/Yeah, and that’s where I’m going.” There are also some country vibes to “A Good Friend Is Hard To Find,” a song that comes as an apology, and with a hopeful look to the future, to some reconciliation. “I’ve been thinking, drinking, feeling just like dirt/Over all those things I told you that were only meant to hurt/And now I, I know I, I shouldn’t have been so unkind/Because, oh, a good friend is hard to find.”
“Julia” has the feel of an older song, maybe from the late 1970s, early 1980s. I can imagine a group like Air Supply recording it. Yes, I like Air Supply. And yes, the vocal work is that good. “I had this crazy notion/It would all turn out fine/Nothing could come between us/Now she was actually mine/I just wanted/For all of our joys to outweigh the sorrows.” Max Townsley plays electric sitar on this one. That’s followed by “Kids These Days.” I would not want to be a kid these days, what with the constant threat of gun violence and the harsh maze of social media. Still, we all go through some of the same things, even if we’d prefer to forget them. This track features some really nice vocal work, as well as a string section, which adds to the track’s beauty. Ross Gasworth is on cello, Michelle Gasworth is on viola, and Katie Sloan is on violin. “Oh no, you know that it’s not easy.” Then Roger Manning Jr. joins the group on keyboards for “Washed Away,” another track with something of a late 1970s sound.
The vocal line of “Change Looks Good On You” feels somewhere between Paul Simon of the 1970s and Steve Miller of the 1980s. This song is totally enjoyable, part of it being that catchy bass line. Part of it is that the group is joined by Danny T. Levin on trumpet, and David Moyer on tenor saxophone. “I still love you, girl, but that don’t matter/I’m so glad you made it through/Pretty baby, and the change looks on you.” That’s followed by “Radio,” which is about reaching out to someone with a song. “If I could just get on the radio/I could make you see/What you mean to me/And you would hear me everywhere you go.” Then “Everybody’s Crazy” begins in a darker, more somber place. “And I know sometimes it’s hard on you/Just to ask someone for help/And I know it seems impossible to forgive yourself/Or anybody else/But everybody’s crazy, so it’s all right/Everyone has bad dreams in the middle of the night.” How is that for a beautiful piece of truth? This is one of my personal favorite tracks. It is followed by “More Than A Song Can Say,” which also has a rather serious sound. “I know for sure that sleep will never come/Scenes play like a movie in my mind/Mistakes that I made along the line/But you know I’ve loved you, darling, all along the way.” The group returns to a brighter pop sound with “Easy To Love,” which is fun from the moment it starts. “It’s so easy/I guess it’s easy enough/Enough/‘Cause you’re so easy/You’re just so easy to love.” The vinyl edition then concludes with “Wouldn’t Change A Thing,” in which they sing “If I had to do it all again, I would not change a thing.” Now that is a good feeling, isn’t it? And this song conveys that feeling so well. As it carries us along, we might begin to look at our own lives that way, at least for the length of the track. Danny T. Levin and David Moyer return on trumpet and tenor saxophone respectively.
The CD contains two more tracks, the first of which is “Sunset Strip.” Early in the album was a song titled “Texas Time,” Texas being where the duo was from. But it was Los Angeles where this group recorded the album. This is a sweet song about that famous section of L.A., known for rock clubs and a musical history. The song mentions Jim Morrison and includes a Beach Boys reference. And check out these lines: “A young girl takes a powder like a Catholic receiving the host/Look at all these hookers, none of them are half the looker as you/No one in that scene could ever dream of half the things that you do.” And the line “And start a little riot on the Sunset Strip” of course refers to the curfew riots that took place in 1966, and inspired a film titled Riot On The Sunset Strip, as well as the song “For What It’s Worth.” The CD concludes with “Still Love Lindsay,” which uses a drum machine, giving it a more artificial sound. This is kind of a cute and catchy song, but it is not as strong as the rest of the album.
CD Track List
- All Depends On You
- Texas Time
- A Good Friend Is Hard To Find
- Julia
- Kids These Days
- Washed Away
- Change Looks Good On You
- Radio
- Everybody’s Crazy
- More Than A Song Can Say
- Easy To Love
- Wouldn’t Change A Thing
- Sunset Strip
- Still Love Lindsay
Explorer Tapes is scheduled to be released on August 13, 2021.
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