The disc opens with “The Rain Song,” a song written by Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson, and originally included on Vermilion. And, yes, if you are not yet a fan of this band, you probably still recognize those names from The Cowsills and The Bangles. The band at this point also included Mark Walton on bass, Russ Broussard on drums, Robert Maché on guitar and Peter Holsapple on keyboards. The song’s first line, “Well, I don’t think about us much anymore,” is interesting, because it’s a line that we don’t entirely trust or believe. After all, she’s thinking about the relationship enough to sing about it. And so an interesting tone is created from that very first line, drawing us in. And by the end she is singing, “Yeah, I remember you.” There is a hint of a Byrds feel to some of the guitar work. Also from Vermilion comes “Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway,” which was written by Vicki Peterson. There is a strong energy to this song, and it feels like a vehicle bearing down on us, threatening to lose all control. Part of it is that rhythm, but Vicki’s vocal performance also has that energy. There are moments when I’m reminded of Leslie Knauer. This song’s first line puts us in a specific time and place, a highway in Los Angeles after the 1994 earthquake. The lyrics also give both this album and the biography their titles. There is a seriously cool instrumental section, which begins after Vicki calls, “Go, Robert, go!” This is a good song to add to your road trip play list.
“Dallas” comes from Nineteen Ninety-Three, which was recorded before Vermilion but released after it. Actually, this is the last of the four albums to be released, but the first to be recorded. The band at this point is made up of Mark Walton, Peter Holsapple, Carlo Nuccio on drums, Gary Eaton on guitar, and Ray Ganucheau on guitar. The sound might be different, but it feels just as right. There is a glorious power behind this song. “Not old enough to know any better/But all roads led to Dallas/I remember it in black and white.” This song was written by Gary Eaton, and it contains some good work on guitar. It is followed by “Mezzanine,” a song that comes from the band’s self-titled album, which was the first one that was released. That was in 1994. The band then was made up of Mark Walton, Carlo Nuccio, Robert Maché, Vicki Peterson, Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple. This song was written by Carlo Nuccio, and it has a cool country flavor. “I reflect on the world that I’ve seen/Between the ground floor and the mezzanine.”
This collection takes us back to the Nineteen Ninety-Three album for “Invisible Boyfriend,” a song written by Peter Holsapple (and, yes, for those who are not yet fans of this band, Peter is from The dB’s). This is such a good song. It deals with grief, but grief observed rather than felt. It’s about how after losing someone, you carry that person with you, still wanting to share your experiences with him, to the point where others can feel that person. “Sometimes I think I can see him myself/With arms wrapped around her, the picture of health/Grinning at her just as they were/Before the impossible happened.” Yeah, this is a group of songwriters, all of them incredibly talented. And that line about the man of her dreams returning to a dream knocks the air out of me. “Match Made In Heaven” is also from Nineteen Ninety-Three, this one written by Gary Eaton. Check out its opening lines: “Things change just a little too fast/You’d better keep your eyes open/Or you’ll miss it/Who’s the man sleeping in your bed/Just a little boy with a gun to his head.” This is a band whose lyrics you want to listen attentively to. But even if you don’t, you can enjoy this song.
“The Mississippi” is the song that comes from a single released in 1992, the first release from this band. It was written by Carlo Nuccio and Ray Ganucheau, and was recorded as part of a six-song demo. The band then was made up of Mark Walton, Carlo Nuccio, Gary Eaton, Ray Ganuchea, and Danny McGough on piano. But Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson and Peter Holsapple are present, providing backing vocals. “I miss my family and I miss my friends/I’m sure someday I’ll get back to them.” I love Carlo’s drum work on this track. This track also contains a really nice guitar lead in the second half. That’s followed by “Get Over It,” a song from the band’s self-titled album. It was written by Mark Walton, though it is Susan Cowsill who sings lead. She delivers a fantastic vocal performance. Some of the guitar work has a 1960s flavor, like a slightly sped-up “Wasn’t Born To Follow.” Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Please don’t shout anymore/I can’t stand to sit around and watch you slamming my doors/Show some sense and respect/Learn to cope and get over it.” This is a song you’ll probably be singing along with soon enough, even shouting along with.
“Mixed Messages” also comes from the self-titled album. This one was written by Vicki Peterson, and it has more of a pop vibe. And a wonderful pop vibe it is. “You keep your thoughts to yourself/To keep me guessin’ as we’re undressin’/Then you’re gone for days on end/And here we go again/Here we go again.” That’s followed by “Don’t Do What I Did,” which was written by Peter Holsapple. This one comes from Vermilion, and begins with a strong beat that is ready to propel us all forward. This song has more of a raw, rocking thing happening, with a great energy, on the edge of punk. It’s a lot of fun. “If you’re miserable now, just wait/It only hurts all the worse/Like a presence that won’t leave/It makes it hard to breathe.” Just fantastic.
Then we get a few songs from Better Day, which was released in 2001. The band on this album is the same as on Vermilion. The first of these songs is “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be,” written by Mark Walton and Tom Boles. It’s a song dripping with sarcasm on lines like, “I know it’s okay/Tomorrow’s gonna be an even better day.” What’s strange is that even though there is a great bite to this song, we find ourselves believing those lines, or at least wanting to believe them. This is such a cool song. And I love the backing vocal work. The second of the songs from Better Day is “Na Na,” written by Vicki Peterson. “This is the story of my life/Somebody’s little girl to someone else’s wife/What happened in between/Is the dying of a dream/And that’s the story of my life,” she sings at the beginning. Wow. And then when it kicks in, it becomes undeniably catchy, and so you find yourself dancing to this story. And check out that guitar work. This is a really good song. It is followed by “Peaceful Waking,” which was written by Russ Broussard and Susan Cowsill. It’s a beautiful song, in large part because of Susan’s vocal performance. “And when your heart is cold/I will wrap you in the blanket of my soul/And when it’s all too much/You always know you got somewhere to go.” I also love that acoustic guitar work.
“Drifters” is a sort of theme song for the band, with lines like “It’s been a long haul/L.A. to LA” and “We are all drifters/Singers and sisters/Brothers and lovers and mothers and confidantes/We were born alone/We’re alone when we’re gone/So while we’re here/We might as well just sing along.” Those lines basically invite us into the group too, urging us to sing along. Might as well. This song was written by Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple, and was included on Vermilion. This compilation concludes with its one previously unreleased track. And first off, if you’re thinking that because you already own all the band’s albums, it would be crazy to purchase another disc just for the one song, let me tell you this track is twelve minutes long. So it makes up a significant portion of the disc. Plus, it’s one of the band’s best songs. It’s a live version of “Who We Are, Where We Live,” recorded at The Court Tavern in New Brunswick, New Jersey (the liner notes don’t mention the concert date, which is a shame). There is a bit of playful stage banter at the beginning. This song was written by Vicki Peterson, and the studio version of it is on Vermilion. Like the studio version, this live version eases in, and has a haunted vibe at the start. And while the energy soon increases, that haunted feeling remains. And when that guitar come rumbling over us, we feel completely immersed in the song. Interestingly, there is actually some more playful banter in the middle of the track, just before that gorgeous vocal part. The band, by the way, is the same as on Vermilion and Better Day. The song becomes a wild and fantastic jam. What a spectacular way to end this collection.
CD Track List
- The Rain Song
- Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway
- Dallas
- Mezzanine
- Invisible Boyfriend
- Match Made In Heaven
- The Mississippi
- Get Over It
- Mixed Messages
- Don’t Do What I Did
- Tomorrow’s Gonna Be
- Na Na
- Peaceful Waking
- Drifters
- Who We Are, Where We Live
White Noise & Lightning: The Best Of Continental Drifters was released on September 13, 2024 through Omnivore Recordings.
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