Thursday, September 22, 2011

Review: Queen Electric “Queen Electric” [EP]


Pop rock/powerpop
Queen Electric is the latest project to come from singer/songwriter Scot Sax, who is widely regarded as a hero in the indie pop rock world. Sax has fronted the bands Wanderlust and Feel, each of which has left us with masterpieces of powerpop. Rounding out the Queen Electric trio is Phil D'Agostino on bass and Mike Pietrusko on drums.

Sax has a distinctive vocal tone and a knack for harmonies in the neighborhood of Jeff Lynne and ELO that are front and center on this record, so fans of his earlier work are bound to enjoy Queen Electric. The self-titled debut release is a 7 song EP that offers a little something for everybody. Opener “Gonna Let You Down” serves as a great way to kick things off. One of the more rocking tunes, “Gonna Let You Down” is designed to pick you up and it quickly became my favorite. Things slow down a little too quickly with “As You Make Me Out To Be”, but the Beatles vibe permeating “Maybe You’re Lost” is rejuvenating. “Everything I See” is a pleasant mid-tempo number driven along by a crunchy guitar riff. “Day After Night” has a bit of an island feel with its bouncy piano, jubilant horns, and “wah-oo” backing vocals. The EP closes on a softer note with the beautifully reflective piece, “Happy Where You’re At”, which is my second favorite in the batch.

Queen Electric – Get it here.