Album Details

• Artist: Sounding Rick
• Album: Dinosaur Bones
• Label: Independent
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: carlito on 2011-02-15

With its seventh release in five years, we take a listen to Dinosaur Bones, the latest from Sounding Rick.  For those not familiar with SR's previous releases, the band is built around singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rick Reynolds.

"Tuesday Morning" opens the album up with some very nice a cappella harmony, which sounds like a multi-track of Rick doing all the parts, but it's pulled off quite nicely.  The majority of the rhythm is provided by a repeating bass line and a very cool shuffling drumbeat that never gets too loud, but stays in the back of the mix.  It's an interesting sounding tune.  The only part I didn't care for is the chorus that seemed awkwardly trying to be more energetic than what the song called for.  But the horns were a nice surprise.

"Politician" is my favorite on here.  It's a super mellow and groovy track.  It's borderline elevator music, but herein lies its charm.  By the time you get to the end of it, there are all sorts of wonderful surprises, from the jazz guitar solo to the mariachi-like horns that precede it.  And then out of nowhere, you have this Brazilian-I think-percussive rhythm that closes the song out.  Very unique, indeed.

SR's style is definitely seeking to carve out its own niche audience.  Rick's voice reminds me a bit of Elvis Costello.  This is perfect when the music is at its jazziest.  This is Rock, but with a few twists.  The horns definitely give it just a pinch of Ska.

Dinosaur Bones is both a hit and miss for me.  There are times when the music is absolutely delightful, quirky, jazzy, and spontaneous, and other times when it just bores.  It's definitely different from the ordinary, even refreshing at times.  But I did feel the need to skip a few tracks.  But the ones that grabbed my attention were also the ones that held it all the way to the end.  

User Reviews and Comments