Roman Candle - The Wee Hours Revue

Too brash for country, too acoustic for rock, and too poetic for pop, Roman Candle is a perfect fit for the firework it is named for. There's a mellow outer shell, occasionally amplified by synthesizers (but never lost in them) but Skip Matheny's crooning is just casing for the subtle mechanics underneath. Words that slide within one another like gloves, twang-heavy chords that shuffle off the drum beats, and a powerful storytelling rhythm that should propel this vibrant musical explosion to the top of the charts. Growing up, finding love, and facing regret are the populist themes of their new album, The Wee Hours Revue, and led by the Southern twang of three guitars, a piano, and drums, Roman Candle is a bright-burning series of wry and melodic songs about the dusty blues. For instance, talking about an ex who may have cheated on him, there's just the dusky refrain, "so if you're lying down next to another, then girl I tip my hat." This is coupled with a brilliant beauty of taut images, like the line "Well I never thought we'd build our love of rags and bones and nails/i know sometimes my words come out like empty shotgun shells." Music and emotion -- it IS possible to have both. With their languid, sun-baked approach, tracks like "I Can't Even Recall," might tell a similar story to other songs, like "Another Summer," but each is so cool and mannered that they're endlessly entertaining instead. This well-planned approach might stem from Roman Candle's experience as a cog shelved by the Hollywood music machine--it has aged them well. From the contemplativeness of the lyrics, to the patient strums of the guitar and the thoughtful echo of the vintage studio recording, it all holds up rather well. Even though a few of the later songs seem to wash out in sonic waves ("Help Me If You Can"), the majority of their instrumental segues are dead on (as in "Sookie"). Tracks like "I've Got a Reason" strike a fine balance between surface rhythm and melodic depth, and in "Winterlight," the merging of harmonica with synthesized harmonics has an almost epic effect. Let Roman Candle, the gently blowing firecracker, be a reminder to musicians everywhere: a soft but insistent touch will always trump an aimless amp. [www.romancandlemusic.com]