Steve Palmer Band
Alexandria, Virginia, United States | SELF
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Steve Palmer Band’s ‘Apparition’ A Pleasant Surprise
This is one of those instances where the subject matter strays away from what we normally consider “classic rock” and more towards what I like to call “contemporary classic rock.” For those of you who are unfamiliar with that reference, I use it to classify groups that sound as though they might have formed back in the 70’s or 80’s, but are actually contemporary bands.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I occasionally receive promotional copies of albums for review prior to their release. Unfortunately, most of what I receive appears to have been sent by promoters who have no idea that this site is about classic rock, and I get quite a few albums by contemporary groups that bear no resemblance to classic rock, and frankly, some that sound more like noise than music.
The most recent arrival landed in my mailbox about three days ago. I had never heard of the Steve Palmer Band, and I braced myself as I placed the CD in the player. Expecting the worst, I was actually pleasantly surprised after just a few short minutes listening to this new album. What’s even more surprising is that I listened to the entire album two or three times, and have listened to it a number of times since.
I think we’re all quite accustomed to comparisons to well-known artists when reading reviews of new artists, but fortunately the internet makes comparisons far less important these days. In many cases, potential fans can get a taste of a new artist’s material directly from a number of sources that are only as far away as their computer or smart phone.
With influences such as Kansas, Yes, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and James Taylor, it’s not hard to see why the group’s sound has that classic feel to it. The up tempo tracks have plenty of energy, but at the same time, they don’t quite cross the line into what I would consider “heavy.” More akin to Bad Company or Foreigner than to groups like Kansas or Rush, for example.
“Getting this CD out to the public is my lifelong dream,” Palmer says. “I am very happy with it and thrilled to try to get our sound out there and finally play in front of people.” If my impression is any indication, a lot of potential fans will also be very happy to discover this new group.
The Nashville-based group plans to embark on a cross-country tour following the release of Apparition on April 20th.
My personal favorites from this new album are the first track, “Living on the Streets” and the number seven track, “I Think I’m Falling in Love,” which brought to mind the work of Rush’s Alex Lifeson, thanks to the minor-key rhythm guitar work.
I’m no Simon Cowell, but I think this new act has a bright future ahead of them. Exhibiting just the right mix of classic style and commercial appeal, I think they will be well received by fans of genuine, old-style rock and roll.
You can read up more on the Steve Palmer Band on their website and check out a few select tracks from the new album on their MySpace page. - Real Rock News
Discography
"Apparition" March 1, 2011
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Bio
The finest rock music is timeless and transcends genre. The Steve Palmer Band hits those keynotes and more on its debut CD Apparition, slated for release March 1, 2011. The newest addition to the east coast rock scene, SPB carries the proud tradition of heartland rock trailblazers from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and others into the new millennium.
SPB’s primary musical accent is found in the 1970s, which singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Steve Palmer considers the golden age of rock music. He and his seasoned and skillful cohort of musicians meld that with the same knockout punch heard in contemporary heavyweights like Pearl Jam and 3 Doors Down, and the fluid improvisational virtuosity of the Dave Matthews Band. The results are sure to delight aficionados of intelligent, big-hearted and hook-filled American music.
“Living On The Streets” and “Apparition” renew the rich widescreen pop-rock power of the1970s for the modern zeitgeist. “Nothing To Do,” which Palmer co-wrote in England during the Thatcher era economic downturn speaks to today’s hard times with enhanced resonance. And “Never Gonna See Her Again” rocks heartache and longing with a snappy soulful backbeat and gospel-inflected background vocals. Palmer has gathered veteran players with a collective century of studio and concert experience into a genuine and committed band: lead guitarist Bryan Ewald, drummer Tony Morro, Hammond B-3 organist/pianist Larry Hall, background vocalist Vicki Hampton and bassist Anthony Setola. They recorded Apparition live off the floor with minimal overdubs at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios, the ground zero recording facility for the city’s rock community thanks to fellow habitués like Kings of Leon and Jack White. The album was produced by SPB and is currently being mixed by veterans of rock ‘n roll and current Top 40 radio.
“Music was always a big part of my life,” says Palmer. “It says so much about people, their lives and their emotional experiences. It always made me feel good even in tough times and I could always express myself through it.”
After committing himself full-time to music in 2000 and moving to Nashville in 2009, he has spent every waking hour on writing, recording (in at least four different studios), developing his band, growing a record company with a full production house alongside subcontractors, and putting together a promotion, marketing and distribution team. Mixing his business sense learned from working with his father and his years as a professional, Palmer ended up doing it himself to ensure that his music gets the full exposure it merits.
Born in Denver, he has nurtured his dream of recording and performing a new, yet lasting, rock sound since he first started playing guitar and writing songs while growing up in Connecticut. “I draw from the music I know and love. I grew up with bands like Kansas and such legends as Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, and also all the solo artists who were first and foremost songwriters - Joni Mitchell, Dan Fogelberg, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Cat Stevens. And my biggest rhythmic influences were artists like Yes, Led Zeppelin and Joan Armatrading, and all the great jazz artists like Count Basie, Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Peterson, Joe Sample and Weather Report.”
Other touchstones included everyone from The Beatles to Crosby, Stills & Nash to Chicago, to country icons like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, to name a few. “The first couple of songs I sang were ‘If I Were A Carpenter’ and ‘Cat’s In The Cradle,’ which also got me writing stories in the folk genre. This is one reason why I loved performing solo.”
“From the moment I started buying Yamaha stereo equipment with the money I earned working after school, I could never stop thinking and dreaming in musical terms,” explains Palmer. His first of many performances to come was in sixth grade. By junior year of high school he had made his initial solo quarter-inch reel- to-reel recording of his songs, followed soon by studio sessions at age 18 in Plymouth, England and then Connecticut with first call New York musicians. His studies at Northwestern and Georgetown, and subsequent professional career were “to keep one foot in the ‘real world’ and the other one on the peripheral, dreaming and writing,” Palmer explains.
He perfected his creative vision recording in top studios in the Chicago area, Indiana, Connecticut and in and around the Washington, D.C. capital region. “I had to keep recording and writing because it was something I love,” he explains.
In 2002, Palmer finally made it his 24/7 pursuit. In Nashville he finally found the dynamic and good-hearted players to unite behind a common purpose. The members of The Steve Palmer Band boast blue-ribbon live and recording experience with rockers like Bruce Springsteen, Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad), Pat DiNizio (Smithereens), Warren Zanes (Del Fuegos), Joe Grushecky (Iron
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