One Fine Morning

"If the world's been waiting breathlessly for another jam band, wait no longer. The buzz is that this is a band to see live." - The Nashua Telegraph

The Dave Matthews Band can't play Boston all the time, and One Fine Morning is here to fill the void. The local jam band plays upbeat, guitar-centered tunes about love and life, spiced up with saxophone and harmonica. - The Boston Globe

3/7/2008

Jam bands usually live on the edge of the hit-and-miss nature of the style they practice, but Boston band One Fine Morning are more solid and more reliable than most. Starting out with an acoustic demo in 2005, they released an EP called “Rising” in 2006, and their debut full length “On My Way By” saw the light in 2007, a few months ago. The meandering feel of a jam can go a bit too far for a “regular audience” sometimes, but One Fine Morning achieve the very important goal of maintaining the audience’s attention through excellent musicianship, with a very cohesive line-up that has its highlight in Bryan Rotundo’s strong and emotional vocals, a sort of bridge between the more freeform parts and the more structured ones in the band’s music.

One Fine Morning’s reputation and fan-base, more than with records, has been built through their amazing performances. Their obvious dedication and the energy they transmit captivate anyone lucky to attend a One Fine Morning show, where you can’t help but be drawn into their funky, loose brand of acoustic rock. Although they’re still unsigned and self-releasing their material, it’s very likely that this situation won’t be maintained for very long. - José Carlos Santos

'Rise & Fall' ~ CD Review
by Matt Kanner (The Wire)

If you're in the right kind of mood, One Fine Morning's debut album makes for perfect autumn road listening. Driving through the Seacoast surrounded by brilliant fall foliage, the lyrics to "Colors" seem especially fitting.

"And I can see the colors as they pass me by, no need to change," the band sings.

Formed in 2006, this Boston-based crew spent three years fine-tuning its skills before unveiling "Rise & Fall" with a CD release show at The Muddy River in Portsmouth last month. Part acoustic pop and part electric jam, the new disc shows clear passion for the songwriting craft and strong potential for an ambitious young group.

The quintet consists of Bryan Rotundo on acoustic guitar and vocals, Scott Mohler on electric guitar and vocals, Tim Martin on keys, Todd Waller on bass, and Andrew "Nez" Nesbitt on drums. Their sound is characterized by a positive vibe that reflects fellow Boston-area bands like The Brew and past Seacoast staples like Percy Hill.

While the musicianship is solid, the songs are somewhat lacking in real bite. But it's a promising start for a debut disc, sure to appeal to fans of mild jam-oriented rock and peppy acoustic pop. Highlights include the melodic guitar riff at the beginning of "Stay Down Here", the Steely Dan-ish funk of "Weight" and the breezy chord progression of "Yourself."

"I wanna speak to life / Try and make a change / I wanna spell it out / Try and rearrange,", the band sings in "Yourself."

"Rise" was recorded at Rocking Horse Studios in Pittsfield, and the group has made regular appearances on the Seacoast, including a recent performance at the Great Bay Music Festival in Dover. All 11 tracks on "Rise & Fall" can be heard online at www.onefinemorningmusic.com. - Wire NH