Amanda Rheaume-Even When
Even When is a six song release. The album is filled with rock songs that are intertwined with acoustic tracks. The sound of the album can be described as a Blues Traveler Rock style (but with more emphasis and a little stronger guitar and minus the harmonica and the upbeat sound) with pop and I imagine a bit of Amanda’s Folk influences had a hidden part with the lyrics and the music of the songs.
The Bar stage is a perfect match for their live performance and can be used in describing the sound on a couple of the tracks from the album. The songs that I have in mind to fit this would be “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl”, “The Story” and “Overdue”.
The Amanda Rheaume Band on this album is the collection of Amanda Rheaume on Guitar and Vocals, Jeff Logan on Guitars, Matt Molino on Bass, Gilles Nadon on Drums.
I first came across the Amanda Rheaume Band when I saw the band perform live and where the opening act for another great Canadian rock band The Trews. After their set I was immediately impressed by their upbeat stage performance, the songs and their sound.
The EP opens up with the track “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl”. This song is a good example of how bar scene is a part of their sound. The lyrics are derived from a classic bar scene and are about a guy trying to pick up a girl at the bar. In this song I like how Amanda sings the line “Don’t wanna be your girl” at the end of “Girl” I like how she waves her voice. Another part of the song which I enjoy is how the instruments come together and the end of the chorus.The lyrics are what bring my attention the most to the song which in my mind are just classic. It’s just not a line or two it is a whole verse in this case.
“you gonna play us some songs on your guitar
Can I help you get the rest of the things from your car
Can I push you up against the bar
Show you who’s daddy in the backseat of my car?
Now baby I’m your man
I can take you far
Don’t you know that I’m 12 inches when I’m hard
Don’t you know that back at my place
I can make you a star”
“Overdue” follows “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl”. The opening of the song catches the ears because of the way the guitar vibrates the string at the end of the opening lick. In this track the Bass guitar can be distinctly heard and in some parts is almost louder than the guitar. The bass really gives the song a funk sound and attitude. The last portion a minute or so of the song is made into a jam.
“Even When They’re Green” is the first of the acoustical tracks on the album. In this track Amanda is able to show off her voice strength in this track. This is one track I imagine that Amanda’s folk influence went into this track. The entire track isn’t a slower tempo acoustic track. Halfway through the song the electric guitar kicks in and the song speeds up a bit. I liked how the song picked up the speed and the rest of the band kicked in but I am also intrigued in wondering what the song would sound like if the entire song was only the acoustics.
“The Story” to me is the single off of the album. The tone of the song is almost the same as the opening track from the album. The first couple of guitar strikes in the song bring me to think of the band Jet and the opening for the song “Cold Hard Bitch”. The chorus is what sets this song aside. There is a build up in the song that leads up into the chorus. The instruments and the lyrics are played in a stepping sound, as in every word has its own beat. At about two minutes into the song there is a funk style bass solo that is played. The song finishes out with the chorus.