The Mccloskey Brothers Band
cd Review by Brad Weiner
04-22-2002
Sunny On Top
We've been hearing a lot of bluegrass lately. When I receive an album in the mail of a quartet that features mandolin, banjo, drums, and bass, I usually get hit with a normal wave of skepticism. Let's face it, a lot of bands are doing the roots thing these days, but only a small fraction are pulling off with grace. I popped the CD in my player, cranked it up and upon hearing the first notes said only one thing: "Oh my God!"
Sudden blasts of religious piety don't strike me all that frequently, but if it is going to happen, music is almost always the catalyst. In this case, it was the McCloskey Brothers Band who brought a little bit of heaven down to earth with their highly-driven, bluegrass rockers.
In order to play music with this much tenacity, it is important to not only have good drumming, but great drumming. Dan Menchy takes the role in TMBB with respectably force. It is Menchy who keeps the musical freight train moving forward at all times, and gives such ample space for the other musicians to fall into their respective grooves.
The first track, "Together Home", comes out like a tornado running from a hurricane. The tune starts with a bar or two of percussive conversation between Menchy and mandolinist Todd McCloskey, who - at first - beats his instrument with the rhythmic fervor of Sam Bush. Many highly rhythmic mandolinist pickers can't cover the high end when it is their turn to solo. Not McCloskey. After the first highly-charged verse he takes a solo bound to give most mandolinists vertigo. The notes pour out in an effortless barrage of clearly and quickly played bullets.
Brother David McCloskey is no less of a musician. If only my household had the musical genetics of some families. David is a fine banjo picker who plays a largely rhythmic role in the band. His phrasing isn't terribly creative but he manages to drench the music with banjo raindrops with awesome consistency. Some banjo players go out on a limb, others just keep it flowing. David McCloskey is a easily a member of the second group. He never misses a note as a banjoist, and also keeps the band grooving on guitar and even a little Hammond Organ.
Bassist Steve Rosebloom frequently rocks the songs on their hinges. I imagine his playing being as suitable in a newgrass combo as it would be in say death rock. When TMBB are locked, it is an airtight seal.
The vocals provided by Menchy and both McCloskey Brothers are strong and well harmonized but the lyrics do suffer at times. They make me scrunch my nose, not because they proverbially stink, but because they make the cutsie-wootsie, lovie-dovie side of my half-hippie self sick to my tofu-filled stomach. I am always a little standoffish when a band makes drastic life changing recommendations in their music. TMBB does it a little too often by suggesting that I "sit back and find your peace," "read between the lines and dream," "close your eyes and think of where you will be," "close your eyes and shut them out." One tune actually goes "Move me up through the clouds of love/Follow the moon on a shooting star." All of these ideals are a little too lofty for me to handle but, then again, at least it's not Kang. To their credit, the liner notes are complete and well put together with some awesome nature photography provided by John Russell.
My only fear is that TMBB has played gigs in my town and I have missed them due to either ignorance or drunkenness. I know that I will certainly keep my ears open for this quartet. They blend so many different artists into the massive salad bar of up-and-coming acoustic music. Check 'em out soon, and when you do, be sure to play it loud.
