The Frank Critelli Band – The FCB ep Frank Critelli has been writing Rock-n-Roll friendly folk songs for years. In that time he has always turned a phrase, set a hook, and taken us along for musical jaunts with deep personal meanings. His lyrics consistently detail life’s unconscious conundrums and how each of us must deal with them on our own accord, but if done with love and joy even the most trying of times can turn out alright.
Set to singer/songwriter, acoustic, folk-friendly music, these songs drew us towards that of Woody Guthrie, early Bob Dylan, and James Taylor, but they always seemed to want to give even more, to explode upon us, to make us sit up and take notice more so than just any other folk song(s), to evolve into Rock-n-Roll songs. Frank’s songs were itching for him to plug in, much in the same way that Dylan’s songs needed in 1966. We could see it coming with his 2005 side project Brutally Frank. Then with his 2006 release, Before You Break, Frank began to bring more instrumentation into the fold. 2008’s Waltzing Through Quicksand showed Frank’s affection for both his Folk underpinnings and his Rock-n-Roll sensibilities. Now crediting the band as the artist, The Frank Critelli Band has evolved enough to let loose Frank’s inner Rock-n-Roll Star.
The FCB ep opens with Rich Suarez’s drums front and center, announcing that this is a Rock-n-Roll album. Don “The Don” Horton’s bass jumps in with a pulsing beat that allows Shandy Lawson’s electric guitar riffs to shred through Rolling Stones/Keith Richards territory, and we know we’re not on the Folk stage anymore… but, the circuitry has not been lost.
These 5 songs not only Rock-n-Roll through Frank’s poetic, lyrical, Folk leanings on life, love, vice and virtue, but also lay down the blues (guest musician Bob Orsi, on loan from The Manchurians, tears up several songs with his classic harmonica playing), along with the many musical Rock-n-Roll flavors that can satisfy any true music fan.
Folk evolved into Rock-n-Roll.
Frank Critelli evolved into The Frank Critelli Band.
When The Frank Critelli Band smokes the Folk,
They are Rock-n-Roll.
Listen: Watch The Signs / Messiah
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