Convoy - Black Licorice

Band: Convoy
Album: Black Licorice
Year: 2001
Style: Southern Pop-Rock
Similar Bands: Big Star, Afghan Wigs, Teenage Fanclub
"One-Word" Review: poppy,updated-classic-rock.
Based Out Of: San Diego, Ca
Label: Hybrid, Atlantic

Black Licorice - Cover, Liner Notes, CD & Tray

Black Licorice - Liner Notes & Back

Black Licorice (2001)

1. Gone So Quick Tomorrow 4:12
2. Here's Lookin' At You 3:53
3. Caught Up In You 3:31
4. Anythime She Wants It 4:21
5. Is He In Your Heart Tonight 4:35
6. Weekends 2:56
7. Alice 3:40
8. Wet Cement 2:51
9. So Much you Can Do 3:23
10. Eleventeen 4:04
11. Loosen Up 4:19
12. Goodbye Everybody 3:14
13. California Girls 5:13

Album Rating (1-10): 4.0

Members & Other Bands:Jason Hill - Vox, Guitars, Piano, Orhan, Moog, Mellotron, Bass, Producer (Louis XIV)
Brian Karscig - Vox, Guitars, Piano (Louis XIV)
Robbie Dodds: Vox, Guitars, Lap Steel, Pianos, Mellotron, Harmonica
Jeff Winfrey - Bass
Mark Maigaard - Drums, Percussion (Louis XIV)
Doug Meyer - Pedal Steel
Kevin Savigar - Strings
Shaun Cornell - Bowed Upright, Asst Engineer
Blake Helander - Horns
Steve Vertigan - Horns
Jim Rogers - Horns
Joe Augustine - Manhattan Street Sound, A&R
David Bianco - Producer, Recorded, Mixed
Raphael Serrano - Asst Engineer
Vic Anesini - Mastering
Brad Bogart - Management

Unknown-ness: This was another part of the CD mail package. I've never heard of these guys. With the shiny metallic packaging, and interior headshots, the art work makes me think that they are trying to appear to be an intelligent indie-alternative band. The CD tray picture tried to prove that they have “cred” & roots in Burt Bacharach & The Beach Boys, by displaying those album covers amongst stacks of vinyl.

Album Review: The album begins with a fade in of vocal harmony, with a backwards, skipping effect in “Gone So Quick Tomorrow”. The song is full of more vocals harmonizing, and the song feels like a southern influenced pop track. It is not very heavy, and similar to, but not as catchy as Big Star. “Here’s Looking At You” starts as a slow country-folk ballad, with strings quietly playing in the background. The bouncy piano keeps it from a complete ballad, and I can hear a little Bob Dylan influence in how the vocals are sung. “Caught Up In You” starts with a drum beat and guitars answer sporadically over top. The song is trying to be heavier, but it really does not pull it off. The chorus is catchier, and there are some less usual instruments overlaid musically as well as extra vocals. “Anytime She Wants It” has more of the Big Star style song structure, and the first set of vocals attempt to mimic Alex Chilton. The guitar is filtered through a watery distortion effect. “Is He In Your Heart Tonight” begins with a fade-in of strings. And the song plays as an acoustic, alt-country regretful/jealous ballad. “Weekends” starts as a slow bluesy southern rock jam. But then it kicks in, complete with country slide guitar, but a good catchy melody. The energy drains out of the song quickly, and it becomes stale. “Alice” starts with a slow piano intro. Drums and guitars enter the mix, but don’t bring much energy. “Wet Cement” is a nasally alt-country pop-rock number. “So Much You Can Do” is a laid back Big Star pop song, but is strangely catchy. But it is too repetitive for its own good. Distorted watery vocals start off “Eleventeen.” After a minute, harmonizing vocals take over, and the song takes on a southern psychedelic feel. It reminds me of a slowed down version of “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” “Loosen It Up” is another minimal, Bob Dylan stylized song. Instruments are introduced along the way, and the energy picks up, but it is still a loosely structured jangley pop song. “Goodbye Everybody” starts with annoying vocals talking more than singing over top of a slow piano. This sleepy song tries to take off after about a minute. “California Girls” features an electronic drum beat and a lite daybreak guitar. It is has playground stylized sing-song melody, and gives a nod to the Beach Boys, talking about west coast and east coast girls. After a fake ending, there is a gospel & tambourine style chant about donut holes to end the record

I really did not like anything about this album. I cannot even pick out a stand out track, because to me, there are none. It is just too light, and too repetitive for my taste, as it crosses boundaries of genres I am not fond of. I like Big Star, so my relating these songs to them is just because it is the closest thing I am familiar with. It does not give them credit or a good critique.

Stand Out Track:

Links:Convoy - Wikipedia
Convoy - Myspace
Convoy - Allmusic
Convoy - Melodic.net