Rating: ***1/2
Stan Olshefski, or as he's better known, Seneko has been releasing country-tinged, jangly-guitar-laden, alternative rock music for years now. The latest release "'69 Camaro" is his 4th EP in the last several years. That's pretty prolific.
He's been compared to The Gin Blossoms and Matthew Sweet in the past, and to me, that's pretty impressive company as those are two of my favorite artists of all time.
Wlll this 5-song EP live up to those hefty expectations? There's only one way to find out. I'm gonna blast it on this rainy Northern California morning while I sip some coffee and see what the heck we come up with.
I'll give you all of my thoughts after the jump like I usually do.
Watch the music video for "'69 Camaro" below:
The title track "'69 Camaro" leads us off and it's a solid little tune. Musically I love it and lyrically I'm into it, and Seneko's signature slight twang makes the track seem like a real down-home affair. Solid opener here. The second track is "No Goin' Back" is even more of a country jam. I mean, it's rock and roll, but it's still country. Trust me. This is a fun one and kind of continues along the lines of the R.E.M. meets Ryan Adams vibe that we are accomplishing here. The next track is "For Her Love" and it's the first real ballad-y type tune we have. The twang is on overdrive to the point where it almost feels forced for the song's benefit. Whatever it is, it still works here. "Crazy as She's Cute" starts with a great classic rock riff that makes me think of Tom Petty and that's always a good thing. This one really leans into the Americana vibe. Despite the old-timey "this chick is nuts but at least she's hot" lyrics, this is a fun track that you'll find yourself singing along to by the time the second chorus comes around. The EP ends on "Writing On The Wall" and musically it's my favorite track on an EP devoid of any actual duds. Yeah, this might be my favorite track overall. Springsteen-esque in its earnestness, this one leaves you wanting more. That's a good thing.
