The sounds of summer seem like a distant memory, but Westerville-based band One Under's self-titled release can warm any cold fall day.
Every song on the album is filled to the brim with complex guitar lines and multiple layers of sound. Though all the songs exceed five minutes, One Under keeps the listener's interest throughout the hour-long CD.
The most noticeable part of One Under is the articulate guitar picking and the upbeat rhythms. Double Shift has an easy jazz feel, with bongo drums and a few touches of keyboard. It shows that the music usually attributed to department store muzak can actually be enjoyable.
Sundial completes the nearly impossible task of keeping a song engaging for triple the length of the average tune. Guitarist Mike Iannicello never drops a beat, keeping his harmonies consistent and his solos blazing through nearly nine minutes of song.
Joyful Days Ahead is the best song on the album, bringing back the days of Bob Marley & the Wailers along with the tropical folk vocals reminiscent of Jimmy Buffett's Cheeseburger in Paradise. McGee speaks of a Spanish beauty who brings him drinks as they sit by the ocean, sand falling between their toes: That's just the way it goes.
Contrary to the sunny theme of the rest of the album, the slow songs are disappointing. Wolf doesn't progress until three minutes in, but after it gets going, the guitar solos redeem it just in time.
Overall, though, the album is a fun listen. It's music that would be played at a barbeque when everyone is out to have a good time. It's music to listen on cold dreary nights, when one is desperate to bring back the season of margaritas and sandy beaches.
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Susan Tebben
[B]New album boasts distinct guitar picking[B/]
