It’s Saturday morning, my windows are open, and I’m finally starting to feel better after a nasty fight with strep throat. Things couldn’t get much better right now but I need some new tunes to help soundtrack what I hope will be an uber-productive day. Will Salvo’s new 3-song EP ‘Never Been’ do the trick? Let’s take a listen and find out!
As soon as “Never Been Good at That” took over my house, I already started dreading the fact that this release is so dang short. There’s something so bright, fun, and positive about this opening track. It’s dancey and has brilliant horn parts that pop in and out. I instantly had a smile that stretched from ear to ear and I’m pretty sure if a neighbor walked by right now and saw me, they would think I have finally lost it. Even though at face value, this track is super fun and infectious, there’s something so brilliant about the words. “I am the mechanical wind up man. I keep going as far as I can. I don’t know when I should stop. I guess I’ll go until I drop.” I mean, did Salvo write this track about me? Honestly, it was one of those songs that just hit me so right it hurt and it was an instant favorite of mine.
Although “The Most Evil Person on the Face of the Earth” still has a very dancey vibe to it, there’s something just ever so slightly darker about the track. This track takes everything laid out in “Never Been Good at That” and adds a dramatic flair to it. I can not say enough about Salvo’s big band sound. With the horns, steady drums, guitar, and bass that drive these tracks forward, and even a brilliant piano part in this track, I love the fact that this band can fit so much into just one song without making it feel overwhelming. Every instrument and every note has a place so nothing feels crowded or chaotic yet there’s so much going on with every beat. It’s genius and made this track fly by.
Even though I loved the fact that I got lost in the previous two tracks so easily, I hated the fact that that meant the end of this quick EP was here as “Jack-O’-Lantern Style” took over my house. Another completely new vibe when compared to the previous two tracks, this one has a more straight-up indie-rock sound that instantly reminded me a bit of OKGO for some reason. The beat is steady but there’s something powerful and anthemic about everything going on in this track. Again, like in the previous songs, I loved how the horns would pop in and out just when they were necessary. They never outlasted their welcome and never weren’t enough, it was seriously just perfect how they embellish this track and give it that extra little chutzpah. That’s the key with Salvo and the thing that sets them apart from all of the other bands I’ve seen lately. There’s talent here as there are with so many more bands but this band has an undeniable sense of restraint, control, and, well, song-writing genius. What an absolutely stunning ending to a perfect EP.
My Favorite Track(s): “Never Been Good at That”
For Fans Of: Song Writing Genius; Big Band Sounds
Mosh-ability: 6 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie slept on the living room floor; Autumn ate what remained of Artie’s breakfast
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 10 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 9.2 out of 10
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