From Calgary, Alberta comes some vintage rock sounds from singer/guitarist Brett Spaulding and his Psychic Spies team of Chad Holtzman/g-b-org, Emmet VanEtten/dr, Brent Wright/g, Stephen Fletcher/key and Geoff Brock/sitar. The sound is thick and bass heavy, sounding like Thin Lizzy on “The Ride” and “City Walls” while having an upbeat Doobie Brothers feel on “Driveby.” The guitar chimes on “The Lucky One” and the team is folksy for “Everyday” with Spaulding giving a kissoff for “Little Differences.” Blue jeans and a black T shirt tunes.
Kevin Breit takes you on a journey through Little Italy, South Philly and Memphis as he plays slide guitar, mandolin and bass clarinet in a wild collection of instrumentals. There’s a core team of Ian DeSouza/b, Mark Lalama/acc-org, Davide DiRenza/dr, Gary taylor/perc, Gary Breit/Wur-org, Brad Kilpatrick/vibe as well as an itinerant horn and string section that take you through various neighborhoods. All that’s missing on pieces like festive “Marcello Loren” with Italian Wolfman Jack voice or the 50s title track is a guest appearance by Rossano Brazzi. A mix of Mariachi horns and Hawaiian strings make for a wild and kitschy “Of Silk and Honey” and some gritty guitar takes you to 50s R&B on “Vegas Address.” Breit’s guitar work is quite rich and personal, as he teams it with parlor strings delightfully on “A Common Vow” and slides into the Delta for “Shoo the Bluebird.” A missing Fellini soundtrack?
https://soundcloud.com/brett_spaulding_and_the_psychic_spies