Sometimes you hear new music that’s fresh and yet immediately sounds familiar. Marcellus Hall‘s third solo album, I Will Never Let You Down, is a good example of this. It might just have to do with his rich past, as in the 90s he made waves with Railroad Jerk (chances are you remember their Rollerkoaster video, but they’ve made much more cool music), and around the turn of the millennium with White Hassle (I still play Your Language regularly, but more interesting is that Modest Mouse singer Isaac Brock had Life is Still Sweet tattooed on his arm – it was the inspiration for their 2004 hit Float On). Anyway, this is the first LP in ten years from the New York City-based singer-songwriter who is also a successful illustrator. Together with Damon Smith (bass) and Mike Shapiro (drums) he delivers twelve new songs that approach perfection, sparkling pop/rock with some elements borrowed from folk, blues, funk and crooners. The record closes with a cover of Carole King’s You’ve Got A Friend, and that’s exactly the feeling that Hall evokes here.
I Will Never Let You Down is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Gutfeeling Records / Plastic Fork Recordings.
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