Ali Awan - 3 songs

The opening drum beat sets the funky tone of "Citadel Blues".He starts out with the witty, observant lyrical style  "Let's not get to caught up in the truth. My heart is in the basement/ My head is on the roof" His masterful arranging skills are highlighted on "Citadel Blues". His use of horn beeps coupled with his sharp, artistic guitar playing while he sings "Beep beep goes every mouth out on the street." When you hear the beeps it feels like you are driving down a main thoroughfare in his hometown of Philly. .  he keeps singing in his solid confessional style "I feel I've been in prison and they don't have the proof.   He continues beeping and tripping along with the jangling power picking of the guitar rides below the surface. Once he lets loose on an extended guitar solo. The buzzing guitar solo creates a jamming effect.  You are at once hooked and wistfully wish the song would go on past the 4.12 marker. 

"Be a light"radiates with several outstanding elements including a plethora of sounds. Ali creates layered songs that are rich in lyrical quality and exploratory audio.  Lyrics like 

"got foolish with the mixture 

too much of anything is bad 

magician in the moment 

they got bit by the rabbit in the hat "

His songs ripple with visual images. As he croons in his slow smooth way you will find yourself imagining that rabbit being plucked out of the magicians hat. He continues to add some ripe guitar playing as the song rides like a new Mercedes. 

Ali's ability to create complex arrangements that sound effortless create a treat a listen. 

Last Resort slips into a country motif with the addition of the strings and the pops of tambourine.  He slows his playing down o match the slow roll of his vocal style. He offers up lyrics like 

"Sometimes I am a handful. Sometimes I am quite a catch...  I can't quit you baby/Like cigarette" He asks "If you want a cool fool to hang around ... I will be the best worst time you ever had.   Both on electric and acoustic guitar, he proves a masterful player.  I've not seen him live but 2 music lovers I know raved about his life performances.  His band plays tight while he keeps his psych folk rock sound loose.