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.
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