When The Devil's Loose by A.A. Bondy
A.A. Bondy has one of those voices. You know the one I'm talking about. The kind that you could hear sing a cookbook. (Phone books are so 5 minutes ago) I heard most of his first album American Hearts and was impressed with his talent but his songs on that album were a little tedious. On his sophomore release, Bondy's voice still carries much of the weight, but now he backed by a full band.When The Devil's Loose starts with Mightiest of Guns- an atmospheric acoustic number, which almost has a dream like quality to it. Bondy sings about various "guns" whether they be actual or literal. It's a perfect way to bridge the gap from those who loved his intimate nature on his first album and the new fans he wants for his "bigger" sound. Another highlight is A Slow Parade, with it's slow drawl drums, and Bondy using what God gave him to make you really feel his emotion. It's actually one of the best vocals I've heard from the Double A. And it seems even this singer/songwriter has gotten caught up in vampire mania with Oh The Vampyre. It's a witty acoustic number about the downside of being a blood sucker. With clever lines, like "See my teeth so sharp and my blood so stale, you know I could drink the world and never get my fill," it's sure to be used in an upcoming promotion.
But there are some definite problems with Bondy's Devil. Even though he is backed by a full band, it's news to him. He still sings as though there are only 10 people that need to hear. Forget about the back of the house. His songs often are either a little too precious (I Can See The Pines Are Dancing), or have nowhere to go (False River). Although Bondy's not know for his strong hooks, listeners need a reason to play a song more after the first listen. I found myself going back to only 2 or 3 songs. If Bondy wants to amp up his sound, the band is there, if only he would be. C
Oh The Vampyre (Electric)-
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