CD Review: Driven Back – Jesse and Noah
11 years ago Liv Carter Comments Off on CD Review: Driven Back – Jesse and Noah
Driven Back – Jesse and Noah (self-released, 2013)
With their third release, Driven Back, brothers Jesse and Noah Bellamy have really challenged themselves. The duo wrote all but one track (‘You Could Have Had it All’ was written by Jesse and Steve Clark), produced, engineered and self-released the album after recording the project in their own Franklin, TN studio. Being fourth-generation musicians, the brothers noticeably draw on several decades of music to distill their own blend of Americana, country, roots-rock, blues and folk.
1960s and ’70s pop-influences underscore much of the material on Driven Back making this a very pleasant, engaging record. Up-tempo ‘Weather Man’ leads the way on this trip through a wide sonic landscape. The album travels past the retro-pop of ‘True Love Doesn’t Beg’ and ‘Bend in the Road,’ the gorgeous southern waltz of ‘Lilly Vereen,’ and the blues of ‘Driven Back’ and ‘Florida Water.’ The journey goes all the way back to the 1930s with the highly enjoyable ‘The Homer Bellamy Centennial Blue Yodel,’ a tribute to their grandfather’s hillbilly band.
With a multitude of influences, the record is not quite cohesive enough to really feel robust. Holding it together are Jesse’s effective vocals as he lets his voice bend and twist around the varying arrangements, from relaxing into a ballad like ‘Lilly Vereen’ to confidently shining on ‘You Could Have Had It All.’ Noah takes care of much of the music including, but not limited to, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, lap and pedal steel, keys, mandolin, and percussion.
Driven Back is soaked in several generations of American music history yet remains a modern album, eclectic but captivating, charming and inviting. I suspect it will become even more affecting over time as one discovers more of the many musical nuances.
You can preview and download Driven Back here.
Liv Carter
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
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