Posted on: April 19, 2012 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Jamie McLean Band is one of the acts that are tight enough to make a live recording sound as good as a recorded one. The band, tying together McLean (guitar / vocals), Brian Griffin (drums / vocals) , and Ben Mars (bass / vocals), releases their Live At Gibson in May. This album takes ten tracks and two guests (Jason Crosby and Taylor Hicks) and will convert anyone lucky enough to listen in.

The act skillfully navigates a wide selection of different musical genres, touching upon blues (Crazy About You), country (Country Living), and even rock (Holy Water). Despite going off in three distinct directions, the Jamie McLean Band are able to create a narrative that is weaved through the entirety of this release. This is further solidified through their inclusion of an Allman Brothers classic (Midnight Rider); the band is able to change it up enough to make it their own. The three-part harmonies achieved during this title are perhaps the one thing that listeners should take home; the act is able to add another instrument to the mix with this collaboration.

Check the band out live in Virginia and Maryland in May, and through a variety of different venues in June and July (Iowa, Delaware, and New Brunswick). Here’s to hoping that the band can cut a studio disc in the months / years to come; I would like to see what they are able to achieve given ample time and a solid producer. If the tracks on Live At Gibson are any indication, we may just have a contender for best title in 2012 (or 2013). Check out Live At Gibson on eOne when it drops down in stores on May 22nd.

Top Tracks: Country Living, Box of Memories

Rating: 8.7/10

Jamie McLean Band – Live At Gibson (CD) / 2012 eONE Music / 10 Tracks / http://jamiemcleanband.com/ / http://www.facebook.com/thejamiemcleanband

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