Cocktails and Cannabis opens up May’s current release, the Insatiable EP. The track has a unique style that builds off of the work of Peter Murphy and Midnight Oil, while having hints of funk bass and an epic, almost Peter Gabriel-like feel to the song. Hey Peter is wholly different from Cocktails and Cannabis, adopting the outward style of reggae. The guitar is stellar with all of the spirit of an Eric Clapton or a Bob Marley, while May’s vocals tell a store in a clear fashion that will appease fans of mid to late seventies David Bowie and Mick Jagger.
My Baby’s Got Style begins with infectious strings and a funk / rock hybrid to the compositions; the resulting cut is close to Mothers of Invention-era Zappa. The slight hint of psychedelic and surf rock that can be discerned during My Baby’s Got Style provide further complexity and depth to this song, requiring a few additional spins before listeners can appreciate everything that has been included. Jenny is a much more stripped-down effort that has May turn to mid-sixties British pop, all while there is a much more complex instrumentation that is at play in the background. Little needs to be said during the track, as the drum/percussion interaction crafts a rich narrative for when May goes silent. The track may be softly spoken and sedate, but hidden behind this sunny disposition is a detailed and fulfilling instrumental side of things.
The Insatiable EP is available from iTunes and ReverbNation; May’s website has videos, links to his social media sites, and links to allow listeners to purchase their own copy of Insatiable. Keep an ear to the ground about any May news; here’s to hoping he can expand the successful Insatiable into a full-length album.
Top Tracks: Cocktails and Cannabis, My Baby’s Got Style
Rating: 8.6/10
Rhett May Insatiable EP Review / 2014 Self / 5 Tracks / http://www.rhettmay.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/rhettmaymusic
