With some casual grooves in “The Crossing,” ferocious clashing of harmony and rhythm in “I Love Soul and I Love Rock,” stately, beat-driven rock in “Common Ground,” and passionate crooning ala the other gems you’re going to find throughout this record’s tracklist, The Price Brothers Band assembles what could be a must-own live indie record of 2023 in their new album Live at the Yellow Cab Tavern.
WEBSITE: https://petepricemusic.com/
A wondrous blend of pop conceptualism and adventurous rock n’ roll composing, Live at the Yellow Cab Tavern takes a collection of songs that stand up well on paper and brings them into 2023 sounding like one collective jam that was designed to draw a big reaction out of listeners right from the start of the first song in “Diamonds in the Sky.” Intentionally rigid in spots and yet constantly sporting a sense of unpredictability – largely spurred forth by the downright decadent lyrical slinging of Pete Price himself – this is a tracklist that demands a straight listen without ever shuffling the material as to appreciate the depth of the music as it was meant to be heard. There’s no cherry-picking the specks of sonic gold from “Let It Go” or “Before I Go;” once you’re in the passenger seat with this band, you have to buckle up and simply hold on.
Pete Price is charged with leading a cast of very talented players in Live at the Yellow Cab Tavern, and between his excellent leadership skills and the chemistry that everyone on the stage is feeling from the moment they lay into the first few bars here, everything comes off without a hitch. “The Crossing,” “Common Ground,” “Before I Go,” and “Foolish Heart” produce the biggest compositional challenges for the crew, but their moxie does a lot to facilitate a smooth feel to every stitch of audio on the record.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPd0k-wQltU
Take for example “The Crossing,” which features a vicious duel between the instrumental elements in what could have been the most incendiary moment on the album – instead, these players are gunning for the climax together, representing everything that I love about a live jam session. The grooves have a way of taking over the narrative for everyone, including our singer, in Live at the Yellow Cab Tavern, but it only results in a more compelling and full-bodied listen for anyone on the other end of the speakers.
PURCHASE LINK: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B0BWPMK5FQ/the-price-brothers-band
Instrumentally speaking, this is probably the most complete and the most tantalizing live indie rock record I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing in 2023 so far, but I’ve honestly come to expect so much from the modern underground’s output that I’m not all that surprised at the caliber of this most recent content. This band is one of the most accessible in the business right now just among sheer unknowns, and it’s hard to see them slowing down with this kind of talent driving their career together. There’s nothing hard to love about Live at the Yellow Cab Tavern, and fans of great pop are likely to agree.
Rachel Townsend