Great American Robber
Barons – Reno Nevada and Other Songs of Gambling, Vice and Betrayal
2013, Great American Robber Barons
2013, Great American Robber Barons
Some bands you can see coming from miles away, while others sideswipe
you like a bread truck emerging from a dark alley at 4:00 a.m. Great American Robber Barons fall into the
latter category, but in sometimes subtle measures. Led by Keith Dion (Ponsonby DC’s, The
Ophelias, 3:05 AM and Corsica) and Diana Mangano (Jefferson Starship), Great
American Robber Barons leave an impression.
Reno Nevada and Other Songs of
Gambling, Vice and Betrayal is a cathartic and occasionally surreal musical
journey that is much better experienced than described.
Keith Dion is an enigmatic vocalist, displaying a talk/sing
style on Reno Nevada… that is a cross
between Fred Schneider (The B-52’s) and John Plymale (The Pressure Boys, The
Sex Police). His sound is perhaps
something of an acquired taste, but there is a stoic, geeky quality about his
delivery that is ultimately charming. On
the other end of the vocal spectrum is collaborator and foil Diana Mangano, who
has the sort of pipes that stop people dead in their tracks. Their talents intertwine throughout the
album, with sometimes amazing and sometimes mixed results.
Great American Robber Barons open up with “At The Hands of
the Robber Barons”, a delightfully campy and catchy rocker with killer pop
instinct. Mangano belts this one out
with aplomb, and the smooth guitar lead and backing instrumentation make this
an instant winner. The first class
musicianship demonstrated here is apparent all throughout the album, with Great
American Robber Barons never overplaying their musical hands. “Reno Nevada” is an intriguing little story song,
but how deep you dig into it will have much to do with how you respond to
Dion’s voice. Try to overcome any
initial misgivings and focus on what he has to say, as Dion raises
observational songwriting with wry wit to new heights at times. The highlight of the album is “I Know You
Just Don’t Want Me Anymore”, a bluesy, piano-based rocker ala Ray Charles. Mangano gets a bit torchy here and sings her
heart out. It’s a goose bumps moment.
The band shows off their instrumental chops on “Nowhere Left
To Go”, a smooth and pretty rocker with some pizzazz. Like many rock instrumentals it outstays its
welcome a tad, but it still manages to be a great listen. Mangano takes another solid turn on “It’s All
My Fault For Ever Trusting You”, a bluesy folk/rocker that feels slightly
repressed. Solid songwriting and strong
performances all around make this work, but you can almost feel the band
wanting to open up the throttle a bit here.
“Shut Up And Deal” has some of the best piano work on the album, but
Dion’s angular talk/sing style makes this tune feel a little out of place. Great American Robber Barons right the ship
with “Hoo Hoo Man”, a classic bit of Saturday Night classic dance and roll.
Things get a little uneven from here on out. “Nobody Saw It Coming”, “Cemetary” and “What
Were They Thinking” all enjoyable, if a bit off the wall at times, but the
remainder of the second half of the album has more of a filler feel than
anything else. The 16 songs offered here
could easily have been condensed to 11 or 12 and improved the overall listening
experience.
Great American Robber Barons offer up some delightful turns
on Reno Nevada and Other Songs of
Gambling, Vice and Betrayal, with a few missteps along the way. Keith Dion is a consummate musician and bandleader
with a distinct persona and sound. Diana
Mangano, on the other hand, could fill concert halls with just the sound of her
voice. This seemingly strange pairing
has a gravitational draw that is hard to ignore. Reno
Nevada… is driven by top-notch songwriting, first class musicianship and
the fire and rain contrast of the two lead vocalists. Great American Robber Barons are one lucky
break away from being household names.
Rating: 4 Stars
(Out of 5)
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