The Gravel Project - The Gravel Project

The Gravel Project – The Gravel Project
2014, The Gravel Project

Andrew Gravel spent a lot of time figuring out what he already knew deep in his heart: music had to be a major part of his life.  A top-notch blues rock guitarist, Gravel has gigged with bands in the Amherst/Northampton and Boston scenes.  He has also toured and gigged his way through clubs in London and Australia.  Already a guitarist with Martha’s Vineyard favorites Entrain, Gravel branched out into his own band in 2010.  The Gravel Project featured Gravel’s vocals and powerhouse guitar work, and a highly original blend of blues, rock, soul and R&B.  2014 marks the release of The Gravel Project’s first full-length studio album, The Gravel Project.

The Gravel Project opens with an unrepentant mix of disco, funk and rock and roll on "When I Get Back Home". It's all here, with panache to spare, and you'd damn well better have your dancing shoes on. Guitar riffs galore dot "Blues For L.A.", a musical tour de force that's relentless and irresistible. The Gravel Project pulls back a bit for the contemplative and languorous "Jam Today", a carpe diem tune for the laid back crowd.  "Lost" and "Dollar Bill" seem to fall into a comfortable jam mode, although the latter lets loose some Stax style horn work that's worth the price of admission on its own.

"In The Moonlight" has a distinctive country feel, but doesn't cede the jam sensibilities you've come to expect from The Gravel Project. The song is a bit too complex to cross over to country radio, but it is a congenial enough sound to catch on with country fans. "Close To Me" finds the band moving back toward a 1970's blend of rock and soul. This one has a gentle groove that will sweep you up and carry you along.  "Not The One" may be destined to be the breakout track on the album. The song is a bit too long for commercial radio, clocking in at 4:59, but has a killer hook, brilliant Popicana sensibilities and a memorable chorus.   Give this song the right radio edit and you'll be hearing it everywhere this summer.

The Gravel Project begins to wind down with the groovy, slow jam vibe of "Soul Now". This easy vibe carries over into the gentle island sway of "Your Song". But just when you think you're headed for a soft landing, The Gravel Project launches into a vibrant cover of "New Speedway Boogie" (The Grateful Dead). The band's pop sensibilities shine through here, and are driven to new heights with wicked guitar work that smacks of George Thorogood in his prime.

Andrew Gravel is a force to be reckoned with, and he has two extremely talented wingmen in Brad Barrett (bass/slide guitar) and Dave Fox (drums).  The Gravel Project is an eye opening, ear-pleasing experience.  It’s true that the trio gets a little too bogged down in the free-form jam configurations, but their pop sense and exquisite musical timing make it all work.  This is a working band with the potential to build a rabid following.  Add in an occasional dose of musical economy and they’ll be pumping out chart toppers for years.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thegravelproject.com.  

Review: The Gravel Project - More Ways Than One

The Gravel Project - More Ways Than One
2010, The Gravel Project / ASCAP

Boston's The Gravel Project is the brainchild of first-call guitarist Andrew Gravel. A Boston native, Gravel previously lived for three years in Australia and then London, where he played with some of the brightest stars on the London Blues scene. Back in the US, Gravel was the guitarist of Entrain before forming The Gravel Project. With their distinctive mix of rock, funk and blues, The Gravel Project have become favorites in Boston, regularly playing to packed houses in venues such as The Middle East, Church and Tommy Doyles. The Gravel Project's debut album, More Ways Than One seeks to capture the live energy of the band in the studio.

More Ways Than One opens with a Muscle Shoals-influenced blue rock paean to the Great Recession and the greed that ignited it in "Dollar Bill". The Gravel Project show themselves to be the total package right out of the gate. Gravel is top notch on vocals and guitar, and the Hammond makes a serious first impression. "Too Many Drivers" is a tongue-in-cheek discussion of who's in charge, sprinkled with innuendo and gentle misdirection that's as entertaining as the great blues/rock arrangement. The Gravel Project finds a bit of magic on "Arugula Politics" with a funky, sassy horn/guitar combo. The song is highly danceable, but The Gravel Project sticks with the theme a bit too long.

"I'll Cry Instead" is an absolutely brilliant Beatles cover done in pure funk. The Gravel Project do the near-impossible with the Beatles classic; they make it their own without compromising the essential character or feel of the original. From The Beatles to Pink Floyd, a David Gilmour ambience is the focal point of "Mindstream", with ambient, dreamy guitar playing the foil to a shifting bed of sound. "My Baby" is a classic-sounding blues love song; it's definite mix-tape material. Gravel nails the vocal line, and the song is eminently listenable even if it does cross the cliché line pretty seriously. More Ways Than One closes with "Blues For L.A.", juxtaposing a lyric vocal line with a gritty blues rock tune.

More Ways Than One turns out to be a highly enjoyable listening experience with a few kinks and wrinkles. The Gravel Project plays tight, blues-influenced rock n roll that explodes with energy. Andrew Gravel is a highly capable front man, driving the band forward with a reclusive yet energetic style that's not to be missed on CD, but is probably best served on stage. Perhaps what is most impressive is that Gravel and his cohorts treat the blending of Blues, Funk and Rock as reverently as if it were its own distinct art form. More Ways Than One is the first stop on a long journey for The Gravel Project. It’s perhaps not an album you will listen to all the time, but it is one you’ll keep coming back to again and again.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Gravel Project at http://www.thegravelproject.com/ or www.myspace.com/thegravelproject. More Ways Than One is available from CDBaby.com as either a CD or Download.