Picture this: you are at a Dave Matthews Band concert and the band takes the stage and starts rocking out. The only thing wrong is that all the audience members are wearing cowboy hats like they're at a Garth Brooks concert.
Such is the awkward scenario for Lareau's first album, "Changes."
Released in January from Cleveland's independent label Rust Records, this album explores the new and varying genre of jam-band country. Producer Jim Quinn has turned an otherwise sloppy debut album into a decent mix of ballads, cheesy pop songs and quality jams.
The Western New York-based band consists of lead vocalist Larry Lareau, drummer Darrin Payne, guitarists Chris Saxton and Pete Gool, keyboardist Anthony Brown and bass player Tim Reed. This six-piece band has influences ranging from Dave Matthews to Ben Folds Five and 3 Doors Down.
The title track "Changes" captures the whole sound of this band, starting with creative guitar effects and a minor string ensemble in the background. They sound like the typical experimental jam band until Larry Lareau starts singing. His country twang sets the sound apart from any other band.
Some songs contradict the band's style in this album. "Another Life" sounds like an '80s hair band playing in a dive bar where people are swigging Natty Lights. Such an unpleasant inconsistency breaks up the album's flow.
Lareau takes things to an emotional side with a depressing ballad called "Maybe You Think," a song that throbs with lyrics like "You take me away and hurt me 'till I ache."
Arguably the best song on this album is "Quicksand." It is a catchy pop song with guitar riffs skipping through the lyrics, almost like a car driving on a cobblestone road. It takes a while to get into the good part of the song, but it is undeniably the chorus that keeps the listener's attention.
The last song on the album, "Step Aside" sounds like their main influence, Dave Matthews. Lareau brings out his falsetto and surprises everyone with stellar vocals. The distorted guitar brings another DMB feel to the song.
Despite the fact that this band does have raw talent, it goes unnoticed behind the awkward genre. Lareau are a bunch of decent musicians with an ambivalent style. If you like the idea of Phish in a country line-dancing bar, this album is for you.
