If you like the Band,  Bob Dylan and ‘Ohio’ era Neil Young, you’ll like  Spoon River’s new CD ‘Kingdom of the Burned’. They are playing the Slice, April 16 with Rodney DeCroo.
 They have some groovy Hammond organ parts, some cool piano, tasteful harp and a little bit of ’70s style country influenced rock and roll, especially on ‘Fool.’
And they have some  excellent vocal harmonies.
 They (Tavis Eachan Triance, Jason Kent, Jeff Louch, Seamus Cowan, Jeff Cowan and Rachel Horst ) know their roots, and were even chosen to  play the Band in Todd Haynes’ Bob Dylan  biopic ‘I’m Not There.’ I remember  bassist and drummer Seamus and Jeff Cowan from a more heavier ’70s rock influenced power trio called Bull Moose, but they  mellow a bit here and help the band lay that ’70s groove down pat.
 There are understated riffs, cool vocal harmonies  (on ‘The Wind’s In The Trees’), great laid back melodies and subdued slide guitar, also on ‘The Wind’s In The Trees.’ Aand that certain something that gives them an early ’70s feel.
There are a lot of highlights on this CD. ‘The Wind’s In the Trees’ of course, “Emmanuel,’‘Fool’ and the  rocker ’The Colour of His Skin.’ which reminds me a little of Blues Traveller.
‘The Saddest of Hearts’ a little slice of psychedelia to end the CD.
 Overall, it’s impressive how such a young band can sound so old and seasoned. It’s like a slice of the ’70s except in the twenty-first century.

CD: Kingdom of the Burned
Band: Spoon River
Genre: country-rock
Record label: Northern Electric

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