Music Review // Blue and Broke "Night Shadows"

https://blueandbroke.bandcamp.com/album/night-shadows //

https://open.spotify.com/album/5ZGKSVO8WHAn6dI1JLtS14?si=af2f2QxoSTqhQjprMBkvXA&dl_branch=1&nd=1 //

When I first listen to "Night Shadows" I hear the sounds of Fleetwood Mac mixed with Natalie Merchant.    There is a rather strong Patti Smith vibe as well, specifically in a "Because the Night" way.   Then the song "As I Can" has some sax which just throws me off and makes me rethink how I think this sounds, even if it remains pleasant rock which could be on modern radio, pop or even classic.

"Bear It All" is a slower paced song which feels a little bit more acoustic and thus a little bit closer to the country side.  "For A Little While" has a nice groove and as the credits suggest, "Most Of The Time" feels like a gospel choir song- something you'd hear in a Southern Baptist church.  There is also this element of rock music from the 1950's/1960's- Buddy Holly era, but also closer to the song "Happy Together" by The Turtles.

As we dive deeper into the album the song "Ready" is just slick and the horn section is not to be missed.  The style of this music can vary from song to song, but it all ties back into this rock way with elements of soul, a little bit of the blues and even a little bit of jazz.  A lounge singer aspect exists as well, just fully not being able to put Blue and Broke into one genre but rather having the sound eclipse multiple genres to craft its own.

I'm always a big fan of albums having a plan when they are listened to from start to finish and feeling like more than just a collection of songs.   "Night Shadows" has that, but it also ends on the perfect song in "We Survived".  It's such a lovely song, but it wouldn't work if it opened the album or was halfway through.  The end is the perfect place for it because it leaves us with that sense of hope.  That sense of moving forward.  And after the year 2020 was, I think we could all use a little bit more of that.