Free download and album review: Tweed EQ’s latest, Live at the Mucky Duck

by Brenna Rushing

• Tweet
• Email
• Print
• 0 Comments

This surprisingly small band knows how to work a room, and somehow they've figured out how to display it on a record.

Usually, a live album comes late in the game for a band, probably three or four albums in, serving to remind fans why the band is still relevant. Not for Tweed EQ, the Dallas-based jam band who decided after their sophomore album to capture their live session on record. In Live at the Mucky Duck, the band has done a great job at bottling up their funky style with jam sessions intermingled into soulful songs.

Robbie Saunders’ rolling and almost operatic notes steal the show, carrying the verses and bridges along as he goes. It’s not to say the instrumentals can’t stand alone, they surely can; but Saunders clearly knows how to live through the music. “Love to Hate Myself” is a perfect example because it provides enough room to cover his colorful vocals and the spicy guitar solo. The track also shows how well the band has combined its talents.

A close second is “I’m Not To Spare” (available for free download here) that's similar to Roy Orbison’s “Mean Woman Blues.” Tweed EQ matches up winding guitar segments with Saunders’ enrapturing chords, telling a hell of a story.

They appear to love the rock 'n' roll so much that they occasionally go a little too far with a prolonged solo. You can see that in "That's What She Said," a song with too much lyrical repetition that gives Saunders many chances to change up the chorus. But "I've Got A Lot" brings back that natural groove they create so well.

This triad of talented musicians knows how to work a room, and they've somehow figured out how to display it on a record. Their music brings listeners to a carefree place, and their groovy nature can appeal to most anyone.

Live at the Mucky Duck will be released November 26 at the band's CD release party at City Tavern.

Tweet