30YRSL8 Review on Unsigned Mag Website

Our first CD, "elemental" was reviewed in this month's issue of UNSIGNED, a major U.S. indie magazine. There are lots of reviews in the magazine but from what I could tell, only a minority of CDs get a 4 out of 5 rating. Here's what they had to say about us:

Artist: 30YRSL8
Album: elemental
Score: 4.0

I needed help trying to classify this band. We finally settled on acid rock jazz because they jam like the best of the best live jazz bands, but several of their tracks are pure rock and roll without the vocals. This is a band that I would love to see live. Every track blew me away and you can just hear the joy and passion these very accomplished musicians bring to the table. Like the elements, the tracks on this CD shift, but each exhibits the glory of a force of nature.

Production 4.0

Lyrics n/a

Music 4.0

Vocals n/a

Musicianship 4.0

All in all, a very flattering review. I wonder which element I am?

30YRSL8 Recording Diary #3

I now have drum and bass tracks for 4 songs for the new 30YRSL8 CD at my home studio, where Marc and I will be adding keyboard and guitar tracks over the next little while. We have at least three other songs ready for the same treatment after that. The first that Marc and I worked on is called "Tuxedo Swamp". It's aptly named because it borrows heavily from Southern Rock traditions (think Gov't'' Mule or Allman Brothers - all hail Warren Haynes!) as well as some big band and romantic waltz touches along the way. I know it sounds impossible but trust me -- it works. This has become one of our favourites to play. It's challenging to be sure and highlights Armand Vienneau's tremendous drum work.

I've been working hard on guitar tones for the CD and I have made a big decision: I really, really like my Schecter PT Custom guitar (PT, by the way stands for Pete Townshend, as he chose Schecter to make his guitars for the first of many farewell Who tours.). It's not an expensive guitar at all but it plays tremendously well and feels so damn good in my hands. So much so, that I do believe that I will part ways with my Les Paul and my Gibson Custom shop CS-336 which cost me more than the GNP of some island nations. Here's a pic of me playing the PT Custom :
I fully expect to use it for much of the CD, where its tone warrants, which is everywhere. When 30YRSL8 plays live, I really can't play it because the music takes so many twists and turns that I really need a guitar that can dramatically change tones on the fly, which is my custom-made (thank you, Joe Valente) Honeybee guitar. Joe ripped the guts out of a Line 6 Variax and placed in a terrific tele-shaped body and custom neck. It's pretty much the only guitar I'll play live with and is a treat to play. Here's a Honeybee pic from a CBC studio session:


The other guitar that made its recording debut yesterday was my Taylor Autumn Limited acoustic guitar. When I play it, I'm inspired to play differently. And I've been playing it a lot lately, so you'll hear its influence on the new CD.

There's a ton of more work to do in recording. We'll be placing teaser snippets of the progress on our website. I'll link to them from here.

Stay tuned.

Watch this space