Sweet Lullabye by Stewboss

Respect. This is the most fitting word I can come up with. The next would be Reverence. This is what the members of Stewboss have that I find missing in most bands today. A deep, deep Respect and Reverence for the power of music and for the musicians and songwriters that came before them. To say that Stewboss is simply bringing the music of our American legends (Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Robbie Robertson, Tom Petty) to a new generation is a gross understatement. They are picking it up where they all left off and bringing Americana music to new heights. After their critically acclaimed debut release "Wanted A Girl," Stewboss has returned with the stunning follow-up "Sweet Lullabye." The new album finds the band more confident and even more tapped in to their common vision. They are true lovers of music and the album reveals this in so many ways. Beginning with "Counting To 7 At Your Old Barstool (Time)," singer/songwriter Gregg Sarfaty spins a tale of losing a mentor and the battle we all face between living our dreams and giving in to the world. It is manic, raw, melancholy and pure rock-n-roll. Next with "I Hope You Miss Me" the band is in rare form, grooving like we wish The Stones still did. The title track "Sweet Lullabye" may very well be the band's "Stairway To Heaven," but we hope not since it is only their second record! Track 4, "The Midnight Shift" placed as Finalist in the Folk category of the "John Lennon Songwriting Contest." Gregg says this is a true story about a relationship he was in when he was 19 and working as a forklift driver. "The Moonlight And Me," written in the back of a pick-up truck apparently, is pure Americana genius. Personally I can't really listen to Track 6 "If You Were Mine," it reminds me of all the times I didn't make a move when it was true love, but enough about me. The first UK single "A Little Goes A Long Way" rocks like I've never heard the band rock before. That Mick Ronson guitar tone, those MC5 trash can drums! The fact that there is a band around today who has the balls to rock like this AND has the balls to play a love song like they do, makes Stewboss a rare musical beast indeed. Enter "Up That Wrinkled Street," nothing but an acoustic guitar and a cello. Honestly, the best song ever written about lost innocence. Leaving nothing out "Let's Go To Texas" is classic Stewboss roadhouse traveling music, sounding like a lost track from "Exile On Main Street." Closing out the record are "Meet Me In Your Dreams" and "O Carry Me," the latter a memoir to Gregg's late uncle whom he lived with when he first moved to California from New Jersey. Over all, with Gregg's tender and equally ferocious vocals and guitar, Jano Janosik's classic straight up drumming and Luke Storey's perfectly melodic 70's bass tone, Stewboss have created an album to be reckoned with. With great Respect and Reverence, we look forward with anticipation to what the Los Angeles trio does next. ℗ 2002 Stewsongs Records