Three rock bands and artists from the Canton area have recently released new music.
Based in Alliance, The Ohio Weather Band is back with its third album, “High Noon Glow.”
The band is known for an exciting blend of roots rock and Americana, and the band recently held an album release concert at Musica in Akron.
In the past, the band opened for Bon Jovi in 2017 and Sammy Hagar last year.
More: Ohio Weather Band to open for Sammy Hagar and The Circle concert at Akron Children’s
More: Canton band Urban Honey plays a bluesy rock jam while searching for a lead singer
Also unveiling the music is Urban Honey, a band that began in 2021 with an instrumental jam on the sidewalk in front of Gator’s Joint in downtown Canton before the addition of musician Christine Reichard.
Reichard has a big voice, sometimes reminiscent of Brandi Carlile or Janis Joplin. Blended with Hunter Schwenk’s muscular guitar work, Urban Honey offers a mix of old school blues, unvarnished garage rock and fierce instrumentation.
Meanwhile, Scott Paris released his latest EP, “Nowhere to Go but Nowhere” under the name The Paris Accord.
Paris is a one man band. In the tradition of the Foo Fighters’ debut album and last year’s Mammoth WVH release by Wolfgang Van Halen, the Stark County native produces an engaging mix of alternative pop.
All three releases can be streamed via Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify.
Here’s a closer look at each of the recordings based on interviews with the band members.
The Ohio Weather Band
The Ohio Weather Band stopped recording its new album during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read also : Apple’s music recognition feature can now sync songs with the Shazam app.
Without the ability to play live, the band couldn’t finance the effort, said lead singer and guitarist Corey King.
As the pandemic eased, restrictions were lifted and live shows resumed, and The Ohio Weather Band completed the album this year.
“We’ve heard about a lot of bonds but kind of calling it quits during COVID,” said King, Akron. “… That didn’t sound like a conversation to us.”
Drummer Ray Lumpp said the hiatus “helped develop the songs a bit; we usually develop them live. This was a good time to practice them and get them ready.”
King isn’t worried about fitting into a musical genre. “The White Stripes mixed with Creedence Clearwater Revival” is how he described the band’s sound.
The King and drummer Ray Lumpp credited Cleveland studio engineer Jim Stewart for the new album’s great sound.
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King said the band has come a long way since the previous recordings.
“I would definitely say it’s like evolution,” he said. “We’ve grown more as musicians and songwriters and gotten better over time, individually, but also, I think, sonically – it’s the best quality we’ve put out to date this.”
“Our first album was recorded in a loft above our garage,” King said. “We mixed it ourselves and recorded it ourselves.”
New songs are “about the real world that’s happening right now,” Lumpp said. “Whether it’s a song about getting an Uber (ride) home or a song about worrying about death.”
The musicianship and vocals are spot on, capturing an intimacy without being over-the-top.
“We always kind of went to the songs that are less is more kind of thing,” said King.
King is at his best on the acoustic “Found Her Hangin,” poignantly strumming as he reflects on a relationship gone bad.
“Well, I gave her the rope, I said speak to your actions, and just so you know, she said this would never happen. And I’m sad to say it was a beautiful day that I was hanging she..
“It’s like spoiled fruit, I think, not what was sweet now…”
“See Ya on Stage” is a fun tune about life on the road. There are many name drops, from West Virginia to Ohio to the Carolinas and cities along the way.
Clocking in at just over two minutes, the song takes you on a lyrical journey, the percussion and bass consistently exciting and infectious. Relaxing strumming on an electric guitar and the King’s bar room complete the piece.
“There’s a con station, got a ticket with your name on it, cause I read in your email that you’re going to see us up on stage,” sings King with Nashville flair.
Reflecting on the song’s message, Lumpp said: “Maybe you’re only playing for a devout fan, and that kind of makes it. … We’re doing it because we love it, and people love it … and not this huge thing.”
Among the fuller songs is “Red Eyes”, which recalls Tom Petty at times to an earlier era in his own song confidently amid the background of fast celebratory keyboards and organs.
Various sounds permeate the record – pedal steel guitar, violin and cello.
“Even with those,” King explained, “we knew we didn’t overdo it and he made sure what they were doing was serving the song rather than standing on the song or stomping on it.” on the song.”
The Ohio Weather Band is planning live shows for August, said King, the band’s songwriter.
Overall, the goal is to “just make a living out of it,” the website’s developer said of music. “And I would love to be on the road more traveling and playing.”
Urban Honey
During an interview last fall, Urban Honey’s Honey’s Hunter Schwenk said the band was looking for a singer, but they were in no rush. See the article : Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin download new prison album of Christian music recorded from Florida prison.
Finding the right fit was key. The guitarist said he would know the voice when he heard it.
After reading a Canton Repository article about Urban Honey, Christine Reichard contacted the band. She was also a fan of The Intangibles, a band that featured bassist Blake Oaks of Urban Honey.
Playing classical piano since childhood, Reichard attended the Aurora School of Music. Admitting nervousness, she decided to try out Urban Honey after working on her vocal range.
“It was amazing,” the Akron resident said. “We’re not just laughing as musicians; we’ve all become friends as well.”
Reichard performed live for the first time with Urban Honey in December.
Musically, Schwenk said, “Christine adds a little grace to the chaos.”
Schwenk said the “Nectar” EP is a rock album with blues influences,” he said. “You can feel the jazz influence at times.”
Schwenk admits that his own guitar work is loose, raw and intuitive.
“A lot of people are going to tell you it sounds sloppy,” he said. “I really don’t care; it sounds like me. … Guys will play things more complicated and more refined, and fine.”
Schwenk said “there is a sag” on his own work.
Thick, snarling guitar riffs anchor each song. Think Jimmy Page meets Dan Auerbach.
Reichard sings with both finesse and brawn. The instrumental interplay of Schwenk, Oaks and drummer Josh Campian was her range, sass and command.
Recorded by Ron Flack at Realgrey Records in Canton, JayBird’s winning tracks include. A menacing guitar riff opens the song before Schwenk cuts into a riff. Thunderous percussion enters as the band settles into a jazzy groove. Reichard keeps pace, attitude and fire equal to the heft.
“We had so much fun recording with him,” Reichard said. “The whole experience was amazing. He captured our sound so beautifully…”
More: Ron Flack is keeping it real at Realgrey Records
Brightening up the EP is “On My Mind,” a head-spinning, galloping tune. A chant punctuates the chorus: “Hey! Hey! Hey!”
Schwenk said he thrives on the organic nature of the band. “I think the next batch of songs will catch a lot of people off guard,” he said, noting that the EP was produced by Joel Maze.
“Especially tonally, I’ll be doing a lot of different things on the guitar,” he said. “I’m listening to a lot of different things and interpreting them in my playing, and you grow.
“But Urban Honey … musically, there’s going to be some cool stuff going on.”
“Christina is a great pianist, so there are different ways we can take her,” he said.
As for the band’s goal, Schwenk doesn’t look too far ahead.
“I think everybody wants to keep moving; you just have to keep going,” he said. “I don’t think the choice is to stop. If you love to do it, you want to go broke to it.”
The band is still developing its sound, Reichard said. “We look forward to showing our compositional flexibility.”
The Paris Accord
Scott Paris knows the music business. On the same subject : ‘The Day Music Died’ Review: Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’ Finally Explained.
A full-time musician for 15 years, the Stark County native toured nationally with Broken Transmitter before the group disbanded. He is currently the bassist for the popular local band Hey Monea.
But Paris seems to be most comfortable in the simplicity of his home studio.
With more than 200 songs published, Paris released music for the first time as The Paris Accord last November. “I’m just a guy who loves to write music,” he said. “And I’m doing it in my room.”
Paris created the EP using CoolEdit Pro.
“It’s on a 20-year-old computer,” he said, laughing and noting that a newer version of the software has been updated and rebranded as Adobe Audition.
There are advantages and disadvantages to working alone, Paris said.
“Honestly, it’s two edges of the same sword,” he said playing every instrument on the EP and handling production. “It’s the freedom to do whatever idea comes to mind (that’s the pro) and not have someone to hold you accountable or tell you when you’re going overboard.”
The instrumentation on this effort has been reduced in Paris so that it can be played live with three other musicians – Sean Paris, guitar and vocals; Andy Bors, bass and vocals; and Kevin Six, drums. External comments were also sought during the recording.
Paris was influenced by alternative rock when he was 10 years old. Discovering Nirvana’s seminal album, “Nevermind,” did the trick. Radiohead also became a favorite band.
“My appreciation of music started in the late 80s and early 90s,” Paris said. “So that sensibility is embedded in the way I like to write, and I also love modern alternative rock.”
Among the standout tracks is “Wishing Well”, which pleasantly covers with a Dave Matthews Band vibe before taking flight vocally with a depressed, radio-friendly chorus. Lively electric guitar riffing completes a piece retroactively intended for a late 90s alt-pop greatest hits collection.
Another example of alt-pop craftsmanship is “Bring the Car Around” — this time in the shadow of Duncan Sheik.
On a bed of pure electric guitar, Parás sings soberly but passionately. At just over three minutes, the song never strays far from its melodic pace and lingers pleasantly in your head long after it’s over.
Recreating its sound live with four members, The Paris Accord is set to perform on November 19 at The Auricle in downtown Canton. Also on the bill are Atomic Twin and BORS. The show starts at 7 p.m.
Dean Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com. On Twitter: @ebalintREP.
