Jam Band: Thomas Cunningham & the Locofocos' Swell

Thomas Cunningham is back. This time with the backing of the Locofocos, who rock like a Jam Band House Band.

Listen to how the drums sound on Swell, and it’s easy to picture the band jamming at a house party, the beat reverberating off the empty walls of a large, old, old house. Matt Lemaire lays down that beat with as much groove as Mike Hertzberg’s lead/slide guitar, with riffs like Cunningham’s acoustic guitar, and with breaks and hooks like Cunningham’s lyrics. When Cunningham says, “Ah, here we go,” on the title track, Lemaire’s drums kick in to make it go. For “Marginally,” as electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass trade off on riffs and grooves, Lemaire’s drums act like another guitar.

Cunningham’s lyrics cover much of the normal territory of Jam Bands—the party groove, social commentary, and sex. Any potential crudeness is outdone by the cleverness. On the title track, there’s the sexual euphemistic line, “She shakes those hips, those lips/It makes me swell with love.” While you might need a little parental advisory on the first track, “Long Goodbye,” with the oft-repeated “assholes and whores” line, it turns out to be an indictment of men who aren’t acting as gentlemen.

Lyrically, Cunningham gives you an incredible bargain for your dime and time, making mouth-runs like Jason Mraz. As you listen to Cunningham pick away at his acoustic guitar, his lyrics are like each pick, strum, stretch, and slide on those strings.

Elsewhere, there’s signs of how the Jam Band sound borrows from Country-influenced Rock. “Funcry” features Hertzberg’s AltCountry slide guitar. “Movin’ On” takes laid back country rock and moves up the groove.

The album close with the handclapping party on “You Got It Goin’ On.” Cunningham’s clearly a Hip Hop guy trapped in a singer/songwriter’s body. May he never have a genre change operation!

Thanks to Thomas Cunningham & the Locofocos and Emerald City Entertainment Group for the review copy.