Piano-led Band is All About the Guitar: The Katie Todd Band's Make Some Time for Wasting

It’s the guitar licks from Travis Dow that really make Katie Todd’s songs smolder with a blues on the rock side of country. Just listen how Make Some Time for Wasting (2005) opens with “Face Down” and Dow’s restrained-but-driving hooks. Of course, Todd’s voice does a fine job at creating that atmosphere, too, especially as she hits the high point cry of the bridge.

Further into the album by the Katie Todd Band, it still comes back to Dow’s licks. Todd plays keys, but they seem a bit lost in the mix (an acoustic piano may have jumped out more). “Leave” bounces on a BoDeans-like lick, while “Kweller” has a coy little blues slide.

It takes a track like “In and Around” to finally hear how the lick grows from Todd’s keys. Even as Dow’s guitar builds the lick, it begins with the piano jaunt structure of the song. This is the same with “Player,” a piano jam layered with plenty of electric guitar buzz.

It’s the wrong scene, but the band’s combined drive on “Oz” makes you want to pogo. While not skate punks, and while this song is much more restrained than that, the rhythm and attitude makes raising a fist among the bouncing crowd just seem right.

Thanks to the Katie Todd Band for the review CD.