Paul Meadow – Cheap & Easy
Primary URL: https://paulmeadow.com/
Chris and Stirling struck a bond at a pub upon losing their jobs penning ad jingles for a firm to create the Paul Meadow musical vehicle. Produced by Gabriel Galvin & Paul Meadow Recorded by Amanda DeCastro @ Dubway Studios and Gabriel Galvin @ Four Foot Studios. They’re from Brooklyn, NY. I’m glad to review this and anything like it, so I always like to make sure when that is the case, to try not so sugar coat something to much, so I make sure to listen quite a few times before I let go about it. “I Love This Town” opens the disc, and I love this song, it grabs you right way and doesn’t let go. There is such a festive vibe to this, it makes you want to play it ten times, and who wouldn’t like that.
The weak spot here is any is the vocals, but to their credit it’s the only track where they don’t even out with the rest of all that’s going on here. But aside them the small stuff, this is still a fine opener. I didn’t expect the next track to go in such a different direction but at the end of the day it stands on its own two feet. “Heart Of The Dog” might not be like the rest of the songs but so what, it’s one of the best numbers on Cheap & Easy. This one does clock in shorter than the others but it takes nothing away from it. I can see how some would think it doesn’t even belong on here, but I would agree to disagree. It works as well as anything else. I wasn’t even ready for the title track to be so smooth and mellow, after the previous well-structured in more of the rock arena track. But it paces the situation really well with a slow groove to set up the next song. But not before making an overall take it easy impression. “Cheap & Easy” keeps it all grounded. The next track is probably the most accessible, “Killer Of Dreams” could be a hit song, as it sings a message of hope that seems to play well into the millennial generation’s ears. But it’s big sounding, and that isn’t something we’ve been hearing a lot of lately, especially in anything with a folk tag attached to it. I mean this isn’t your average anything, it’s just plain good at whatever nerve it touches on, as it manages to heal every wound. Songs like this remind me of good times when you didn’t bother separating genre’s. If the radio got ahold of this it would go far, if not it’s their loss. I see it as a win win, these guys are good enough to exist on their own terms either way. This song, more than proves it with a power pop touch to the rest of the pot. I think all of these songs are pretty even Steven, including the final one, “Devil You Know.” This once again flies along with just the right stuff if you like real music, it’s full of twang and just plain fun. What better way to go out, but you want to play it again and again, there is no doubt about that and no doubt about how good Paul Meadow is.
They’ve got another EP dating back to 2012, so they’re all worth checking out but make sure to pick up “Cheap & Easy.” It’s going to be rotating for a while if I can help it with all of the music coming at me. This is a keeper. I think this band is worth climbing aboard for the ride, they’re a first class unit to my ears, and I’ll be listening for a while to come. Nothing is perfect but this comes pretty close. You will enjoy it from beginning to end or something isn’t computing in today’s musical landscape. This is fantastic.
BANDCAMP: https://paulmeadow.bandcamp.com/album/cheap-easy
Marcin N.
5/5