Melodrome – Flood
Formed in Autumn of 2000, Melodrome is comprised of singer/guitarist Robby Baier, bassist Jesko Stahl, and drummers Justin Guip (studio) and Kali Baba (live). Basically, Melodrome rocks. Everything else about them is just icing.
Yeah, there are the Independent Music and Songwriting Awards the track placements in the 2004 Academy Award nominated documentary “Ferry Tales” by Katja Esson (4 songs plus original score), the national TV beer ad’s, the airplay on college and independent radio stations across North America. Oh, and the deal with BMG Europe in the 90’s of Baier’s and Stahl’s previous project “Pearls at Swine”.
So granted, the icing is a bit thick. But deep within their hot, gooey center this band is all about plugging in, turning up and making sure that everyone in the house is having a great time. Perhaps now more then ever: Melodrome has written a new batch of songs that take them (and their listeners) all the way back to their sweaty roots in a Berlin basement. That’s where Baier and Stahl met years ago and that’s where their blues based, hard hitting riffs first made their way through the grates up to the Kreuzberger streets, breaking hearts and kicking it.
Now, miles away from there, and with the help of fellow brother in arms Justin Guip (700 Miles, RCA) and live drummer Kali Baba (Arlo Guthrie, Xavier, Lord Hill), Melodrome has recorded their fourth release “Flood”. The new tracks are hard hitting rock anthems, stripped down to their bare assets: Driving beats, catchy riffs and soulful vocals. Mostly, the new tracks are a blast to listen to and don’t ask much of the casual listener other than to grin and do like an AC/DC Fan and bang your head. However if one decides to slip on some headphones to dig deeper into the lyrics, Baier’s words will take one up or down a flight to subtler levels of meaning and interpretation.
But wait… this is starting to sound like Melodrome cares much about stimulating your cerebral cortex with this release. No… If these tracks make your “soul rage” or your “heart race” (from their track “Rock With Me”) then their job is done. If you’re into crying about how and why your lover left, then ask them to play songs from one of their other records (Happens While You Blink, The Sidewalk Ends, Play America).
Recent Live Appearances: Albany, Live at 5: opening for STYX Pittsfield, Bousquet, Monterey, CA: Monterey Music Festival, with Spearhead, Cake, The Fugees, BRMC… Lenox, MA, Peace Festival at Aspenwell.
Band Line Up:
Lead Vocals: Robby Baier
Guitar: Robby Baier
Bass: Jesko Stahl
Drums: Kali Baba
Tracklisting :
1- I Wanna Run
2- Complacent
3- Enough
4- Shelter
5- With My Friends
6- Time On My Hands
7- Sticky
8- Lie To Myself
9- Rock With Me
10- Oh Yeah
11- I Want You Gone
Discography:
“The Sidewalk Ends”
“Play America”
“Happens While You Blink”
“Flood”
Melodrome takes out all the stops on this one and comes off like a New York City garage band channeling AC/DC. Features“Complacent”
and “Enough”.
Web: www.melodrome.com
www.sonicbids.com/melodrome
www.cdbaby.com/cd/melodrome4
www.myspace.com/melodrome
Source: TSM
