Earth and the Next Society is comprised of Michael Shields on vocals and lead guitar, Jimmy Mack on bass, David Bedell on drums and Tom McMillian on keyboards. The four-song EP ‘The 100th Monkey’ prior to listening made me think of the movie, ’12 Monkeys’ starring Brad Pitt. They are nothing alike. Thinking I might be faced with an erratic, quick changing, fast-paced mosh of music, the calming very-down-to-Earth compositions were surprisingly delicious.
“Cheap Hustle” is a dreary piano bed meshed with a subtle funk and mishmash of fine percussion/vocal soul. The story – the lyrics – are interesting and come across as dramatic storytelling. There’s an extended music bridge that feels a bit long but overall this track is a tight example of superior musicianship.
I love the bluesy guitar orchestration in “Sedona.” The strong vocals paired with the guitar make for a seductive dance; the tempo kept by the honest lyrics and humble percussion. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but after listening to this track I felt like this band broke into a more classic rock realm.
In “Awake And Alive” a bright acoustic guitar welcomes the listener. There’s a joyful wall of percussion that envelopes the vocals. Overall, this song succeeds at getting the listener connected with a powerful positive vibe. It’s a pretty song – not fey – but just lovely.
The final track, “Goddess of Light” has a real slow feel to it. The meandering music bed is interrupted by a persistent percussion. I felt like the vocal range really differed in this tune compared to the previous tracks. The lyrics are devoting and come across very organic.
Overall, Earth and the Next Society garner a B+ for a tightly woven tapestry of song, light, percussion and cerebral lyrics. I like their feel and I like their approach.
