Manuel the Band - Room For Complication
MANUEL THE BAND RELEASE ‘ROOM FOR COMPLICATION’
Hailing from Long Beach, California, Manuel the Band recently dropped their debut album, called Room For Complication, encompassing eight-tracks, including “Casual Love,” “Strong Independent Woman,” and their latest single “Breathe.”
Manuel the Band
Frontman Manuel Grajeda explains “Breathe,” saying, "The song itself tells a story. The chorus is about being close to someone physically and feeling that person next to you."
Tagged as pop-rock, the band is much more than just a pop-rock outfit, blending elements of alt-rock, pop, and Americana into smooth, tasty sonic concoctions utilizing a variety of instruments, such as horns and pedal steel guitar.
Made up of Manuel Grajeda (guitar, vocals), Charles Worth (drums), George Madrid (pedal steel), Richard Fernandez (trombone), Kevin Nowacki (bass), and Matt Kalin (sax), the band has performed at Music Tastes Good Festival, NAMM 2019, House of Blues, Pappy and Harriet’s, and The Hotel Café, as well as sharing the stage with James Blake, New Order, Joey Bada$$, Matt Costa, and The Church.
This is definitely one of the best albums of the year!
Stand out tracks on the album include “Breathe,” which opens on a softly gleaming guitar topped by Grajeda’s dulcet voice, infusing the tune with gracious tender colors. As the harmonics swell, adding a throbbing bass line, the tune takes on cashmere textures and, with the entry of the drums, escalates to layers of buttery hues.
“Casual Love” ripples with velvety SoCal soft rock surfaces topped by Grajeda’s delicious tones, giving the tune a veneer of enticing timbres and silky textures. This is my favorite track on the album because of its polished flow and milky undulations crowned by vividly braying horns and the drawling wail of the pedal steel guitar.
“Divine” rides luscious trembling guitars topped by the scrumptious keen of the pedal steel. The melody exudes burnished sensual flavors, vaguely reminiscent of Chris Isaak, sumptuous with devout seductive ripples. Rolling, delectable drums underscore the rhythm, as glossy surface colors vibrate overhead.
Another favorite is “Get My Heart Off Your Mind,” which features funk-lite flavors merging with vibrant pop-rock ingredients. The bass line on this track is spectacular, as are the rich tones of the horns.
Room For Complication is a wonderment of an album, rife with creamy textures and radiant colors, capped by Grajeda’s yummy evocative vocals. This is definitely one of the best albums of the year!
