This week marks the release of former Sorta frontman Trey Johnson's debut solo release, Mount Pelée, a disc that finds Johnson and his familiar, classic, soothing voice heading in a somewhat different direction.
How so? Well, the disc kinda sounds like it's a blend of Sorta and the eccentric, toungue-in-cheek sounds of Shibboleth--which, OK, makes perfect sense: Shibboleth's Don Cento arranged and produced the new record. Oh, and he plays on it, too, along with the rest of Shibboleth (bassist James Driscoll and keys man Rich Martin) and drummer Matt Kellum of Chomsky, giving Johnson a quite the capable crew of backing players. Kinda like, well, Sorta, really.
And that's the thing about Johnson: A fine singer, songwriter and downright clever lyricist on his own, it seems like he's always had the good sense to realize that, in this crowded musical landscape, that alone isn't necessarily enough. And, indeed, as much as Johnson's own work on this disc stands out, so too does his backing players'.
No doubt those abilities will be on display tonight as Johnson and his band head to Good Records to celebrate Mount Pelée's release with a free in-store performance tonight at 7.
We'll have a review of the disc in next week's paper. But in the meantime, after the jump, as a way to whet your palates for this evening's performance, check out the song "Unfavorable Way," which Idol Records has graciously offered up as a free download for DC9 readers.
Bonus mp3:
Trey Johnson -- "Unfavorable Way"
Trey Johnson -- "Unfavorable Way"
