CMJ

Delta Clutch

(Hard Luck Machine)

Distinctly American, the second CD from Boston-based Delta Clutch belongs on jukeboxes in any bar that has Samuel Adams back-bay brew on tap. From the city that gave us Paul Revere, Morphine, and that well-known tea party, Hard Luck Machine paints a portrait embued with emotion and reverie. Right from the rough, rocking opening track, "King First Thing," listeners are treated to a band that can party, or when need be, brood with the best of them. "I get high/I don't try/I give up/I get by" sings Paul "Pip" Everett, the smooth lead vocalist of the tumultuous quintet. Each song included on the record is markedly different from every other, ranging from Radioheadesque balladry to road anthems like those of Blues Traveler. Complimenting Everett's tuneful, easy vocals are the multi-talented Chris Cugini (who handles most things stringed) and Aaron Burr, who can nimbly shift from bass to sax with ease. Long darlings of the New England press, Delta Clutch seems poised to take its delicate songwriting and love of a good time to a broader audience. The band first graced the pages of CMJ when its debut 7" single was selected as a Futures pick. but its style has matured since then into an eclectic blend of various rock strains. Check out the slap-down, ramshackle blues of "Porcupine" or the light and airy, harmonious pop of "In A Boat" and "Pardon Me."
- David Day: CMJ New Music Report Issue: 550 - Dec 22, 1997