Rob Kendt “I’m Not Sentimental” (Ruby Records 2007)

…but we won’t hold that against you…

On first listen you’d think this guy would have to be a Brit. Ray Davies and Paddy McAloon are names that spring to mind. Songwriters and interpreters of mood/moment/map reference. But no – he’s actually an American whose day job is theatre critiquing for The New York Times, The L.A. Times and Variety amongst others. Therein perhaps lies the key to this collection of songs that have ‘theatricality’ written all over them. There’s nothing here that could exactly be described as a ‘show tune’ its more that the songs are encapsulations of stories and narratives which wouldn’t be out of place as musical centre pieces in movies – and Kendt and his musical accomplices are savvy enough to have a musical range to do justice to this concept. “I’m Not Sentimental” is a jazzy stomp, “Pick Me” is bar room Americana “Oops I Did Bungalow Bill” is lounge core amalgam of Britney and The Beatles whilst “Nothing To Prove” is a long lost sound track to some Franco-Italian film circa 1968. The fact that Kendt is no shuffle-bum on piano is an added bonus and makes one wonder why he doesn’t give up the day job. I am unfamiliar with his writing style but if he produces copy to the standard that he plays and sings one imagines that he would be in much demand amongst the middle pages of the American equivalent of the Street of Shame.

Date review added:  Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Reviewer:  Paul Villers
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  www.robkendt.com