Brian Molnar & The Naked Hearts “Temperance & The Devil” (Avenue Records, 2009)

Full of easy flowing melodies, lap steel guitar, twangy electric lead guitar and vocal harmonies, Molnar and The Naked Hearts make music partly of a country rock feel.

Molnar, who handles the role of lead vocalist and wrote all the songs lays down with prime Naked Hearts members ‘Dirty’ Dave Villano (bass), ‘Sting’ Ray Pursell (drums), Vern Warta (Fender electric guitars, Gibson lap steel, lap dobro and mandolin) and Bryan T. Baxter (harmonica) a solid, and creative base that enable the lyrics to carve out vivid imagery of various moods and textures.

Among the most pleasing and imaginative and featuring swirling guitar there is ‘Changing Lanes’ —then as they burn rubber and have a confrontation with life’s rules, and with all guns blazing the excellent opening cut ‘I Did What I Did’ hits a comfortable spot.

Unafraid to pitch himself (and the band) full hearted into a groove and become enveloped in lyrics reflecting on past loves as in ‘Things We Said’, ‘Angel In The Sun’ and with an edge to it ‘Gone In The Morning’. Where he contemplates on how his troubles will be gone in the morning and things will be alright.

On leaving the country rock scene behind and delving deeper into both the music and his soul, Molnar’s ‘This Road’ is more folksy than modern-day American, and then we have yet another cover of traditional ode ‘Coo Coo’ (as in ‘Coo Coo Bird’). Placed in an innovative contemporary environment of electric piano and a powerful rhythm section —it edges more towards that associated with the city than the mountain habitat of the bird itself. But in its own way it works perfectly.
Molnar and The Naked Ladies show enough talent to suggest they can and will I am sure go on from here —since the core of the music (ever tastefully produced) and Molnar’s story-telling vocal style is compelling.

With the boys picking some of their best work and Molnar leading in fine style, Blake Christiana and Trevor MacArthur from the excellent group Yarn lend some crucial harmonies to ‘Santa Fe’ and, there is more.

Date review added:  Sunday, March 29, 2009
Reviewer:  Maurice Hope
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Label Website