Portable Record Player
Blackwater Records 001
*****
More fun and excitement than you can legally expect from a Rock and Roll
record.
Michael Ubaldini has certainly ‘paid his dues’ in the last 10 years– with 6
other albums to his name and constantly touring across the USA and Europe
supporting everyone from Peter Case to Jerry Lee Lewis. That apprenticeship has
paid off in spades, with the breath-taking PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER.
The devilishly handsome Mr. Ubaldini brings together many styles of American
Pop, Rock and Country to come up with an ‘all American Rock & Roll’ album
that should and will appeal to everyone who likes Dylan, Young, Orbison, the
Eagles (early years) and especially Tom Petty. Plus I have to mention that on
the slower songs (Chimes of Love and Bed of Despair) his voice
sounds uncannily like Mike Scott from the Waterboys.
The fruits of his labours appear on virtually every track with every
combination of rock-pop being thrown into the melting pot and producing a heady
brew that will surely take him from dingy clubs to stadiums in one Summer.
PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER cutely begins with the sound of someone putting a
needle down onto a spinning 45 record and makes you want to throw guitar shapes
in front of a mirror or dance like a fool, like a hormonally challenged
teenager. There is an abundance of crashing guitars, poptastic harmonies and
poetic lyrics spread across 17 classic tracks.
Everything about this album makes Michael Ubaldini still sound excited and
exciting; for a man who has been around the lower rungs of the music industry
for so long. For once I can honestly say that there isn’t one song out of
seventeen that could be referred to as ‘filler’ (although finale Apple
Blossom Girl might possibly be a bit twee for some people); Scandal, Got
Money on Ya? Austin Texas and Bad Habits all stand out like musical
beacons in a sea of splendid tunes from a great song smith.
PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER by Michael Ubaldini is yet another musical diamond
unearthed by Maverick magazine…..go buy it. AH