It’s been a, *ahem,* long road for New Jersey-based act LongRoad, but they seem to have all come out on the other side. Formed from a trio of Rutherfordians (NJ) and Vermont’s Ted Ames, the quartet originally met at the Knitting Factory in NYC and immediately recognized their mutual musical interests. That fateful evening resulted in a debut album, 2006’s This Too Shall Pass – now, after a seventeen (!) year hiatus, they’ve returned with a new batch of songs they’re calling Faith in Greater Things?. Ames describes the mantra of their new songs below:
“As with the last album, the songs remain the product of living our lives… They are an honest mix of storytelling and emotion based upon our experience and observation in and of the world around us.”
The ’90s influence is heavy on Faith in Greater Things?, and it’s evident immediately on album opener “New Song.” With it’s lightly-driven guitar jangle, passionate vocal soaring, and shuffling drum theatrics, “New Song” would be a great fit on any Candlebox or Cracker album (both of whom LongRoad has shared the stage with). As one of my personal favorite moments on the album, “New Song” starts Faith in Greater Things? off on a high note – the vocal melodies and overall energy here are some of the strongest on the album.
Song two, “Breathe,” takes a neurotic riff and spins it into a heartfelt verse. LongRoad has the quiet/loud method down pat, as they launch into a strong and impassioned chorus, giving the song movement and sending a rush of adrenaline through your veins. Once they burst into the bridge around the 1:50 mark, LongRoad leaps headfirst into a zesty guitar solo, taking me back 30 years when that was still a mandatory practice in this art form. The well-placed noodling helps to elevate this song to the next level and had me wishing I was watching LongRoad shred on stage in some dingy dive bar.
LongRoad isn’t all distortion-laden rock n roll though – the twinkling “Fade Away” has an acoustic-guitar backbone that takes a step back in intensity without ever losing its overall rocking appeal. This Soul Asylum-esque song highlights the love Ames has for the people in his life – lines like “and when I’ve got no song, will you be my melody?” are simple-but-effective, keeping a hard rock edge during a very heart-on-your-sleeve moment. Same goes for the bluesy riffing on “Why?,” which finds the band pulling back just a bit to craft something with a bit of a psychedelic, blues-informed tinge.
For as much as the ballads add to the flow of the album, the real meat-and-potatoes of Faith In Greater Things? comes from the chest-pounding rockers found here. “Live With Me” has a self-propelling rhythmic crunch that brings to mind Jane’s Addiction or Soundgarden at their most upbeat. “Commotion” falls deep into blues-rooted riffing, evoking legendary Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip’s early bangers like “Blow at High Dough” or “Fifty Mission Cap.” “Shadows in the Starlight” has some of the coolest collaboration between guitar and bass, pairing a thumping bass rollick with a spindly, plucky guitar lead. Even album closer “Helping Hand” keeps things moving, with its fun guitar shuffle and Ames’ ever-consistent vocal prowess.
As if it needed any more of a stellar pedigree, Faith in Greater Things? was mixed and mastered by award-winning producer Barrett Jones (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters). If you love revisiting the glory days of the ’90s or you miss when music was made with real guitar/bass/drums camaraderie, Faith in Greater Things? is right up your alley. You can find Faith in Greater Things? on Spotify and Apple Music.