The Orange Sessions by Cash Audio offres NEUF

Tracks:
Dont Put Me on Front Street
Chicken Heart
Fast Forward
Here Comes the Wrecking Ball
Way to el Dorado, The
My Home Is a Prison
Pork Chop
Hey You
Letter to Stax
Space Is the Place
Hide Away
Rumble
Untitled

Performer Notes:

• Cash Audio: John Humphrey (guitar); Scott Giampino (drums).
• Recorded at Uber Studio, Chicago, Illinois in July 1998 and Enginge Studios, Chicago, Illinois in September 2000. Includes liner notes by Mitch Meyers.
• Known as Cash Money before legal trouble prompted a moniker switch, Cash Audios Orange Records debut sticks with the bands tried and true noisy blues-rock formula. A stripped-down duo consisting of vocals, guitar, and drums, Cash Audio is working with a limited palette, to say the least. While Cash Audio is very much in the vein of acts like the Immortal Lee County Killers, Bantam Rooster, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (all of which have to some degree influenced the new wave of minimalist blues bands of the moment like the White Stripes and Blackeyed Snakes), the band seems to lack the fire and personality of those acts. Spencer and Rooster rely, to varying degrees, on raw sexuality as their musics source of passion, and while rock & roll doesnt always have to be about sex and drugs, it can sure spice things up in the right measure. The Orange Sessions finds the formerly combustible Cash Audio sleepwalking through soggy numbers that lack any trace of the bands former spark. When there are only three elements to the band, taking one away is a bad idea; thus, the outfits decision to record most of the tracks sans vocals seems like a bad one. (In the exceedingly long and equally boring interview that wraps up the disc, they explain that instrumentals are "more expressive." Whatever.) In all, those already in the Cash Audio fan club will more than likely really enjoy The Orange Sessions, and those who are introduced to the band through this record will like it, too. However, those expecting anything new or exciting from the band will be disappointed to find that its just more of the same old thing, making Cash Audio the sonic equivalent of eating Mondays leftover meatloaf on Wednesday. With any luck, theyll get their spark back by the next release. ~ Karen E. Graves

Professional Reviews: Magnet (6-7/01, p.82) - "...Tuneful, bright and even somewhat cheery...wearing Elmore James bleeding heart on its goddamn sleeve..."

Format: CD (1 Disc); Stereo

Country: USA

Studio/Live: Studio

Release Date: 1 March, 2001

Label: Orange Recordings

Dimensions: 12.7 x 14.3 x 1 centimeters (0.11 kg)