“One of the beauties of Bruce Springsteen is that not only does he write these epic, cinematic songs about triumph and loss, but he also has these really simple love songs that almost sound like Sam Cooke, and ‘Hungry Heart’ is one of those songs,” Malo explains. When he considers that specific criteria, Malo quickly points to one of his favorite tunes on Play the Hits as a total Mavericks re-imagining. One of the most important criteria is what the band can do with the song, what can we do to make it our own and make it sound like it came from us.” “There’s been a ton of good music along the way,” Malo admits, “but these songs were the ones that stood out. Instead, the LP unveils 11 covers that are best summed up as the songs The Mavericks cut their teeth on. Play the Hits is the band’s latest studio effort, and doesn’t feature a single Mavericks-penned track. Rock critic David Fricke once wrote, “Every great band, any superstar combo that has ever truly mattered, started out playing covers, forging an identity and agenda out of the licks and kicks of other people’s songs.” Thirty years into their career, The Mavericks have decided to continue forging their genre-breaking identity by celebrating the licks and kicks that have long inspired them. While some bands may take a milestone like a 30th anniversary as an opportunity to release a greatest hits record, Malo and The Mavericks are going a different route while still creating some of the most interesting music of their career. “In turn, that music will hopefully mean something to a lot of people.” “Continue to make music that is interesting to you and means something to you,” he states. The mission is simple, or at least it seems so when Malo explains it. “Thirty years of this band, whenever we’ve deviated from our mission, I would say it’s been an abject failure, creatively and spiritually.” “That’s been the lesson for me,” Malo says as he considers what he’s learned over the last three decades. For Raul Malo, frontman and co-founder of The Mavericks, that self-awareness has taught him to stay true to the mission that has embodied his music since 1989. For others, it may produce a deeper love for something outside of work. For some, it may consist of near-perfect understanding of their particular vocation. The group closed their set with their first single, Dance The Night Away from their 1998 album, Trampoline, and immediately the crowd are up on their feet, singing and dancing and are transported back to the sun and sea in Miami.There’s a certain kind of self-awareness that arises when you’ve worked in the same career for 30 years.
Meanwhile, Paul Deakin on drums drives the prominent Tex Mex rhythm which The Mavericks are renowned for. Guitarist Eddie Perez has both skill and flare in abundance whilst Jerry Dale McFaddon passionately grappled with both the piano and the keyboards and was often found dancing side stage or engaging with the audience. Their great stage chemistry and Malo’s powerful voice filled the room and throughout the whole show, his vocal control was unwavering. The band gel so well together, you would think that they have been together forever. With Malo’s enormous voice, songs like What You Do To Me, Dance In The Moonlight and All Over Again went down a real treat, whilst covers of Bruce Springsteen’s All That Heaven Will Allow and the Bee Gee’s How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ? were real highlights. The band belted their way through back tracks from their 25 year career, with focus on their latest three albums, In Time, Mono and the 2017 release, Brand New Day. With the group’s new material equally holding their own alongside their greatest hits of the 90s, The Mavericks delivered songs which got the feet tapping and the head nodding.
With nine musicians on stage, they opened with tracks from their latest album, Brand New Day, with the likes of Easy As It Seems, and Damned (If I Do), which transported this packed Hall to more tropical climes. They have always been a band that focuses on the joy of playing and performing their musical potpourri of country, Latin, blues, jazz, ska and rock, and last night was no exception as a plethora of instruments filled the stage. The Mavericks performing their Brand New Day Tour at The Symphony Hall Birmingham on Thursday 8th February 2018.įollowing a nine year hiatus, The Mavericks returned to the fray in 2012 with a revised line up and a new album which they showcased last night at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.
0 kommentar(er)
