Album Review: Over the Bridge deliver their wide-ranging sound to the masses on their first full-length release
Photo courtesy of Over the Bridge.
A new wave is coming from the Northeastern ocean town of Gloucester, Massachusetts in the form of reggae rock band Over the Bridge. Having been steadily making a name for themselves over the past few years, the band has raised their self-described brand of "Feel Good Music" to a new level with their debut full-length release. The tracks on "Over the Bridge" are well crafted from both a songwriting and production perspective, with reggae being the primary ingredient that is then complemented by flavors of rock, folk, hip-hop, and New England spice. Members Mike Forgette and Dave Campbell have been hard at work since their first show in 2014, and their new album is proof that it is all paying off.
"Over the Bridge" kicks off with the breezy tune "Apple Tree". The intro of this track features a grooving rhythm section with accompanying percussion, well-executed organs and keys, and a catchy guitar lead. The tempo the band chose is in the perfect sweet spot that allows all of the instrumentation to lay nicely in the pocket, while still being quick enough to bring some energy and that feel-good sound. What sets Over the Bridge apart from many groups is that they have two talented vocalists and guitarists in Dave and Mike, with a great network of musician buddies to help fill out the sound. We asked how they work as a team when writing and tracking in the studio, to which they shared, "Our creative process has grown a lot over the years, but basically one of us comes up with the idea for a song whether its a guitar lick, or melody, or lyrics and vocals and then we work together to arrange it and add more to it. If we hear a certain instrument on a track we usually bring in a friend to play. Like on the album we had Paul Wolstencroft from Slightly Stoopid play keys, and he brought his own flavor in addition to the sound of the tracks. We both play guitar and sing, and Dave plays violin on some tracks too."
Coming in at the third slot on the album is the wonderful reggae jam "Keep My Cool". The vibes are great on this tune, with the lyrical stylings of Over the Bridge taking center stage in front of instrumentation and falsetto harmonies that give the song an infectious rhythm. There is something special present in reggae-influenced music coming out of New England, with Boston legends Big D and the Kids Table and rising star Joe Samba coming to mind. The influence of Joe on Over The Bridge is direct with him being buddies with the band and having produced almost every track on the album. In a song like “Keep My Cool” Joe's sound is very apparent. The boys of Over the Bridge said of him, "We can't stress enough how much Joe positively influenced this record. From pre-production to final mixes he was with us the whole way weighing in on things and helping us through the process of recording each song. He sang harmonies and backing vocals on a few and turned “Late Night Text” from a slow lovey reggae song into a powerhouse upbeat ska tune by adding horns and picking up the rhythm. A lot of Joe's signature style and sound can be heard sprinkled through the album. Overall working with Joe was awesome and easy, we are all good friends outside of music so it was just like a big hangout at the studio making music and having fun."
Speaking of "Late Night Text", this song just might be our favorite on the album. The track is perfectly ska-punk in its instrumentation, and how the vocals are executed both complement and juxtapose the style in a way that comes out perfect. The horn lines and harmonies are next level and sound similar to the horn sections of powerhouse bands like Streetlight Manifesto and the original Catch 22.
Over the Bridge was not afraid to take some departures from their core sound on this album, and the results were great. The track "Moses" has a folk feel and features a beautifully played violin that accompanies a solo acoustic guitar for the first verse. As the rest of the band kicks in the sound is full and has a very Dave Matthews Band, Dispatch type of vibe. We feel the decision to place "Moses" in the middle of the album at the sixth slot was a good decision and helps make start-to-finish listening of "Over the Bridge" a very pleasant experience.
The album ends with the awesome laid-back hip-hop tune "Grain of Sand". The intro guitar riff instantly reminded us of Mac Miller's track "Circles". Mellow horn lines and classic drum machine-style production create a grooving and dreamy beat, with the lyrical flow of Over The Bridge laying beautifully on top. According to the band, "Grain of Sand was actually the only track not produced by Joe Samba. We put that one together with Jon Glass of Knowhere Studios. Jon is a beast hip hop producer out of Massachusetts and we wrote, produced, and recorded the song with him from scratch and even brought in a live trumpet, our buddy Anthony Prestigiovanni. We pick this one as the favorite because it's a preview of where we think our style and sound is headed in the future."
We highly recommend checking this album out and are stoked for the future of Over the Bridge! Visit www.otbtunes.com for tour dates and more info on the band.
"Late Night Text" is the Daily Reggae Song of the Day.
By Chris Lawrie.
