Vocalist / guitarist Evan Dadowski and lead guitar Will Barry write the material for Four Point Restraints and the maxi-EP Malice brings together a nice mix of rock and country with solid playing, enthusiasm and heart. In four minutes and fourteen seconds “The Last of Me” gallops along with a dynamic, spaghetti western flair as if out of television’s Rawhide or director Sergio Leone’s legendary For a Few Dollars More. The backing vocals add immense spirit to this opening track, Cat Verlicco’s bass keeping up the intensity with Tim McCarthy’s drums.
“Barroom Kyrie” follows with Kurt Weil style, Barry’s harmonica giving the period piece a go-between nod for the splashy chorus of “have mercy on me.” Sterling production by WMFO’s Joel Simches at Watch City Studios, the song construction is studied and smart. “Partner in Crime” is one of three titles under the four-minute mark, and it picks up where “The Last of Me” started.
“The Plague” changes pace, nearly seven minutes that descend into a revved up Doors dirge-like “The End,” only Dadowski gets more borderline personality disorder than Jim Morrison here, the country flavors dissipating over the edge. It’s one of the more provocative titles on the half a dozen titles here, and it works on many levels. The 3:27 “Heading East” gets back to the wild old west, thumping with a loose abandon while closer, “The Writing’s on the Wall” is exactly that eccentric quasi-schizophrenia referenced in the liner notes. It’s radio friendly with its melodic pop/grunge engagement. (Joe Viglione)
Joe Viglione is the Chief Film Critic at TMRZoo.com. He has written thousands of reviews and biographies for AllMovie.com, Allmusic.com, Gatehouse Media, Al Aronowitz’s The Blacklisted Journal, and a variety of other media outlets. Joe also produces and hosts Visual Radio, a seventeen year old variety show on cable TV which has interviewed Jodie Foster, director/screenwriter David Koepp, Michael Moore, John Cena, comics/actors Margaret Cho, Gilbert Gottfried, Gallagher, musicians Mark Farner and Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad, Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals, political commentator Bill Press and hundreds of other personalities.
