Americana Romantic
TT The Bears
Cambridge, MA
11/21/07
Last night I had the chance to catch Americana Romantic, the latest musical outlet from Boston area vet Paul Russo.
For those of you as unfamiliar with Russo as I was, up until about 20 minutes ago, Paul was a member of the Maine-based outfit The Pinkerton Thugs, as well as a "double-agent" so to speak, doing time in The Unseen during much of his time with the Thugs as well.
Knowing that much going in to the show, I was met with something that clashed greatly with what I was anticipating.
Russo's latest foray delves deeper into the folk styles touched upon with The Pinkerton Thugs, with a tasteful touch of the indie-style rock that has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Other songs demonstrate a more rock 'n roll driven style that fans of the Thugs work may enjoy. A highlight of Russo's style that my brother and I both noted was his impeccable harmonies with his backup singer (AR was performing for the evening as an acoustic duo).
While not readily catered for fans of The Unseen and The Pinkerton Thugs to transition into, fans with a broad range of musical tastes looking for a fresh take on a popular trick will be pleasantly surprised with this outfit. According to his Myspace page, Paul is currently back on the east coast, and gearing up to begin playing out regularly in Boston and the surrounding area.
For more info on Americana Romantic, and the chance to sample some of this music, check the band out here.
