RC and the Moonpie Band – All This | Album Review

RC and the Moonpie Band – All This  

Self-Produced

https://www.facebook.com/RC-and-The-Moonpie-Band-660169040758194/

CD: 12 Songs, 37:29 Minutes

Styles: Roots, Americana, Funk, Ensemble Blues

What do the letters “RC” stand for? “Royal Crown (Cola),” “race car,” “remote control,” “radio control,” and “rookie card,” among other things. In the case of North Carolina’s RC and the Moonpie Band’s latest CD, All This, “RC” stands for “rated conventional.” Neither terrible nor terrific, it’s right in the middle of the pack when it comes to the four musical sub-genres listed above. They deserve an A for effort, especially on instrumentation, but sometimes Robert “RC” Christian’s flat vocals don’t do their twelve songs justice (as on “Cheated On Me”). They’ve put a lot of thought into their CD liner notes, explaining the thought process on four covers and eight original tracks. In terms of pure/traditional blues, only a few hit the mark, such as “Older Women.” As stated earlier, they’re an eclectic group, aiming to please more than one fan base.

“Two thirds of our last record, Individually Wrapped, was our interpretation of obscure songs from legends like Rufus Thomas and Jimmy Vaughan,” guitarist/producer Robert Marlowe explains. “With our current record, All This, we wanted to flip the script and try our hand at writing more original Moonpie material.” Their offerings, whether covers or fresh compositions, have been played on Internet and terrestrial radio stations in the US and several foreign lands, including Romania, the Philippines, Wales, and New Zealand.

The Moonpie Band consists of Robert Marlowe on guitar; T Bone Betourney on drums; front man “RC” on vocals; Mike Logiovino on bass, and Russell Pleasants on backing vocals. Special guests include Bruce Katz on piano and Hammond organ; Bob Margolin on guitar for track six; Lorette Christian on vocals; Gary Pope on guitar; Rich Moncure on trombone; Doug Moyers on drums for track five, and Heath Logiovino on drums for track four.

The following original number sounds the most like what baby boomer fans know as the blues.

Track 07: “Older Women” – “Actually has an attention span. Not always staring at her phone. No drama queen for me, no thanks. In that case, I’d rather be alone.” So “RC” opines on the subject of sly number seven. Bruce Katz plays killer organ here, and Mike Logiovino provides a sweetly understated bassline.

Is the latest from RC and the Moonpie Band “really cool?” Check it out and decide!

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