I thoroughly enjoyed the debut album by The Grafenberg Disciples, 2020’s ‘Johnny On The Spot’, and have only just realised they released a follow-up in 2023. They have kept the same line-up, so alongside bassist/composer Bob Madsen we have singer Hans Eberbach, guitarist Chad Quist and drummer Gregg Bissonette. I have long become used to the fact that most of the music I am sent will never bother the charts, generally through no fault of the artist or the quality but due to the way the industry works, but I really did think these guys would have had significant success as the debut fits perfectly for airplay, and this is a direct continuation.
They describe their music as a mix of Prince, Level 42, Ultravox, Marvin Gaye and Toad The Wet Sprocket but we need to add Living Color, Dan Reed Network, Seal, Huey Lewis, Go West, Todd Rundgren and a few more. Here we have a quartet where the guitar often sits in the background, where the bass drives the music along in whichever style Bob is utilising (some great Mark King in “Spirit of the Child”), the keyboards provide melody, Gregg provides drums which are all over the place while never getting too busy, and then at the front we have Hans. I said in the last review that I was hugely impressed with his vocal style, and here I am again saying exactly the same thing. He is smooth, with range and emotion to die for, Seal with more colour. The songs have written and arranged in such a manner that he is always front and centre, a structure provided for him to soar, tugging on the heartstrings as we move through modern pop and soul. This is not a style of music I often listen to for pleasure, but the quality of the material and performances are so high that one can only sit back with a smile on the face, enjoying every second. Given it is now nearly three years since the last one, hopefully that means there is another due soon? This is truly a delight.
Rating: 9/10
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/thegrafenbergdisciples/
https://thehighlanderco.com/