Album Details

• Artist: Wait For Green
• Album: Wait For Green
• Label: Go For Broke
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2011-11-17

Comfortably filling a void that may or may not exist (I am not the most well-versed in this blend of music), California-by-way-of-Florida's Wait For Green come across like a youthful, refined Red Hot Chilli Peppers, a beachfront blend of funk, reggae and alt rock that's ultimately as familiar as it is refreshing. The band's 2nd album to date. released on their "Go For Broke" label, this self-titled offering has an intricate level of subtle differences from track to track that belies it's rather direct and emblematic lyrical approach, which are a high focal point amongst the smooth and mellow grooves.

Oriented almost totally by the somewhat behind-the-mix bass stylings of AJ Larson, songs like opener "How Far I've Come" and "Slow Riding" lock into pleasant, laid back grooves and spin tales of (perhaps overly) familiar trials, tribulations, highs and lows of life as delivered by frontman Drew Dockerill. Drew is also a very capable guitarist, handling all such work on the album and driving forward more aggressive tracks like"Elevate" and "Nobody Listening".The band finds itself at it's very best when locked into a sort of RHCP worship, where the mid-paced groove and the lyrical pinings meet a zen-like center of peace. "Instincts" is the perfect example and strives to be worth the price of admission on it's own. "Day One" is the best example of Wait For Green at their most unique, taking hold of a sound that has been plundered by those before them and injecting life into it's veins. Not every track can give you that, but aside from a bit of inspirational dependency, Wait For Green is a fairly enjoyable experience front-to-back.

What I expect is the case is that a band like Wait For Green are more at home on the stage than in a studio. The music translates well in recorded form, that much is true, but these interpretations of funk rock would benefit more from the open and improvisational atmosphere of a live setting. As it is, this is an album for those fond of a catchy groove, a dose of refined RHCP, and not many others. Of course, being pleasantly surprised is always a possibility, and there's plenty enough to keep your feet tapping and body moving to warrant a gander at Wait For Green. 

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