Grace and Melody

Love this like all the other Steepwater discs. Great guitar!

While I will always love their last album "Revelation Sunday", This album is easily their most solid from beginning to end. I do think Marc Ford's hand lays a bit heavy on this one...somewhat smothering the brilliance of this band to a degree. However, that is what producers tend to do, push musicians in uncomfortable directions in order to get what people demand. I think the strongest track on the record is "World Keeps moving on" followed by"Healer", and then "Lord Knows". World Keeps moving on is a wave of crashing emotion, ebbs and flows of fuzzy slide guitar over a pounding rhythm section, just when you think the song is over it falls into quiet guitar and pleading vocals. This track is amazing and is countless times better live...if you get the chance to see them do this one live I think you will agree. All in all a great album and worth every penny, for fans of Marc Ford and the Black Crowes it is a must.

The trio from Chicago makes a great summer-time, windows-down, volume-up album with Grace & Melody. The Lennonesque vibe travels throughout the disc produced by former Black Crowe Marc Ford, which also means there is some bad a** guitar playing on this record! The solos between Massey & Ford on the 13 minute Neil Young inspired Waiting To Be Offended is easily worth the 10 bucks. But don’t let that be your only reason, tunes like Lord Knows and Healer scream to be re-played the second they end. It’s an optimistic record right when we need it.

Grace and Melody is the best record I have heard in quite some time. It sounds like something you've heard before, and at the same time sounds very fresh. Marc Ford does a great job of producing, and the tunes have a great feel. If you like bands like The Black Crowes or Govt Mule, you will enjoy this.

So I’m sitting here listening the new Steepwater Band release Grace and Melody…and that it is. Harking back to a 70’s sound as only The Steepwater Band can dish out. These guys give relevance to their unique style and the classic sound of their music. Jeff Massey’s vocals and guitar playing are stellar….as always. He is one of the guys you need to see. The songwriting on this disc is excellent simply stated. Stories are told and, told well. The production on this record is attributed to the band and Marc Ford of Black Crowe’s/Ben Harper fame, hand claps and all. The disc shows a great region band in a sweet spot in their musical career. Grace and Melody is a thoroughly enjoyable disc from beginning to end. Massey’s vocals fall clear at times and rasp at times somewhere between Rory Gallagher and George Harrison (one way ride) with a bit of Rod Stewart in between just when you need it. Guitar player’s talk about “amp break up” well listen to the guitar on World keeps movin’on. The sound most guitar players spend a majority of their time (and money) looking for is right there. Not to mention the phenomenal slide work that runs through the entire disc. The rhythm of Todd Bowers and Joe Winters shine throughout Grace and Melody. Joes thumping and grooving on Varoomp!, Fire away and Healer are electric The consistency in which Winters holds the time gives you the feeling that the battle of good and evil could be going on next to him and he ain’t givin’ way for nothin’! As if to ask himself, what would Charlie Watts do? As always, his cohort in rhythm, time and space Todd Bowers melodic bass runs through the whole disc consistently and tasteful. Songs like At the fall of the Day, Healer, Lord Knows & Roadblock are sure signs of the maturity and scope of this band. The musicianship is top notch and the songs are well written and soulful, rockin, and introspective at any given time. To steal a phrase from an all too well know group the region should bask “in the light” of Steepwater’s music while we can because soon enough the national acclaim this band deserves will come a knockin’…..and their ready.

To say that you can hear Marc Ford's influence in this album is an understatement. Nonetheless, The Steepwater Band (and Marc Ford for that matter) kick a*s. The riff in "Healer" is killer. Lots of good guitar work as always.

Another great album from the boys of Steepwater!