Chicago’s Red Spot Rhythm Section released their original single “Look Up” and their cover of Paul Simon’s “Boy in the Bubble” on July 19 and both tracks appear on the new album Twilight, which was released on Friday, August 16.
Twilight is comprised of seven Red Spot Rhythm Section originals alongside covers of tunes by Paul Simon, Nick Lowe, Steve Goodman, and The Band.
The album follows up on 2021’s Won’t Back Down: A Roots Tribute to Tom Petty and 2022’s “Tainted Love”/”Boys Don’t Cry” single and successfully mixes originals and reinterpretations that draw on Americana, Reggae, Funk and Ska.
Twilight opens with a nifty Ska cover of Paul Simon’s “Boy in the Bubble,” a standout cut from the iconic 1986 album Graceland, and title track “Twilight,” a faithful interpretation of The Band’s much-loved tune penned by Robbie Robertson.
The original track “Nothin'” flows nicely after the aforementioned covers and another original cut, “A Nother Time Comin’ Blues,” serves up some great humor and a down-home New Orleans vibe.
First single “Look Up” is Twilight‘s best original and finds the band firing on all cylinders: the keyboards, bass, guitar, and percussion come courtesy of band leader Joshua Siegal (who also produced the album) with a killer guitar solo by Packy Lundholm. Bill Grady takes the lead vocal and is ably backed by terrific singer Angela Peel with Mike Bruno holding it all together on drums.
The Siegal-penned “Never Told Her” is a heartfelt soul ballad and a nice counterpoint to the upbeat Ska take on Nick Lowe’s “Peace, Love and Understanding,” a song made famous by Elvis Costello & The Attractions.
“Win For Losing,” an update of an earlier Red Spot Rhythm Section single, has a light Reggae touch reminiscent of early UB40 while “Fresh Air” sounds like a Grateful Dead deep cut.
Twilight‘s final cover is a take on Steve Goodman’s classic “City of New Orleans” and it’s just as good as any version (and there have been lots of them) ever recorded and the album comes to a close with “Time,” a sweetly nostalgic tune that incorporates Staples Singers-style Funk and Gospel.
Find out more at https://redspotrhythmsection.com
