EUGENE EDWARDS
My Favorite Revolution
Flagship Recordings 2005
www.eugeneedwards.com

Sample it here

What’s the 4-1-1?
The debut album from the singer-songwriter contains 14 tracks that have had him compared to the likes of Elvis Costello, Squeeze, and Tom Petty.

Genre
Power pop / rock

The Good
Straightforward in every aspect, My Favorite Revolution is a welcome entry into the rock scene of 2005. Eugene Edwards has a great sense of melody, and can write a catch chorus. I liked that this album is uniquely his vision as he played all instruments, except drums on the CD. The comparisons to Elvis Costello are apt, but he’s not aping Costello, rather just letting his influences shine through. This is on display particularly in the song “It Doesn’t Get Better Than This.” He’s even got a bit of the punk rocker in him with the brief yet powerful “At Your Place.” He crams more worthwhile musicianship in this song than some bands can do in an epic 14-minute musical jaunt.

Other songs I think you’ll enjoy include “Your Own Nightmare”, which has a really good guitar solo. “All About You” is a catchy number with a sarcastic sensibility in the lyrics. The closing track “Permanent One” has some great guitar work. The best song on the CD is “Victim At Bedtime.” The song is a hard rocking tune with a catchy chorus, yet paints a picture lyrically of a woman who makes the same mistake over and over when it comes to the men in her life. It’s quite superb.

The Bad
There are 2 or 3 songs that come across as filler material, but other than that, there’s nothing really bad to mention with My Favorite Revolution.

The Verdict
My Favorite Revolution is quite an indie release for 2005. It’s chock full of great melodies and some wonderful guitar work. Edwards is in full command of his talents and it shines through bright and clear. This is a great power pop/rock record that harkens back to a time when being able to write great songs and fill an album with great musicianship was the prime candidate for being successful.

Did You Know?
Eugene Edwards got his first electric guitar, a Telecaster, at the age of 13. He was briefly a student at the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Robbie Rist occasionally fills in during the band’s live performances. He handles bass, guitar, and some vocal work. Rist is probably best known for portraying “cousin Oliver” on The Brady Bunch.

Rating: out of 5

-- Jay Roberts