THE VARNISH COOKS
Review by J.P

Good help is hard to find or so the saying goes, the same can be said about music. In this age of sampling and digital loops it is extremely rare to find original music that is just about the music, nothing more and far from less. I had the distinct pleasure of taking in an afternoon concert by the band The Varnish Cooks. The band made up of Aaron Maras, Ben Proctor, Greg Fair and Ryan Griffith play a style of music that is not found too often these days and certainly not often by young men of thier age group. The style the band performs is old-time stringband traditional American music. Each song, whether it be original or a cover is crafted and played so meticulously well, you would think you are listening to a recording if you looked away from the live display. The blended sounds of the slide guitar, banjo, mandolin and upright bass accent each other in a beautiful stylistic arrangement. The vocal harmony plays to the senses, telling stories of old while recreating the new. This is what music is all about, down to the nitty gritty of it all. No special effects or smoke and mirrors, just raw talent playing songs from the roots of the American musical family tree. The audience was intoxicated with the swirls of old time music or according to the band's website, they absolutely achieved their goal of "yearn(ing) with their audience for transcendent simplicity." Everyone from young kids to seniors raved about the music and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. If you want to treat yourself to a truly amazing musical journey visit their website at www.varnishcooks.com or at MySpace at www.myspace.com/thevarnishcooks and purchase their new album Father, Get Ready When He Calls You.Too often in music we look for something different and cool to throw money at and never quite achieve what The Varnish Cooks make look so easy which is the complicated and simple task of going back to the basics.