In music years, it’s been a creative lifetime since we last heard from Percy Hill and their revered 1998 album Color In Bloom. Back in the mid to late 90’s, the New Hampshire band was in the forefront of a northeast music scene that included Strangefolk, Moon Boot Lover and the Ominous Seapods. But aside from their jammy contemporaries, Percy Hill always held more in common with the studio wizardry of Steely Dan.
Like Steely Dan, Percy Hill has earned a love/hate relationship with ears - mainly due to their polished, clean sound that can easily frisk an insecure rock fan. Obviously, Percy Hill isn’t blessed with the mega budget Donald Fagen and Walter Becker toyed with, but Nate Wilson (keyboards), Joe Farrell (guitars), Aaron Katz (drums) and John Leccese (bass) have not let money become an obstacle. Instead the four piece have proven to be mighty session musicians upon themselves, with their new release After All. Produced by Katz, After All mirrors the 70’s R&B flavored karma of Color In Bloom. And like that album, Wilson’s versatile keyboards prove to be the musical foundation, while Katz shows why he is the lyrical and visionary force behind the band’s rebirth.
Nate Wilson’s pungent Moog lead in “Awaiting Our Return,” complements Katz’s silky vocals, which transpire to a cool groove collective. “Door #5” the albums’ climax, is built upon 60 tracks, showcasing Percy Hill’s talent for song structure and vision within a chill beat. “St. Lucilia,” features a calypso rhythm, while “Dreamer,” a sparse number concluding the album, might be the barest recording on After All, but resonates the deepest with its soulful play. Meanwhile, jazz rock tunes like "Shining On Creation," "Brings You Back Again" and "After All," feature more of the patented Percy Hill smooth touch.
To the delight of Percy Hill fans, After All shows no signs of reinvention, instead it's another sticky album, that sounds like this band should sound: soulful, funky, crisp and dynamic. It’s nice to see a band stick with a formula and keep it rolling to fruition. Welcome back Percy Hill.
