Say hey to the first live album from Connecticut funk group West End Blend. The eight-track recording includes a blend of songs from their three previous albums, invigorated with the energy captured during their two-night run at The Waterhole in Saranac Lake.
Captured on a studio-style soundboard engineered by the GRAMMY award winning Brendan Morawski, the recording is bright and full, bringing fans closer to the band without even setting foot in the venue.
Overall the live tracks match the recorded versions in quality, but play out a littler longer and showcase the band’s live flair. Purposeful guitar on “Get By” leaves space for a more intense build, intensifying the plea in the song’s lyrics to make a relationship right. The track is cleverly bookended with emotive guitar instead of the layered vocals and sound effects they used on the studio version, adding weight to the song.
Most of the songs they chose for this album deal with the uncertainties of love (“Day Dreamer” and “The Scene”) and determination and finding inner power (“All You Got” and “I’m Time”). The lyrical content relays compelling and relatable themes backed by powerful dance grooves that emphasize the message.
There are a couple of dates to catch West End Blend before the end of the year including December 21 at Anthology, and December 22 at The Haunt. Check out their Facebook page for event details.
Key Tracks: Get By, Day Dreamer, The Scene
