Mad Painter return with a spectacular 70's throwback on album, "Island Poetry"
Before you do anything, you’re 100% going to want to grab a nice pair of headphones and take a seat for a journey that’ll surely blow your minds. "Island Poetry" from the Boston based rock band Mad Painter is an absolute thrill ride of a record that we loved on the first listen. Just released through Italian independent label Epictronic, this record is a full immersion into Hammond-driven hard rock and progressive rock with an unmistakable glam flair, and it sucks you into its world from the very first note.
Led by songwriter and creative force Alex Gitlin, Mad Painter has always drawn deeply from the melodic rock tradition of the 1970s, but "Island Poetry" represents their most varied and ambitious statement yet. Across twelve tracks, the band moves fluidly between “Woodstock-era psychedelic rock” and glam tinged rock and roll, and remarkably, it all comes together into something that feels cohesive rather than scattered. Six of these tracks feature lyrics from writer and music journalist Dmitry M. Epstein, whose words add real wit, character, and dramatic imagery throughout. As blown away as you might be from the instrumentation, the lyricism is just as good.
Musically, this record is an absolute showcase of genuine musicianship. Recorded with Hammond organ, electric guitar, piano, bass, drums, and layered vocals, the instrumentation throughout is outstanding. It’s warm and analog in its production while still sounding vibrant and full. Drummer Al Hendry and bassist Kenne Highland provide a rock solid rhythmic foundation, while guitarist Al Naha adds real texture and flair throughout. Even better, the addition of their two new backing vocalists Sharon Crumrine and Julie Gee round things out beautifully. Those harmonies are exceptional!
The vocals throughout are genuinely emphatic, adding so much personality that suits the album's dramatic and almost theatrical feel. The full band chemistry comes through clearly, giving the whole project an organic energy that’s unfortunately too rare nowadays. We mean it when we say a live performance could change us for the better.
We couldn’t make it through this without also mentioning the sound design and atmosphere woven throughout. This is a record clearly made for headphones as mentioned, definitely to be experienced untouched from start to finish rather than shuffled through. Sitting with it as a complete listening experience reveals just how much detail and intention went into every arrangement. Be patient with it!
Mad Painter have created something so so special here. It’s ambitious in scope yet completely cohesive in its execution and it's a fantastic listen for anyone who still believes in sitting down and experiencing an album as a whole. So please, get ready for a musical time machine by clicking those links below to of course listen and follow along for more in the works coming soon.
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