Material: If Mad Revival were to go by any other name it would be “Spitfire,” not only in terms of the energy of the group’s live performance but the succinct style of their musical compositions.
The lyrics are scathing social commentary, a perfect pairing for the punchy rhythms. Then there is the surprising inclusion of flute from Natalie on songs such as “Click The Switch” that really screams rock & roll and would make Ian Anderson proud. Mad Revival’s cover of “Blue Moon” has a Screamin’ Jay Hawkins vibe; Natalie sings as Marks and Lucarelli concoct a brooding backdrop for Nic’s effect-heavy solo.
Musicianship: Unfortunately, Natalie’s flute and vocals are frequently overpowered by Lucarelli’s cymbals. “Devil and Deep Blue Sea” also feels like it wants more floor tom and bass drum. However, Littell leads in to coronate their new song, “Ohhh Lord,” with a funky beat and the dynamics and breakdown are strong here. The crowning glory of the set, though, is “Need The Relief” where Lucarelli and Littell work well together to shift between time signatures.
Performance: The set starts with the muddy blues of “The Revival,” which has a Black Crowes experimental feel. Nic struggles with his mic at the top of the set, but powers through and takes the time to address the issue entirely before they move on to the next number. Natalie’s vocals are low in the mix, but she makes up for it with her animated personality.
Nic gets plenty of interaction from his audience on “The Every Day.” He also amiably handles some hecklers, not allowing this to dampen the spirit of the show. On “Hardworking Man” Natalie also puts the audience to the test, shouting “Put your f***king hands in the air!”
Summary: At points the group feels too restrained in regards to the length of the solos, which are mostly short and sweet. This keeps the band tight, for sure.
However, on songs like “Hardworking Man” and “Ohhh Lord,” while the primary riff is a good anchor, the songs beg for a hot solo to amp up the energy of the crowd that much more. The group may want to experiment with this aspect, depending on the energy they are feeling from their respective audience and time limitations of their set.
The Players: Nic Capelle, vocals, guitar; Natalie Capelle, vocals, flute; Macy Lucarelli, drummer; Matt Littell, bass; Anthony Marks, keyboard, guitar.
Photo by Deb Littell
Venue: The Mint
City: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: [email protected]
Web: madrevival.com
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