Vegas With Randolph has scored again with their newly-released recording titled Legs & Luggage. This much-anticipated album is a follow up to the band’s third album, Rings Around the Sun. But first, for those not up on all their indie artists, a bit of background on the act in question:
Vegas With Randolph
The band roster includes Eric Kern (vocals, keyboards, and guitar), John Ratts (vocals, guitar, and handicaps), Dave “Jurasic” Purol (“Eddie Money” lead guitar and handclaps), the recently late Dan Aylestock (bass, vocals, and handicaps), Brock Harris (lead rhythm and acoustic guitar), and Andy Hamburger (drums and percussion). The group dropped its eponymously-named premiere platter in 2008. Their signature sound has grown into a power pop base tinged with a tinge of rock and alternative thrown in for good measure.
This new album is titled Legs & Luggage because the majority of the material on it focus on transitions, taking a chance, and moving from here to there in some way. Early critical response marks it as the best one yet. All but one of the 13 songs featured on the new release are the result of the tuneful team-up of lifelong buds Kern and John Ratts.
Track by track
The lead-in is “You Could Say Yes” and it is seeping with welcoming energy. “Jacob” follows with fun lyrics and a song about the ups and downs of love. It introduces Fred Lieder on cello.
“The Girl Holding Out For Me” is a retro, radio-ready, fan fave that dates back to 2014. The next number is “I Could Be the One” which intros Corey Schofield on violin. Lieder encores on cello.
It might overshadow “Free Your Soul” which previously appeared on the compilation Flavour Of The Month Volume 2 which features numerous other artists and was put out in 2016. It’s perhaps just a tad sunnier than the rest but still works well here.
“She's An Intellectual” is another example of the band’s abilities and tells the tale of a somewhat scholarly seductress.” Next is the power-pop piece “Women in Airports.” It’s a fun travel song for obvious reasons and is yet another of their tracks which sound perfect for a soundtrack.
“Chick Fighter” stands out but further enforces comparisons to Fountains of Wayne as it features Fountains of Wayne’s own Jody Porter on lead guitar. “Three Red Hooks” is another early fave of fans and critics alike and offers listeners a musical metaphor and noteworthy lyrics to boot. It includes a clever Van Halen reference and handclaps by Robert Ratts.
“The Weekend's Coming" comes next. It is highlighted by Texas-based co-composer Lannie Flowers, who plays electric and acoustic guitar and bridge bass on this hopeful hit that puts Loverboy to shame.
The slightly quieter cut “The Comeback Kid” is a pop piece from 2016. “Ain't So Complicated” is a brief but effective song that also appears on the Cancer Can Rock compilation and documentary and features musical guest Jim Ebert on additional guitar. “I Have You” is the album endnote and focuses on “forever love” Lieder returns once more on cello as does Schofield on violin.
“We wanted to kind of rock a little bit on this album,” concludes John Ratts. Indeed, with a running time of 46 minutes, the disc does have a bit more edge and push to it overall. The music is slightly more aggressive and yet retains the band’s expected dose of lyrical cleverness and general catchy sense of fun. So check out Vegas With Randolph’s Legs & Luggage because it “Ain’t So Complicated” and it just might “Free Your Soul.”
(Image courtesy of VWR)