On “Razor Teeth,” the tight and understated musicianship from bluesy, soul-pop outfit The Confederation is more than enough to get you up out of your seat. The track yields a contagious old-school energy that will make you yearn for live music in 2022.
If the slinky guitar intro doesn’t instantly make your ears perk up, then Kevin Maxim’s sexy, soulful vocalizing will earn your undivided attention. The vocalist rides this entire song so comfortably with minimal effort, like he never even sat up in his chair. He puts on an impressive performance even with his energy level never creeping past a 5 or 6. Perhaps the only frustration with this song is that he never gets a moment to turn it up to 10 because that would’ve certainly collapsed your jaw to the floor. The entire track plays like if Maxwell sat in with the Tedeschi Trucks Band; a sort of neo-soul/blues-rock concoction complete with enough guitar licks to last you all month. Enough can’t be said about the production here – it’s truly supreme and stageready.
You’re gonna want to listen to this one over and over because there are brand new details to discover every time. It’s easy to get distracted by the fiery lead guitar on the first go-round, but by the second/third/hundredth listen you’re discovering the drummer’s water-tight groove, the playful, less-is-more interjections from the background vocalists, the bass player’s moment in the spotlight, and the constant tambourine which turned out to be the main reason why your neck is so sore.
The Confederation have such great control over their sound which creates an illusion that what they’re doing is easy, and that could not be further from the truth. Keep your ear on these guys and gals because this is just the beginning of what they have to offer, and it is one hell of a start.
Written by Tim Clark
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