Calming A Panic
Emerald Sketch, 2023
8/10
The vision of the art therapist and musician Nicole Porter, You & Us make music for children and families that promotes healing and touches on a variety of genres across these 9 tracks.
“Rhythm” opens the listen with bright keys and animated vocals, as Lee Falco’s playful drums help invite much carnival-esque fun, and “Shake Shake” follows with a thumping climate and thick guitar for the theatrical delivery.
Deeper into the listen, the Caribbean flavor of “Abacabama” uses soulful horns strategically, while the funk filled festivities of “Do The Vowel Howl” is full of charming scatting and lively brass amid the frisky rhythm.
“Tiger In A Hammock” and “Stay Wild Moon Child” exit the listen, where the former recruits some garage-rock spirit that’s anthemic and the album’s best, and the latter welcomes eloquent harmonica to some retro ideas that sure are a lot of fun.
Porter is also joined by the multi-instrumentalists Michael Farkas, and Wyndham Garnett, and they certainly contribute much to the songs that are as adventurous as the spirit of a child, and touch on plenty of timeless pop and rock sounds.
Travels well with: Marsha And The Positrons- Energetic; Kelli Welli- Baby Ninja