A More-Than-Fair Debut

Local guitarist Mike Fair unveils his new band, Mike Fair and the Adventure Seekers, on Sunday at Arnold's Bar & Grill. The coming out party will also feature an appearance from one of Fair's other bands (Wojo), as well as the Beau Alquizola Band. The show is free and kicks off at 7 p.m.

Fair has some busy fingers, performing for the past several years with Ma Crow and the Flock, MC Blue and The Blue Ravens (as well as Wojo). That's a fairly broad stylistic range (from Rock to Blues to Americana and beyond), but the versatility isn't overtly apparent on Fair's Adventure Seekers debut, I Am Smiling, Dammit (available Sunday at the show). On the album, Fair creates his own sonic identity instead of dipping his fingers into too many genre jars. The album shows not only what a capable songwriter Fair is, but also what a strong, unique vocal personality he possesses. Fair's singing is somewhere between Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and early-period Rod Stewart and musically that comparison's not too far off either. "Bad Night In Fernwood" simmers and swaggers with a honky tonkin' twang Ron Wood would be all over, while tracks like "The Goodbye Song" and the slow-burning "You'll Feel Better Soon" have the timeless transcendence of Tweedy circa Being There. Elsewhere, Fair slips into a little slap-back delay for the Lennon-esque "Staying Together Is the New Breaking Up," dips into slinky Soul/Funk on "Itiswhatitis" and gets rootsy on a sturdy cover of "You Are My Sunshine." With such a cache of well-crafted, expressive songs in his possession, it's a wonder Fair hasn't stepped out of the shadows until now.

All Bark
Vaughn & Co. , a relatively new band featuring former members of the late Element, releases its debut disc, Wrong Tree, Saturday at The Mad Frog. Larry Estes opens , while The Swarthy Band closes out the night.

Based around the songs of frontman Ronnie Vaughn (who sings and plays acoustic guitar), Vaughn & Co. have a fluid, jammy vibe, based in Rock & Roll, but also journeying into Blues, Jazz, Funk and other formats. There's a refreshing spontaneity to the band's sound, as the group members play with a locked-in unanimity. Guitarist Rob Vargo especially shines, offering impulsive, dynamic leads that seem to wind unendingly throughout the album. Vaughn's songs are solid, but somewhat pedestrian; delivered with a different band, they'd come off more like something that you'd hear on commercial Rock radio. That's the problem with Wrong Tree — in their current state, there's no teeth to the band. Vaughn's songwriting has more of a fist-pumping verve than what the band delivers. From the way-too-prominent "percussion" (bongos galore) to the way-too-frequent Funk bass "pops," the band sounds thin and humdrum. The tracks simply have too much unfilled space. "Tennessee," for example, is a promising slice of bluesy Southern Rock that is completely undercut by a dull, lumbering rhythm, while "Soul Lady" sounds like old Santana completely stripped of any excitement or soul. Although there are signs of potential — all the members are proficient musicians and some of the jazzier moments have the technical flair of authentic Fusion — the band's quest for diversity mostly hits a dead end. (vaughnandco.com)

Americana Idle
Roots Rock crew Red Idle release its second CD, Idling Live, on Friday when it opens for the legendary Leon Russell at the Madison Theatre in Covington. The local group hits the stage at 8 p.m.

Idling Live is, as the name suggests, a live album recorded at various clubs in the Cincinnati area. But, while it captures the energy of a live performance, the sound is crisp and clear. The band contains several distinct songwriters, resulting in a tasteful eclecticism that doesn't distract from the overall sound. The echoed-out, low-voiced vocals and lurching sound of the band create an eerie, almost Gothic effect on songs like "Holy Water" and "Underground," recalling the mysterious, otherworldly nature of old Blues. But that's just a part of what the band has to offer. Besides guitar, Skip Leeds lends some twirly psychedelia to the proceedings with his trilling flute flutters, conjuring visions of a Ludlow Garage jam session from the early '70s on tracks like "Dr. Frankenstein" and "Wake Me." Elsewhere, tracks like "Holy Water" have the bluesy, open-ended majesty of peak Allman Brothers, while "Clue Me In" and "Rising" swing with a Rockabilly-like vigor. Fans of expressive guitar jams will appreciate Red Idle's expansiveness — many of the songs leave room for some explosive solos and the opportunity is taken advantage of fully. The musicians show a sharp sense of adaptability, playing flawlessly whether the song is stuck in high gear or idling low. (redidle.com)