Stephen Clair - Transmissions (2024) Hi-Res

This is a short performance from Stephen Clair’s 11th studio effort. Recorded at The Building in Marlboro, NY & produced by Stephen (vocals/guitar) with Will Bryant (backing vocals/keys) there isn’t much hocus pocus but attention to detail is obvious.

There are 9 original sparkplugs to Transmissions that fire off with good timing & viable combustion. The music doesn’t necessarily have Americana-roots-oriented supplements. Instead, Clair’s repertoire is watered by spare pop-rock ingenuity & instrumentality. A key to the success of bands like The Box Tops with Alex Chilton, the Brains with Tom Gray & early Patti Smith. Less was always more then, because instead of flash they had a spark, a groove & a distinctive sound. Sediment in wine doesn’t mean the grapes were bad.

The trio that is Stephen Clair’s unit has a contemporary diversified application of music & sounds augmented by aggressive attitude-laced vocals. Mindful of the young, early Ray Davies (The Kinks) as the songs are simple in construction & their fervent rock n’ roll genealogy is laid out smartly.
“Blue & Red Lines,” & “Take a Walk With Me” have an updated modern 60s pop rock feel with lots of mainstream melody & a little garage-punky vibrance & always tasty.

The music itself is hard to focus on audience-wise. I say that because it’s designed more for a young listener though the style is slathered in vintage seasoning. A listener who likes the deviant work of Lou Reed & the Velvet Underground & someone who likes the much later work 70s work of the B-52s or Deaf School with the added rollicking barrelhouse piano would wrap their ears around “Cigarette! Cigarette!” easily.

Not having a John Lennon-oriented voice is the only drawback of “It’s So Strange.” This is a wonderfully parlayed song that sounds like a solo Lennon wrote this with Henry Mancini. But this is where bands like Stephen Clair are interesting because they shed light on many possibilities. Yes, there’s some silliness but groups like The Beatles, The Kinks & Stackridge always dabbled in silliness to lighten up the more morose compositions. You have to listen with tongue in cheek to appreciate the fun they’re conveying.

“Fritz” is sung in a Steve Allen (Enrico Cadillac) of Deaf School style. The band always used that kind of upbeat music hall scenario & tonality. When they added Bette Bright’s voice to the mix that was when the band got more rambunctious & challenging (“All Queued Up”).

There’s a return to a fluent Lou Reed-influenced vocal on “Naomi’s Phone Is Dead” that’s glorious. Does the Velvet Underground live in bands like this? Well, sometimes. And that’s something.