Brian Michael Roff
The Way Things Work
At first listen, I decided that Brian Michael Roff is another singer/songwriter who plays his acoustic guitar and straddles that line between folk singer and country singer. After a few more listens, however, I decided that Roff must be straddling a few more fences at once. Instead of simply playing away at his acoustic guitar for that Bob Dylan-esque effect, I get the sense that Roff has something different going for him.
Sure, these songs are still predominantly Roff’s energetic vocals and acoustic guitar. But as good as his vocals are, you get the sense that Roff isn’t willing to rest on his singing, and as good as his songwriting is, you can tell that Roff isn’t about to let it speak for itself. Instead, he mixes in some different sounds – some strings here, some beats there, even a saw now and then – and varies his singing style to give some songs a darker, more moody approach and others a lighter, more folk-spirited feel. It’s this change of styles, mixed with Roff’s ability to write almost poppy folk-style songs, that makes this album unique and enjoyable.
“The Plastic Apart” starts off, and while it clearly shows that Roff can sing, it doesn’t do much that’s unique. The use of some strings that come in give it a darker feel, but they recede to leave Roff sing and strum away at his guitar. When I realize that I’m swaying my head back and forth, I determine that this song must, despite its bare-bones structure, be more pop than folk. There is a bit of an alt-country feel on the thicker “The Useless Two,” and then “Oh! California” brings in some percussion and what sounds like a saw to give this song a completely new feel, somewhere between Johnny Cash and the Blackheart Procession. My favorite song here is definitely “What Have We Done?” With what sounds like a horn in the background and banjo mixed with acoustic guitar (not positive on these instruments, just picking out the sounds), and with Roff singing almost mournfully, this song takes on a life of its own, and this is the one I keep coming back to. “A Penny is Not Enough” would be just another typical, heartfelt folk song if not for the inclusion of soft tambourine and backing female vocals. There’s a more country-tinge to “Make This Mule” and the drawled out “Up Twice,” and that style is continued for several songs that tend to put the focus firmly on the guitar and Roff singing in a country style. But “The Mill Street Formal,” despite its slower pace, has more of a pure rock feel to it, probably by the more heavily strummed guitar and the lack of drawl in Roff’s vocals. The keyboard are a nice touch underlying the entire song. And “Like Bones Underneath” ends on a high note. With trumpets and strings under fast guitar, this song has a playful pop feel, something that wouldn’t sound out of place on an Elephant 6 release, to some degree.
Boston-native Roff has been releases his songs on cassette since 1992, but this is his first CD. I think his blend of moody folk and country leanings carries over perfectly to this medium. I’m left with a sense, after listening to this album, that Roff picked his best works for this album, showcasing one style here, another there. And they all work for him. While his folk-leaning singer/songwriting style may not be breaking new boundaries, his experiments with different instruments and an often moodier tone to lend this album a very deep and sincere feel.