Jessie Lilley
Buddy Barnett
Brad Linaweaver

November 2009     Web Edition     Issue #3

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Time and Energy

Strange Kind of Focus

Independent / 2012

Here's a California sound recorded in Santa Cruz County that I might actually go to hear live. Time and Energy rose—phoenix-like—from the ashes of their former four-piece rock band. Jorge Rios and Brennan Roach have assumed complete control of all musical duties after the departure of the other two members. Rios handles vocals, guitar, bass, keys and percussion; Roach is on drums, percussion, bass, guitar, keys and clarinet in equal measure.


Both men do what they do very well.


It's not music that I would care to listen to all day long, and you understand this is a matter of personal taste only. Of the tracks on this LP, I am quite fond of "Split Clean". Jazzy, bluesy minor chords thrum into the soul and open the eyes. I keep listening to it.


1. Hot Air
2. Thought Forms
3. Tree Salad
4. Breakdown
5. Split Clean
6. Da Da Da
7. Sitting on a Scale
8. O'Molly
9. Think it Through
10. Acid Jam


The music is very pretty some of the time, but not always. It can grate and prod and annoy and depending on the song, it is sung in Spanish or English… the album quite simply, is life. There's a Radiohead influence here that I rather enjoy, but these kids are far better musically. They're not afraid to experiment and their talents permit a broad range of just that little thing. "Whimpers beneath the cracks of time…" Wonderful lyric.


Watch for their tour dates. I suspect their live performance won't sound like their recorded work, but that doesn't mean it won't be worth a listen. Whatever else you do, listen to "Think it Through". That's a neat little piece of work.


You can find them on Facebook.



—Jessie Lilley