Steve Pepper Band: reviews

Steve Pepper: “Land of the Unforgiven”

“Land of the Unforgiven” is the new CD release from the Steve Pepper Band. Pepper shows his versatility through his songwriting as well as the thoughtful arrangements of chord and vocal progressions that don’t go where you expect them to. The end result is two fold: it’s music that draws your attention through curiosity; and it’s music that is downright comfortable listening. It intrigues the ear.

Pepper’s latest CD showcases varied instrumentation, good songwriting, strong production work, and an excellent line-up of supporting musicians. It all adds up to a fine offering destined to attract the attention of major record labels as well as broadcast and satellite radio.

It is the clarity and condescension in Steve’s voice that allows him to deliver his points clearly in “Ashes in Fire” and “Big Daddy.” Pepper also included “A Place in the Country” which has been a real audience pleaser.

Perhaps one of the strongest points of this CD is Pepper’s seamless transitions through various musical styles and time signatures that never lose a sense of urgency. Musical support comes from Jon Monck on bass guitar and harmonica, and lead guitar work by Keith Moss, Steve Bailey, and the award-winning Cliff Hillis. The outstanding female harmonies by Rhonda Hill and Stacy Lundin round out a sound that is driving, laid back, sincere, catty, sarcastic, unstereotypical, and in the end, very self-realizing.

As the listener, you hear stories of personalities and situations that Pepper has encountered along the way, real or imagined. His lyrics cut to the bone and pull no punches, which leave you to ponder if these are lessons that Steve Pepper has learned, or if it’s advice for the listener. “Land of the Unforgiven” draws you in to recognizable territory, while taking your ear to an unexpected place of contemplation. Any way you hear it, Pepper’s new CD is great listening.

June 29, 2005

The Votes Are In...

The readers have spoken. The ballots have been counted. The results are in. And now it’s time to announce the winners of the 2005 Readers’ Choice Awards for Delaware’s best Food, Dining & Entertainment and Shopping & Services.

Local Band:
1. Group Therapy
2. Club Phred
3. Steve Pepper Band

This section was edited and produced by The News Journal Marketing Department.

Visit Readers’ Choice online at:
www.delawareonline.com/readerschoice.com

Steve Pepper: "The Information Age"

You may recognize Steve Pepper from his infectious guitar work with the Jenny Bostick Band. Where he was more of a Peter Buck-styled guitar and mandolin player with Bostick, Pepper’s solo work is a more rootsy, John Hiatt-tinged affair. The Information Age opens wisely with the XPN-baited ‘The Hardest Part.” This catchy tune has a nice balance of mandolin, female backing vocals (care of Rhonda Hill, who performs this role exceptionally on nearly every track on the CD), and the gritty, confident vocals of Steve Pepper. This song (and indeed the entire CD) almost delves into the alternative country genre, reminding the listener of old Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo, but still maintaining the structure of a pop song. The jig-like “Blind” is another of the disc’s numerous high points, replete with the chorus “You can use that word, but you’re never gonna say goodbye.” It is an anti-blues song, and it works well as an anchor for this collection of songs.

The CD closes with the title track, featuring just Pepper on acoustic guitar and vocals, again spouting catchy lines like “all alone feels right at home with me.” It is a good closing track, removed from the denser tunes that precede it, and it does well to showcase the solo talents of the artist. Beyond the marvelous songwriting, what strikes one upon listening to The Information Age is the attention to detail that Pepper brings to his work. The guitar work is flawless and performed with an energy that is so rarely captured in a studio. He is a man with many a good story to tell, and he seems to be having a good time doing so.