Luxury

Item: Amazing and Thank You
Author: Jeremy Choi

Amazing and Thank You

(1995)

Reviewed by Jeremy Choi

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Label Tooth & Nail RecordsHeaven's Metal #53May/June 1995

alternative rock indie pop melodic hardcore pop rock

Typically, Tooth & Nail releases have offered quite a diversity of hard music. From the grungy Seattle sound of Wish for Eden, to the recent hardcore delivery of the Blamed, the sound of Tooth & Nail CD's has been heavy and the vocals in-your-face. As with everything else, there are always exceptions. And it just so happens that Luxury's current offering, Amazing and Thank You, is one of those exceptions.

Don't start getting the wrong idea, though. Luxury is anything but wimpy. This release by the four man band, consisting of lead vocalist Lee Bozeman, guitarist Jamey Bozeman, bassist Chris Foley, and drummer Glenn Black, produce a sound which may be understood as being musically akin to Starflyer 59 entree (sans the wall of distortion), garnished with pinches of the Smiths. Engineered by Chris Colbert (Fluffy) and produced by Steve Hindalong (The Choir), Amazing and Thank You is served up with a style which may be classified as a cross between alternative and melodic punk.

Firing up the ol' CD player and slapping in Amazing and Thank You, we are greeted with "Pink revenge" and "South," two of the more groovy songs on the CD. "South" is musically awesome; there's something for everybody on this one: great rhythm, finely stretched vocals, and the mesmerizing tambourine, which begins the track and essentially does not stop until the song finishes. In all ten tracks, from start to finish, Bozeman injects a large amount of energy and emotion into his vocal delivery. The results are felt by the listener.

After two songs, the listener is offered "Champagne" (no, this release does not come with a complimentary bottle), a very mellow ballad which may leave the listener dazed, relaxed, or totally depressed. At points, Bozeman's voice fades into a faint almost whisper-like delivery to the backdrop of a bluesy guitar and a soft drum, which may leave a very hypnotic impression on many listeners. Other ballads include "I Know What You Think About Me," which sounds like modern version of a dreamy, romantic tune found at a 1950's high-school prom, though the track ends abruptly, which may send many listeners scurrying to their CD players bellowing, "Hey, what happened to the song?"

Lyrically, Amazing and Thank You addresses varied topics, though the theme of romance seems to permeate throughout most of the songs. For instance, in the title track, the vocalist croons "But give me your hand and I'll have your heart," and in "Solid Gold," Bozeman sings, "wedding bells are here again and the weight of love to entertain..."

Amazing and Thank You is a release which will captivate you, entertain you, and make you dream. In the hectic world in which we live, Luxury has provided a musically refreshing and emotionally-charged CD, which will be enjoyed over and over again by many.