Label: Potter House Records

Web site: myspace.com/soulmobile

Release Date: March 2007

Jon Felton & His Soulmobile - All Creation Sings
Matthew Ralph

Mr. Felton is back with a full band in tow on this his second full-length release since his days in the Flying Karpopholus Family Trio and he's never sounded better.

Leaving behind his punk rock D.I.Y. solo artist ethic of his previous effort "Let's All Get Together and Not Be Machinery", the Frostburg, Md. songwriter embraces a communal reminiscent of the aforementioned band he fronted while a student at Messiah College.

Not that Felton had turned into an ego maniac on his last record or anything. In fact, Felton's humble and organic diamond in the rough approach to music — playing the drums with foot pedals for example — was and still is refreshingly original and comfortably unpolished.

The mixed bag of influences and personalities backing him on this recording maintain a kind of thrift store mentality. This isn't polished pop-rock, but it isn't do-it-yourself lo-fi indie-rock either.

Bands that experiment with a train-wreck of sounds and influences usually end up getting cast aside from the scene and style driven cotorie of underground music. To do that to this recording or this band as some assuredly will would be to deny your ears the sound of a fun and redemptive collection of songs.

One listen to the chorus of the Squirrel Nut Zippers-esque "Broke-Leg Dance" is enough to find yourself unknowingly singing "It's the broke-leg dance and it goes on and on" out of nowhere out loud. The beauty of the song, which speaks to the record and the band as a whole, is that all are invited to "move to the side" even if "your leg is broken."

With similar catchiness, "Occupied" features Jon "rapping" over the tender sounds of a harmonica and acoustic guitar. "I'm occupied don't you know I'm busy I'm watching this grass grow, bring it on, come on let's go, you've got to find a way to let me go, let me go, let me go, on record."

The live favorite "Frozen Brine", meanwhile, is a toe-tapping sing-along with the refrain "chest deep in the frozen brine."

Fans of the band will recognize many of the tunes on the record from live performances and should be pleased to find that the recording has a similar feel — a party where everyone is invited.

For those unfamiliar, this 14-song, 41-minute collection of songs is a worthy introduction to an eclectic and eccentric little band from the mountains of western Maryland.

posted [03.07.07]

2002-2007 White Elephant Productions