Arthur Channel is not one guy. Rather, it's the collective name of a foursome of musicians whose resumes include work in Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eleven, Queens of the Stone Age and The Wallflowers: Jack Irons on drums; Alain Johannes on guitar, cigfiddle and ebow; and Greg Richling on guitar and glockenspiel. Then there's newcomer singer/songwriter Jonathan Greene, who says he wrote the nine songs on Arthur Channel's self-titled debut secluded in a small cabin in Northern California. As a result, these atmospheric alt-rock-meets-folk songs reflect the challenges Greene faced moving to Los Angeles from a small town. His strong, compelling voice anchors the haunting and evocative music that borrows from Arthur Channel's pedigree without mimicking it. In fact, on "Thirst of the Universe," U2 is summoned more than the Chili Peppers, and "Most Satisfied" sounds like the roots of a great American rock band ready for the next step. Individually, none of these songs will completely grab you (and, to be sure, the album is an unlikely entry in The End Records catalog). Taken as a whole, though, Arthur Channel is a solid piece of work that sounds just as effective in 2014 as it would have in 1994.
Track Listing:
1) Vapor
2) Lighten Up
3) Thirst of the Universe
4) 16 Children
5) Ripple
6) New Life
7) We Are In It
8) Most Satisfied
9) Hand Over Arms
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