Jam fusion band, The Dream Logic, is made up of polished and proven musicians including composer and multi-instrumentalist Charles Compo, drummer Camille Gainer and bassist Jerry Brooks. The band formed in 2012 and released their debut album which featured Eric Krasno (Soulive), Mark Peterson (Vernon Reid, Cassandra Williams), James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band) and Mark Williams (The Legendary Roots Crew, Kool & The Gang). Individually, members of The Dream Logic have shared the stage and credits with pop, funk and soul superstars Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Roberta Flack and Martha Reeves and they have composed for equally big names such as Camila Cabello, Twyla Tharp and The Weeknd. Their latest release “Liquid Sunshine” consists of 13 stellar tracks with music and lyrics written by Charles Combo.
The CD opens with “Fakes and Fools.” Listeners will be impressed by the group’s tight-as-hell, in-the-pocket rhythmic sensibilities. The percussion is as clean and crisp as it gets with fills that roll in all the right places. Drummer Camille Gainer and bassist Jerry Brooks create the heartbeat and the pulse, the drive and the dance, the groove and the move that makes The Dream Logic tick. A confident guitar slides in and joins with muted strumming and nice funky riffs. The rest of the soundscape is filled in with keys and hammered bell-like accents that interplay conversationally with the guitar. Compo enters singing, “This is a beautiful spot in a crappy place. Futurist cowboys all over the place.”
Compo’s voice has a rock star delivery. “Fakes and Fools” is filled with small jams and layered textures that keep your ears alive with tasteful musicianship. The chorus rocks out with catchy melodic content. It's a great start to a great album.
“Without You” is up next with a gripping southern blues rock feel; the song has a wonderful swampy groove and plenty of rock n’ roll sex appeal to spare. Lead singer Compo absolutely kills it with passionate vocals that know how to go from gritty to smooth with ease. Background vocals add more to the southern flavor. In a surprise moment, the song cuts to silence as Compos sings, “Without you, there’d be no me.”
Another great track “ I’m gonna take it from You” hits the funk straight in the gut and knocks it over with splashes of psychedelic and classic rock material. The song is musically and lyrically filled with attitude. The theme is about beating someone to chase before you’re taken. “You can look but you can’t see. You can steal, but you can’t steal from me. I’m gonna take it from you. I’m gonna take it from you.” A lead guitar solo cries it’s tears on the strings with great finesse.
"Queen of Hearts" changes the mood with this introspective mid-tempo ballad. There is everything to love about this song. It’s rock n’ roll at its best and it takes your breath away. “A hangover in the morning kicks me in my head. I’m still lying in the darkness. Ah, nothing to be done. Nothing to be said.” Combo kills it again with just the right amount of angst. Yes, this is rock and roll but every nook and cranny is filled with deliberate nuance. With so many tracks to sink your ears into, another that stands out is “I’m Afraid to Speak.” It’s an engaging song, a full meal with many musical courses to satisfy. It serves up slices of jazz, blues, rock and funk and mixes them together in one delectable cocktail.
The Dream Logic combines instrumental sophistication and substance with great vocals and arrangements to create an engaging rock-funk masterpiece with a vibrant fusion of genres, musical colors, texture and rhythms - Bravo.
For more information on The Dream Logic, visit their website.