Radio Silence by Home At Last

A great listen, and fun to parse in terms of instrumental and studio techniques.

(NOTE: Cotton Kent is an accomplished veteran pianist whose credits include having been a member of “Good God”, a jazz-rock fusion band that recorded for Atlantic. He’s also toured and recorded with Duke Williams and the Extremes. In addition, Mr. Kent appears on numerous recordings by such artists as the O’Jays, The Spinners, Lou Rawls, MFSB, SalSoul Orchestra, Major Harris, Blue Magic & The Trammps.)

---------

“You guys rock!!!!!! You guys have renewed my faith in independent music.”

- Evan Weinzirl, fan

---------

ABOUT HOME AT LAST:

HOME AT LAST, based in southern New Jersey, is a top drawer rock band with a long and accomplished history. Comprising guitarists Ernie Trionfo and Steve Shurman, bassist/keyboardist Bruce Pike, and percussionist Charlie Andaloro, HOME AT LAST first came together in the fall of 1984. The current lineup has been together since 1987.

The group has released four CDs, all on the indie Smiling Moose label: "Line By Line" (1989); "You Can't Fight Fiction" (1993); "Perfectly Good Cigar (1997); and their latest CD "Radio Silence" (2006). In addition, they released a 4-song EP called "Warmer September" in 1992. They've won numerous awards, and have performed at countless "name" venues.

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:

Prior to joining Home At Last, guitarist Ernie Trionfo performed with a whole host of groups and artists including Fran Smith, Jr. (now of the Hooters) in a band called Easy Street. One of the finest guitarists in the country, Ernie remains an in-demand session player and also owns and operates Ernie's Guitar Repair shop in Minotola, NJ. His work in the latter rae has received national press, and his guitar set up and repair work is sought after from many corners of the music industry.

Among his prior accomplishments, bassist/keyboardist Bruce Pike fronted his own band "Pike's Peak," and has also performed with many NJ and PA based rock and jazz groups. In addition to bass and keyboards, Bruce also plays guitar, sings, and dabbles on the drums. Bruce is a particularly strong live performer both as a bassist and as a lead vocalist.

Guitarist Steve Shurman has played with many rock and blues bands in NJ, and previously worked with Bruce Pike in "Pike's Peak" and also with jazz/pop artist Skip Finch. He compliments his blues inflected guitar stylings with his increasing use of MIDI and synth guitars, which he uses to great effect on "Radio Silence."

Charlie Andaloro has worked with many area name groups, and is the technical wizard of the group, serving as engineer and producer on all of Home At Last's recordings. He is a rock-solid player on both traditional drumkits and on his Roland V-drum kit. He's also an avid photographer and kayak enthusiast.

--------

ABOUT "RADIO SILENCE":

To a man, the members of HOME AT LAST believe Radio Silence is the best work they've done in their two-plus decades together, and they credit the results to their choice to completely absent themselves from live performance for several years, taking the time to exploit new music technology, and to expand their musical reach as both as composers and as players. "Back when we did our last CD," says Pike, "we were mainly interested in getting onto disc the basic live sound of the band. This time out, we threw all that to the wind and instead tried to capture what was in our imaginations, no matter how many extra instruments and different sounds we had to get onto the tracks. I think people who hear this new work, especially people who’ve been acquainted with our music, will be very surprised and pleased with what we’ve done… at least I hope so."

Among the tangible changes evident on this CD is the much wider palette of sounds employed, particularly those emanating from the group’s extensive use of MIDI and synth guitars, keyboards, and electronic V-drums. "We were really able to fully orchestrate a number of the songs in this collection, which we were never able to do before. And because of our ability to use a digital hard drive recorder along with the computer based ProTools recording software – and the fact that one of us actually owns all the equipment and the software – we could take as long as we liked perfecting the sounds and the mixes."

What sort of music is on the new album? Pike says, "I do think that anyone who’s heard Home At Last before will be able to identify it as being us. For the most part, our music is still based in the adult contemporary/classic rock approach to things. But at the same time, we've included a whole range of new twists. Keyboards and MIDI guitars are a big part of the band’s sound now, and it was great that Steve was able to supply us with violins, sitar, brass sections, and a whole host of other sounds throughout the album, all from his MIDI guitar setup. Charlie was able to put in a lot of cool stuff with his new V-drum setup, too. And where there are vocal harmonies, they're thick, and we've put in a lot of vocal counterpoint as well."

The songs on the CD range from "All I Want To Say," a 2 minute, 49 second tip of the hat to the British Invasion bands of the '60s, to "November Suite," which at nearly 9 minutes, is a progressive rock tour-de-force featuring full orchestrations, synthesizers, tempo changes, and, as Pike says, "everything but the kitchen sink." Asked if he had a favorite song on the CD, Pike replied, “I like all of it. I really don’t have a favorite. But I must admit to being particularly proud of 'A World Away,' which is the first song I ever composed at the piano, and was chosen by the guys to open the album." But Pike also quickly adds, "You really DO need to hear Ernie’s tune 'Lady Renegade,' which some people will recall, because we’ve been performing it since the earliest days of the group, but which we've finally been able to give the right studio treatment. And Ernie sings the daylights out of it, too."

When asked about possible radio airplay, Pike says, "Unlike past albums we've done, I know for sure that we've got a couple of radio friendly pieces on the CD, and it would be nice if a couple of the local stations gave them a spin or two. But we called this CD Radio Silence primarily because at the end of the day, we know that in today's pop music market, you’re liable to hear silence on your radio long before you hear us played there! In fact, since we've also pretty much given up the idea of performing live on a regular basis, the only way you'll get to hear us now is on this recording... so I hope you'll consider buying a copy!"

Average Customer Review: