By: Matthew Fox

Rating: 4 out of 5

For a group of guys that didn’t know how to even play their instruments upon forming a band, they have come a very long way. Hailing from upstate New York, The Felice Brothers use Celebration, Florida as somewhat of a time for reflection, telling stories of past experiences, regrets, and places. Also, this album sports a flat out refusal to be catty-cornered into a single genre. At times they have a swamp rock vibe, until we’re barraged with electronic beats (“Fire at the Pageant”), and right when we think they’ve secured themselves more with the electronic sounds (“Back in the Dancehalls”), the next track is nothing short of a country yodel (“Dallas”). This bunch is all over the map, and it’s a treat (as well as a task unto itself) to listen through Celebration, Florida.

Their mood swings are also about as unpredictable as their genres from song to song. Many of the songs are quick-paced and tell fun stories (“Honda Civic”), whereas others are very slow going and even self-depreciating at times (“River Jordan”). The great part about all of this, though, is their ability to pull it off flawlessly. The Felice Brothers are a quality group at both dance-worthy and sleep-inducing speeds.

It’s no surprise that Bob Dylan sits prominently at the top of their influence list, seeing as how the lead singer, Ian Felice, emulates him flawlessly on multiple tracks. From his emphasis on certain words to his sometimes cryptic lyrics, we have a mini-Dylan on our hands. Luckily, The Felice Brothers have enough originality to prevent this from appearing as a rip-off of one of the world’s most iconic folk legends (happy belated 70th, by the way). Check out “Best I Ever Had” to see what I’m talking about.

So whether you’re a fan of country (“Dallas”), rock n’ roll with horns (“Honda Civic”), or even Broadway show tunes (“Oliver Stone” sounds like it should be in Starlight Express...just saying), check out Celebration, Florida. The Felice Brothers are versatile, fun, and deserve some serious attention. Some track recommendations would include “Fire at the Pageant”, “Oliver Stone”, and “Ponzi”.

Matthew Fox lives in Nashville, TN. He drives a Jeep, frequently looks up cute pictures of animals online, and once won $15 off a lottery ticket. An archive of his blog posts can be found at foxtalks.wordpress.com.