Focus by Bryan Cherry
Were there a radio format for new music that carries on the aesthetics of classic rock without nostalgic baggage, Bryan Cherry should be all over it. The Milwaukee rocker's voice has the resonance of a humbler, less cocky Jimi Hendrix. And, as can be heard on his latest EP, Focus, Cherry has a way of surrounding his own natural instrument with chordal organ tones, guitar twang and other elements signifying a musical utopia where blues, country, soul and psychedelia coexist organically and tunefully.
Complementing Cherry’s sonic sensibility are lyrics articulating an unselfish spirit seeking to understand others as he wants to be understood. Idealistic as all that may seem, he has good sense to end his four-song set with its most fun jam with a call to the dancefloor and arguably most seductive hook. Though Focus takes less than 11 minutes to hear in its entirety, Cherry’s arrangements leave room for the possibility of extended solos and improvisation that bode for a compelling concert experience. Art work for the release was done by Cynthia Hayes.
