Milwaukee drummer Johnny Calarco has long proven himself a versatile asset to the city’s music community. Playing with a gamut of acts running from ’90s funkateers Big Bang Theory to current pop-country road warriors Chasin’ Mason and giving lessons to other percussionists isn’t enough for him, though. For his debut album as a singer, he has shortened his surname and shot straight down the middle. The middle of the road, that is, an old name for what’s now called adult contemporary music.
Slick, softly rocking arrangements and accessible melodies fit Cee’s lyrics—songs of self-questioning, encouragement, reconciliation and pondering the condition of the world in a manner not overly despairing. That his high tenor bears a strong resemblance to ’80s-’90s hit-maker Corey Hart only adds to the familiar feeling that sounds to be his aim. If Calarco tires of hitting the skins any time soon, Cee has a decent shot at high rotation on John Tesh’s and Delilah’s air shifts. And if he tours behind Shine, the sight of a singing drummer always makes for a riveting visual.
