Sensible Shoes is a Vermont-based blues band whose 15 minutes of stardom came with the release of, "Philadelphia," the tear-jerking story of a outed homosexual which starredTom Hanks, who garned an Oscar award for his portrayal of his character and Denzel Washington.
Their song, "yes means yes" had several seconds worth of play in the movie, though the song was unfortunately not featured on the movie's soundtrack.
Sensible Shoes's sound on their 1996 debut CD, "Step Off" is a combination of blues/jazz/classic R&B/rock and funk, infused with soul by the lyrics and vocal talents of the lead singer, Jenny May.
The twelve original songs penned by producers Barbara Hand and Tim Utt on "Step Off" sound in most aspects original, yet their influences are in some instances clearly heard. Their indebtness to "great black American music" as quoted in the Valley News upon the release of their compact disc, is the basis of their sound.
There are some excellent, almost melancholy songs on this release that are beautifully done and truly showcase the band's ability to collaborate well.
For example, the tracks "now that i found you" and "my history," are both stirring and different in emotional statement.
The sound that they carry off is great. "now that i found you" closely resembles a voice that can be likened to that of Latina singer Gloria Estefan. The song is a laid-back jazz ditty which is one of the album's better tracks.
That differentiating edge is ever-present in the vocals, while the instrumentation is a strong, yet not-overpowering backdrop. Their song "message machine" brings back memories of Carole King and "I Feel the Earth Move."
Tracks like "leave you lonely" and "yes means yes" are catchy and upbeat, while songs like "danger street", and "on location" show off the group's more bluesy-rock edge.
A feeling of enjoyment is the overall sentiment of this CD: a slightly familar yet still original sound that comes through nicely.
The song production and fine instrumentation on this album, showcased wonderfully on (once again) "my history" which features two cellos played by band members Erich Kory and John Dunlop and "now that i found you" which shows off a great saxophone played by Dave Grippo, exposes the true talent of this group.
All in all, "Stand Off" is a terrific debut. It would be nice to see and hear more from this local band.
Sensible Shoes was most recently featured in a private concert for Dartmouth's 25th Year of Coeducation Celebration this weekend and the band has also recently played in the Lone Pine Tavern of the Collis Student Center.
