Huddle - a Review of The Phantom Tollbooth

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Basement Carnival
Artist: Huddle
Label: Independent
Length: 10 tracks/42:06

Independent band Huddle consists of three brothers, Bryon, Nolan, and Danny Rossi, and guitarist Nick Dean. Immediately upon reading the notes that came with the CD, I was jealous: these guys are still in college and have released their first CD!

Some of the issues dealt with include frustration in trying to be faithful to God (“Again”), sex, peer pressure, and misinterpreted images of love(“Sweetest Day”), and the hurt caused by bad or uncaring parents (“Why Not Me?”). “Life Goes On” deals with the failure of a relationship and broken trust, but points out that there is One we can trust to always be there”

While on these roads,
we all feel pain
But there is solace in one name
and He won’t say...goodbye

At times the vocals here resemble Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, but without the whininess. Bryon Rossi’s bass lines sound like the group Live in some songs. The overall tone of the album reminds me somewhat of the independent Minnesota band, Pegtop. At other points, the guitar work recalls west coast band dada. Huddle has done a good job here of blending different sounds and influences that make it difficult to pin down what their musical influence might be.

Tinged with bittersweet lyrics, and some humor, Basement Carnival is a promising debut for this band. The most powerful track to me personally is “Why Not Me?,” a tale of a child trying desperately to make his mother notice him:

Please turn this car around
I didn't mean to make you so mad
Just tell me what I did wrong
Please help me understand

Is it so wrong of me
Am I so selfish
To want to finally see your smile
to feel your breath and touch your skin
Why don’t you want your child?

It goes on to show how neglected children, or children of divorce, or abusive situations try to reconcile themselves to their parents:

I’ll be good, And I’ll be nice
and when you say to settle down
You won’t have to ask me twice,
Some things in life, you gotta keep
And since you have to pick a few,
Why not me?

Another standout is the song “Kazoo Song,” which features, you guess it, kazoos. Somehow, though, it works, blending the child’s toy with the driving guitars, and use of pauses.

Overall, this is an excellent beginning for a young band. It should be interesting to see if this is a one-off or the independent debut of a band that will become a collector’s item when they hit it big.

Brian A. Smith 6/15/2001

Any band that starts off an album with backwards guitars and does it well has got my attention. Huddle consists of Nick Dean on guitar and backing vocals, Bryon Rossi on bass, keys, lead and backing vocals and kazzo, Danny Rossi on drums and percussion and Nolan Rossi on lead and backing vocals, guitars, harmonica and kazoo. This Michigan based group has a pleasant mid-western rock feel to the album that carries the listener along on a wave of good tunes. Since the group seems to be largely a family ensemble, I can only hope that they stick around to put out a second, third and fourth album. Maybe in a year or two we'll be seeing them on the main stage at Cornerstone. Check out their web site at www.inthehuddle.net.

Chris MacIntosh aka Grandfather Rock 8/14/2001