Steve Conte continues his brilliant and enviable streak of studio releases with a first-class delivery of his categorically uncategorizable pastiche of Garage, Power Punk, and Rock ’n Soul. Concrete Jangle (Wicked Cool Records, April 20, 2024) is a platter-perfect Record Store Day gift to anyone who loves their melody wrapped in a coating of snakeskin attitude. The album needs to come with a disclaimer: It becomes better with each play!
Five of the tunes were co-written with XTC’s Andy Partridge and all fit seamlessly into this ten-song sonic semblance orchestrated by Mr. Conte. He lends his muscular support to such modern-day crankers (“We Like It,” “4th of July”) and provides the emphatic support, nay, foundation that allows this album to soar.
“Motor City Love Machine” is a foot-stomper with a nod to The Pretenders that arguably provided the rock ’n roll earworm candy for this collection.
Before the concrete set, Mr. Conte amazingly mixes in some mid-tempo gems that provide the aggregate for the album. “All Tied Up” is my current favorite, “Decomposing A Song For You” could’ve easily found a home on Skylarking, and “I Dream Her” is a most soulful way to tie it all together.
It’s not a matter of if, but when Steve Conte becomes the household name he so richly deserves to be is when we’ll look back on this album and think it was never more obvious.
