Blue Line

The workingman's rock vibe of Stand & Deliver's hometowns of Detroit and Flint, MI shine through on the band's debut full-length album. Lyrically, The Blue Line explores themes of alienation, the longing for love and meaning, and the struggle of living soulfully in a materialistic society. I can't tell you how many people have called me on the phone over the years and told me, Man, 'No Way' saved my life when I was going through such a hard time I didn't want to be here anymore, D.K. Brainard remarked. Brainard's stage presence in the late '90s was that of a man possessed, mixing Joe Cocker-like antics with the brooding, beatnik mannerisms of a young Tom Waits and the shamanic vibe of the Doors' Jim Morrison. By the time of The Blue Line, former Van Halen-style shredder Jeff Lupo had traded in his 1980s guitar god gear for a classic Les Paul and vintage Marshall amp. Recorded with vintage gear to analog tape in Atlanta and Nashville, Lupo's guitars come through the speakers with a depth and power reminiscent of classic '70s hard rock bands like Zeppelin, Bad Company and Judas Priest. Matt Shovelhead Brady's moody bass lines glue the set together with a warm, melodic flavor that evokes 1980s emo groups like The Smiths, The Cure and New Order, while Caribbean-born Ivan Prosper combines the hard-hitting groove of classic rock drummers like John Bonham with a unique, syncopated island feel.