Altsounds - Jeff Caudill - Try To Be Here [Album]

Did you notice how punk singers/songwriters, with age, seem to turn into some of the best pop country solo artists?

Ricky Warwick (Almighty), Eddie Spaghetti (The Supersuckers), Joey Cape (Lagwagon, Bad Astronauts): the list is endless.

Ex pop punk frontman Jeff Caudill is no exception, and “Try to be here” is a quality product that proves you can grow older and sing about your happy family life without going any softer or boring.

Totally self produced as the rest of Cahill’s work, “Try to be here” has elements of the Gameface´s “Four to go”, with a warmer acoustic sound that many compare to R.E.M. and The Lemonheads, and lyrics from the heart of a punk rocker [turned father], appreciating every moment of it and never looking back with any regret.

“Try to be there” is honest, simple but perfect, maybe not a work of genius but surely a work of the heart, oozing love for life and music. There may not be a lot of variety, but each song is a little gem in its own right.

The opening title track “Try to be there” is a tribute to his little daughter, a melody that sticks in your head with its catchy chorus and warm guitar tone. “Remember the time” is the one track that resembles the old "Gameface" sound, a perfect soundtrack to memories of happy, careless days, with a smile and no regrets, followed by the heart-warming ballad “Stay home”.

Bluesy guitars introduce “Spend”, which is a straightforward, romantic, American pop song and is my personal favourite. I found myself later singing "Spend" in the shower after listening to "Try To Be Here" just a couple of times. “Transition City” and “Reminder” didn’t particularly impress me, but "Caudill" catches my attention again with “I was the lead singer”, remembering playfully the Gameface days.

I must be honest, at some point “Try to be here” started sounding a bit all the same to me and I was losing interest, but “Song about a Pisces” picked it up again, with a very interesting change of rhythm and yet another catchy riff. A love song doesn’t get much more American country than “Let’s get lost”. “All things new” is a pleasant piano-led ballad which sees off the album and will stay in your head for a while.

Jeff Caudill’s team on “Try to be here” sees Robbie Rist (Cousin Oliver on "The Brady Bunch") on drums, Michael "Popeye" Vogelsang (Farside) on guitar, Missy Buettner (The Last) on bass and Michael Bains on Mandolin.

No big names, no big fuss, no big money here, just heart, soul and music, and whilst it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’ve been playing “Try to be here” for two days now and it keeps growing on me.

In “Stop writing songs” from his previous album “Here is what you should do”, Jeff Caudill sings "I don't need to write a hit, but I want someone to sing along with it."

Well, I’m singing “Remember the time” right now, so yes Mr Caudill, you’ve done it right!