MAJOR STARS
Decibels of Gratitude
"Eighth full-length studio album by this long running Massachusetts ensemble. What to say about a band who continuously claims Otis Rush and Buddy Guy as it's primary influences, but usually finds their records filed in the 'noise/experimental' bin? Any mention of Major Stars tends to send some scurrying for the most obscure psychedelic references, but one need look no further than the Who or Cream to find the primary ingredients of melodic songwriting combined with an over-the-top instru…
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Sometimes the best gigs are the happy accidents-- stumbling on an unknown band, or being convinced to see an artist by a friend only to become a convert yourself. That's how I was introduced to Major Stars: Hijacked, dragged to a tiny Baltimore bar where the band was headlining. And then, boom: Wayne Rogers launched into the first of many acid-rock solos and full-front assaults. I was awestruck in a way you assume people felt when first seeing, say, session guitarist Pete Cosey (best known for …