The Steve Hensby Band
Great tones and vibe on “Righteous Street”
We love bands with horn sections and classic keyboard tones. We often worry that it’s a dying artform but thankfully there’s artists like Steven Hensby who are keeping this sound alive. In addition to a strong voice, he’s got solid command of his hollow-body electric, and commanding stage presence that is making a strong name for themselves out of their base in Western Australia (Perth, to be exact).
The track is a heavy 60’s, California R&B vibe. Great e-piano tones and bari-sax lines compliment and set the mood. Through the verse, Steve hits the higher tones of his alto register to bring the party into effect. This is a full-on B-52’s and catchy beach vibe party with a killer riff in the middle of the second verse that shows you this group of musicians has a lot of dexterity at their disposal. The lyrical idea behind “Righteous Street” sounds as if it’s a place where everyone can find their silver and gold, find people they can dance with, find peace and happiness in a party. We’ve all been strung along by the confines of life – so escape to “Righteous Street”, happiness can be yours!
Production and mix on the track is solid. Everything is clear and where it needs to be in the mix. Aside from the well place cricket sounds (yes, you need to hear it to understand my point), there’s no special effects or gimmicks pulled to try and make this track work – it doesn’t need it. The chord progression, tones, BGV’s and parts all speak for themselves. It all works very well.
Looking over their videos on Facebook you’ll see this is a solid live act. In an age where it’s hard to come by bands with a complete horn section, we hope they’re finding a boat load of gigs because they certainly stand out. We look forward to their next release!