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One would expect such great songs from a seasoned veteran songwriter,
and with a little research it comes to light that Paul Manousos
hosts a singer-songwriter night at a club out in California. So
it makes sense that the man gets his fair share of good and bad
songs running through his ears on occasion, luckily for listeners
of Common Thread he seems to be able to distill the goodness
from the badness and write some really amazing songs of his own.
The musicianship on Common Thread is spotless, like Wilco
with a bit more clean and indie leaning, sometimes striking
out for rock and occasionally delving into country territory with
more success than anything coming out of Nashville lately. The
production on the record, courtesy of Steve Fisk, is clean
and clear, every instrument finding its place and staking its
own ground for the edification of the others. Even if we were
to set the songwriting aside, we would be given a great album,
but once we consider the lyrics that Manousos creates we are left
with something intangibly more. His voice like a blending of such
disparate forces, the alto clarity striking in conjunction with
the perfection of the music, Manousos sounds almost like a nasally
John Hiatt or a contemporary Elvis Costello. His
voice is definitely singular and though it sometimes recalls influence,
it seems to be buoyed by its own unique personality, an oft-times
rarity for the bay area. His lyrics are sharp with wit and allusion,
creating splendid stories of life and of the emotions with which
his characters are faced. The songs on Common Thread are
personal, somewhat revelatory and confessional, as Manousos leads
us through his narrative and tells us of the world which his soul
inhabits. "Stay Awake" invokes the spirit of great Son
Volt, being country enough to fit comfortably, but with guitars
that are soaked in singing overdrive as they plow through intense
rhythmic riffs and brilliant leads. Manousos' cover of Merle
Haggard's classic "Silver Wings" is down-tempo and
soft, sparse in instrumentation, but with a wonderful guitar solo
inhabiting the bridge. The remainder of the record floats in the
territory of great rock music, poppy and familiar with touches
of country, doing its best to showcase the excellent lyrics that
Manousos pushes from his mouth and heart. There is an intense
soul inhabiting the songs of Common Thread, and they are
waiting for you to discover them.
-David DeVoe
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