Emeralds, the sophomore long player from Parlor Greens, finds the trio
serving up a beautifully curated sampler of what funky organ music can
be. On Parlor Greens’ debut LP In Green We Dream, they announced their
existence boldly to the welcoming arms of funky instrumental fans around
the world. Now, two years later, they’re back to up the ante. Three
true masters of their respective crafts: Tim Carman (Canyon Lights,
formerly of GA-20) on drums, Jimmy James (True Loves) on guitar, and
Adam Scone (Scone Cash Players, The Sugarman 3) on organ. Seasoned and
soulful pros coming together to make infectiously funky instrumental
jams.
Parlor Greens are truly in top form: tour tight and more confident than
ever in who they are and where they’re going. The album’s opener, “Eat
Your Greens,” kicks the doors off with a Charles Earland-inspired four
on the floor beat, with Jimmy and Scone driving the tune down the tracks
like an overloaded freight train, it simply cannot be stopped. On “Red
Dog,” the group channels the absolute heaviest shade of early R&B
with Jimmy’s crunchy guitar paving the way for both he and Scone to take
scorching solos. “Lion’s Mane” shows a slightly more sophisticated side
of the trio, with nods to one of Scone’s organ mentors, the
incomparable Dr. Lonnie Smith. Not to be
outdone by his bandmates, Tim Carman shows off why he plays the best
shuffle this side of the Mississippi on “Letter To Brother Ben,” a
gospel-tinged shuffler.
And while the results are stronger than ever, the mood of this second
cooking session was much different. The first time these three met in
Loveland at Colemine’s Portage Lounge studio was marked by a certain
freshness. It was new, it was the first time they had all played
together. It was exciting, it was unknown territory. The session for
Emeralds weighed much heavier on all three members. All three dealing
with personal tragedies in their individual lives, the session truly
served as a genuine moment of joy for the group. Just three talented
musicians, writing and playing music now as friends in a familiar
environment. No moment is the weight of the session more obvious than
with the album’s closer, “Queen Of My Heart,” a tune Jimmy wrote for his
mother shortly after she passed away.
So with a heavy and soulful heart, Colemine Records is beyond proud to
present the sophomore effort from three maestros. Parlor Greens
presents…Emeralds.
Tracklist:
1. Eat Your Greens
2. Mustard Sauce
3. Drop Top
4. Parlor Change
5. Emeralds
6. Letter To Brother Ben
7. Francisco Smack
8. Jolene
9. Lion's Mane
10. Red Dog
11. Queen Of My Heart
