The Skye Bleu Crew Soars on “Doll House”
By Deuce
The Skye Bleu Crew has a number of things going swell for it on its latest release, “Doll House”, which dropped on March 11th. Together, each of these elements combines to create a gestalt that’s far superior than any of them individually—which is no mean feat.
For starters, someone’s working welcomed wizardry on the rhythm guitar that is both sprawling and focused, stylish and indelible. That someone’s name, of course, is none other than Jason Botka, who puts on a convincing performance for Most Valuable Player of this outfit.
The rhythm guitar curls and sinews, providing motion and space for the second most noticeable element of this tune, the magnificent vocals of Jen Botka. See where we’re going with this? The pair is truly memorable on this outing, with Jen delivering big voiced crooning as well as nuanced mastery of melody—the former typifying elements of the hook; the latter, that of the verses.
That lady is something special indeed, particularly when coupled with the male Botka’s penchant for not just hammering things out on the rhythm guitar, but also on the electric guitar that functions as a lead in parts. His technique is almost understated on this latter instrument, which is certainly a relief from the typical overbearing metal applications of this instrument.
In fact, Mr. Botka breaks it down with a solo fairly early on in the track in which both of these guitars—emitting decidedly distinctive sounds—seem to coalesce while delivering two solos for the price of one. It’s an aural manifestation that needs to be heard to be truly understood.
And, if that’s not enough, Botka’s also getting down on the organ, which adds a touch of elegance to this piece. Driven by a sense of funkiness and reserved for just the right moments, the vibrato on this instrument serves to elevate the overall musicianship of the recording, giving it a down home, bluesy-meets-funk type of appeal.
That vibe, evidently, is no stranger to Dominic Fallico’s drumming, which is distinctive in its own right and helps the tune spring to life during the transitions. Plus, Fallico’s keeping time with a slowish, deliberate type pace—deep in the pocket—that the other instruments sound so right atop.
Yes, the crew certainly knows what it’s doing on this one, and has all the winning numbers, too.
