Aural Fixations

MARAH
20,000 Streets Under the Sky
(PHIdelity/Yep Roc)
When Marah first emerged from its Philadelphia environs in the late 90s, it became the cause celebré of champions of American roots rock like No Depression. As anybody working in that genre can tell you, though, being a critically acclaimed roots rocker simply doesn't pay the bills, so after two beloved but low-selling albums in that vein, bandleaders Dave and Serge Bielanko moved to Wales and rebooted. 2002's almost defiantly poppy Float Away With the Friday Night Gods was the result. Though the band should be lauded for its courage in so boldly heading in a new direction, the record's heavily processed grooves and uneven songwriting alienated old fans and attracted few new ones. The former will no doubt hail 20,000 Streets Under the Sky as a return to form, as the Bielankos and their latest batch of sidemen do indeed abandon the modern rock stylings of Friday Night Gods. But the band smartly keeps the other, less championed element of that star-crossed record: the absorption of grooves drawn from Philly's great R&B tradition. The rhythms of tunes like "Tame the Tiger" and "Going Through the Motions" sway and shiver like the best of the Gamble and Huff hit machine, while keeping the rock & roll guitars and melodies; "Pizzeria" even adds some street corner doo-wop to the equation. The combo of Philly soul and Americana rock is a smart and satisfying one, and Marah would do well to exploit it more often. Meanwhile, longtime fans will be pleased by the return of the group's more typical tuneage, such as the widescreen folk rock of "Freedom Park," the tough roots pop of "Feather Boa" and the bluesy, banjo-driven snarl of "Pigeon Heart." Respect is also due Marah for being one of the few roots rock outfits that can pull off ballads well, as demonstrated by the lovely "Soda." It doesn't hurt that the Bielanko brothers resurrect the songwriting muse that seemed slippery on the previous record; there's not a bad number here. It would be an insult to the Bielankos' sense of ambition to call this album a comeback, but there's no doubt that 20,000 Streets Under the Sky is as strong and satisfying as anything Marah has ever done. Michael Toland [buy it]