Maxwell Feinstein
Maxwell Feinstein has recruited a considerable cadre of friends and fellow musicians to help realize his new album Redefine. These collaborators exert an influence over the word that goes far beyond the musical as many provided key support for Feinstein during the recording process and his everyday life. Feinstein lives every day with the blood disorder hemophilia and serious elbow surgery in the recent past called into question his ability to continue playing the guitar and performing as before.
He's a lifer, though. You get the feeling listening to songs such as the first one “Borderlines”, “Stop the Madness”, and “Pass”, among the others, that Feinstein would be writing and playing songs even if he never had the opportunity to record anything. It is catharsis. It is joy too, however, the unfettered liberation of his cares and worries in a musical vehicle sleek, polished, and ready to steamroll any trial placed in its path. The opener, in particular, is an early musical jackhammer straight out the gate proving his alternative rock bonafides, if nothing else.
“Stop the Madness” diversifies the album with its second song. He takes the scenic route during the song’s first half, prioritizing atmosphere and message over muscle, but the second half flexes its guitar and rhythm section power with memorable results. “Pass” is another winner and arguably has much more bite than even the harder rock tracks.
The rhythm section brings the heat in a way they aren’t asked to during the other songs and the funk/rock mix promises this number, if it ever reaches a stage, will blow the roof off any place.
One of the album’s most thoughtful and fully realized songs arrives with “Dear Anxious”. Fans of intelligent songwriting will especially love both the form and content of this song as he reaches new heights in both areas. The musical arrangement is, likewise, spot on and the production gives the track robust theatricality without ever laying things on too thick for listeners. “Bleed” is a final hard rock salvo for those who love such songs. The guitar attack is straight ahead throughout, none of Feinstein’s songs are always about giving a song what it needs, but warmer guitar sound might have been even better.
The final song, “Redefine”, comes in the spot we often times associate with title songs and with good reason.
This has all the trappings of the “definitive statement” without risking pomposity and the slightly psychedelicized and exploratory spirit of the song will capture more than a few imaginations. Polina Antoni Kanin co-produced the album with Feinstein, along with providing some additional arrangements along the way, and their teaming produces superlative results.
It's an extension of his advocacy for the bleeding disorder community as well. Feinstein’s determination to put himself out there and make his presence felt in the music world brings joy, without a doubt, but it likewise brings a level of awareness that would be a little more difficult to reach without the efforts of such individuals.
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Trace Whittaker
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
3/2022
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