PETER HOLSAPPLE: The Face of 68

The Face of 68 is the latest offering from multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Peter Holsapple, who recently performed at Palo Verde House Concerts. Holsapple is based out of the Winston-Salem, North Carolina area, and his credentials are impressive as a member of the dBs, which gained some notoriety as a power-pop group in the early 1980s, in addition to his touring with Hootie and the Blowfish two decades back.

The 11-track album, produced by Don Dixon and recorded at Overdub Lane Studio in Durham, features Holsapple on acoustic and electric guitars, lead vocals, with Robert Sledge, bass, and Rob Ladd, drums, collectively delivering a tight power trio groove reminiscent of everyone from Tom Petty to REM to Neil Young.

But comparisons aside, Holsapple has his own voice and his lyrical metaphors and images as a keen storyteller win the day throughout with no holds barred beginning with the opening track rocker, “Anytime Soon,” setting the strong straight-ahead rock groove that permeates throughout most of the album.

The title track, “The Face of 68,” wastes no time in revealing Holsapple’s observations of aging. “68, oh 68, I’m trying to keep the whole deal straight,” and subsequently on the soulful tune, “High High Horse,” behind dulcet phaser tones along with the lush accompaniment of the Hammond organ. “I used to think about getting older, but how hard it had to be…and the world gets colder and colder.”

Holsapple waxes philosophically behind the heavy groove on “Larger Than Life.” “Like a chill in the air, you are everywhere, you are larger than life,” and on “My idea #49, “Nobody gives credit where credit is due, believe it or not it was my idea.”

Holsapple hits lyrical gold on the novelty rocker “That Kind of Guy,” with a number of quirky and humorous lines reflecting about his eclectic box set collection. “I have Brian Jones’ shoe from the bottom of the pool.”

Holsapple is no slouch on his electric guitar solos, which are perfectly placed in minor pentatonic fashion, with just the right lengths and embellished appropriately with obligatory sustain and overdrive, particularly on “See About You,” talking about his own “cinnamon girl,” I presume. “I’m gonna come see about you, and make sure you’re doing alright.”

The rocker “Fireflies,” as well, with the band in full-throttle rock groove. “Standing on the beach laughing at the waves.” The final track, “She and Me,” opens with the clever line, “She and me make the most unlikely we,” and has the best overall production and arrangement with mellifluous Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies perfectly placed to bring the album to a pleasing conclusion with myself wanting to hear more as I’m sure we will in the near future.