Reigning Sound

***Few familiar modern garage rock’n’roll would find fault with the view that Greg Cartwright is one of the today’s brightest talents. His singing and songwriting are second to none, as demonstrated in his previous bands The Oblivians and The Compulsive Gamblers. The Reigning Sound, his current vehicle, was born in Memphis, Tennessee, sired by a Flash & The Memphis Casuals 45 and nursed by a Barbara Pittman single. Childhood was not easy for this musical what-not. Kids shunned it for its rock’n’roll sensibility and obvious lack of polished shtick. In true stepchild fashion, though, the band continued to develop a unique sound all its own that didn’t really focus on preconceived genres. Rock’n’roll, R&B, gospel, pop and soul all melt into their The Reigning Sound’s distinctive Memphis sound. Their debut album on Sympathy For The Record Industry demonstrated their talents for crafting great, moody soundscapes. Their second album, Timebomb High School on In The Red, captures their full spectrum, from rockers to ballads. On Too Much Guitar, Cartwright goes for the throat with their hardest edged, toughest recording to date. Half recorded at Memphis’s famed Easley Studios and half recorded by Jay and Alicja of the Lost Sounds inside Cartwright’s own Legba record store, the album is a powerhouse that at times recalls the garage punk energy of The Oblivians — no doubt what a lot of his fans have been waiting for.