Damon Mitchell, a southpaw six-string guitarist from Indiana, has a new EP on the horizon. It’s entitled Elise, and is slated to drop March 2.
The EP features well-known musicians, including Charlie McCoy (Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel), and Tris Imboden (Chicago, Kenny Loggins), along with Dave Martin on bass. The release party for Elise will take place at C2G Music Hall in Fort Wayne, Indiana, March 2. If you’re in the Mid-West, be sure to check it out.
According to Mitchell, “Music has power. It is an act of creation. It is a language. Music is a conduit to something bigger than ourselves; something far beyond us. It is a conduit, and yet is simply how we tell our stories.”
Elise comprises six tracks, leading off with “Heist,” a classic rock-flavored tune with echoes of piano-rock traveling on a contagious groove. Ooh-wah vocal harmonies complement the retro-flow of the harmonics. “Just A Face” conjures of memories of Procul Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale” because of the diatonic flow of the intro’s organ. The melody, measured and radiant, surges with washes of color and creamy vocal harmonies.
“License Plate” rides a So-Cal country rock melody reminiscent of America crossed with Leon Russell. A scrumptious fiddle infuses the tune with a country-lite superstructure, tasty with streaming nostalgic colors. “Salo” features a seductive feel, suffused with tight sensuality. The melody is delicious and mysterious, but the vocal interpretation seems slightly out of place.
“World In Her Eyes” delivers a smooth jazz-flavored melody, sultry and suggestive. Jacob Dupre’s flugelhorn infuses the tune with velvety tones both cool and savory, literally making the harmonics flow like warm Velveeta.
The last track, “Elise,” features a dark, enigmatic feel, as if trying to figure out what motivates a desirable yet touchy femme fatale. A dirty guitar solo adds tight beef trust tones to the tune, giving it a simmering sacrificial texture.
With Elise, Damon Mitchell displays his creativity and talent for silky classic rock savors.
