The Great Escape
The Great Escape
(Nordmeister)

“All I Think About” opens The Great Escape’s self-titled album with a bass drum stomp, “oohs” and hand claps, but then explodes into a funky jump of a guitar-full production. Amie Miriello’s vocals are perfect for this bluesy stuff and her bandmates, Malte Hagemeister (guitar) and drummer Kristian Nord really build a unique, fun sound from the get-go.

“Rebel” features more stomping and bluesy wailing from Miriello, plus over-driven guitar from Hagemeister. I love the lyrics here and the bleat of some great horn snapping from studio aces Katja Riekermann and Marco Palos.

The band gets all country on the hand clap-led “The Secret Song,” a nice little ditty, which is mostly a showcase for the amazing harp of Stanley Behrens. “Don’t Wake Me Up” sees some light organ and Hagemeister’s nicely plucked acoustic and again those great Miriello vocals. “It’s Getting Better” is a rangy guitar rave commercial 60’s pop song. I love the old time-sounding lead here.

“Let’s Go” opens with a beautiful Beach Boys-like vocal mélange, but although it gets jumpy and grooving by this point in this collection, we have heard too many songs like it already, and lyrically it just lays flat. Snapping bass and Nord’s drumming get “Put It on Ice” moving, but for me Miriello’s break-your-heart-open vocals on the sad ender, “I Just Can’t Help Myself” is worth its weight in gold. My God what a great song!