Armchair Boogie (from the album Hard Times & Deadlines

Armchair Boogie (from the album Hard Times & Deadlines

Armchair Boogie (from the album Hard Times & Deadlines available as a self-release) (by Brian Rock)
For some people spring means the return of baseball games, or chirping songbirds or colorful gardens. For those of us with a more musical bent, spring means the return of outdoor music festivals. One of the hottest bands on the outdoor music scene right now is Armchair Boogie. If you’re not on their bandwagon yet, their new album, Hard Times & Deadlines, might just compel you to jump on board. With two singer songwriters (guitarist Ben Majeska and banjo picker John “Augie” Dougherty) the group packs a double punch. Delivering the absolute best ‘feel good’ parts of traditional Bluegrass, they add touches of Rock, Soul, Country, and even Funk to create a high energy hybrid that’s worthy of comparison to Old Crow Medicine Show and Trampled By Turtles.
“Hard Times” introduces the album and confirms the band’s Bluegrass bona fides with deft banjo picking and Oak Ridge Boys style vocal harmonies. The pounding drums and throbbing electric bass (provided by Denzel Connor and Eli Frieders respectively) add a modern spin to the hootenanny as the band addresses the challenges of modern living. Trying to cope with the demands of life, Dougherty sings ‘hard times and deadlines, push me through to the good times. I got a cheap old car and a bottle of gin’. Embracing what he does have, Dougherty makes the most of his situation until ‘someday I’m gonna wake up. I’m gonna fill up and sip on my cup’. The combination of hope for the future and simple daily pleasures is enough to not just survive, but to live with a song on his lips. The spunky rhythm perfectly complements the lyrics.
Getting more musically adventurous, the band adds elements of Funk to “Livin’”. Starting off with traditional full tilt Bluegrass rhythms, the band hits the instrumental bridge with a bassline straight from Bootsie Collins. The funkified guitar and bass play like Flatt & Scruggs meets Parliament Funkadelic as the band poses the existential question ‘what’s the good in livin’ if the livin’ really isn’t that good?’. “Gone in a Day” shifts gears again, as the band incorporates Celtic rhythms. Exploring new musical vistas, the band ventures into Southern Rock on “Skippin’ Town”. The gentle, acoustic rhythms suddenly give way to explosive rock and roll guitar as the band sings about getting away from it all and finding new adventures. “Boneyard” incorporates harmonica laced Folk Rock rhythms to contemplate the temporary nature of life and how to make the most of it. Venturing further afield, the band adds a touch of Soul to “Low Down Time”. Struggling in a seemingly indifferent world, Majeska pleads, ‘it’s been a lowdown time and things have been out of line. And I just need some help getting by. Won’t you help me stay alive’. The desperation of the lyrics is offset by the uplifting horn section and the playful banjo strumming. Like life itself, the song combines peaks and valleys to create a much more interesting musical journey.
Having showcased their musical diversity, Armchair Boogie dive back into traditional Bluegrass on “You’ve Been Hurt”, “Empty Pools”, “Liquor Store”, and the barn burning, “All the Same”. Whether traditional or experimental, Hard Times & Deadlines” is Bluegrass played with fury, finesse, and a touch of fun. Armchair Boogie plays the kind of music that makes you leap out of your armchair and onto the nearest dancefloor, even if that dancefloor is a grass field.  (by Brian Rock)
Listen and buy the music of Armchair Boogie from AMAZON
For more information, please visit the Armchair Boogie website