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the melton brothers band - livin' in the city - favorite records - vinyl

New Copy

Genre: Funk / Soul

1. Operator
2. Willington
3. Money
4. No Regrets
5. Livin' In The City
6. Sail Away
7. I'll Take You There
8. The Kong Song
9. Calypso

The Melton Brothers Band is comprised of identical twin brothers Dale (Piano/Vocals) and Dennis (Bass/Vocals) Melton, Alfie Moss (Lead Vocals/Percussion), Tyrone Wilson (Drums/Vocals) and Bill Allman (washboard/percussion). Their one and only, self-produced album “Living in the City” was recorded live over the course of three different performances in Delaware and Pennsylvania during the summer of 1978. Alfie and Melton Brother’s Band had been playing together since 1972, which is the era that most of their influence is inherited from. The title track “Living in the City”, is hard to pinpoint, freely utilizing elements of jazz, funk, blues, and soul.

Alfie’s soaring vocals dance above and below the melody with an astonishing range and self-assured grace that is distinctly reminiscent of the legendary jazz vocalists of her early years. Dale’s keyboard workout instantly sets the warm mood, as Dennis keeps the rhythm and Tyrone supplies the addicting boom-bap that simply makes you want to move. But the message of “Living in the City” is what really hits hard – the lyrics of the chorus meaningfully explain an infinitely complicated mindset in a very humble and inspirational manner.

Unfortunately this album was a promo piece for the studio that The Melton Brothers never got off the ground so the amount produced and distributed was extremely limited. The band today is better than ever and still frequently gigs around the mid-Atlantic.