That little ‘ol Nashville power trio SIMO is at it again. Their second release via Mascot/Provogue is Rise & Shine. Available for purchase on double vinyl, CD, digital download, or streaming audio on September 15th, Rise & Shine has taken a hard left turn from their previous Provogue offering, Let Love Show the Way.
Amidst their 215 show tour last year, the band began writing for Rise & Shine. Varying a bit from their solid blues rock format, SIMO has some new influences. Artists such as Alabama Shakes, Funkadelic, and Isaac Hayes have been on their listening lists of late. The result is an album that has soulful vocals, funky, bluesy, and sometimes psychedelic guitar jams, all covered in a thick layer of bass and drums.
The work ethic of SIMO comes across in a big way. JD Simo on guitar and vocals, drummer Adam Abrashoff, and bassist Elad Shapiro combine into a force to be reckoned with. Don’t let the cover of the album fool you. Although these three guys are having fun, they are not playing around. SIMO has widened their sound with slow-smoked soul ballads, psychedelic desert-rock instrumentals, hard-edged, bluesy barn burners, and Stax-worthy funk rockers. Check out their first video from Rise & Shine, “People Say.”
