The band’s principal songwriter/member, Greg Cartwright, has been leading the shifting cast of characters since 2001. This particular embodiment of the band includes longtime keyboardist Dave Amels, who joined the band seven years ago when ReigningSound recorded an album, consisting mostly of Cartwright’s songs, with former Shangri-Las lead singer Mary Weiss.
Dave proved to be key in putting together the current line-up. Three years ago, Greg was asked to make a promotional EP for Scion. Recordings were set to take place in Nashville where he had lined up two local friends to round out the band, but as fate would have it, both had to bow out at the last minute. Luckily, Mike Catanese, Benny Trokan, and Mikey Post—Dave Amels’ bandmates in Brooklyn soul group The Jay Vons—were up for the task. The four flew to Nashville, learned the songs, and recorded them with Greg in a couple of days. They have been touring and playing together ever since, and Shattered proves that the musical union is both exciting and consistent for fans of Cartwright’s songwriting.
The album was recorded at Daptone’s Brooklyn studio and masterfully engineered by Wayne Douglas. The recordings are warm and punchy, a mixed bag of rockers, ballads, and something in between. There are only 11 songs on the album, but the band reckons it’s just right.
