Available via iTunes, Amazon, Kras’ personal website -- www.krasmusic.com, and also on those AMI jukeboxes you find in bars and clubs.
It has been a lot more difficult for me to write this review than I originally expected. I think it's because I love this album – In The Shadows, courtesy of Kras. When you love something, it can be challenging to put your feelings into words. As my old pal Andy Bader would say, every word you choose seems to be a bit of a misnomer (I had to look that word up when he used it with me; it means inappropriate, but “misnomer” has such a smoother ring to it. Nice work, Andy.)
So let’s just dive right in to this thing together. Kras’ music is perfect for lazy siesta-style afternoons, pensive road trips, downtime in the bathtub, prep music for an exciting date, or just lounging by the pool. The sound of it is consistent and fluid enough to support you when you need your brain to be otherwise occupied, but if you want to be affected and challenged, listen to the lyrics, as Kras uses fantastic phrasing and narratives in his songs. I would call him a modern-day bard: He tells stories with his songs and is focused on taking you on a journey that you can relate to, without trying to bombard you with exhaustive metaphors. The music has hints of a Spanish Santana-style, with a blending of jazz and country that awakens the senses in a real and lasting way.
Kras keeps in line with High Fidelity’s description of a perfect compilation: “You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don’t wanna blow your [umm, we’ll say “nose” here, this is a kid-friendly blog], so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules.” Kras follows the rules as though he wrote them himself.
The album opens with “Nothing More,” displaying chilling chords that seem to trail along the guitar like tears. The lyrics are literal and relatable, allowing you to visualize Kras’ need to leave, his desire for silence, his yearning for a peaceful escape: “Walked down the hallway with my shoes stuffed in my suitcase / Feel the floor against my feet.” As the song progresses, Kras elevates you from the literal to the figurative, drawing a more intimate connection when he compares the relationship, the broken love, as an “illness.”
Kras pays tribute to Aztec Two-Step with “Killing Me” and “The Infidel,” two hits originally written and performed by the band he considers one of his primary influences. There is a strong Eagles feel to each of these songs; moreover, with the complicated and unexpected chords changes, you can appreciate not only the influence this band has on Kras’ style and musical choices but also that Kras really has his own unique brand on music today. He can honor his influences but he doesn’t imitate them in his work – very pure and, for lack of a better descriptor, innocent in his sound and musical expression.
Kras writes for his daughter, dedicates another track to his father and son, and manages to give listeners the story of his life, set to fantastic music. In the song “Time,” Kras integrates more beautiful guitar solos and soft, consistent percussion that helps solidify the heartbeat of the album. The album actually reminds me of Madonna’s Confessions on the Dance Floor, Madonna’s club work that wove songs into one another to the point where the next track begins amidst the ending of the previous track. While Kras certainly isn’t providing grungy grind music to blast out of mega-speakers at a Rave, he carefully weaves his tracks into one another to gently carry you through the stories. Little disruption occurs, and the music floats through and within until it seems like the tracks are playing within you.
Displaying his sense of humor, Kras draws a parallel between Scrooge’s mentor Fezziwig and President Obama in the song “Old Fezziwig,” a lighthearted melody with powerful lyrics. Kras also exudes his humor in “Scimitar,” though you wouldn’t realize it just by listening to this dark and moody number. The story behind this song is fabulous – Kras’ friend David Nerz challenged Kras to write a song using the word “scimitar,” a word Nerz figured Kras wouldn’t be able to rhyme, let alone write anything worth repeating. Kras’ response is lyrical genius. This story reminds me of the background to Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, a book we all know and love – that story came about simply because Dr. Seuss’ friend challenged him to write a story using no more than 50 words. Like I said, genius.
What is apparent in Kras’ lyrics is that his life has been improved and at times misdirected by love, as is true for many of us. He creates a milestone love song with “My Mirage,” in which he tells the story of the one true, young love. While he writes about and to her, Kras simultaneously seems to look back and look ahead, from a midpoint in his own life, wondering what the future will hold as he ponders the fear of losing what is known.
Kras closes most appropriately with “Gratitude,” in which he reflects on the love of friendship in his life. The lyrics bring to mind the Irish Blessing, as he writes, “So Godspeed your days, with sunshine and glory / I never could have completed my story without you.”
In short, I love love love the album. This “new kountry” style is uniquely Kras but hopefully the beginning of a beautiful genre for others to emulate.
GO BUY THIS ALBUM!
