Great Lakes "THe Distance Between"

Ah, there's nothing like stoned-out rock. Mellow music made by talented musicians is always a-ok in my book. Sure, much of country-rock seems to be nothing more than a basic rehash of the history of the Byrds and the Bee-Gees, but if it's done well, it's easy to forgive. Great Lakes, you're forgiven. Mellow, stoned-out inspired 60s rock. That's all that you're going to find on The Distance Between. Really. There's nothing groundbreaking at all, just a bunch of folk making music. Of course, with members of such luminaries as Ladybug Transistor, Japancakes, Essex Green, Sunshine Fix, Of Montreal, Neutral Milk Hotel...well, you should pretty much know what to expect. Yup, it's kind of a E6 jam session project type of thing, and that's just fine. Not that I mind, really; those guys, for all of my general dislike of the whole E6 scene, are all great musicians.

Starting off with "Free Scene" and the "Sister City," Great Lakes eagerly puts the acid on the rock, though those are the only moments of real psychedelia. "Ever So Over" brings out what I feel to be the Great Lakes' secret weapon: the piano. The piano really is their strength, because it brings out an Elton John influence that not many musicians openly embrace. "Bead by Bead" and "This Will Be Our Year" are some of the best songs I've heard from the E6 collective, period--though "This Will Be Our Year" is a cover of the Zombies. They also do excellent covers of Mike Nesmith ("Some of Shelley's Blues") and the Bee Gees ("Morning of My Life"). At least they're honest enough to cover their influences, and they do a pretty respectable job of it as well.

I don't know about the status of Great Lakes; looking at the notes, it doesn't seem like it's an ongoing project, because the sessions stretch as far back as 1996. They've released one album, and I'm pretty sure they're a part of the Sixth Great Lake as well. Regardless of whether or not the band is a full-time project or a sometimes project, The Distance Between is a nice (albeit short) album from a group that, while not the most original, has the potential of making some really nice music.

--Joseph Kyle