Pat McGee Band
Save Me
Kirtland Records
Following the end of Pat McGee Band’s major label deal with Warner Bros., the band has signed with Kirtland Records and re-released Save Me, complete with extra acoustic bonus tracks.
Taking such a step is quite unusual, but the quality of the rootsy, yet slick and highly commercial music evident on Save Me probably convinced the band’s new label bosses that the record had not reached its potential previously, and so deserved a second chance. Certainly, songs like fan favorite “Annabel” and “Must Have Been Love” are radio-ready, while the delicate ballad “You And I” could also be a success, given the right promotion. Under the production stewardship of Gregg Wattenberg and Marti Frederiksen, Save Me is a slight departure from the more acoustic-based material of the band’s previous releases. “Set Me Free” emphatically affirms this change of direction, while retaining the band’s traditional melodies and hooks.
The bonus five-song acoustic portion of Save Me is the carrot to tempt owners of the original release to buy this version. Yet, while the acoustic songs show the band in a different light, the addition of a couple of new studio tracks may have been a wiser move. That small gripe aside, Save Me is a must for fans of Counting Crows, Train and Matchbox Twenty.
Pat McGee Band: http://www.patmcgeeband.com
