What was once mainstream is now fringe and what was once a put down, calling music Middle Of the Road, is now a badge of honor. Musicians like Scott Krokoff, and God knows there aren't many, are returning to a pre mid-1980s synth revolution to tap into a world of melody and analog, where lovely songs of self-awareness rule.
A couple of years ago, we wrote about his album A Better Life and the current EP Realizations & Declarations is more of the same and at its best a little better than the first release. The name you are thinking of is Bread, a song like "Acid Rain" is pop-rock as blues Billboard heatseeker circa 1973, it is a relation to "Down On My Knees", and a string of ballads, thru the heart of the 8 track, 34 minute EP. set the stage for a throw down at the end. This is way beautiful stuff, it has the ache of nostalgia but it isn't actually looking back anywhere.
Krokoff, a successful attorney who has followed a dream with a true independents DIY spirit, and is current enough to always add an electric break to his acoustic songs, and what you get is something like the terrific one, two, of "Closed" and "Don't" which would be very popular with a huge segment of the audience, the 40s and 50 year olds, who are so seldom catered for, if they actually heard it. "Closed" is a rocker but a rocker based around an acoustic sound. It is so well crafted it is easy to ignore how smart and sweet the melody is. And "Don't" is what popular rock and roll used to be, easy to sing along, a contracted guitar break, and a feel good (and self referring) message, "don't ever quit or you'll never know".
It is indicative that Scott goes his own way. This is stuff the major labels were born to push but the labels don't really do that any more, and one of the side effects of the past 60 years is that it is difficult for anybody to break through the rock and roll clutter. But I can't believe anybody can listen to the strings on "The Vow" -a lovely wedding song, surely, and not being completely charmed by the this singer songwriter.
Grade: B+
