This past Saturday’s Woody Radio show was a real treat for me. I got to meet Nick Piunti, who’d literally released his new album, “Downtime”, only 24 hours prior.
Nick is one of those musicians who I’d heard OF for a number of years, but whose music I hadn’t heard. Until now. And wow, what an oversight on my part. We more or less run in the same circles–but they are pretty big and wide circles. So Maureen from Jem Records hooked me up, and just like that, he was on the line from Detroit, live on Woody Radio.
We had a blast. Nick grew up listening to everybody from The Beatles to Boston, and later to The Replacements and Crowded House. Those last two influences really tell a lot of the story. There’s not a whole lot of similarities, but you can hear how Nick’s new music fits between those two ends of the rock ‘n’ roll spectrum. His new band is called The Complicated Men, and having a dedicated band really ups the ante for him. He writes the songs–like dozens of them, concurrently, then figures out which 10 or so go on the record. Although they’re mostly finished, the Complicated Men take ownership and put in some finishing touches, and in some cases, take it a little further. The result–Downtime is a really great album. Melodic and rocking, with relatable themes about relationships, and life itself. It’s catchy, and the opening track, Upper Hand, is a real hook-filled, eardrum-grabber of a song. It would be an earworm on its own, but then the next song grabs you, and then so does the next one, and the one after that…
In the world of today’s music, I’d say that Downtime fits somewhere between Chris Church and Richard X. Heyman. Familiar–but not derivative. It’s like these songs should have always been there, but they’re brand new. I recommend you get this one. www.nickpiunti.com
Enjoy the show!
Artist | Title | Album
Iggy Pop | Home | Brick By Brick
Aimee Mann | Dear John | The Forgotten Arm
Blake Jones & The Trike Shop | Snapshots | Everybody’s Unplugged Except Martin
Rick Hromadka in the Twirl Studios | Welcome to Maple Mars | Live Twirl Radio exclusive
Kai Danzberg | Not Only Sunshine (Reprise) | Not Only Sunshine
Blaine Campbell | Happy Faces | Under the Tidal Wave
Felsen | Self Medicate | Accidental Drowning
Robyn Hitchcock | Alright, Yeah | Moss Elixir
Leonty / Rose Reiter | Inside | Single
The Cherry Bluestorms | Roy Wood | Whirligig!
Chandler Travis Three-O | The Mayor of Drunktown | Backward Crooked From the Sunset
The Bobbleheads | Do You | Myths And Fables
The Handcuffs | Dirty Glitter | Waiting For The Robot
The Mike Brown Band | What Would You Know | Single release
Old 97’s | Victoria | Wreck Your Life
The Corner Laughers | Movin’ Right Along | White Lace And Promises The Songs Of Paul Williams
Edward Rogers | Burn N Play | Glass Marbles
Trip Wire | Had Enough | Once & Always
Tina Lie | Twilight Hour | Free Enough To Fall
Bellygunner | Kilobyte | Machine Gun Built For Two
NRBQ | I Want My Mommy | NRBQ
Karim Fanous | Thin Bits | Stir Crazy
In Deed | Heart Attack | Everest
Jo Boxers | Just Got Lucky | Essential Boxerbeat
Jet Electro | For Sale By Owner | Jet Electro
Richard X. Heyman | Incognito | Incognito
Willie Wisely Trio | National Council Of Jewish Women’s Thrift Store | True
Sunshine Boys | I Was Already Gone | Work and Love
Identical Suns | Common Ground | Identical Suns
The Armoires | (How Did You Make) A Mistake Like Me? | Zibaldone
Desario | Formula One | III
The Who | Whiskey Man | A Quick One
Lannie Flowers | It’s All Over | Home
Flowers Of America | Who Knew | Videorama
Led Zeppelin | Hots On For Nowhere | Presence
Lost Leaders | All That I Want | Promises Promises
Rachel Taylor Brown | Mt. Athos | Falimy
The Judybats | Daylight | Native Son
Fun of the Pier | Cavern Song | 14:42
JonEmery and the Unconventionals | If You Think You’re Heartbroken Now | Wrecked
The Orange Peels | Mystery Lawn | So Far
The Jangle Band | The Duke Of Dog Swamp (6060 mix) | The Metro Hotel E.P.
Project:Ghost Outfit | Never Remember | Project:Ghost Outfit
Gail George | On the Avenue | Follow Your Bliss
Ass Ponys | Death Car $25 | Little Bastard
Krista D | Run Jane Run | Look at me… I’m Krista D
Duncan Faure | Back to the Day | 4
Sparklejet | Somewhere Along The Way | Phonovella
Nick Piunti interview
Nick Piunti & The Complicated Men | Upper Hand | Down Time
Nick Piunti & The Complicated Men | Bright Light | Down Time
Nick Piunti & The Complicated Men | All This Time | Down Time
Natalie Cortez & the Ultra Violets | Take You Home | Stupid Fresh Or Stupid Bad
Anton Barbeau | Magazine Street | Natural Causes
Al Green | Let’s Stay Together | Let’s Stay Together
Lisa Mychols | Domino | Sugar
Chris Church | What R U | Backwards Compatible
Sean O’Brien and His Dirty Hands | Kingdom Of Love (Soft Boys Cover) | My Colors Dark
Frank Black | Fazer Eyes | Teenager of the Year
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