Todd Underwood – Flying Blue

Todd Underwood – Flying Blue – Album Review

Always great to have this man in the mix & hear what he’s been up to lately.

Todd’s what you’d consider to be one of the more reliable and consistent artists out there in the scene.  While it’s probably fair to say he’s got a signature sound you expect to find record after record, you’ve also gotta admire the consistency he brings to his music, and things change enough so that you don’t get bored.  Plus, I mean, the dude can play.  You listen to a solo like you’ll find on the opening track of his new album Flying Blue, called “Love Over Fear,” and you’ll know exactly what I’m talkin’ about.  Certain things you’ll recognize from what you’ve heard from the guy in the past, like the tone of the bass he uses, or the stylistic sound of his voice, but at the end of the day, if you’re a fan of the man, you know you’re always in-store for more of what you love.  There’s solid punch and definition in a track like “Love Over Fear,” and of course plenty of melody to go with it in the main hooks too.  As for the chops you’ll hear on display, Todd draws from an endless well of talent…you’ll never find any issues with what this dude creates from performance to production – he’s a veteran of the scene, and he knows how to make the magic happen when the red light comes on and it’s time to record.  I dig it…especially that first hit of the chorus in “Love Over Fear” – Underwood gets the energy and intensity flowing quickly, with a hybrid Funk/Rock combination that definitely works for me.  Like I was saying, it’s always great to have him back in action where he belongs.  He’s never gone for long…Underwood is constantly up to something.

Alrighty…now there we go…I wasn’t expecting to find some horns in the mix, that’s a nice surprise!  “If You Only Knew” has got a lot goin’ on in its favor.  Musically, I think Todd’s got some exceptional hooks that reside outside & around the verses & vocals he’s got here, and once again, he’ll show ya that he’s got the art of the hook locked down in the chorus of “If You Only Knew.”  Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s always radiantly apparent how crafted his songwriting is and how he’s consistently dialed right into what he wants to do, but it’s equally interesting to hear how much a difference there can be in the allure of a chorus and a song’s main hooks in comparison to the way the verses work, you know what I mean?  Even the best of the best out there, in whatever kind of style of music you dig most, the unspoken rules likely still apply 99% of the time – a chorus is almost always going to outshine the verses of any given tune, it’s just a matter of how much, you dig?  I don’t mind the verses of “If You Only Knew” – they work, they’re fine – but it’s the chorus of this cut and its surrounding instrumentation that sells it.  Ain’t nothing wrong with that in my opinion – it’s the songs that don’t have any lift to’em at all in any part that should be the most concerning y’all.  “If You Only Knew” simply has a chorus that’s irresistible, and as a result, the verses seem to pale a bit by comparison after you’ve had a few spins through this tune.  Todd’s vocal melody in the chorus is brilliant…the trumpet solo around 2:50 mark is absolutely killer – and if you listen to how much the bass-lines are kickin’ ass in tandem, believe me, you’ll find this track to be nothing but impressive.  Lots of color to this tune when it comes right down to it…I dig it…it’s memorable, it’s got spark…I don’t think I’ll be alone in turning “If You Only Knew” up and singing along.

So…there’s a difference between prejudging something and having enough experience in doing what you do to know what’s about to come atcha, you follow me?  I figured that “Can I Borrow Your Brain?” would likely be a track that I didn’t love as much as the first two before I even heard it, and that proved to be true.  As to why I knew that was gonna be the case…probably harder to explain.  I suppose I can look at a title at this point in my career as a music journalist, and know that if it’s gonna become the hook of a song, that it might not exactly be strong enough.  And yeah…that was the case here I guess.  It’s still Todd Underwood y’all – there’s plenty to love about the instrumentation goin’ on…the horns remain part of the lineup here, which I dig…the bass-lines are always stellar…the shiny guitars and glossy production continue to be on point, the drums are crisp…the quality in how he executes is always as professional as you could ever hope to hear.  It comes down to ideas sometimes…I’ve heard many great ones from Todd at this point in having been a fan since around 2019…”Can I Borrow Your Brain?” would be an example of a good song from Underwood, that’s all.  I know he’s not going to leave a track as an instrumental generally speaking…and it’s not like his vocal tones are off on “Can I Borrow Your Brain?” – but yeah…it’s tougher to argue that he’s pushing things forward with this particular tune in terms of what he’s doin’ on the microphone.  Whenever that’s the case, in my personal opinion, it’s time to go instrumental.  Give the song what it’s calling out for, otherwise you risk creating something that sounds like you’re trying to bang the square peg through the round hole…maybe it’ll fit, but it’s likely forced.  When you hear the RIZZ that he’s got goin’ on in the music of this tune, that’s where its real strength is.

A couple things can be, and are true however.  First and foremost, I think this dude’s such an exceptional musician that I’d listen to him play any day of the week and twice on Sundays – and secondly, every critic is generally an asshole that wants to have everything under the sun and all at once.  So like, you know, take ANYTHING I say with the proverbial grain of salt, because believe me, I’d probably listen to anyone other than myself if I had the option.  Anyhow.  “Communicate” is a highlight example of where I’m asking for too much…this time, I’d tell ya that the verses outshine the chorus 10-1.  You see how that works?  “Why is there something wrong with everything I say?”  It’s not you Todd, it’s me, I assure you.  But with that being said, I just call things like I hear’em.  The chorus in “Communicate” is alright!  The verses however, are immaculately smooth and sound incredibly cool…that might be an opinion, but I feel like my ears are telling me that should be a fact shared universally amongst all of us listening.  The solo in the back end of this tune…good gravyboat lighthouse…Underwood is such a remarkable talent when it comes to his musicianship that it’ll drop your jaw in awe y’all.  So what’s the answer?  Should he put out an instrumental album?  Fuck no!  Don’t get it twisted…the guy can sing and he’s a confident front-man – you really couldn’t ask for more outta the man than what he gives ya on “Communicate,” or really any of the rest of the tunes in his catalog when it comes right down to it – he delivers when it comes time to perform.  It’s a matter of the strength in the ideas, and certainly of personal preference too.  Just because an instrumental record from this guy might be hella cool to me or to you doesn’t make it the right thing to do – making music is all about doin’ what YOU wanna do and nothing more.  If Todd wants to sing, then get on into the booth I say!  If he’s looking to create the strongest possible version of a song, then he might have additional options…that’s all I’m saying.  Listen to the music of “Communicate” and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about – as much as I love the way the verses flow in this particular song, it’s the music that’s ultimately making this moment as truly addictive as it becomes.

Case in-point, I think you get one of Todd’s best vocal performances on “Panic To Party,” but that’s also the result of some seriously killer songwriting – so you get the best of both worlds here.  A lot of the songs on Flying Blue delve into evocative material that examines our emotions under the microscope and turns the mirror back towards us to show us who we are – “Panic To Party” is a stellar example of how that works.  What Underwood is singing about in these individual stories & scenarios he’s created will likely resemble something you’ve gone through yourself, or someone that you know – this is relatable stuff.  As vulnerable as it is insightful, “Panic To Party” is a very real tune when it comes right down to it, and it just so happens that it’s one of the most addictive on the record as well if you ask me.  The heights of his vocal melody in the “seems there’s no way out” lines are exceptional, and the chorus is freakin’ fantastic too.  The verses work well…and heck, I think he’s even pulled out a quote straight outta the bible too, has he not?  I ain’t a religious man myself, but I’ve got Google – Todd’s borrowed somethin’ right outta Matthew 11:28-30 for those of you that like to throw down with The Most High.  In any event, you don’t have to be religious to love this song – “Panic To Party” is an incredible tune.

If you’re looking for uniqueness on Flying Blue, and within Todd’s catalog to a degree, “Festina Lente” is a track that’ll supply some of that for ya.  Heck, you might even learn something, like I did!  If it wasn’t for music, I’d know nothing at all…even the things outside of music, I learned THROUGH music, you feel me?  Apparently “Festina Lente” is an old phrase that was used by like, emperors and shit way back in the day – it translates to “make haste slowly” or “proceed expeditiously but prudently.”  An oxymoron; you get it.  Anyhow – this feels and sounds like a different tune in Underwood’s catalog to me.  There are many similarities to be found of course…don’t get me wrong, Todd is as Todd does, and chances are if you like something by the guy, you’ll pretty much like it ALL, just like I do.  Having said that though, it’s tough to really put my finger on what it is that makes “Festina Lente” feel different than much of the material I’ve heard from the guy…it might be a different use of timing or vocal patterns and such – he’s a way more well-versed musician than the majority of the scene, so he’d probably know much better as to why “Festina Lente” seems more of an exception as opposed to the rule.  I dig it though…I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say that the uniqueness you’ll find necessarily translates to accessibility, but I would say that “Festina Lente” is designed in a really interesting way that should have no problem pulling in most of the people out there listening.  Chorus-wise, dude sounds a lot like Brandon Boyd, which he tends to do every so often in his music.  I’m sure that I’ve pointed that out before, but hey, it’s a good thing.  Like I was tellin’ ya before – Todd’s a great singer, it’s just a matter of him finding something like “Festina Lente” that piques our interest as opposed to relying on what’s more tried, tested and true for him.  The more he pushes himself to do things just a tad differently, the more we’re all excited by that.

Case in-point once again, “Call On Me” was like…to be real with ya, I couldn’t make heads or tails of this one.  When it came on during my first spin through Todd’s new record, I was like, heck yeah, I’m gonna dig this track for sure…and then as quickly as I felt that way, I seemed to instantly feel as strongly in the opposite direction, caught in this push/pull of whether or not this was hittin’ it for me, or not.  And I’ll be honest – I’m still not entirely sure how I really feel, even now.  I think part of me wants to resist “Call On Me” because it does feel a little too sleek and designed like I’m supposed to like it…but I’m also pretty good at nullifying that feeling and accepting natural melodies that work for what they are.  The chorus also works well enough too, though I’d probably acknowledge that it’s another track that wouldn’t really be pushing the story of Todd Underwood as an artist all that much further forward I guess.  He makes any argument a hard one, because the quality and execution is always so present and accounted for – so doesn’t that make everything else merely about personal taste and preference?  Did he make the right call with the spoken-word part inserted into the middle of this tune, or did he make this moment awkward for all of us listening?  Dated?  Can you still do the spoken-word aside in a song, or does it just sound like that idea is decades old now?  I ended up with more questions than answers in listening to “Call On Me” and I don’t know if I felt like this was a necessary inclusion onto the album in that scenario.  You know what I mean?  I could make a concrete argument on behalf of everything I’ve heard so far on Flying Blue, but going back & forth about “Call On Me” made me wonder if it truly fit this lineup enough.

If you’re happy and you know it, hide away in your studio until it passes so that you’re not tempted to record something, write a song!  I mean, sure – why not right?  Okay…I’ll be real with ya – it’s TOUGH to write happy successfully – for whatever reason that is, that’s reality as far as I’ve ever known it and very few are able to pull it off convincingly.  I’ll put Todd in that category though – “One Day At A Time” feels like it’s sincere to me, and dare I say, proves he’s in a good place in his life right now.  He’s in that whole carpe diem mode on “One Day At A Time” and expressing his gratitude for the good things…and I ain’t gonna be the guy to hate on him for that.  Plus, it’s catchy too, so there’s that.  Highlighting the age-old wisdom that it’s “not the years of my life that count, it’s the life in my years” – he’s right as far as I’ve ever been able to tell.  “Gonna make the most of what remains.”  Sage advice.  “One Day At A Time” y’all – that’s the only way to live.  Underwood’s got a lot of good, relevant, and relatable wisdom to share on this track, and he sounds right at home passing on what he’s learned to all you good people listening in.

There we go!  Gettin’ a bit of that good ol’ Rock-rasp into his voice as he sings the title-track of his new album, “Flying Blue” is another glimpse at something a bit different from the man.  Oddly enough, this actually reminds me a ton of what’s being created by Richard Tyler Epperson these days, but obviously with that dude being mainly acoustic in all that he does, Underwood brings out a heavier vibe to the sound you’ll find.  Similar songwriting though…vocals…that kind of thing.  Anyhow.  Todd’s always gonna unleash that signature layered-vocal approach at some point in the main hooks of what he does, and therein you’ll find what generally separates him from anything else you might feel he’s comparable to.  Say what you want about it, whether you love it, like it, or don’t feel like it works for ya, the identity he’s created in his sound through that makes each of his songs completely unmistakable for anyone else that’s out there – and the value in that, is priceless dear readers, dear friends.  I dig on “Flying Blue” – this is a well-crafted tune that’s metered out with careful precision for your maximum enjoyment.  The weight in the instrumentation is echoed through the lyricism and concept driving “Flying Blue” – and hearing Todd scale his vocals up through the main hook works well to heighten our interest.  Might have to give him bonus points for the way he sings that first verse…it’s the little things that count the most for the dedicated listeners out there, you feel me?  Sometimes the tiniest changes in an approach or fragments of a song that stick out can make all the difference in the world when it comes to the appeal of what we hear, especially in the context of a sound with such familiar methods of how it’s created.

The way he attacks “Higher And Higher” is quite something to experience – I love what Todd’s got goin’ on here at the points of peak intensity in this track.  Especially considering its delicate intro, you won’t see this one coming as it drifts through that first ten seconds, then BLAMMO, you’re right in the thick of it.  Ultimately, he’ll drift through the dynamics of loud/quiet on this cut, revealing some of his most gentle moments in music juxtaposed with some of his most savage as well.  So…yeah…impressive on several levels in my opinion, because I’m usually the guy that’ll opt for the softer side of melody for the most part, but it’s the raging intensity that Underwood creates in this track that connect the most as far as my ears are concerned.  He seems to be examining his own mortality a bit more than I’d imagine we’re used to hearing him do throughout the course of the songs on this record…to the point where you have to start wondering if he’s feeling the years catching up to him.  You’d never know it from the way the guy plays or how he sounds – Underwood sounds more ALIVE than most people you’ve met in life, I guarantee it.  “Higher And Higher” is probably one of my favorite tracks in this lineup I’d say…I really like both halves of the dynamics on display here, even if I might side with the more intense as being the more gripping of the two.  He’s got a lot of beauty, insightful words, and potent emotions in this tune.

You listen to a track like “The Way To Suffering” and you actually have to wonder if Underwood wouldn’t be in the running to crush a cover of Toto’s “Africa” much harder and more accurately than anyone else has so far.  Maybe that’s just what I’m hearing.  Anyhow.  He’s got the art of the hook working well in his favor on “The Way To Suffering” – and like a great many songs out there, sometimes the power in one moment can carry the weight of the rest.  I don’t really have too much of an opinion on the verses other than to say that Todd’s once again singing lights-out and nailing everything you’ll hear.  In comparison to what you’ll hear in the chorus when it comes to the hooks though?  Night and day y’all…night and day.  I don’t mind what I hear in the verses – it works, it fits, it’s good enough.  Is it gonna be what brings me back to listen to “The Way To Suffering?”  Heck no!  Is the chorus?  Heck ya!  See the difference?  Trust me, you’ll hear it too.  Look…I’ll be real with ya…sometimes the more learned folks in the business of music-making can be their own worst enemy.  Put a damn bridge in there when a song is calling out for one!  My old man does this too and it drives me nuts…it’s like every tune has GOT to have a bridge – because THAT is what songwriting is really all about, right?  No!  No.  No.  NO!  If a song doesn’t need one, it doesn’t need one…and in my opinion, that’s pretty much all there is to it.  I think the mistake that gets made sometimes, is that a writer will look at their work as somewhat deficient in some area, be it the chorus, verse, or whatever, and think to themselves – I KNOW WHAT’LL SAVE IT – A BRIDGE!  When in reality, there’s no example in music’s history where a bridge saved a song.  You go flip through your records to fact check that, I’ll wait.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying you should never include them…good lord knows there’s already enough modern-day music that is verse/chorus/verse and nothing more, which is…lazy.  But that being said, I dunno…I just think they can often be a sign of feeling like there was something that could have been done better, and rather than add in another ingredient into the soup, sometimes less can really be more in the art of making music – I’m not saying that the bridge of “The Way To Suffering” REALLY hurts this song that much – it doesn’t – but I’m also not saying that the inclusion of it made it any better either, you know?  Make moves that move the story forward…otherwise you risk adding something that’s actually subtracting – follow me?  The chorus hooks of “The Way To Suffering” are freakishly irresistible though y’all, proceed with caution.

“Show Up And Shut Up” could very well be one of the album’s best tunes, if not THE best of the bunch – there’s so much about this that I love, and lyrically, I felt like Underwood really tapped into the heart of what our humanity is defined by.  Some tunes I tell ya…they just come out so naturally and unforced.  You listen to a moment like this one, and it’s one of those things that feels like everything is in the right place.  I’m talking about the motivations for writing it, straight on through to the execution.  It sounds like Todd wrote this one for someone out there specifically…or maybe a couple folks he knows…or maybe it’s based on real-life experiences…you get the point – it feels REAL.  Beyond that, I’d only hope that it’s more relatable than I’d probably give it credit for…hopefully, most of you out there are hearing this song’s sentiment and feeling like it’s your new personal anthem.  Talk about a BRIDGE too y’all!  To be completely real with ya, Underwood’s nuts here…his bridge SHOULD have been his chorus…and that concludes any criticism I’d have for “Show Up And Shut Up” – other than that one, tiny observation, I have no notes for the guy on this tune – I love everything I hear, and despite the fact that I’d want a whole lot more of the bridge than we get, that still doesn’t make me love that moment any less either.  Great tune from start to finish…every part of it brings out something new and wonderful as it plays on.

So…hmm…dammit.  Look – there’s a lot about “They’re Gone” to both like and admire…and the musicianship is straight-up spectacular.  Where it becomes problematic is the fact that the bass tones are gonna remind half the people out there listening of the Seinfeld theme at some point, and while that’s not Todd’s fault, I feel like he should still be prepared for that.  Other than that, he’s jammin’ on “They’re Gone” and I think for the most part, the people will rally around this one, because it’s fun.  Is it just me, or has Todd really tapped into religion and/or spirituality in a different way that we’ve heard from him in the past?  There seem to be these like…breadcrumb clues in the lyricism that point to him going through some kind of change in that regard.  You’ll find that in parts of “They’re Gone” for sure, but largely, these moments exist in many points throughout Flying Blue altogether.  I mean, to be fair, he’s talkin’ about takin’ clothes off and gettin’ naked on “They’re Gone” too, so maybe it’s just all in my imagination.  Y’all know I tend to listen closer than most, but that can also lead to crazy theories and hearing things that aren’t always there…it’ll be interesting to see what other people out there think or if they’re hearing what I’m hearing in regards to religion.  Maybe it’s intentional, maybe it’s not – only Todd knows.  He goes out on a celebratory note with “They’re Gone,” and it makes for a solid conclusion to Flying Blue.  All-in-all, I maintain that if you dig on Underwood’s music, you’d like this album every bit as much as all the others…he’s got his sound, he’s got his style, and he’s got another quality record here.

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