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To theology majors the name Simon Peter brings to mind the fisherman disciple who cut off the ear of a high priest's servant and denied Christ three times before the cock crowed. To the rest of us Simon Peter Band are a hard-working blues band founded heavily in the Christian faith and whose members have been staples of the Fort Wayne music scene for decades.
Their second release, Two Thousand Eleven, is a six-track EP
and their first as the "new" Simon Peter Band. After the untimely
death of their lead vocalist Jeff Andrews, whose work can be heard
on their first CD, Fishers of Men, Simon Peter Band picked up two
new members and chose a new direction. With the addition of Tom
Roach on bass and vocals and Greg Purlee on drums and vocals, the
musical style of Simon Peter Band has gone from a straight country
to a more bluesy sound with country influences. Dave Hetric on lead
guitar and vocals and Mike Reese on guitar and vocals fill out the
new lineup.
The EP was recorded and mastered by Tim Bushong at T. Bush
Recording Studios in Fort Wayne, and the finished product is fantastic. The recording has an almost raw live feel and is one of the best mixes I've ever heard from a local studio. Two Thousand Eleven is filled with stellar musicianship, experience, hooks and awesome songwriting. One notable song, "And the Rain Falls Down," while not traditional blues, features a killer hook and guitar riff that has been stuck in my head since I first heard it. Perhaps the most bluesy song on the EP is "Mighty Good Friends," very traditional, upbeat blues tune that's going to be popular with the old school listener.
Although Simon Peter Band are deeply religious, they don't
force their beliefs on their audience on Two Thousand Eleven. Instead, they sprinkle it with feel-good, positive lyrics. All in all, this
is one of the most well-produced releases I've ever heard as a local
product. The musicianship, songwriting, production and even the
disc jacket itself, are top notch and worth the time to check out.
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