Aural Fixations

AMERICAN AMBULANCE
Stray
(Rustic)
Roots rock is such a voluminous genre that it's easy to overlook the gems hidden in the fluff. American Ambulance proved itself to be one of those shiny objects with its previous album Sweetness and Dark, and confirms it again with Stray. The band is tasteful and eloquent; guitarist Scott Aldrich finds just the right notes, bassist Tim Reedy adds perfect touches of accordion and keyboards and drummer Joe Desserau kicks up a ruckus when required so the music never settles too far down. Of course, the band doesn't play for its own amusement, but to showcase the songs of frontperson Pete Cenedella. And damn, is he good at what he does. Rockers ("Marianne is Hangin' On," "No Change Back"), ballads ("I Found Out About You," "Stray Dog Blues"), the blues (the brilliant "Why O Children?") and that indefinable showcase of wit and emotion that only the best writers can convincingly create ("Hey! Richard Nixon," "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning") all fall contentedly within his scope. He could probably pursue a career as a Nashville songwriter, but it's doubtful the pretty faces in music city would know what to do with material as spiritually yearning as this. Cenedella imparts everything in a voice by turns tough and tender, with just enough grit to keep from sounding sappy but not so much that he comes across as trying too hard. He's simply got the perfect voice for this style. AA doesn't exactly test the boundaries of roots rock, but it doesn't have to. Stray is simply too goddamn good to deny. Michael Toland [buy it]