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The Continental Drifters will bring more than their individual backgrounds and impressive credits to Blue Moon Junction on Old Manderville's lakefront Saturday night. They will bring their unique sound.
Rolling Stone magazine name the band one of two top unsigned bands in 1994 because of their music, never mind their notable histories.
Members past lives include the Cowsills, Bangles, dB's and the Dream Syndicate, all groups that live in rock 'n' roll memory. More recently some were sidemen for Hootie and the Blowfish, R.E.M. and Tori Amos.
After four years together, the Continental Drifters have an album on the Monkey Hill label containing originals and covers. The group formed in Los Angeles and moved to the Big Easy two years ago. They played weekly at Raji's in Los Angeles before moving to New Orleans.
The members include Carlo Nuccio, drums and acoustic guitar; Mark Walton, electric bass and acoustic guitar; Vicki Peterson, electric and acoustic guitar; Susan Cowsill, acoustic guitar; Peter Holsapple, keyboard, acoustic guitar, mandolin, electric and slide guitar; and Robert Mache, electric and slide guitar.
Holsapple sang lead with the dB's, Peterson played guitar with the Bangles; Cowsill is from THOSE Cowsills, the group "The Partridge Family" TV series were profiled after and Walton played bass for the Dream Syndicate.
Five members contribute their songwriting skills and four share lead vocals, so the sound is diversified and unified.
The unusual choice of covers for the album proves their versatility.
They include Pat McLaughlin's "Highway of the Saints," the Boxtops "Soul Deep," Mike Nesmith's "Some of Shelly's Blues," Gram Parsons' "A Song for You" and Dusty Springfield's "I Can't Make It Alone." The album was recorded in New Orleans.
Their sound has been compared to the Mamas and the Papas, Buffalo Springfield, Little Fest and the Byrds.
Their music has been described as "organic," a mixture of folk country, blues, Cajun and rock, "soulful" with a "Southern flavor" and "a loose-tight spirit."
The Drifters just returned from a Northeastern tour including Boston and New York.
Their plans include weekend jaunts to Texas and the Midwest.
They appeal to all ages, usually college students, but also to children and older audiences.
The Continental Drifters are a family not only in music. Holsapple and Cowsill are husband and wife.
L.A. Weekly, Billboard, Musicians, CMJ's New Music Report, The Album Network, Tower Records' Pulse, LA Village View's The Record Bin, Street Beat's Sound Beats and The Boston Phoenix gave very favorable reviews of their album and performance.
The Blue Moon Junction is gaining a reputation as a place for quality entertainment since it opened in July.
And the Continental Drifters are no exception.
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