The Immediate Family gives us an ironic dose of fine music just when we need it.
“Cruel Twist,” the first U.S. single release from the band which features Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Watchel, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel and Steve Postell is a fascinating combination of some of the L.A. scene’s best musicians.
The song, however, does not rest on the band’s formidable chops. Composed by guitarist Kortchmar with rock legend Harvey Brooks, “Cruel Twist” was originally cut by one of Kortchmar’s side projects, the blues group Slo Leak.
Leland Sklar’s bass and Russ Kunkel’s drums give the song a feel that’s no longer common on the radio. The expert shuffle propels the melody, while Watchel, Kortchmar and Postell’s guitars dance a delicate yet forceful dance. Touches of organ by Jim Cox add to the punch.
Kortchmar, known for his production acumen and in the pocket playing, steps forward with a forceful bluesy lead vocal. Lyrically, the subject matter could not be more timely.
The Immediate Family’s “Cruel Twist” fills a void vacated when musicians stopped sitting in one room and recording songs together. That, indeed, has been a cruel twist.
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