Seth Yacovone Band: SYBlings, Vol. 2

The second of a pair of 2025 releases, SYBlings, Vol. 2 is not exactly a sequel to its predecessor. Rather, it is a series of themes instrumental and lyrical that stands on its own terms. More importantly, while it is not innovative by any means, it is quite likely the best rock album guitarist-composer and Vermont native Seth Yacovone has ever put out.

There is, however, a tangible continuity between the two records most evident in the consistency of technical expertise involved. And it is not just the studio savvy of engineers Urian Hackney (of BTV's Rough Francis band) and Brian Lauri combined with that of Lane Gibson, but also the imagistic ingenuity of Steve Hadeka, the drummer of the trio, who designed the cover layout of David Chase's paintings.

In equally tangible terms—and befitting the name of the band—Yacovone produced this album (and its counterpart), besides composing all the material therein. And the very opening of this album, "Training Dream," illustrates how much of a craftsman the burly musician has taught himself to be: an economical solo in the midst of verse/chorus/verse structure finds elliptical lyrics set within a compact arrangement that nevertheless allows the whole group to display most, if not all, its virtues. 

"The Direction You've Flown" radiates the same qualities, but with the added decoration of some backing vocals softening the bandleader's gruff voice. His keening guitar solo furthers the effect, but that somewhat-opaque atmosphere dissipates with Hadeka's drum intro to "Out For Rent;" a bit too derivative of Phish—perhaps even purposely so—the cut ultimately demonstrates the theme of streamlining that pervades SYBlings, Vol. 2. 

A direct extension of that approach is the clarity and definition of the recorded sound. The audio quality itself, in fact, is enough to compel repeated listenings, especially to savor the overdubbed guitars as they interweave with the bass and drums on this track. The intensity of the musicianship evokes the spontaneity of live performance, if only fleetingly, but that is no small accomplishment for a group so inclined to improvisation. 

SYB captures lightning in a bottle even as it does justice to the outlines of songs like "All We Can Afford." The guitar playing is as articulate as the maturity of emotional expression in the words, while, the rhythm foundation Alex Budney and Hadeka establish, then maintain, is anything but static, rippling with disciplined energy.

As the fourth of the eight tracks, that aforementioned selection is ideally positioned as the virtual center point of this 40 minutes. Accordingly, "Beyond the Grasp of the Clenched Fist" is both feisty and tortured in attitude and execution and, as such, that track renders the relative tranquility of "Onward Till the End" an even greater respite from the political (?) angst of the latter song.

Not surprisingly, then, there is transcendance in the Yacovone guitar playing on the latter, an air that arises more than once on this record (and occasionally through the exalting interplay of the rhythm section as on "It Isn't Rational"). Hearing the lead singer's voice mirror itself in different registers there, too, is an unexpected means to the end of a slow crystallization of the intro to, and the  body of, the track entitled "A Pain in the Great One." 

Evolving into a haunting conclusion, this unexpected culmination ideally suits a longplayer that does not unfold along many of the same lines as its counterpart LP. While SYBlings, Vol. 2 is as staunch a piece of work in its own right as the preceding title, this second of the two albums, sans any obvious nods to roots in funk and metal, works like a mirror image of SYBlings, Vol. 1. 

More to the point, it sounds altogether like the logical culmination of a musical career begun when its author was 15 years old. Yacovone has processed his roots, learned to write for his redoubtable bandmates and issued an album that accurately and vividly represents who he has become as an artist.

Comments