From the outside, the Hotel Cafe is an unassuming grayish building with a small sign on the front door directing visitors to the alley next to the building. Another sign on the side of the building leads you down a long, unremarkable alley to the back entrance. Once inside, you’re treated to a comfortable, hip atmosphere-dim lighting, a dark wooden bar, exposed brick walls, and red velvet curtains.
It’s a fitting place for musician-singer-songwriter Krister Axel to celebrate the release of his new CD, Arms Around the River. Like the building in which he’s playing, Krister and his band make a modest sight onstage-they appear more like a group of friends playing a friend’s party than a gig in the heart of Hollywood. But just seconds into the first song, “Head in the Rain,” their professional musicianship and talent is immediately and pleasingly apparent. The earthy, roots rocking combination of acoustic and electric guitar, organ, harmonica, and solid rhythm section is infectious and easy to like. After the first verse, you’re hooked. The song rises from Krister singing soft lyrics over his solo organ to a spirited and full sounding all instruments jam, the mood of the music changing with the complexity and intensity of the sound.
Moments later, “True Believer” makes me think I’ve heard this band before, but where? I know they get no radio play, Krister produced his own album, and I happen to know he has a day job. There is something very familiar about these songs-the poignant earnestness of his writing is very appealing and easy with which to identify. This touching earnestness comes out again in the next song, “Stay,” which is a beautiful ballad that is very emotive-the kind of music that can make you rethink an argument with a loved one, or turn that afternoon’s road rage into a silly, distant memory. The mood of the melody is slow and sad-mostly expressing personal longing-that somehow manages to convey an inspiring notion of graceful wisdom throughout. It’s also packaged between an upbeat intro and a hopeful closing riff that leaves the listener feeling extremely satisfied. This is serious hit song material; original music that is at once evocative of Dave Matthews, Coldplay and Blues Traveler.
And so the evening passed. Song after song, Krister and his band continuing to impress with a range of interesting and intricately constructed songs replete with tight stops, tempo changes, tasty hooks, and interesting personal lyrics. After playing the first five songs from his new album, Krister (playing acoustic guitar) and the band (Karen Teperberg on drums, Matt Delvecchio on bass, and Mike Freas on electric guitar, and guest Nick Blechman on mandolin) played a brand new, as yet unrecorded song, that is a lot of fun and slightly reminiscent of The Cars.
Krister Axel is not your typical Hollywood performer-he’s not trying to be anyone or anything, he just plays what he feels, and it is good. He plays earnest songs from the heart, like the touching ballad written for his sister’s wedding, “Something Beautiful.” His enthusiasm onstage when interacting with the audience is also very evident and engaging. The only complaint one could have about Krister’s music is that his songs are too short, especially for live performance. This became more evident during the band’s finale, “I’m the Gun,” a strong blues number featuring the dueling harmonicas of guests Judy Rudin (who also played on the first few songs of the set) and Chet Dixon, in which the whole band treated the crowd to a raucous extended jam that was by far the most fun of the evening.
Not to say that the rest of the show wasn’t fun-in fact every song is great. Krister Axel and his band play a rootsy, sometimes poppy, blues-influenced rock and roll that is impossible not to like. We could all stand to hear more of this music. Somebody give this guy a distribution dealplease!
