Half Past 6 - A Roadhouse Revival

Turn on the radio in any small Midwestern town and you are bound to find two signals that break through the static: there’s a classic rock station and there’s a country station. It’s noteworthy because rock and country have always had a unique relationship – each is rooted in the blues which ultimately makes the two quite similar, but listeners have often maintained a devout loyalty to one style or the other. Groundbreaking artists from The Rolling Stones to Garth Brooks found larger audiences by tearing down such musical barriers, and their creativity paved the way for a new generation of bands like Minnesota’s Half Past 6, whose style eradicates the line between rock and country. Their second release, Got Late Early [Top Spin Records], hit stores on January 26, 2010.

Half Past 6 is the creation of songwriter Tom Gebell, a New Jersey native who grew up on a steady diet of hard rock and Bruce Springsteen - while just down the hall his parents loyally tuned their radios to New York’s one and only country music station. “I remember plugging my ears with my fingers whenever they had it on,” says Gebell, who lampoons the crisis in the light-hearted “Throw Me out the Door.” Yet from his own teen rebellion and from the music he once loved to hate, Gebell has crafted a contemporary sound that brings rock and country together as naturally as hot dogs and baseball.

Tom Gebell showcases many talents on Got Late Early, and he does them all proficiently. He’s a producer and an engineer, a songwriter, a guitarist and a singer. While those contributions create the framework for the Half Past 6 sound, Gebell is always quick to pass along the credit to his gifted band for their role in making it

complete: the confident drawl of Greg Carson on lead vocals, the improvisational prowess of “Lightnin’ Joe” Peterson on keyboards and harmonica, the drive and flair of Kenny Aaronson on bass, the robust strut of Ben Peterson on drums. Each performs magnificently on Got Late Early, yet what stands out most is how well each of their styles fuses together.

Lyrically, Got Late Early is more refined than the band’s debut release. Gebell still conveys his positive message without preaching, but he writes core candidly about those things he holds close to his heart. The title track, “Got Late Early,” based on a famous quote by Yogi Berra, is a plea for less selfishness in the world while the tender ballad, “You Can Dance,” speaks to the challenges of balancing parenthood with a relationship and a career.

Half Past 6 has always been known as an up-tempo live band and while Got Late Early has its serious moments, there’s a lot of fun in there as well. The band pays homage to Memphis, TN in “The Summer Heat,” a fusion of punk and country that is reminiscent of a Social Distortion romp. “All of My Heroes” and “Not Again,” each with its own tale of temptation and its price, are updates to classic 70s blues rock, while the catchy “The Kid Inside” is simply HP6 at its country best.

As Half Past 6 prepares for their second tour, one thing is certain: rock fans and country fans alike will definitely enjoy the party – but they better bring their dancin’ shoes.