Band: Davenport Cabinet
Album: Nostalgia in Stereo
Genre: Rock
Label: Equal Vision

Tracks:
1. Square One
2. Nostalgia in Stereo
3. Thieves
4. Milk Foot
5. Wrecking Ball
6. Rusty Knives
7. Angel On The Shoulder
8. Pissing in the Wind
9. 12 Hours
10. Tired of Driving
11. Demon Fire 

First, a story. A long time ago, two magicians known as the Davenport Brothers performed crazy acts of magic that led many people to believe they had spiritual powers. Their most famous trick involved themselves getting tied up inside a large box with musical instruments inside. The box would be closed with the brothers inside, and audiences would be shocked to hear the musical instruments being played while the brothers were still tied up inside the box, as they appeared when the box would be reopened. So, your question at this point, other than how much more naïve could these audiences be, is, “Are you going to be reviewing magicians or something, Jacob?” Sadly, UTG hasn’t reached that branch of “pop culture” yet. However the anecdote of the Davenport brothers is the namesake of Travis Stever’s latest side project, Davenport Cabinet.

Stever, better known as the lead guitarist for prog rockers Coheed and Cambria, takes a step back in time with his release of Nostalgia in Stereo. The album definitely has an old-time rock feel to it, and with the abundance of stringed musical instruments used on the record, it is a far cry from the typical fast, distorted rock of Coheed. The old-time sound is perfectly crafted; recorded in a small room in a cozy-looking home in upstate New York, with simple microphones. The only window into today’s technology is the digital drums Stever uses, which serve only to establish a beat to Stever’s arsenal of strings.

After the first two songs, most of the album is acoustic-driven, and there’s also plenty of banjo, mandolin and lap steel to go around. “Nostalgia in Stereo” and the instrumental “Square One” are the only obviously influenced Coheed tracks, and even with the presence of electric guitars, Stever still double tracks with a plucky banjo on one of the primary riffs of “Square One.” Stever’s work sounds straight out of something from the 60’s or the 70’s, even his voice, while nothing special, seems to capture the essence of the theme. “Milk Foot” contains a triumphant, upbeat chorus that kind of reminds me of something The Beatles might do, but at the same time, transitions to a phaser-like effect on the guitar interlude and a solo that all fits so well. “Rusty Knives” is another keeper, with more solos, at both the intro and conclusion, not too surprising on a solo record, obviously.

The music and the solos overall aren’t very complex, but the layering of the music is what gives the album its meat, with banjo and mandolin overlapping with acoustic at numerous occasions, like during the instrumental “Angel on the Shoulder,” which is defined by the lonely-sounding lap steel. “Pissing in the Wind” is another favorite of mine, featuring Stever using a low mumbling for singing during a dreary like verse. You’ll also like “Tired of Driving,” which features a peppy acoustic rhythm right off the bat, which brings Pink Floyd influences to my mind, not to mention that it reminds me of driving too, as crazy as that sounds.

In a world of high tech gizmos and gadgets, it was nice to stray a bit from the path and experience a little bit of old school magic. Stever doesn’t astound me with his epic talent he shows in Coheed, but the way he crafts the music gives it that warm, old rustic feeling that is interesting enough to keep listeners around but still calming and soothing. So as much as that story about the Davenport brothers sounds like a hoax, Stever and his Davenport Cabinet are very much a real deal in alternative rock. 

*Written By: Jacob Kanclerz*
Grade: 7/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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