Orbis Max describes themselves as “an Internet recording collective with members located in San Diego CA, Dallas TX, Wickenburg AZ, Liverpool UK, and North Carolina.” The band also features an ongoing cast of guest players…you’ll find the personnel for each track on “This Just In” below.
The band’s strengths like in rock / pop infused with Soul, Blues, and R&B flourishes, all employed to great advantage here. The primary modus operandi of Orbis Max is to take full advantage of its “collective” status and determine which elements best serve each individual song. They are less about establishing consistency via a sole lead vocalist or guitarist, and more about bringing each song to life in a unique and distinctive manner.
The album kicks off in high gear with Back On The Shelf, a showcase for Tim Izzard‘s cool, laid back Bowie-esque vocals and the guitars of Ed Ryan, a frequent Orbis Max collaborator.
Days Back utilized Orbis Max’s Soul / R&B chops to great advantage, with DW Dunphy on lead vocals and smooth, engaging sax fills and solos from Jonnny Viau.
Spot On kicks in like a track from Savoy Brown’s Tell Mama album, with Vinnie Zummo and Don Baake on guitars and lead vocals by Dennis George,
Change The World is a tuneful ballad with Rod Bennett on lead vocals, with particularly tasty, jazzy, flowing guitar fills and solos from Don Baake.
On Time is a sixties BritPop-sounding gem, lively, with an infectious sing-along groove, Dennis George on lead vocals, showcasing Don Baake and Orbis stalwart Martin Holt on guitars. Don and Martin are an exceptionally potent duo, and they return with Tim Izzard on the album’s next track, Infatuated With Love.
Jump Back sounds like a great, lost, keyboard-laced, fist-pumping Eighties MTV anthem. DW Dunphy returns on lead vocals, and the whole track is propelled by a driving energy and great guitar fills from Don Baake. Both players return for the next track, the mid-tempo Belford.
The album signs off, most appropriately, with Tim Izzard‘s lead vocals on Elvis Has Left The Building. Over the course of nine tracks, Orbis Max deploys tasteful, engaging and diverse styles and yet still crafts an album that holds together well AS an album. Stay tuned to There Once Was A Note for the ongoing adventures of this band.
- Back of the Shelf
Written by Craig Carlstrom, Don Baake, and Tim Izzard
Tim Izzard – Vocals
Ed Ryan – Guitars and guitar solo
Don Baake – Acoustic Guitar, drum programming, mixing
Craig Carlstrom – Bass
Bruce Walker – Keyboards
- Days Back
Written by Craig Carlstrom, Reuben Vigil, and Don Baake
DW Dunphy – Vocals
Don Baake – Guitars and mixing
Bruce Walker – keyboards
Jonny Viau – Saxes
Craig Carlstrom – bass
Dick Winter – Drums
- Spot On
Written by Dennis George and Craig Carlstrom
Dennis George – Vocals
Don Baake – Guitars and mixing
Vinnie Zummo – Guitars, Slide guitar, hand claps
Bruce Walker – keyboards
Craig Carlstrom – bass
Dick Winter – Drums
Jonny Viau – saxes
- Change the World
Written by Rod Bennett
Rod Bennett – vocals
Don Baake – guitars and mixing
Bruce Walker – keyboards
Craig Carlstrom – bass
Dick Winter – drums
Produced by Rod Bennett, Don Baake, & Craig Carlstrom
- On Time
Music by Vinnie Zummo
Lyrics by Dave “Boogieman” Kaufman
Dennis George – lead vocals
Prudence O’Sullivan – Background vocals
Don Baake – guitars drum programming, mixing
Martin Holt – 12 string guitar
Bruce Walker – keyboards
Craig Carlstrom – bass
- Infatuated With Your Love
Written by Martin Holt and Tim Izzard
Performed by Orbis Max with Tim Izzard and Martin Holt
Tim Izzard – Vocals
Martin Holt – Guitars
Don Baake – Guitars, drum programming, and mixing
Craig Carlstrom – Bass
Bruce Walker – Keyboards
Produced by Craig Carlstrom, Don Baake, Tim Izzard
- Jump Back
Written by Craig Carlstrom and Bruce Walker
DW Dunphy – Vocals
Don Baake – Guitars and mixing
Bruce Walker – keyboards
Craig Carlstrom – bass
Dick Winter – Drums
- Belford
Written by DW Dunphy
DW Dunphy – Vocals
Don Baake – Guitars, drum programming, and mixing
Bruce Walker – keyboards
Craig Carlstrom – bass
Produced by Don Baake & Craig Carlstrom
- Elvis Has Left the Building
Written by Craig Carlstrom, Don Baake, and Tim Izzard
Tim Izzard – Vocals and drum programming
Don Baake – Guitars and mixing
Craig Carlstrom – Bass
Bruce Walker – Keyboards
Produced by Craig Carlstrom, Don Baake, Tim Izzard
All tracks Produced by Don Baake & Craig Carlstrom except as noted