Aris Paul Band

The second album from the Aris Paul Band is a record with some serious mojo. Ghosts is a collision of blues, soul, power pop, twang and rock & roll. This trio has serious jam chops, and listening to this disc is a blast.

The band established a ‘red-eyed road rock’ template on their 2018 debut Drive All Night which saw Aris backed by a gaggle of studio all-stars. Ghosts, however, is the byproduct of a band with a sound. “This is more focused” Aris says. “It’s the three of us- Aaron and Matt aren’t on the first record. This is our band, our sound- brighter, like neon daylight.” The new disc is also what Aris envisioned from the very beginning, “a little angsty, a little rock & roll, all blues, roots and soul.” It’s an easy record to connect with.

There’s a Crazy Horse crossed with SRV energy at work here, a ruggedness that you don’t find in that many rock & roll records these days. While they jam away madly on a cut like Little White Screen, bassist Matt Scott’s inventive, driving bass lines are easily as enjoyable as Paul’s guitar heroics, and drummer Aaron Wagner keeps the pulse without getting too fancy. Plus, you gotta love they way the quote the melody from Hey Joe in the middle of the song- I really enjoy stuff like that.

A lot of things go into making Ghosts sound the way it does, but if I had to throw a label on this I’d call it “manly rock & roll”. I also love that it’s a personal record too. “Everything on this album is factual, the songs are all about old relatives or people I used to know” Aris says. “I like to write songs about real people and real stories, that’s what compels me.” It’s also one of the things that make this a great record. - Hot Wax Album Reviews by the Rock Doctor

The last album by singer and guitar player Aris Paul follows the same path of his previous recording, that is to say, a combination of blues, soul and power pop. For his previous album he decided to surround himself with a good number of studio musicians, but now Aris has decided to record it on a trio format, including Matt Scott on bass and backing vocals and Aaron Wagner on drums and backing vocals, plus the special collaboration of The Soulville Horns section in two songs and Keith Quinn on organ and vocals. As Aris Paul says, for quite a long time he loved to include two or three guitar players in his band or, at least, that his band had more than four musicians. However, with this trio, he has discovered the strength, energy, communication and clarity of ideas that can be developed among three musicians who share the same musical vision and philosophy. Aris Paul has selected eleven interesting songs with the aim to reach and convince an audience who knows, appreciates and enjoys the quality of the music written and performed by an able qualified band like the Aris Paul Band. - LaHora Del Blue

This is the second album from Aris Paul Band following their 2018 debut Drive All Night. This record focuses on Aris’ friends, family and hometown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and kicks off Astray complete with an impactful rhythm section consisting of Matt Scott on bass and Aaron Wagner.

The eerie tone is sublime and Paul’s lead vocal has a textured quality just like Noah Hunt of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. The title track is a country-soul number with The Soulville Horns adding a classy Las Vegas vibe with Phil Brontz (saxophone), Steve Graham (trombone) and George Arner (trumpet) helping to create a three-dimensional sound.

People will connect with the lyrics on ‘Headlights’ whilst ‘Burn’ sounds like an unreleased Deep Purple track with Aris’s blistering rock guitar solo. Win & Lose has this lonesome guitar twang and the church organ sound from co-producer Keith Quinn provides a soft backdrop for ‘One More Time’. Things then wrap up with ‘Rust’ with solos galore showcasing this outfit’s first-class musicianship. - Just Listen to This

Influenced by blues, funk, soul, folk, alt. country, country-rock, and southern rock, the music of the Aris Paul Band is somewhat hard to pin down. It’s a unique blend that Aris is quite proud of. Their latest offering Ghosts will hit the streets in the Fall.

The Pittsburgh-based, blues rock trio is made of Paul on guitar and vocals, Aaron Wagner on drums and vocals, and bassist Matt Scott. Joining them on “Ghosts” are The Soulville Horns, another Pittsburgh outfit with Phil Brontz – Sax, Steve Graham – Trombone, and George Arner – Trumpet.

In contemporary music, we all listen to the same chord progressions and hear the same song a thousand times. But then a version comes along that makes it all seem new again. That’s what drives Aris: the sound. His music echoes his surroundings and serves as a reminder of everything he’s seen and internalized along the way. He looks forward but is remarkably mindful of where he comes from and who has come before him.

“Ghosts” is hopefully a pick-me-up for the way 2020 has been going so far. At first glance it might seem kind of bleak – ‘we’re all ghosts eventually’ – but it’s really about being comfortable in your own skin and not being concerned with what other people think of you. It seems pretty topical right now considering how divided the country is. We’re all just peoeple trying to get by. No matter what we do, we all end up the same. At its core, the song is joyous and unifying, and that’s carried through in the music. The horn section is a nod to the Memphis sound and artists like Sam & Dave and Al Green, which is the stuff I grew up listening to. We’re a blues rock band, so digging in with the horns just seemed like the next logical step to set that mood. And as for the video, man, there aren’t a lot of options when you’re under quarantine! You can’t just set up a shoot or do a live show and tape it – especially here in Pennsylvania. Doing a lyric video, which is something we’ve never done before, actually gave the song a ’70s retro aesthetic that reflects the music really well.

We’re pleased to bring you the world premiere video of “Ghost.” - American Blues Scene

While Starship Mantis rocked the Stage at Karma’s Grand Opening on the night of March 2nd, another accomplishment was being celebrated a few blocks down the street. Instead of elaborate costumes and funky sax solos, the musicians at Club Café opted for button-downs, bandanas, and soulful guitar riffs. The event in question was a sold-out release show for Drive All Night, the first full-length record from local alt-country/southern-rock outfit, Aris Paul Band.
You may have seen them play with Bindley Hardware Company and Some Kind of Animal in 2017, as part of the “Pittsburgh’s Very Own” Showcase Series at Mr. Smalls. Maybe you’ve heard them on the radio—they’ve recently been featured on 91.3 WYEP, 102.5 WDVE, and 97.7 in Butler. Or maybe you’re entirely unfamiliar. If so, you should consider changing that. Drive All Night is an album packed with instrumental prowess, brutally honest lyrics, and undeniable heart.

In the liner notes of the physical CD, Paul gives his sound the moniker “red-eyed road music,” which he describes as encompassing “a range of roots-rock, blues, funk, alt-country, soul, southern rock, folk,” and “anything else that’s good for building momentum and carrying on down the highway.” Fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band, Paul Luc, and their ilk will find plenty to like here.

True to its title, life on the road for a traveling, struggling musician is a running theme throughout the record. It begins with the sound of a car engine starting up and driving away, and ends with the sung line “Keep on rollin, on and on and on and on and on…” in a song called “Rambler’s Creed.” References to neon lights, endless highways, cheap motels, smoky rooms, and sleepless commutes pop up repeatedly. So too do the nomadic emotions that accompany these nomadic tendencies—intense excitement and intense exhaustion; self-affirming passion and self-interrogating introspection; body-damaging habits in a soul-healing pursuit. As Paul himself put it to me, the record “explores wanderlust both as a romantic notion and a mental illness.”

Considering his extended musical background in multiple cities, these trains of sonic and lyrical thought make sense. His dad was a touring blues guitarist in the 70’s and 80’s, and together with his uncle opened up Excuses Bar & Grille, a groundbreaking blues club in the South Side. “I feel really fortunate in that I’ve always been around the blues/music scene,” he explains. “…It was just what my family did. It was just another workplace – only with a lot more neon lights, smoke, and music.”

Paul himself picked up a guitar at age nine, and the rest is essentially history. “Years ago, I worked for several studios as a songwriter/studio musician in Nashville and created several albums worth of material,” he says. “I ended up never releasing any of them. Actually, legally I couldn’t…the label shopped these songs around to bigger, radio-friendly artists. It turned me off to the songwriting scene [there.]” He continues, “I came back to Pittsburgh with the intent of playing guitar for other bands and not much else. And that’s what I did for several years. I never stopped writing songs, though, and eventually I built up a new collection that I couldn’t be prouder of.”

There’s quite a bit to be proud of. Paul’s guitar work throughout the record is impeccable. From multiple layers of searing, overdriven electric riffs to light, pretty acoustic fingerpicking (and all the shades of intensity in between), his instincts are sharp and his jams are impressive. He plays with both precision and soul; it’s technically remarkable and genuinely moving. The album is a longer one—twelve tracks clocking in at just under an hour—but the musical flow is so adept both within and between songs that you rarely ever feel like it’s dragging. This energetic give-and-take was no accident. “[Drive All Night] never stays in one vein for too long,” says Paul. “It wanders around and covers a lot of ground. And I believe those dynamics are everything to keeping someone listening…one minute you’ve got screaming, twin guitars leads and the next, relaxed electric piano alongside pedal steel.” He summarizes, “It allows the album to breathe and, in my opinion, gives it multiple high-water points throughout.”

Those points aren’t achieved by Paul alone, though. The band on Drive All Night consists of Aris Paul on lead vocals and guitar, Keith Quinn on electric bass and backing vocals, Ryan McMasters on electric and upright bass, Cory Caruso and Alex Peck on drums, Pete Freeman on pedal steel, Andrew Hendryx on mandolin, and Justin Bechak on keys. Quinn and Jesse Naus produced and engineered the record at Red Caiman Studios.

Each musician holds their own: energetic percussion that uses every part of the kit; brooding, emphatic bass that adds lovely depth; and the seamless incorporation of gorgeous pedal steel and key parts throughout the album. “I fell into the right crowd of studio musicians and engineers at Red Caiman, and they’ve become like family in the process.” says Paul. “I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve been able to share this project with some incredible local artists and dear friends who really help take it to another level.”

Three additional local musicians make guest appearances on one song each. Bill Toms (of Hard Rain fame) sings on “Radio,” Madeline Rae sings on “Come & Go,” and Johnny Rooster plays the harmonica on “You Can’t Fix Lonely.” These collaborations are all successful. Toms’ seasoned, gritty vocal tone speaks to the song’s story of a long-struggling musician with big dreams: “’Cause I’ve been paying my dues/and I keep dreamin’ of the day/when I might see it through/When you’ll hear me on the radio/singin’ my songs/You’ll hear me on the radio/before too long/You’ll hear me on the radio/doin’ all right/A new club, a new town every night.” Rae offers her pretty, soulful voice (with a distinct country twang) to a love song about escaping the mundane: “And I just wanna take you somewhere we’ve never been/Where you and me can run free, oh like the wind/Let’s get lost somewhere and forget how to make it back/Chase that midnight moon until we run out of gas.” It would have been even better if she and Paul had experimented with harmonies, in addition to the octaves and call-and-response dynamic they did use. And Rooster’s excellent harmonica playing makes for a rollicking, fantastic old-fashioned track. It’s punchy and fun, providing a burst of energy at just the right moment. It’s also the perfect companion for some of Paul’s most biting lyrics yet: “Now tell me/why would such a bad bitch need so much sympathy?/Halfway out the door, you already need more company/You can’t fix lonely/Girl, that’s something you’ll always be/I ain’t gonna sit around and let you be lonely with me.” All of these tracks take place in the record’s latter half. This is the perfect time to shake things up a little, showing Paul’s keen instinct for flow.

Overall, the album moves well between rollicking, high-energy tracks (like the opening “Guitar Man” and “You Can’t Fix Lonely”); measured midtempo numbers (like the fittingly penultimate “Home”); and lilting, slower songs (such as ““Bad Habits, Bad Luck,” a personal favorite.) Paul’s vocals take on a country, slightly nasal twang, with casual pronunciations and appealing grit when the moment calls for it.

To review every moment that stood out to me would turn this into even more of a novel, so I’ll just go over a few of the highlights. “Guitar Man” provides a fun, energetic start to the album, and sets up recurring sonic and lyrical themes. It also includes one of my favorite lines: “Empty pockets and a broken heart/I keep thinking one day I might be safe/…Yeah, fuck that, I’d rather get paid.” “Wheels” blends foot-tapping percussion, painfully honest lyrics (“The saying goes, it’s not you it’s me/Well it turns out I hate the man that I turned out to be/I can’t face just who I’ve become/I can’t run, well I can’t run/…under them wheels”), and a killer overdriven guitar solo that gets steadily faster, building tension and energy to musically mirror the increasing speed of a car. Pedal steel takes the instrumental lead in the title track, to lovely effect. You might expect this song, if any, to be fast and rollicking. But its mellow, occasionally mournful sound is a gorgeous surprise, and is perfectly placed at track #6. Both the extended, immersive instrumental outro and the key solo in “Play” are fantastic too. This helps balance the comparatively literal/surface-level lyrics about the comfort and escape found in playing a guitar.

The final three songs all work well together to provide a satisfying conclusion, but my personal favorite is “Fast Track.” It’s an ode to someone the speaker cares about and sees heading down a questionable path: “You’re on the fast track to never comin’ back/Fast track to losin’ everything you have/Fast track to livin’ all alone/or are you just heading home?” The contrast between its upbeat percussion and otherwise soft, pretty instrumentals is appealing, and Hendryx’s mandolin really shines here. What struck me most, though, was the lyrical progression. In the bridge, the speaker acknowledges his role in this situation: “And I’m sorry I won’t be there/in your time of need/I don’t know who’ll bear witness/I’ll pity you/I pity me.” In the final chorus, the “you” briefly changes to “we.” This is skillfully done, and heartening. It shows that despite previous songs’ insistence on an inability to change or break bad habits, growth and productive introspection is still possible. Paul and company might be driving all night, but they’re heading towards a new sunrise.

“I am proud to say that this album is exactly who I am both as a songwriter and a musician,” says Paul. “It’s been a very long process creatively—some of these songs go as far back as five years, while others are so recent, they were added during the recording process.”

“But I’ve learned a lot of things along the way,” he concludes. “And I think that now everything is starting to fall into place for the first time in a while.”

I’m inclined to agree. Give Drive All Night a listen and see if you do, too.

The album is now available on most electronic music platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, Pandora, and CD Baby. Keep up with Aris Paul Band on Facebook to find out when they’ll be playing at a venue near you. You can also find their website here. - Sound Scene Express

Pittsburgh musician Aris Paul delved deep into family history for his song, “Better Man’s Shoes,” and ended up winning a national award for his band.

The Aris Paul Band received best rock song honors in the recent Hollywood Music in Media Awards.

“I had no expectations,” Paul said. “I was stunned when we were even nominated.”

He didn’t even stay up to watch the awards livestream on Jan. 27.

“It was at 11 or 12 o’clock. I was in bed — I had to work the next day,” he said. He found out by checking his phone the next morning.

Winning was made sweeter for Paul and his family because “Better Man’s Shoes” is a tribute to his late maternal grandfather, Herbert “Bing” Kosanovich, a veteran of both World War II and the Pittsburgh steel mills. Paul, 29, was 10 when Kosanovich died.

To accompany the song on YouTube, Paul wrote this tribute: “A dignified, quiet man who served his country during WWII and was awarded 7 bronze stars for his heroism. A man who spent his life working in a Pittsburgh steel mill to provide for his family. A man who trained as a boxer, sang in the opera, and stood as a pillar of the southside serb community. A man who treated all men and women fairly regardless of creed or color … A real man.”

“The family is very proud of it,” Paul said. “We play it loud in the house, because we feel like he’s listening.”

Both sides of Paul’s family have deep roots in Pittsburgh’s South Side.

“Everything we’ve done in the past 100 years has been within 10 blocks on the South Side,” he said.

Paul lives in a house that’s been in the family for generations. His father, Paul Pantelas, was a touring guitarist in the 1970s and ’80s and the family also owns Excuses Bar & Grill, a venerable South Side blues bar.

Kosanovich was a crane operator at the Jones and Laughlin mill “right across from the bar,” Paul said.

The current iteration of the Aris Paul Band has been together since 2018. The trio comprises Paul on guitar and vocals, Matt Scott on bass and Aaron Wagner on drums and vocals. Its sound melds rock, jam, blues, funk, country and metal.

Prior to the shutdown, the band played at Excuses and other local haunts like Club Cafe and Mr. Smalls Theatre, and in cities such as Nashville, Knoxville, New York and Boston.

Their last live show was with Raelyn Nelson, granddaughter of Willie Nelson, and they were planning a cross-country tour when the shutdown hit.

“It took a year to plan and one afternoon to cancel,” Paul said.

Although the HMMA award is the band’s first national recognition, Paul won the 2016 WYEP/Dos Equis singer-songwriter competition for his song, “Ramblers Creed.”

This year’s HMMAs also recognized another Western Pennsylvania band. “Unforgiving Tree” from Westmoreland County-based Derek Woods Band took honors for Americana/Folk/Singer Songwriter Song of the Year.

The Aris Paul Band’s album, “Ghosts,” charted at No. 11 for the week of Jan. 30 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Rock Album Report.

Paul said the band also will be featured in the March issue of Relix, a print and online magazine that focuses on live and improvisational music.

Until live music venues reopen, they’ve been doing livestreams whenever they can. - Trib Live