New York power trio EARL GREYHOUND debuted a few years ago with an EP and Soft Targets, a terrific debut that freely mixed Detroit power rock, bluesy hard rock and old-fashioned soul in its own unique way. As visceral as the thrills of that album were (and are), there was a feeling of unfulfilled ambition, as if the group wanted to go farther but hadn’t quite figured out how. On Suspicious Package, EG’s follow-up, the band comes closer to grasping the stars for which it reaches. Mixing jazzy chords progressions and psychedelic atmosphere into its hard rock/blues/soul stew, the trio stretches its music until it snaps, tying the pieces back together in new and exciting patterns. Power chords ride rubbery grooves, drums crash behind soulful harmonies, songs shift gears as smoothly as politicians contradict themselves. Guitarist MAT WHYTE and bassist/keyboardist KAMARA THOMAS pass the mic like siblings unselfconsciously sharing the same water glass. Highlights include the spacey “Ghost and the Witness,” the warm ‘n’ funky “Black Sea Vacation” and the punchy, powerhouse “Oye Vaya.” The kind of ballad the band couldn’t have successfully pulled off on the first record, the gorgeous “Bill Evans” also proves potent. Earl Greyhound drips promise the way a honeycomb oozes honey, and on Suspicious Package it tastes sweet indeed.
