Russell Suereth – Going Down the Highway (Russell Suereth)

Boonton, NJ-based multi-instrumentalist Suereth has built a formidable Facebook following via his Creativity Musings blog and his Aliens Abducted My Radio YouTube show – on the latter, extraterrestrials visiting Earth analyze famous song lyrics in a humorous, ‘50s sci-fi b-movie style! But he’s new to the music recording game: this is only his first full-length, following 2013’s Small Steps EP (four songs from Small are repeated, along with six new ones). At first, I feared Going’s airy, lightweight vibe might stray perilously close to ‘70s easy listening pabulum or new age banality. However, Suereth crucially adds vivacious, ear-tickling ambient touches and a hooky, new wave-inspired pop sense that drew me in after a few plays.

A longtime guitar player, Suereth says he only began understanding song structure upon learning to play keyboards. Indeed, it’s primarily his spacious, airborne synths and radiant, twinkling keys that lend Going its luminous glow, as on the skittering title track and the shuffling “I Can See You.” The more sedate, yet elevating “So Different” similarly benefits from an exquisite, hummable piano melody that’s as meditative as its nature-reflecting lyrics. Elsewhere, the bouncy, Beach Boys-meets-Lightning Seeds “Bottlenose” has a surf/island vibe, “Portraits from Living” mixes pretty prog with drifting dreampop, and the bubbly romantic ode “I Wonder” has a ‘70s contemporary folk/AM pop feel. Yet a sci-fi/space travel aura lingers throughout, like background music to planetarium laser shows and constellation gazing.

Suereth tops off each song with his Mr. Rogers-friendly, conversational vocals (occasionally treated with 2001: A Space Odyssey/HAL-like robotic effects) that feel comforting, carefree, and considered. To wit, on “Now It’s Time,” he seems unruffled and pragmatic even as he realizes he must move on with his life after a failed relationship, while on “Mister Dumpty (Dinosaur)” he remains relaxed and levelheaded while chiding one he deems “high and mighty/up on your wall.” And “Spread Your Wings”’s well-intentioned advice to “let this be the day/spread your wings and fly away” might seem syrupy and trite were it not for his sincere and reassuring demeanor. But no matter the lyrical content, Suereth’s music is a soothing solution for stressful schedules. (www.russellsuereth.com)