Five Years Worth the Wait for The Clarks’ Restless Days

The Clarks have always been a band first and foremost. Two guitars, bass, and drums is pretty much the formula of rock and roll, and for over 20 years it has paid dividends for Pittsburgh’s favorite sons. It has been five years since The Clarks’ last studio release, and the new album titled Restless Days is definitely worth the wait.

Produced by studio ace Sean McDonald, the opening track “True Believer” sets the pace with big guitars and a driving rhythm section, allowing singer Scott Blasey to do what he does best – lay down a great vocal melody with conviction. “Since we have worked together on various projects over the years, there was no ‘first date syndrome,’ which allowed us to dive right into the recording process,” says McDonald.

The highlight of the record for me is track two, which is titled “Inside.” This is The Clarks at their best – lyrics that evoke images, a sweeping chorus, and melodic guitar playing from Rob James that never gets in the way of the song. A nice change of pace is “Come ‘Round Here,” written by bassist Greg Joseph. This acoustic-based song has a laid back bounce that will stick in your head in a good way… not in an “ain’t nothing gonna break- a-my stride” way.

The Clarks have done it all, from playing Late Night with David Letterman to selling more than 300,000 records, and selling out venues that seat thousands. But at the end of the day, they still remain a band. Scott Blasey, Rob James, Greg Joseph, and Dave Minarik have come a long way from playing frat parties for beer money, but lucky for us they have not lost the spirit that made them want to play those parties in the first place. If you are a fan of American rock and roll, you will not be disappointed by Restless Days. But don’t take my word for it, according to band manager John Williams, the disc debuted at #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #134 on the Top 200 chart – the highest charting debut in the band’s career.

For fans of: Tom Petty, The Old 97’s, The Smithereens, The Hoodoo Gurus