J. D. Malone And The Experts - Even Sunbeams (2022)

Originally from Bennington, VT rocker J. D. Malone (John Dennis Maloney, Jr.) moved to Philadelphia in 1989 after a stint in the navy and became heavily involved in the area's music scene. He's become quite a name in the Delaware Valley by performing everywhere from small bars to large, outdoor, music festivals.

Malone's four man backing group, The Experts, have made several albums with him and all of them feature the rocking singer-songwriter on lead vocals and as the primary composer. I don't know where their name came from but the outfit plays like what their name says they are - experts. They're a group of seasoned professionals whose musicianship rivals many bands that have acquired far more commercial success.

Malone's songwriting is the main reason to listen to Even Sunbeams, a brief seven song set that is currently available on all of the music streaming sites and download services. (To obtain a copy on CD you'll have to order it by mail or pick one up at a live gig.)

Malone is an inward looking songwriter whose lyrics tend to go beyond the timeworn topics of love and relationships. The opening track, "Blue Impala" could be the son of The Beach Boys' "Don't Worry, Baby" and Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." The song isn't really about the car mentioned in the title. It's more about the exhilaration the protagonist feels while driving that cool set of wheels with a girl beside him. "I don’t ever wanna see this night come to an end....The glow of the dashboard light betrays desire in your eyes, Not a soul would blame us if we kept driving."

"The Strongest Oak" appears to be aimed at Malone's children. He let's them know that they've got a lot to learn, and one day they'll realize they're not the know-it-alls they believe they are. "When I was a boy with a mind for moving on I thought I was wise to the ways of the world. I had a young voice both naive and strong, and it would take years to realize I was wrong." It sounds as if Malone has been listening to some of Jackson Browne's introspective work.

"Home of the Brave" is Malone's admission that life is a struggle. "I have not fortune, I have not fame, I do my best to credit my name. Some days move easy, most are hard to get through, testing my courage to hang on, do what I have to do" but the song ends on a positive note with the album's closing words, "we can all be heroes in the home of the brave."  That home can be in your heart, your soul or even contained in "the lessons you learn." It's not about the country he once so dutifully served.

It's unlikely J. D. Malone and The Experts will ever be stars. They get almost no radio airplay, and after a twenty year recording career - the leader made a few solo records before the band came along - it's obvious Malone makes music because it enriches his soul even if it doesn't add much to his bank account.

Give Even Sunbeams a listen. You won't be sorry.

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