Frank Carillo has been at this game for a long time. He played guitar on two of Peter Frampton’s pre-Comes Alive CDs in the early ‘70s. He released his first album Rings Around the Moon in 1978 and was scheduled to be the opening act of a huge Led Zeppelin tour that was unfortunately canceled because of the death of Robert Plant’s son. He has been constantly busy since, including multiple tours of North America Europe, including one as a member of bluesman John Hammond’s band. He appeared as a musician in the film Prelude to a Kiss, starring Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin in 1992. In 2004 Frank formed The Bandoleros and has been busy with this project since then.
Someday is truly an awesome album, stuffed full of great songwriting and playing all highlighted by Frank’s gravely voice which has the rough edged honesty of Springsteen or even Joe Cocker. He delivers the tunes passionately, sounding just like he’s spent as many nights singing on stage, as he has! Most of the tunes are faster paced bluesy tunes, such as the stellar opener “Roll the Bones,” which Frank says was inspired by listening to old British folk/rock, especially of Fairport Convention, saying he was amazed with the content, including lust, murder, war, betrayal and sheep shearing! He wanted a tune spiced with all of this and more. Frank’s guitar is backed on a number of the tunes by Hammond B3, played by Augie Meyers (Bob Dylan, Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados). With all his travels he has developed a love of new and different instruments. One of these is a laud, a Spanish instrument he picked up in Barcelona which is somewhat like a mandolin, only larger and with 12 strings. He effectively blends this instrument into the tunes “Everything Changes” and “Eastern Time.” Frank can go bare bones as well. He strips things down to acoustic guitar and vocals on “Glass Heroes,” one of the more beautiful songs you are likely to hear. I have a strong suspicion this disc will end up on my Best of 2008 list, if it isn’t worn out by then!
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