It's always great seeing a local band for the first time. In this case, it was last month at Linneman's on Locust street. The small quarters of the bar makes for an intimate setting to see a band. This particular night, it was Sarah Kozar's band Sixty Watt Sarah. This four piece outfit plays solid music that's a perfect background for Sarah's smooth and powerful vocals. This 35 minute cd is a great way to hear this band for the first time.
The sound of this band is swank and traditional folk rock in many ways. Sarah's vocals hold a seductive quality that takes these songs into a dramatic, yet loose and fun direction. "French Lesson" and "Long Time" are good examples of this formula. The latter song contains impressive bluesy acoustic guitar and a great sax solo from Don Turner. The song is a letter to a lover from long ago; "Now I know it's over, everything's all good and fine. I know you've found another, does she kiss as good as I?". The cd's opening track, "Tattoos", is probably the most powerful of the bunch. A very danceable tune, the song rolls along with Sarah's superb singing. The title track of the cd deals with "driving all night to Kansas City" and all the sites that one would see on such a trip. It's very cleverly written by Kosar. She wonders why, after a 5-day trip, her former lover won't even write her. One is led to believe that these are probably true stories of love and heartbreak. The cd finishes with "Valentine's Day Song". Co-written with her sister, Sarah solos with an acoustic guitar. It's a sweet traditional sounding valentine's day song. It's a simple song that would be a much better valentine's gift than, say, chocolate or flowers. It's very different than the other songs on the cd, but it's a nice way to round off the cd
I'm not sure how often Sixty Watt Sarah plays live in the Milwaukee area. The show is fun and well performed. Anyone who enjoys seeing Paul Cebar live would appreciate this band also. They still need a little tweaking with their sound, but they are well on their way to being a great band!
