THE INSOMNIACS "LEFT COAST BLUES" Source: Supporting The Blues (website) Date: 09/2007 Writer: RL

"CD of The Month"

The Insomniacs are one of the hottest young bands on the west-coast blues scene. Formed in 2006, there’s major buzz surrounding these guys and they’ve built a huge local following, routinely selling out gigs all up and down the west coast. With a rock solid arsenal of original material and legendary live performances behind them, they launch their international debut with this Delta Groove release of their self-produced disc, Left Coast Blues.

Led by 25 year-old vocalist/guitarist Vyasa Dodson, with Dean Mueller on bass, Alex Shakeri on piano and keyboards, and Dave Melyan on drums, their sound is a combination of jumping west-coast blues, shuffles, swing, and straight blues all mixed together to produce a rocking hybrid that is uniquely their own. Plain and simple, these guys sound like they’ve been playing together for years, with a unique sound and style that is both fresh and catchy with tight in-the-pocket playing.

This is a consistently exciting and joyously well-performed disc played with a one-take intensity that's contagious. These guys sound like they're having a blast and that infectious feeling translates to the music. The record is loose and raw, and Dodson and Mueller’s production doesn’t polish the sound too much, letting the music breathe. The result is a thoroughly engaging, entertaining set that sucks you in with "Stick Around," keeps your interest through the extraordinary "Stuttering Blues" and doesn't let go until the final note of “The Waddle,” recorded live at The Avalon in Hollywood earlier this year.