Social 66 : Self Governed
by Chris A.
Staff Writer
Control: For Jason Odaniel, the man behind the curtain of Akron, Ohio-based Social66, it’s all about control; it’s about doing things by his rules and making his music his way. Self Governed is Odaniel’s musical statement about the complexities, difficulties and downright bullshit musicians face as they try to navigate the music biz.
Social66 is Jason Odaniel, a new-age, kinda sorta one-man-band who composed, arranged, performed and produced nearly the entire effort by himself on his own dime. Even in this age of high-quality, low-cost home digital audio recording capability, Odaniel opted for a pro sound, working with Cole Martinez at Cleveland’s Conquistador Studios. It’s impressive for one guy to create an entire record pretty much solo. Again, for Odaniel, Social66 all comes down to control, and from a quality perspective, Self Governed it’s a very solid musical effort. The disc offers some great riffs and is diverse in its presentation. “Only Me” is a good example of the diversity of the compositions as it mixes elements of metal, rap and punk and compares to the best of rock’s cross-genre bands and trend setters, including Korn, Saliva, Voivod, and even Three Days Grace come to mind.
Opening with a somber repeating melody, called “12-08-04,” Self Governed pays musical respect to one of his influences, Dimebag Darrell Abbott, using the date of the guitarist’s brutal murder as the song title. The mood of the record remains cynical as Self Governed transitions into “Radiate.” With a punk-vocal vibe and an aggressive metal crunch, it sets a good tone for the album. The highlight of the disc is a song called “One In The Same,” which features a thick-layered, melodic guitar opening; the cut has an unapologetic Black Label Society sound. While the tune may have a BLS vibe, the song is vastly better in comparison to the recent BLS offerings.
The vocals are a major strength of Self Governed, and they contribute to the overall quality of the disc. Powerful, passionate and controlled, Odaniel knows his vocal limitations, and, unlike many front men, he’s resisted the temptation to push his abilities. Consequently, the vocals stay within key and in tune. It’s pro stuff.
With the addition of drummer Holly Manning, Social66 offers a live performance built around Odaniel, supported by backing tracks. It obviously works as Social66 has opened for national acts, including Straight Line Stitch and Soil.
Overall, Social66 and its debut disc Self Governed offer a very impressive assortment of music that is packaged and presented professionally. For those who enjoy their music hard but musical, Social66 offers something a little different, presented differently by a guy who’s really doing it on his own. For more information about Social66, visit its Facebook page, Social66.
Band:
Jason Odaniel – Vocals/Guitars
Holly Manning – Drums
Track Listing:
1. 12_08_04
2. Radiate
3. One In The Same
4. Only Me
5. Everchange
6. Low
7. The Struggle
8. From The Floods
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.5/10