OurStage

The Sweet Remains is a trio of singer-songwriters: Greg Naughton (also known to the New York stage for his acting talents), Rich Price and Brian Chartrand, whose backgrounds fuse together to create a pleasant, folksy rock. Save for Naughton’s distinctive vocals, which often display the strength of musical theater experience, you’d never know their new album, Laurel & Sunset, had any ties to the theater. But that’s not a bad thing; it’s a testament to the obvious collaborative effort that’s evident throughout the album. The band’s distinctive harmonies are reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash, while at times their melodies have hints of James Taylor with a little bit bands like Dispatch thrown in. The album features sincere, sweetly romantic lyrics and crisp instrumentals that are simple enough to expose, but intricately crafted enough not to sound empty or suspended. From the gentle “Printemps A Paris” and references to wine and trips to France to the bouncier, more upbeat “What I’m Looking For”, it’s the kind of album you can envision yourself driving through a long, winding mountain road to – reminiscent of the way things outside the city feel so much freer and calmer. It sort of makes you want to go run in the woods on a windy fall afternoon. It’s not quite country and not quite entirely urban either – it’s much like that road you take between the two: neither here nor there, but straddling both sides with a solid foundation.