Back in the middle of the 20th century, the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper had a legendary columnist, Herb Caen, who wrote about the issues of the day affecting the working and middle class families that called the City home. To make sure he didn’t veer off into pedantic topics of interest only to insiders or the wealthy, he created a fictional reader named Effie Zilch. Effie was “a fading blonde in her 40’s”, housewife, mother of two, living in a modest suburb on the western side of San Francisco. Whatever Herb wrote, it had to be of interest to Effie. Fast forward half a decade, and musical partners Evanne Barcenas and Steve Wyreman decided to reincarnate Effie as the name and soul of their band. Now, it’s less about a persona and more about drawing from their vast experiences to produce music with the broad appeal Caen embraced. They’ve just released their 5th studio album, Higher Calling, and I think the spirit of the original Effie would love it.
The record starts with Easy, a Carole King-style piano ballad with a touch of gospel. Despite the laid-back tempo, it’s a plea for Effie’s daughter to “c’mon child, take it easy on me.” That era also comes alive on Lover Boy, a funky Motown-laced number where the singer knows her man is in deep because “I hear hear him talking about me in his sleep.” One of the highlights is Barcenas providing her own background vocals in that familiar Hitsville style. Those layered background vocals anchor Underneath the Weather, a soulful wish for the world to be a kinder place because “all this unused love has got to find a better way.” Staying in the R&B vein, but now set further west is the Leon Russell-vibed Salton Sea.
Multi-instrumentalist and producer Wyreman stretches all his skills in the title track. It’s a psychedelic, electronic-filled story about someone who’s been everywhere, done everything and met everyone. At the end of the day, though, “you’re my only masterpiece.” The very next song, and CD closer, is Where We Go, and it’s at the other end of the experiential axis. An acoustic bluesy piece it mines the question all humans eventually ask: “I wanna know where you go when you die.” The blues genre makes another appearance in On the Loose, with a more electric rock approach.
Evanne Barcenas and Steve Wyreman have been musical collaborators since they were teenagers. Wyreman has worked with the likes of Jay Z, John Legend and Leon Bridges so he knows A-list sound. When he adds that experience to Barcenas soulful, emotional vocals, Effie Zilch emerges as a familiar companion for anyone who’s listened to a radio in the last 50 years. Higher Calling is yet the latest example of that.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.