Satchel
The Family

SATCHEL THE FAMILY (1996) Known mostly for orbiting around Pearl Jam (singer Shawn Smith and drummer Regan Hagar brilliantly supported Stone Gossard in Brad), Satchel was among the few artists that, along with the Afghan Whigs, managed to move beyond grunge once the genre had become definitively saturated. Moreover, there is little formal grunge in “Family”: just a hint of guitar aggression here and there, and a couple of gritty episodes like “Some More Trouble” or the robust funk of “Tomorrow.”

The challenge for Shawn Smith and company on “The Family” was much more stimulating. To chart a path that, starting from the more intimate and soulful Neil Young (from “After The Gold Rush” and “Birds”), and passing through Prince’s “Purple Rain” (“Time O The Year” pays homage from the title itself to the Minneapolis maverick), would land on 90s rock, abolishing the barriers between the genres simply called rock and black music. Not by adding the stereotypes of the two genres, as many crossover artists did in those years, and forging a work that withstands the test of time beautifully. The result, in fact, is a sound that remains fresh and exciting even today. Magnetic synth textures (“Criminal Justice”) or almost always with the piano mark each track of “The Family,” reaching into jazz territories.

In this sense, the compelling emotional swing portrayed by the concluding “Roll On” is paradigmatic. Sublime jazz piano phrases crash against a gloomy guitar wall à la Mad Season: truly excellent. Shawn Smith's soulful voice is touching, passionate without being overstated. Capable of soaring heartfelt performances even on a sparse and rarefied soundscape like in “Breathe Deep.” Or of warming hearts with a couple of piano ballads that would make Paul Weller green with envy, “Isn’t That Right” and “For So Long.” Even without the brooding appeal of his friend Greg Dulli – with whom he duetted in one of the best episodes of “Black Love” – Smith left unforgettable traces in the 90s. Ultimately, this is a classic cult album: unjustly ignored when it was released but shining in the collections of many enthusiasts.