Widespread Panic
Everyday

The third work by the Georgian band opens with one of their standout pieces: "Pleas" boasts an excellent and memorable melody, though based on ordinary chords: a must-see live from now on (1993).

From this point on, the group firmly establishes itself as a sextet: John Herman joins full-time as the keyboardist, a role previously filled by more or less permanent guests. His role in the group quickly becomes important, both in terms of composition and as an occasional second lead voice, as an alternative to the invaluable John Bell.

"Hatfield" is an intense rock blues, expanded by bass and piano solos, made hypnotic by the incessant, "sick" arpeggio of the electric guitar. Completely different from "Wondering" which moves forward boastfully and serenely, punctuated by delightful interludes of triplets, fully classy, which break its uniformity. "Papa's Home" develops slowly and percussively, expanded, with a melody nothing special but well-supported by Bell's magnificent voice; as often happens with them, small interludes in accelerated and different times intervene, making the return of the main slow theme almost morbid.

The longest song on the album, due to excessive solo interventions by guitarist Michael Houser, is called "Diner" and frankly does not deserve to occupy over seven minutes of space on the disc. Well deserved, however, are the five minutes of "Better Off", which presses the accelerator on funky rock much like Little Feat, with Bell sounding just like Californian Paul Barrere, relaxed and cheerful.

The masterpiece of the album is undoubtedly "Pickin' Up the Peaces", which immediately captivates with a memorable mandolin plucking, preluding a couple of chords of... understated funk, which then characterizes much of the piece; the mandolin prevails in the instrumental portions, played in the flood style characteristic of soloist Michael Houser. "Henry Parsons Died" follows, a cover, entirely in offbeat in the verses and then it stretches and intensifies in the choruses and the obsessive electric solo: nothing special.

There is much more in "Pilgrim", held up by Houser's characteristic arpeggiated style, capable of expressing itself in clusters of unusual and almost surprising chords, characterizing the peculiar side of Widespread Panic's offering; what a great musician this curly and unfortunate guitarist (long deceased)! He shines again in the hard rock "Postcard", although the highlight is the duo of singers Bell-Herman singing the verses an octave apart; being a Panic's hard rock, it is obviously seasoned with sturdy changes of tempo and intensity, a trick they manage well because the rhythm section (three musicians, including percussionist Domingo Ortiz) is a gem, all flexible and cohesive as only in the United States they know how to be.

Precisely the percussion, tuned and gliding, skillfully moves the final track "Dream Song", which, respectful of the title, proceeds dreamlike and psychedelic, thanks to the usual febrile electric arpeggio and the quiet organ layers. How talented they are!