Carsickness

  • Carsickness
  • Shooting Above the Garbage (tmi) 1981 
  • Sharpen Up for Duty (tmi) 1982 

This intriguing Pittsburgh band’s lineup includes two keyboardists (one doubling on guitar, the other on violin) and a saxophone player, in addition to a singer/guitarist, bassist and drummer. The ability to arrange their music in a number of directions makes Carsickness a complex force; only Joe Sopa’s dramatic vocals maintain any stylistic consistency from track to track. Without being identifiably derivative, Carsickness draws bits from modern jazz, new romanticism, rock-funk and other sources, using flexible rhythmic intensities and thoughtful lyrics to drive the songs. Troublesome, yet impressive and invigorating.

[Ira Robbins]