Scott Maybee

REVIEW: The Forrest Williams Democracy – “The Optimyst” (2023 single)

THE FORREST WILLIAMS DEMOCRACY – “The Optimyst” (2023 single)

Forrest Williams, Scott Maybee, and Matt DeMatteo are back with their third single (check out the first two if you missed ’em), and this is the best one yet.  The Democracy play a hard-to-pigeonhole mixture of 90s and classic rock with a dose of progressive, among other elements.  When these elements fuse, the molecules of music produced have been radiant.  With three songs released to date, we can now track a trend:  each song is better than the last, therefore the future is looking bright for The Democracy!

Fellow reviewer Jex Russell noted that “The Optimyst” reminded him of “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel, and I hear what he’s getting at.  There’s something in that bright rhythm of the guitar part, and the uplifting vocal melody (verses by DeMatteo and choruses by Maybee, if the music video is to go by).  But there’s so much more to this track than just the melodic.  Listen to the drums!  Williams makes creative use of toms and cymbals to form an integral part of the song’s landscape.  The drums don’t distract, but they add a hell of a lot of depth and hookiness.  They carve hills and valleys in the music.

The lyrics are uplifting and the message is universal.  “‘Cause bad times will get better!”  Don’t give up hope!  “You feel hopeless, got to pay the Monday dues.”  That’s pretty accurate!  “I’m all fired up by Wednesday, it’s Friday soon…”  Amen, brothers!  I think most people will be able to relate to this song, and I hope they can feel its sunny vibes, to feel better about whatever is getting them down.

Everyone needs to hear “The Optimyst”, no matter what mood they’re in.  It’s that good and it deserves to be heard far and wide.  Positivity is often in short supply these days, so thank you to The Forrest Williams Democracy for bringing some sun in December.

5/5 stars…

Wait…why not?  6/5 stars!!

REVIEW: The Forrest Williams Democracy – “Halos” (2023 single)

THE FORREST WILLIAMS DEMOCRACY – “Halos” (2023 single)

I said it last year, and I’ll say it again:  Anybody who ever dug Big Wreck (and there are lots of you) should be checking out The Forrest Williams Democracy.  Their debut track “In Service of the Greater Good” made us happy last year, but this time we’re smiling ear to ear at the sound of the new song “Halos”!  It was hard to pigeonhole the Forrest Williams Democracy last time, but we bandied about words such as “Sabbath” and “Zeppelin”.  Not this time.  This time I might use words such as “Rush” or “Foo”!  Whether these were influences in any way, I have no way of knowing, but it’s not bad company to be compared to.

“Halos” is upbeat and irresistible!  There are verses that sound like they could have come from the 80s, but then in crashes a killer chorus with distorted vocals a-la your favourite 90s hits.  I find myself listening on repeat, it’s just that good.  Vocally and rhythmically, this is an outstanding track.  Though it is shorter and more to the point than their previous song, it still has a variety of different sections with different feels.  It all works together to make one concise, killer tune that will sound great with the windows down this summer.

“Halos” is out August 1, 2023.  Keep ’em coming, guys….

5/5 stars

REVIEW: The Forrest Williams Democracy – “In Service of the Greater Good” (2022 single)

THE FORREST WILLIAMS DEMOCRACY – “In Service of the Greater Good” (2022 single)

Anybody who ever dug Big Wreck (and there are lots of you) should be checking out The Forrest Williams Democracy.  Williams was the drummer on the first two essential Wreck albums with the original lineup.  After the band dissolved in 2002, Williams settled down into a family life.  Rock and roll always beckons again, and in this case it came in the form of musician Scott Maybee.  Together with original Big Wreck producer Matt DeMatteo, the new song “In Service of the Greater Good” was released twenty years after the original Big Wreck ended.  So whatsit sound like?

The Forrest Williams Democracy has an uncanny knack for a Soundgarden aura, circa Badmotorfinger and Superunknown.  A lot of that has to do with the vocals (shared between Maybee and DeMatteo).  Powerful with range, but also subtlety.  The riffs (and there are a few!) are heavy.  And as for the drums?  If you listen to this and the first Big Wreck, you can hear that it’s the same guy.  The style, and the thump, remains.  “In Service of the Greater Good” is a complex, multi-faceted heavy rocker, but also with the acoustics and added textures that you would hope for.  Sabbath and Zeppelin are named as influences and you can hear both seeping through the speakers.  You can sense the Bonham influence on Williams, but the Zeppelin also comes out clearly in acoustic sections.  Meanwhile the lead guitar work would make Iommi smile.

“In Service of the Greater Good” is more than just the influences.  There’s a lot going on here — some serious musical ambition.  There was clearly no intent to just write some rock song for the summer.  This is impressive stuff.  The vocals are outstanding.  The musically-inclined will enjoy all the changes and tempos, while the rest of us can just pump our fists when the heavy parts come!  Great tune that has the feeling of an album side-ending closer epic.  We hope an album will follow.

In the meantime, you can check out the Forrest Williams Democracy on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp.  They also have shirts for sale.  Hope more is coming.

4/5 stars