The Mighty Orq: To the Bone

Comments (0) By Chris Gray Wednesday, Apr 23 2008

Orq's eternal Texas blues-rock jams hit to the bone.
Orq's eternal Texas blues-rock jams hit to the bone.

Details

Mighty Orq performs Monday, April 28 at the Big Easy, 5731 Kirby. Call 713-523-9999 for more info.
www.mightyorq.com

Related Content

More About

They must hear it every single show, so it was downright gracious (and no doubt ironic) of the Mighty Orq to thank the people who "yelled 'Play some Stevie!'" in the liner notes of To the Bone. In truth, the Bayou City blues-rockers are much less indebted to Stevie Ray Vaughan than to his rhythm section Double Trouble's post-SRV project the Arc Angels and, in turn, the Angels' musical and spiritual mentor Eric Clapton. Whereas Vaughan's high-octane attack rarely ventured very far outside the 12-bar framework of the blues, both Clapton and the Angels were much more willing to introduce outside elements (sophisticated Beatles-based pop, for one) into their sound.

The same holds true for To the Bone, which, while very much a platform for the six-string heroics of the trio's eponymous frontman, contains few songs (aside from the Allmans-esque "4 + 1" and the Cream-y "The Good Love") that could be classified as straight blues. Rockers such as opener "Falling Down" and "Set Me Free" sally forth on vintage Zeppelin riffs (and attendant Clapton/Jimmy Page-like fretwork), and "Hangin' On" and "If You Will" likewise seem lifted straight from the "Heartbreaker" mold. However, the playful piano chords and falsetto vocals of "Rainy Day" and acoustic-based "Blue Eyes" are overt attempts to capture the hearts of John Mayer fans.

As the titles imply, Orq's lyrics are as workmanlike as the music and largely confined to his success or failure at love — the scathing "H.O." will win him few feminist friends, though "Falling Down" and the aforementioned ballads are considerably more sympathetic. However unfashionable solid, meat-and-potatoes rock like To the Bone may be to the more indie-attuned ears on the coasts, in Texas it never truly goes out of style.

Related Content

Check out this week's featured ad for Entertainment
More Ads >>
 
My Voice Nation Help
1 comments
  Livefyre
Sort: Newest | Oldest
frank_green
frank_green

damn man you guys send it Ive been rockin for 25yrs and played with alot of good players you have taken the saying get tight to another level bad asss rock an roll keep it comin

 
VOICE Daily Deals

Concert Calendar

  • May
  • Wed
    22
  • Thu
    23
  • Fri
    24
  • Sat
    25
  • Sun
    26
  • Mon
    27
  • Tue
    28

Slideshows»

More Music Stories >
Houston Event Tickets
©2013 Houston Press, LP, All rights reserved.
Browse Voice Nation
  • Voice Places Houston

    Voice Places

    Find everything you're looking for in your city

  • Happy Hour App

    Happy Hour App

    Find the best happy hour deals in your city

  • Daily Deals

    Daily Deals

    Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%

  • Best Of

    Best Of...

    Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city