When Mike Molina openly declares “we proudly carry the banner of rock music’s greatest era into the 21st century,” this statement could be considered modest if the result fell short of the intentions. But Fools Parade confirms the right to such a declaration. Tambyrlane, the project of Molina and his longtime collaborator Steve Capozzi, was born from manager Rich Ulloa’s proposal to participate in a tribute to Pete Ham from Badfinger. The path to original material proved short—one phone call, a laconic “I’m in,” and here emerges an album about how genuine passion for music stays with you regardless of age, trends, and career vicissitudes.

The production work of Paul Opalach and Grammy-nominated Edwin Ramos is maintained in an aesthetic where old school meets modern recording technique. Long Hill Studios and Platinum Room Recorders in Connecticut provided a sound that allows these songs to breathe fully. Guitars sound warm and dimensional, drums are recorded with space, vocals occupy the right place in the mix. The influences are named directly: Dylan, The Band, Neil Young, The Who, Steve Earle, Rolling Stones. Yes, this is familiar territory. But sometimes the familiar sounds exactly as good as it should.

The title track “Fools Parade” opens the record with piano chords and a swaying rhythm that immediately draws you in. The song balances between folk melodicism and rock solidity, Molina leads the narrative with the confidence of someone who knows what he’s singing about. His voice possesses the necessary degree of wear—not artificial roughness, but the natural texture of lived years. The arrangement is genuinely cinematic, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The song works.

“Resurrection Day” lets the electric guitar break forward, and here Tambyrlane shows they can handle classic rock sound without excessive academicism. The groove is confident, the melody hooks without trying to be too clever. This is material that sounds equally convincing in headphones and from car speakers on the highway.

With “Calm of the Sea” the band shifts into ballad register, and it’s here that it becomes clear the project has dynamic range. The track is built on an acoustic foundation with thoughtful electric guitar coming in at the right moments, the vocal delivery becomes more sensual without theatricality. Yes, there’s no attempt to modernize the formula or add unexpected elements. But the honesty of intentions compensates for the absence of experiments.

“Prelude / As the Crow Flies”—the longest piece on the album and a Grammy nomination bid in the Best Americana Performance category. And this nomination looks deserved. The song begins with a slow introduction, where acoustic guitars create a chamber atmosphere, almost tavern-like in its intimacy. When the main section unfolds, the melody acquires an epic scope typical of large-format Americana rock, but Tambyrlane doesn’t lose control over the material. They work with space and time, allowing the song to develop organically. This is the album’s centerpiece, and it handles the task placed upon it.

“Can’t Cry Enough” changes the register—keyboards enter from the first seconds, the sound becomes denser, more commercially oriented. Here Tambyrlane demonstrates versatility, the ability to write material that can reach wider. The song is constructed competently, the chorus sticks after the first listen, and there’s no sin in that.

Toward the album’s end, “Walk Tough” returns the listener to blues-rock roots with straightforward drive. This is a rocker that bands perform at concerts to raise the temperature, and “Walk Tough” fulfills this function excellently. The riffs are fat, the rhythm section works tightly, the energy holds until the last note.

The final “Gun“—the longest song on Fools Parade, a sensual ballad that becomes the album’s emotional culmination. The track demonstrates Tambyrlane’s full range—from quiet, almost whispered passages to saturated sections with full orchestral sound. The arrangement is multilayered, the vocals sincere, here the band put in maximum soul. And it’s audible. “Gun” concludes the album on a high note, leaving an aftertaste.

Verdict

I can confidently say that Mike Molina and Steve Capozzi understand their strengths. They know how to write catchy melodies, how to build an album’s dynamics, how to record guitars so they sound alive. Yes, the influences are obvious. Yes, the territory is familiar. But the craftsmanship with which the band navigates this territory deserves respect.

There’s a difference between copying and continuing tradition. Tambyrlane engages in the latter. They take the language that was developed by Dylan, The Band, Neil Young, and speak it with their own intonation. They’re adding their own page to the same book.

Perhaps Fools Parade doesn’t reinvent Americana rock. But reinvention isn’t the only worthy goal in music. Sometimes it’s more important to do well what you know best. And Tambyrlane does exactly that. The album sounds sincere, professional, with respect for tradition and without pretensions to revolution. The Grammy nomination for “Prelude/As the Crow Flies” looks logical. This is solid work from musicians who’ve proven they know how to write songs, record them with the right sound, and invest genuine energy into the material. Fools Parade is an album you’ll want to return to, and that’s the best compliment for a debut work.

Molina promised to carry the banner of rock’s great era into the 21st century and do it worthily. Mission accomplished.

All information provided is prepared in accordance with editorial standards and is intended to offer useful insights for readers. Please note that the opinions, interpretations, and evaluations expressed by the author may substantially differ from the viewpoints of our readers or the general public at large, and we respect the diversity of opinions.