Terramara

Judging by the press I've read on this group, critics seem to think Terramara sound like the second coming of Steely Dan, with a little Sting in the vocals. And damned if they aren't just about exactly right. On their sophomore full-length, this Minneapolis, Minnesota quartet lays down some of the most sophisticated, tasty jazz-pop on record since the Dan's heyday, full of tight keyboard-based arrangements, precision playing and rich harmonies. Four Blocks To Hennepin is forty minutes of snappy, beautifully arranged jazz-pop that offers an urbane, sardonic wisdom that's beyond the reach of most mainstream acts today. And it marks Terramara as a group that bears watching -- and listening to. - Jason Warburg

Here is a band who doesn't seem to venture outside of their home base in Minnesota, although the rest of America, if not the entire planet, should give them a listen. Very eclectic jazzy pop-rock, at times reminiscent of Steely Dan, The Police, XTC, and Joe Jackson, while possessing a uniqueness about them. Perhaps the strongest point of Terramara's music is how infectious it is; with an emphasis on melodies, grooves and fine-tuned yet completely natural sounding arrangements, not to mention superb musicianship and production, there are no "filler" spots to be found on Hennepin. - Evolution of Music

This second outing from Bloomington, Minn., quartet Terramara jumps right outta the gate with “Running Down The Avenue,” a bright blast of urgent rhythms, insistent vocal harmonies and a sound that’s one part Randy Newman, one part Steely Dan, one part Beach Boys and one part pure Minnesota madness. That’s a good thing, in case you’re wondering.

Fronted by singer/keys man Rob Meany, and rounded out by the crack team of Erik Pederson (bass), Karl Koopman (guitars, synth), and drummer Dave Thomas, Terramara purvey their funkified space-jazz influences through a glimmering sheen of pop perfection, and it’s nice to see a band that’s so revered live lay down a batch of their songs in the studio (in this case, The Terrarium, natch!) that remain this true to their original spirit. Other standouts here include the rolling, hypnotic grooves of “Rise & Fall,” which finds the outfit employing a harder-edged guitar sound; the dreamy neo-jazz vibes of “Smoke And Mirrors” (which is kind of a bizarre example of what a love-gone-wrong song co-written by Joe Jackson and Sting—when he still had enough soul to get up and make fun of himself with Frank Zappa on stage—might sound like ... once again, that’s a good thing); and the timely, tongue-in-cheek synth-fest, “Virtual Lisa.”

All in all, a tightly knit, soulful batch of fresh material from a local outfit who have the “Urban Sound of Minneapolis” down to the proverbial “T.” Just toss the album’s final cut (and title track) in your personal or car stereo, and drive, walk, run, ride a bike, a bus or on a friend’s back down Hennepin Avenue—you’ll soon discover why Terramara are so qualified to provide your daily soundtrack. Great stuff! - Tom Hallett

If you thought the parting of Spymob meant there weren't any good Steely Dan-loving bands left in town, then you obviously haven't heard the new Terramara CD. Titled "Four Blocks to Hennepin," the sophomore album is a piano- and horn-driven effort full of tight, poppy harmonies and instrumental jams that could light an incense stick. Terramara's singer-keyboardist Rob Meany has a smooth yet powerful, Sting-like voice (much like Spymob's John Ostby), and his songs such as "Running Down the Avenue" and the title track feature guy-lost-in-the-city themes. Tonight's CD-release party at the Fine Line, a 6 p.m. early show, will include a horn section with Matt Darling and accompaniment by Greazy Meal's Ken Chastain, who produced the album. - Chris Reimenschneider

From the get go, Minneapolis-based Terramara’s Four Blocks to Hennepin conjures up late ‘70s pop nostalgia. The kind of music the period’s heyday produced through bands like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section. The period where jazz and fusion made inroads in the rock music scene.

The playing on this album is very tight: crisp guitar leads, compelling bass lines, choice keyboard fills, steady drumming and warm vocals. The songs are extremely accessible to a wide range of listeners, and if the LA-sound of the late 70’s comes back in vogue, each and every one of these songs could become a chart topper. Favorite Track: Track 5, “Invisible People”.
- Roland Goity

Terramara return in 2008 with Dust & Fiction (digipack), which shifts away from the Steely Dan style and toward XTC. At times Terramara could be the American equivalent to older English progressive pop bands such as Stackridge, 10cc, or City Boy, with their quirky art-pop of Beatles lineage. With Terramara, the progressive aspect comes from the keyboard-centric arrangements, the clever harmonic twists and turns, lush harmonies and layered sound. Simultaneously intelligent and incredibly catchy, they might just single-handedly save pop music.

- Larry Kolota

The band Terramara, fronted by Rob Meany, offers their third album with, once again, pop/rock songs that satisfy the heart and the mind. “Dust & Fiction” is, however, more catchy than the last album “Four Blocks To Hennepin" (but not in the sense of simpler). The vocal melodies seem even more perfected, harmonized and sophisticated. There are, again, some similarities to Neal Morse, whose first solo album was also very poppy. The catchiness or commercialization (how ever you want to see that) goes so far that the band even permits themselves with "Screaming At The Pouring Rain" to sound like pop-era Genesis, while “Blue Revolution” quotes unconcerned Ben Folds and Billy Joel with a trace Queen in the guitars. Songs such as “Solar Meltdown” (marvelous chorus), the modest “All That I Am”, “Burn Me Up” (again, marvelous chorus) or "Fall In Love Again" (and once again marvelous chorus) should perhaps be enjoyed without thinking about who has influenced them. “Dust & fiction” should, might, must leave a lasting impression. 8.5 stars out of 10. - Robert Pally