And lyricist Mark Avsec doesn't paint a positive view of the once-booming, working-class town. (And he doesn't give it much hope for the future either.)
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Still, this is one musical journey you might not want to miss, especially if you happen to be a Donnie Iris fan. Beaver County's famous rocker, a.k.a. "The Rapper," recently released his newest work, "Poletown."
The disc appropriately starts off with the title track set to a strong blues vibe. Moving from the danceable heartbreak song "How You Gonna Mend It?" to the introspective ballad Cross the Rubicon," the album carries us across 13 tracks and several decades with a little bit of groove, a little bit of pop and some classic and alternative rock.
There are even a few touches of doo-wop ("Hey Rembrandt") and some punk threads ("Scream") thrown in.
In addition to Avsec's doom-and-gloom look at "Poletown," the album sets a dark mood with "The Stalker" and "Bitter Lemons." Iris has a little fun with fallen love and hopeful recovery in "Within Me and Without You." Note a definite highlight here, because there aren't many.
Overall the work might come across as negative. But weaved with clever phrases, it effectively digs into and at times brings humor to life's little ironies. It offers an abundance of sin, lust, adultry, guilt, anger discouragement and cynicism. Whew! You can either listen and have some fun with it (move around a lot, that is) or really listen and get into some heavy thinking.
Iris rose to fame as frontman for the Jaggerz. The band claimed a No. 1 spot for the national hit "The Rapper" in 1970. Since then, the Ellwood City native has reached his share of high notes with songs like "Ah! Leah!" and "Love is Like a Rock."
Avsec, a long-time member of Iris' band, the Cruisers, provided the words for the latest release and -along with Dominic Ierace, Marty Lee Hoenes, Albritton McClain and Kevin Valentine- helped co-write the music.
Overall, "Poletown" seems like a familier place for many people. Maybe that's why it's so easy to relate to. And it's not a bad place to visit.
But I hope Iris provides us with something else soon because "Poletown" is not a place where I'd really like to stay.