Credit: Ron Soltys

Winslow with The Dr. Teeth, The Speedbumps and Drop Soma Friday 9 p.m. at the Bar’n

$5 (21+), $7 (18-20)

Since their inception over two years ago, fans of the Kent band Winslow have eagerly awaited a proper album from the group. With the release of Crazy Kind of Love, coming out tomorrow, Winslow’s army of followers are bound to be blown away by a blend of new and old pieces, each of superb quality.

For many who have seen Winslow’s lively performances over the past few years, the name 1959 may have a greater familiarity. Late last year, the group changed its name from 1959 to its current moniker.

“We used to be a cover band. We just wanted to play fun songs. People who didn’t know us expected us all to be in our fifties, and we weren’t. The name was meant to be an homage to the year that Motown began, but ended up not really describing what we’re about,” says Winslow front-man Maurice Martin. “We definitely have changed a lot since we started doing our own stuff.”

Undoubtedly, the group has honed and transformed its sound from a party band to a soul-filled and funk-riddled explosion.

“We began to sound really different when we got a new guitarist and bassist (Neal Campbell and Brian Robertson),” says Martin. We definitely adopted a rock edge. We all had to change our sound to suit it better, and I think it really worked. You can definitely see a transition throughout the album.”

In fact, the album begins with the title track, the first song the group wrote together. Throughout the album, Winslow takes you through a myriad of sounds from the group’s newest and edgiest to the oldest and smoothest, each of them flavored with Winslow’s unmistakable instrumental funk.

Another selling point is the caliber of musicians on this album. While every member of Winslow holds their own, they receive a hand from renowned keyboardist Bernie Worrell on the album’s second track, “Move On.”

“We were definitely excited to work with Bernie Worrell on the album,” Martin says. “We’re really pleased with how everything turned out.”

Winslow is releasing this long-awaited album tomorrow at the Bar’n in Kent. This concert, sponsored by Cleveland Scene, is the first time in several months that Winslow has performed in their hometown. The new album, as well as a plethora of new merchandise, will be on sale at the show.

Also playing with Winslow are The Dr. Teeth, The Speedbumps and Drop Soma.

Contact all reporter Douglas Hite at [email protected].