Words by Blake Barit Direct Attention Since my first Umphrey’s McGee show, I was blown away by their genre bending sound and innovative approach to live performances. From hair metal runs, to funk grooves, straight forward rocking, psychedelia, sentimental ballads, aggro progressive transitions, even a bit of comedy, working cohesively to form a sound that would keep me coming back for the next 12 years. With this new album, we find an older band a bit wiser in their years, ready to push their craft even further and rock like nothing has changed. Recorded in Chicago, it’s not us is the band’s eleventh studio effort. The album is seething with everything fans have come to know and love. Jake Cinninger on guitar, and Ryan Stasik on bass, bring power to a hard rock-driven album, layered with Brendan Bayliss’ introspective lyricism. Centered predominately on their classic progressive rock sound, the album maintains an eclectic nature, venturing into funk, electronica, and folk. Rig