There must be something good in the water in Tennessee, especially in Nashville, because the city with such a rich music pedigree has been turning out a new breed of inspired recording acts. From the explosion in popularity over the past year of both Kings of Leon and Paramore (yes, I know, they are from just south of Nashville) the home town of Music Row should be proud to include Paper Route among their local talent who are burgeoning to break to a wider fanbase.

Paper Route’s first full length album, Absence, is a refreshing and downright beautiful recording, blending electronic instrumentation with traditional rock sounds and dual vocals that hold the listener. They could easily be considered America’s answer to Scotland’s Glasvegas. Paper Route describe themselves as an electronic band on their official Twitter, and this is true, but they are definitely not one of the myriad epithetical subgenres of electronica. Paper Route sounds much more like a rock band whose lead instruments are walls, waves and layers of synths and keys (even a mellotron) which make up the band’s overall soundscape.

And while the group has shared multiple tours with Paramore, and the overall feeling of Absence makes it the perfect companion piece to sit next to Kings of Leon’s Only by the Night on your iPod, its Paper Route’s passionately played music, earnest vocal delivery and unique sound that set them apart and make this album worth your attention.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This song features an excellent balance of electronic tones with electric guitar and bass to set the mood. A silver-sound piano joins in to further drive the passion of the music. It is so refreshing to hear not just one, but a pair of quality vocalists who have a proper musical command of their singing talents.

The instant march of Gavin McDonald’s drums combine with the guitar and piano to form the song’s sense of urgency and passion. Chad Howat draws a punchy sound from his bass, accentuating the overall mood of the piece. The synth solo has an almost vocal like quality to it.

The overall tone mellows on this song following the rapid pace of the previous number. The instrumentation is heavier on the electronic side. Andy Smith’s vocals deepen slightly, compared to the previous songs. The chorus has just a hint of Eurythmics-esque delivery in the arrangement.

JT and Andy combine their vocal powers again on this up-tempo piece. The main keyboard riff has a definite 80’s synth pop feel, as does the deep twang of the guitar, both without sounding dated.

My favorite song on the album, plaintive, wailing vocals backed by some of the album’s heavier drumming and organ-like synth lines form a passionate backdrop which is accentuated with a pulsing synth-bass line and some of the set’s best vocals. Somewhere, there is a movie with a scene of silhouetted bodies entwined with one another which needs the perfect piece of music to complete it. I suggest this one.

If there were side 2’s any more, this is likely where the second side of Absence would start. The arrangement is wider in the sound spectrum, approaching a majestic, arena filling sound, while still maintaining the album’s intimate voice.

This next song is all about atmospheric and ethereal synths and voices. It’s simple, and beautiful.

And in direct opposition from the end of the previous number are the  industrial sounding distorted synth and percussive hits. Gothic-style keyboard lines follow, all combined with the tough fragility of the vocal combination created by JT and Andy.

The gentler synths return, backed by a syncopated dance beat. This is yet another example of the band’s uniquely combined vocals and their use of synths to paint and color the overall sound.

Just as the title suggests, clocking in under three minutes, this would not sound out of place in a heartfelt, modern British romance film.