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Non-Prog CD Reviews

The Wild Waiting

Stay Gold

Review by Gary Hill

There are two songs here that make the whole thing worth having. They are just great pieces of modern pop rock. It’s not that the rest is bad, but it’s a bit too generic and samey beyond those two songs. Other than the opener, though, any song here, by itself, will work pretty well. These guys definitely show promise.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
All My Life

Although this cut is a little on the overproduced side, and a bit generic, it has some charms. The hooks are catchy and the piece has energy. It’s sort of modern pop rock with some hints of nu-metal – the pop side of that genre.

Burn with Me
Now, this is more like it. While the overall musical concept is in the same territory, this is a far meatier cut. It’s also not over-produced. It’s a particularly effective modern rocker. It’s a bit harder edged than the opener, too. I like the vocal performance, song structure and instrumental treatment. There are even some hints of psychedelia in this thing.
Say The Right Words
This sort of lands between the first two songs. It’s definitely not plagued by the overproduction of the opener. It doesn’t have the same kind of meat on its bones as the second cut. Overall, the formula isn’t really all that changed either. It’s just another pop rock song. It’s already starting to sound a bit too similar.
2AM Fearless
The hooks on this one are among the best of the set. That’s a good thing because beyond that, it’s getting a little tired in terms of the musical style and sound. I like the guitar work later in the piece quite a bit, though.
Someone to Go With
On the one hand, a lot of this is pretty generic. That said, it stands pretty tall for a few reasons. For one thing, the first part tends to bring some variety because it’s a bit mellower than the bulk of the stuff here. Secondly, the vocal arrangement on this is very strong. Finally, the second half of the song gets some changes that bring even more variety.
Stay Gold
Another that’s on the mellower side, this is also a highlight of the set. This and “Burn with Me” show that this act is really capable of magic. This song is a powerhouse of modern pop rock. It’s got some great hooks and the music rises to exceptional heights. I suppose there’s a reason they made it the title track, huh? The beast even wanders toward modern progressive rock in terms of some of the layers of sound.
  
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