This release is quite an interesting one. There is a lot of modern alternative rock meets pop here. We get some psychedelia and space rock built into it. There is also a lot of punk rock and even some hints of hardcore. All of it is delivered in style. The only issue I have, and it's minor, is that there is a tendency here and there for it to feel just a little monolithic at times.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2017 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
The Grand Trine
Space music serves as the backdrop for a spoken thing. It ends with a countdown from three.
In Tune Psychedelia, alternative rock and old school rock and roll all seem to merge on this piece. There's a nice balance between harder rocking and mellower segments. This is a real powerhouse a lot of times, though.
Empty There is a lot of punk rock in the mix here. It's energized alternative rock for sure. There are some catchy bits here. This is a fun tune. Again, they make good use of the contrast between louder and softer passages. The closing segment of this is a piano based bit of spacey sound with the voice from the opening track.
Shine Through
With a lot of modern pop rock here, this is a particularly mainstream and catchy tune. It's soaring and quite tasty. There is a bit of space at the end.
Same Old Story I love the driving bass line on this. Although the overall sound is based in a rather psychedelic type of modern rock, there are definitely ties to hardcore punk built into this.
Lady in Blue This is another that's more mainstream rocker. It's solid and has some great hooks. It just doesn't really stand up all that well from the rest. Taken as itself, it's a good tune. It's just a bit samey. There is a cool trippy section at the end with that voice from the first track returning.
Savior A high energy rocker, this one has a lot of punk in the mix. It earns a parental advisory for the lyrics. It's classy stuff with some hints of psychedelia and space rock built into it.
Again Again Picked guitar brings this in with a stark contrast. The cut works from there to a folk styled number. The cut eventually builds out, ever so gradually, into a melodic rocker. It's high energy and built along the lines of a lot of pop rock. This is the most "different" tune here, and also one of the strongest. There is an extended bit of space music at the end.
