One of my favorite hobbies is creating mixes, either for friends or for no reason at all. I made a three-part summer mix a while back which I thought you might be interested in. Most, if not all, of these artists have been reviewed and/or mentioned at some point in this blog so they should be familiar. If you like what you hear, please support the artists by buying their albums!
The link leads to muxtape.com. Check out the cover art while you’re at it:
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Genre: alternative/power pop Rating:  ½Check Out: “Home,” “Just Let Go,” “Crazy 8s,” “Brink of Disaster”  Myspace, Purevolume |
For a group of boys from Virginia, I’ll bet the opportunity to work with producer Howard Benson (Saosin, My Chemical Romance, Relient K) was pretty exciting. And it’s really no wonder, because Benson’s production shines far more than the music on this album. There are no real indie quirks, no wrong keys or cracking voices. Just smooth pop and some rock elements that crop up surprisingly from time to time. If you’re looking for an easy listen, this is it.
It’s difficult for me to put down this album that much, because while the lyrics are deplorable at times and lead singer Dave Elkins doesn’t have the best voice I’ve heard, he sings with confidence and most of the songs are ridiculously catchy. However, his vocal range really meets its match in “On Top,” where he hits a high note and literally sounds like a wailing cat. Again, it’s hard to hate this because it’s such fun pop, but some more substance would have been greatly appreciated.
