Reviewed by Pete Townsend

If your neighbours suddenly started using their basement to jam through a few energetic guitar riffs, would you go straight around and say how much you enjoyed their music and suggest they employ the services of a drummer? That's just what happened to Berch guitarist Colin Elmore when he gathered some of his friends in the basement of his home in Springfield, Missouri. Along with Paul Bowen on sax, Matt Potter on bass and later Dan Potter on guitar and Brian Campbell on drums, the band quickly capitalised on their different musical influences to produce an album of soaring vocals against an energetic rock soundscape. This, the group's debut album, is full of impressive melodies, memorable sax lines and some solid bass and drums. Literally, kicking off with their single "Aurora Skies", the album is full of tunes that would make you think the band were on their fourth of fifth album rather than their first. Influences of Springsteen can be heard on the tracks "Brothers" and "Standing Still", while "Crooked Souls" has all the anthemic characteristics of U2 and REM. Overall, a cracking debut album.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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