STYLE: Rock RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 161195-24023 LABEL: BC Music FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1
Reviewed by Andrew Wallace
This sixth release from the long-established Columbus, Ohio alternative rockers comes on the back of a massively oversubscribed Indiegogo pledge campaign and sees them attempting a fully-fledged narrative-based concept album. The story is centred round two cousins Axel and Eric and Eric's girlfriend Joni. Dark themes of family conflict, love, jealousy, betrayal, murder and redemption unfold like a dramatic novel being set to music. 'Colors' is an apt title, the intensity and tension in the events being matched and balanced in a varied sonic landscape containing the band's usual trademark rock 'n' roll elements mixed with softer acoustic textures. Lead Tim Skipper's vocals are technically impressive ranging from a tender whisper to a wicked growl, as on "Matador", an anthemic rocker with harsh vocals revealing murder being planned. The softer acoustic "Shots Fired" portrays the aftermath while "Crash" with its fragile, bitter female vocals has the murderer planning his escape. Underlying the whole concept is the deeper message that the decisions we make and the acts we commit affect our lives and futures and impact others. The mid-tempo ballad "We Make Our Stars" is the centre-point of it all. Due to its intricate nature 'Colors' may be hard to get into after the first listen but is well worth coming back to. An intriguing, complex release from an underrated band.
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