Rules
Welcome everyone to a new experiment here at ROCK D3C0D3D! Independent Closet is a side project I have wanted to do for a quite a while that showcases amazing artists you have probably never heard of. Because this is a showcase, there will be a review of the work itself but grading will be change from a 1-10 scale to strictly BUY IT, HEAR IT, IGNORE IT as I feel it will better differentiate from the regular review show. But, before we start a few ground rules MUST be laid down.1. Only one work from the artists can be reviewed.
This includes EP's, LP's, and full length albums so as to keep the artists featured fresh
2. All artists featured must NOT have a top 10 hit
I would prefer to keep it to local acts that have labored to create something mainstream music does not
3. One song MUST be a BUY IT and one song MUST be an IGNORE IT
This is too avoid favoritism in albums as a majority of these will songs from my teenagedom.
Without further ado though, let's dive into our first episode featuring the hometown heroes of Broke City from Salt Lake City, UT and their last EP entitled No Thanks For The Ride
History
Now I was first introduced to this band way back in the summer of 2007 when they were guest instructors at a week-long summer camp for young aspiring musicians entitled "Jam Camp." This place was awesome and I had the distinct honor of having our band taught by their then bassist Dave Briggs. Sadly, Dave would later leave the band in the coming years but, for their 2007 release entitled The Answer, their line-up consisted of Joel Pack (lead vocals/guitar), "The Rob" Moffit (drums), and Mr. Briggs (bass). Watching this trio perform was definitely an awe inspiring moment as they belted out the songs from their first (and sadly only) debut album.The following year when we returned to "Jam Camp" Joel Pack and "The Rob" were very much still apart of Broke City creating songs for the upcoming EP we are looking at today. Finally after 2 long years of waiting Broke City was able to release No Thanks For The Ride as a six-track EP in 2009 to much of my excitement. Sadly though on October 9th 2010, Broke City played it's last show before calling it quits. Thankfully Joel Pack and "The Rob" still record music to this day and Joel has even become a producer in Utah under his studio "Rigby Road Studios." They created a band called Joel Pack and the Pops in 2011 and continue to play around the Utah circuit to this day.
Album "Review"
Now for myself the build up for No Thanks for The Ride was painstaking as the first song was teased on New Year's Day 2008. The Song was called "I Feel Alive" and my god does it pack quite a wallop. The song starts very melodically with Joel playing a piano part perfectly illustrating the cold winters day outside before the rest of the instruments launch in and create a powerful wall of sound worthy of knocking anyone off their ass. It is here I must say that "The Rob" is a fantastic drummer that not keeps the beat alive by the change ups he throws throughout the whole song, by also by the sheer mass of sound projecting out of his kit. This song is a must hear for anyone looking for something different but still in the realm of rock.A few of my other favorites on the album are "A Life You Won't Miss" and "Failure" another two songs I was teased of throughout the years leading up to the eventually release of the album as both songs are filled with very thought provoking if not a tad depressing lyrics ("I woke today, all the colors of the rainbow bend in different shades of grey") and amazing musical craft man ship. Besides "A Life You Won't Miss" has a very clavier solo which is mind-blowing how well it works in a song about how the radio, movies, and TV have desensitized us into believing it's the life we need. Well done Mr. Pack well done indeed.
The two songs on the album that will probably split the crowd of people. "Anything Stronger" is a great example of a rocking tune with a blues feel that I'm sure will take a few listens to get used to. "The Dark Passenger" though has slowed worked itself into my consciousness as my favorite on the album as the instrumentation and subtle vocal changes create an ambience that will really have you pounded your first in the air as you scream the chorus at the top of your lungs ("I'm not falling, I'm not drowning you're just trying to take control"). It's here I should note Joel's incredible control of his register as throughout the album he will change from belting at the top of his lungs to his soft almost falsetto sound in an instant.
"...an amazing finisher for a band that I am quite sad has come and past."
The one song that I found most artist though is "Snowed In" from the opening crushed almost 8-bit sounding drums to the solemn guitar part it creates a very different vibe than the rest of the album teasing us with a completely different sound. Of course being the magicians of sound they are the slowly build into the first chorus before flipping the script on the second verse going from soft and solemn to all out wall of rock that must be heard. This is definitely an amazing finisher for a band that I am quite sad has come and past.While I am sad to see Broke City go I am completely confident that Joel and Rob are doing what is best with creating Joel Pack and The Pops and eagerly await a chance to listen to a full album by the bunch. Till than it's time to break down the songs on the album to which ones you should run out and grab and which you should avoid. Of course, I would like to state that this is a beautiful EP that any music fanatic should have in their collections but as are the rules here we go.
Broke City is available to be listened to here and on iTunes for purchase: http://www.reverbnation.com/artist_87611/bio
No comments:
Post a Comment