By John Bedard
I feel like I need to be living in a VW bus in San Francisco listening to this. This is not something I would have ever picked up for myself or even considered but I’m glad to have been sent ‘Power On’. Now, I’m not going to say it is perfect or anything. I do have a few issues with the overall experience, but they are mostly nitpicking and are more opinion than actual issues. Anyway, overall, this is a hell of a lot of fun.
Vocally things are exactly what you would want. There is a clear influence from early punk with a very clear 70s feel to the style. Not only is the style right but it is performed perfectly. The vocal skill perfectly complements every track. My only real complaint is that there is not any real evolution in the tracks. Things do get pretty repetitive but as dance music, it is fitting and is more of a personal gripe than an actual complaint. In a party environment or even while driving this is a thoroughly entertaining experience. The only time the repetition really gets to be too much is when you are sitting down and trying to analyze the tracks for content like I am now; that is really the only time that is an actual issue.
Musically things get even better. There is a lot of experimentation with many sounds and tones while still staying very well-grounded within the genre. Everything is perfectly thought out and executed. Making for a fantastic experience that feels like so much more than just another album. It truly stands out as its own thing. Especially with how well the music and the vocals complement each other. The whole experience feels very connected and thought out making for a great album.
While I did say earlier that things do get pretty repetitive, and if you know me you know that is usually a capital sin, in this case I have to let it slide. Everything about this album is wonderfully fun and a fantastic example of the genre. This is a must-have album and that is coming from someone who would normally not find themselves in this particular genre but this is such a well-done example that you would have to be out of your mind to not have a good time with this in the background. You owe it to yourself. Go pick it up.
- ‘Power On’ is released on 20 November. You can get your copy, and loads of other goodies, HERE.
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.