Abbie Barrett & The Last Date - The Triples: Volume 1

Abbie Barrett & The Last Date -The Triples: Volume 1
2011, Beige Bomber Records

Abbie Barrett grew up in New YorkCity attending private schools. A professional career and upward mobility werethe clear goal. Even through college, Barrett was on target. But once free fromformal education, Barrett jumped around from town to town anything but.Eventually landing in Somerville, Massachusetts, she first picked up a guitarand began writing down the songs that kept running through her head. This was awatershed moment, both a continuation of her rebellion against the expectationsshe was raised with, and an embrace of the person she would become. Drawing oninfluences as disparate as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Neil Young and Aimee Mann,Barrett continues to write songs about underdogs, unsung heroes and rebels.Along with her band, The Last Date, Barrett recently released the first in aseries of EPs called The Triples.

The Triples, Volume 1 opens with "Here To Stay", a low-key, but highenergy rock n roll fight song that's part Chrissie Hynde and part SaraBareilles. Featuring a memorable chorus, the song shows off Barrett's distinctvoice, which is distinctly beautiful but contains a formidable toughness that'snot to be ignored. "On The Range" is a drearily ethereal spaghettiwestern in song. Barrett's voice and the vocal harmonies of her band help tocreate a distinctive sound that is both uplifting and haunting. The EP closeswith "Draw Me In", an elongated and smooth ballad that sounds likeHope Sandoval singing along to Pink Floyd. The ultimately sad feel of the songholds its own unique beauty, and avoids the neuroses that pervade "sadpop" music.

Abbie Barrett is a distinctive voicein Indie Pop music. Together with The Last Date, Barrett has created threememorable and likeable songs that run the gamut stylistically. The Triples:Volume 1 is a wonderful introduction to an artist who shows a lot ofpromise. This EP will ensure that careful listeners are likely to be waitingfor the release of the other two volumes in the series.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Abbie Barrett & The Last Date at www.abbiebarrett.comor www.myspace.com/abbiebarrett.  The Triples, Volume 1 was scheduled for a November 8, 2011, but as of this review does not appear to have made it to market yet.  Keep checking Barrett's website for release details.

Escape Directors - The Crowded Room

Escape Directors – The Crowded Room
2011, Escape Directors

Bergen County, New Jersey melodic alt-popsters Escape Directors  first showed up in Wildy’s World back in July of 2010 with their debut album Ladders.  With an understated musical sensibility and a penchant for great songwriting, the band was off to a great start.  Now, with the 2011 well under way, Escape Directors hit back with a new EP, The Crowded Room.  Escape Directors maintain their musical sensibilities on The Crowded Room, showing a penchant for big, arching melodies, but struggle a bit with consistency this time out.

The Crowded Room opens with "The War Outside", a gorgeous sonic experience steeped in strings.  The piece is mired in the same sort of maudlin musical heart that afflicts occasionally afflicts Coldplay and Radiohead, but soars at times in piques of harmonic joy as hope and drudgery intermingle and fuse.  After such a splendid start, "Set Fire To A Crowded Room" is something of a letdown.  Not bad in and of itself, the song simply doesn't fare well in the shadow of its predecessor.  "The Distant Past" is a fair effort, neither exciting nor boring, but holds down the middle of EP in solid form.  "Long Flights" begins an ascent for Escape Directors, blending a big guitar sound with ethereal pop to show flashes of what the band is capable of.  Escape Directors bookends The Crowded Room with "Money Changes Everyone", once again capturing the soaring grandeur and pure sonic essence they opened with.

The Crowded Room starts and ends with the sort of musical magic Escape Directors are capable of creating.  The middle of the EP is a bit soft, although "Long Flights" does surprise with a slightly edgier sound that is a welcome treat.  While The Crowded Room is a bit uneven, it certainly represents the potential that Escape Directors continue to build on in fine form.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Escape Directors at www.escapedirectors.com or www.myspace.com/escapedirectors.  The Crowded Room is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Kingfin - Get Involved [EP]

Kingfin - Get Involved [EP]
2010, Kingfin

UK rockers Kingfin draw their influences from bands such as The Clash, Nirvana and The Ramones, but with healthy doses of Radiohead and Pink Floyd thrown in as well. The band, who take their name from a bad guy in the game Super Mario Galaxy is starting to garner global attention, with radio placements in Canada, the US and back at home based on their debut EP, Get Involved.

Get Involved opens with "Hollywould Smile", a diatribe against television shopping and the ease at which such TV networks talk people out of their money. There's a modicum of anger here and the arrangement is suggestive of punk origins but more refined. "Dirty Little Secret" takes to task someone for their role in infidelity as the third wheel. It's a wakeup call delivered over a simple arrangement heavy on drums and bass with guitar providing angry accents. "Living Hell" is a slinky, blues-influenced rocker that's a lot of fun to listen to. This song probably works best on stage, but it will get your toes tapping no matter the setting. Get Involved closes with "Sweet Sixteen", an angry monologue about a teen girl with an over-sized sense of entitlement.

Kingfin seems to have some of the punk anger but little of the lash. The four songs offered on Get Involved are enjoyable on their face, but the aural treat becomes plain with repeated exposure. Some of this is certainly presentation, and it seems likely that these songs would fare better on stage with the flow of live energy than in the studio. Get Involved is enough to get you in the door as a listener. What Kingfin does next will tell whether listeners stick around.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Kingfin at www.myspace.com/kingfin01.  Get Involved is available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.