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Category: pop

Published on Leave a comment on Amaranthe – 365 (single)

The prospect of a new Amaranthe single is always reason for excitement, especially when it serves as a precursor to a new album. “Massive Addictive” and “Maximalism” were both great Eurodance records that largely coasted off the work of Britpop band Republica. Whereas Republica fully embraced their 80s wave-synthpop component on their “Speed Ballads” album, Amaranthe insists on its rock band setup, even though that is arguably their weakest and most redundant aspect. This advance single does nothing particularly novel with the sound that Amaranthe has been pushing for the last two records. It leans closer to “Massive Addictive” in terms of composition and is the recording debut for freshly-minted male singer Nils Molin who replaced Joacim "Jake E" Lundberg. Not that anybody comes to Amaranthe for the male singing. Amaranthe is all about Elize Ryd. Elize über alles…

‘365’ is the lead single and precursor to the new “Helix”. If the techno beats that serve as an opener are anything to go by you’d think that Amaranthe finally at long last abandoned the guitars and drums. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Why Amaranthe still insists on a drummer is anybody’s guess as the standard 4/4 drumming could have been easily been replaced by computer beats by now. The sound effects in ‘365’ are something straight out of 90s Eurodance song (or a recent Dimmu Borgir album) and if it weren’t for the prevalent and apparently very necessary and completely vanilla groove riffs this would’ve been a straight up techno club banger. The highlight is, of course, doe-eyed Elize doing what she does best. Which is shaking her hips, singing, and engaging in the occassional spoken word and sultry whispering. It’s telling enough that ‘365’ is at its best when the guitars and drums are silent giving Ryd and the techno beats the space they require. Amaranthe has no need for male singers in two contrasting styles much in the same way their insistence on rock elements is redundant in lieu of the prominence of dance beats and electronics in their sound.

If past records are any indication for Amaranthe’s surge in popularity then it would be only just to acknowledge just how important Elize Ryd has been for the brand. Ryd was instrumental in Amaranthe changing from a stock symfo metal outfit into a full-blown Eurodance rock band. There’s no contesting that Olof Mörck is the creative force behind the entire operation but he’s practically invisible once Ryd takes centerstage. Amaranthe would have just been another modern rock band if it weren’t for her presence. On “Massive Addictive” Ryd took the forefront and hopefully “Helix” will capitalize on her considerable talents, both as a mascot and as a singer. Not only can Elize sing with the best of them, her outfits are always among the best too. There’s a good reason why she features as prominently in the music videos as she does. “Helix” returns to the band photography artwork from the early days after "Massive Addictive" and "Maximalism" opted for actual digital art. Amaranthe would be wise putting Ryd on the frontcover and finally leaving the last remnants of their rock band past behind. It’s now more clear than ever that Amaranthe wants to be an Eurodance-pop band and that’s okay. They shouldn’t in any way feel obligated to keep including duelling male vocals and standard rock instruments to please the old fanbase. ‘365’ is first and foremost a catchy pop song – and that’s when Amaranthe is at its best.

We will continue to cherish slim hope that Amaranthe, or Mörck rather, will come to their senses and realize the redundancy of their latent rock element. Amaranthe never was, is or will be, about riffs. Plenty of other bands are, but Amaranthe isn’t one of them. The switch to Eurodance was one of Mörck’s best creative decisions and the sooner he rids Amaranthe of every unnecessary instrument and band member, the bigger his band will become. The only thing keeping Amaranthe away from mainstream popularity and radio airplay is their insistence on heavy rock guitars and gruff vocals, both of which they don’t need in the first place. ‘365’ is a great enough teaser for the “Helix” album that will be released in October 2018.  We can’t shake the impression that Amaranthe would be an even much larger a band if they focused their efforts on and around Elize Ryd. If only Amaranthe themselves realized it, then they could arrange their efforts around her. It sort of makes you wonder when we're finally going to get that much overdue Elize Ryd solo album...

Published on Leave a comment on Wave Break – Plaster City (single)

Some great things have come from New Jersey. Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, Ripping Corpse… and Kelly Barber. Wave Break is an alternative rock band based out of Boston, Massachusetts fronted by Bridgewater, NJ indie darling Kelly Barber. As a solo artist Barber garnered a respectable following in the wider New Jersey region and she was bound to connect with a bunch of like-minded musicians. Wave Break is the result of just such an aligning of stars. If this single is anything to go by, Wave Break is obviously finds itself in the indie and alternative realm while maintaining the smooth pop edge of Barber's solo ventures. As a solo artist Kelly was pretty much headed into this direction as early as “My Own Contradiction” but especially with the promising “Breaking Barriers” EP and its follow-up single “If You Were Awake”. Wave Break puts rock back in alternative rock and infuses it with a helping of pop sensibilities.

Wave Break pretty much is Kelly’s band as it is. ‘Plaster City’, the lead single of a proposed full length album, builds upon what Barber had been doing as a solo artist but puts far greater emphasis on the alternative rock aspect. And for the better too. Kelly’s voice sounds the most optimal when put to some hard rocking tune. ‘Plaster City’ merges the pop sensibilities of early Avril Lavigne with the almost clinically produced, hook-laden alternative rock of Paramore (circa “Brand New Eyes”) and Blink-182. Wave Break doesn’t put its eggs in just a single basket and they tread the fine line between lighter alternative rock and finely tuned, smoothly produced and slightly more muscular pop-rock. It surely is a delicate balancing act between the crunch of the guitars and Barber’s ever so fragile vocals. It’s good to see Kelly branching out a bit here and going for a slightly more aggressive and jugular vocal style, although these things are, of course, relative. The pop punk descriptor is something of a misnomer as far we’re concerned. Wave Break is as as punk as Avril Lavigne and Blink-182, which wasn’t a whole lot to begin with. Pop-rock seems to cover most of their sound. Wave Break is definitely more alternative than, say, California's Polaris Rose or acts of similar ilk. All of which doesn't stop Wave Break from having written a stellar example of a hook-based pop-rock song. Hopefully the album will be able to live up to the initial promise of this single.

As for Kelly herself. You can’t keep a good woman down. Kelly has come a long way since “My Own Contradiction”. As a solo artist Kelly was pretty much headed into this direction with the promising “Breaking Barriers” EP and its follow-up single “If You Were Awake”. In comparison to Barber’s solo ventures Wave Break is a more hook-based affair with some powerful riffs and Kelly’s vocals, fragile as they tend to be, come across a bit more mean-spirited and spitting venom due to more muscular framework she’s surrounded with. Wave Break isn’t some profound sea change for Barber, even though the sound is slightly more muscular than her solo material, and it’s exactly the sort of project she was destined to front. Which doesn’t mean that Wave Break is but a mere sum of its parts. Every part is stellar in its own way, but there’s not a shred of doubt about the fact that this is first and foremost Kelly’s show. ‘Plaster City’ has the makings of a radio single, and it should work as such especially in her native America. Given the necessary streamlining Wave Break should be able to cross the Atlantic and find an audience for their wares in the Old World. Europe loves just the type of music that Kelly plays, definitely.

So where does that leave ‘Plaster City’ and the band that wrote it? It pretty much sits at that fork in the road between smooth guitar-oriented pop and a softer incarnation of alternative rock. Judging from this single Wave Break could go either direction in what is either its greatest asset or biggest pitfall. Personally we hope Kelly and her men decide on increasing the rock aspect of their sound as Barber’s sweet musings tend to blend in with a more poppier approach. The contrast between the rock instrumentation and Barber’s pop vocals is what ultimately sells Wave Break as a band. ‘Plaster City’ isn’t some great invention of the genre, but rather a reconfiguration that appeals to fans on both ends of the spectrum. It wouldn’t hurt Wave Break to crank up the guitars and bass and have Kelly write/sing about a subject really dear to her heart. As The Boss once wrote, “You can't start a fire without a spark” and the spark is definitely present on ‘Plaster City’. We’ll anxiously await when Wave Break decides to put the flame to the fuse – and when they do, there’ll certainly be plenty of fireworks.