Country : USA
Year : 2011
Label : Paper + Plastick Records
Genre : Alternative Rock; Indie Rock
Web Site : Farewell Continental Web Site
The initial song from new album of Farewell Continental, which is named "Seasoned Veterans" with nothing to give a hint of energetic music happening in the remaining 13 compositions. Yes, they are pleasant, energetic, melodic alternative rock, indie rock, even britpop feel in it (besides sounds good, not just copied) and the vocals of the singer and keyboardist Kari Gray and Justin Pierre (also vocals and guitar in Motion City Soundtrack) sounded so that make melody inevitable and desirable.
Five-member band from Minneapolis, USA, is more than pleasant for listening, and with this music, I imagine, that they makes a big party on live performances in support of issued in may by Paper + Plastick Records their new album "! Hey, Hey Pioneers!", on which I will throw light or pure fan angle, right now.
Impact alternative rock, on moments pop punk in guitar and tempo, rush from the third "Who's The Boss?" with full force, and only a minute and 50 seconds fills me for the other passionate melody. But before this there are two songs - the opening "Seasoned Veterans" and "Capybara". The first is folk rock rhythmic, mid tempo, with heavy guitar and epic in vocals. "Capybara" have more melody in the guitar and vocals. Sounds pop rock catching, radio-oriented and enjoyable.
The good thing is, that the compositions are short, to 3 minutes, they are compact, and are mellow-catchy, but also having a light touch of seriousness. Do not think in the direction of prank, mad jokes, just, pure, pleasant alternative rock, emo rock for the soul. There is one exception in the duration of the songs, and it is the penultimate, four-minute "The Reflecting Skin". All the others are two and three-minute, fresh bit of freshness, and not that "The Reflecting Skin" is not the same.
The songs here are have that catchy euphoric, as in stadium rock anthems - extensive and enough emotional, so as to they infatuate you along with them, in this case take "I Feel Everything (Can You Feel It As Well?)".
On the other hand the song have the charge of pop hits - nice vocals (sometimes slightly aggressive, sometimes calm, but melodic and with pleasant timbre) - see "The Reflecting Skin".
Bass is distinct and works well with drums. The keyboards line advanced, i.e. slightly futuristic, but amplify the whole feeling. All tracks have a charge to "uplift" at a high level, where emotion is mixed with joy of heard.
Bass in the "Tiger Claw" is.. Bass. Simple and clear. And text in it is about dreams, and for loneliness who chasing them - "Loneliness will wash your dreams away". Guitar set drama and gives additional epic.
If you think, that here you do not hear disco pop beat, you lie yourself, it has in "New Tile Floor", and it's super leisurely song in the first feeling, then there have guitars - alternative rock, melody, groove, the vocals are slightly modulated. So what, I can hear it many times. Leave and forget about nu metal poor dish, hear this! The next "Radio, Radio: Are You Getting This" reminiscent for Sleater-Kinney (female alternative rock, pop rock band from Olympia, Washington, USA) in a more-pumped variation. There is a strong pop tinge, it is radiophonic, and with catchy stadium chorus.
"The Explorer Settles Down" is more-indie rock oriented, with rhythmic and groove, and the chorus is so britpop-melodic in echo, that there's no any more. Modern emo rock techniques in singing felt in "Mad Operator", also here have strident as with beam keyboards squiggles, they are few, but break the standard pop feeling of the song.
You should hear maybe the more-stadium sounding song on the album - "The Greatest Of All Time (How You Feelin 'Now?)", to feel the euphoria and pop charge, which I talk you all the time. All instruments work so as to explode with fun audience at concerts.
The fifth "Dagger, Dagger: Terror, Terror" is worth strong rotation in my player - has a melody in the vocals, tight rhythm section, and guitar cut into pieces melodic air.
"Immolated" is crazy, with groovy breakdowns at drums and charming melody, so as to be a stadium anthem. "Pound" steady.
This is a one very rhythmic and melodic rock record, that grabs me from the first listen, and definitely worth many listening which lie ahead. And since the songs are pass imperceptibly, you need to listen to several times, to "grow" on you, as happened to me. I guarantee, that if you like melodic alternative rock, you will be catch of enjoyable pleasure from listening.
2011 emerged in with plenty of melodic rock albums, here is another proof of this. And that's great.
