Emergency by The Pigeon Detectives is a great successor to its predecessor, Wait For Me. For some, it might even sound better than Wait For Me. It’s kind of funny that you find that The Pigeon Detectives are in some ways, a cross between The Futureheads and The Libertines. The Pigeon Detectives have the raw energy of The Futureheads and the killing guitar hooks of The Libertines. Well The Pigeon Detectives are relatively still new, with only Emergency being their second album, but i’m pretty sure they have a steady growth of fans.

Emergency begins with the guitar-packed “This Is An Emergency”. Matt Bowman can be heard singing, “Don’t make me go, don’t make me go home…” This Is An Emergency is the type of song where it started quiet and slow, eventually when everything is right, it got louder and all the rest of The Pigeon Detectives joined in with, “This Is An Emergency…”. Heavy guitar playing can be heard throughout this track. Definitely a guitar fan will love this track. It may not be the best opening to an album, but hey, This Is An Emergency is good enough to get you asking for more from The Pigeon Detectives.

The second track on Emergency is called “I’m Not Gonna Take This”. It’s a fast tempo track with some fast and start-stop guitar playing. Matt sings, “And im not gonna take it, cause im so sick and tired of you lying, and im not sure if you’re trying for me anymore…” I can see that Matt is frustrated of being lied to over and over again, thus a slight anger can be heard in Matt’s voice. At certain points in I’m Not Gonna Take This, the guitar is being played in a way that it resembles the sound of Indian music where it’s used to control and even hypnotize a snake to perform a snake dance… Perhaps The Pigeon Detectives already got me hypnotized.

“Keep on Your Dress” has a somewhat unique opening to it. Remember a movie which starred Sandra Bullock and called “Ms.Congeniality”? If you can recall, she has a very special talent in that movie, which is making some whistling sound by hovering her hands or palms over half water-filled glasses. Well, Keep On Your Dress has this special sound to it in the beginning. This song is a catchy pop rock ballad which i believe everyone will find it a good listen, especially the guitar which has a hook that is so good.

“Don’t You Wanna Find Out” is another track on Emergency which has some really heavy guitar work and play on it. At times, i find it such a cheerful and happy pop song, especially when Matt goes, “When the sun comes up, there’d be nothing wrong, cause i will be away from you…” Anyone who have not heard of The Pigeon Detectives can start to understand them with Don’t You Wanna Find Out. I thought to myself, don’t you wanna find out more about The Pigeon Detectives?

I like the beginning of “I’ll Be Waiting”, where what sounded like a lazy guitar can be heard until Matt came in with his hyped voice, “I know you think you’re so much better, and we used to get on fine together, now i don’t think that will work, you want to see me in the dirt…” The chorus is even better, together with some light guitar and bass playing, Matt again goes, “I’ll be waiting for you, when you wanna go? When you wanna go?” Honestly, I’ll Be Waiting is such a simple song with some really catchy rhythm and hooks, but things really change, i find myself kind of like this song. Sometimes, it’s simplicity that works like magic.

“She’s Gone” is full of catchy and energetic guitar riff. Whenever i listen to this song, i can imagine that The Pigeon Detectives are having fun with this track. When the chorus comes in, the guitar playing in the background was really good. One of the reasons that The Pigeon Detectives can make it so big is definitely their catchy and ambitious guitar riffs.

“Nothing To Do With You” is a short lovely ballad. In this lovely song, you will discover another side of The Pigeon Detectives. By now you’d have already known that The Pigeon Detectives are awesome with guitars. But Nothing To Do With You expose another side of The Pigeon Detectives. Performed acoustically with the help of acoustic guitars, Matt showed us that he’s equally good even if on acoustic session.

“I’m A Liar” gets it on with start-stop bass line and some guitars which echoed like the sound of reggae. The chorus of I’m A Liar is splendid indeed. Matt goes, “papapa padapa, papapa padapa, i only came here, ’cause I hinder you drinking, darling..” This track is really full of some serious guitar sounds, including the high pitched solo guitar riffing session after the second chorus. I’m A Liar is loud and fun. It wouldn’t be long when you find yourself liking this song. Some serious guitar hooks here.

Emergency continues with “You Don’t Need It”, which its guitar really has some resemblance to those of The Strokes. At first listen to You Don’t Need It, The Pigeon Detectives already got me wanting for more. I just like the whole guitar riffs that were going on throughout this track. Before verse, during verse, during chorus and after chorus. And the rest of The Pigeon Detectives came in and joined the fun and went, “You have me come and go and I just don’t know where I stand, how could you think about me when you’re with another man, oh you don’t need it!..” I wish i can join in as well.

“Say It Like You Mean It” is such a cheerful and happy tune. A fast tempo track where The Pigeon Detectives play at their best. Fast and loud guitar riffs everywhere on this track. The verse of this track is really something. It has the quality to make me wanna sing along as well. If i’m not mistaken, i think Matt is trying to tell a girl to say whatever she was trying to express, thus the lyrics, “Why don’t you say it like you mean it?” This is definitely a track not to be missed if The Pigeon Detectives were to perform live, and you would enjoy this track even on a recording CD version as well. Happy listening.:-D

The title of “Love You For A Day (Hate You For A Week)” is very appealing and after listening to the first track on Emergency, i straight away hit the No.11 button to listen to this track. You see, the title that you chose played a big role as well. Imagine that this track were to be called just “Love You For A Day”. Wouldn’t that be too common for a title? Smart title choice by The Pigeon Detectives. This song is about a couple’s break-up and again, the main instrument that can be heard in Love You For A Day (Hate You For A Week) is guitar. But it’s really good, The Pigeon Detectives know how to play the guitar in style. There are some singing parts in this track that make me wanna sing along as well.

“Making Up Numbers” is yet again another track that contains some heavy guitar riffs. Kind of reminds me Guns and Roses. Every Sentence that Matt sings is followed by some heavy guitars. There’s a catch here in the lyrics, “What the f*ck are we doing here? I’ve made my intentions clear, we should get out while we can.” Seriously if you just read the sentence above, you would know what it means. However, if you look at the lyrics as a whole, it’s hard to understand. Even myself doesn’t get it. Making Up Numbers sounds like another couple’s break-up song yet again. Not a bad effort!

For the first part of “Everybody Wants Me – Draw The Curtain (Hidden Track)”, Everybody Wants Me is sort of catchy with its steady guitar, drums and tempo. It tells the story of a man where he was popular back then when he was young, everybody just wants him.. But he has only one person in his heart. Oh ya, the bass on this track was quite an impression as well. When Draw The Curtain comes alive, it just gets better. Draw The Curtain is an ancoustic track which i think was quite remarkable. The reason i said so? You’ll know when you listen to it. The best part is when The Pigeon Detectives sing together in a band. It’s like they’re having fun with Draw The Curtain as you can hear them laughing and whistling at the end of the track. The end with a happy note!:-D

Rating: Emergency by The Pigeon Detectives is full of energetic guitar riffs. From high pitched ones to those steady hooks. I bet they would leave us all worn out if we were to see them live in a gig or concert. The Pigeon Detectives really make guitars their best friends, with every single track, almost every one of it has some catchy and trademark hooks to it. Considering Emergency is produced less than one year after their debut, they have made Emergency as catchy as possible to whet their fans’ appetite. Even for new fans of The Pigeon Detectives, most likely they’ll have a good impression on Emergency. However to be honest, i find most of their songs forgettable. The Pigeon Detectives are still relatively new, time will tell whether they’ll evolve and grow together as an indie rock band! My rating for Emergency by The Pigeon Detectives would be 6.2 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Don’t You Wanna Find Out, She’s Gone, You Don’t Need It, Say It Like You Mean It and Everybody Wants Me – Draw The Curtain (Hidden Track).

Cheers! 

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

Raise The Dead has an album title that kills. One would think that it’s a heavy or black metal album just by looking at the album title. Until you press the “Play” button, you would never know. Phantom Planet has really evolved and gotten stronger than before.

Raise The Dead crunches us with the epic title track, “Raise The Dead”. A track that is so delicious that it will gobble you down when Alex explodes in the chorus. The title of this song itself raise our eyebrows and making us wondering what would it mean. Raise The Dead is definitely an enjoyable song for the unseen… Phantom Planet made this song an instant click that anyone would find it impossible not to like it. And i seldom see Alex yells so powerfully. Enjoy!

“Dropped” is simply amazing! Phantom Planet show their stuffs with the guitars and teamwork as well. In the verse, you can find Phantom Planet singing as a team and during the chorus is even better, they go, “Drop.. Whatcha.. Got.. Now.. Drop.. Whatcha.. Got.. Now..” It’s like they’re having a group of people backing up their vocals. The guitar is really deadly too, they have the tempo-building parts, and the exploding parts. Words aside, you’d definitely like Dropped, or better you’d be all over Phantom Planet.

“Leader” features a group of children helping Phantom Planet out. They’re having a good time together. From start to finish, the backing vocals provided by the children are really something to be remembered. They hit a new high when they joined Alex in the chorus, “Join our hands and come along, the day’s about to dawn, i feel it coming, on and on the hour’s upon you, now it won’t be long, i feel it coming…” Honestly i don’t think the vocals fit in quite well with the music in Leader, but Phantom Planet made it a song to be remembered. It’s simply magic!

“Do The Panic” is definitely one of the best tracks on Raise The Dead. It’s also a song from Phantom Planet’s fan club CD called “Phantom Planet: Negatives”. They did a more than fine re-work version of Do The Panic, and the result is simply infectious. It’s like having a craving for something. So listeners, beware! Their guitar riffs contain some really catchy and unforgettable hooks. Phantom Planet would go, “Ba, ba, ba…Sha du bi du…Ba, ba, ba… Sha du…”. It’s an invitation for you to sing along as well, and when the chorus comes, just loosen up and be panic.

Phantom Planet slowed it down a bit with “Quarantine”. Reminds me of the movie which starred Jennifer Carpenter. After following the lyrics, i can only guess that Quarantine is trying to tell the story of a man who was trying to save his loved one from some sort of contagious diseases. Hence the lyrics, “And it was you I did this for, i put the deadbolt on the door, understand i can’t see you now, realize it’s not to keep me in, but to keep all the sickies out…” A lovely and somewhat touching ballad by Phantom Planet nonetheless.

“Ship Lost At Sea” is cute, funny and good. At the beginning, it already creates the atmosphere of being lost at sea with the sound of ships sailing at sea. It also has some cute sound to it, which i find quite hilarious. If i’m not mistaken, there were some electronic elements in Ship Lost At Sea, making it more tantalizing. Ship Lost At Sea is really a good track with some friendly choruses and smart lyrics if you pay attention to Phantom Planet’s singing lips.

“Demon Daughters” has some dark elements to it. It tells the story about demon daughters with some great music and vocals along it. Often than not, Alex yells and explodes in the chorus, and switches to a lower tone when telling the story in the verse. I’m really fond of the bass line of Demon Daughters. The dark elements aside, Phantom Planet still manage to belt out a really great track that showcases Alex’s versatile voice.

“Geronimo” is explosive from start to finish, kind of resurrecting some elements from their previous self-titled album. Throughout Geronimo, Alex’s voice is somewhat drown out by the loud banging music. Don’t get me wrong, even with that, Geronimo still make a good listen. Showing how versatile and talented Phantom Planet can be. It feels great to listen to Geronimo, especially when you’re too sleepy or bored and really need a boost to get you right up.

Phantom Planet bring back their friendly guitar hook with “Too Much, Too Often”. It’s a cheerful track with some really good music along side with the vocals of Alex. 3/4 of the time, Phantom Planet were trying to create a memorable moment on Too Much, Too Often. They finally did it near the ending part where the remaining 45 seconds store some really great combination of music and vocals. I just like it.

“Confess” started with a short bang and followed by some lullaby-like music and vocals. Confess is a mid-tempo track with some really smart musical arrangement. There are some ups and downs in this track, meaning some soft and loud elements. The chorus is really a good listen for your ears, where Alex goes, “Your number’s up, it’s by request, do you have something to confess? I’m out of touch, you’re out of breath, do you have something to confess?…” It’s just too good. In between, pay attention to the viola that comes on and off to help furnish Confess. Just love Phantom Planet on this!

“Leave Yourself for Somebody Else” is another track that resembles Too Much, Too Often. A cheerful and sun-shine pop/rock track. The best deal in this track is the repetition of “Leave yourself for somebody else…”, where the rest of Phantom Planet join Alex and make this track so much fun. A great team effort shown here!

Raise The Dead chooses to end with heart-broken “I Don’t Mind”. It’s a ballad where Alex almost sing as if he has no strength left in him, or perhaps he’s trying to tell us that he’s really sad and down when singing I Don’t Mind. “But I don’t mind … Just stay close by, like all the time, because either I’d bleed dry, or keep this thorn in my side, but I don’t mind…” The music plays a big part as well in making this song sounds so down, especially the viola (If i’m not mistaken). There is also a hidden instrumental in I Don’t Mind, where it filled the remaining 1 minute. From what i heard, it might have been produced by some flutes or synthesizers. Phantom Planet is ending Raise The Dead unwillingly i guess.

Rating: Raise The Dead is really enjoyable from start to finish. From their early days until now, Phantom Planet grew and evolved with every album. Raise The Dead proves to be by far the best album to date. It’s such a shame to see Phantom Planet signed by Fueled By Ramen as i don’t want to see them eventually and slowly become an emo band. I really hope they won’t become one, instead i just want them to continue write, compose and play good music. Most tracks on Raise The Dead are unbelievably catchy and possess some “instant-click” quality. And i found my favorites even at the first time of listen. Clever guitar riffs with great beat and rhythm, who wouldn’t like Raise The Dead. I would rate it 7.8 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Raise The Dead, Dropped, Leader, Do The Panic, Ship Lost At Sea, Demon Daughters, Too Much Too Often and Confess.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

Superabundance reminds me of The Futureheads. There are two parts on this album, the first part is fast and crunchy, where the second part is soft and steady. Just like going for a party, we dance till we drop.

Superabundance gets me on with steady guitar and bass filled “Fit 4 U”. This song has the elements and ingredients of a disco rock track, even though the electronic elements are not that obvious. Young Knives really know how to set our mood on and leave us wondering whether we could get more of such tracks.

“Terra Firma” has a 13 seconds intro which brings back the sound of classic guitar rock. Once the tempo comes in and hit it, guitar riffing can be heard constantly in the background, as if we’re listening to the echoes of the guitar. Not only that, Young Knives invite people to join in their chorus by raising their hands and sing, “Fake rabbit, real snake, terra firma, terra firma…” Strange lyrics, but the guitar echoes told me to just enjoy Terra Firma.

“Up All Night” started off with some wolf-like howls. The guitar that comes in right after resembles those of Terra Firma. Honestly, Up All Night has got some great rhythm and music that i didn’t really expect. The chorus especially, shows some great combination work between the guitar and the vocals of Young Knives.

In “Counters”, Young Knives can be heard as if they were singing away at a distance, “We’re not numbers… We’re the counters…” But once the real song hit the right gear, the whole song wakes me up and i find myself nodding and enjoying Counters. The guitar of Counters is really catchy and not only that, the chorus that comes along fits in very well. No doubt that Counters is one of the notable tracks on Superabundance.

“Light Switch” has quite a long music intro before Henry can be heard singing. With the guitar sounding sort of cute during the verse, i find myself smiling mildly when listening to Light Switch. “You are the light switch…”, sung Young Knives. The chorus here almost has the same effect as Terra Firma, simple and easy to follow, and yet catchy. Young Knives take it slow with “Turn Tail”. The guitar intro somewhat reminds me of Here We Are by Bloc Party, constant plucking at the same note throughout a period of time. With Turn Tail, Young Knives are showing another side of themselves. I saviour the chorus particularly, “Turn tail and run, i will turn tail and run…” where viola can be heard supporting the vocals of Henry and co.

“I Can Hardly See Them” has an explosive opening with steady drum beats and guitar stroking, leaving me impatient. Throughout this track, i can feel that Young Knives are trying something new here. I Can Hardly See Them is different from the tracks above so far. For some, they might think this track is banging loud. But for me, i like the fact that Young Knives are trying to show us what they are capable of doing. I Can Hardly See Them stands out in its near-explosive music.

“Dyed in the Wool” struck me instantly. The guitar, bass and drums are so catchy and friendly, one couldn’t help but like this song. You can find Young Knives belting it out together in the chorus, “I’m dyed in the wool….” in a number of loops. The funny thing is, when Young Knives do this, i find myself picturing Young Knives turning their heads as they sing. Dyed in the wool is a simple track with the repeating music from start to end, but i like it.

Young Knives begin “Rue the Days” with, “La la la la…”. Following on, Henry sings in some sort of surround-voice. It reminds me of Damon Albarn of Blur in some ways. In the chorus, Young Knives again belt it out together in this 90s-influence track. Rue the days can sound old, but to me, they sound brand new and good.

“Flies” is a short song dedicated to flies and is accompanied by brief guitar and bass, only viola can be heard most of the time. Not a bad track if you pay attention to the lyrics.

“Mummy Light the Fire” is a mid tempo track where it’ll slowly grow onto you. The chorus is great with Henry keeps repeating, “Mummy Light the Fire… Fear, I feel fear…” until the music just blends in with the rhythm of Henry’s singing, especially with the sound of what sounded like a car’s honk or some trumpets. It’s like driving a new car until you be one with the car. How does that feel? You should know yourself.

The first part of “Current of the River – Long Cool Drinks by the Pool (Hidden Track)” is also a mid tempo track with the quality of ending an album. For the verses, it’s quiet and tempo-building. When it comes to the chorus, it explodes! Young Knives play it banging loud and keep the person listening to Superabundance awake with, “The current of the river, brings voices under water…” Young Knives know where to hit the loud button and where to hit the quiet button in Current of the River, making it worth your while to check out this song. Long Cool Drinks by the Pool is not a bad track as well. Its musical style shares a common with Art Brut’s, speaking rather than singing throughout the whole track. The guitar gives us an impression that havoc is coming, and sounding cute at times where Young Knives go, “La la la la…” Definitely a happy and laughing ending for Superabundance.

Rating: Superabundance by Young Knives has a lot in common with This Not The World by The Futureheads. They are really playing it big in the post-punk revival genre. Throughout Superabundance, if you listen carefully, there are some electronic and dance elements in all their songs. It’s really good for party-goers who have low appetite for pure electronic music. And the person is me. Well it took quite a while for me to like Superabundance, perhaps after the second time listening to them? And i surely didn’t regret liking and enjoying it. There are some really catchy music and hook on Superabundance, and never fails to get me nodding my head. Not bad at all, i would rate Superabundance by Young Knives 6.9 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Fit 4 U, Terra Firma, Counters, Light Switch, I Can Hardly See Them, Dyed in the Wool and Long Cool Drinks by the Pool.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

Fleet Foxes somehow remind me of Okkervil River. I don’t know why. The whole journey of Fleet Foxes is like having fun and singing in a church. It has those that make you sing in church, with hands holding hands. And those which make you nod your head along too. Nice to have when in church, harmony will come when you have Fleet Foxes with you.

Fleet Foxes will keep your heart at peace with “Sun It Rises”. With some steady guitar and drum playing. It wouldn’t need long before you find yourself liking this song. From the lyrics where Robin went “Red squirrel in the morning, red squirrel in the evening, red squirrel in the morning, i’m comin’ to take you home, the sun rises over my head, in the morning, with the hold me, dear, into the night, sun, it will rise, soon enough…” I don’t really know what it meants, but one thing’s for sure. You’ll feel comfortable with this song. Simple lyrics, but with deep meaning.

“White Winter Hymnal” is really good i have to say. From start to finish, it has got me going. It’s like when you have an ice-cream, you would end up asking for more. This was what happened to me when i listened to this song. I got to say, White Winter Hymnal is really awesome! Robin made this song sounds so easy, but so good! I can feel Fleet Foxes’ harmony in this song. The vocal and the music were just too great to handle. Especially the “woo hoo hoo woo hoo hoo”. Unbelievable!

“Ragged Wood” comes in as the third track off the album. It is the longest song on the album and one of the crunchiest on the album. Somewhat again, reminding of Okkervil River. While Robin sings, you can hear the rest of the Fleet Foxes joined in and had their fun as well. They provide beautiful and harmonized back-up vocals, which nowadays, is one of the secret ingredients of any successful indie bands and artists. With some amazing guitar pluckings at the end, you can’t miss this song.

Fleet Foxes continues with “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”, which is a beautiful ballad and showcased Robin’s vocal. Robin sang, “Wanderers this morning came by, where did they go, graceful in the morning light, to banner fair, to follow you softly, in the cold mountain air”. I can’t tell what it means from the lyrics but i can feel the sadness in this song. Fleet Foxes sure do know how to take care of your emotions.

“Quiet Houses” had a very good music playing to it. I was amazed the moment the music started, steady drum beats and beautiful acoustic guitar accompanied by what sounded like a door-pounding sound. It’s just so simple, but this song is really good. Check out the music! Oh ya, i think Fleet Foxes are singing about ahem… The lyrics goes like this, “Lay me down, lay me down… Don’t give in, don’t give in… Oooh… Come to me…” Happy and cheerful track with some really catchy hooks!

“He Doesn’t Know Why” started with Fleet Foxes beautiful and harmonized moans. This song has a few pick up points. Whenever Robin finished singing a verse, he had to catch his breath and build up his lungs and sing a new verse again. It’s such a hard song to sing if you were to try. Robin tried to make it as effortless as possible. At the end where Robin went, “There’s nothing i can do, there’s nothing i can say…”, it was the climax of this song and it was followed by a 30 seconds beautiful piano playing.

In “Heard Them Stirring”, you can hear Robin’s moans at the beginning, and slowly the rest of Fleet Foxes joined in, creating a beautiful platform for harmonized hummings and moans. They went, “woo hooo hoo..” And more! As if a group of choir were singing with Fleet Foxes. A beautiful one by Fleet Foxes. They were the music in Heard Them Stirring.

Wow, “Your Protector” is like some heroic anthem for a warrior. Interesting track by Fleet Foxes. There were some flute playing in this track, bringing a new instrument to Fleet Foxes’s music. The chorus was somewhat good and strong, i can feel it when Robin yell, “As you lay to die beside me baby, I’m the one in the shootin’ game, would you wait for me, the other one, would you wait for me…” With Your Protector, i can see that Robin is trying to tell us a story, i might not understand it. But with the music and the endless harmonized moans and hums, i can’t ask for more.

“Meadowlarks” is another beautiful acoustic ballad about meadowlark. If i were right, i think Robin is singing about his pet, a meadowlark. I just love the way Fleet Foxes hum to this song. It was just way too beautiful!

“Blue Ridge Mountains” started off really slow, but still managed to finish on a high note. There was a very unique instrument in this track, it sounded like some Chinese or Japanese instrument, which made Blue Ridge Mountains so good to the ears. Piano can also be heard in the background as Robin sang on. “In the quivering forest, where the shivering dog rests, our good grandfather, built a wooden nest, and the river got frozen, and the home got snowed in, and the yellow moon glowed bright, till the morning light” Brilliant stuff here.

The last track on Fleet Foxes’ debut is a beautiful acoustic track called “Oliver James”. At times when i listened to this song, i just wanted to sing along. The fact that this song is very easy to sing along to, it such a mesmerizing track. Only Robin’s voice and some guitars can be heard. Even if the guitar is not present, i have no doubts that this will be a big track as well. Just lovely. A peaceful way to end the album.

Rating: Wow, every song on Fleet Foxes’ debut has its own uniqueness and specialty. I enjoyed this album thoroughly. The instrumentals on Fleet Foxes were pure genius, i can’t help but listening to them all the time with my ipod. Fleet Foxes also tried to add some varieties to their music through using different types of instruments, which to me, they really did a fine great job. Nothing to argue about, there might be some flaws in between the album or some short boring moments on Fleet Foxes, but it’s still worth to spend your time with Fleet Foxes. 7.5 out of 10, i have to say. Cheers!

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): White Winter Hymnal, Ragged Wood, Quiet Houses, Meadowlarks, Blue Ridge Mountains.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com

We Have Cause To Be Uneasy is full with emotional-burning ballads and tasty vocals by Preston. Individuals who are looking forward to an album full of burning and driving ballads, they can’t afford to miss the stories told by Wild Sweet Orange in the manner of ballads.

We Have Cause To Be Uneasy drives into our thoughts with “Ten Dead Dogs”. Preston is really blessed with such beautiful voice that fits in so prefectly singing ballads like Ten Dead Dogs. This track is more of an indie pop/rock ballad. Wild Sweet Orange performed really well here, peaking at the climax and some nice backing vocals, “Ah, Ah…” at some points. Ten Dead Dogs have a steady and comfortable rhythm to it. Love it! It ends just like that…

“Tilt” is a much faster tempo track. It began with guitar pluckings, as if they’re taking little steps. As Preston sings on, it gradually got louder until the chorus which is really good, “And I fear what I’ve done, means I’ve lost what I love…” Entering the second verse, Wild Sweet Orange suddenly sound more lively, more energetic and fuller. My favourite has got to be the chorus where Preston shows the soft and the loud side of him.

“Seeing And Believing” captured a part where Preston sound a lot like Jonathan Foreman of Switchfoot. Seeing And Believing gives an impression that Wild Sweet Orange is telling us a story and asking us listeners to pay close attention. In the ending of this lovely and slow guitar-plucking tracks, Preston sounds angry, sarcastic and got louder ending this track.

“Either/Or” has some great guitar riffs going on, the beginning has it all. Throughout this track, i was just enjoying to the guitar, it’s raw, loud, energetic and catchy! The chorus is also a good listen where Preston goes, “All the things i’ve hated, i’ve been before, i’ve fallen down slowly, just to kiss the floor…” Wild Sweet Orange has made Either/Or fun and a must-listen rock ‘n’ roll track on the album.

Wow, i really like the simplicity of the guitar on “Sour Milk”. Wild Sweet Orange is on acoustic performing this track. Sour Milk can also be the introductory track to anyone getting to know Wild Sweet Orange, it just has the uniqueness of them. Accordian can also be heard on this track, maybe as an affort to replace the drums. With Preston’s friendly voice and Wild Sweet Orange’s beautiful music, Sour Milk will keep you entertained from start to finish. The accordian also contributed to Sour Milk, making it a really sweet and lovely track. Kate Taylor is also featured sharing some vocal sessions with Preston on this track.

“An Atlas To Follow” shows some strong usage of piano and banjo. It sounds very friendly especially when the banjo just comes in and joins Preston’s vocals. Additional background vocals are performed by Rebekah Fox. The beat of this song has a very happy tone to it, you’d end up smiling and feeling happy after listening to this track. And credit goes to Rebekah for the wonderful background vocals and Matt Pasons for the great playing of the Banjo, it really fits in well. At times, sounding like a country hit!

“House Of Regret” started off with some lazy guitar and bass. Upon listening to this track, it sounded like a rock ballad track. Some sounds created by synthesizers can also be heard here. The guitar on this track sounds like those played by Guns N Roses, leaving this song sounds old at times. Preston reunites with Kate Taylor again on House Of Regret and if it’s not for her, this song would have sounded lame on We Have Cause To Be Uneasy, it just doesn’t fit in. Wild Sweet Orange are trying too hard here.

“Crickets” comes in from afar at the beginning. It contains some electronic samples here. Preston goes relatively soft throughout this track, he doesn’t really raise his note to another level. In the chorus, Preston goes, “She don’t believe anything… but i’d believe anything…” And when Preston is not singing, the guitar replaces his voice with some surround-sounding guitar. The remaining one minute, you can hear Rebekah Fox doing a duet with Preston.

“Aretha’s Gold” is a slow ballad drive. Preston can be heard singing with emotions while slowly building the tempo for this track. If you pay attention, you’d find Aretha’s Gold tells the story of two young lovers. As soon as it gets louder, Preston shows us another side of his vocals, it’s not like those that we have heard before on previous tracks, with each tone and note, he’s letting you to experience his own feelings toward this song. Aretha’s Gold is a powerful and strong ballad, Wild Sweet Orange are playing to the max here.

“Night Terrors” left an impression that as if Wild Sweet Orange are performing on a live jam session. The only instrument that i hear on Night Terrors is the guitar. Most of the time, Preston and Kate Taylor are left to sing only with their voices. They make a good team together, perhaps Wild Sweet Orange might consider adding a new bandmate. Kate Taylor’s voice is just so soothing, especially the part where she howls.

Wild Sweet Orange’s We Have Cause To Be Uneasy ends with yet another beautiful ballad, “Land Of No Return”. Preston’s voice is like magic, he makes the chorus sounds so good with, “So when do you go, tell me where are you going, because there’s no place you can run to, forget all your longing…” The music playing in the background is not foregoing any chances at all, it really leaves a special mark on this lovely ballad. When the break comes, Preston again makes us fall in love with Land Of No Return, he goes, “Is it true, is it true what they say? In these woods there’s something real strange, you can walk for what seems like days… Is this the land of no returning…?” Though at times, it recalls me of Dave Matthews Band’s “Where Are You Going?” whenever Preston hits the chorus. Nonetheless, Wild Sweet Orange maanaged to end this album with an amazing track.

Rating: We Have Cause To Be Uneasy is slow and emotional. Just by listening to the songs, one would think that Wild Sweet Orange must have been around for quite a while. The songs that they write sound mature than what they currently age. With an average age of 24, they have miles to go if they keep writing such beautiful ballads. The voice of frontman Preston, is also the jewel of Wild Sweet Orange. Wish i could have a voice like his, it’s just so soothing to listen to his singing all the time. With the help of Kate Taylor, Rebekah Fox and Katie Crutchfield, We Have Cause To Be Uneasy have many notable moments to be rememberred. It may take a while for you to grow onto this album, but once you’re into it, it’s hard for you to get out of the beautiful rock ballads. I’m going to rate it 6.7 out of 10.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Ted Dead Dogs, Tilt, Seeing And Believing, Either/Or, Sour Milk, An Atlas To Follow, Crickets and Land Of No Return.

Cheers!
Darren Tan
Indiesurf.com

Desire by Andrew Keese & The Associates is best listen to through earphones. The reason? Most tracks here are best enjoyed when you’re alone or in somewhere quiet. If you’re looking forward to spend your weekend away alone, try give Desire a spin.

Desire welcomes us in a slow emotional instrumental starter, “Mercy”. It is pure piano-playing in different keys throughout this track. It’s like Andrew is trying to tell us a story with each different note. I can’t help but keep thinking that this would be the prelude for any performances and concerts. Just imagine it, Mercy would be a great intro in front of thousands of crowds.

Desire continues with the beautiful “Little Possessions”. Beautiful instruments and rhythm throughout this track. I like the part whenever Andrew goes, “Little Possessions…”, there’s a cute and yet appealing sound that follows. I’m not sure what the instrument is called, but it’s really good. My guess would be an organ. Little Possessions would definitely be a pop rock version of the traditional Christmas anthem, Silent Night. Only Little Possessions… It’s starting to get into my head…

In “Transmission”, you can see the real talent of Andrew Keese & The Associates. They managed to combine piano and guitar and transform them into a crunchy classic. Well honestly this combination is not something new, but somehow i can connect with Transmission. I will not fail to have fun with Andrew Keese & The Associates whenever i plug Transmission to my ears. There’s something unique as well here… Andrew Keese & The Associates managed to keep Transmission loud and rock yet soft. Go figure..

“Blessed Are The Meek” is a beautiful ballad yet again. Just love the violin in Blessed Are The Meek! When it’s the verse, Andrew sings with emotions, when the chorus comes, Andrew goes, “Blessed Are The Meek, baby..” in repetition. From Andrew Keese & The Associates’ musical style, they resemble Ben Folds, but from their lyrical talent, they are remarkable. The best part is the chorus, where you can hear the piano playing in the background. It sounds very full, but they can do it better if the rest of Andrew Keese & The Associates joined in and sing along as well.

“The Shadows” starts off with some repetition of guitar slowly, like those that you would hear in a rock song. But honestly, i first thought that The Shadows would be some loud rock and roll track. But after 30 seconds into this track, i realized i was wrong. You can listen to the guitar riffing throughout this track, instead of the piano. Even without piano, Andrew Keese & The Associates still sound great. I just like the part, “Here come the shadows again…”. It’s definitely the climax of The Shadows.

“The Burden Of Proof” got me thinking that it would be a great ballad, it was the impression i got after listetning to only the first 20 seconds of the song. The piano and guitar combination are here to stay. And as Andrew sings along, the music that accompanied especially the violin, made this song full of emotion! I can feel the sadness and sorrow in The Burden Of Proof. Andrew Keese & The Associates made this song so great that it leaves an impact on me. I love the violin here.. And the last 1:14 minutes will blow you away, it’s just so gorgeous!

To me, “Ameline” has a wonderful storyline. It seems to be telling a story about a girl called Ameline who has left behind her loved one and now hopes that his previous love will accept her back. Sounds like a romantic drama movie. Another sad song to ponder on, especially the chorus where Andrew goes, “I watched you take that medicine, it was bitter as brine, once your words were vintage wine, now they’re alkaline, you’d better pray there’s still time for you, Ameline.” Don’t get me wrong, Ameline is a great track with great musical arrangement and mixture. The violin and guitar made a good team here. With its potential, Ameline could as well be an anthem for Andrew Keese & The Associates.

“Singapore” is like a frustrating and yet long-for-love ballad. The title itself captured my attention as i was from Malaysia, just a neighbour to Singapore. Andrew yet again sings with emotions from start to finish. From the beginning, Andrew sings as if he’s building up the energy for the chorus, “Tonight, i got lonely… Over you…” And honestly, the violin that comes straight after the the choruses was gorgeous. I always play it back to saviour the moment.. There’s also a guitar solo after the second chorus, great effort by Andrew Keese & The Associates.

“Sertraline Hydrochloride” is a strong slow drive. Throughout the whole track, Andrew’s voice was the one that stands out. It sort of tells us to live life happily and don’t dwell on unhappy things and the past. A very meaningful song with clever lyrics written by Andrew. At certain points, Andrew can be heard raising his vocal as to make Sertraline Hydrochloride a memorable listen. ”This is the sound, of clouds touching down, on wet city streets, put that sorrow at your feet, and don’t say it’s the end, when the day is about to begin…” I really think this sentence is going to haunt me for a long time to come. Especially, “and don’t say it’s the end, when the day is about to begin…” There’s someting to the rhythm of this special phrase.

“Someday” is somewhat similar to Sertraline Hydrochlorid. A strong slow drive with clever lyrics. If i’m right, it sounded like the person that Andrew refers to is waiting for her time to come, meaning kicking the bucket. Andrew’s voice was slow, steady and full of emotions. And Someday was almost an acoustic song, except for the chorus, “Don’t fool yourself, your time’s gonna come, you think the years happen to everybody else, someday you’re gonna be that someone…” where it gets louder and the organ kicks in.

The title track, “Desire” closes the album in style. Desire is such a radio-friendly track and it somehow sounds like a Christmas song. It’s also a cheerful track where the constant playing of guitar can be heard and yeah, the rhythm of the guitar is great and infectious. Can’t help but find myself enjoying the music of Desire. From the lyrics, i can only tell that Desire tells us that everyone of has a desire or desires, it’s up to us to control it, as desire is always up to no good. Andrew adds, “Desire has many faces, hides in the darkest places, so keep a star in the night of your heart, and find someone to watch over you..” You gotta love this track by Andrew Keese & The Associates.

Rating: Desire is definitely a take-off point for Andrew Keese & The Associates. It has shown the talent and specialty of Andrew Keese & The Associates, i was wondering how they would sound like at first. Perhaps just another indie rock band trying to make it big? However i was wrong, they write their own music and all the times in Desire, they were just being themselves, belting out tunes that touch hearts and create emotions. Desire could have been better with the sound arrangement and engineering, but given it is their debut, they have done a good job. I’m becoming a fan of Andrew Keese & The Associates, nonetheless. Desire is warm and feel-good, i’d give them 7.0 out of 10, straight from my heart.

Stand-Out Tracks (My Picks): Little Possessions, Transmission, Blessed are the Meek, The Burden of Proof, Singapore and Desire.

Cheers!

Darren Tan

Indiesurf.com