Over the past few years, there seems to be a resurgence of the musical sounds of the 90's: somewhat of a neo-post-grunge sound. This sound tends to feature simple vocals with raw instrumentation and mildly catchy melodies. Indie rockers
Leaving September are an excellent example of this with their latest EP release,
Rock Paper Love. Opening the album is "This Is Love." Its sound is reminiscent of early Jars of Clay or Burlap to Cashmere: the music is simple but sweet and exudes a nostalgic feeling whilst singing of neverending love and friendship. "Nothing to Say" shows some excellent use of background vocals which give the song a fuller sound. "Grace" is the weakest track on the EP, as the vocals go flat throughout the song. The melody is quiet good, but the message gets lost because of the lacking vocal quality. The EP concludes with the melancholy "I Surrender." The downhearted sound actually shows the desperation that humanity has to be loved. It's excellent use of chord structure and melody. Overall, the album is a decent effort, but is in need of better production quality. However, by no means does that make this an album to pass up; the raw vocals and acoustic sound make this a good, easy listening album. Leaving September shows true potential and with time, they could very well become truly effective as an indie band.
- Review date: 2/24/14, written by
Ryan Barbee of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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