Bernard - A View Beyond the Cave

Rating

single starsingle star

RIYL

Coldplay
The Fray
Snow Patrol
Cool Hand Luke

Tracklist

1. A View Beyond A Cave
2. Reconcile Our Lives
3. To Those of This World
4. Too Far
5. Floating, We Find Love
6. Blind
7. Some Dream of Happiness
8. Bus Mute

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Upon first listen one could easily hear sounds similar to those of Coldplay, The Fray, and Snow Patrol. Now the thing that sets Bernard apart from the previously mentioned bands is that they, umm, they have a unique, umm, oh who are we kidding here? It seems the guys in Bernard realized that they couldn’t be one of those previously mentioned band so they did the next best thing. They made their sound as close as humanly possible to that of those other popular bands. However, much like fellow label mates Hundred Year Storm, Bernard does have something those previous bands don’t, the christian music market. They also don’t seem to carry the stigma of your typical “christian band.”

Now these Bernard boys did appear on Volume 2 of the Deep Elm collection This Is Indie Rock- The Best Bands You’ve Never Heard. The track that appeared on that compilation was “My Brain” and the sound was still similar to this release, however there seemed to be a rough edge on that track that is not at all present in this disc. This band has a very polished sound and it is not always for the best, as their style doesn’t keep the listener interested at all times. Perhaps their live show has the remedy of the laser light show and the “live visual augmentation” which what it is called on their website. This could easily allow the bored listener to draw their attention away from their boredom to allow their eyes stimulation as their ears drown out the sound.

Now if the soft lulling piano rock is your thing then you probably have plenty in your collection. If you still feel as though something is missing, though, then it could perhaps be this disc. However, it should be known that Bernard have a sound that everyone has heard and heard done better. This entire disc could easily be chosen as the soundtrack to your favorite hospital drama, or even a scene here or there from the next Zach Braff movie. A few songs could even pull on some heartstrings during those moments. Whatever way you present it, A View Beyond The Cave is nothing new and nothing all too catchy. Perhaps the title should have been “Pretty Music for Touching Moments in Life.”

--Brandon Carter

Author

yermaum
Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:54PM

Comments

sir mix-a-lot
09/19/2006
07:13AM
Location
Sacramento, CA
oh come on, this is at least a 3 ep

I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.

Originally stated by Scott Miller
It's like talking into a mirror!
M.J.Austin
09/19/2006
09:12AM
Location
Dallas, Texas
Brandon has been sensitive lately. First HYS, now this. I like these tunes.
awake_and_avenge
09/19/2006
09:22AM
Age: 30
Location
Tucson, AZ
I enjoyed it too. It was pretty easily forgotten, but definitely not a 2 for me.
glhxckid
09/19/2006
09:41AM
Location
Troy, Michigan
What the heck? A two? That is rediculous. This EP is pretty darn good. At least a 3... 3.5 or 4 for me
yermaum
09/19/2006
11:10AM
M.J.Austin
Brandon has been sensitive lately. First HYS, now this. I like these tunes.


I think this probably sums it up. I actually started writing my review for The Album Leaf around the same time as I wrote these two but I realized it was getting downplayed a ton. So i scrapped it and I'm going to come back to it. Probably what I should have done with these last two as well, but alas, not what I did. But I do know too that these scores were more harsh than normal for me.

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