Somerset - Pandora
Rating
RIYL
Jimmy Eat WorldSpitalfield
Amber Pacific
Tracklist
1. Open Books2. Clockwork
3. More Than Answers
4. The Tragedy Of Christopher Needs
5. Dandelion Wine
6. Rhyme Over Reason
7. All You Are
8. Peppermint Gunpowder
9. Colors Of Insomnia
10. Tripwire Desire
11. I'd Rather Die Standing
12. House Of Knives
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This album is certainly no knockout punch, let’s get that straight. It's more of a series of solid jabs and sure, they’ll hurt, heck they may even draw blood, but at the end of it all you will most definitely be left standing, left with a slight concussion and wondering hmmmmmmm… what was the number of that track I liked? Chances are, due to the slew of blows you’ve received, you won’t remember. Well, ridiculously circuitous boxing metaphors aside, this is the debut release from Somerset and I must say it’s not half bad.
Though I am a giant sized sceptic when it comes to the term, for want of a better one I will call these guys "emo" (at least in their lyrical content). However, this is NOT your traditional emo fare. You shan’t find any formulaic, sing-scream-sing-sceam-some-more repeat ad nauseum tactics used here. In fact this band can be surprisingly hard to pin down.
While the lyrical content of this album is far from spectacular, it is mercifully not a Hawthorne Heights-esque butchering of the English language. It may (and indeed does) contain clichés of the highest emo calibre, but they feel altogether more heartfelt and the band carries it off relatively unscathed. It would be unfair to lambast the lyrics too much, especially as the vocalist delivers them in the most dulcet and appealing tones I have heard on an emo record in some time. He is not overly nasal and croons and groans his way through the record with the utmost ease, sounding great throughout
As to the music, it is adequate, but there is no particularly staggering musicianship on display, although there are some interesting and stimulating passages of play, most notably the bass (exciting and well-played throughout) driven funkiness of “All You Are”, which sounds almost reggae flavoured, followed by a traditional pop-punk hook that takes over duties until the end of the song. It is plain to see that the chaps at Somerset are reliant on a strong power-pop/emo sensibility, however it is their ability to seamlessly blend this all too popular approach with a sprinkling of pure punk, indie rock, an appearance from some electronica, and elements of heavier styles, which makes them a slightly different and far more invigorating prospect.
Perhaps the track best prepared to elucidate this notion is “Peppermint Gunpowder” which starts off promising something of heavier nature, before moving on to a sugary-sweet pop riff, which swiftly turns into an indie-rock tinged verse before reverting back to a Jimmy Eat World like chorus and later including an oh-so messy (almost grungey) breakdown and build back up moment, before returning to the former in a heartbeat and without batting an eyelid.
For the most part, this chopping and changing is well executed and pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, though, you will find yourself begging them to stick to the style which you like best. Another criticism I would have to level at this release is the puzzling inclusion of the acoustic number “Dandelion Wine”. Although this track continues the story of “Christopher Needs” (many of the tracks on this CD are linked together in something of a conceptual nature) from the previous track, it serves only to destroy the momentum built up by the adrenalin-brimming “The Tragedy Of Christopher Needs”. However, it is a nice track, though somewhat out of place. All told this is an intriguing, imaginative and solid debut from the quartet. They have carried off a somewhat grand design with a degree of panache and I for one, look forward to hearing more from this lot.
--Rhys Duggan
Comments
Greenville, SC
[img]http://www.denness.net/rpi/username/thousandjulys[/img]
Minnesota
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Behind you!
Oh and thankyou kindly for listening to my notes Rick, you rule!!
(dont tell anyone i said that)
"I too have an uncle... come in..."
KY
The Great North Woods
Darla Farmer
RIYL:
the Beatles
Tom Waits
Murder By Death
A Whisper in the Noise
the Blood Brothers
It's cool that Decoy is getting quoted on albums for promotional material, but it's too bad it had to happen with this album. I didn't like this at all. Probably because I don't like the genre, but yeah...