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MP3 Exit 14 - Virtues of Yesterday
11 MP3 Songs
POP: with Live-band Production, ROCK: Modern Rock
Details:
Tasteful Tune Indulgence
By David A. Brensilver
Connecticut Times Staff Writer
The success of Exit 14''s debut album "Virtues of Yesterday" can be found in the songs'' compositional details.
The band''s insistence on layering musically thoughtful foundation seems sincere. It makes performance out of a collection of what could otherwise, and easily, be another just another generic attempt at formulaic pop tunes.
Featuring supporting singer Trent Gerber’s vocals (which don''t stray from a comfortable range) and his introspective first person lyrics, Exit 14, a guitar, bass and drum trio - keeps things simple yet interesting from an instrumental point of view.
From song to song, "Virtues of Yesterday" is really a collection of instrumental moments. Drummer Wes Long, bassist Tim Kenniston and his brother, guitarist Jeff Kenniston, play with easy syncopation. Their ensemble playing will tighten up with time. That, in turn, will allow room for more and more instrumental dialogue in their song construction.
"The Best Part About It" is a funky tune that puts on display the unobtrusive, simple syncopations these guys like to use. By adding harmonies at the end to the vocal figure that begins the song, Gerbers offers a nice touch, too, not letting a good idea get redundant.
In keeping with making each song a performance, "What I Believe" is piloted, at the outset, by a bass and drum figure, with rhythm guitar accompaniment. Again, well,. placed vocal harmonies thicken the sound.
"President Kevin” offers some nice style changes and punctuations, but it''s the instrumental section that endears. A melodic guitar solo, which offers a different guitar tone than Jeff Kenniston uses throughout the album, is modest enough to let Long''s drum breaks speak.
And "I Remember," the album''s final track, provides some tastefully over-lapping vocal lines that once again show off the band''s dedication to dressing up form.
Overall, "Virtues of Yesterday", which was recorded for RazzRock Records, is a well-produced debut. While the sound of the album is a bit compressed, these young guys are writing songs that offer more color than cookie-cutter, radio-ready pop tunes. It''s an admirable effort.
David Brensilver is a former musician who studied at Julliard and played with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra.
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