Original bands, original music from Lincoln & Beyond

CD Review - The Blueroute - For Friends And Lovers

Thursday, 29 July 2010

CD EP

9 Tracks

Review by Gaz

A cold front giving way to warmer spells in isolated areas

   There's frost in the air my friends, and a chill on the breeze. It's that time of year when lazy days in the park make way for centrally heated nights round the stereo. Mugs of tea and misplaced gloves are the order of the day, so settle in with some good friends and enjoy the warmth of an old lover…

You won't feel the benefit

   There is a trend amongst some of the larger record labels of filling up space on singles with demo versions of album tracks. I remember the first one I came across (Metallica-Enter sandman) and I still recall the feeling of disappointment I felt having heard it.
Surely they benefit no one? I can think of no musician who, after spending months polishing and crafting a piece of music, would want to show the world the rough cut. Equally, they are an inevitably disappointing experience for the listener, as one is almost always left with the shine taken off a much-loved tune.
'The Strokes'' B-sides are particularly toe curling. A half-hearted, recorded run-through, with drum machine and background hiss, but always with a sense of basic quality and a really good idea somewhere in the mix. Which is precisely what 'The Bluehroute' have produced here. With the exception of 'Sunrise', this is a collection of hastily recorded, deep down good ideas that have been short changed on the production.

Lost in music

  There are ways to make the best of poor recording facilities, ways to boost the quality of the finished product, ways that have not been used here. Chief among them, and important on any recording, is the cohesion between of the instruments. The drums must be locked with the rhythm section at all time to achieve anything like a professional sound, and all the other instruments must match in their pace and style. The trouble with not getting it right, as on this release, is that there are so many small bands out there that don't get it wrong, that your songs will sound weaker in comparison.
Now before we get bogged down with the wrapping paper, lets consider the gift within. There are, as with those 'Strokes' demos, tracks on this CD that have a solid air of quality about them, and these rough diamonds are peppered throughout the nine tracks on this CD. Now not naming any names, there are some tracks that show a real talent for song writing, a talent that if nurtured could blossom into a force for the musical good and 'The World Ain't Mine' and 'Today' are two of them.

Ghost in the machine

   If a ghost is the embodiment of the human soul, then there is no ghost in a drum machine. The two most troubling ingredients in this mix are the soulless drum synthesiser that provides the percussion, and the 'school-guitar-group' picking style on some of the tracks. There are however, some wistful lead solos and tender vocal sections that, with time and a patient sound engineer could shine far brighter than they do here
My advice, for what its worth, would be to throw some money and time at recording four of these songs in a studio, and then sit back with pride, knowing that they are the best you could have done. Because I suspect that the 'Blueroute's best would easily be good enough.

Until next time folks, and I really mean this…
Peace G

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