Post by Josh McLaughlin on Oct 10, 2011 7:28:03 GMT -5
Tonight Alive are an infectious pop/punk/rock band from Sydney, Australia that combine kickass instrumentals insanely catchy vocals and hooks! Having only been a band for a few years, they have achieved quite a lot in that time, with a #2 iTunes charting EP release, tours around the country supporting bands such as Simple Plan, Lostprophets and Anberlin, as well as upcoming Australian headline tours and a USA tour supporting bands such as Blessthefall. In preperation for their debut album "What Are You So Scared Of?", which drops next week, I will step back to 2010 with reviews of Tonight Alive's first and second EP's, "All Shapes and Disguises" and "Consider This"!
All Shapes and Disguses (June 2010)
The EP opens with rocking tune "To Die For", which mixes pop/punk with hard rock very well. The sound is crisp, the instrumentals naturally catchy. Jenna McDougall's voice is amazing, especially for somebody as young as her (17 at time of recording). The hooks and riffs are all solid and infectiously catchy. The music may not be overly original, and comparisons to Paramore are obvious, but they stand above their punk-pop peers with incredibly optimistic songs that you can't help but feel good listening to and instruments that don't sound forced in any way, shape or form; progressing naturally while being completely and utterly rockin' at the same time!
"Invincible" is second, with a more melodic poppy approach than the opener, but it is still undeniably groovy and tight. Everything fits together perfectly and works in harmony to make a great song. "Wasting Away" has an opening with the feel of a Sum 41 song, which is stripped back to a poppy verse before breaking loose into a hard-hitting rock chorus. "Closer" follows with another poppy effort, with cheery keyboards and all. The song progresses well and is very full-sounding, with so many layers that really give it character. "My Favourite Thing" highlights Jenna's amazing voice, as well as the melodic abilities of the guys in charge of the instruments. Infectious chants of "woah oooh" build up to another instantly memorably chorus. The inclusion of a tight little guitar solo in the bridge was a good touch.
"Ten Times Better" follows with an uplifting keyboard section with graceful vocals before breaking out into rocking pop-punk as the other instruments kick in. The chorus is, once again, very memorable and catchy. "Rooftop to the Street", my favourite from the album, showcases the band's talents. The vocals are great (even the male back-up vocals in the chorus), the verses are peaceful and melodic and the chorus is extremely rocking. An amazing track all round, and it's sure to be stuck in your head by the end of the first listen. A cover of Rufio's "In Your Eyes" closes the album; a smart choice as it allows them to show their respect for older pop-punk bands while also drawing in fans of Rufio and similar bands. The song is catchy and it definitely does the original justice, if not completely surpassing it. The version of the release I have also includes an acoustic version of the second song "Invincible", a welcome addition that shows a different side of the band.
In all, the EP is fantastic, especially for a self-funded debut release featuring musicians who are still teenagers. The songs are all uplifting and bring joy to me by listening, the hooks are memorable and the vocals are instantly imprinted in my mind; and I often find myself walking around humming them. Tonight Alive are such a tight, opting not to revolutionize and originate a new genre or sub-genre, but greatly improve upon a well-known one. It's as if catchy hits come naturally to the band, and there is not one weak point on the release. Every song is great.
8.5/10
Consider This (November 2010)
Despite the closeness of it's release date to "All Shapes and Disguises", this EP definitely shows the maturation and progression of the band, even in such a short time. The first song, "Revenge and It's Thrills" is a hard rock song that is begged to be played in front of a crowd full of moshers. At the same time though, it keeps the melodic side of the band which allows them to be incredibly catchy as well as accent the harder, rockier areas. A great opening track.
The second track on the EP is "Five Years" which opens up with a very melodic poppy chord section on guitar, with drums underlying. The song soon crescendos into pop-punk rock greatness as all the instruments kick into high gear. Jenna's vocals are as catchy and impressive as ever. Another great, solid track.
The final track on this short release, "Thank You and Goodnight" has a very pop feel vocally, with a very punk-rock feel in the instrumentals sections. The chorus is instantly memorable, and still so happy and uplifting. I'm so used to bands of this genre running out of happier, poppier ideas and going into more serious, almost depressing themes (ie. Sum 41 on their latest), but Tonight Alive manage to constantly fill their songs with sheer optimism, without ever being repetetive or stale. Although short, this EP packs a punch, with three great tracks that show that Tonight Alive mean business!
8/10
With the release of their brand new album next week, great things are expected from Tonight Alive, with lots of huge tours and promotion in the works. The band is quickly rising through the ranks of Australia's rock music scene, and breaking into America's too, and rightfully so! With incredible amounts of natural songwriting talent, and being an amazing sight to behold live, they are sure to keep pushing and pushing, unleashing their powerful brand of pop-punk to the world!
Check them out, if you are a fan of the genre, or of bands like Paramore, you won't be disappointed. Here is a sneak peak of their new debut album, current single "Let it Land"; which is fantastic!
