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Written by Anthony Dobrini
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Sunday, 06 May 2007 |
You Can Hold Me Down
New Door Records/ UME
A I'll first say that I loved Something Corporate. At their hiatus I was disappointed but continued to follow the lead singer's new project Jack's Mannequin.
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 I even listened to one of the guitar player's projects titled Firescape. Other then that I heard nothing, until I received this.
I guess living behind SC's front man must have been hard to show off, but now with a debut record for his solo project, You Can Hold Me Down proves that there are other talented musicians in bands besides the lead singer!
Luckily the record is not fully pop which I imagined Ryan Cabrera-esq. type songs. Tell goes through what Something Corporate would have been without featuring a piano and lays down vocals that let you sing along very easily. The chorus' are poppy, the structure is pretty predictable, but that's alright, it works. | " Slipping Under (Sing Along to Your Favorite Song)" has a great chorus and it's still stuck in my head. Not all of the songs stick with the same type of music. "Trouble" must have some country roots while "Like You, Only Sweeter" brings back the previous music Tell made.
I guess I'm a sucker for the acoustic-electric guitar which Tell uses throughout each track. I think it works nicely with a full band. It continues the indie feel but brings in a touch of rock. Tell isn't an amazing guitar player, but the structures and chord progressions he chooses works well with what he is trying to convey on each song. I guarantee that the teenage population can eat this up.
The only thing that doesn't get me as well is the songs that include piano as more then a backing instrument. Specifically "Young at Heart" and "Fairfax", which the latter reminds me a lot of Butch Walker.
I wish best of luck to Tell and his music endeavors. This moving on stage should work well for him, because after hearing his debut solo record, I'm behind him 110%. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys Butch Walker or loved Something Corporate. |
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