Another band classified as pop punk here. Quietdrive made a minor splash on the charts with their 2006 debut, When All That's Left Is You, although most of their mainstream recognition so far has been due to their cover of Cyndi Lauper's popular 80's pop hit Time After Time (It's actually an alright cover, go check it out sometime). With Deliverance, the band – consisting of Kevin Truckenmiller (vocals), Matt Kirby (guitar, vocals), Justin Bonhiver (guitar), Droo Hastings (bass) and Brandon Lanier (drums) – seeks to expand its stylistic conventions to sound like more than what the average pop-punk band sounds like. And it's fair to say that they actually manage to achieve their goal, because Deliverance ranges from guitar driven hard-rockers to passionate power ballads to Beatle-esque 60's pop and even a bit of doo-wop not unlike Little Red.
Track Listing
- Believe
- Deliverance
- Daddy's Little Girl
- Motivation
- Birthday
- Afterall
- Pretend
- Hollywood
- Kissing Your Lips
- Take Me Now
- Promise Me Now
- Secret
- Starbright
When All That's Left Of You was your average pop-punk album, lyrics about girls, two four rhythms, repetitive chord progressions, all the stuff I mentioned in the We The Kings review. I have to say that I started listening to Deliverance with an attitude of "Oh gosh, not another pop-punk album". I also have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised by the range of styles present on the selection of songs. Album starter "Believe" starts off with a man's muttering voice and Lanier's bouncy drums, followed by the rest of the band kicking into gear and forming into a solid, non-generic rocker (There's even a synth solo in the bridge). The second song is the title track, and probably the first single. Appropriate, because it is arguably the most pop-sounding tune on the album. Not necessarily as heavy as the others, but it is a quality song that should garner a fair bit of airplay on mainstream, or at least alternative radio (Maybe a repeat slot on MTV? Who knows). Other standout tracks include "Daddy's Little Girl", a passionate power ballad tinged with exotic classical guitar flourishes, "Hollywood", which advertises a playful R'n'B styled rhythm, and "Secret", with its Latin-American/Spanish roots and classical guitar.
The musicality of this band was debatable at best on their debut. The drums sounded a bit overused, and when added to the muddy guitar produced a sound that wasn't particularly pleasing to the ear. However, most of the flaws have been eradicated on Deliverance. Bonhiver and Kirby exchange their guitar parts well, and both of them when playing rhythm guitar click in a pleasing fashion with Hastings and Lanier. Speaking of those two, I really have to comment on the communication and understanding between them. Hastings' bass is nearly always accented in just the right spot by Lanier's bass drum, and this is apparent on songs such as "Hollywood" and "Pretend". Obviously skeptics will argue that this communication is always apparent on rock albums because of the need for perfection and the adeptness of producers at eliminating mistakes. However, it is actually very recognisable from the moment the album starts playing, and one has to wonder whether the producer intended for this effect to be created. Regardless, it works well and complements the technique of the band. Vocals-wise, Truckenmiller enhances the uniqueness of his voice to emphasise the band's move away from generic punk into more alternative territory. He goes hard on tracks like "Believe" and "Birthday", while managing to showcase his emotional side on "Daddy's Little Girl" and "Secret". The vocal harmonies are also top-notch, adding to Truckenmiller's voice and complementing the rhythm section of the band.
The album doesn't stray enough from pop-punk conventions to be declared revolutionary (lyrics-wise), but it does go deeper than usual in terms of ambiguity and interpretational value. "Daddy's Little Girl" (I know I've referred to it a lot, but it truly is a great song) could be interpreted from viewpoint of a sugar daddy, and actual father, or a boyfriend, completely up to the listener. Likewise, "Hollywood" can be taken as someone's obsession with the location, or with a girl with the metaphorical name of Hollywood. There are other examples, but I will skip them for the sake of boring you, the readers. There are still traces of the old pop-punk Quietdrive, songs such as "Birthday" - which involves a man moaning about his girlfriend leaving him, possibly because he forgot her birthday – and "Take Me Now" just two examples of songs with average lyrical matter.
One aspect that really caught my eye (or ear, rather) was the inclusion of songs like "Kissing Your Lips" and "Birthday", which veered slightly from rhythmic conventions of punk. Both of these tunes have very bouncy bass lines (when I say bouncy, I mean bouncy. As in, seat-bouncing bouncy) and bring back memories of a time when hair was long, pants had flares and the sunnies were massive. Some may see these two tracks as a hindrance to the progression of the album, but in fact they aid in producing an accomplished palate of sounds and styles. They feel refreshing and add conviction to the point that the band seeks to depart from their pop-punk roots.
There are a few instances in which Truckenmiller's voice sounds a tiny bit forced, as he attempts to belt out the high notes or tries to get some oomph into the choruses. Also, it is apparent that his transition into falsetto sounds a bit whiny and not as smooth as other vocalists on the market. ("Deliverance" showcases this the most, but it doesn't detract from the overall experience of the song). Other flaws include the guitar not piercing through enough, and in some instances ("Take Me Now", etc.) a wall of noise appears in select choruses. Having said that, these flaws are but minor imperfections in what is Quietdrive's best effort yet. The only way to go is up for these guys, and I would be very disappointed if their next album did not live up to the excellence that is Deliverance.
Rating 4/5
-Josh Yuvaraj
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