REVIEW: Broadway Sleep - Broadway Sleep

Broadway Sleep has released one of the most original, captivating and thought-provoking albums ever to hit the independent market with their release of their self-titled debut album. Covering multiple genres, styles and flavors, this album is full of energy, diversity and, above all, loads of talent and professionalism.

Starting off with Too Late, a laid back alternative rock song with a hip-hop beat and vocals similar to that of The Police this track feels like The Shins meets Radiohead. Sound The Alarm has more of the feel of bands like Garbage with ambient vocals and grungy, ethereal instrumentation. Eternal Garden is a synth and piano driven instrumental that leads flawlessly into the next track. Something to Touch keeps up the synth vibe of Eternal Garden but throws some hip-hop lyrics on top for a completely unexpected change of pace on this album. At this point the listener has no question that Broadway Sleep are the masters of diversity in their music. Sentimental Value has an early 90s pop rock feel similar to that of Savage Garden and the Wallflowers but with a little darker and spacier mood.

Five Four Woman brings to mind the Radiohead album, In Rainbows. The beats in this song break barriers of syncopation and add tons of energy to this ambient track. Watching the Raincloud is another instrumental that’s spacy and trance-inducing. Right Steppin’ All the Way is a dance song that keeps the psychedelic vibe of the rest of the album but brings to the table a very mysterious and high energy tune. Magical Voice has a much darker and more industrial feel at first and then jets into an almost ballad style chorus. This song draws forth tons of emotion in the listener. Ashes is yet another instrumental track with a tribal feel. Shy and Out of Season seems to bring all of the diversity on this album together - ethereal vocals and instrumentation, hip-hop beats and vocals. This track is probably the very best example of what well rounded musicians Broadway Sleep is composed of.

Overall this album just flat out rocks! Definitely one of the future icons in their scene, Broadway Sleep is nothing less than amazing! You just can’t help but appreciate music like this.

5 out of 5 stars

You can learn more about Broadway Sleep at www.broadwaysleep.com

REVIEW: The Aviation Orange - Self-Titled

Brooklyn’s Indie/Synth Rock band, The Aviation Orange brings to the stage a brilliantly executed work of art with their self-titled debut. Seemingly influenced by bands such as The Police, The Shins and Franz Ferdinand, these musical super heroes have created nothing less than a masterpiece.

Opening up with CCSS, the male/female vocal harmonies gracefully drift into the listener’s mind in an epic sea of guitars and synthesizers with a break down that puts one in an almost dream-like trance.

A memorable track, Chemical Reaction is full of powerful bass lines and more wonderfully melodic vocals. This song combines the attitude of The Cure with the complexity of Incubus.

Seattle Slide, the last track on the album, has flavors of The Doors or Radiohead, and no doubt gives a strong finish with a pleasant psychedelic send-off.

Much of the album is very complex in instrumentation and lyrics. By layering parts to create a full sound that captures your attention, The Aviation Orange has proven themselves as true masters of their craft.

The Aviation Orange has got it from start to finish and every song on this album will leave you hanging on for the next. This is the kind of album you can just let play over and over again.

5 out of 5 stars

You can learn more about The Aviation Orange at www.myspace.com/theaviationorange