Post by Administrator on Feb 17, 2010 10:48:34 GMT 2
The very first UK Seconds Away From Salvation album review by Jon Wilde of Rock Realms.
5/7 "R"
www.rockrealms.com/archive/j/tj_safs.php
"Helsinki, Finland indie pop rockers The Jade were founded back in 2004. The line-up - presently Wille Rosen on vocals and percussion, Pekko Mantzin on guitars, Jann P.H on bass, and Sirpa on drums - released their debut EP, Heatwave, that same year and soon started touring.
The next release, Slow Motions On The Fast Lanes, came out in 2006 and achieved reasonable airplay on internet and FM radio stations, especially in Germany and the U.S. Seconds Away From Salvation is the band's official debut album, and was produced by Petri Majuri and Hannu Leiden. It was recorded at Seawolf Studios on Suomenlinna Island - the same place Hanoi Rocks have frequented for their albums.
The sound is, for want of a better phrase, a right old surprise. There's an overriding British indie rock vibe to the album - which makes sense when you realise most of the band members have lived in London for extended periods. The Jade's tunes recall Muse, Blur, Suede, David Bowie and more. There's a veneer of bright melodious rock in there too, a few subtle dips of the toe into punk-land, and a more mature/skilled take on the teeny pop-rock that often bothers the UK charts.
The result is extremely competent, excellent even. Numerous tracks have a huge sense of occasion and a stupendously catchy nature. It doesn't hurt that Wille Rosen has a very good voice.
Opener 'Solitary Soul' flits between fast and slow, bright and moody. The chorus is superb. 'Roses Are Burning' is The Clash through and through, but with a sparkling melodic twist. 'Drowning' is another track with a big beast of a chorus. The content of the lyrics may be dubious. The sound is anything but. The plodding 'Yesterdays Rain' is mostly ordinary, but still manages to pull something special out the bag at the chorus. 'Before The Dawn' is a bouncy combo of punk and alt-rock blended with numerous Brit-pop chord changes. It's one of the finer songs on the album.
'In The Air' is nice enough, if a tad plain. 'Wake Up' is punky and good, although short of the album's best moments. 'Everlasting Memorial' is an epic-ish effort with a gently throbbing bassline. It builds as it progresses and, although it never really goes anywhere, it's a fine listen. The speed-imbued 'The Flame' sadly isn't a cover of the excellent 1980's track by Cheap Trick. However, this one is perfectly enjoyable in its own right, and almost manages to touch on heavy metal for a brief stint in the middle.
'Roseate Sky' is another average entry. The short instrumental 'St. Pancras' leads into 'King's Cross', making those London connections even more than obvious. 'King's Cross' is a decent retro-influenced song with a cool chorus. It's like a more refined version of the Buzzcocks. The slow and sensual 'Beautiful Things' is another excellent track. Final entry 'It's A Sin' is an interesting choice. It's a cover of the song by The Pet Shop Boys. This version isn't necessarily brilliant, but it's certainly faithful to the original - even if it does coat it with a wash of alt rock.
I like Seconds Away From Salvation. Plenty of the songs here could easily end up in the charts with the right level of promotion. It's a nice snappy album - only two of the songs are over 4 minutes - and it deserves to get The Jade a big following. Few of the songs are gigantic, but most of them boast a chorus that borders on genius. You can't ask for a lot more than that. There's no reason why this band shouldn't go from strength to strength.
Check out... All of it."
Click below to read the review:
www.rockrealms.com/archive/j/tj_safs.php
5/7 "R"
www.rockrealms.com/archive/j/tj_safs.php
"Helsinki, Finland indie pop rockers The Jade were founded back in 2004. The line-up - presently Wille Rosen on vocals and percussion, Pekko Mantzin on guitars, Jann P.H on bass, and Sirpa on drums - released their debut EP, Heatwave, that same year and soon started touring.
The next release, Slow Motions On The Fast Lanes, came out in 2006 and achieved reasonable airplay on internet and FM radio stations, especially in Germany and the U.S. Seconds Away From Salvation is the band's official debut album, and was produced by Petri Majuri and Hannu Leiden. It was recorded at Seawolf Studios on Suomenlinna Island - the same place Hanoi Rocks have frequented for their albums.
The sound is, for want of a better phrase, a right old surprise. There's an overriding British indie rock vibe to the album - which makes sense when you realise most of the band members have lived in London for extended periods. The Jade's tunes recall Muse, Blur, Suede, David Bowie and more. There's a veneer of bright melodious rock in there too, a few subtle dips of the toe into punk-land, and a more mature/skilled take on the teeny pop-rock that often bothers the UK charts.
The result is extremely competent, excellent even. Numerous tracks have a huge sense of occasion and a stupendously catchy nature. It doesn't hurt that Wille Rosen has a very good voice.
Opener 'Solitary Soul' flits between fast and slow, bright and moody. The chorus is superb. 'Roses Are Burning' is The Clash through and through, but with a sparkling melodic twist. 'Drowning' is another track with a big beast of a chorus. The content of the lyrics may be dubious. The sound is anything but. The plodding 'Yesterdays Rain' is mostly ordinary, but still manages to pull something special out the bag at the chorus. 'Before The Dawn' is a bouncy combo of punk and alt-rock blended with numerous Brit-pop chord changes. It's one of the finer songs on the album.
'In The Air' is nice enough, if a tad plain. 'Wake Up' is punky and good, although short of the album's best moments. 'Everlasting Memorial' is an epic-ish effort with a gently throbbing bassline. It builds as it progresses and, although it never really goes anywhere, it's a fine listen. The speed-imbued 'The Flame' sadly isn't a cover of the excellent 1980's track by Cheap Trick. However, this one is perfectly enjoyable in its own right, and almost manages to touch on heavy metal for a brief stint in the middle.
'Roseate Sky' is another average entry. The short instrumental 'St. Pancras' leads into 'King's Cross', making those London connections even more than obvious. 'King's Cross' is a decent retro-influenced song with a cool chorus. It's like a more refined version of the Buzzcocks. The slow and sensual 'Beautiful Things' is another excellent track. Final entry 'It's A Sin' is an interesting choice. It's a cover of the song by The Pet Shop Boys. This version isn't necessarily brilliant, but it's certainly faithful to the original - even if it does coat it with a wash of alt rock.
I like Seconds Away From Salvation. Plenty of the songs here could easily end up in the charts with the right level of promotion. It's a nice snappy album - only two of the songs are over 4 minutes - and it deserves to get The Jade a big following. Few of the songs are gigantic, but most of them boast a chorus that borders on genius. You can't ask for a lot more than that. There's no reason why this band shouldn't go from strength to strength.
Check out... All of it."
Click below to read the review:
www.rockrealms.com/archive/j/tj_safs.php