Greenville, North Carolina used to be a quiet college town…for what’s it worth. Now every weekend you have local bands playing gigs. This city has given birth to Your Name in Vain, Katharsis, and Far From Nowhere, but no one was ready when Frail came out with “Edge of Something New.” This four piece band has been influenced by U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Matchbox 20, Southern Rock, and Jazz. Not only has this band come from a place not many bands come from, they also come with a sound that not many have done. Acoustic and electric guitars along with drums and bass makes for quite an interesting listen, now without further ado here is Frail…
Christopher West - vocals/writing/rhythm guitar
Jon Patton - lead guitar/performance artist
Chris Clement - bassist/vocals
Brian Holder – percussion
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The vocals are one of the best rock vocals I’ve heard in a while. Chris W and Chris C. have a great range and that wow factor that a band needs. The songwriting really helps also, the lyrics fit with the music and their vocal range. It is almost like pop vocals but they have that rock edge to them.
Vocal standout: “Back Again”
Songwriting: After a lot of thought I go with “I’ve Been Fine”
The guitars and bass are the gemstones here. The acoustic guitar is a very good fit with this band. It does not push the singers to try to sing like all those other rockers. The bass will holds the songs together, but for me I’ve never heard a Bass play alone so when I turn Bass on I don’t know which one is Bass. The acoustic/electric combo is done very well, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more bands picked it when Frail gets bigger.
Guitar and Bass Standout: “Giving You Up”
The percussion doesn’t have that much of an effect on this CD, but the drummer knows what he is doing. He keeps it simple and stays with the song. He doesn’t try to overdo himself, and it works to perfection.
Percussion Standout: “Back Again” and “No Hope For You”
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Song Spotlight: “On My Knees”
It starts right out with an acoustic guitar and then the cymbals come in. The electric guitar comes in right before the vocals start. This song is the single and I agree with the pick; it has all of the band’s elements in it. The vocal range is at its best in this song.
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1. On My Knees – 5/5
2. No Hope For You – 4.5/5
3. Too Late – 4.5/5
4. Giving You Up – 5/5
5. Back Again - 5/5
6. I've Been Fine – 5/5
Overall – 4.83/5
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Conclusion
This is a must have for any Rock fan out there, and it’s not hard to get. CD Baby has it on its site and the band has it on their website. Their myspace has three of the 6 songs up there and downloadable. What I’m getting at, is this band has come from a quiet city and has entered the music scene quietly.
