Review Summary: practice makes perfect.
The Material is the perfect mainstream rock band, and radio stations would dig their tunes if only they knew this band existed. I know it’s quite the claim to call a band a perfect band for a certain genre, so allow me to explain myself. You see, The Material are an indie band, but despite this, every release up until this point has been entirely solid. With the release of
What We Are, we find a band proving to us that their previous releases had nothing to do with luck. They always knew who they were, and they have been ascending with each step since day one.
What We Are thus far is the peak of their discography, and it will be interesting to see how high this band will climb.
What we have here is the band’s alternative rock/pop punk style as per usual. They’ve never been that unique of a band, but they never had to be. They’ve already carved their own niche into mainstream rock, and now they’re running with it. The Material are an energetic bunch and their music can be rather powerful, but not from overt aggression. Their power comes from their emotional delivery which is boosted by Colleen’s passionate, soaring vocals. Without her, The Material would be a much less notable band, but with her the music glimmers with personality. Also, she is a stunning singer and hits high notes with nearly no effort at all. In
What We Are her voice is allowed to shine, and this greatly compliments the album.
As always, the music is catchy, with memorable choruses. Also, the musicians (especially the drummer and bass guitarist) are surprisingly solid with the ability to dance around the beat without losing step. The only downside of the album is the electric guitar which is often too restrained, but then again, I doubt that people who listen to this kind of music would really care. With a collection of memorable songs backed by Colleen’s incredible vocal performance, The Material have given us another solid release. They’re really proving that they deserve a spot with the top hounds, even if they will never receive the credit they deserve. It’s time to give this band a shot.
