Review Summary: Melodic pop-rock done right
I have always found it hard to find positive sounding pop music that doesn't come off as cliched and contrived. Sigur Ros' Jonsi was able to do it with his solo debut earlier this year, and even though Kadawatha are a stylistic one-eighty from Jonsi's lush atmospheric pop they bring forth that same bubbly emotion, albeit in a more rock oriented form. Led by their appropriately named singer Daniel Kadawatha, Kadawatha's debut EP
Agape is three songs of resoundingly uptempo vibes and sugary sweet hummable melodies. Daniel Kadawatha's voice cuts through the sea of his bandmates' crunchy pop-punk backing like Moses parting the Red Sea, going from a gentle croon to a ridiculously high falsetto in the blink of an eye.
The band that Kadawatha has assembled to play with him more than hold their own, but at times can become slightly predictable. This is due not to any lack in skill, but to their stadium filling approach to songwriting with smooth and laid back verses running into bombast and grandiose choruses that beg for fans singing along even in the cheap seats. Unfortunately while this formula may work flawlessly when on the stage, on a stereo setting it can be a bit much. Luckily when everything comes together this ends up being only a minor gripe.
Although Kadawatha are an unsigned band at the moment, they have already garnered some huge breaks, including their current opening slot on the Honda Civic Tour with Paramore and New Found Glory. If this short EP is any indication of what is yet to come for Kadawatha then it looks like even bigger things are on the horizon.
Agape shows that the band are in prime position to jump ahead of bands like 30 Seconds to Mars when it comes to the pop friendly, melodic alternative scene.
