Average Rating: 4.00 Rating Variance: 0.00 Objectivity Score: 50% (Poorly Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name4.0 excellentRiver Groves River GrovesThe debut self-titled EP by River Groves is an unfocused mix of styles ranging from old- school punk to modern indie alternative, which is impressive since it is only 4 tracks long. The first track "My Number" is a grounded but driving tune that would be welcome on any indie mix-tape, the melodious "Don't Go!" has one of the catchiest guitar riffs I've ever heard from a new band, Bryan's raw vocals and thumping bass line on "In Your Pants" ensure that the track will be a crowd favorite at shows, and "Dynamite" is well-suited as the finale, starting off relatively mellow but builds up to a glorious crescendo. The tracks do a great job of showing the range and musical ability of the band, but also lack the cohesion necessary for me to call this a true album - I'd rather think of it as a great demo disc, or a compilation singles off of albums that don't exist yet. The tracks themselves are not perfect either. There are times where I wished there had been more going on drum-wise (full disclosure, I'm a huge Rush fan) and I would have liked to see Kevin push his range a little more vocally to match the instrumental changes during the songs. However, the issues I have with this EP are dwarfed by the enjoyment I got from listening to it, particularly after seeing them all played live when they opened for PUP in Mississauga. This EP is a great first offering from a local band with serious chops, but in the future I'd like to see their albums choose an idea and follow through until its conclusion.
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
