reviewed by Michael
The Root In Fluents aren’t called a “musician’s band” for nothing.
If there’s anything that one would notice from listening to this band’s debut, it’s that they’re very, very, very technically proficient. The blues-rock/hard rock sound that this band produces is top-notch and sounds like something one might hear from a 70′s rock band at the top of their game.
This album is chock-full of awesome guitar solos, group vocals and good old-fashioned rock and roll.
The album begins with “Beguiled Ambiguity” which immediately shows the listener what this band is all about. It uses interesting percussion in addition to the drums and introduces lead singer Kevin Johnson’s half-yelling vocals, as well as their killer solos.
By the time the band moves onto “Electricutie” the band is in top form. This song in particular has that same rock vibe, but this time with group vocals somewhat reminiscent of a barbershop quartet. Fantastic stuff.
“Things Will Never Change” has a pretty cool history behind it. Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene and Apostle of Hustle mentored the group for a short time and guided them on this track. You can hear a bit of Whiteman’s quirkiness even though he himself doesn’t appear on the track. It makes for an interesting reference point.
“Rockin’ Daddy” is pretty self-explanatory- it’s a pure dose of rock n’ roll. “The Rain Came” showcases the more mellow, blues-y side of the band just in case you thought they were all about the rock and guitar solos.
Over the course of the band’s 12 songs you will be banging your head and admiring the work put into some of the guitar solos (the band’s Bandcamp page says that Johnson’s vocals are outlined by them). If there’s any criticism I’d give it’s only that sometimes the band is too proficient, mainly on their two instrumental pieces, “Shots For Confidence” and “Man or Machine.” While music enthusiasts will enjoy the numbers for the amazing work, those looking for a more casual listen may find it difficult to grasp.
That aside, this is an absolutely stellar debut from a very young band. If this is what a band sounds like in its 20′s, I can scarcely imagine what they’ll sound like 10 or 20 years down the road.
The album can be listened to or downloaded over at ( www.therootinfluents.bandcamp.com ).