Album Review: Reach - The Promise Of A Life

Theatricality is hard to pull off in rock music. The two don't always mesh, and even when you have a personality who can put the two together, finding the right approach to writing the songs is a difficult task. Far too often, those who try wind up too far on one side or the other, lacking either the flair or the songs to say they've really succeeded in their task. When it's done well, it's wonderful. Pumping rock music even larger is a noble cause, but like many gasses, it also blows up in your face if you aren't careful.

The album's theatricality is apparent right off the bat. "New Frontier" opens things with some lo-fi whistling, only to then introduce horns after the main riff plays through a couple times. It gives the song a definite wind-swept, sort of Western atmosphere that does stand out from what we expect out of modern rock. That part is interesting, and the transitions in and out of that main riff sound like something out of the orthodox is going on, but the hook of the song doesn't live up to that standard of not being standard. The band obviously is trying to be playful with their songwriting, but they don't deliver the memorable melody to pay off the experimentation.

"The Law" is even less interesting. Build on a percussion loop and a very synthetic sounding bass, the groove is too lackadaisical to get you moving, and the chorus mixes mediocre falsetto vocals and the repeated title, neither of which is very addictive. It's essentially a dance track, but no one is going to feel energized by it. Then there's "Young Again", where the opening chords and vocals remind me of "I've Had The Time Of My Life", except that song builds into a glorious 80s anthem, and this one is more low-key mediocre rock.

It amazes me that a band like Reach is intent on trying a little bit of everything, and wants to be daring with their music, and yet they forget they have to write great songs first. Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me. Maybe they know they aren't great songwriters, and use the experimentation as a way to convince us they're actually doing something more impressive than they are. I see through that. Experimentation for experimentation's sake is not something to be impressed by, or to praise. Anyone can do something poorly. Reach is proving than on much of this album.

"Satellite" is one of the few good songs. They aren't trying to be more than a Muse-like modern band, and by keeping their ambitions in check, the song actually has something to it. It still isn't a great song, but it does show me that Reach has potential to be better than what the rest is showing me. When they say every cloud has a silver lining, this is what they mean, even if it turns out to be tin foil when you get up close.

I look at this album a bit like an artist submitting a portfolio. While it's impressive to see how much ground they think they can cover, when none of it is done expertly, I'm left wondering what the point is. Giving us one approach done really well is far more appealing than six done half as well. Reach is a band like one of those impressionists who sort of sounds like a bunch of famous people, but not convincingly like anyone in particular. They have spread their wings far enough they don't feel connected to their body anymore.