Singles Roundup: Pale Waves, Avatarium, Jimmy Eat World, & Voodoo Blood

We've got some interesting stuff to talk about this week.

Pale Waves – Reasons To Live

Album #3 isn't quite making its identity apparent yet. The impression this song gives is that it might try to move closer in direction to what Avril Lavigne did earlier this year, but with a bit less snarky punk attitude. Unlike the previous single, this one feels far more defined and cohesive. It's alternative rock, and Heather is still trying to get used to using her voice in a more prominent role. I do think the detached cynicism of the debut still feels like a more natural sound for her, but this song gives me more hope for the new record than I had before. This is perfectly solid alternative rock, and I don't mind it at all.

Avatarium – God Is Silent

As far as doom goes, Avatarium would be at the top of the list. Between Jenny's voice and their ability to blend melody into the songs, they do things I don't often hear from doom. That's what makes this song a bit of a head-scratcher, since it strips away a lot of those other elements in favor of a more traditional doom aesthetic. It's not bad for what it is, but the biggest appeal of the band is the way Jenny's voice plays off the darker instrumentation, and I don't get enough of a melodic sense from this song. It's not terrible, but it sounds more generic than usual, and that's not exciting.

Jimmy Eat World – Something Loud

Over the last year, I've listened to Jimmy Eat World more than any other band. That isn't likely to change, but I'm not sure how much this song is going to make it into the rotation. Right now it's a one-off, and I'm caught comparing it to the singles from the last couple records. "All The Way (Stay)" was amazing, as was "Sure & Certain". This song is looking back at their early days, and some of the heaviness is absolutely playing into that, but I suppose I'm missing a bit of the rueful nostalgia I get from most of their music. This song is almost too happy, so while it's solid Jimmy Eat World, I'm not sure it fits the way I hear them.

Voodoo Blood – Black Mirror

Kim Jenette put out a few singles for a melodic rock career that apparently fizzled out, which I thought were great. Her voice is amazing, and the songs were good, so I thought an album could have been something special. Instead, she is now back with Voodoo Blood, and this song is the result. I'm sorry, but I don't get this at all. There's very little melody, so the best thing about the entire group isn't given the chance to shine. Kim is too good a singer to be relegated to this role, so compared to what I know is possible, this is quite the disappointment.