Quick Reviews: Revolution Saints & Smackbound

Today, it's a double dose of melodic rock.

Revolution Saints - Eagle Flight

I wonder what happens behind the scenes to cause turnover in the membership of a band like this, where they are almost exclusively a studio project. It can't possibly take that much time out of the member's lives, so does that mean it has to be an issue of money? I'm not sure, but the fact that Deen Castronovo is being joined by two new members on this album is the most interesting thing about the record. Of course, that's interesting in the philosophical sense, since if I didn't know the rest of the band had been replaced, I would never know it from listening to the album.

With the same producer and songwriter, the only difference between this record and the previous ones is a bit of phrasing in the guitar solos. Otherwise, this is Revolution Saints by the numbers, which has been getting less interesting with each album. It's fine melodic rock, and Deen has some moments where his voice shines, but it's another record that blends together with all the other ones the label puts out. I'm entirely played out on this particular brand of rock still, so I'm not sure if that's the reason I found myself only mildly enjoying the record, or if it really is trading on weaker songs than especially the debut record.

This one again falls into the category of music that's perfectly fine, but not something I'm going to feel the need to listen to again. These bands really need to be given more of an identity of their own than just who happens to be singing. Please.

Smackbound - Hostage

Their first album showed promise. Netta Laurenne has a great voice, but things get weird once we dig any deeper than that. This record throws some more modern influences into the mix, and it comes off sounding a bit stilted, with choruses that don't really stick with me when they aren't actively annoying me. That would be disappointing on its own, but it gets worse than that.

Between the first album and this one, Laurenne shared an album with Noora Louhimo, and that album was head-and-shoulders better than either of the records Smackbound has made. She is the main catalyst behind making all three of them, so I'm not sure what the difference was that made the duets album so great, and Smackbound feel so small by comparison. It isn't the absence of Noora, because Laurenne is more than capable as a singer. She stood toe-to-to with one of the best in the world and came out equal.

There's something about writing for her own voice that doesn't work as well for me. These songs might be trying more things, and taking more risks, but they don't pay it off. I can't honestly tell anyone to listen to this record when the Laurenne/Louhimo album is there waiting for you, and it's so much better.