Singles Roundup: Apostolica, Cassadee Pope, Dream State, & Jelusick

Let's see what's in the grab-bag this week.

Apostolica - Rasputin

I quite liked their first album. Despite hating the gimmick of being anonymous, they were the best faux-Powerwolf of all the bands that have tried to be that. I got the impression they were playing the gimmick as a gimmick, which is essential. They now have a second album on the way, and this first song is a bit of a curious thing. It has the right elements, but it doesn't quite work as well. The sound is still big and bombastic, but it's almost as if they've taken their tongue out of their cheek, which I don't think it a good decision. Rasputin is a hard guy to have fun singing about, and that's the big takeaway. The best songs on their first album were fun, and a bit absurd, and this one is far more dour and straight-laced. You can criticize Powerwolf for never changing, but they know what works for them. Apostolica might not.

Cassadee Pope - Almost There

After a bright pop/punk album, Cassadee Pope's new single delves into darker emo. And it does so with sexual subject matter about submission being the key to getting off. I have no problem with that, but for a song about sex and pleasure, it doesn't sound sexy at all. Emo and sex have never really gone together, and this song is a reminder of why. It's not a bad song, and it's interesting to hear lyrics that aren't talking about taking control (given cultural scenarios), but I can't get over how unsexy it is. It's a jarring disconnect between the sound and the message, and so as much as I want to like this more, I'm being kept at arm's length.

Dream State - Chin Up, Princess

After an EP that established the band's new chapter, this single doesn't do much to convince me one way or the other. On the one hand, there's a solid hook and good vocals, so it has the immediate appeal I want. On the other hand, their sound has become so clean and polished I miss the rougher edges they had before. There's a point where music is too perfect for it to have emotional impact, and this is a prime example of that. Compared to their old "Recovery" EP, the precision they employ now strips away the humanity that made them so great. Or at least that's what I'm hearing right now. Maybe they'll still surprise me.

Jelusick - The Great Divide

Dino was briefly one of those guys who was popping up everywhere, but scuttlebutt is that he's one of the few to get fed up with how that system treats the replaceable parts, and so now he is trying to establish his ow band. After a couple of decent heavier songs, he has now turned to the dreaded ballad. Well, I love ballads, so this is his chance to win me over. The guy has a great voice, but I'm not getting enough sweeping emotion from this for it to hit like one of the greats. There's also the thing where if you watch the YouTube video, his voice doesn't sound like it should come from someone who looks like him. Petty, I know, but the same thing happened many years ago with that one-hit wonder The Calling. For as talented as he is, I think he needs to find someone to assist him with the songwriting if this project is going to be a proper vehicle for his voice.