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Some reviews are difficult to
start! With this one, it’s because I just want to blurt out something like “Curious
Yellow is a
really great band! You should go out and buy their CD and their T-Shirts and
their stickers and tell all your friends about them because they really rock and
they’re really awesome and they cured me of cancer!” But you can’t sound cool
when you do that! As a professional reviewer, I have to sound reserved, and calm
and cool. I have to present an air of respect, because I’m a serious journalist!
Also, I’m expected to provide a certain number of words in my reviews! How can I
fill the page if I just blurt everything out in theng paragraph?
So, I will attempt to write this review in a professional manner, so that you,
the listening public, will have to read this entire article to learn what I
blurted out in the first paragraph!
Jenny and I hear a lot of music everyday, and certain regions are known to be
hotbeds for particular genres of music. In our case, it seems that Denver, and
for that matter, the state of Colorado, have a disproportionately large amount
of Metal bands! So, when we see a submission come in from that part of the
world, we typically count on it being from a metal band. Such was the case when
we got the submission for
Curious Yellow.
We assumed that they would be a Metal band! We couldn’t have been further from
the truth!
There are two bands that I have compared
Curious Yellow
to as I’ve written this review. The first is a member of the vanguard of
Alternative music: The Smashing Pumpkins. “Obvious” and “Reaction” have similar
sounds and feels to songs done by Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins. When I
say that, I say that because it impresses me! In my estimation, Billy Corgan is
one of the coolest musicians in the business! I love his voice, and the way that
it sounds totally different than anybody else’s! I love the songs that he writes
as well; they are eclectic rockers! The songs of
Curious Yellow
are written in much the same way! I hope that Adam Lancaster (guitar/vocals) is
impressed by that comparison, because I make it with the highest esteem
possible! Adam’s voice is totally unique! I don’t know that I’ve heard another
like it! His songwriting is incredible. High praise goes to drummer Gregg
Rosenthal as well! From the very first note, his drumming stands out! I would
liken it in impressiveness to drum performances by John Bonham of Led Zeppelin;
it is very distinct, and very powerful!
Overall, the instrumentation on their latest CD,
1-2-3 go go go! is incredibly tight!
I’ve mentioned Lancaster and Rosenthal; bass duties on the CD were handled by
Jason Klein. Performances on the CD are very emotional, and strike me that way!
I can picture the conviction on each member’s face as the tunes are played, and
I really like that. I like hearing a song that makes the hair on the back of my
neck stand up! This CD does that for me!
I mentioned that I compare this band to another. Many of you may or may not know
about
menSana, but
they are a band out of Evansville, IN that sounds a lot like
Curious Yellow.
They may not write their songs in the same manner, but when I hear the two
bands, I hear the emotion and the conviction in everything that they play, and I
get the same reaction from hearing both!
Favorites on this CD are “Obvious” and “Reaction”. I love the chorus for
“Minnesota”; ‘Don’t Waste Your Time in Minnesota’! I wonder if anyone has
pitched that to the Tourism Council? Seriously, though, it’s a great song. “One
Track Mind” has a sound that is reminiscent of U2 during their Joshua Tree days
(just a little!). And the final song, “Elizabeth” wraps up the CD with a lot of
emotion, and a very cool fade to just drums.
See? I said about everything that needed to be said in my first paragraph! This
is a very cool band, and I hope that you’ll go out and get
1-2-3 go go go!
and any other
Curious Yellow
paraphernalia that you can find! As far as a cancer cure goes, I think I might
have exaggerated a bit there. (Sorry, I was caught up in the moment!)---Mark Lush, MWB
9/8/03 *Listen to
Curious Yellow
on
MWB RADIO!
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