Written
by Michael Saulman, posted by blog admin
Rejectionist
Front’s successful run has thus far seen the New York City based quartet place
their music with both television and film productions, share bills with iconic
artists like George Clinton and Joan Baez (among others), release a critically
acclaimed and popular first album, and appear on important indie collections
alongside other immensely respected artists like Patti Smith, MGMT, Third Eye
Blind, and Jackson Browne. They’ve brought their music to respected NYC area
venues like CBGB, the Highline Ballroom, and Webster Hall They’ve worked with
important production figures like Grammy winner Andy Wallace, a pivotal player
on recordings from artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen and System of a
Down. All of these turning points in the band’s career lead to its next logical
step, the all-important second studio album, and the twelve song collection
Evolve finds Rejectionist Front ascending to a new level.
Lead
singer and songwriting force Michael Perlman’s musical art brings every bit of
the same passion to bear that color his involvement with activist causes like
Rock to Save Darfur, but there’s no soapbox raving on Evolve. The first song “Ride”
is a fantastic opener revealing a specific side of the band while introducing
some themes that remain album constants. The band’s songwriting embraces
dynamics, like any aspiring great rock band will, and they show impressive
timing in when and how they bring those moments off. Perlman has an excellent
musical foil in guitarist Lincoln Prout – the six string player serves as the
band’s sole guitarist, yet conjures a variety of sounds that are often the
equivalent of a small guitar army. “Savior” is one of the album’s best pure
hard rock tracks and illustrates some of the band’s primary strengths – they are
able to marry especially effective hard rock guitar songs with memorable
choruses, a generous but understated amount of melody, and a multi-faceted
approach to vocals.
“All
Is The Same” is a moment when that aforementioned strength reaches an
inarguable peak. The meditative side of the band’s lyricism emerges vividly
from these words and the musical accompaniment. Prout’s talent for bringing
evocative, forceful melodies together with blazing lead work and straight
forward riffing makes him a guitarist of rare distinction in the modern rock
arena and bassist Tony Tino and drummer Dave Dawson are an effective rhythm
section, yet versatile as well. “Sign” has a direct, highly charged riff
propelling it much of the way and a real swagger that comes at listeners from
the first. There’s no preamble here, no beating around the bush – Rejectionist Front
wants to rock and does so convincingly in a familiar hard rock vein. The band
returns to a more deliberative, nuanced musical attack with the track “Reclaim”
and it shares many of the same exhortative elements that made the opener “Ride”
so memorable.
“Innocent”
brings together the artier aspects of the band’s musical presentation,
particularly through Lincoln Prout’s often intense and even dissonant guitar
work, with their talent for impactful and accessible commercial strengths like
a good chorus. It’s one of Evolve’s standout efforts. “Flush” is the album’s
briefest song and a perfect choice for single status thanks to its clearly
commercial inclinations, yet it never unduly waters down the band’s hard rock
approach. Rejectionist Front’s second studio release is a confirmation and
elaboration of everything we heard with their debut and secures their status as
one of the best hard rock acts maturing today.
