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Bray-Amphibian Review
Bray is the kind of talent that reminds you of hit radio when it was good and there was actual talent coming over the airwaves, not processed sounds and girls that just know how to shake their booty around. He has that golden throat that sounds so pleasing and inviting. On top of that his band is all amped up and they pump out some hard driving pop rock. You know the kind of music you play full blast while buzzing down the road with the wind blowing in your hair, singing at the top of your lungs? This is the ticket.Amphibian is Bray’s third release. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, it does not surprise me that there are oodles of talent oozing out of the music on the recording. And because of that you get ten tracks on this new release that will not leave you alone and consequently you will be craving for more.
This music excites and gives the proverbial chills up the spine. Yes it’s that good. It all comes flooding into your consciousness like a broken dam of emotions. Bray’s voice holds that kind of power over you while listening. The music is exceptionally done as well and quite appropriate for the vocalist and all his lyrics.
“Clone Me” is a quirky kick off to the proceedings and “Hair” sounds like it would work for any era from the sixties to present day and its delivered with enough vigor to make you pay attention. I loved the way “Subliminal Criminals” jumpstarts your heart with a spiffy surf-rock intro and how it then leap frogs right into the lyrics while the music switches over to more of a rock tone to match up with Bray’s lyrics note for note. “Long Gone” and “I Was Wrong” slows down the pace and proves this band is talented enough to pull off a convincing ballad. “Ocean” and “Tie Me Up” are as quirky and suggestive as it gets and they keep you focused with powerful chords and a pounding rhythm section. “O Sweet Love of Mine” sounds like it belongs on another album entirely, it’s the only song on the recording I did not appreciate. The acoustic backdrop and suddenly off kilter vocals are not a fit for anything else presented here, it breaks up the flow of this release and should have been stuck on the very end to close things out and leave you wondering. That would have been the ideal placement for that track, or perhaps even designated as a bonus track.
I was given access to more than this album so I listened to “Dracula” (a digital single) and “Van Gogh” (on Live In Germany however this is a mastered version) which are two interesting tracks indeed. Bray is a sci-fi enthusiast and he lets you know that if you are paying attention to the lyrics. “Dracula” is a great track featuring outstanding campy vocals and a scorching guitar lead. “Van Gogh” is very good as well with a twangy fuzz like garage rock guitar (think Davie Allen and The Arrows) line and the typically emotive lyrics packing a punch that Bray so expertly offers on every track he records.
This is highly recommended for those who appreciate power pop, rock, and outstanding vocals that you can actually understand. Great stuff!
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck—MuzikReviews.com Founder
August 30, 2010
For Questions Or Comments About This Review Send An Email To info@muzikreviews.com
31 Aug 2010 09:14 AM tag: reviews
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