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(Sep 13, 2004)
(Unsigned)
The June page
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The press release for this 3-song demo CD says that June "...comes
from the ocean breezes and sunny orange grooves of Southern California." Orange
grooves, huh? I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that that's
a typo and not a pun.
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This is a frustrating CD to review because one can sense that there is some artistic
talent lurking here. Broody, sullen, moody, like a thunderstorm coming towards you
over the horizon. But the storm never breaks. The most we ever get is a few sprinkles
here and there. For example, "... and yet still finished last" is marked by a
pattern of four rapid-fire drumbeats and a progression of guitar chords that
promise a journey into the musical wilderness, but the journey never materializes,
and the brooding continues on for the rest of the 6+ minute song. To see how to make
this song better, June should listen to "Prayers for Rain" on the Cure's
Disintegration CD. Same gloomy mood, same foreboding, but the train
leaves the station on "Prayers for Rain" and unfortunately, never does
so on "... and yet still finished last."
One other thing prevents this demo from living up to its promise: the vocals are
very poor. Once again, there's that familiar sound of young men trying to hit
notes 5-6 tones above their natural range, and it is extremely uncomfortable to
listen to. Keep trying, guys - get the songs moving off the line, get someone
who can sing at the microphone, and find a way to get that kernel of genius
out of wraps. And while it's never good to copy anyone, listen to some
Cure (from the days before Robert Smith tonned out) to see how you
can make this sub-genre work for you.
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