Skyline Drive, The - The Skyline Drive EP

[Julia Conny]

The Skyline Drive - The Skyline Drive EP
Record Label - Unsigned

Occasionally I find my hard, candy outer shell melting in the presence of pop-rock’s eagle-soaring razzle-dazzle. The five Enterprise, Alabama gentlemen of The Skyline Drive and their self-titled EP have decided to play siren with me, injecting glossy and ballady choruses with ribbons of arena rock guitar. It’s certainly an infectious mixture, and the verses are used to boost momentum for the hook-tastic choruses. Always one to forget the words, I often choose killer riffs over killer one-liners, which is a good thing for the three-track EP test run. Burdened by the woeful loins of sensitive, dashing young men, singer Cliff Sims’ laments with the usual - women he had and didn’t keep. And I’m ok with that – pop rock with clean production and crisp musicianship hits enough marks.

A harmonious merge between the guitarist's classic and easygoing riffing and Sims’ lusty power chords is a simple equation for a voluminous end product. Frivolous and supped-up arrangements can be heavy on the instincts, but Skyline prefers comprehensible distortion, subtle bass lines, and cohesive percussion, leaving spacious fields for the vocals and guitars to really throttle in their simplistic beauty. A tight and ideal balance, really, and my reservations are minimal.

There are, however, a couple things I can’t push aside. While Sims’ Broadway styling is headstrong and ready for airy nightclubs, it is also primed for mainstream radio. I fear a switchover from harmless and rather pleasant pop rock to a top 40 alternative rock, which isn’t so far-fetched. A little less on the wine spritzer and a little more on the Jack Daniels, perhaps? Pump the rock to go along with the roll, especially on the gushy oooh’s and ahh’s of “The Takeover” or bouncy pre-chorus of “Change.” Three tracks are great, a small package for my short, bitchy attention span, but if these countrymen are looking for longer releases, I hope they invest in some harder liquor.

The Fray, A Day At The Fair, Mae, Boys Like Girls, Diffuser
http://www.absolutepunk.net/theskylinedrive

[vandalroyale]

I love the way you write Julia

[YourMusicSucks]

Well written. I mostly agree with your review; the riffs are good, and do add a lot to the band.

But I feel the score should be higher. It sounds like you think less of them because of.... what they might turn out to be? That doesn't make much sense. I do agree that the singer should try to sound more passionate as opposed to polished, if that's what you were getting at. I would've scored the lyrics much higher. While they aren't ground breaking, they do the job well and nothing about them stands out as sub-par.

Overall, I feel the biggest issue with the EP was the production. While the instruments sound great, the vocals could have been made to mesh with them a little better. (I think C and F is nearly flawless, I'm mostly referring to the other two songs.) A full length will be amazing, though. They sound like they could fill the spot in my heart that Acceptance has left vacant.

[Candy_Warhol]

lovelovelove

[petey536]

well said, got straight to the point

[csims06]

Hahaha, thanks Julia...I think?

Seems to me you're questioning our "Sell-outability". Which I guess could be understandable...But don't worry, we're getting close to being done writing our full length and then we can talk...and come to a live show and decide for yourself if we go hard enough...

wait I'm giving a free interview here...this is ridiculous...Jason where's my check I've already given too much!

hahaha, thanks for your comments too everyone, we appreciate them.

[skrapsnoj]

Julia, first of all I think you should do a little more reseaching before you think you know what you are talking about... THE SKYLINE DRIVE is a Five piece band, and Brian doesnt play lead and Cliff doesnt play power chords, (Brian plays rythm and Cliff plays keys, and fill guitar). And only a deaf person would think that the bass lines are subtle and the percussion is cohesive, and one thing i can kinda agree with is that Cliffs voice doesnt sound like butt-rock bands (nickelback, hinder) but jeez they blow, and if you didnt have a attention span like a eight year old then you would have realized the messages in the songs... and maybe your the you who should lay off the bottle hun, but if your a comic then your freakin hilarious, so good talk and i cant wait to hear what you have to say

[Julia Conny]

I love the way you write Julia

:biggrin:

Well written. I mostly agree with your review; the riffs are good, and do add a lot to the band.

But I feel the score should be higher. It sounds like you think less of them because of.... what they might turn out to be? That doesn't make much sense. I do agree that the singer should try to sound more passionate as opposed to polished, if that's what you were getting at. I would've scored the lyrics much higher. While they aren't ground breaking, they do the job well and nothing about them stands out as sub-par.

Overall, I feel the biggest issue with the EP was the production. While the instruments sound great, the vocals could have been made to mesh with them a little better. (I think C and F is nearly flawless, I'm mostly referring to the other two songs.) A full length will be amazing, though. They sound like they could fill the spot in my heart that Acceptance has left vacant.

Thanks for the kind words and the positive criticism, I really do appreciate it.

Hmm, I guess I should clear this up. You're right, I shouldn't think less of them because of what they might turn out to be. What I meant by my mainstream radio comment is that the singer's vocals had a tone or something about them that was was very marketable. This didn't make them bad, in fact I thought the vocals were strong in exectution, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

lovelovelove

heartsheartshearts!

[Julia Conny]

Hahaha, thanks Julia...I think?

Seems to me you're questioning our "Sell-outability". Which I guess could be understandable...But don't worry, we're getting close to being done writing our full length and then we can talk...and come to a live show and decide for yourself if we go hard enough...

wait I'm giving a free interview here...this is ridiculous...Jason where's my check I've already given too much!

hahaha, thanks for your comments too everyone, we appreciate them.

Thanks so much for commenting!

By equating the vocals to an almost mainstream alternative rock, I didn't mean to question your "sell-outabiliity." I think it was more a tone that I wasn't 100% down with than anything else. Nonetheless, I think you have something good going on.

[PassedOut]

Julia, first of all I think you should do a little more reseaching before you think you know what you are talking about... THE SKYLINE DRIVE is a Five piece band, and Brian doesnt play lead and Cliff doesnt play power chords, (Brian plays rythm and Cliff plays keys, and fill guitar). And only a deaf person would think that the bass lines are subtle and the percussion is cohesive, and one thing i can kinda agree with is that Cliffs voice doesnt sound like butt-rock bands (nickelback, hinder) but jeez they blow, and if you didnt have a attention span like a eight year old then you would have realized the messages in the songs... and maybe your the you who should lay off the bottle hun, but if your a comic then your freakin hilarious, so good talk and i cant wait to hear what you have to say

you are a toolbag

this was a fairly positive review

the attention span and the alcohol thing were just unnecessary

if you are angry, attack the review, dont attack her personally

jeez

[Julia Conny]

Julia, first of all I think you should do a little more reseaching before you think you know what you are talking about... THE SKYLINE DRIVE is a Five piece band, and Brian doesnt play lead and Cliff doesnt play power chords, (Brian plays rythm and Cliff plays keys, and fill guitar). And only a deaf person would think that the bass lines are subtle and the percussion is cohesive, and one thing i can kinda agree with is that Cliffs voice doesnt sound like butt-rock bands (nickelback, hinder) but jeez they blow, and if you didnt have a attention span like a eight year old then you would have realized the messages in the songs... and maybe your the you who should lay off the bottle hun, but if your a comic then your freakin hilarious, so good talk and i cant wait to hear what you have to say

Fixed to five-piece. I missed that. And I didn't get a one-sheet with this release, I just wrote a review off the EP on their AP profile, so I didn't have very many details to go by. Fixed the member issues too. By power chords I wasn't refering to guitars but vocals. Sorry if your panties got in a bundle.

I'm no music major, I don't play an instrument, and I write about what I hear. Deal with it. And I'll lay off the bottle if you learn to make sense in your posts.

[Chris Fallon]

Every time I read a review of yours, I am thrilled, because you never fail to amaze me. You are seriously a great writer. I love reading your reviews, Julia. For serious.

I enjoy what I've heard from this band. They aren't anything stand-out in my mind, but I do like putting them on while I'm dinking around online, and I find them rather enjoyable.

[skrapsnoj]

Thank you,
my panties are slowly coming out of a bundle... and i take being called a toolbag as a compliment

ha ha ha

[Julia Conny]

Every time I read a review of yours, I am thrilled, because you never fail to amaze me. You are seriously a great writer. I love reading your reviews, Julia. For serious.

I enjoy what I've heard from this band. They aren't anything stand-out in my mind, but I do like putting them on while I'm dinking around online, and I find them rather enjoyable.

:blush:

Thank youuuu so much. Seriously.

[jamesbrownsgoin]

i love the way you write because i knew exactly how this band was going to sound...music like every mae / copeland wannabe without those two bands' ability to craft a memorable song with staying power....and the vocals are kinda lame....but hey with the right producer and financial backing (Ala T&N, Virgin, Warner Bros, Capitol) this band could be the next flash in the pan soft rock favorite...where have the balls in rock gone?

[YourMusicSucks]

:biggrin:



Thanks for the kind words and the positive criticism, I really do appreciate it.

Hmm, I guess I should clear this up. You're right, I shouldn't think less of them because of what they might turn out to be. What I meant by my mainstream radio comment is that the singer's vocals had a tone or something about them that was was very marketable. This didn't make them bad, in fact I thought the vocals were strong in exectution, but it wasn't my cup of tea.



heartsheartshearts!

Thanks for clarifying. It's pretty ghetto that you reviewed it off of the AP.net profile, haha. I look forward to more reviews. =)

i love the way you write because i knew exactly how this band was going to sound...music like every mae / copeland wannabe without those two bands' ability to craft a memorable song with staying power....and the vocals are kinda lame....but hey with the right producer and financial backing (Ala T&N, Virgin, Warner Bros, Capitol) this band could be the next flash in the pan soft rock favorite...where have the balls in rock gone?

Although I do agree that she gets the band's sound across pretty well, you definitely pulled that intepretation out of your ass. Mae/copeland wannabe, really? The review said that? I guess that was what she meant when she referred to their "tight and ideal balance". The vocals are kinda lame? I guess "simplistic beauty" can be summed up in a four letter word.

How the fuck could you be more dumb? Implying that you haven't even listened to a band and then talking shit about them- based on a review you seem to have misread- in the same post?

On a more positive note, I've given the EP a few more spins and I find it even more amazing now than before. Their full length is going to be great... all the more reason to knife the guy who posted above me.

[jamesbrownsgoin]

Thanks for clarifying. It's pretty ghetto that you reviewed it off of the AP.net profile, haha. I look forward to more reviews. =)



Although I do agree that she gets the band's sound across pretty well, you definitely pulled that intepretation out of your ass. Mae/copeland wannabe, really? The review said that? I guess that was what she meant when she referred to their "tight and ideal balance". The vocals are kinda lame? I guess "simplistic beauty" can be summed up in a four letter word.

How the fuck could you be more dumb? Implying that you haven't even listened to a band and then talking shit about them- based on a review you seem to have misread- in the same post?

On a more positive note, I've given the EP a few more spins and I find it even more amazing now than before. Their full length is going to be great... all the more reason to knife the guy who posted above me.
chilllllllllllll thriller - i was merely stating that when i read julia's review i got an impression in my head...i then went and listened to the music and it was as i had guessed...now i understand what i took from a review and what you took from a review might have been different....you know you may be into this crap and so awesome..you like it....wonderful...bravo...kudos even to The Skyline Drive for making a fan out of you because you are into this trite garbage...me...i didn't dig it....i don't think you need to say someone should "knife" me just because you and i disagree on taste of music? The Skyline Drive I am sure are nice guys and they make music they love and I RESPECET THAT...I think they have a lot going for them with the obvious positive response they have recieved from several people on this board...I'm not one of them...who the fuck cares?

[jamesbrownsgoin]

board...sorry

[YourMusicSucks]

chilllllllllllll thriller - i was merely stating that when i read julia's review i got an impression in my head...i then went and listened to the music and it was as i had guessed...now i understand what i took from a review and what you took from a review might have been different....you know you may be into this crap and so awesome..you like it....wonderful...bravo...kudos even to The Skyline Drive for making a fan out of you because you are into this trite garbage...me...i didn't dig it....i don't think you need to say someone should "knife" me just because you and i disagree on taste of music? The Skyline Drive I am sure are nice guys and they make music they love and I RESPECET THAT...I think they have a lot going for them with the obvious positive response they have recieved from several people on this board...I'm not one of them...who the fuck cares?

Haha. It's the internet, you're supposed to make a bigger deal about things than they deserve. Much better job explaining yourself the second time around.

[bmoore]

people this is a 3 song ep here i had a chance to here these guys live last night in pensacola fl and all i can say is wow. there set included some of their more recent songs and it seems to me they just touched the tip of the iceberg with the ep mark my words this band is going to be a major deal in the near future

[shaybugg]

ok people! isn't this supposed to be about skyline's music and not how well you can dis on each other! i'm pretty sure they didn't put this up to listen to you fuss at each other!! they want to know what you think about them good or bad! there's no need to defend them or attest them! they are grown men they can handle constructive criticism! so how bout trying to let them know your opinion of there music and not of the other comments!! which i know i am doing at this very moment but with good reason!!

and for the record i think there music is amazing! i think they have a lot of talent and potential!! i went to school with most of them and i know that they are working hard to get this perfect and i will be a proud owner of there album when it's released!!

~shay~