Tony Pascarella
04/08/07, 05:56 PM
Melee – Devils & Angels
Release Date: April 3, 2007
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
Melee broke into the scene back in mid-2004 with their full-length for Sub City Records, Everyday Behavior. They developed a strong underground following with the underrated release, and soon caught the eye of Warner Brothers Records, who picked them up and enabled them to pair with Howard Benson in the studio for their sophomore album, Devils & Angels. With Everyday Behavior, the music tended more toward indie-pop, just lacking a little bit of accessibility and tighter songwriting that could have broken the album into the mainstream. Instead, fans have waited with bated breath for almost three years to see just how Melee would mature, and if the band could claim its place alongside contemporary music's heavy hitters.
With a transparent opener in "Built to Last," listeners notice the vibrant guitar wails amid the soothing croon of lead singer Chris Cron. The band chose "Built to Last" as their lead single, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it appear in some TV shows in the future; it has a warming quality about it that would perfectly fit the introspective scenes seen on shows such as Scrubs. "Rhythm of Rain" pulls off something rather difficult in music; Melee have crafted a song that reflects the subject matter, a drizzling ballad of hope and imagination. Devils & Angels features a plethora of piano, although some of the songs do blur together at times. "Drive Away" and "Love Carries On" are two that seem to fall a little short of the mark. Both are borderline cheesy lyrically, and seem to serve as filler on the album. They deal with similar themes and both aim for the element of nostalgia that seems to permeate the album like the smell of strong cologne. It happens to be a bit much at times, but when the melancholy carries over to some of the other songs, it begins to hit home.
"Imitation" is one such example, replete with dance-happy riffs and Cron's soulful wails. Just when you expect another wistful ballad, the band kicks it up a notch with a punchy ballad. Sure, it doesn't sound like much of a change, but the upbeat tracks such as the exuberant and amusing "Biggest Mistake" or the bubbly "Frequently Baby" build the foundation of the critical praise of Devils & Angels. One of the things that makes Melee such a fascinating listen from start to finish is that they are willing to include a cover song from a band with which a vast majority of their listeners will be unfamiliar. They take a stab at the 1980 hit single from pop-soul standouts Hall & Oates, "You Make My Dreams," as a hidden track. Melee does not put a new spin on the song, choosing to be faithful to the original, but in the overall scheme of the album it proves a very fitting inclusion. The unfortunate part is that as a hidden track, it will get overlooked by many who are victims of the generation gap and have never had a chance to listen to Hall & Oates in the first place. Oh well, their loss is your gain.
In the end, what proves most striking about Devils & Angels is its execution. Longtime fans will note the crisp production from mega-producer Howard Benson and structural advances on the songwriting end of things. Newcomers to the band will find a worthy piano-rock album with an infusion of soul that bridges the gap between underground acclaim and the mainstream radio charts. Overall, some songs feel overly watered down, but that's to be expected on a piano-based record like this, and it does also negatively affect the overall composure of the album. Regardless, Melee's upside is bright indeed, as they endeavor to build from this major label debut. Devils & Angels is as the title implies—a struggle between radio slavery and creative growth; ultimately, it appears that the band has put some hair on their chests with the release, and is well on their way to being a force to be reckoned with. If you're looking for an album that might fall under "guilty pleasure" but at the same time can serve as a bright and uplifting spring album, look no further than Melee's newest effort. It feels like it has been a long time coming.
Buy Melee's Devils & Angels on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D216653013%2526id%253D216653006%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )
1. Built To Last
2. Rhythm Of Rain
3. Frequently Baby
4. For A Lifetime
5. Drive Away
6. Can't Hold On
7. Imitation
8. Love Carries On
9. She's Gonna Find Me Here
10. Biggest Mistake
11. You Got
12. Stand Up/You Make My Dreams (Hidden Track)AP.net Profile (http://www.absolutepunk.net/melee) | Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/meleerocks) | Official Site (http://www.meleerocks.com)
Release Date: April 3, 2007
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
Melee broke into the scene back in mid-2004 with their full-length for Sub City Records, Everyday Behavior. They developed a strong underground following with the underrated release, and soon caught the eye of Warner Brothers Records, who picked them up and enabled them to pair with Howard Benson in the studio for their sophomore album, Devils & Angels. With Everyday Behavior, the music tended more toward indie-pop, just lacking a little bit of accessibility and tighter songwriting that could have broken the album into the mainstream. Instead, fans have waited with bated breath for almost three years to see just how Melee would mature, and if the band could claim its place alongside contemporary music's heavy hitters.
With a transparent opener in "Built to Last," listeners notice the vibrant guitar wails amid the soothing croon of lead singer Chris Cron. The band chose "Built to Last" as their lead single, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it appear in some TV shows in the future; it has a warming quality about it that would perfectly fit the introspective scenes seen on shows such as Scrubs. "Rhythm of Rain" pulls off something rather difficult in music; Melee have crafted a song that reflects the subject matter, a drizzling ballad of hope and imagination. Devils & Angels features a plethora of piano, although some of the songs do blur together at times. "Drive Away" and "Love Carries On" are two that seem to fall a little short of the mark. Both are borderline cheesy lyrically, and seem to serve as filler on the album. They deal with similar themes and both aim for the element of nostalgia that seems to permeate the album like the smell of strong cologne. It happens to be a bit much at times, but when the melancholy carries over to some of the other songs, it begins to hit home.
"Imitation" is one such example, replete with dance-happy riffs and Cron's soulful wails. Just when you expect another wistful ballad, the band kicks it up a notch with a punchy ballad. Sure, it doesn't sound like much of a change, but the upbeat tracks such as the exuberant and amusing "Biggest Mistake" or the bubbly "Frequently Baby" build the foundation of the critical praise of Devils & Angels. One of the things that makes Melee such a fascinating listen from start to finish is that they are willing to include a cover song from a band with which a vast majority of their listeners will be unfamiliar. They take a stab at the 1980 hit single from pop-soul standouts Hall & Oates, "You Make My Dreams," as a hidden track. Melee does not put a new spin on the song, choosing to be faithful to the original, but in the overall scheme of the album it proves a very fitting inclusion. The unfortunate part is that as a hidden track, it will get overlooked by many who are victims of the generation gap and have never had a chance to listen to Hall & Oates in the first place. Oh well, their loss is your gain.
In the end, what proves most striking about Devils & Angels is its execution. Longtime fans will note the crisp production from mega-producer Howard Benson and structural advances on the songwriting end of things. Newcomers to the band will find a worthy piano-rock album with an infusion of soul that bridges the gap between underground acclaim and the mainstream radio charts. Overall, some songs feel overly watered down, but that's to be expected on a piano-based record like this, and it does also negatively affect the overall composure of the album. Regardless, Melee's upside is bright indeed, as they endeavor to build from this major label debut. Devils & Angels is as the title implies—a struggle between radio slavery and creative growth; ultimately, it appears that the band has put some hair on their chests with the release, and is well on their way to being a force to be reckoned with. If you're looking for an album that might fall under "guilty pleasure" but at the same time can serve as a bright and uplifting spring album, look no further than Melee's newest effort. It feels like it has been a long time coming.
Buy Melee's Devils & Angels on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D216653013%2526id%253D216653006%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )
1. Built To Last
2. Rhythm Of Rain
3. Frequently Baby
4. For A Lifetime
5. Drive Away
6. Can't Hold On
7. Imitation
8. Love Carries On
9. She's Gonna Find Me Here
10. Biggest Mistake
11. You Got
12. Stand Up/You Make My Dreams (Hidden Track)AP.net Profile (http://www.absolutepunk.net/melee) | Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/meleerocks) | Official Site (http://www.meleerocks.com)