Blake Solomon
04/10/07, 09:45 PM
Thousand Yard Stare – Stars And Roadmaps
Label: Unsigned
Release Date: August 2006
Who?
Thousand Yard Stare is a mellow alt-rock band with church youth group ideals. I’m surprised the path Jimmy Eat World forged so long ago is still visible with all the imitation (oh, flattery!) and recycled themes trampling its surface. Thousand Yard Stare’s “rock with a conscious” routine could teach a few (purposefully unnamed) acts a thing or two about responsible musical messages.
How Is It?
Well you’ve probably heard this record before, just by another band. Singer Nick Romes is truly the group’s selling point. His silky baritone floats around without becoming too whiny or overbearing. The same song format is used over and over on Stars And Roadmaps: loud guitars and light singing, then everything quiets down, then Romes comes booming back in over more loud guitars. “Death of an Airwave” is almost a personal letter of adoration to the style of U2, while “Safe” finds Thousand Yard Stare at their best with a mix of acoustic and electric guitars. The climax is finally worth the wait, with Romes literally belting his heart out about something really emotional (the lyrics are far from stellar). These uplifting moments are not nearly plentiful enough, but the last thing I want is a goosebumps moment that feels forced. Thousand Yard Stare have plenty of work ahead. However, with a talented group such as this, progression is likely.
Recommended If You Like: Jimmy Eat World, U2, foakleys, high fructose corn syrup, Christian Guerrero
Label: Unsigned
Release Date: August 2006
Who?
Thousand Yard Stare is a mellow alt-rock band with church youth group ideals. I’m surprised the path Jimmy Eat World forged so long ago is still visible with all the imitation (oh, flattery!) and recycled themes trampling its surface. Thousand Yard Stare’s “rock with a conscious” routine could teach a few (purposefully unnamed) acts a thing or two about responsible musical messages.
How Is It?
Well you’ve probably heard this record before, just by another band. Singer Nick Romes is truly the group’s selling point. His silky baritone floats around without becoming too whiny or overbearing. The same song format is used over and over on Stars And Roadmaps: loud guitars and light singing, then everything quiets down, then Romes comes booming back in over more loud guitars. “Death of an Airwave” is almost a personal letter of adoration to the style of U2, while “Safe” finds Thousand Yard Stare at their best with a mix of acoustic and electric guitars. The climax is finally worth the wait, with Romes literally belting his heart out about something really emotional (the lyrics are far from stellar). These uplifting moments are not nearly plentiful enough, but the last thing I want is a goosebumps moment that feels forced. Thousand Yard Stare have plenty of work ahead. However, with a talented group such as this, progression is likely.
Recommended If You Like: Jimmy Eat World, U2, foakleys, high fructose corn syrup, Christian Guerrero