|
|
Click here for Mike' s interview with Sean Hurley of
Vertical Horizon
I could see how most music critics would listen to a record like this and turn their noses at it. There’s no breaking of new ground here, only the familiar rock/pop that may have been written and produced like it belongs on AAA or Adult Contemporary radio – the same rock/pop that helped to spawn several hits off Vertical Horizon’s RCA debut,
Everything You Want. You know, there’s a reason that album did so well and that their new one, Go, should as well. The songs are really, really good. The guitars and drums are punchy and the melodies and harmonies are sugary sweet, with crisp production tying everything together into a neat package.
“When You Cry” may sound like a diversion at first, with thundering guitar riffs, but it morphs into a typical Vertical Horizon song by the time it reaches the soaring chorus. “I’m Still Here” takes a page from fellow modern rockers Better Than Ezra, an almost perfectly constructed pop song. “Forever” has a haunting string arrangement at first, ala the Goo Goo Dolls, and at times resembles VH’s first big hit, “Everything You Want.” There’s an underlying grunge feel to “Sunshine,” easily the heaviest track on
Go. “Goodbye Again” and “It’s Over” are sappy, sad, angst-ridden songs typical of modern rock bands, and are delivered here with precision. “Won’t Go Away” has an almost R&B feel, and the only real clunker here is the monotonous “Underwater.”
By the time you get through Vertical Horizon’s latest, you get the sense that there is a formula at work here, almost computer-generated. How else would you explain the precision in songwriting and performance? No, this record will probably not change the lives of millions or promote world peace, but putting it in your CD player should surely make every day a little more pleasant.
~Mike Farley
mfarley@bullz-eye.com
|
|
|