December Birthdays 
The Reverb Syndicate - Odyssey (2015)
Reverb Syndicate have three previous albums, all of which themed (spy theme, space theme, western theme). This album is no different (in that respect at least!). The theme of this album is Tron/Early videogames.
What characterizes the Reverb Syndicate (in my opinion) if you've never heard them:
-Strong verse-chorus style songwriting. Most songs build towards a chorus like a rock/pop song would.
-Great melodies. The point of surf is pretty much "great melodies" but I feel the strength of Reverb Syndicate's melodies is entirely in the notes themselves. They would probably sound just as strong played by any instrument in any style. Just good solid melodies you can sing.
-Accessible, up-beat, inviting style. The band is fun, the sound is easy to get into (as opposed to a very intense surf band or a very drippy reberby surf band which be harder for a casual person to get into).
First off to get the technical stuff out of the way... the recording quality is fantastic. The playing is top notch. The tone is bold. Not lacking any reverb or anything but fairly dry compared to most SURF bands. Very good sound.
The great thing about this album is the seamless track transitions. The first time listening to the album I was thinking "Wow this is like an endless mountain of riffs!". Then I noticed I was on track 4. Don't get me wrong, the songs each maintain a certain individuality (although less than previous albums), they are just strung together extremely well and are each parts of a whole.
A few songs have what is probably a Commodore 64. The sound gives off a very old videogame vibe. I say a very old videogame vibe because the sound lacks any of the dynamic or articulation that characterizes mid to late videogame music. Functionally, the sound acts as an old organ would in surf; kind of a fun jarring kitschy pad sound. A nice little touch to solidify the albums theme. It isn't too intrusive either like some organ can be, it occasionally supports the songs by adding repeating sequences.
This is probably the most unique Reverb Syndicate album. The way the tracks flow into each other have forced the band to try new things songwriting wise. The band has a looser, groovier feeling that I think will translate well to a live atmosphere. I still think the characteristics I brought up earlier are representative of the band, but they are toned down on this album in order to accommodate the albums flow.
The whole is stronger than it's parts... are for this reason... :
I could recommend a song or two that stand out but I feel the strength of the seamless track transitions are so strong to the mood and flow of the album that I encourage just pressing play on the bandcamp page and stopping when you are either ready to buy the album or ready to move on to something else.
http://www.thereverbsyndicate.ca/
—-Pierre
The Obsidians! (Ottawa surf)
The Obsidians debut EP
Last edited: Apr 17, 2015 09:27:52
