Lullwater ~ Lullwater

By Jennifer Russo

You usually know when you hear a band for the first time if it will be the “one-hit wonder” type or a band that has some permanence.

Lullwater is one of those bands that definitely has the potential to be around for a while. This four-piece band has a classic sound with a combination of gritty vocal and warm instrumental that is solid, with harmonies that are dead on. The songs on the self-titled debut album will appeal to pretty much everyone. Though the band is so obviously talented, it doesn’t attempt to be flashy just to show off.  Lullwater just makes really good music.

Reminiscent of the ’90s alternative rock we all know and love (think Foo-fighters, STP and Soundgarden), all the songs on the album are power-packed with a smooth overlay. They are not over-complicated, and they beg you to sing along. My favorite is “Tug of War”; it has a catchy rhythm, an awesome message, and I found myself singing it much later in the day. The last song on the album, “Hello,” is a whole 13 minutes long, and where many longer songs get on your nerves halfway though, this one actually works very well. It has a relaxing vibe that rounds off the CD perfectly.

This is a band that is on my list to see live. Judging from the sense of humor apparent in the band’s videos (which you can easily find online), they seem like a bunch of average guys just looking to have a great time on stage entertaining the masses. Though there is no mention of an upcoming tour, be sure to check Lullwater’s website for upcoming dates in the area. I know I will.

Visit lullwatermusic.com for more information on the band, the album and other news.

Rebel Revive ~ XI

By Jason Savio

The debut album XI by one-man band Rebel Revive is a passion project for its sole member, Matthew Lindblad. Performing on guitar, bass, drums and vocals from the beginning to the end of the album is quite an accomplishment for the young talent, and Lindblad isn’t afraid to lay it all out on the table on his first recording.

Lindblad’s sound is nothing new: a pop/punk mix with emo undertones. Most of the songs follow the same formula of bright pop guitar tones turning into heavy and angry power chords, accenting Lindblad’s change in vocal delivery from innocent to instigator in tunes like “Skeletons” and “Nameless Faceless,” both of which finish with a bitter crescendo.

But before you write off Rebel Revive as another skinny-jean rock experiment, you need to listen to the details of XI and Lindblad’s songwriting ability. He’s not a virtuoso or a revelation, but he is a solid, talented songwriter. For example, “Better Days” is a neatly crafted tune that offers a catchy chord progression, heartfelt vocal delivery and a memorable chorus. The kid has some chops, too; on the opener “Like You Mean It,” Lindblad plays like he means it ~ with an amped-up and energetic effort.

It would be too easy ~ and unfair ~ to categorize Rebel Revive’s debut album XI as adolescent humbuggery. There are redeeming qualities to take away from it, as well as signs of a new and promising artist.

For more information, visit rebelrevive.com.

Natalia Kills ~ Trouble

By Michael Wood

You know what you’re going to get if you have any idea who Natalia Kills is (her real name, Natalia Cappuccini, really doesn’t sound as bad-ass). If you’re not familiar, you might be in for a shock because the attitude and angst bursting from her sophomore effort has no restraint. You get the idea: In the apt title track, “Trouble,” she warns, “I’m trouble!” relentlessly; on the album’s second track “Problem,” you guessed it, she’s the problem: “You don’t care what they say about me … that girl is a problem. Girl is a problem.”

The dark-haired debutante is belle of her own damn ball, and she sings about all the troubles in her life with great aplomb. She covers the gambit: Everything from her relationship with her father in “Daddy’s Girl” to the heartbreaking “Outta Time,” where she tries to stay tough, but shows softer colors for the boy (or boys) who have tried to save her, likely from herself: “So don’t regret me baby when you lay awake tonight/You knew that I could hurt you but you said I was worth the fight.” But it’s a ballad like “Marlboro Lights” that shows the most depth and proves what a fine singer she truly is; it’s a breathy kind of retro piano ballad that seems simultaneously out of place, but sincerely welcome toward the end of the album.

Despite the dark lines running through her autobiography of songs and the undercurrent of melancholy that Kills tries to pull of with a hardness, make no mistake, Trouble is completely infectious pop. Beneath it at all, there’s a sweetness and a vulnerability, and it feels like she just needs a hug. There’s no escaping that.

For all things going on in her world, visit nataliakills.com.