I have to be honest and say that this band is new on my radar, mainly because I’m not a Glee fan. Their song This is the New Year was covered by the cast and has contributed to their rise to fame. Now their debut album, Is There Anybody Out There?, has hit the UK and I can definitely see myself forking out for it.
There’s a good mix of upbeat tracks and powerful ballads which make for easy listening. The American duo – Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino – have a kind of unpolished sound that is quite refreshing, but if soppy and sickly isn’t quite your thing then they might not be for you. Some of the songs are reminiscent of the music you might find in the latest Disney and Pixar movies, which is great.
Their first single, Say Something, is by far my favourite song on the whole album. It was a huge hit in the US after they collaborated with Christina Aguilera, and this version is also on the album. To stand up against a powerhouse like Aguilera is a testament to their vocals but even without her, the song is powerful. I would quite happily sit with this song on repeat and it would take a long time for me to get sick of it. It’s simple – stripped back to piano and vocals but it’s enough to give you goosebumps. If you can only afford a song, make it this one. Listening to it will make you want to save up for the album – it is that good.
Another notable song is their risqué track, Everyone is Gay. It sends a positive message about embracing the LGBT community, but also about accepting people in general: “everyone is just looking for love”. Not many artists would be willing to include such potentially alienating views on their first album – I say good on them for making the choice to stand up for what they believe in.
If you like Owl City then you’ll like these guys. And if you like The Hoosiers then you’ll like these guys. I plan to give this album to my sister in an attempt to wean her off One Direction…
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