Appleseed

Sunday, July 01, 2007


Reveiw - Album: Forever and a Day - Written by Libby Wait
Category: Music

Appleseed - Forever and a Day
Written by Libby Wait Host unlimited photos at slide.com for FREE!

Not to be confused with The Appleseed Cast, Appleseed crafts rock with an organic, psychedelic twist.
[6.27.07]
The first clue that Appleseed may be a little more than just an alt-rock band appears in the inside of the CD case. This five-piece ensemble is comprised of two guitarists, a bassist, a keyboardist, and a vocalist. All of the expected ingredients are present, except there is a little extra. Two members play the banjo. The main percussionist plays the didgeridoo and what is simply referred to as "bones." While this unique instrumentation does not dominate Appleseed's music (no, there aren't any banjo/didgeridoo jam sessions), the band does add flair to what would be an otherwise uninteresting sound. Forever and a Day takes a basic alt-pop sound and then compounds it with folk, psychedelia, and a jam band approach.

The album opens with sunny banjo-strumming followed by lead singer Nick Santaniello's even sunnier voice. As an opening track, "Don't Go" promises good things to come. The light banjo and acoustic guitar create a shimmery, laidback sound. Despite the pleading lyrics which the song's title aptly hints at, this song exudes a sense of simple contentment.

Fortunately enough, Appleseed is able to follow up "Don't Go" with just as much charming musicianship. However, the remainder of Forever and a Day adopts a darker tone. The picnicking-on-a-summer-afternoon air of "Don't Go" is exchanged for psychedelic earnestness. Fortunately again, Appleseed successfully pulls off this darker sound. Just as the boys of Appleseed bring a smile to listeners' faces with "Don't Go," they are able to envelope the listeners in the mysterious aura of the later tracks on the album.

As the album continues, the sound becomes more experimental as well. Each track pulls influences from different genres. "They Won't Lead Us" is an energetic, politically-charged conglomeration of rock, folk, and even some punk. Then, on the other side of the rock spectrum, is the earthy, radio-friendly pop of "The Promise." Existing on the spectrum somewhere between these two songs is the folky psychedelia that loosely defines Appleseed's sound.

I say "loosely defines" because Appleseed's sound is surprisingly complex. In the midst of their twelve-track CD, Appleseed mingles between light-hearted pop sensibilities and shadowy alternative rock. The band ties together these various stylistic excursions with an organic folk sound powered by the band's use of banjo and acoustic guitar. Although Forever and a Day is eclectic, it is also consistent and presents a mature band with a personalized sound. - CDREVIEW.COM