The Speed of Film

"Vows and a Party" is the debut album from Dover rockers, The Speed of Film. This 9 track album packs everything that makes a great rock album great into just under an hour of face melting awesomeness.

The album opens up with "Brand New Color", which is also going to be features on the Dover Children's Home compilation CD. This track has everything you could want! Crazy guitar solos, driving bass that won't let up, twangy rhythm sections and absolutely slamming drums. "Brand New Color" is over 6 minutes long, but doesn't leave you bored listening to it. The Speed of Film really rips it up on this track.

"Beg, Choose (Rosie's Posies)" comes in right on the heels of "Brand New Color" and has in-your-face verses with a chorus that commands attention. Dave Blakney's drum beat on "Beg, Choose" is one of my favorites on the album. The guitar tones on this track (and the whole album for that matter) are a prefect match. Singer/guitarist Justin "J" Newton plays a Fender Telecaster, a guitar that has been traditionally favored by many country/western musicians. J has breathed a new life into the Tele and given it a truly rocking voice.

Lead guitarist and backup vocalist Justin Walker plays a Les Paul through his Marshall JCM-2000 half-stack to get those awesome humbucker rock sounds, and that great Marshall distortion.


Photo courtesy of The Speed of Film


"Deserted Island Top 5" comes at you out of nowhere after "Beg, Choose" and has some really crazy things going all the way through the track. Adam Poliquin, on his six string bass, is really something worth focusing on in this track. To the average listener, bass might fall into the background on many songs - but I dare you to not notice what Adam is doing here.

In somewhat of a ballad nature, "Sure Thing" is track four on "Vows and a Party" and really helps break up the album. The way it falls after "Deserted Island Top 5" is fantastic and gives the record a great flow.

Just because the song is a little slower than the rest, or maybe has a slightly calmer mood doesn't mean there isn't room for a guitar solo. Through his solos on "Vows and a Party", you can really pick out Walkers playing style. The solo(s) on this track mix the fast runs that Walker is clearly well versed in along with some great, slower lines that tie it all together.

"He Called Her Lucky". Here it is. The favorite of many. The tremolo driven verse parts that J is playing along with Walkers groovy Rotovibe sounds is a great match. When The Speed of Film released a demo long before "Vows and a Party", "He Called Her Lucky" caught a lot of (well deserved) attention. Hearing it on "Vows and a Party" with a little bit of a re-working and a new mix makes this song better than ever.

"Lucky" is an honest to goodness love song and has 100% approachable lyrics that nearly everyone can relate to, giving this song one of the highest sing-along factors on the record. Towards the end of the song, the song gains a truly anthemic sound with a chorus of voices consisting of J's brother and Forging Reverie's own Tye Newton (among many others).

Photo by Tom Couture

"Dear Jane" has the only lead piano on the record, played by Justin Walker. "Dear Jane" is an absolutely beautiful song. The piano composition is so wonderfully dramatic. It parallels really well with the final chorus of the song which comes in with the full band and rocks for just long enough to give the song something edgy to look forward to.

The next two tracks are the best tracks to hear the difference in guitar tones from J and Walker. "Your Deepest Breath" has a really unique sound to it. The song changes it's time signature between the verses and the choruses which gives it a really different sound. The verses are in 4/4 time and the choruses are in 3/4 time (1-2-3 1-2-3 1-2-3. A "waltz" technically). As the song rides out through the end you can hear the most obvious time change right at at 4:41.

The bridge of this song is fantastic! Adam's bass keeps the time and the groove down while only playing one note. The best part of this is listening how each attack is slightly different than the last and really having a chance to focus on how solid his tone is.

And we can't go on without talking about Walkers step into the vocal spotlight and sings the bridge solo. Walker has a truly fantastic voice that mixes fantastically well all over the record and especially in the bridge of "Your Deepest Breath".

The next track, "A Tendency to Sink" is easily my favorite on the whole record. The verses has a kind of whimsical feel to them while the pre-chorus has a great bounce that leads into an even better halftime feel in the chorus. Once the halftime is over, The Speed of Film picks it back up again and rocks in full time, while one guitar drops out and has a killer lead over the vocals.

If you want to talk about fantastic bass playing and writing, look no further than "A Tendency to Sink". Poliquin plays on this track like he plays nowhere else on the album. The bass line has some qualities of old Motown hits mixed in.

"Like Daylight" is the closer track and starts at the end of "A Tendency to Sink" with J playing a chord through the reverse setting on a delay pedal to give it an eerie vibe that works all too well. "Like Daylight" is easily the most complex song on the record. It packs so much to listen to into every part of the song, and has an attitude like no other track on "Vows and a Party"

During the bridge, which starts around minute four, the band goes into some awesome modulations and really shows off their skills as musicians. How Blakney keeps it together through this whole section is beyond me, but it is a prime example of what a fantastic drummer he is. Also the syncopation of the lyrics on "Like Daylight" is one of the coolest on the whole record.

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"Vows and a Party" is a true rock record and is an absolute pleasure to listen to. I find myself coming back to it over and over again no matter how many times I listen to it straight through. The band has of course been writing new material since the record dropped and is playing the new stuff along with tracks from "Vows and a Party" at shows.

The Speed of Film is currently booking a fall 2009 tour down the coast and back up and needs to book dates! If you have any information or contact with venues in Massachusets, Maine, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, or Connecticut, send whatever info you might have to thespeedoffilm@gmail.com.

Currently, "Vows and a Party" is available to purchase at live shows, the bands nimbit store via their myspace page, and on iTunes.

Simply put, you need to listen to this band. Get your diapers ready. - Derek Heidemann - Examiner.com