Ana

Me Talk Pretty

Independent release, 2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cilver

REVIEW BY: Benjamin Ray

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 02/10/2006

Amazing how a glowing press release can describe a band completely the wrong way. Once I got past the awful band name, I read that Bjork and Incubus influenced this band, but in their music one can hear Led Zeppelin and Tool.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

All I heard was Chevelle, which in itself is a lame knockoff of Tool. This is nothing more than generic modern-rock sludge, with a decent female singer playing the misunderstood us vs. them role. Honestly, I don't know if this is good music anymore, because it's been done to death by everyone since the grunge breakup.

There is a lack of female talent on rock radio, with Amy Lee being an exception, so it's good to hear a woman's voice over the standard power chords, since women are capable of more ranges and emotion than most male rock singers. The singer, Romanian-born Julia Preotu, is on-key most of the time, and her words kind of make sense, so I won't complain too much.

Next on the release is a blurb about the band's tremendous range, which must mean they can sound like Incubus on one song and Hoobastank on the other. I could picture this band in a college bar entertaining some fans, and then sleeping through class the next day.

The band shows occasional promise, as on parts of "Save Me" and the slight Middle-Eastern influence of the title track. And while the release mentions progressive rock, there is absolutely nothing progressive here, at least until the title track, where Preotu seems to rant against an ex-boyfriend (or something) by talking and wailing over a restrained guitar. It's interesting for a couple minutes, I guess.

But by the time I made it to the end of this seven-song EP, I had forgotten everything I just heard. At one point, everyone wanted to be Led Zeppelin, but now everyone wants to be Chevelle, and I couldn't care less about whatever they have to offer. If this is what passes for rock in 2005, I'll gladly live in 1975.

Rating: F

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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