Review by Rachel Jablonski
My sister is majoring in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education and a coaching endorsement. At times she also seems to be minoring in bitchiness when it comes to conversing with me. The other day, however, I received a voicemail message attempting to reconcile after a brief spat. What I really meant to say is I’m sorry for the way I am… The song is everywhere. Frequent on radio, in CD players, and apparently on cell phone messages as well. “Cold” from Crossfade has become a mainstream success and perfect promotion for the self-titled debut release. The crunchy guitars and catchy lyrics have induced record sales and proclaimed Crossfade one of the most played bands on rock radio this year.
“Cold” has welcoming rhythm and melody and the catchiness of lyrics is the obvious root of song popularity. With the second single, “So Far Away,” Crossfade has sealed success as these songs continue to be played and requested consistently all across the country. But, as I typically find, these songs are not necessarily the best on the album.
“Starless,” which I believe has now been dubbed the third single, consists of a crunchy base, but lets up with gentle riffs and vocals during verses. The supple fluctuations are like the freely expressed words of my sister harshly directed toward me, which contrast greatly with her gentle nature when it comes to students in the classroom or athletes on the basketball court. The bridge before the chorus contains staccato vocals with a pattern similar to something that might be heard on the One Nation Under album by the band From Zero. In addition, heavy riffs and deep guitar rumbles sound like an intense power tool rapidly drilling during the bridge of the song. The overall variance in musical intensity makes for good song composition and an enjoyable track.
“The Deep End” is another track that seems to stand out. Passion floods the song. Rhythmic guitar and drum patterns guide the listener to appreciation. Other songs carry on a rhythmic based element as well, but vocally more than musically. “No Giving Up” has a rappish vocal style to it that is not as effective as other tracks.
“Dead Skin” also seems out of tune with the rest of the album. Gone are the heavy aspects and in are soft, sweet, almost gaggy sounds. The tone of the album has totally been lost with this track. The song is as shockingly out of place as are the scratches my sister occasionally endures while teaching Tate, a Special Education student, whom normally she totally adores. Drug referenced lyrics and vocal contributions, almost too low for the vocalist to manage, interrupt the flow of the album and lose some album credibility as well. The last track, “The Unknown,” is a softer, slower song as well, but unlike “Dead Skin” it contains substance. The melodies are appropriate and the lyrics not quite as unintelligent.
Perhaps it is unfair for me to take a stab at my sister and her occasional cold nature in a review, especially since the bout is always temporary and due mainly to stress (I love ya, Erin!). However, by singing “Cold” from Crossfade to my voicemail she further convinced me of the song’s commonplace in the current world of rock music. Crossfade is seeing success with their debut release through which they convey musical strength aimed toward the mainstream.