Audrey

The Flyaway EP

Written by: DR on 23/12/2010 15:33:46

Next in line is Audrey, a quartet from West Michigan, USA, with their second release "The Flyaway EP". They've been earning some rather high praise from other 'zines for it, too, so if you consider yourself to be a fan of indie/pop/rock/alternative, or are excited by the prospect of such a fusion, do continue reading as I hope to shed some light on what makes this so good, and why it's one of the strongest EPs of all I've come across this year.

The most prominent factor from a first listen is how instantly familiar Audrey sound, I could throw names at you like Mae, Anberlin, Copeland and Search The City, but they actually strike me as a concoction of all three, yet somehow manage to avoid sounding so close to one particular band, so they have an air of originality about them. As I did in the opening paragraph, you could throw each label of indie/pop/rock/alternative at Audrey and they'd all stick.

"Taking Comfort" shows the pop end of their spectrum, being the 'ballard' of the EP, even going as far as to use heart-wrenching violins. Opening track "The Importance of Being Earnest" (Oscar Wilde reference = win) is the EP highlight for two reasons: the indie-turned-alternative styled musicianship that really gets your foot-tapping, and the vocal performance of Everett Parks. If Morrisey and Stephen Christian (Anberlin) had a love-child, the result would be Everett Parks. His crooning style is likely to draw such comparisons, but even though we can all agree he's not up to their standard just yet, he doesn't sound like a cheap imitator because he has the pipes, the range and the character to pull it off. "Rhapsody On A Windy Night (pt.II)" uses the dreaded "wooooaaaaahhh", but in a way that actually enhances the song! They even manage to write something of an epic in six-minute track in "Travelling", using those violins and Parks' voice to push the song to new heights for the EP.

"The Flyaway" EP is the result of aptly adapted influences, infectious, intricate melodies, captivating vocals, a zest for life, and a lot of talent. If you ever wondered what The Smiths would sound like if they were happy, the result would probably sound something like this.

8

Download: The Importance of Being Earnest, Travelling, Taking Comfort
For The Fans of: Mae, Anberlin, Copeland, Terra Terra Terra
Listen: Myspace

Release Date November 2010
Self-Released

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