THE ABSENT

THE ABSENT
THE ABSENT - out now!

CRIPPLED HEARTS

CRIPPLED HEARTS
Out Now - For sale on Amazon and other onlne book sellers

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FLESH EATING MOSAIC AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FLESH EATING MOSAIC AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju
Out Now

THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT NINNY AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT NINNY AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju
My first book of poetry available through Amazon and other online booksellers www.rajbooks.com

Monday, February 9, 2015

IN LOVE AND HAPPY PEOPLE BY PEACE


I neglected to post on Peace’s debut album IN LOVE when it came out in 2013 so I am reviewing both it and their brand new second release HAPPY PEOPLE.

Peace’s debut IN LOVE was like a combination of Stone Roses, early Blur, and in the vocals Oasis.  Swirling Madchester retro versus traditional guitar rock.  Some very good tunes - catchy and complex - Higher than the Sun, Float Forever, Delicious, Waste of Paint, Sugarstone, California Drain, Scumbag (Last two only on the deluxe version).  A groove is present but anchored to a guitar and swaggering britpop attitude in the vocals.

HAPPY PEOPLE turns up the groove considerably and also throws in shorter faster songs with a few slow songs mixed in featuring new touches like an acoustic guitar.  The Blur/Stone Roses/ Oasis influence still is strong but many of the songs now recall a punked up version of the Happy Mondays – Call it the Happy Roses if you will.

The best songs on the album – Perfect Skin, Gen Strange, God’s Gloves, If Music Was to Blame – contrast the swinging bass with the britpop guitar in a tension free party atmosphere.  The big difference between HAPPY PEOPLE and IN LOVE is that IN LOVE partly separated the rock songs from the swinging songs though there was a little overlap.  On HAPPY the overlap is now everywhere.  This is a classic example of a band coming up with a sound and fine-tuning and honing it over their first and second record.  I can’t wait to see what they do on their third.



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