Decadent Light Evolve IV
by Franco Wissa
Staff Writer
Progressive rockers Decadent Light release this hollow mishmash of hard to discern lyrics and muddy vocals, (especially on “War,” “Baby Come Back,” and “Write.”) and if one is unable to understand the lyrics the feeling behind the music becomes lost, and it becomes downright boring at times. The songwriting and vocals are hidden behind lots of reverb and it takes all one can do to understand (or care) what is being sung about. In points the songwriting does show promise, but all in all it quickly becomes a cause of futility to want to hear any of this CD again. The guitar work was well done. Soothing, lush and well played, but on a CD where the songwriters are trying to tell a story, all the great guitar work isn’t going to matter if the vocals and storyline can not be understood.
Track 1, “Number 16,” opens with a jazzy/synth feel that does have some merit with the desire that the band members wanted to write a strong opener, but as the vocals start, it becomes hard to sit though. The harmonies heard are indistinguishable, the songwriting plods along, almost numb like and a press of the “next” button comes soon into the opening bars to get some relief from this ridiculous number. “Track 3, “Listen Up,” fares somewhat better with soothing keyboards, but again the vocals are muddled in points and why it is that Michael Eager will not enunciate his words quickly becomes the question of the moment.
Track 5, “Rolling Along,” with the strong guitar intro almost becomes a strong suit in this compilation but then again those damn vocals, and this time it is a rise and fall of a jazzy style of vocals that aren’t really words but just an accompaniment of oohs and aahs. Whatever…
It has been said that Decadent Light’s Evolve IV sound can be compared to Radiohead, but another listen also shows the stylings of the Thom Yorke and in parts Coldplay. So it comes down to this – as one opens the CD of this new release and sees pictures of the band members immersed in their instruments with soft colors around them and the CD cover giving the telltale signs of lasers and fusion the hope arises that this will be a release that will give lovers of progressive rock a new band to latch on to. But then the music starts and just the opposite happens. This one was truly disappointing.
Let’s really hope that future releases of this band give emphasis to the vocals – if nothing else, the vocals. For if one can not understand the lyrics, the storyline and what the band is trying to convey in their tracks, little else is important. It can not be emphasized enough; it is the vocalist who brings the story to life with his use of intelligent singing and with clear, concise and discernable words. But time and again, heard on Evolve IV, this just was not the case.
Label: SPV
Track Listing
Number 16
War
Listen Up
Judgement Day
Rolling Along
Saturday’s Gone
Must Have Been the Future
Baby Come Back
Voyager
Write
Goodbye
Band Members
Michael Eager – vocals,rhythm guitar
Peter Matuchniak – lead guitars, keyboards
Jim DeBaun – bass
Paul Sheriff – drums
HRH Rating: 5.5/10