Album Review: The Amsterdam Red Light District - "Gone For A While"
As we approach the end of another calendar year I find myself asking reflective questions... is it time to change my impossibly high standards and the inevitable disappointment that goes along with them to something more realistic? Do I expect too much from people? Should I just be happy with what I have or should I continue to strive for more? Is "good enough" really good enough? And what about all this new music I've been hearing?
As you might imagine, many of the bands whose music appears in my inbox are touted as "the next big thing" or "the latest greatest" or "winner of such and such popularity contest" which piques my interest but is more often than not met with disappointment. Can you see where I'm going with this?
Before I get carried away, allow me to introduce you to The Amsterdam Red Light District (TARLD). They are a four piece band out of Lyon, France and they have just released their second LP, “Gone For A While”.
The four members of TARLD each have just one name; drummer Chan joins with bassist Greg, guitarist/ vocalist Maxxx (yes, three Xs) and vocalist Elio to create some high energy rock and roll.
According to their bio, TARLD claims to "… have found a home in between punk and hardcore". Well, punk and hardcore may very well be their original influences but the band seems to have invited their distant cousin "pop" into their home.
The first track on “Gone For A While”, and their first single, is “Time Flies”. As Maxxx explains, “With a rock n' roll touch and catchy riffs, this song is pretty representative of our new album”. This is true. “Time Flies” IS a good representation of what you’ll find on the rest of the album so if you like this song, you'll like the rest.
The music on "Time Flies" (and "Gone For A While" in general) is pretty tame but decidedly up tempo. It's more rock and roll with a new-age, punk influence than anything that could be considered hardcore. The primary vocals are smooth and melodic with aggressive background vocal punches for color. The harmonies and the choruses are pleasant and generally well done. It's well played but not nearly as intense as what I'm used to hearing from a punk/hardcore group. Definitely not your standard metal fare.
Moving on to the next song on the album, "Just Have A Good Time", is a much better choice for single than the first track. It starts with a banjo/ harmonica thing (and I'm a sucker for a banjo) before changing into something a bit more, shall we say, rocking. Again, the vocals go back and forth between clean, sung lyrics and Elio's screams which help to move it away from something living purely in the pop world.
And so it goes. "Gone For A While" consists of 11 tracks of punk flavored rock which, for me, languishes in a musical purgatory. There are bright moments as in "These Kids That Your Parents Warned You About" and moments that are less bright such as "Behind Your Sunglasses".
The songs have a similar feel, tempo and structure. They never struck me as particularly bad but they never inspired me to do more than simply nod my head along with the beat. Unfortunately, each earned a resounding "eh". That being said, I have a feeling the songs have more punch when performed live.
"Sweating, screaming, sharing feelings and believing in the uniqueness of each and every moment spent with the audience... Playing live is the single most important thing for the band!". This quote comes from TARLD's bio page and I understand how a track that seems bland on the CD might have more impact in a live setting.
Every band is someone's favorite band but The Amsterdam Red Light District is not mine. It is not a lack of talent but a lack of an original sound on this record that's left me a bit cold. Their sophomore effort, "Gone For A While", has left me feeling somewhat disappointed. Are my standards are too high or does the music they make just happen to sound a lot like so many other bands? It may be a bit of both but I encourage the band and you, gentle reader, to keep your standards high and never settle for "good enough". There, I'm glad that's settled.
