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The Mood
"What's on the Surface and What's Underneath"
CD
Self-released
Genres: alternative rock, indie rock
Oct 25 - 31 2004 |
The dark and brooding "Suburban Suit Manifesto" opens What's
on the Surface and What's Underneath. It helps get you in the
Mood, I suppose - and it does a fine job. Its melody is
smooth and incredibly catchy - easily one of the disc's best - and it
sets the stage for what is an entertaining, though unspectacular
alternative pop disc. The Mood's basic formula is one of drama and, well, mood.
"The Freedom of Speech" and "A Lullaby for
Sleepers" are successful due to their cinematic, atmospheric
natures. The latter sounds like a cross between Sparklehorse
and Radiohead. "Numbers" and "What's Underneath" are the disc's
most produced songs; each one boasts strings, while the latter also
dons sax, trumpet, and trombone. These inclusions add to the music's
sweeping, dramatic nature. In fact, "What's Underneath" is one of
What's on the Surface's most notable songs - fittingly, it closes the record off.
This album is by no means a conventional one, but it will prove accessible
enough to attract most open-minded rock fans. The Mood's
sound could have used a bit more variation over What's on the
Surface's eleven songs, but as it stands this is still a
particularly entertaining listen.
85%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
11 tracks, distributed by the
band, released 2003] |
