The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume

by Corey AparFor fans of alternative hard rock, Evans Blue will fit comfortably in personal CD towers already filled with bands like Breaking Benjamin and Taproot -- well, assuming the album wasn't burned from a friend or downloaded off iTunes. Their slick debut, The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume, makes use of lead singer Matisyn's passionate vocals and slightly vague lyrics layered over intense and smooth rhythms. The album is nothing that hasn't already been heard numerous times before, but even if slightly generic, Evans Blue are at least competent. Their first radio single, the brooding "Cold (But I'm Still Here)," is the perfect lead track to hook their audience -- and seeing as the album is a joint release between Pocket (co-owned by ex-Our Lady Peace's Mike Turner) and Hollywood, the song will no doubt be gracing many a modern rock play list soon enough. Along the same lines, with its powerful and soaring chorus, it's hard to deny the catchiness of "Beg," making the song prime to be their follow-up hit. The rest of the album is a lot more of the same, aside from the band throwing in a somewhat random, but enjoyable, rock cover of fellow Canadian Sarah McLachlan's hit "Possession." On the whole, though, the band seems to take itself rather seriously -- check out the explanation of the wordy album title in the back of the booklet and try not saying, "Um, what?" Nevertheless, their debut is proficient enough that mainstream rock will surely welcome Evans Blue into their ranks with open arms; only time will tell, however, if they stay there.