| Kids in the Way: A Love Hate Masquerade |
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| Posted by Roy Hershberger |
02:00 PM Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
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 Listening to the new album by Kids in the Way took me back to a job I had in the 90s where a co-worker would play heavy metal band Metallica's "the black album", loudly, almost every day, (Not sure if he was just trying to drive me crazy, or if he really loved the album that much). In all fairness A Love Hate Masquerade is certainly not as dark or as dated as the 80s/90s metal monolith, but the influence on the guitar work is unmistakable.
Equally true is the fact that lead vocalist Dave Pelsue does not limit himself to just a hardcore, belt it out, hard rock approach. He chooses instead to lighten it up on several occasions, which helps to give some variation to the overall sound of the band. Variety is good here because the only worthy point to be critical about is that the songs do tend to sound alike, with the same rhythms, guitar riffs and writing formula. Not to mention the fact that the writing formula itself can hardly be defined as original. In spite of these negatives it's hard to deny that these guys really do sound good, with each song drawing you in with hook-laden melody lines coupled with an infectious energy. The first two cuts, "Your Demon, and "Better Times" are driving hard vocals all the way through, but the following tracks seem to bring the energy level down slightly on the verses with more pop oriented vocals that are occasionally reminiscent of Relient K. Guitarist Nate Ehman shows some solid chops throughout this release, having mastered the art of being out front without stomping on the vocals. This is well-produced music that finds the band coming off sounding crisp and tight. Indeed, there doesn't seem to be a weak song on this album. Each one could potentially be a hit single.But one song does stand out as the obvious choice to promote the group and draw in more fans. "Fiction" is clearly the band's strongest offering. It highlights some great vocal harmony that comes off as unique to this type of music. This, combined with the screamo part at the bridge and ending, sets it apart as more original than the rest of the cuts. The screaming here adds to the intensity of the song without being overbearing. In other words it's tastefully done and aimed at a broader audience. It also has a very strong hook filled chorus with creative metaphor rich lyrics.
"We're making fiction of our lives The album's title, A Love Hate Masquerade, goes a long way in summing up the lyrical content of this recording project. They deal with the difficulty of relationships, the struggle of letting the bad ones go, and making the good ones work in a fallen world. Kids in the Way are on the move, and have put forth a stellar effort with this release. If they stay together and continue to grow and mature as songwriters and musicians they will go far. If you like high energy modern rock, with a nod to old school metal guitar, don't hesitate to pick this one up. |
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