Applespacebar - Songs You Might Like
Hailing from Birmingham Alabama, this five piece alternative rock band was formed in 2008 by guitarist/composer Ben Trexel and vocalist/lyricist Johnny Nine. Citing themselves as 'a guitar driven modern rock band who have been influenced by the power of the Foo Fighters, the rebelliousness of The Who, the euphoria of Coldplay, the irreverence of Stone Temple Pilots, and the drama of Pink Floyd'.
Now that's a pretty big mission statement, which in all honesty, you'd be hard pushed to guess these influences from listening to 'Songs You Might Like', their sophomore release. In case this is interpreted incorrectly, this isn't really knocking them on my part. I think this mission statement is more about the spirit and innovation they are trying to encapsulate, rather than a direct reference to their actual sound.
They remind me more of Scottish alt-rockers Idlewild, or other bands of a similar ilk that enjoyed their biggest taste of success towards the tail end of the 90's. The great British influence is most definitely on show here, which is a pleasant change from us usually hearing UK rock groups trying to sound American...so I guess in answering one of life's most perpetual questions, the grass must in fact be always greener! This is the first time I've been exposed to this band, and from initial listens I've been pleasantly surprised. They have a solid sound (although it's not the biggest thing you'll ever hear), invocative guitars, good song structures which are continually changing in both tempo and mood which act as a firm foundation for layer committed vocals, which really seal the deal. For me though, something small is missing. Maybe it's a lost in translation type of thing, as I'm sure these songs would do themselves more than sufficient justice in a live environment.
For their next release I think it would do them no harm whatsoever to turn up the guitars a few notches and for the singer let himself go and throw himself fully into his craft, this would hopefully provide a more passionate and raspy affair. Beyond this though, considering the level of song writing on show, the intimacy of the guitar changes, the effective piano prods and the genuine appeal they could offer to bigger audiences, then Applespacebar could really be on to something. Definitely ones to watch out for in the future - melodic indie threatening to rock.