Post by jptheprofessor on Sept 3, 2007 10:40:08 GMT -5
VS. THE EARTH – THE INITIATIVE (no label) Their first full-length album since relocating their homebase to Baltimore and changing their name to Vs. the Earth (from Nevermoure), The Initiative shows that although their location and monicker have changed, this former Altoona group's style of energetic, hard-rocking ear candy has not. Containing ten songs and clocking in at just over half an hour, The Initiative is chock full of infectious melodies, as Vs. the Earth introduces new songs and updates previous favorites. Singer/rhythm guitarist Adam Marino, lead guitarist Mike Ritchey, bassist Dawg and drummer Elliot Wiley craft odes about the ups and downs of boys, girls, life and love. Their gift for song hooks is intact, evidenced by immediately catchy new songs such as the high-octane pop/punk opening combo of "Better Off Dead" and "Who He'll Be Tonight;" and the especially infectious "Lightswitch" and "Story of My Life." Established Vs. the Earth song favorites such as "Psycho" and "The American Teenage Anthem" are updated with new arrangements, guitar layering and vocal effects, courtesy of producer and engineer Steve Greenwell. Adam's tender ballad about love realized too late, "Carolina Sky," is fleshed out by Jon Leidersdorff’s keyboard effects and piano. The performances are mostly charged and enthusiastic, maintaining this band’s bounce-off-the-walls velocity and edge. Adam Marino’s voice sounds full and confident; complemented by tight harmonies and some vocal layering along the way. The guitars sound hard, lean and steady, and Eliott’s stripped-down, to-the-point drumming effectively propels these songs along. With its minimal touches of production gloss, The Initiative raises the bar a little higher for Vs. the Earth, as the group further develops and hones their hard-driving sound. This album should please the group’s longtime fans, plus win a few new ones along the way. (The CD can be purchased at shows or through the group’s website, www.vstheearth.com.)