Music Review: Anti-Hero - Unpretty

Anti-Hero is an interesting blend of old school Joan Jett and 1990's grunge, combining into a mix that isn't terribly original, but does contain a certain level of attraction. Their sound would have been a better fit in the overall music landscape about ten years ago, still it does have a twist on the whole retro thing that actually works pretty well.

The band was formed in London, Canada from the ashes of a few local acts that imploded. They came together under the Anti-hero banner with a singular mind to make a go as a fulltime band. They all had extensive experience playing the local rock scene and have melded together into a tight knit unit.

Anti-hero is fronted by Rose Perry, a classically trained vocalist with a background in opera and Celtic singing. She is the highlight of the album; her voice plays a nice clean counterpoint to the mid-tempo grunge guitars behind her. There is an earnestness to her voice that is as inviting into the fold as it is aggressive in the music's indictment of the commercial ideals of beauty, of the betrayal of trust, and other themes of empowerment.

Backing her up are Jesse Tomes on guitars, Nic Haverbeke on bass, and Matty Cole on drums. They come across as a tight knit unit, even though the music doesn't take all that many chances. The sound is very reminiscent of the grunge boom of the mid-1990s, which is good and bad. The sound, combined with good production values, takes away some of the rough edges that defined the grunge era, but it also doesn't move the sound forward. There are some moments where I would have liked to really hear the guitars cut loose.

Unpretty gets off to a pretty good start with the grunge wall of "Not Good Enough." The song has the right combination of in your face attitude and a positive message of over coming those who seek to keep you down. From there we move onto one of the catchier cuts on the disk, the title track "Unpretty," a direct attack on the ideals of beauty that are sold by the media versus the realistic image.

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Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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    10-track Canadian CD

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