You can hear some full tracks at their Myspace page. Then buy the CD and listen to it loud in your car. Don't have a car? Rent one and then listen to the Bloody Hollies loud in it. The Power of Rock commands you.
Stepanian, Wait Out the Rain
Then, when you need a break from the harder stuff, Stepanian's smooth pop-rock could be the ticket. Easygoing vocals and bright saxophone lines couch some fairly pessimistic lyrics, but cheery arrangements and solid, if not spectacular, songwriting give the first four songs of the EP an upbeat feel. Only the closer, "Caroline," feels truly sad, but it has a strong hook and is in fact one of the highlights. My other favorite is "Falling." Starting off in a soft, innocuous bed of eighth notes, it subtly builds pop momentum, supported by a sharp, loping guitar riff over the choruses.
"Everything" jumps between funky, sparse verses and strong, power-pop choruses with a little heartland harmonica added. "Beautiful," the opener, is sweet but a little too clichéd for my taste.
Agreeable and unthreatening without being boring, Stepanian is a band you could take home to your mother.
Available with extended clips at CD Baby.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
"Icarus" eh? that's the old Paul Winter tune. really weird to hear that played by the Hammond.
hey jon, ever heard of The Molenes? i just picked up a cd of theirs today. a country americana-ish group from the new hampshire seacoast.
2 - Jon Sobel
True that.
Never heard of any Molenes. Happy to meet some Molenes.