Music Review: Secondhand Serenade - A Twist In My Story

Secondhand Serenade has recently released a new CD titled A Twist In My Story. You might remember the band from its first CD Awake, which made them a much sought after sensation. Since Awake, the members have been on the making the rounds on the MTV circuit and taking ground in numerous cities across the U.S.

Secondhand Serenade has come marching back onto the scene, literally, with songs such as "Like A Knife." While Awake relied heavily upon a guitar led acoustic sound, A Twist In My Story is much more polished and fuller sounding. The arrangements in A Twist In My Story are complex and beautiful. The CD is full lyrics which paint pictures dripping of the kind of sentiment which comes right out of a movie such as: "Goodbyes are meant for lonely people, standing in the rain"

When doing a little research about Secondhand Serenade, I found that the band's name was chosen because the songs were written originally for John Vesely's wife; thus, the listener is hearing a Secondhand Serenade. I like the idea of an invitation into a songwriter’s world. Each lyric seems to aim for an emotional response. Don’t get me wrong, I am after all a total sucker for a good romantic story. But when the lead character is only singing about heartbreak and there is never a redeeming happy ending, I feel there is something missing.

Almost every review I have read about the music of Secondhand Serenade compares the band to Dashboard Confessional. That makes me wonder what they will do to set themselves apart. The band's potential is evident when listening to the arrangement and orchestration of this CD, yet there has to be greater depth to the lyrics to anchor fans for the long term. It’s not necessarily the band's fault that the lyrics sound a bit tired; The same tune has been sung so long in the pop genre, it has left listeners longing for something more unique. A call has been going out for a reinvigoration of pop music. I think that Secondhand Serenade has all of the ingredients needed for this. Perhaps they just need to mix things up a little.

Article Author: Esther Maria Swaty

Esther is someone who is passionate about many things, including traveling, culture, reading, photography and the arts. To read more by Esther, check out her site.

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