Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
And now all the way from Essexville, Michigan, for your listening enjoyment and hard rock entertainment, we have the band Finding Clyde and their new album, Sacrifice It All. The group consists of vocalist/guitarist Joe Rivard, lead guitarist Jack Neymeiyer, drummer Marc Scott, and bassist Tony Rivard.
Finding Clyde is similar to many bands today. They have a lot of talent but little national recognition so they spend hundreds of days on the road, playing endless dates in small clubs and opening for well-known acts as they try to build their fan base.
They are the prototypical hard rock band. They may not reinvent the wheel or explore new territory, but they cover the old very well. They produce power chord-driven melodies that combine with their incisive lyrics and well-structured music. Neymeiyer is an inventive guitarist whose solos soar above the solid rhythm section as they connect the various sections of the songs.
The first track, “Get Higher,” establishes their sound as the bone-crunching bass and drums combine with the guitars while Rivard’s soulful vocal floats above the mix. The album’s lead single, “Let It Be,” may be their breakout tune as it has begun to receive radio airplay in the central part of the country. Nikki Sixx selected it as his pick of the week on his show Sixx Sense. It doesn’t just contain mindless rock bordering on a metal sound, but retains a melodic quality that allows it to stand out among its type of music.
While much of the music tends to be the same, a couple of tracks travel in a different direction. “Answer Me” comes close to being a classic power ballad, while “Dying Day” is a welcome relief with its acoustic introduction as it continues to build.
Finding Clyde has shared the stage with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, Stone Temple Pilots, 3 Doors Down, and Buckcherry. They now hope to expand their own fan base. Sacrifice It All is a good start on that journey.
