Music: 7/10 Vocals: 5/5 Lyrics: 4/5 Production: 4/5
Total: 20 of 25: B+
Awake and Alert is a fantastic new indie band out of Arizona. Maya Peart fronts the band. She has a tremendous voice. Soulful yet ethereal. Powerful yet beautiful. She is a true talent that hopefully will have a long and successful career.
The rest of the band is good but not fantastic. They do much more than a typical backup band of a Norah Jones or Fiona Apple. But they're not quite a stand alone band either. They provide a very diverse canvas for Maya to sing upon. It ranges from dark and brooding to cinematic and even an occasion at rock.
Being a relatively new band, I see a few junior mistakes. There are definitely hooks in the music and lyrics. But too often it all meanders a bit. All the songs sort of blur together until the hook in most of them hits and then you remember the song. Hopefully they will all find their way on their 2nd album.
The lyrics are mostly personal of relationships gone wrong. Nothing trite and most of the lyrics are original.
One of the highlights is the vastly beautiful "Let Autumn Lift Me". It is a great showcase of Maya's vocal talents. The title track is a nice rocker for the band. Finally, "Hollow Bodies" provides some very memorable music and a great vocal hook in the chorus. These are the three that stand out the most but everything else is good. There are no clunkers on this album.
Given the music industry is in shambles right now, I wouldn't be surprised if this band never sees the real light of day. Especially since they are not mainstream. But, they do deserve better. Hopefully they will get some airplay and be given the opportunity to mature over the next several years. Do yourself a favor and get on board with Awake and Alert.
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