It's all too often that contemporary bands who fall under the heavy music umbrella eschew the idea of simplicity, equating technical skill to the mastery of songcraft and thus creating oversaturated pieces that lack memorability. With their second LP, Ours Is Chrome, Superheaven have done the exact opposite, embracing the merits of easily digestible, infectiously catchy arrangements to deliver a work of unbridled power and absolute clarity in its intent and execution.
Refining the grungy sounds found on their previous full-length, Jar, the quartet maintain the thick, fuzzy punch of guitars and predominantly major chord progressions. This time, however, it's altogether more cohesive and better paced, never lingering at a single tempo for too long. The grimy Failure-esque trudge of "All The Pain" is followed up by the upbeat "Leach," which incorporates atmospheric twangs and buzzing leads into the verse before barrelling into the all-out assault of the chorus. Later, the song transitions into a progression not unlike that of a hardcore two-step.
The vocals pedal back and forth between the cleaner, higher register of Jake Clarke and the gravelly mid-range of Taylor Madison, the former usually delivering serene verse lines and the latter dropping in perfectly for jarringly pleasant hooks. With this album, Superheaven have outdone themselves, writing a tight set of perfectly balanced songs that create a refreshing, unified whole.
(Side One Dummy)Refining the grungy sounds found on their previous full-length, Jar, the quartet maintain the thick, fuzzy punch of guitars and predominantly major chord progressions. This time, however, it's altogether more cohesive and better paced, never lingering at a single tempo for too long. The grimy Failure-esque trudge of "All The Pain" is followed up by the upbeat "Leach," which incorporates atmospheric twangs and buzzing leads into the verse before barrelling into the all-out assault of the chorus. Later, the song transitions into a progression not unlike that of a hardcore two-step.
The vocals pedal back and forth between the cleaner, higher register of Jake Clarke and the gravelly mid-range of Taylor Madison, the former usually delivering serene verse lines and the latter dropping in perfectly for jarringly pleasant hooks. With this album, Superheaven have outdone themselves, writing a tight set of perfectly balanced songs that create a refreshing, unified whole.