Review by Dom Vigil
As far as first impressions go, Tinnarose have absolutely killed it. From the moment that the vocals came in on the first track on the band’s self-titled album until the last few notes of the instrumental final song on it faded out, they had me hooked. Tinnarose is unlike anything else I’ve been listening to lately, which made this album new and exciting to me, but ultimately, it was their incredible musicianship that forced me to stay.
While the entire album is incredible, I’ll start this off by saying that the first track, “When You’re Gone,” is hands down my favorite song on Tinnarose for many reasons. It’s the perfect opening song to introduce new listeners to Tinnarose, really showcasing the band’s abilities both instrumentally and vocally – especially vocally. In fact, the vocals on “When You’re Gone” are easily the selling point on this song for me. The male and female vocal parts on this track mesh perfectly and the beautiful harmonies between Seth Sherman and Devon McDermott on the chorus are amazing. “When You’re Gone” is totally an indie anthem, and by the time it fades out, I’m excited to see what else Tinnarose have to bring to the table. Thankfully, I’m not disappointed.
One of the best qualities of this album is its versatility. While the first track on Tinnarose is definitely more indie, the second song, “Hard Loving You” has a mellow country vibe. After “Hard Loving You,” the album progresses into, “Small Talk,” a more fast-paced rock track with phenomenal guitar work, and it all happens seamlessly. Tinnarose are able to transcend genre without even making the listener bat an eyelash. The only gripe I have with this album is that, in some songs, there are long breaks between vocal parts or sweeping guitar solos that seem to drag on, but thankfully, the band manages to balance things out before I’m anywhere near bored with the the album.
In fact, another great aspect about Tinnarose is that there isn’t one particular member or instrument that outshines the other. They all carry their own weight, making an amazingly well-rounded record. Just when it seems like the vocals are carrying one song in particular, the guitar comes in with an amazing lead part that really evens things out. There are some bands who might as well just be the singer’s solo project, because while their vocals are good, the music just seems to fade into the background, but that definitely isn’t the case with Tinnarose. This album is the product of a well-oiled machine that isn’t going to stop anytime soon, and I can’t wait to see what Tinnarose do next!
Rating: 4/5
Listen to “When You’re Gone”