The Confessions

So today I will be reviewing the new EP done by The Confessions, a band of my friends. They feature an extremely well produced mix of sounds featuring influences ranging from blues to modern rock. One might describe them as a bluesier less obnoxious Coldplay. The guitar work is pretty simple, but the chord progressions are really well done and a joy to listen to. The bass work on this album is really solid, and it gels nicely with the drums. The keyboards add some nice padding to the music and help broaden the sound. Yet it is the vocals of Danny Herr that really take this band to the next level. And all these amazing elements come together perfectly under the production of Christian de Looper. While the sound is rooted in the sweeping guitars Danny's voice makes The Confessions truly awesome.

The guitars on this record are pretty straightforward, while the riffs are decent they don't come to dominate the music and leave the band pretty open for more creative sounds. The one track with a really cool guitar part is Playing the Veil which features a very punchy riff supported by a wave of synths. Then the solo comes in and shines in all of its crazy pentatonic blues glory. As a whole the guitars on this album are fairly simple but they keep the sound feeling full and powerful. This is partially due to the good guitar playing but moreover the killer producing skills of Christian de Looper.

The rhythm work on this record is also fairly excellent, the bass playing is simply stellar. The bassist has a lot of freedom on these recordings and he really helps focus the music down and make sure that the progressions stand strong. In addition the drum work is really one of the best parts of the band. Christian really knows what he's doing and his drum parts never fail to impress. There is a clear jazz influence here and it fits in nicely with the music. In brief, the rhythm bits on this record are remarkably good featuring some awesome bass work and virtuoso level drumming.

I'd also like to get a quick word in on the synths here, they only come into play in a few songs, but every time they make the band sound like so much more. The synth parts are just so full and powerful. They add a good modern rock feel with their ambient feel and help to cement the key changes. The synthesizers really just shine in a well produced glory, they are tastefully done and a wonderful addition to the sound.

The vocals of Danny Herr are pretty excellent, I've seen him live at least 30 times (seriously) and he never fails to impress, he is one of the few vocalists I know who can overcome a bad mix in a live setting. His voice is very strong and feels very natural without becoming raw and Iggy Poppish. His voice fits in well in any setting, from the modern rock of Undertow to the more bluesy It's Killing Time while adding the same unique taste. The lyrics are pretty good, with some classic lines like “I Rub my hands like Lady Macbeth/but still I taste her on my quick name breath”. This record features some of the nicest modern rock vocals I've heard in a while, and Danny can really kill it.

Before we wrap up, I just want to mention the awesome production technique of Christian de Looper. He really manages to get a full wall of sound, something very few amateur producers succeed in doing. Christian is excellent at layering tons of guitars on top of each other to get a full sound while simultaneously assuring that he can pull the songs off in a live setting, one might even compare them to the Foo Fighters tracks in that way. Essentially, Christian is an amazing producer who's chops are well beyond those of someone of his age and experience, this guy is sick folks, check him out.

In conclusion, The Confessions are an awesome band featuring a great combination of blues and modern rock. You should really go check them out when you finish reading. The combination of huge guitars, a crazy bass, genius drums and synths along with cool vocals is more than enough to make one want to listen. And when it's all brought together under the majesty of a killer producer, it's spot on! So go listen to The Confessions, you won't regret it.