Stalking Tom "Rusted Red" CD
[self-released]
Odd. I'm not sure what to make of this one. The band's bio refers to them as "dark, melodic indie rock", which is true... but it's very unusual. There's some plain old dark rock in there as well, like, the kind of rock that might get played on "alternative radio" or whatever, just a slightly darker variety. And the vocals are quite unique and unexpected. A generally lower-midrange singing style that gets a little deeper at times, usually subtly throaty, and at times venturing into quirkier territory in a higher vocal range or with uncommon vocal patterns. I'm torn on that, because the dude is definitely talented... he hits some very nice notes and arrangements, and the character of his voice is definitely interesting. Something about elements of the way it works here rubs me the wrong way from time to time, but this is definitely a creative effort that shows some promise. Some of the bluesier little tidbits of the riffing in "Cutting" add a lot of subtle detail against some of the carefully placed layers of guitar and vocal textures in the distance and make for a pretty powerful track (the vocal performance in the chorus here is a good example of where I think the singing really shines). "Prying the Gate" is slower and more somber, with more space for the instruments, though the vocal performance definitely feels strained in this one, and that's something that starts to wear thin in a few spots of the EP. "Trigger" is a much different track, with laidback music driven by the rhythm section and near spoken vocals that are done in a dramatic sort of narrative style, almost like some sort of voiceover smattered with singing. Very different, and leading into an unlisted track that's largely textural and more experimental. The recording isn't bad for a self-released effort. I definitely think they deserve better though, because if you listen closely there's quite a lot going on in there, most of which makes an impact, but often doesn't have the space it needs to really spice things up. I have no real quarrels with any of the tones, and the mix is tight, but if they could achieve a little more balanced clarity things could come off a lot differently. The layout is all red with some blue and white, using a fabric texture on the outer sleeve and black and white with text inside. The lyrics aren't so bad either, sticking with abstractly personal topics that have some solid lines without a lot of repeating or anything, definitely exploring more than usual: "And miles above, you'll know in sleep, Born heavy blooded and far too weak, I've no more than strength to breathe, Won't you breathe for me..." Not quite my thing as a whole, but there's a lot of potential. If more of the songs were emphatic and emotional like "Cutting" I'd be further intrigued, but there's enough curiosity about this to keep me interested. The songwriting is alright, but I think the vocals need just a bit more work to really hit the mark. They're getting there, they're getting there... (6/10)
Running time - 26:22, Tracks: 5
[Notable tracks: Heavy Blooded, Cutting]
Stalking Tom - http://www.stalkingtom.com

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