Fallbrooke - Fallbrooke [Album]

RMR Music Group

Fallbrooke hail from Miami and maybe it's just me and my limited memory but I can't thing of any decent bands from Miami. I'm sure it's just me?!?! Anyway Miami it is and all I know about Miami is what Will Smith told us in his song about the City; Mickey Mouse has a home there, and apparently they allow you to go topless on the beach which is good for me because I hate wearing t-shirts when it's roasting out. So I guess what I'm getting at is that I have no idea if Fallbrooke are archetypal of the Miami music scene or if they are gleaning their sound from someone else somewhere else... no idea folks.

However, they've done enough to be signed by RMR, whose founder member brought us No Doubt and Bush and they've both done alright for themselves you could say. And Fallbrooke's self-titled album is their first on a label of any name so it's a step in the right direction for them. But what of the music I hear you cry? (that was you lot crying out wasn't it or am I hearing things?)

Well I have made little secret in the past of the fact I have little time for that generic rock sound that has been pummelled out of the US in recent years. You know the sort that is being sung by boys who look like girls, but who like girls not boys and sound like a cross between a girl and a boy (not in a transvestite-y way) whilst being liberal with the make-up. I'm trying not to name bands but I hope you get what I mean. So to Fallbrooke I must apologise but this ain't my cup of java-joe but for those that like this frenetic rock/boyband hybrid this will no doubt warm your sock-drawer.

'Take Me Under' is the sort of song I can imagine being played by teenage girls in their bedrooms whilst swooning over posters. It's got the sort of qualities they would love; you know sung by good looking guys, being a little emotional, and letting rip a scream here and there for good measure just to emphasise they are men not boys. 'I Tried' I was warming to until the chorus where it got a little whiny for me, but generally the track has a nice plaintif acoustic quality to it ticking the ballad box to boot. 'Can't Get You' has a good hook to it, but again I struggle past the vocal. There is nothing wrong with vocalist Eric McNeely it's just the styling of the tracks, personal preference again.

'Condition Response' again adds a slower track into the mix but Fallbrooke do what seems to be expected of them by ratcheting up the rock guitars and vocals instead of trying to use the genteel side of what they're doing to better effect. They do seem to manage it on 'Safe' though which is the stand-out track for me from this collection as they just don't get carried away with multi-layering the track as so many bands see the need to do. The vocal melds nicely with the acoustics and the tonalities in the background, creating nice little crescendos dotted about and thankfully they stick to it and don't explode.

So in short Fallbrooke isn't something I would listen to but then that's what tastes are for and for those of you who like that radio-friendly rock music that has a little emotional edge hung around it's neck then this will do nicely. I can see Fallbrooke getting some success out of this record, it's just a case of whether or not it can be sustained.

Produced by: Antonina Armato & Tim James

Artist Website: fallbrookerock.com - Official Website

http://www.myspace.com/fallbrooke