Pollock hails from New York with their 2013 release “The Moonlight Show.” Overall Internet presence for Pollock is rapidly taking shape as I learned a lot about them even before I hit play. The CD hits the deck running with a series of strong songs “Devil,” A New Machine” and “Elder Crow.” All 3 pieces somewhat striking reminiscent of Coal Chamber, Pantera and Godsmack. The guitar/ beat/voice combo are well paired with his songwriting skills makes for a strong culmination of skill sets. The beats on these openers hit hard, heavy and thick. Lyrics and music are very well thought out/put together. I was instantly hooked and kept on listening. Subject matter is equally tied to musical setting and delivers well-crafted vocals and emotional tranquility. Equal parts heartfelt emotion and soaring guitars, they paint images in creative, yet relatable ways. It’s evident to the ear that much time has been invested in crafting each song to stand on its own, separate from the next. The overall mix of this album is impressive. It refuses to sound like a bare-bones PC recording, but does possesses all the energy of a vintage live performance. This contributes to the overall impact of the song. I do however have a few complaints, if they can be called that. This is a CD for a certain type of listening mood. I would not recommend you listen to Pollock on the day you get fired As I made my way from start to finish, there is a near-extreme tonality that was definitely palpable but unorthodox in nature for the vocals. However as the song moved it was constant and similar in consonance. Bottom Line: I wish the vocals were more dynamic. Most certainly Pollock has a knack for crafting imagery and instrumentation to complement his vocal style, which made it so surprising there was such little use of minor and dissonance. Vocally I can only describe it as a Production Underdose when I want an overdose of that type of intensity that needs to be at the head with the guitar. It’s shall we say to conservative and as some songs goes over 4 minutes I found myself painfully longing for something else to happen within each movement. Not a bad thing, but based on the solidness of the song textures, I was expecting much more chordal variety. Regardless this is “The Moonlight Show” is a very impressive release by Pollock. It was an absolute pleasure to get into his mindset of these 5 and listen to. It will hold a place in my fascinating and dark play list — when I really need it. Pollock is a master at bringing together all the flavours of many different musical styles and genres. These 5 are armed with great writing, a brilliant creative mindset, and a kick ass live show from what I’ve read. Their music is highly original and will no doubt evolve over time into something truly groundbreaking. All of this makes Pollock a much welcomed and unique artist in an overly cut-and-paste industry. All of the above and more make Pollock worth checking out ASAP via the 2 links provided.
LAST FM: http://www.last.fm/music/Pollock/The+Moonlight+Show
Final Rating: 4/5
BUY CD: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-moonlight-show/id591776805
Tori Blanchard (UK) edited by Joshua Beach
Review comments: joshuabeach9@gmail.com
