Review: Good Morning Maxfield
Bursting from ear buds in a glorious wall of post-pop extacy, the opening track of Good Morning Maxfield's debut CD, "Bound to Fly," evolves from a sweeping bell-infused instrumental passage to a high-energy vocal romp that stands up to the best modern indie music. Combining elements from 70's radio pop and modern-day acts like the New Pornographers or even the Polyphonic Spree, Utah's Good Morning Maxfield show that they have the chops to stand out in a crowded market.
It's difficult to explain why the album takes such a different turn on the second track with an indifferent sounding ballad ("Somehow") that one would expect from an American Idol runner up. Lead vocalist Stewart Maxfield possesses a very nice voice, but he sounds better when surrounded by a more energetic mix. Fortunately, the next track, "Lovers Past," with its lively tempo and stellar, melodic guitars, has a hook-laden chorus that will sound familiar to fans of classic rock acts such as the Moody Blues or ELO. The tempo slows as the band veers into Semisonic territory with "Running Again," a quiet little number that possesses a suitably pleasant melody, bells, and subtle string production.
"Spinning Wheel," one of the albums strongest tracks, finds the band cranking up the creativity, but not the volume. Opening with barely audible electric guitar, Maxfield's voice lays out fully on top of the mix. Suddenly the energy level is increased as the guitars and percussion kick in, then it's back to the haunting intro melody, and the song finishes with a solid burst of six-string magic and wall-of-sound vocals. The album continues with a mid-tempo guitar ballad ("Lovely Way to Go"), then offers up a power ballad ("Song for the Wind") that justifies its existence with a ending that blends whistling, heaps of guitars, and heartfelt singing. "Steeples" continues the formula, starting slow but finishing loud. The pace slows a lush ballad ("Julie Julia") and ends with the "Wrath to Come," another Moody Blues inspired slab of orchestral rock.
Good Morning Maxfield (the band) have the chops to create provocative, interesting modern rock music. The albums many ballads, while pleasant, do nothing to separate the band from the competition. One would expect future releases from Maxfield to offer a more challenging collection of songs.
It's difficult to explain why the album takes such a different turn on the second track with an indifferent sounding ballad ("Somehow") that one would expect from an American Idol runner up. Lead vocalist Stewart Maxfield possesses a very nice voice, but he sounds better when surrounded by a more energetic mix. Fortunately, the next track, "Lovers Past," with its lively tempo and stellar, melodic guitars, has a hook-laden chorus that will sound familiar to fans of classic rock acts such as the Moody Blues or ELO. The tempo slows as the band veers into Semisonic territory with "Running Again," a quiet little number that possesses a suitably pleasant melody, bells, and subtle string production.
"Spinning Wheel," one of the albums strongest tracks, finds the band cranking up the creativity, but not the volume. Opening with barely audible electric guitar, Maxfield's voice lays out fully on top of the mix. Suddenly the energy level is increased as the guitars and percussion kick in, then it's back to the haunting intro melody, and the song finishes with a solid burst of six-string magic and wall-of-sound vocals. The album continues with a mid-tempo guitar ballad ("Lovely Way to Go"), then offers up a power ballad ("Song for the Wind") that justifies its existence with a ending that blends whistling, heaps of guitars, and heartfelt singing. "Steeples" continues the formula, starting slow but finishing loud. The pace slows a lush ballad ("Julie Julia") and ends with the "Wrath to Come," another Moody Blues inspired slab of orchestral rock.
Good Morning Maxfield (the band) have the chops to create provocative, interesting modern rock music. The albums many ballads, while pleasant, do nothing to separate the band from the competition. One would expect future releases from Maxfield to offer a more challenging collection of songs.
posted by Doug Cornell at
12:28 PM
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