Engaging Summer Sounds
Posted July 29, 2015
By JJFrancesco_NRT, Staff Reviewer
The Pitch: A Solo EP from the lead singer of Random Hero.
What Works: Industrial rock hooks wait to greet you as opening track "Sweetest Melody" takes the stage. With a slight southern flare, the song is a standout among the bunch and is crisp and accessible for radio audiences. Yet it still packs enough emotion to cut to the heart through how Christ longs for us to call on Him.
"Love Will Conquer" is a great companion song to this, packing a similar sonic frame and a complementary theme, reminding us how God is there for us and will lift us up through our trials if we run to Him. These two songs together paint an encouraging picture of the endless love of our God, cast as catchy and upbeat light rockers.
Title track "Chasing After You" opens with a soft string section that is one of the album's more memorable musical moments. Serving as the obligatory soft song, it's a fitting contrast to the guitar-driven energy of the EP's speedier offerings.
What Needs Work: The flashes of greatness in the album do highlight a bit of an average feeling in some of the other tracks. Many of the songs take a similar sonic approach, thus limiting the overall replayability factor a bit. On a full-length project, I'd like to see Watkins explore more to see if there can be a more unique stamp to place on a solo project.
Closing Thoughts:
If you like Random Hero and similar bands in Christian Rock, Aaron Watkins offers a fun and enjoyable rock EP that is right at home in the windows-down, volume-up summer setting. While wanting just a bit for musical depth, the EP is a friendly, encouraging, and engaging romp that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Song to Download Now:
"Sweetest Melody" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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