LAST WINTER

Dave's Take: Due to time constraints I have not updated this blog in about a week, but expect some awesome bands this coming week and today. The manner through which I learned about Last Winter is a bit embarrassing. There were a couple songs I heard on MTV's Laguna Beach (yes I am probably dumber for watching that show) that I wanted to find out more about. Interestingly two of the former Blink182 boy and current Plus 44! members, Mark and Travis, are responsible for a lot of the music choices on Laguna Beach which explains why a lot of the bands they choose to use are from the modern rock genre. Well one of the bands I discovered was a band by the name of Last Winter, a relatively undiscovered, absolute gem of a band. Their music could be described loosely as "space-rock"; highly melodic atmospheric emotional sounding music. The CD Transmission Skyline starts off with a highly delayed, echoed guitar riff on the song "Girl Next Door" that instantly describes the sonic texture at work throughout the entire album even though that specific song is only available on the Japanese import. This song like a number of the songs focuses on love not realized:

"Just say you love me, just say you love me. I'll always be here waiting. You were always so much more than the girl next door. Just sew your arms around me know"

The lyrics are rather simplistic but they emotion and skill with which they are sung makes for up it. Just two songs later we get crunchier guitars on one of the signature tracks both lyrically and musically "Starlight Drive"

"Ignorant and dreaming on Starlight Drive. Ignorance is bliss now so let it go"

The next track is the beautiful "chasing light" with quick staccato guitar chords. What really makes this track is the vocal range displayed in the chorus "now I've given up. Wouldn't you. We gave it time but you took over. You'd say we wasted our time I gave you mine you left me nothing" "Summer in Illinois" is one of the weaker tracks but it gives way to "Vela to Norma" which is one of the harder rock songs on the album. The lyrics match the sonic mood of the album on this song as the lead singer Cameron sings:

"cascades burn as they light the way to open hearts. celestial eyes unfold. map the stars from left to right, miracle my eyes stay closed and i wait for so long a brilliant fading spinning off into the amber sky a gentle sting above horizons"

"Don't Forget to Write" is an acoustic song that I think anyone would like even if they didn't like the musical stylings used in the other songs. This is the song that I heard on Laguna beach and it fit in perfectly for the scene they used with the bittersweet vocals and lyrics:

"Im barely alive. Though miles may come between us. You're always and forever on my mind. When you go dont forget to write. You're the best that ever happened, I never would imagine you would change my life"

The balladish "December" once again uses imagery of the sky in the lyrics:

"The sky fell between my Young and careless eyes
Braiding myself in The red December sky
I remember Last December
Memories never change "

Maybe Tomorrow, For all Times, and Autograph round out this amazing CD. Their sound isn't completely original but then again who is nowadays? I can't remember hearing a CD with such a prominent atmospheric space like quality to it that was done so well. What matters most is that the sound is amazing and present on every single song on the album.



SOUNDS LIKE: Mae, Story of the Year, Switchfoot, Forty Percent, Pulse Ultra

CD Rating: 9/10 ( About as perfect as you can get for a first CD)

BEST SONGS: Girl Next Door, Chasing Daylight, Starlight Drive, Vela to Norma, Don't Forget to Write, December, For All times

SONG SAMPLES/WEBSITES:





CLICK STANDALONE PLAYER TO PLAY

All 14 Full songs all available at www.purevolume.com/lastwinter

Myspace page: www.myspace.com/lastwinter

BAND MEMBERS:
:: Fro ::..Guitar..
:: Josh ::..Guitar..
:: Cameron ::..Vocals..
:: Chris ::..Drums..
:: Bo ::..Bass

BAND WEBSITE: www.Lastwinter.com