Cygnets – Alone/Together (CD Album – Negative Gain Productions)
Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, electro-wave, electro-rock.
Background/Info: Cygnets is an American trio from Edmonton. After a few self-released albums they joined hands together with Negative Gain Productions releasing their official debut album “Sleepwalkers” in 2014. They now strike back with a new opus featuring 15 songs.
Content: “Alone/Together” sounds like a versatile composition. The album is moving in between electro-pop/new-wave songs on one side and a more rock-electro approach on the other. The pop-influenced songs are quite vintage sounding and might remind you of OMD on a few cuts while the somewhat feminine-like vocals vaguely evoke Chris Corner (IAMX).
The ‘rock’ driven songs are mainly carried by guitar although accomplished with electronic arrangements. It sometimes makes me think of Billy Idol going pop.
+ + + : Some of the vintage sound treatments are absolutely phenomenal and I especially refer to the great lead running throughout the opening song “A Dark Chapter In Our History”. The OMD fans will possibly be convinced by “Callie” while I also have to mention the noticeable final cut “Living In A Coma”. Cygnets also features a talented vocalist with a very personal timbre of voice.
– – – : Some of the ‘rock’-driven songs can’t really convince me. The main strength of this band definitely appears to be their retro-electro approach, which get a bit lost when it becomes more rock-minded. I would have preferred an album with fewer songs, but only the best ones.
Conclusion: This album is characterized by a few outstanding cuts, but unfortunately still features some forgettable tracks.
Best songs: “Living In A Coma”, “Callie”, “A Dark Chapter In Our History”, “I’m Sorry (So Sorry)”.
Rate: (6½).
Band: www.facebook.com/cygnetsnotswans
Label: www.negativegain.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Negative–Gain/212061438836984
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
