Unplaces – Changes (CD Album – Tangrami / Timezone)
Genre/Influences: Indie-pop, pop-rock.
Background/Info: German Unplaces trio strikes back with a new album, which seems to be their second one.
Content: “Changes” is a fascinating and diversified piece of work consisting of well-crafted songs composed with electronics and guitar. The songs are switching from reverie to more powerful passages. I know and then noticed passages reminding me of Placebo. There also accomplished a honest cover version of Talk Talk’s legendary “Such A Shame”. The timbre of voice of front woman Dorette Gonschorek also has something pretty fascinating; being sometimes a bit androgenic.
+ + + : The songs have been composed with a perfect harmony between electronics and guitar, but globally speaking the production is also fully accomplished. There’s a real maturity emerging from this work, which resulted in several noticeable cuts. The cover version of “Such A Shame” can’t compete with the original version, but it’s however a cool cover version. I also have to say I was impressed by the vocals. There’s a sensuality and at the same time some fragility emerging from Dorette’s singing. Last, but not least this CD version reveals a great artwork. It’s a digipak format featuring 2 booklets where each single song has been illustrated by a picture.
– – – : No doubt about it, the songs reflect a real maturity and great writing skills, but the only –and essential element, I would have seen more accentuated, is more elevating and hitting choruses.
Conclusion: “Changes” is a cool and beautiful work, but missing a real highlight.
Best songs: “Freedom”, “Changes”, “Lost In Space”, “Against Ourselves”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.unplaces.de / www.facebook.com/Unplaces
Label: www.timezone–records.com / www.facebook.com/plattenlabel.timezone
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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.
