Posted on: July 12, 2007 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Eclectic Collective – The Flux / 2007 Self / 7 Tracks / http://www.ecbeats.com /

The Eclectic Collective started out around 2003 to take the world over with their own brand of rock. This marks their second album, released a year after their debut album “Time Flies”. The first track on “The Flux” is “Ocean of Tears”, and it shows that The Eclectic Collective love blending an older, Eagles type of rock with the more current Fall Out Boy interpretation of emo music. This means that the band relates to a larger segment of the listening populace, and when the act throws in some horns, they increase that possible leadership to include both the ska and Chicago fans. The band lives up to their “eclectic” name from the outset of “The Flux”.

Another strength to The Eclectic Collective is their ability to use a second set of vocals, which gives the track a completely different when singer 1 is singing, when singer 2 is singing, and when both members are singing together. The band is able to tell a tale that twists and turns, and leads into the rest of “The Flux”. The success that The Eclectic Collective has leading out of “Ocean of Tears” is continued wholly through the disc’s second track, “Beautiful Mess”. There is a much more R&B type of feel to “Beautiful Mess”. The soulful vocals during this track give the band a much different sound than was present during “Ocean of Tears”, even if the instrumentation is similar in both of the tracks.

The title track to “The Flux” starts off with a piano, having the band back into a more rock style soon afterward. The quicker, more emotive style of The Eclectic Collective heard in “Ocean of Tears” comes forward, but it is changed considerably by the inclusion of the piano line. What results is something that has a jazzier feel than any other track on the disc. The Eclectic Collective have created a very diverse album that still has a strong cohesion to it. It is this cohesion, coupled with the band’s ability, that makes “The Flux” into a must-have album. The band will not necessarily break it big with any of the tracks on the disc, but it will draw a number of new fans to The Eclectic Collective’s cause. Go and check out their website and order both albums from them; I am sure that you will not disappointed in the slightest.

Top Track: Time Flies

Rating: 6.5/10

 

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