Juniper Lane – Wake From Yourself

Juniper Lane – Wake From Yourself / 2008 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.juniperlane.com / http://www.myspace.com/juniperlandband /

Juniper Lane has been raising themselves up pretty well on their own. The act has sold over 8,000 copies of their albums, and they have come forth in a very strong way with “Wake From Yourself”, which marks their seventh year as a band. “Impact” is this opening track, and showcases a unique brand of pop—infused rock. The track could easily make it onto rotation at any college’s radio station, and there would not need to be too much more done for Juniper Lane to take that next step. “Take Me Home” continues this pop-rock fusion, adding a funky bass line to the mix.

This throws Juniper Lane into a Breeders type of influence, while the guitars are reminiscent of the early work of U2. The vocals link together disparate elements in Amy Lee and Kelly Clarkson, and adding a dash of Sheryl Crow to the mix. The end result is something that cannot be easily compared to any other band or individual. “Catch My Breath” adds a little bit of an industry sound to Juniper Lane’s arsenal, giving Vivion’s vocals a fundamentally different sound than had previously been present on “Wake From Yourself”. While the track is a little slower than previous tracks, the instrumental progressions on the track are something to focus on. “Sides” continues with the slower type of sound, giving Juniper Lane a sound that could easily be present on Radiohead’s magnum opus, OK Computer.

The higher registers approached by Vivion’s vocals on this track match well with the rest of the disc’s sound, while the sequencing of the drums creates an interesting dichotomy between the organic and inorganic elements on the track. Where most discs end with a whole heaping of garbage, the final few tracks on “Wake From Yourself” show that the act, seven years outside of their formation, can throw listeners a curveball. If individuals shut the disc off before “Memento” ends, they will miss some interesting shifts and changes to the sound that was put forth on “Wake From Yourself”. Couple that with the fact that one of the disc’s strongest tracks, “Getting The Human Out”, is towards the end and individuals should realize that they need a good forty minutes of time before starting “Wake From Yourself”. Give the disc a go if you like a band that takes on a number of different styles in the creation of a new and unique sound.

Top Tracks: Getting The Human Out, Coma

Rating: 6.8/10