Posted on: April 9, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

“Everybody Doin’ It” is a perfect introduction to The Echelons. The female vocals present on the track are very distinctive, and play on a rich tradition that goes all the way from Pat Benetar to the X-Ray Specs, with a few detours (Stevie Nicks) thrown in along the way. The instrumentation that plays behind the vocals works perfectly, adding a funk meets punk groove that is unique as all get out.
“Remember Me”, the disc’s first track, showcases the instrumental skill of The Echelons. The guitars and drums unite to create something unique, as the vocals provide an additional bit of harmony for the rest of the band to work off of.
While the band has tracks on their “Don’t Kiss Her Face” that work well in the current musical paradigm, a number of the songs on the disc really provide blueprints for future acts. Of particular note during this album has to be the dual vocals that come forth; the inclusion of these vocals add countless dimensions to the disc, many of which only are shown after a number of listens. The vocals lift each other to greater and greater levels, while they link up with the instrumentation to create something miles away in terms of quality and ability from the average garage band. “I’ll Have To Go” continues the instrumentation-heavy orientation, but brings the vocals to a level equal to that achieved by the instrumentation. From there, The Echelons take on a very early nineties type of feel with a trajectory similar to that of bands like The Breeders or Sonic Youth.

“World of Her Own” is a slower track, and is important because it showcases another facet of The Echelons. With each subsequent track on “Don’t Kiss Her Face”, The Echelon’s story becomes a more varied one. By the time that the final track, “My Best Friend”, ends, listeners will have a great idea who The Echelons are and what they intended to do with this album. The openness of their style and the ability shown in each track makes the prospects for the next album cloudy, but listeners will know one thing: the resulting music will be amazing.

Top Tracks: I’ll Have To Go, Life Ain’t No Day On The Beach

Rating: 8.4/10

The Echelons – Don’t Kiss Her Face / 2008 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/theechelons

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