Posted on: November 9, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The way in which the Broken Poets begin this, their latest release, is amazing. Their control over the overall atmosphere in which this initial effort – “Singularity” – resides will be what brings fans in. Where the track begins with an emotive, narrative-heavy instrumental feel, it gradually moves into a catchy rock track. Listeners will hear bits of Maroon 5, Bob Dylan, and even Bruce Springsteen in the vocals. While these vocals are present front and center, ink needs to be devoted to the instrumentation on the track. Produced in a way that allows the guitar and piano to shine on their own just as they work as a palette for the aforementioned vocals, this instrumentation provides the Broken Poets with their first radio-quality single.

With big shoes to fill, the release shuffles along with “The Clairvoyant”. This track exists in a space that both forwards the general feeling of “Singularity” while allowing the Broken Poets to forge forward with a different sound. As was the case with the introductory track, the heavenly vocals will draw listeners in while the instrumentation ensures that they stay throughout the entirety of the run time. Here, though, the Broken Poets are able to convey increasingly forlorn and sad emotion, matching the narrative qualities of these vocals with similarly smart strings.

The second half of this disc showcases the band truly getting into their stride. “My Selfish Altruism” is a dense track that will require listeners to listen a number of times before truly getting what all the band has placed into its four minutes. Where the vocals are strong and straight-forward, the piano seems much more cautious and careful. Couple these distinct levels with a much more brooding ambience created by the rest of the band, and one has a miniature epic here. Finally, “For the Death of Dustin Essary” is a track that exists at two distinct places; it caps off the different efforts here while establishing that the Broken Poets can go anywhere with subsequent releases.

Top Tracks: My Selfish Altruism, For the Death of Dustin Essary

Rating: 8.2/10

Broken Poets – S/T EP / 2010 Self / 4 Tracks / http://www.brokenpoets.com

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