No Second Troy is an act that has not broken it big at this point in their career. This is not a major issue at all, as they still have a long time to go before they will have to pack it in. The first track on “Narcotic” is “Feint”, and it blends together independent rock and emotive arrangements with hints of electronic arrangements and the like to make a hopeful creation. No Second Troy make a ploy for individuals at this early part, and the future of “Narcotic” is hopeful for sure.
There is definitely a part of me that wants to put No Second Troy alongside acts like Audioslave and All-American Rejects, and this is just said after listening to a few minutes of “Narcotic”. It only takes the band a few more seconds, and they move into “The Gardens After Lockout”. The track again plays to the current genres of pop-rock music, with hints of The Frey also presenting themselves with the soulful vocals that are such a major part of the band. It is rare that a band can come out of left field with such a strong introduction to the world, but No Second Troy does just that. The band may not be creating the newest or most cutting-edge music that the world has heard, but they craft catchy and honest music that will be listened to throughout the next year, if not the next decade.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about No Second Troy and their “Narcotic” is that the tracks all go well into the four (and sometimes five) minute mark. The longer track length is no problem for the band, as the band crafts arrangements and instrumentation that more that adequately fills the extended track length of the songs. No Second Troy is striking on all cylinders by the time that a track like “Burned” ends. The band can even insert an extended instrumental interlude between the two distinct sections of “Burned” and still keep individuals focused in and salivating for more. It should only be a matter of time before more people perk up and give attention to No Second Troy; the album is solid, the tracks are more so when taken as singles, and the band does not seem to coast at any point during the album. Sure, the band could try to incorporate other styles or genres, but this would only become a problem if the act rested on their laurels for the space of a number of albums rather than just one.
Top Tracks: Brighten Up, One In Ten
Rating: 7.0/10
No Second Troy – Narcotic / 2006 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.nosecondtroy.com / Reviewed 02 June 2007
[JMcQ]