New York City has always been a hot spot for music, but its’ allure has faded ever so slightly with the prominence of other cities and countries in the last decade. Ravens & Chimes look to restore that luster to the Big Apple with their new title, Holiday Life. Holiday Life begins with Division Street, a track that captures the different tacks taken by the band throughout each of the album’s 10 cuts. Cutting out a slight bit after the three minute mark, Ravens & Chimes are able to capitalize on the momentum garnered by this introductory salvo with their The Parting Glass.
The Parting Glass is a rock track that possesses a much dense and diverse sound to it than one would expect; I found myself picking up new bits and pieces with each subsequent listen. Ravens & Chimes establish themselves as an album-oriented band; while songs like Past Lives or Hearts of Palm could easily make it onto college radio, I feel that one will understand the band better if they can devote the time to the full Holiday Life experience. Late-disc tracks, such as Fox Gloves and Arrow, do not fall into the trap of rehashing old material.
Rather, Fox Gloves is a great track for listeners as it provides them with some semblance of where the band may ultimately go on subsequent recordings. Pick up a copy of Holiday Life today, to see what a solid act can do given ample time; make it a point to see the band whenever they may make a stop around your neck of the woods.
Top Tracks: The Parting Glass, Clarissa Explains It All
Rating: 8.2/10
Ravens & Chimes – Holiday Life (CD) / 2012 Better Looking Records / 10 Tracks / http://ravensandchimes.com/ / http://www.betterlookingrecords.com/
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
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