Shake Me Up is an emotive bit of pop-rock that soars on the inimitable vocals of Chris Riffle and a smoky, dense set of instrumentation that has guitars, drums, and bass all contributing to something beautiful. Nothing But the Waves expands upon Shake Me Up and adds a contemplative sound and blends together hints of desert rock with impeccable time signatures.
Closer Where I Wanna Be opens up the instrumental side into something epic, having Riffle’s vocals do double duty in telling a story and furthering the arrangements on the track. Less Traveled concludes the Out of Town and winds things up perfectly. A sorrowful and slow approach taken here will stick with listeners long after the release has ceased.
Top Tracks: Shake Me Up, Closer Where I Wanna Be
Rating: 8.6/10
Chris Riffle Out of Town / 2015 Self / 4 Tracks / http://chrisriffle.com/ / https://soundcloud.com/chris-riffle / https://www.facebook.com/rifflemusic/ /
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.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com