Concept albums…these are officially the “Marmite” of the music world; you either love them or hate them. Granted, sometimes they can work really well, just look at “American Idiot” by GREENDAY, other times, they can come across as a little self-indulgent. It takes a confident band to commit to releasing a concept album, or at least an already accomplished band that can afford the gamble, you don’t however normally come across and unsigned band throwing themselves into such an idea for only their second EP. That is what South Wales youngsters CLEAR THE AUDITORIUM have done with their newest release, “The Final Broadcast”. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, have CTA made it out alive, or have they fallen victim to their own nuclear fallout?
Opening up with “Prologue”, a crackling, poor quality mock-up BBC radio message, harking back to the days of World War 2, warning of an impending nuclear war, time has been taken to ensure it sounds legitimate, drawing you into the EP, wanting to follow the story. First song proper “If We Burn” was chosen as the leading track of the EP, backed with a great music video, it’s about grouping together, surviving against the odds and against those in power. It’s got a great chorus, something CTA have mastered already it would seem, and it’s full of pleasant cross-over rock/electronica.
“Vacant Streets” is full of rich synthesisers and layered, light dub-infused beats, some brilliant soft vocals from front-man Dafydd Richards. It’s almost a pop song really, had it not been for the inclusion of rough vocals too, but it’s definitely an EP highlight. “Ozymandias” is one for the history buffs, named after Ramesses II, the great Egyptian Pharaoh, it’s symbolic in its message that basically one day, even the greatest leaders will fall, there will ultimately be change and there is nothing you can do about it. Nothing lasts forever and in this case, in this post-war landscape, the survivors will reclaim what belongs to them, their homes, and their lives; an interesting means of linking the subject matter, but the sign of a sharp mind when it comes to song writing.
Clear The Auditorium maybe virtually unknown outside the south Wales scene, and that’s not intended as a derogatory remark, this young unsigned band obviously have a passion for their craft and aren't afraid to step up creatively. As concepts go, OK, it may be a somewhat clichéd idea, used many times in films as well as music, but it hasn't stopped them delivering a quality EP. If they keep this level of writing up, they are bound to make an impact over the course of the next year. Let’s just hope this isn't their actual final broadcast… [7]
The EP, released May 8th, is available for pre-order, just follow this link: http://cleartheauditorium.bigcartel.com/product/the-final-broadcast-audio-cd-pre-order
Opening up with “Prologue”, a crackling, poor quality mock-up BBC radio message, harking back to the days of World War 2, warning of an impending nuclear war, time has been taken to ensure it sounds legitimate, drawing you into the EP, wanting to follow the story. First song proper “If We Burn” was chosen as the leading track of the EP, backed with a great music video, it’s about grouping together, surviving against the odds and against those in power. It’s got a great chorus, something CTA have mastered already it would seem, and it’s full of pleasant cross-over rock/electronica.
“Vacant Streets” is full of rich synthesisers and layered, light dub-infused beats, some brilliant soft vocals from front-man Dafydd Richards. It’s almost a pop song really, had it not been for the inclusion of rough vocals too, but it’s definitely an EP highlight. “Ozymandias” is one for the history buffs, named after Ramesses II, the great Egyptian Pharaoh, it’s symbolic in its message that basically one day, even the greatest leaders will fall, there will ultimately be change and there is nothing you can do about it. Nothing lasts forever and in this case, in this post-war landscape, the survivors will reclaim what belongs to them, their homes, and their lives; an interesting means of linking the subject matter, but the sign of a sharp mind when it comes to song writing.
Clear The Auditorium maybe virtually unknown outside the south Wales scene, and that’s not intended as a derogatory remark, this young unsigned band obviously have a passion for their craft and aren't afraid to step up creatively. As concepts go, OK, it may be a somewhat clichéd idea, used many times in films as well as music, but it hasn't stopped them delivering a quality EP. If they keep this level of writing up, they are bound to make an impact over the course of the next year. Let’s just hope this isn't their actual final broadcast… [7]
The EP, released May 8th, is available for pre-order, just follow this link: http://cleartheauditorium.bigcartel.com/product/the-final-broadcast-audio-cd-pre-order
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