Pro star - Pro star

Pro star

Pro star
self-released; 2015

3.3 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

I’m having a hard placing the music on the self-titled album Prostar by Prostar. The songs range from blues rock to mall punk which oddly don’t sound too far removed from each other when you listen to them. I can say that that all the songs fit under the umbrella of pop. Jim Provan who is the main creative force behind the music process combined songs going as far back as six years ago which is probably why some of the songs styles sound different.

The album starts with “As” which sounds like ‘90s mall punk mixed with other unusual elements. It’s an odd combination of fast, punk rock style power chords with vocals that on the verge of rapping. That being said Provan is still singing.

“Rhetorical” sounds like a mix between processed AC/DC and sexualized ‘80s pop. He sings, “I'll tell you I wish I understood you better / Sometimes it feels like we're from different planets / My love has shot through the roof and has never been better / So tell me girl.” The blues vibe mixes with a bit of funk and rock I was referring to early comes out in “Let The Music Play.”

On “Even Numbers” Provan rocks out to a riff and beat that sounds like a distant cousin to White Stripes “Seven Nation Army.” Provan attempts some sort of voice demon/monster voice when he sings, “Let's all use real even numbers.” The use of the hyperbolic voice went way past my head but at least Provan is trying to spice things up. As the song progresses it goes into more unexpected territory. There is one point where he manipulates his voice with auto-tune and implements arpeggiated synths.

“Martian Wasteland” was a highlight amongst the batch. I preferred his vocal delivery on this song, which felt natural. There are a couple more highlights as the album progresses including “You’re Something” which goes into post-rock territory and “Aftermath.”

Some of the songs on Prostar feel a bit too pre-packaged for my liking and the album has an uneven momentum as it jumps from song to song. That being said there are also a number of inspired moments. Prostar feels, and pretty much is, like a compilation of Provan’s best material which will most likely resonate with a ubiquitous mainstream audience.

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