vasey - be someone else

Vasey 

Be Someone Else
self-released; 2013

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Vasey is a four-piece rock band who recently released their debut called Be Someone Else. The first thing I thought to myself when I heard this album was “Have I heard this on the radio before?” I’m sure it was a mixture of the production, which is stellar but sounds similar to a lot of commercial rock bands, and the songs, which are dynamic and well written but sound very similar to bands you might hear on rotation on a popular FM station. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it’s obvious from the get-go that Vasey knows exactly what kind of sound they are after and have nailed it. This is also a plus for our audience because you will know in about the first minute of the first song if you will be listening to the rest of the album.

The album starts out with “Fade Away,” which screams out “single” as the structure is conducive to a classic structure. The verse is kinetic, rhythmically driven and effortlessly transitions to a rocking, dynamic chorus. “The Otherside” is the first ballad/metal song on the album. The song starts out with airy synths, clean guitars, rim shots and a passionate vocal delivery before the palm muted electric guitars enter. Once you get to the chorus the song is rocking out in epic fashion.

One of the highlights on the album is “Fiction.”  One reason for this is the solid, lush guitar work. The cascading guitar picking kept my attention and works well with the orchestral strings. The most epic rocker of the bunch might be “A Throne That's Nowhere’ while “Wake Up Call” is the tearjerker of the album, which may cause these guys to have a surplus of younger female friends.

Ultimately, this music will attract fans from 30 seconds to Mars and Goo Goo Dolls, not hipsters who enjoy Deerhunter and Arcade Fire. Which camp are you in? If in the former there is a good chance you just found your new favorite band.

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