Artist: Backdrop
Album: What’s Next?
Released: Spring 2008
Reviewer: Tyler Hess
Well look at what we have here, another band from Iowa, this time from Iowa City, as Backdrop comes full speed ahead with their alternative rock that they recorded and produced by themselves at home. That is about as indie as you get, so that alone pretty much makes them a good fit around these parts, at least, that is, if they are any good.
Taking a simpler approach to music compared to a lot of the bands out there these days that break out with a hundred layers on every song and synthesizers that can get a bit overused, Backdrop’s “What’s Next” is a 3 piece band with catchy hooks matched up with nasally vocals and generally forgettable but workable guitar work and unnoticeable drums. The choruses get me just about every time, while the rest of the song I’m waiting for them, not so much in super eager anticipation, but more along the lines of the cliché “don’t bore us, get to chorus”.
It truly comes down to one thing with this band, that even though there are some pretty decent lines, with the lyrics are geared toward encouragement and that these are some workable tunes, I just don’t feel any inspiration or differentiation that sets them apart from a hundred other bands with similar work. Not to say that it isn’t on its way, but I’m not feeling the chemistry, stuff, magic, whatever you want call it that makes this something special.
Score: 6.5/10
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