It is an awful shame that so many great indie bands often go unnoticed. As Tall as Lions is the perfect example of one of these bands. Here is a group who's already coming out on a small label, but also a label whose target audience is the complete opposite crowd that As Tall as Lions would normally appeal to. If As Tall as Lions were on Sub Pop, Barsuk, or even Equal Vision, they would most likely be far larger and embraced than they are now. I'm only saying this because it bugs me how good this band is and how few people actually know about them. Now on their second album, a self titled outing, As Tall as Lions hopes to spread their popularity once again with another stellar effort - but I can only hope that this one gets them noticed.
As Tall as Lions' sound is described to take a "musical approach combining the lush tones of ambient pop, the creativity of 70's album rock, the subtle passion of the late 1980's C-86 movement, and today's 'not so emo' writing style." I would second that assessment but also note that they have an incredible ear for melody and an almost uncanny hook sensibility.
As Tall as Lions opens with "Stab City," a track that begins with a slow piano and vocal introduction before the drums enter and form the track into an expansive sonic landscape with vocalist Daniel Nigro belting out his signature vocal hooks. The next song "Summer" shows off the more eclectic music side of As Tall as Lions. It begins with an off kilter drumbeat with handclaps in the background before shaping into a catchy guitar-driven chorus. In addition, the song makes use of dual vocals which add to the overall melodic nature that As Tall as Lions have so aptly honed. After the fourth song, "Love Love Love (Love Love)," it begins to dawn on me how similar these guys sound to Maroon 5; the catchiness, the vocal style, and even the use of piano are all strikingly similar. The album continues to flourish with the rhythmic "Ghosts of York," the swooning "Milk and Honey," and the rock anthem "Be Here Now." The album finishes with the piano pop epic "Maybe I'm Just Tired." The song incorporates all of All Tall as Lions' songwriting strategies into a cohesive whole, with Nigro accepting his contemplation of his inadequacy to his undisclosed love interest. This revelation is sung into reverberated darkness before a final hidden track breaks the silence with the group's most infectious song on the album.
I actually do think that this band will probably make it to a major label after this album, but whether this particular CD gets the attention it deserves is still in question. This is a really good album, and although it might not have the most lasting appeal, it showcases an original band playing some damn good catchy pop songs. Come to think of it, who knows, maybe As Tall as Lions will become Triple Crown Records next Brand New? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
